ODU Center for Educational Innovation & Opportunity

Are You Experiencing Burnout?

Join us on July 23 from 9:00 AM–2:00 PM at the iLab for Sustaining the Work: A Workshop on Thriving in Teaching and Building a Career That Lasts presented by Dr. Michael T. Cromartie, Ed.D.

This interactive workshop is designed for teachers, instructional coaches, department heads, and school leaders looking to explore practical strategies for managing stress, preventing burnout, and building sustainable careers in education.

Participants will engage in reflection, discussion, and planning while creating a personalized professional sustainability plan focused on long-term growth and impact.

📍 ODU iLab | 600 Butler Farm Rd., Hampton, VA 23666
📅 July 23, 2026 | 9:00 AM–2:00 PM
📝 Register here: https://secure.touchnet.com/C21192_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=752&SINGLESTORE=true

Want to Make an Impact at Your School? 🏫🙋

Join us on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, from 9:00 AM–2:00 PM at the ODU Innovation Lab in Hampton for Leveling Up to Lead Change: Designing Professional Learning for Strategic Initiatives facilitated by Alaina Trott, Chief Strategy Officer for Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools.

This hands-on workshop will help school and division teams design professional learning experiences that support strategic initiatives and create lasting impact. Participants will explore change theory, differentiated professional learning design, and practical planning strategies aligned to division and school goals.

Participants are encouraged to bring one initiative they plan to lead during the 2026–27 school year and will leave with a clear, actionable professional learning plan connected directly to their strategic priorities.

📍 ODU Innovation Lab – 600 Butler Farm Road, Hampton, VA
📅 Tuesday, July 21, 2026
⏰ 9:00 AM–2:00 PM

Register today: https://secure.touchnet.com/C21192_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=748&SINGLESTORE=true

Last night, SmithTech hosted their first annual student showcase with a turnout of 400+ attendees, ranging from incoming 6th graders, parents, industry/community partners, and current students showcasing their work from the school year! This work would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of our SmithTech leadership team, teachers and ODUCEIO staff!

SmithTech is a College Partnership Laboratory School between Old Dominion University and Chesapeake Public Schools, providing innovative, hands-on learning opportunities for students in grades 6–8 at Oscar Smith Middle School in Chesapeake, VA.

Focused on integrating Computer Science standards across core content areas and enhanced electives, SmithTech empowers students to become innovative thinkers, collaborative problem-solvers, and developers of future technology.

🚀 Student Innovation. Real-World Value at AAES

Students at the Aerospace Academy of the Eastern Shore (AAES) have launched Phase 1 of their 9th Grade Signature Project, exploring aerospace engineering through hands-on, mission-based learning.

Students are designing, building, and testing stomp rockets using PVC launch systems while applying the engineering design process to collect data, analyze flight, and calculate altitude. Through this work, they are strengthening problem-solving, collaboration, and technical skills in a real-world context.

Next, students will move into Phase 2: Sounding Rocket Mission Design, with opportunities to further connect their learning to industry practices, including engagement with NASA Wallops Flight Facility.

This work reflects the power of student-centered, experiential learning across our network, where students actively engage in real-world challenges and innovation.

🚨 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀! 🚨

We are excited to share 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵, a powerful, year-long, signature project at the 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗠 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗧. 𝗪𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 — 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗮’𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗞–𝟱 𝗟𝗮𝗯 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹!

This innovative effort was designed and led by 𝗞𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝘂𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘆, STEM Academy Program Manager, in close collaboration with 𝗥𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝘀𝗰𝗵-𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀, Instructional Specialist, and 𝗝𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗹, 5th grade teacher, alongside the broader STEM Academy team.

Through Operation StormWatch, 5th grade students: • Stepped into the roles of real emergency response teams
• 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 with city, military, public safety, Civil Air Patrol, engineering, and media professionals
• 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮, evacuation zones, and response systems
• 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹-𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 inside the Suffolk Emergency Operations Center

And on simulation day… 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁!

This work is part of the 𝗢𝗗𝗨 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 (𝗖𝗘𝗜𝗢) 𝗟𝗮𝗯 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸, a statewide initiative working to reimagine K–12 education across Virginia by designing and scaling 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹: WAVY-TV 10’s Chris Horne shared that Virginia’s 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿 is excited about Operation StormWatch and looks forward to learning more about the project!

This is what happens when 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 come together to create meaningful, future-focused learning experiences!
𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF-q0WFySlM

🚨 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀! 🚨

We are excited to share 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵, a powerful, year-long, signature project at the 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗠 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗧. 𝗪𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 — 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗮’𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗞–𝟱 𝗟𝗮𝗯 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹!

This innovative effort was designed and led by 𝗞𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝘂𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘆, STEM Academy Program Manager, in close collaboration with 𝗥𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝘀𝗰𝗵-𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀, Instructional Specialist, and 𝗝𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗹, 5th grade teacher, alongside the broader STEM Academy team.

Through Operation StormWatch, 5th grade students stepped into the roles of real emergency response teams to explore an essential question: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗮 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿?

Throughout the school year, students:
• 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 with city, military, public safety, Civil Air Patrol, engineering, and media professionals
• 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮, evacuation zones, and response systems
• 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹-𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 inside the Suffolk Emergency Operations Center

And on simulation day… 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁!

This work is part of the 𝗢𝗗𝗨 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 (𝗖𝗘𝗜𝗢) 𝗟𝗮𝗯 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸, a statewide initiative working to reimagine K–12 education across Virginia by designing and scaling 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘀.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀, including:
• Richard Stephens, Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator for the City of Suffolk
• Civil Air Patrol, Tidewater Composite Squadron
• Suffolk Sheriff’s Office, Fire & Rescue, and Police Department
• Jennifer Moore and the City of Suffolk Communications Team
• Suffolk Economic Development
• Suffolk Planning and Community Development
• Hampton Roads Workforce Council
• U.S. Coast Guard
• ODU faculty and partners, including Dr. John Baaki, Dr. Joshua Behr, and Dr. Demetrice Smith-Mutegi
• WAVY-TV 10, including Jeff Edmondson and Chris Horne

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹: WAVY-TV 10’s Chris Horne shared that Virginia’s 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿 is excited about Operation StormWatch and looks forward to learning more about the project!

This is what happens when 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 come together to create meaningful, future-focused learning experiences!

𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF-q0WFySlM

WAVY TV 10 1 like. "Suffolk STEM program puts 5th graders in intense emergency management roles"

Thank you for an incredible Give2ODU.

Your support fuels the continued growth of the ODU Lab School Network and expands access to hands on, career connected learning for students across Virginia.

This work is made possible through a community that believes in innovation, opportunity, and what education can become.
We are grateful for your support and partnership.

Transforming Education at the Speed of Innovation