Integrative Learning Curriculum Planning Retreat | April 23-24, 2026 | Rainbow Lodge
Thursday, April 23
| 9 – 10:15 am |
| CHECK-IN Move your luggage into your room, grab your nametag and an agenda, enjoy some coffee, light pastries, and conversation with colleagues |
| 10:30-11:45 am |
| WELCOME AND OPENING ADDRESS Reimagining Learning Communities Where Students Thrive: Building Cultures of Inclusion, Purpose, and Deep Engagement WLCC co-chair Mandie Mauldin, Bellevue College Students do not struggle because they lack ability. They struggle when we have not taught them how to navigate challenge. This opening presentation introduces the STRIVE framework as a blueprint for learning communities that are safe enough for risk-taking, structured enough for clarity, and rigorous enough to build real confidence. By centering trauma-informed design, inclusive practice, and intentional engagement, we can transform struggle from threat into growth. When we teach students how to learn, we do more than improve outcomes. We help them trust their own capacity. |
| 12 -1 pm |
| LUNCH Meals are served family style. Guests will sit 6-8 per table, and each table will be served platters of food with enough for each guest. All guests should plan to be on time to meals to facilitate efficient service. |
| 1:15 – 2:45 pm |
| OPTION A: WORKSHOP Nuts and Bolts of Integrative Assignments: How to Get Started Angela Rasmussen, Spokane Community College & Sharon Spence-Wilcox, Seatlle Central College The integrative assignment is the heart of your learning community, and this session will walk you through the steps of developing one that meets the outcomes of multiple disciplines. Join this hands-on discussion with your teaching partner(s) and leave with the core concepts of an integrative assignment. OPTION B: PLANNING TIME FOR TEAMS |
| 3-4:30 pm |
| OPTION A: WORKSHOP Team Teaching: Getting Started and Improving Over Time JuliA Metzker, Director of the Washington Center for Improving Undergraduate Education & Julia Zay, The Evergreen State College Team teaching can transform learning experiences for both students and faculty, but success depends on having the right conversations before challenges arise. This interactive workshop demystifies team teaching by providing practical strategies for building effective partnerships across disciplines and institutional contexts. OPTION B: PLANNING TIME FOR TEAMS |
| 4:45-6 pm |
| OPTION A: SHARING SESSION Quick Tips: Rapid-fire Sharing Session Melissa Grinley, North Seattle College & Mandie Mauldin, Bellevue College This 1 hour “rapid-fire” session is an opportunity to be exposed to multiple valuable teaching strategies in a short period of time! We have seven participants who will be sharing out one strategy they use in their classroom to build a welcoming learning community. Join us to gain some new pedagogical tools you can try out in your own teaching practice! OPTION B: PLANNING TIME FOR TEAMS |
| 6-7 pm |
| DINNER |
| 7-9 pm |
| BONFIRE Weather permitting, join us for more conversation around the bonfire! |
| 7-8 pm |
| LC COORDINATORS DISCUSSION Strategic Sustainability for Learning Communities Matt Scammell, Skagit Valley College |
Friday, April 24
| 8-9 am |
| BREAKFAST |
| 9:15 -10:30 am |
| OPTION A: ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION Designing for Dialogue: Creating Safe Spaces for Hard Conversations Mandie Mauldin, Bellevue College & Julia Zay, The Evergreen State College Productive discomfort is part of meaningful learning. Avoidance is not a strategy. This roundtable will surface real classroom dilemmas and examine how intentional design can transform difficult moments into opportunities for growth. Through shared experiences and collaborative problem-solving, participants will identify strategies that foster safety, structure, and student agency. Together, we will explore how to scaffold difficult conversations so students build the confidence and skills necessary to engage across disagreement with respect and resilience. OPTION B: ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION Assessing Integrative Learning JuliA Metzker, Director of the Washington Center for Improving Undergraduate Education & Jeremiah Allen, Bellevue College In this roundtable, we will use the AAC&U Integrative Learning Rubric to ground our understanding and surface approaches for assessing outcomes in learning communities. From this point we will discuss the challenges and barriers as well as opportunities that have propelled us forward. We will combine this tool with our own experiences to develop strategies that help us advocate for integrated learning in our colleges and beyond. OPTION C: PLANNING TIME FOR TEAMS |
| 10:30-10:45 am |
| CHECK OUT OF ROOMS All personal belongings should be packed up and removed from your room by 11 am. Luggage can be stored in the lobby until the conclusion of the retreat. |
| 11 am – 12 pm |
| CLOSING SESSION: REPORTING OUT ON WORK ACCOMPLISHED Jeremiah Allen, Bellevue College & Sharon Spence-Wilcox, Seattle Central College Join your colleagues in this wrap-up session as we share out insights, wins, and questions. Together, we will identify key themes and next steps as the work moves back to your own campuses. |
| 12-1 pm |
| LUNCH |