Tours
Cherry Creek Innovation Campus TourTuesday, Oct. 6, 7:30−11:45 a.m.
Experience how the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus (CCIC) is redefining high school education through industry-aligned, career-connected learning.
This guided tour offers an inside look at a state-of-the-art facility designed to immerse students in real-world professional environments. Attendees will see how CCIC blends rigorous academics with hands-on technical training, strong industry partnerships, and authentic workforce experiences.
Participants will explore cutting-edge labs and collaborative learning spaces where students are preparing for high-demand careers in fields such as:
• Business Services (Entrepreneurship and Project Management)
• Construction Trades (Construction, HVAC, and Welding)
• Creative Arts (Film and Motion Design)
• Health & Wellness (Behavioral Health, CNA, EMT, OT/PT, Pharmacy, and Veterinary)
• Hospitality (Culinary and Resort/Event Management)
• IT (Cybersecurity and AI)
• Transportation (Auto and Aviation)
The tour highlights CCIC’s commitment to workforce-based learning, industry credentials, postsecondary alignment, and partnerships that connect students directly to career pathways. This experience is ideal for education leaders, workforce development partners, and organizations interested in innovative CTE models that align education with industry needs. Learn more here!
Credentials / Dress Code
• Business or business-casual attire recommended/ comfortable shoes
Agenda:
7:30 a.m: Attendees board bus at hotel
7:50 a.m. - 9:00am: Bus departs hotel and heads to school
9:00 a.m. - 9:15am: Welcome & Campus Overview
9:15 - 10:15 a.m.: Pathways Tour: Guests will visit several active program areas and speak with students from varied pathways. Programs visited may vary based on schedule and class availability.
10:15 - 10:30 a.m.: Q&A and Closing
10:35 a.m.: Attendees board bus
11:45 a.m.: Bus returns to hotel
Emily Griffith Campus Tour
Tuesday, Oct. 6, 9:45 a.m.− 12:45 p.m.
Emily Griffith Technical College is the adult and postsecondary arm of the Denver Public School District and is one of three Area Technical Colleges part of the Colorado Community College System. The college offers pre-apprenticeship, CTE, Registered Apprenticeship, Adult High School Diploma, and English Language programs to over 10,000 students annually. In 2026, Emily Griffith will confer the first AAS Electrician degrees to Registered Apprentices - providing college credit for General Education, Related Instruction and On-the-Job Training experiences. As the largest and only public school district in Colorado (and possibly in the country?) to offer Associate Degrees, our panel of experts will share how we're continuing the 110-year legacy of our namesake founder and pushing systems to be more robust and inclusive for all who wish to learn.
Agenda:
9:45am: Attendees board bus
10:00am - 10:20am: Bus departs hotel and heads to school
10:30am - 11:00am: Group meets in lobby and begins site visit featuring student-run businesses and programs
11:00am - 12:20pm:
- Light refreshments provided by Culinary Arts students
- Panel presentation featuring team leaders discussing current innovations and system-level changes in the field
- Roundtable discussion open to all attendees
- Opportunity to hear directly from practitioners about initiatives underway at their organizations
- Peer-to-peer knowledge sharing focused on strategies that can be applied across member organizations
12:25pm: Attendees board bus
12:35pm - 12:45pm: Bus departs school & returns to hotel
Milk Market Networking EventWednesday, Oct. 7, 7:00−9:00 p.m.
Join us for a networking event at Denver’s Milk Market, a vibrant food hall located in the historic Dairy Block in LoDo. The event will take place in the Stranded Pilgrim and Arcade rooms within Milk Market. Enjoy classic games like skee-ball, shuffleboard, and PAC-MAN while connecting with fellow attendees. Food and beverages will be provided.
Workshops
The 4 Disciplines of Execution
Presenter: Franklin Covey Representative
Time: Tuesday, Oct. 6, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m .(lunch included)
Cost: $245 includes 6-hour workshop, lunch and book.
Presented by Franklin-Covey, the premier leadership development and performance improvement company, best known for training programs based on Dr. Stephen R. Covey’s "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," this workshop teaches their goal-achievement framework and how to execute a strategy based on: 1) Focusing on the Wildly Important Goals (WIGs), 2) Acting on Lead Measures, 3) Keeping a Compelling Scoreboard, and 4) Creating a Cadence of Accountability.
CTE Leadership Accelerator for New Administrators
Presenter: Michelle Conner
Time: Tuesday, Oct. 6, 1:00–4:45 p.m.
Cost: $195 includes workshop and additional dedicated in-conference coaching sessions.
The CTE Leadership Accelerator for New Administrators is a focused professional learning experience designed to help new and emerging CTE leaders accelerate their skills. This experience begins with an in-depth workshop, modeled after the high-demand Admin 101 workshop offered at ACTE’s CareerTech VISION conference. The workshop will provide a practical introduction to the CTE Total Program Model, along with foundational guidance on Perkins funding, compliance, and data, all of which are essential for effective program leadership.
Following the workshop, participants will continue their learning throughout the conference with structured coaching sessions and targeted networking opportunities designed specifically for new CTE administrators. These sessions will create space to ask questions, connect with experienced peers, and apply concepts introduced during the workshop. Participants will also gain access to an ongoing online Community of Practice for CTE administrators, providing continued collaboration and support beyond the conference.
Collective Solutions for the CTE Teacher Pipeline
Time: Tuesday, Oct. 6, 8:00 a.m.–Noon
Cost: $175.00
Description: CTE leaders across the country are facing the same urgent challenge: recruiting, supporting, and retaining high-quality career and technical education teachers. This four-hour, highly interactive workshop brings CTE administrators together to move beyond simply naming the problem and toward practical, collective solutions. Participants will engage in structured problem-solving sessions, peer learning exchanges, and facilitated strategy labs designed to surface what is working in districts, colleges and other systems.
Through guided discussion, small-group collaboration, and rapid idea sharing, attendees will analyze the root causes of CTE teacher shortages, identify promising recruitment and retention practices, and pressure-test ideas with colleagues facing similar realities. The session culminates in a concrete action-planning segment, where each participant will leave with a customized set of strategies and implementation steps.