Adapting Innovations to All Learners
Melissa Tackett, Orchard Farm School District

Learn: Discover strategies for engaging SPED students through innovative methods and technology. Explore approaches to making lessons accessible and engaging for all learners, focusing on inclusivity and adaptability.

Engage: Participate in hands-on adaptive innovation lessons that demonstrate how to effectively engage diverse learners. Through these interactive examples, you’ll gain insight into techniques that make technology and innovation accessible to SPED students.

Apply: Gain strategies to transform your own lessons for SPED students, enabling you to integrate innovative tools and approaches that meet the needs of all learners in your classroom.

Bringing F.R.E.S.H. to Life – Designing Culturally-Responsive, Standards-Based Lessons
Keynote Speaker Stephanie Boyce

Learn: Explore how to apply the F.R.E.S.H. approach in real classroom scenarios. Discover methods to develop Fun, Relevant, Engaging, Standards-Based and Higher Order lessons that elevate student learning and engagement.

Engage: Participate in interactive exercises designed to craft your own F.R.E.S.H. activities while collaborating with peers. By sharing examples from the field and engaging in group discussions, gain valuable insights into creating impactful lesson plans that resonate with diverse learners.

Apply: Gain a designed personalized F.R.E.S.H. activity tailored to your curriculum in addition to the skills to integrate the F.R.E.S.H. principles to implement inclusive and engaging lessons in your classroom enhancing the educational experience for all students.

Building Better Humans: The Power of Prosocial Education
Jen Foster and Haylee Anderson, eMINTS

Learn: Discover evidence-based prosocial education strategies that can be used with any age and content area. Examine successful Prosocial and Active Learning (PAL) Classrooms project data to gain insights into enhanced student climate and increased student engagement.

Engage: Discuss experiences and challenges related to student behavior and classroom management to discover new strategies. Analyze case study scenarios of prosocial strategies and discuss the implications and potential applications in your own setting.

Apply: Gain specific, implementable strategies for integrating prosocial elements into your existing curricula and concrete examples of how these principles can be applied in various educational settings.  

Code.org Programs for Your School

Andy Tiepen, Code.org

Learn: Discover the expansive, free curriculum offered by Code.org, created to make computer science education accessible in every classroom. Attendees will explore the K-12 resources that align with state standards, focusing on foundational digital skills and computer science principles.
Engage: Through interactive discussion, participants will examine how Code.org’s curriculum integrates with their own teaching goals and classroom settings. We’ll also dive into available support, including teacher training funded through DESE, ensuring a fully supported rollout of these resources.
Apply: By the end of this session, participants will be prepared to bring Code.org's curriculum into their schools. They will leave with actionable steps and knowledge on accessing the resources, securing teacher training, and engaging students in computer science

Family Engagement for Growth and Belonging
Jess Payne, MNPS

Learn: Discover the impact of family and community involvement on student success and explore various strategies for fostering meaningful connections. Explore effective, actionable methods for welcoming parents and community members into schools in a way that is both frequent and productive.

Engage: Participate in activities designed to map out your current family and community engagement efforts. Identify what is working well, uncover areas needing improvement and collaborate with colleagues to share insights and ideas. Use planning tools and resources to develop ideas that build upon your school’s existing practices.

Apply: Gain a framework to create or enhance a family engagement plan tailored to the unique needs of your school and a clear path for strengthening partnerships that support growth, belonging and the overall success of your students.

Getting Excited About Overexcitabilities: Harnessing the Energy of the Exceptional Learner
Carly Mansfield and Jennifer Moore, Kirkwood School District

Learn: Gain a comprehensive understanding of Dabrowski's Overexcitabilities Theory and its relevance to the characteristics of exceptional learners. Delve into each overexcitability, connecting theoretical concepts to real-life experiences.

Engage: Actively discuss overexcitabilities and identify your own, experiencing "OE Breaks" to understand the energy release associated with each type. This session emphasizes experiential learning over passive listening.

Apply: Move beyond theory to practical insights on creating conducive learning environments that support emotional well-being and concentration. Gain strategies for fostering self-awareness and emotional regulation in gifted students, including routines, activities and tools to manage overstimulation and enhance learning experiences for those with overexcitabilities.  

