Montgomery County Public Schools, in partnership with Montgomery College, University System of Maryland, Montgomery County Business Roundtable for Education, and Montgomery County Council of Parent-Teacher Associations will sponsor the first annual conference, Designing High Schools for the Next Generation, on June 30 at the Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center on the Rockville Campus of Montgomery College.

The event is scheduled from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and will bring together more than 375 school and community leaders with a stake in charting the future for Montgomery County Public Schools.

Neil Howe, historian, demographer, and co-author of Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation, will present the keynote address. He will provide insights on how today's students will shape our national future. Dr. Jerry D. Weast, superintendent of schools, and Katharine M. Oliver, assistant superintendent at the Maryland State Department of Education, also will provide remarks. A student panel will share experiences in areas such as internships and college courses, as well as in ways to build community.

Afternoon forums will be staged in the South Campus Instructional Building, featuring 15 breakout sessions within three conference strands. The strands are Building Shared Leadership; Promoting Rigor, Relevancy, and Relationships; and Fostering Transitions through High School to College and Careers. Presenters include a range of experts from across the nation in addition to those representing Montgomery County Public Schools and local postsecondary institutions.