Co-sponsored by W&M Strategic Cultural Partnerships & Virginia Council for the Social Studies

A History of the Williamsburg Bray School: A Workshop for History Educators

The Williamsburg Bray School was a colonial-era charity school that delivered a distinctly pro-slavery, Anglican-based education to some 300 to 400 enslaved and free girls and boys. Using the 2020 rediscovery—and subsequent restoration of the original building by Colonial Williamsburg as a door to the past, this workshop will also explore current research by the William & Mary Bray School Lab.

This session will focus on ways that elementary educators can bring the Bray School story into the classroom. Content will include analysis of primary and secondary sources, exploring slavery and slave laws in Virginia, and African Americans’ fight for freedom inside and outside the American Revolution.

This workshop is designed specifically for elementary educators looking to enhance their teaching with engaging historical content, but we welcome anyone who is interested in this history!

*Zoom link will be emailed to registrants 24 hours before the event!

Co-sponsored by W&M Strategic Cultural Partnerships & Virginia Council for the Social Studies

A History of the Williamsburg Bray School: A Workshop for History Educators

The Williamsburg Bray School was a colonial-era charity school that delivered a distinctly pro-slavery, Anglican-based education to some 300 to 400 enslaved and free girls and boys. Using the 2020 rediscovery—and subsequent restoration of the original building by Colonial Williamsburg as a door to the past, this workshop will also explore current research by the William & Mary Bray School Lab.

This final session will delve deeper into content for high school teachers. The workshop will explore how the history of the Williamsburg Bray School can be used to examine how to use multiple sources in constructing arguments and drawing conclusions, to analyze the complexities and impact of the institution of slavery, and to document African Americans’ persistence toward freedom.

This workshop is designed specifically for secondary educators looking to enhance their teaching with engaging historical content, but we welcome anyone who is interested in this history!

*Zoom link will be emailed to registrants 24 hours before the event!

Virginia Tech Center for Economic Education and Virginia Council for Economic Education  

Join us to learn about opportunities to equip students to make a real impact through social entrepreneurship in the classroom by virtually partnering with underserved communities worldwide in 8 countries:  Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Ecuador, Kenya, Peru, Uganda, Ukraine, and the United States.  Students develop real-world skills in leadership, entrepreneurship, and global citizenship while helping solve modern challenges.  Free resources are easily customizable for social studies classes and clubs with minimal teacher effort and involving as much or as little class time as teachers prefer.  Let’s empower the next generation with the social entrepreneurship skills and mindsets needed to drive meaningful change. 

Co-sponsored by Sphere Education Initiatives, Virginia Tech Center for Economic Education, and Virginia Council for Economic Education  

Join us for this immersive exploration of instructional strategies to build civil discourse centered on incorporating the economic standards taught in any social studies classroom.

Benefits:

• 6 hours of FREE professional development

• $75 stipend upon completion | Lunch Provided

• Free classroom-ready resources

Program Flyer

When & Where:

September 30, 2025

9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Roanoke Higher Education Center, Room 709

108 North Jefferson Street

Roanoke, VA

Join us at Stratford Hall for an inspiring and hands-on learning experience to explore ways to tie the rich local history of the Northern Neck with themes from America’s

Semiquincentennial in 2026. Learn from master teachers and historians as you explore themes including the archaeological and environmental history of the Northern Neck, famous and hidden local revolutionaries, teaching with primary sources, partnering with

community organizations. You’ll also have early access to a collection of online microcourses exploring how to integrate public history projects into the classroom.

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Join us for a 3-day/2-night professional learning experience. If you teach history to any k-12 Virginia student, you qualify to apply. All public, independent, and homeschool educators are encouraged to apply. 

All food, lodging, activities, and materials while at the session are provided. We will eat, sleep, and learn at Chippokes State Park located in Surry County, VA near Jamestown, VA. 

You'll see a side of Chippokes many never do. We will walk or roll across plantation roads, sleep in historic buildings, and likely get our feet and hands muddy too. If you love history and the outdoors, this is a perfect match for you!

Program Flyer