Participants from PreK–12 and higher education who attend this two day conference will be able to learn about and apply effective practices and strategies in their improvement efforts from those who have experienced and led system-wide improvement initiatives in their organizations. In addition, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the elements of continuous improvement in school settings, and will apply this understanding in developing their own school improvement plans. Sectionals are designed for leadership teams; teachers; building and school-wide improvement teams; and support staff.

Presenters will include educators from Quincy, IL, Raleigh-Durham school districts, School District of Holmen, and post-secondary institutions of Western Technical College, Viterbo, UW-Stout. Other presenters will include individuals from the FranklinCovey Institute and the American Society for Quality.

Help promote the conference by posting materials at your school. Download them here:

• Langford Quality Learning Seminars Brochure (3.55 MB)
• Pre-Conference Flier ( 120 KB)
• Conference Poster ( 129 KB)
• 2-Day Conference Agenda ( 29 KB)

For registration information, click here.

THURSDAY, June 26th

8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. – Registration

8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. – Breakfast

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. – Opening/Welcome-All

• Chuck Farnsworth

10:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Track 1: Quality Strategies for Meeting Stakeholder Needs

These sessions will focus on how to assist individuals and schools in knowing, understanding and meeting stakeholder needs and improving internal and external stakeholder satisfaction. Participants will learn teambuilding strategies, how to improve communication, skills for managing multiple projects while reducing workplace stress, and how to determine and measure customer satisfaction through a balanced scorecard approach that focuses on timely, accurate and courteous service.

• Steven McCombs (Skill Path)

Track 2: Schoolwide Model for Improvement

The purpose of these sessions is to demonstrate to program participants how one school district framed continuous improvement and applied the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People to increase student achievement. Quincy School District is a District with a poverty level of 70% yet, through school improvement planning and implementation, student achievement in reading and math soared greater than 95% and discipline referrals and absenteeism were all but eliminated.

• Dr. George Meyer
• Christie Dickens


• The Dewey Elementary School Teachers
• Vicki Mallory
• Lori Post
• Jerry Ellerman
• Karen DeVoss
• Denise Poland

Track 3: Continuous Improvement Fundamentals for Educators

The American Society for Quality (ASQ) will present sessions on understanding the foundational principles of continuous improvement, how they contribute to organizational excellence and how they apply to the education sector.

• Ann Haggerty-Raines

Track 4: Leadership Roles in Achieving Organizational Excellence

The purpose of these sessions is to facilitate vision and mission based organizational leadership through application of FranklinCovey leadership principles in a continuous improvement environment.  Participants will gain knowledge, skill and strategies for applying the 4 Roles of Leadership, i.e., Pathfinding, Modelling, Empowering and aligning, toward achieving organizational performance excellence.

(Intended audience, K–12 and Post Secondary Leaders)

• Chuck Farnsworth

11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. – Lunch

12:45 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. 

Track 1: Quality Strategies for Meeting Stakeholder Needs

These sessions will focus on how to assist individuals and schools in knowing, understanding and meeting stakeholder needs and improving internal and external stakeholder satisfaction. Participants will learn teambuilding strategies, how to improve communication, skills for managing multiple projects while reducing workplace stress, and how to determine and measure customer satisfaction through a balanced scorecard approach that focuses on timely, accurate and courteous service.

• Steven McCombs (Skill Path)

Track 2: Schoolwide Model for Improvement

The purpose of these sessions is to demonstrate to program participants how one school district framed continuous improvement and applied the 7 Habits of Highly Effective people to increase student achievement. Quincy School District is a District with a poverty level of 70% yet, through school improvement planning and implementation, student achievement in reading and math soared greater than 95% and discipline referrals and absenteeism were all but eliminated.

• Dr. George Meyer
• Christie Dickens


• The Dewey Elementary School Teachers
• Vicki Mallory
• Lori Post
• Jerry Ellerman
• Karen DeVoss
• Denise Poland

Track 3: Continuous Improvement Fundamentals for Educators

The American Society for Quality (ASQ) will present sessions on understanding the foundational principles of continuous improvement, how they contribute to organizational excellence and how they apply to the education sector.

• Ann Haggerty-Raines

Track 4: Leadership Roles in Achieving Organizational Excellence

The purpose of these sessions is to facilitate vision and mission based organizational leadership through application of FranklinCovey leadership principles in a continuous improvement environment.  Participants will gain knowledge, skill and strategies for applying the 4 Roles of Leadership, i.e., Pathfinding, Modelling, Empowering and aligning, toward achieving organizational performance excellence.