#IYKYK: Supporting Students Who Already Know What You're Teaching

Sherri Kulpa, EducationPlus

Learn: Explore the challenge of engaging students who have already mastered the content. Discover research-based strategies for repurposing materials and designing enrichment opportunities that promote deeper learning.

Engage: Participate in discussions and activities that focus on offering student choice, fostering autonomy and sustaining motivation for advanced learners. Share experiences and collaborate on practical solutions with fellow educators.

Apply: Gain concrete techniques to differentiate instruction, create meaningful extension activities and ensure all students remain challenged and engaged in your classroom.

Let’s Talk About Building an Effective School Culture

John Converse, EducationPlus

Learn: Explore the key elements that define a positive school culture and climate, as shared by experienced panelists from diverse educational backgrounds. Gain a deeper understanding of how school culture influences student success, teacher satisfaction and community engagement.
Engage: Participate by using the chat feature to share ideas, ask questions and engage in live discussions with experts and fellow attendees. During the Q&A portion, take the opportunity to ask specific questions about challenges or strategies related to fostering a thriving school culture.
Apply: Gain actionable insights and strategies to overcome common misconceptions about building a strong school culture, address resistance to change when implementing improvements, effectively use data points to assess and measure school culture, and learn how to foster collaboration among leaders, teachers and parents to create a unified, supportive environment.

Maximizing Language Learning with AI: From Enhancement to Transformation

Rob Greenhaw, EducationPlus

Learn: Explore how AI tools can enhance language instruction for multilingual learners by generating instructional resources aligned with the WIDA Standards Framework. Gain insights into effective AI-generated prompts that produce examples, practice items and mentor texts to support language development.

Engage: Participate in hands-on demonstrations of AI-powered strategies that scaffold assignments and assessments, ensuring alignment with students' English proficiency levels. Collaborate with peers to explore AI’s potential in differentiating instruction for multilingual learners.

Apply: Gain practical AI-driven techniques and ready-to-use strategies for integrating AI into your language instruction. Empower your students with customized learning experiences that foster language growth and engagement.

Meeting All Students Where They Are

Tanya Garcia, EducationPlus

Learn: Explore the evolving role of differentiation in today’s classrooms and the essential practices that allow educators to meet the unique needs of every student. Panelists will discuss how to identify where students are in their learning journey, common roadblocks teachers face with differentiation, and practical remedies to overcome these challenges.
Engage: Use the chat feature to share your ideas and experiences with differentiation. During the Q&A portion, ask the panelists specific questions about strategies, resources, and data tools to support personalized learning in your district or classroom.
Apply: Gain actionable strategies to overcome common differentiation challenges; methods to effectively collect and utilize data to understand student needs; resources and tools to help craft differentiated lessons; and insights on how to create a classroom culture that values and supports individualized learning paths. Leave inspired and equipped to better meet your students where they are, ensuring every learner can grow and succeed.  

Passports, Playlists and Passions... Personalized Learning Projects to Create Belonging, Empathy, and Engagement in Your Classroom

Lori Rejent, Brentwood Schools

Learn: Explore three innovative personalized learning projects designed to foster connection and belonging within your classroom community. Discover the importance of these projects in promoting empathy and engagement among students.

Engage: Review templates developed from real classroom experiences, including creation tools and grading rubrics. "Stop and jot" your ideas and then collaborate with peers from similar grade levels or subject areas (e.g., high school social studies, high school ELA, or third grade) to brainstorm how to adapt these projects for your own classrooms.

Apply: Customize the provided templates to suit your specific content area and identify how these projects can integrate into your curriculum, ultimately creating a classroom environment that nurtures belonging and empathy while actively engaging students in meaningful learning experiences.  

The Perfect Pairing: SOS Strategies & Discovery Education Resources to Boost Engagement and Critical Thinking

Marissa Geyer, Discovery Education

Learn: Explore Discovery Education’s SOS Instructional Strategies and how they can transform classroom engagement. Discover how these strategies promote critical thinking, collaboration and literacy skills across all subjects using Discovery Education’s rich content library.

Engage: Experience hands-on demonstrations of SOS strategies, paired with Discovery Education resources, to see how they foster active learning. Collaborate with fellow educators to brainstorm creative ways to implement these strategies in your own classroom.

