GTCC Fall Leadership Conference/Future Ready CTE
RSVP HERE
Venue: TBD
Date: Thursday, October 1, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM–2:00 PM
Audience: All Superintendents, Principals, and Guidance Counselors Welcome
Note: Attendees joining only the Future Ready CTE Meeting (1–2 PM) may do so. Those attending both sessions and registering will receive lunch provided by GTCC.
The GTCC Fall Leadership Conference brings together district superintendents, principals, and counselors for a full day of learning focused on instructional leadership, student engagement, and future‑ready pathways. This year’s featured presenters, Brian Miller and Kasey Schurtz, will guide participants through the 5+1 Engagement Strategies, a framework designed to help educators move past surface-level engagement and into deeper, more meaningful student learning.
Following the leadership sessions, GTCC will host a Future Ready CTE Meeting from 1–2 PM, with NCMASS and the Big Sky Special Needs Cooperative meetings continuing into the afternoon.
AGENDA:
8:45–9:00 AM — Sign‑In & Welcome
Coffee and light breakfast provided.
9:00–9:30 AM — GTCC Professional Development Opportunities for Schools
Presenter: Kristi Calvery
9:30–10:45 AM — 5+1 Engagement Strategies for Leadership
Presenters: Kasey Schurtz & Brian Miller
10:45–10:55 AM — Break
10:55–11:55 AM — 5+1 Engagement Strategies for Leadership (Part II)
11:55–12:00 PM — Exit Survey & PDUs
12:00–1:00 PM — Lunch Provided by GTCC
Catered by Smoked
1:00–2:00 PM — Future Ready CTE Meeting
Additional Afternoon Meetings
2:00–3:00 PM — NCMASS Meeting
3:00–4:00 PM — Big Sky Special Needs Cooperative Meeting
Meet our Presenters, Brian & Kasey
Brian Miller
Brian Miller is a middle school principal at North Middle School in Great Falls, Montana, with over 15 years of experience in education. His work has spanned both national and international settings, serving students in rural and urban communities alike.
Brian believes that while schools exist to serve students, great schools are built by investing deeply in the people who teach them. As a leader, his primary focus is supporting, developing, and empowering teachers - creating the conditions where they can do their best work for kids.
His leadership centers on building strong staff culture, fostering clarity around effective instruction, and helping educators focus on what truly impacts a school's culture, purpose, and practice.
Kasey Schurtz
Kasey Schurtz is an instructional facilitator at Sage Valley Junior High in Campbell County School District, Wyoming, where he supports teachers in strengthening instruction, improving student engagement, and building systems that protect access to learning. With experience spanning classroom teaching, coaching, and schoolwide systems work, Kasey focuses on helping educators teach effectively and reach every student.
Kasey believes that students disengage when they lose access to learning, and that restoring access is the most important work schools can do. His approach centers on clarity, consistency, and practical strategies that help teachers create classrooms where thinking is protected and all students can succeed.
His work emphasizes building sustainable systems, refining instructional practices, and using data in ways that are meaningful and actionable for teachers. He is known for translating complex ideas into clear, usable practices that make a difference in day-to-day teaching.
Kasey’s leadership is grounded in the belief that schools improve when the people inside them are supported, trusted, and equipped to do their best work. He is transitioning into an elementary principal role, where he will continue building the conditions that protect student access to learning and allow teachers to focus on what matters most.
Explore Their Work
Schurtz & Ties features conversations with leading voices in education, including John Hattie, John Almarode, and Todd Whitaker, and highlights the 5+1 Engagement Strategies framework designed to deepen student learning.
What to Bring: Please bring a wireless internet-capable laptop or device.
OPI Renewal Units: 5 OPI Renewal Units will be offered to attendees.
Questions: Kristi Calvery, GTCC Director | kristi@gtccmt.org | (406) 450-1805
Brianna Hansen, GTCC Administrative Assistant | brianna@gtccmt.org | (406) 434-2745