Research & Curriculum Unit

We're ringing in the Fall semester. Welcome back, Bulldogs!

We're so excited to have Amanda Shy join our Curriculum Team! She works with our Arts, Entertainment & Design and Healthcare and Human Services programs, helping support educators across these pathways.

The August 2026 edition of the MAIN AI Newsletter is now available.

Three new free AI courses this month: Claude, ChatGPT for teachers, and AI for cybersecurity. Each earns a credential, and Mississippi K-12 educators can earn CEUs.

Also inside: the appointment of Dr. Kollin Napier as MAIN's Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, the AI Regulation Task Force data center hearings at the State Capitol, and MAIN's new Manufacturing AI Playbook.

Join us August 5 at 11:00 a.m. CT for the MAIN and IBM Bob webinar.

MAIN is Mississippi's coordinated statewide AI initiative and the first of its kind in the nation. Read the issue and subscribe using the links in the comments.

KEYNOTE SPOTLIGHT!!

One keynote. Two engaging sessions.

Join Kelly Brinkman (BridgeWorks) at for When Generations Connect and Boomers to Zoomers, presented by GEAR UP in partnership with the Research & Curriculum Unit.

Together, these back-to-back sessions explore how generational differences influence communication, leadership, workplace expectations, and talent development.

From understanding what motivates each generation to tackling real-world challenges in recruiting, retaining, and leading a multigenerational workforce, Kelly will share research-backed strategies and practical takeaways you can put to work immediately. The conversation continues with an interactive Q&A, where attendees can dive deeper into today's workplace challenges and gain actionable insights for building stronger teams and talent pipelines.

Register today: https://buff.ly/3IKfOCZ

And that's a wrap on MS ACTE 2026! It's been a great week and we're already looking forward to seeing you all next year!

Day 2 at MS ACTE! Educators from all over our state are coming together to connect, learn, and prepare for the upcoming year in CTE.

MS ACTE 2026 is officially in full swing and we're soaking up every moment!

The nametags are stuffed, the programs are ready, and the vans are being loaded...

We are ready for MS ACTE 2026—three days of learning, collaboration, and connection with CTE professionals from across Mississippi.

We can't wait to see you in Biloxi on Monday!

We're so excited to welcome Sean Covey, president of FranklinCovey Education and a New York Times best-selling author, as our Keynote speaker for MS ACTE 2026!

In his keynote, "The Lighthouse Effect," Covey will share practical, principle-centered leadership ideas to strengthen CTE classrooms and programs statewide.

We were honored to be a premier sponsor at the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture conference!
NACTA is a professional society devoted to the scholarship of teaching and learning agriculture and related disciplines at the postsecondary level.