Apply: Gain ready-to-use tool kit of strategies that inspire collaboration, critical thinking and deeper engagement with content. Empower your students to participate actively and meaningfully across all subject areas.

Responding to Inappropriate Behavior: Proactive Strategies and Effective Responses

Lindsay Schmidt, EducationPlus

Learn: Explore proactive approaches to prevent inappropriate behaviors before they start by understanding the root causes and triggers. Panelists will share insights into the function of behavior and how applying function-based thinking can lead to more effective and compassionate responses.
Engage: Engage in live discussions through the chat feature, sharing ideas and questions with the experts and fellow participants. Take part in a dynamic Q&A session where you can ask specific questions about strategies for addressing unexpected behaviors and building systems that support positive outcomes.
Apply: Gain practical strategies and tools for responding to unexpected student behaviors with empathy and structure. Discover actionable ideas for creating supportive systems in your classroom or school that mitigate challenging behaviors and promote a positive learning environment.

Understanding the F.R.E.S.H. Approach to Culturally-Responsive, Standards-Based Instruction
Keynote Speaker Stephanie Boyce

Learn: Take a deep dive into the principles behind culturally responsive, standards-based (CRSB) instruction and how to integrate into the F.R.E.S.H. framework. Explore the “why” and “what” of CRSB instruction and understand its crucial role in fostering student success in diverse classrooms.

Engage: Through collaborative exercises and targeted discussions, analyze real-world scenarios that illustrate the impact of culturally responsive strategies. Engage in dialogue with peers, share insights and experiences related to implementing CRSB instruction enhancing your understanding of its practical applications.

Apply: Gain actionable ideas for integrating culturally responsive elements into your lesson planning. With guided discussions and collaborative activities, develop a clear understanding of how to identify and apply strategies that align with academic standards, making learning more meaningful for students from all backgrounds.

Unpacking the F.R.E.S.H. Approach to Culturally-Responsive, Standards-Based Instruction

Keynote Speaker Stephanie Boyce

Learn: Take a deep dive into the principles behind culturally responsive, standards-based (CRSB) instruction and how to integrate into the F.R.E.S.H. framework. Explore the “why” and “what” of CRSB instruction and understand its crucial role in fostering student success in diverse classrooms.
Engage: Through collaborative exercises and targeted discussions, analyze real-world scenarios that illustrate the impact of culturally responsive strategies. Engage in dialogue with peers, share insights and experiences related to implementing CRSB instruction enhancing your understanding of its practical applications.
Apply: Gain actionable ideas for integrating culturally responsive elements into your lesson planning. With guided discussions and collaborative activities, develop a clear understanding of how to identify and apply strategies that align with academic standards, making learning more meaningful for students from all backgrounds.

A Healthy Balance: Tech vs. Tradition
Sophie Chambers, Chillicothe R-II School District

Learn: Explore how to achieve a healthier balance between technology and traditional skills in your classroom. This session addresses concerns about excessive screen time and the impact on essential soft skills, drawing from discussions held within my school district.

Engage: We will cover diverse topics, including virtual reality, traditional geography skills, handwriting versus speech-to-text, library resources, and the importance of face-to-face communication. Attendees will have opportunities for Q&A throughout the presentation to foster engagement.

Apply: Participants will receive a T-chart to assess their current balance between technology and traditional skills, along with actionable strategies for reinforcing soft skills in their classrooms. Leave with practical ideas to enhance your curriculum and promote student success in both realms.  

Bringing F.R.E.S.H. to Life – Designing Culturally-Responsive, Standards-Based Lessons
Keynote Speaker Stephanie Boyce

Learn: Explore how to apply the F.R.E.S.H. approach in real classroom scenarios. Discover methods to develop Fun, Relevant, Engaging, Standards-Based and Higher Order lessons that elevate student learning and engagement.

Engage: Participate in interactive exercises designed to craft your own F.R.E.S.H. activities while collaborating with peers. By sharing examples from the field and engaging in group discussions, gain valuable insights into creating impactful lesson plans that resonate with diverse learners.

Apply: Gain a designed personalized F.R.E.S.H. activity tailored to your curriculum in addition to the skills to integrate the F.R.E.S.H. principles to implement inclusive and engaging lessons in your classroom enhancing the educational experience for all students.

