The NESA Wider Circle
Connecting NESA Schools to the heart of professional learning.
An extension of NESA’s Professional Development Advisory Committee (PDAC), the Wider Circle is a group of key thought partners made up of one representative from each NESA Member School, working in a spirit of collegiality, active collaboration and mutual respect.
As designated partners, Wider Circle representatives play a vital role in the system: teaming, influencing, and co-planning professional development. They serve as the primary liaison between their school and NESA, helping to promote NESA’s professional learning programs and projects while advising the NESA Center on their schools’ needs.
Members of NESA's Wider Circle during their monthly Live Forum meeting with NESA Executive Director Maddy Hewitt (top row, second from left).
The 2025-2026 Wider Circle
What Wider Circle Representatives Do
The Wider Circle meets online once a month and serves as the primary channel for professional development-related communication between NESA and each Member School. Representatives are expected to:
- Share NESA news, program announcements, and publications with their school community
- Distribute information and coordinate participation in student opportunities offered through NESA, including the Haas/Hansen Award, Margaret Sanders Scholarship, NESA Virtual Science & Engineering Fair, and student involvement in the Learning Futures Summit
- Coordinate their school’s internal selection process for teacher-presented “Share the Journey” workshops at the Learning Futures Summit
- Manage team registration and other special sign-up processes for NESA events and programs
- Respond to occasional information requests and assist the PDAC by contributing ideas for NESA’s professional learning program; e.g., by responding to surveys or suggesting consultants and topics
- Solicit or forward articles from their community about their school or school initiatives for possible inclusion in NESA News
- Attend the monthly Wider Circle Live Forum on Zoom
Who Serves on the Wider Circle
The NESA Wider Circle includes one representative from each Member School, typically a learning director or curriculum coordinator. To serve on the Wider Circle, an individual should:
- Work at a full NESA Member School
- Be nominated by their head of school
- Have an understanding of their school’s K–12 professional development priorities
- Have the support of their chief school administrator, including financial support (airfare and hotel, if applicable) to attend designated NESA events, and permission to actively promote NESA professional learning opportunities within the school (e.g., speaking at faculty meetings, sharing NESA notices and publications)
How It Works
NESA supports Wider Circle Representatives by offering:
-
A 50% discount on registration for one educators professional learning offering (non-transferable)
- A subscription to the weekly Marshall Memo for one designated Wider Circle Representative