ODU Center for Educational Innovation & Opportunity

08/21/2026

💙 One Network. Unlimited Possibilities.

Just over one week ago, educators from across our four ODU Lab Schools came together to learn, connect, and celebrate the strength of our network.

As many of our educators prepare to welcome students back next week, we are reminded that we are stronger together. Here’s to another year of collaboration, innovation, and unlimited possibilities across the ODU Lab School Network! 🌟

MEESA SmithTech K12Education

08/20/2026

💡Be Part of the 2027 Innovation Summit.

Share your ideas, innovations, and partnerships shaping the future of education at the 2027 Innovation Summit, March 3-4, 2027, at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott.

We're looking for presentations that showcase innovative practices, applied research, partnership-driven initiatives, and emerging ideas that advance education and inspire meaningful change.

We welcome proposals from:
✔ K-12 educators
✔ School and division leaders
✔ Higher education faculty and staff
✔ Researchers
✔ Students
✔ Business and industry partners
✔ Nonprofit organizations
✔ Community organizations

Whether you're transforming learning in the classroom, leading impactful partnerships, conducting research, or driving innovation in your community, we'd love to hear your perspective.

Proposal submissions are open through October 15, 2026.

🔗 Learn more about proposal requirements, session formats, and how to submit: https://tinyurl.com/2x9trp2x

08/19/2026

🎉Welcome to ODUCEIO, Hammed Sirleaf Jr.!

Hammed joins the Old Dominion University Center for Educational Innovation and Opportunity as a Graduate Assistant while pursuing his Ph.D. in Education with a concentration in Higher Education at ODU.

We’re excited to have Hammed join our team and look forward to the contributions he’ll make to ODUCEIO and the communities we serve in the ODU Lab School Network.

08/18/2026

📣Registration is officially open for the 2027 Innovation Summit!

Join us March 3–4, 2027, at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott for a gathering of educators, researchers, policymakers, and leaders dedicated to advancing educational innovation across Virginia and beyond.

Hosted by the ODU Center for Educational Innovation and Opportunity, the Innovation Summit fosters collaboration, showcases groundbreaking practices, and explores the future of teaching and learning.

This year's theme, Innovation in Action: Build It. Share It. Scale It., brings together ideas, practices, and partnerships that are moving innovation into action across education.

Attendees can also add an optional Pre-Summit Innovation Learning Visit to their Summit experience for an opportunity to see innovation in action on March 2, 2027 before the Summit begins.

Registration is now open. Join us in Norfolk as we build, share, and scale innovation together.

Register today: https://tinyurl.com/y3v93dkx

08/17/2026

Virginia is building the future of learning through its College Partnership Laboratory Schools.

Across the Commonwealth, elementary, middle, and high school students are designing solutions to real-world challenges, exploring high-demand career pathways, and gaining hands-on experience in maritime, aerospace, health sciences, computer science, and beyond.

Read the inspiring student stories, achievements, industry partnerships, and innovative learning experiences taking place across Virginia’s College Partnership Laboratory Schools in our 2025–2026 Year in Review.

https://heyzine.com/flip-book/f97c53298e.html

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Through the Old Dominion University Center for Educational Innovation and Opportunity (ODUCEIO), Old Dominion University serves as a statewide leader in advancing educational innovation. As the hub of ODU's Lab School Network, ODUCEIO partners with Virginia's College Partnership Laboratory Schools to connect K-12 education, higher education, industry, and community organizations through innovative learning, research, and collaboration.

By coordinating best practices, supporting school leaders, fostering strategic partnerships, and helping scale successful models, ODUCEIO is expanding opportunities for students and educators while shaping the future of education across the Commonwealth.

Created with the Heyzine flipbook maker

08/13/2026

One Network. Unlimited Possibilities.

Yesterday, educators from all four ODU Lab Schools came together with ODU faculty, school division leaders, and community partners for the 2026 ODU Lab School Network Convening.

With our Lab School educators at the heart of the event, the convening highlighted what it means to be One Network with Unlimited Possibilities. Throughout the day, educators attended sessions focused on incorporating AI strategies, the Design Thinking and Possibility Spaces Framework, coding, makerspaces, and storytelling into their lesson planning as they prepare for the new school year.