Building Better Humans: The Power of Prosocial Education
Jen Foster and Haylee Anderson, eMINTS

Learn: Discover evidence-based prosocial education strategies that can be used with any age and content area. Examine successful Prosocial and Active Learning (PAL) Classrooms project data to gain insights into enhanced student climate and increased student engagement.

Engage: Discuss experiences and challenges related to student behavior and classroom management to discover new strategies. Analyze case study scenarios of prosocial strategies and discuss the implications and potential applications in your own setting.

Apply: Gain specific, implementable strategies for integrating prosocial elements into your existing curricula and concrete examples of how these principles can be applied in various educational settings.  

Embracing AI in Education—Challenges, Myths, and Opportunities
Erin Lawson, EducationPlus

Learn: Uncover the transformative potential of AI in education, from reshaping traditional teaching methods to supporting differentiated instruction. Panel experts will share perspectives on high-impact AI tools, practical applications and how to discern value amidst an ever-growing landscape of AI resources.

Engage: Participate in the discussion by using the Chat feature to ask questions, share insights and connect with both panelists and peers. A dedicated Q&A segment will allow you to explore specific questions, including how AI can enhance your role and support your teaching goals.

Apply: Gain actionable knowledge of current high-impact AI tools and examples of their use in educational settings. Learn strategies for leveraging AI to meet diverse student needs and enrich learning outcomes in ways that align with your teaching style and classroom objectives.

Embracing the Mess: Transforming Classroom Chaos into Student Engagement
Bryson Reid, Premier Charter School

Learn: Discover how creative play can boost student engagement and recall by embracing messy, hands-on learning experiences. Explore effective classroom management strategies to maintain order while fostering a productive and stimulating environment.

Engage: Participate in discussions and activities that demonstrate how messy projects encourage deeper student reflection. Discover how these approaches inspire students to talk, write and think critically about their learning experiences.

Apply: Gain practical methods to integrate messy, creative projects across core subjects like science, history and language arts. Gain tools to connect art and creativity to academic goals, reinforcing the educational value of hands-on, interdisciplinary learning.

Family Engagement for Growth and Belonging
Jess Payne, MNPS

Learn: Discover the impact of family and community involvement on student success and explore various strategies for fostering meaningful connections. Explore effective, actionable methods for welcoming parents and community members into schools in a way that is both frequent and productive.

Engage: Participate in activities designed to map out your current family and community engagement efforts. Identify what is working well, uncover areas needing improvement and collaborate with colleagues to share insights and ideas. Use planning tools and resources to develop ideas that build upon your school’s existing practices.

Apply: Gain a framework to create or enhance a family engagement plan tailored to the unique needs of your school and a clear path for strengthening partnerships that support growth, belonging and the overall success of your students.

Leading MTSS with the Head and the Heart
Breeya Perry and Trish Diebold, Special School District

Learn: Discover how the SSD MTSS Facilitator Team has effectively embedded cognitive, affective and tangible aspects of Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) into their coaching and learning practices. Gain insights into how to support leaders in fostering a holistic approach to MTSS implementation.

Engage: Engage in exploration of the crosswalk matrices, MTSS playbook and other resources, plus, have meaningful conversations with peers and facilitators to explore practical ways to incorporate effective tips, strategies and practices into your own work. Collaborative dialogue will enhance understanding and inspire actionable ideas.

Apply: Gain information and resources that best fit contextually into your school systems to make data-based decisions around equitably supporting all students within their settings ensuring that both cognitive and emotional aspects are considered in their MTSS systems.

Let’s Talk About Building an Effective School Culture

John Converse, EducationPlus

Learn: Explore the key elements that define a positive school culture and climate, as shared by experienced panelists from diverse educational backgrounds. Gain a deeper understanding of how school culture influences student success, teacher satisfaction and community engagement.
Engage: Participate by using the chat feature to share ideas, ask questions and engage in live discussions with experts and fellow attendees. During the Q&A portion, take the opportunity to ask specific questions about challenges or strategies related to fostering a thriving school culture.
Apply: Gain actionable insights and strategies to overcome common misconceptions about building a strong school culture, address resistance to change when implementing improvements, effectively use data points to assess and measure school culture, and learn how to foster collaboration among leaders, teachers and parents to create a unified, supportive environment.

