EdCircuit Staff 
Table of Contents
Whether you are a K-12 leader juggling competing priorities or a K-12 vendor with a service or product you believe in, finding the bandwidth takes work. This is especially true when determining where to spend time away from the office. Even if budgets were limitless and educators and vendors could be in multiple places simultaneously, choice plays a part. Deciding what conferences, trade shows, and professional development opportunities to attend is an uphill battle.
Time is the most valuable commodity because it can never be replaced, so invest your time wisely.”
Often, school professionals attend events with several goals in mind:
- Networking and connection
- Professional growth and development
- Remaining informed on current tools and solutions
- Rejuvenation
Reimagining Professional Development with RTM Business Group
Enter Route to Market Business Group (RTM). RTM is a national market research organization that provides educational forums and professional development opportunities for a number of industries. Thought leaders and educators compose programs that are timely and focus on shared challenges across the industry. The overall goal of RTM events is to empower participants to think critically, work collaboratively, and act strategically.
RTM’s thought leadership tracks include delegates from the following leadership roles:
- Superintendents discuss complex topics limiting our schools today and provoke conversation, motivating change to positively impact our community of learners.
- Academic Leaders (administrators) collaborate on current and trending topics, pain points, and innovative tools and resources to improve student outcomes.
- Chief Information and Tech Officers debate insights and strategies for keeping their organizations ahead of the curve and leading them into the future.
- Special Education Leaders coalesce to provide equity and inclusion for all students across their districts regardless of needs.
- Higher Education Leaders come together to grow in the knowledge and skills necessary to advance their institutions.
As Managing Partner and Co-Founder Kieran Byrne explains, RTM has a unique structure. “We take the traditional tradeshow and flip it on its head. So instead of having hundreds of vendors, you’ll see maybe 25 or 30. Then, instead of having thousands of attendees, we will invite an exclusive group of (school) leaders. Everyone has a safe space to collaborate, grow and learn, and have the conversations they want to have.”
RTM Business Group develops targeted Congress Events for K-12
There are several tracks to each Congress that focus on a variety of industry topics. This allows participants to tailor their experience to their specific interests. In addition to the educational sessions, the Congress also features keynote speakers, roundtables, strategic sessions, workshops, networking opportunities, and social events.
Congresses are valuable resources for leaders who want to stay ahead of the curve in their industry. It is an opportunity to learn from the best, network with peers, and build relationships to help you achieve your goals.
RTM Congresses are bespoke events that bring together leaders nationwide to discuss the latest trends, challenges and build invaluable relationships in their respective industries. The Congress is a unique opportunity for participants to learn from each other, share ideas, and build relationships.
There are several tracks to each Congress that focus on a variety of topics. This allows participants to have a curated experience that aligns with their specific interests. With each session, the Congresses allow leaders to make the most of their time.
Benefits of Attending an RTM Congress
- Learn from the best: Featuring expert speakers and panelists, giving participants an unmatched opportunity to learn from the best.
- Network with peers: A great place to meet, network, and build relationships with industry peers.
- Meet with suppliers: Learn about new and innovative products/solutions from a list of service providers helping to solve challenges and offer real resolutions.
- Get inspired: The stories and experiences of other peers and leaders inspire us for brighter futures.
Vision Building and Gaining New Perspective
RTM takes careful consideration when selecting each Congress location. With the goal of minimizing distractions while giving attendees a memorable experience, RTM selects destinations that are always top-tier. Networking social events include live music, museum outings, and a list of other fun activities that drive engagement.
“There’s the meeting, and then there’s the meeting after the meeting where practitioners get to sit and talk to each other about what we just heard and how that can be utilized in our districts to help improve student outcomes. During sessions, when we hear something that piques our interest, we see others in the room going through a similar experience, and it makes it easy to collaborate,” says Tyrone Byrd, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Arlington Public Schools.
The edCircuit team had an opportunity to experience the recent RTM East CIO & Education Congress held in Nashville, Tennessee. Just one block from local talent, restaurants, and entertainment on Broadway, the event spanned three days of professional learning with plenty of time to catch up on day-to-day work while enjoying everything Nashville offers.
Dr. Harriet Moore, Director of Innovation & Equity at Sarasota County Schools, expressed gratitude at the Nashville event. “The treatment by the staff and all of the people we’ve met here has been so hospitable. I couldn’t have even imagined it being that way, given how fast and how furious we were moving all day. It has been a joy to be here.”
Connecting K-12 Educators with Solutions
Events are selective and intimate with a purpose. “What I love about RTM is it’s very small,” shares Marlo Gaddis, Chief Technology Officer for Wake County Public School System. “It allows us to meet new people, connect, learn about new products, get inspired, and think about what’s happening in our education landscape.”
Removing silos, district by district and state line by state line, keeps educators coming back year after year. “And really, and truly RTM has become like family to me over time,” Gaddis adds.
A major focus of the RTM Education Congress events is to pair vendors with district leaders to find genuine solutions to administrators’ needs. The Congress dedicates time to meaningful dialogue, resulting in mutually beneficial outcomes for both parties. Whether you are an industry leader or an education vendor, edCircuit recommends the RTM Congresses as they are a valuable resource that helps you stay ahead of the curve and achieve your goals.
RTM offers partnership opportunities for vendors looking for further exposure and market access. “They understand that keeping a pulse on the market and their buyers’ needs only strengthens their solutions,” shared Senior Vice President of ClassLink, Jan Mills.
Simply put, “you’ll get your best return at an RTM Business Group event,” she added.
For vendors like Gaggle, RTM is a significant opportunity to build relationships with new educational leaders nationwide. According to Vice President of Sales at Gaggle, Kim Bolz-Andolshe, “they create many great connections at RTM, and many of their partner districts come on board after meeting them at an event.” Congresses are more than a place to stimulate business development. RTM encourages vendors to attend workshops and participate in roundtable discussions, panels, keynotes, and all networking functions.
Mission and Giving Back to K-12
Route To Market emphasizes collaboration, honesty, and bringing leaders with a vision together.
Dr. Kim Moore, Assistant Superintendent for Career and Innovative Schools in Pasco County, Florida, explains the benefits of connecting with other leaders, particularly hearing how other districts tackle challenging issues like teacher burnout and mental health.
“Hearing what other districts were doing to increase the support for mental health for students, our staff, and our teachers and support personnel was important to me. I was able to take some of that information back and give suggestions around how we could better support our employees,” she shares.
For RTM Business Group, it’s always been about supporting schools by supporting our administrators, teachers, and students. Diversity in the programs ensures everyone is seen and heard will continue to be an incredibly important mission. With future events, RTM hopes to inspire connection and support across the K-12 industry.
To connect with RTM Business Group, visit their website and follow them on Twitter and LinkedIn.
