2026-27 Timeline and Milestones
Updated October 5, 2026
Every date for the Class of 2027 Leadership Forward year. Dates marked TBC will be confirmed here as they are set. Check here before searching your inbox.
Selecting your projects: August (complete)
Wed, Aug 19: Orientation. Palm Beach State College, Lake Worth. Eight organizations presented.
Thu, Aug 27: Organizations' written answers posted and emailed to the class.
Fri–Sat, Aug 28–29: Class Retreat. The class selected five projects, formed project teams, and named ten Project Leads.
Getting started: September (complete)
Tue, Sept 1: Project Advisor Orientation.
Thu, Sept 10: Project Lead Training, Keiser University.
Sept 16 to Sept 29: Project Team Kickoffs, set by each team's Project Leads.
Sun, Sept 27 to Mon, Oct 5: Every team confirmed its workstreams. One workstream for each deliverable in the team's agreement, each with a Workstream Lead.
October: planning
Mon, Oct 5: Service Hours Log and Milestone Status Update open on this site. Hours count from August 30, 2026.
October, date set by your Project Leads: Project Launch. Your team and your organization's Project Sponsor begin planning together.
Fri, Oct 9: Project Leads receive the Project Plan template.
Mon, Oct 19: Each team's hours summary is emailed to its Project Leads and Project Advisor.
Wed, Oct 21: First Milestone Status Update due. One Project Lead per team files it.
Fri, Oct 23: First monthly status meeting with the Co-Chairs. Microsoft Teams, 25 minutes, Project Leads; Project Advisors welcome.
By Sat, Oct 31 (target): Memorandum of Understanding signed by each organization and LPBC.
From October: Project Leads meet with their Project Sponsor every month.
Planning before the MOU is signed. Teams may begin planning with their Project Sponsor now, on a limited basis. Your Project Leads have the conditions. Finished deliverables, events and anything that commits your organization wait for the signed agreement. The MOU is signed by LPBC and your organization; it is not a class task.
Monthly rhythm: October through April
Every month follows the same three steps:
Monday: each team's hours summary is emailed to its Project Leads and Project Advisor.
Wednesday: one Project Lead per team files the Milestone Status Update.
Friday: monthly status meeting with the Co-Chairs. Each team keeps the same 25-minute time every month.
The first round is October 19, 21 and 23. The last status meeting, on April 23, 2027, is in person.
All seven months' dates and each team's meeting time are on the Project Lead Monthly Rhythm page.
Key milestones
Sat, Nov 14, 2026: Project Plan adopted by each team's Project Leads and Project Sponsor.
November through March: the work. Drafts, feedback, revisions.
February 2027, date TBC: Mid-point review. Co-Chairs, Project Leads and Project Sponsor confirm the deliverables are on track for May.
April 2027: Final drafts to your Project Sponsor. Last status meeting on April 23, in person, location TBC
Finishing: May
On or before Fri, May 7, 2027: Handoff meeting. Each team presents its completed deliverables to its organization.
Fri, May 7, 2027: Projects complete.
May, date TBC: Final Retreat, team presentations and graduation.
Questions
Cassius Johnson (cassiusojohnson@gmail.com) and R. Audy Johnston (1inspiteof@gmail.com)