Understanding the F.R.E.S.H. Approach to Culturally-Responsive, Standards-Based Instruction
Keynote Speaker Stephanie Boyce

Learn: Take a deep dive into the principles behind culturally responsive, standards-based (CRSB) instruction and how to integrate into the F.R.E.S.H. framework. Explore the “why” and “what” of CRSB instruction and understand its crucial role in fostering student success in diverse classrooms.

Engage: Through collaborative exercises and targeted discussions, analyze real-world scenarios that illustrate the impact of culturally responsive strategies. Engage in dialogue with peers, share insights and experiences related to implementing CRSB instruction enhancing your understanding of its practical applications.

Apply: Gain actionable ideas for integrating culturally responsive elements into your lesson planning. With guided discussions and collaborative activities, develop a clear understanding of how to identify and apply strategies that align with academic standards, making learning more meaningful for students from all backgrounds.

Unlocking Student Engagement with Discovery Education
Marissa Geyer, Discovery Education

Learn: Discover how Discovery Education Experience simplifies lesson planning and enhances student engagement. Explore standards-aligned resources and tools for PreK-12 that support dynamic and interactive teaching.

Engage: Participate in a collaborative challenge to “Escape the Discovery Education Room” with your peers, solving clues while exploring innovative tools and strategies. This interactive activity showcases how Discovery Education can transform the learning experience in your classroom.

Apply: Gain actionable strategies and fresh ideas to integrate Discovery Education resources into your lessons, empowering you to captivate students and streamline planning. Prepare to implement these tools and elevate your teaching!

Unpacking the F.R.E.S.H. Approach to Culturally-Responsive, Standards-Based Instruction

Keynote Speaker Stephanie Boyce

Learn: Take a deep dive into the principles behind culturally responsive, standards-based (CRSB) instruction and how to integrate into the F.R.E.S.H. framework. Explore the “why” and “what” of CRSB instruction and understand its crucial role in fostering student success in diverse classrooms.
Engage: Through collaborative exercises and targeted discussions, analyze real-world scenarios that illustrate the impact of culturally responsive strategies. Engage in dialogue with peers, share insights and experiences related to implementing CRSB instruction enhancing your understanding of its practical applications.
Apply: Gain actionable ideas for integrating culturally responsive elements into your lesson planning. With guided discussions and collaborative activities, develop a clear understanding of how to identify and apply strategies that align with academic standards, making learning more meaningful for students from all backgrounds.

Understanding the F.R.E.S.H. Approach to Culturally-Responsive, Standards-Based Instruction
Keynote Speaker Stephanie Boyce

Learn: Take a deep dive into the principles behind culturally responsive, standards-based (CRSB) instruction and how to integrate into the F.R.E.S.H. framework. Explore the “why” and “what” of CRSB instruction and understand its crucial role in fostering student success in diverse classrooms.

Engage: Through collaborative exercises and targeted discussions, analyze real-world scenarios that illustrate the impact of culturally responsive strategies. Engage in dialogue with peers, share insights and experiences related to implementing CRSB instruction enhancing your understanding of its practical applications.

Apply: Gain actionable ideas for integrating culturally responsive elements into your lesson planning. With guided discussions and collaborative activities, develop a clear understanding of how to identify and apply strategies that align with academic standards, making learning more meaningful for students from all backgrounds.

Best Practices for Integrating and Enhancing Creativity in the Classroom

Apple Education

Learn: Understand why creativity is essential for problem-solving, analytical thinking and collaboration in today’s classrooms. Explore the challenges of defining and fostering creativity as part of the learning process.
Engage: Join an interactive discussion on best practices for integrating creativity into your school’s curriculum. Share ideas and examples with peers on how iPad can support innovative teaching and learning strategies.
Apply: Gain practical tips for embedding creativity into lessons across various subject areas. Use iPad tools to empower students to think critically, collaborate effectively and express their ideas in unique ways.

Bringing F.R.E.S.H. to Life – Designing Culturally-Responsive, Standards-Based Lessons
Keynote Speaker Stephanie Boyce

Learn: Explore how to apply the F.R.E.S.H. approach in real classroom scenarios. Discover methods to develop Fun, Relevant, Engaging, Standards-Based and Higher Order lessons that elevate student learning and engagement.

