2026 – 2027 Academic Year

Workshop plans.

A full year of weekly EF Leadership workshops, scheduled on Tuesdays against the FCPS 2026 – 2027 calendar. Days marked NT, SP, TW, H, O, F, QE, and YE are skipped. The year opens with two Meet & Greets on Friday August 7 and Friday August 14 so mentors and mentees can connect before the Tuesday rhythm begins.

August 2026

  1. Fri7Aug
    Onboarding

    Meet & Greet — Mentors and Mentees

    Welcome circle. Mentors and mentees meet for the first time. Names, schedules, and the year ahead.

    Fri, Aug 7, 2026

  2. Fri14Aug
    Onboarding

    Meet & Greet — Part Two

    Pair time with mentors. Set expectations, communication norms, and the first check-in cadence.

    Fri, Aug 14, 2026

  3. Tue18Aug
    Relationships

    Building Relationships with Peers

    Conversation openers, finding common ground, and the small habits that turn classmates into a study network.

    Tue, Aug 18, 2026

  4. Tue25Aug
    Relationships

    Building Relationships with Teachers

    Office hours, emailing a teacher, and self-advocacy language. Practice introductions.

    Tue, Aug 25, 2026

September 2026

  1. Tue1Sep
    Set Up

    Reading the Syllabus — Part 1

    Decode each syllabus: grading weights, late policies, attendance rules. Highlight what matters.

    Tue, Sep 1, 2026

  2. Tue8Sep
    Set Up

    Reading the Syllabus — Part 2

    Pull every assignment, test, and project date out of the syllabi and onto one master list.

    Tue, Sep 8, 2026

  3. Tue15Sep
    Set Up

    Setting Up Your Workstation

    Designing a home work space that supports focus: lighting, materials, friction reducers, phone parking.

    Tue, Sep 15, 2026

  4. Tue22Sep
    Set Up

    Calendar Setup

    One trusted calendar — digital plus paper backup. Color coding, recurring blocks, weekly review slot.

    Tue, Sep 22, 2026

  5. Tue29Sep
    Pillars

    The Pillars of Organization — Overview

    Introduce the four pillars: materials, digital, time, and people. The frame for everything that follows.

    Tue, Sep 29, 2026

October 2026

  1. Tue6Oct
    Pillars

    Pillar 1 — Materials Organization

    Binders, folders, backpack audit. Where does each piece of paper live? Build a system you'll actually use.

    Tue, Oct 6, 2026

  2. Tue13Oct
    Pillars

    Pillar 2 — Digital Organization

    Files, tabs, notifications, Google Drive folders, naming conventions. Inbox hygiene.

    Tue, Oct 13, 2026

  3. Tue20Oct
    Pillars

    Pillar 3 — Time Organization

    Time blocking, estimating how long things take, and the weekly planning ritual.

    Tue, Oct 20, 2026

  4. Tue27Oct
    Pillars

    Pillar 4 — People & Communication

    Asking for help, group projects, communicating with teachers when something goes wrong.

    Tue, Oct 27, 2026

November 2026

  1. Tue10Nov
    Projects

    Breaking Down Short-Term Projects

    Take a one-week assignment, reverse-engineer the steps, schedule them across the week.

    Tue, Nov 10, 2026

  2. Tue17Nov
    Projects

    Breaking Down Long-Term Projects

    Multi-week papers and projects. Milestones, buffer days, and what to do when you fall behind.

    Tue, Nov 17, 2026

  3. Tue24Nov
    Initiation

    Task Initiation — Why Starting Is Hard

    Understand the initiation barrier. Tools: 2-minute rule, body doubling, smallest-next-step.

    Tue, Nov 24, 2026

December 2026

  1. Tue1Dec
    Initiation

    Task Initiation in Practice

    Live practice: each student initiates a real assignment in the room with mentor support.

    Tue, Dec 1, 2026

  2. Tue8Dec
    Planning

    Weekly Planning Ritual

    The 20-minute Sunday planning session. Look ahead, place every assignment, protect the week.

    Tue, Dec 8, 2026

  3. Tue15Dec
    Planning

    Mid-Year Reset

    Clear the deck before winter break. Closeout strategies, what to leave behind, what to carry forward.

