Al Summers

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  Al is currently a consultant working throughout the United States.  He  spent 7 years as a member of the National Faculty of the Buck Institute for Education (now PBLWorks) and provided Project Based Learning training for hundreds of teachers and administrators during that time, honing his knowledge of PBL and how to instill PBL into teachers' and schools' practice.

      Prior to his work with PBLWorks, Al spent three years working with Region 8 Education Service Center in Decatur, IN, where his focus was on providing workshops and coaching teachers in their classrooms- providing ongoing PBL coaching for 230 teachers in 25 schools in northeast Indiana. That work was supported by a grant from Talent Initiative of Ft. Wayne. During his Region 8 work, Al also served as a trainer for the latest version of Indiana's College and Career Readiness Math Standards. 

     Before his work with Region 8 ESC, Al was on staff with the National Middle School Association (now Association for Middle Level Education) where he spent three and a half years as Director of Professional Development and four years as Director of Conferences and Events. His team was in charge of the organization’s annual conference, which attracted as many as 11,000 middle school educators. They also designed and conducted numerous workshops, including their Middle Level Leadership Institute where Al led Open Space Technology sessions.

    Prior to the seven and a half years with NMSA, Al spent two and a half years on the staff of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. He joined NBPTS in June 2000 as a Teacher in Residence where he led the organization’s Facilitator’s Institutes, which trained administrators, university professors, and other education leaders to support candidates for National Board Certification. In February of 2001, Al was elevated to the position of Vice President of Outreach and Professional Development. His team was in charge of outreach to state governments and school districts to support National Board Certification at the state and local levels, as well as the professional development produced by the organization.

   Prior to 2000, Al was a middle school teacher for 28 years in St. Henry, OH. During his time there, Al received the Governor’s Award for Youth Science Opportunities seven times, the Governor’s Educational Leadership Award two times, and the Ashland Oil Company’s Golden Apple Award.  Al has been recognized for his educational leadership twice by the Governor of Ohio, three times by the Ohio House of Representatives and one time by the Ohio Senate. In 1998, he was runner up for Ohio Teacher of the Year and also became one of only three teachers nationwide to earn two National Board Certifications.

  Demonstrating versatility, Al also coached basketball for 31 years, 28 as boys' coach and 3 as girls'. His 2000 boys' team went to the State final game and Al was named Divsion IV Coach of the Year by the Associated Press in Ohio. His final girls' team went to the state final four.