As we prepare for a new school year, three conversations continue to rise to the surface in schools across the country.
They are not trends. They are not initiatives. They are fundamental questions about learning, leadership, and what matters most for young people in a rapidly changing world.
At Mount Vernon Ventures, these conversations are shaping our work with educators, school leaders, and learning organizations. They are also influencing the experiences, resources, and partnerships we are creating for the year ahead.
AI and Assessment
Artificial intelligence has accelerated one of the most important questions in education:
How do we know students are learning?
When AI can generate content, provide feedback, support research, and solve increasingly complex problems, many traditional approaches to assessment deserve fresh examination.
The challenge is not whether students will use AI. The challenge is designing learning experiences and assessments that reveal understanding, transfer, creativity, and sound judgment.
Over the past year, we have been learning alongside educators who are experimenting with new approaches, revisiting old assumptions, and preparing students for a world where AI will be a permanent part of life and work.
This July, we invite teachers, instructional leaders, and school administrators to join us in Atlanta for our AI Assessment Workshop. Together, we will explore practical strategies, emerging best practices, and lessons learned that can help your team begin the school year with greater confidence and clarity.
The Creativity Choice
Last year, many schools engaged with us as we explored the ideas in Adam Grant’s Hidden Potential, exploring how growth, character, and contribution can be developed when the conditions are right.
This year, we are building on that foundation.
Our summer read selection is The Creativity Choice, a timely reminder that creativity is not simply an individual talent. It is a capability that can be cultivated within teams, organizations, and entire school communities.
As schools navigate unprecedented change, creativity is becoming less of a nice-to-have and more of a leadership imperative.
- How do we create environments where people feel safe to experiment?
- How do we encourage better questions, not just faster answers?
- How do we design cultures where curiosity and innovation can flourish?
Throughout the year, we will be exploring these questions alongside educators and thought leaders, including Dr. Zorana Pringle from Yale University, whose work helps organizations turn creative thinking into meaningful action.
We invite you to read along with us and join the conversation.
Human Flourishing
Perhaps the most important conversation is also the most timeless.
What does it mean for a young person to flourish?
As schools wrestle with questions about technology, innovation, and future readiness, many leaders are also returning to deeper questions about purpose, belonging, wellbeing, relationships, character, and meaning.
Research emerging from Harvard’s Human Flourishing Program offers a compelling framework for expanding how we think about success.
Academic achievement matters.
Preparation for college and career matters.
Yet flourishing reminds us that education is ultimately about helping people live lives of purpose and contribution.
In July, Mount Vernon Ventures will be sharing a weekly series exploring the research, implications, and practical applications of human flourishing for schools. Our goal is to help leaders translate powerful ideas into meaningful action within their own communities.
Join Us
The future of schools will not be shaped by technology alone.
It will be shaped by how thoughtfully we respond to the opportunities and challenges before us.
If these conversations resonate with your team, we invite you to join us.
- Attend the AI and Assessment Workshop, July 30th in Atlanta.
- Read The Creativity Choice alongside educators from across the country.
- Follow our Human Flourishing series in July.
- And if you’re looking for a thought partner, facilitator, speaker, or strategic partner to help move your work forward, let’s connect.
The future of learning will be built by schools willing to learn together.