    Tue, Dec 15, 2026

January 2027

  1. Tue5Jan
    Reset

    New Semester, New Workstation

    Refresh the home setup and supplies. New syllabi land — start the cycle again with confidence.

    Tue, Jan 5, 2027

  2. Tue12Jan
    Reset

    Semester 2 Syllabi & Calendar Refresh

    Update the master calendar with new dates. Spot the heavy weeks before they arrive.

    Tue, Jan 12, 2027

  3. Tue19Jan
    Execution

    Execution — Following Through

    From plan to done: holding focus, finishing what you start, and recovering when you don't.

    Tue, Jan 19, 2027

  4. Tue26Jan
    Execution

    Managing Distraction

    Phones, group chats, open tabs, and the brain. Practical containment strategies.

    Tue, Jan 26, 2027

February 2027

  1. Tue2Feb
    Execution

    Working Under Pressure

    When the week stacks up: triage, what to drop, and how to ask for an extension well.

    Tue, Feb 2, 2027

  2. Tue9Feb
    Projects

    Long-Term Project Checkpoint

    Each student picks a current long-term project and rebuilds the plan with their mentor.

    Tue, Feb 9, 2027

  3. Tue16Feb
    Relationships

    Relationship Check-In — Peers

    Has your study network grown? Group-project reflection and repair conversations if needed.

    Tue, Feb 16, 2027

  4. Tue23Feb
    Relationships

    Relationship Check-In — Teachers

    Mid-year teacher conversations: grade check-ins, asking for feedback, planning Q4.

    Tue, Feb 23, 2027

March 2027

  1. Tue2Mar
    Pillars

    Pillars Audit

    Walk the four pillars again. What's slipping? Rebuild the one weakest system.

    Tue, Mar 2, 2027

  2. Tue9Mar
    Planning

    Planning the Spring Sprint

    Map March – June. AP exams, finals, projects, end-of-year events. One picture of the runway.

    Tue, Mar 9, 2027

  3. Tue16Mar
    Initiation

    Initiation Under Deadlines

    Starting hard work when the deadline is close. Reframes, rituals, and accountability pairs.

    Tue, Mar 16, 2027

  4. Tue30Mar
    Projects

    Final Projects — Breakdown

    Take every end-of-year deliverable and reverse-plan it back to this week.

    Tue, Mar 30, 2027

April 2027

  1. Tue6Apr
    Execution

    Finals & AP Prep — Study Plans

    Build a real study calendar for finals. Spaced practice, not the night before.

    Tue, Apr 6, 2027

  2. Tue13Apr
    Execution

    Test Week Execution

    Daily rhythm during test weeks: sleep, fuel, review blocks, and recovery time.

    Tue, Apr 13, 2027

  3. Tue20Apr
    Execution

    Working Through the Slump

    April fatigue. Motivation when the tank is low. Mentor support sessions.

    Tue, Apr 20, 2027

  4. Tue27Apr
    Set Up

    Workstation Refresh

    Reset the home space for the final stretch. Remove friction, restock supplies.

    Tue, Apr 27, 2027

May 2027

  1. Tue4May
    Planning

    Calendar — The Final Stretch

    Six weeks to the finish. Place every remaining deadline and protect study blocks.

    Tue, May 4, 2027

  2. Tue11May
    Execution

    Executive Function Under Stress

    What happens to your brain under pressure — and the small moves that keep you functional.

    Tue, May 11, 2027

  3. Tue18May
    Reflection

    Year in Review — What Worked

    Each student names three systems that stuck and one to redesign over the summer.

    Tue, May 18, 2027

  4. Tue25May
    Reflection

    Mentor + Mentee Celebration

    Recognize the relationships built this year. Handoff letters from mentors to mentees.

    Tue, May 25, 2027

June 2027

  1. Tue1Jun
    Reflection

    Setting Up Next Year

    Summer plan: what to maintain, what to read, what to set up before August.

    Tue, Jun 1, 2027

  2. Tue8Jun
    Reflection

    Closing Circle

    Final workshop. Reflection, gratitude, and a written commitment to one habit to carry forward.

    Tue, Jun 8, 2027