Engage: Participate in interactive exercises designed to craft your own F.R.E.S.H. activities while collaborating with peers. By sharing examples from the field and engaging in group discussions, gain valuable insights into creating impactful lesson plans that resonate with diverse learners.

Apply: Gain a designed personalized F.R.E.S.H. activity tailored to your curriculum in addition to the skills to integrate the F.R.E.S.H. principles to implement inclusive and engaging lessons in your classroom enhancing the educational experience for all students.

Building Thinking Classrooms: Transforming Math Education Through Collaboration and Understanding
Tim Levine (Webster Groves- HS), Becky VanSant (Fort Zumwalt- MS), Olivia Strazewski (Lindbergh- ELE)

Learn: Gain insights from experienced educators as they share their journey of implementing the Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC) framework in math education. Panelists will discuss what initially inspired them to adopt BTC, the challenges they faced and the transformative impact it has had on their teaching and student learning. This session will explore key aspects of BTC, including the mindset shifts, classroom management strategies and relationship-building techniques that contribute to its success.

Engage: Throughout the session, participants will use the chat feature to ask questions, share reflections and exchange ideas with panelists and fellow attendees. A live Q&A segment will provide an opportunity to delve deeper into topics like overcoming initial hurdles, refining practices and fostering collaborative learning in math classrooms.

Apply: Gain practical insights and advice to start your own BTC journey or enhance your current practices. Whether you're a BTC novice or looking to refine your approach, you'll gain actionable strategies for creating a thinking-centered environment that engages students, builds problem-solving skills, and transforms your math instruction.

Connecting Your Content with Design Thinking

Kara Sanders, Affton Schools

Learn: Explore the five stages of design thinking—Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test—to understand how they can be applied to encourage creativity, collaboration and problem-solving in K-12 education. Gain insights into how design thinking connects with your content to create deeper, more engaging learning experiences.
Engage: Participate in interactive discussions and activities that model the design thinking process. Collaborate with peers to brainstorm ways to incorporate design thinking into your classroom, while sharing ideas and challenges with fellow educators.
Apply: Develop a plan to integrate design thinking into your curriculum. Gain actionable strategies, resources, and a clear vision to make this innovative process a cornerstone of your teaching practice.

Day in the Life of a Discovery Education Teacher
Marissa Geyer, Discovery Education

Learn: Explore how Discovery Education Experience can enhance every part of your school day, from sparking curiosity with immersive videos and virtual field trips to providing engaging, standards-aligned content for lesson planning.

Engage: Bring your laptop and dive into hands-on activities that demonstrate how to use Discovery Education for transitions, recess or downtime. Collaborate with fellow educators to uncover creative ways to integrate these tools seamlessly into your daily routines.

Apply: Gain strategies to captivate students and extend learning beyond the classroom by sharing resources with students and families. Whether you’re new or experienced with Discovery Education, you’ll gain practical tools to elevate your teaching and engage your students.

Feeding the Learning Brain
Denise Ford, Kirkwood School District

Learn: Discover how teachers can leverage their unique position to positively influence students' brain development. This session will explore research in mind, brain, and education, providing practical strategies to enhance learning, memory, critical thinking, and confidence in the classroom.

Engage: Participants will be actively involved through movement, curiosity, humor, play, music, and interactive discussions, making the learning experience enjoyable and memorable.

Apply: Walk away with a wealth of immediately applicable, low-cost strategies to nurture every student's brain and engage their interest daily. Understanding how the brain learns will transform your teaching practice and enrich your own learning experience as well.  

Grown Stamina and Creativity Using the Design Process/Makerspace

Kara Sanders, Affton Schools

Learn: Discover the five stages of the design thinking process and their relevance to fostering creativity, problem-solving and collaboration in K-12 education. Explore real-world examples of how design thinking can transform learning experiences and inspire student engagement across various subjects and grade levels.
Engage: Participate in hands-on activities that will guide you through the design thinking process, from identifying problems to brainstorming solutions and creating prototypes. Work collaboratively with peers to experience how the design process builds student stamina, critical thinking and innovation.
Apply: Create a personalized plan to integrate design thinking into your existing curriculum. Gain practical tools, strategies and resources to turn your classroom into a dynamic makerspace where students can explore, create and solve problems in meaningful ways.

