Rural Teacher Summit returns August 5
For the fourth summer in a row, small-town educators across Eastern Iowa are invited to come together for a free opportunity to enhance classroom learning, help them tend to their personal well-being, reconnect with their professional passion, and feel supported.
The Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque is proud to host the fourth-annual Rural Teacher Summit from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 5, at Camp Little Cloud, 21700 Girl Scout Road, Epworth, IA.
The summit is free to attend for educators at all grade levels, including classroom teachers, school administrators, guidance counselors and other professionals. Breakfast and lunch are included, and each attendee will receive a $25 gas gift card to offset travel costs. This year’s summit also offers a new perk: Attendance will count toward teacher license renewal credit.
Educators can register at dbqfoundation.org/summit26.
“By supporting teachers, schools win and communities win,” says Program Officer Josie Manternach, a former teacher who oversees the Foundation’s education work. “When we invest in empowering teachers, we invest in every child's future."
This year’s summit comprises a full day of breakout sessions and guest speakers. Scheduled sessions include:
- What We Already Have: Simple Tech Supports for ELL Students
- AI in Action: Practical Tools for Today’s Classroom
- Connected Learning: How Community Partnerships Strengthen Rural Schools (panel discussion with rural teachers)
The day will also include time for educators to focus on self-care and wellness. Plus, attendees will hear about an opportunity to apply for classroom grants.
For attendees, the summit is a chance to learn, network and reconnect with what they love about being a rural educator.
“I came [to the summit] to learn more about how to help kids, motivate them, get that energy back that sometimes drains throughout the year,” said Clancy Junk, a seventh- and eighth-grade math teacher at Anamosa Middle School, who attended last year’s Rural Teacher Summit.
The event is one of the benefits the Community Foundation offers to teachers in the seven-county Dubuque region through its Rural Teacher Corps, a partnership with the Rural Schools Collaborative (RSC).
In 2021, the Foundation became RSC’s Iowa Regional Hub, building capacity to support thriving rural communities by focusing on a key driver of small-town quality of life: teachers and public schools.
Attending the Rural Teacher Summit opens the door to being part of this connected network of teachers. Educators can learn more about and apply for grants that support their practice and students while also drawing support and strength from others who understand the importance of their role in the community.
“Our region is filled with educators who care deeply about the children they teach and the communities they serve,” says Manternach. “We are proud to offer opportunities to help support them, their schools and the towns that make up our rural region.”