(Intended audience, K–12 and Post Secondary Leaders)

• Chuck Farnsworth

2:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Break

2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Panel Discussion

(In process of development with presenters)

Dr. Fred Frick, PreK–12 District Administrator, Dr. Shirley Frick,Viterbo College, and Dr. Julie Furst-Bowe, UW-Stout, discuss how K–12 and postsecondary education can utilize continuous improvement strategies to align systems so stakeholder needs across the PreK–12 and postsecondary systems can be articulated, understood and met.

(Facilitated by Chuck Farnsworth, FranklinCovey)

• Chuck Farnsworth
• George Meyer
• Dr. Muriel Summers

4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Social Networking

FRIDAY, June 27th

8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. – Breakfast

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. – Journeys – Panel Discussion (UW Stout, Viterbo, Western)

(In process of development with presenters Dr. Shirley Frick, Dr. Julie Furst-Bowe, Dr. Lisa Snyder, and Dr. Lee Rasch)

UW-Stout, Viterbo College and Western discuss how they are reaching organizational excellence through continuous improvement efforts and how they maintain their momentum.

(Facilitated by George Meyers)

10:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Track 1: Quality Strategies for Meeting Stakeholder Needs

These sessions will focus on how to assist individuals and schools in knowing, understanding and meeting stakeholder needs and improving internal and external stakeholder satisfaction. Participants will learn teambuilding strategies, how to improve communication, skills for managing multiple projects while reducing workplace stress, and how to determine and measure customer satisfaction through a balanced scorecard approach that focuses on timely, accurate and courteous service.

• Steven McCombs (Skill Path)

Track 2: Empowering Students for Success

The purpose of these sessions is to demonstrate to school leaders how the 8th Habit, From Effectiveness to Greatness, has been utilized by one school district to give students a voice and a stake in their educational organization and program. Dr. Summer will demonstrate and give strategies to leaders that will enable students and staff a means for the organization to communicate to people their worth and potential and thereby achieve outstanding results and reach their goals.

• Dr. Muriel Summers

Track 3: Continuous Improvement Fundamentals for Educators

The American Society for Quality (ASQ) will present sessions on understanding the foundational principles of continuous improvement, how they contribute to organizational excellence and how they apply to the education sector.

• Ann Haggerty-Raines

Track 4: A Continuous Improvement Approach to Organizational Learning and Development

These sessions focus on providing Post Secondary and PreK–12 educators with an understanding of the continuous improvement framework. In these sessions, Malcolm Baldrige Criteria is used as a foundation to provide participants with a structured approach to organizational learning and development that recognizes the differences between systems, and also addresses areas of major concern in education. These sessions will provide educators with a systems approach to obtaining the results they desire. With a focus on leadership systems and processes for meeting needs of students, staff and customers, participants will learn and apply skills and knowledge that empowers them to assess their organization’s performance and write a plan for improvement.

• Julie Furst-Bowe
• Jerrilyn Brewer

11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. – Lunch

12:45 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. 

Track 1: Quality Strategies for Meeting Stakeholder Needs

These sessions will focus on how to assist individuals and schools in knowing, understanding and meeting stakeholder needs and improving internal and external stakeholder satisfaction. Participants will learn teambuilding strategies, how to improve communication, skills for managing multiple projects while reducing workplace stress, and how to determine and measure customer satisfaction through a balanced scorecard approach that focuses on timely, accurate and courteous service.

• Steven McCombs (Skill Path)

Track 2: Empowering Students for Success

The purpose of these sessions is to demonstrate to school leaders how the 8th Habit, From Effectiveness to Greatness, has been utilized by one school district to give students a voice and a stake in their educational organization and program. Dr. Summer will demonstrate and give strategies to leaders that will enable students and staff a means for the organization to communicate to people their worth and potential and thereby achieve outstanding results and reach their goals.

• Dr. Muriel Summers

Track 3: Continuous Improvement Fundamentals for Educators

The American Society for Quality (ASQ) will present sessions on understanding the foundational principles of continuous improvement, how they contribute to organizational excellence and how they apply to the education sector.

• Ann Haggerty-Raines

Track 4: A Continuous Improvement Approach to Organizational Learning and Development

These sessions focus on providing Post Secondary and prek-12 educators with an understanding of the continuous improvement framework. In these sessions, Malcolm Baldrige Criteria is used as a foundation to provide participants with a structured approach to organizational learning and development that recognizes the differences between systems, and also addresses areas of major concern in education. These sessions will provide educators with a systems approach to obtaining the results they desire. With a focus on leadership systems and processes for meeting needs of students, staff and customers, participants will learn and apply skills and knowledge that empowers them to assess their organization’s performance and write a plan for improvement.

• Julie Furst-Bowe
• Jerrilyn Brewer

2:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Break

2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.  – Keynote

• David Langford

4:00 p.m. – Closing