The convening celebrated our educators and the incredible work they accomplished during year one while also welcoming new educators as we begin year two and continue strengthening connections across our four ODU Lab Schools.

Our ODU Lab School educators are the driving force behind our students’ success. They spark innovation, bring out the potential in every student, and create unlimited possibilities for students to learn, grow, and thrive throughout their K–12 education.

Together, our educators can exchange ideas, share resources, learn from one another, and receive support from across ODU. Yesterday was a powerful reminder that as one ODU Lab School Network, we are stronger together.

A special thank-you to the ODU School of Interdisciplinary Studies, the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies, ODU Graduate Admissions, and ODU Libraries for providing our educators with valuable resources and ODU swag to bring Monarch pride back to their classrooms!

💙 Here’s to another year of learning, collaboration, and unlimited possibilities across the ODU Lab School Network!

08/06/2026

🌟 Please join us in welcoming Alesia Walker to the ODU Center for Educational Innovation & Opportunity (ODUCEIO) team as the STEM Academy Program Manager!

Alesia brings a wealth of experience in STEM education, curriculum development, and educational leadership, along with a passion for creating meaningful learning opportunities for students and educators.

As we prepare for an exciting new school year, we're thrilled to have Alesia on our team and look forward to the leadership, collaboration, and innovation she'll bring to our ODU Lab School community.

Welcome to the team, Alesia!

08/03/2026

Your Ideas Belong at the 2027 Innovation Summit.

Share your ideas, innovations, and partnerships shaping the future of education at the 2027 Innovation Summit, March 3-4, 2027, at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott.

We're looking for presentations that showcase innovative practices, applied research, partnership-driven initiatives, and emerging ideas that advance education and inspire meaningful change.

We welcome proposals from:

✔ K-12 educators
✔ School and division leaders
✔ Higher education faculty and staff
✔ Researchers
✔ Students
✔ Business and industry partners
✔ Nonprofit organizations
✔ Community organizations

Whether you're transforming learning in the classroom, leading impactful partnerships, conducting research, or driving innovation in your community, we'd love to hear your perspective.

Proposal submissions are open through October 15, 2026.

🔗 Learn more about proposal requirements, session formats, and how to submit: https://tinyurl.com/2x9trp2x

07/30/2026

🚨 We're Hiring: 4th Grade Teacher at STEM Academy (SABTW)

We are looking for a truly dynamic educator who is ready to make an impact, inspire young learners, and be part of a team committed to creativity, innovation, and hands-on learning.

As a Virginia College Partnership Laboratory School led by Old Dominion University in collaboration with Suffolk VA Public Schools, the STEM Academy provides a unique opportunity to help shape innovative instructional practices, engage in project-based and interdisciplinary learning, and support students as problem-solvers, designers, and future-ready thinkers.

Apply here: https://spsk12.schoolspring.com/?jobid=5855182

07/27/2026

Last Thursday marked the successful conclusion of the middle school STEM Camp at Tidewater Community College, and we wanted to celebrate the people and partnerships that made it possible.

Throughout the week, Hunter Tuck led daily STEM sessions where students explored how to apply design thinking and coding to imagine, design, and build a colony on the moon. Using tools like Sphero robots and micro:bits, students developed solutions for lunar challenges, including programming rovers to navigate the moon’s surface while building creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.

The Hampton Roads Workforce Council (HRWC) invited the ODU Center for Educational Innovation & Opportunity to support this experience based on the innovative, workforce-connected learning taking place through SmithTech, a College Partnership Laboratory School led by Old Dominion University in partnership with Chesapeake Public Schools, where students develop computational thinking, design thinking, and problem-solving skills through real-world challenges.

We were also excited to partner with Shawn Frazier, Hampton Roads STEM Outreach Program Lead with the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and Internship Project Lead with the Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic. Shawn’s support helped connect students with authentic STEM experiences while strengthening partnerships among K–12 education, higher education, industry, and the defense community.

Through partnerships like these, we continue to expand opportunities for students and showcase the impact of innovative learning experiences across Hampton Roads.

Thank you to Hunter for his contributions throughout the week, Huyen for capturing these moments, and our amazing ODUCEIO team, including our graduate assistants and iLab interns, for helping make this event run smoothly. We also appreciate all of our partners who helped make this experience a success.