Integrating Design Thinking is Possible

Kara Sanders, Affton Schools

Learn: Discover how the five stages of design thinking—Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test—can transform learning experiences in the classroom. Gain insights into how this process fosters creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking.
Engage: Participate in an interactive classroom example, where you'll work with fellow educators to develop innovative solutions to a real-world problem using the design thinking framework. Collaborate, share ideas and explore strategies to make this approach meaningful for your students.
Apply: Discover actionable strategies and inspiration to integrate design thinking into your teaching practice. Gain the confidence and tools to design engaging, student-centered learning experiences that empower and excite your learners.

#IYKYK: Supporting Students Who Already Know What You're Teaching

Sherri Kulpa, EducationPlus

Learn: Explore the challenge of engaging students who have already mastered the content. Discover research-based strategies for repurposing materials and designing enrichment opportunities that promote deeper learning.

Engage: Participate in discussions and activities that focus on offering student choice, fostering autonomy and sustaining motivation for advanced learners. Share experiences and collaborate on practical solutions with fellow educators.

Apply: Gain concrete techniques to differentiate instruction, create meaningful extension activities and ensure all students remain challenged and engaged in your classroom.

Launching Your Design Thinking or Makerspace

Kara Sanders, Affton Schools

Learn: Explore the fundamentals of design thinking, including the five stages—Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test. Understand how this process promotes creativity, collaboration and problem-solving to address real-world challenges in the classroom.
Engage: Participate in interactive discussions and activities designed to generate practical ideas for integrating design thinking into your classroom. Share experiences and brainstorm solutions with fellow educators as you explore ways to guide students through innovative problem-solving.
Apply: Discover actionable strategies and resources to launch or enhance your design thinking or makerspace journey. Gain confidence to create dynamic, engaging learning experiences that inspire students to think like innovators.

Maker Strategies to Energize Instruction

Erin Tyree, Challenger Learning Center – St. Louis

Learn: Through practical examples, learn pragmatic strategies and powerful principles that will empower you to shift your students from technology consumers to technology creators – all in the context of a standards-based curriculum.
Engage: Create a project that you can take with you. Brainstorm strategies for upgrading a content topic by incorporating a maker project.
Apply: Gain concrete activity suggestions that you can modify to your context and broader inspiration that you can use to make projects of your own.

Passports, Playlists and Passions... Personalized Learning Projects to Create Belonging, Empathy, and Engagement in Your Classroom
Lori Rejent, Brentwood Schools

Learn: Explore three innovative personalized learning projects designed to foster connection and belonging within your classroom community. Discover the importance of these projects in promoting empathy and engagement among students.

Engage: Review templates developed from real classroom experiences, including creation tools and grading rubrics. "Stop and jot" your ideas and then collaborate with peers from similar grade levels or subject areas (e.g., high school social studies, high school ELA, or third grade) to brainstorm how to adapt these projects for your own classrooms.

Apply: Customize the provided templates to suit your specific content area and identify how these projects can integrate into your curriculum, ultimately creating a classroom environment that nurtures belonging and empathy while actively engaging students in meaningful learning experiences.  

The Perfect Pairing: SOS Strategies & Discovery Education Resources to Boost Engagement and Critical Thinking

Marissa Geyer, Discovery Education

Learn: Explore Discovery Education’s SOS Instructional Strategies and how they can transform classroom engagement. Discover how these strategies promote critical thinking, collaboration and literacy skills across all subjects using Discovery Education’s rich content library.

Engage: Experience hands-on demonstrations of SOS strategies, paired with Discovery Education resources, to see how they foster active learning. Collaborate with fellow educators to brainstorm creative ways to implement these strategies in your own classroom.

Apply: Gain ready-to-use tool kit of strategies that inspire collaboration, critical thinking and deeper engagement with content. Empower your students to participate actively and meaningfully across all subject areas.

Reviving Literacy: Innovative Strategies for Elementary Student’s Reading and Writing Success
Maggie Bunten, eMINTS

Learn: Discover how to incorporate students' personal vocabulary and experiences into literacy instruction, making the learning more meaningful and relevant. Identify various literary structures found across curriculums and learn how to use these structures to enhance students' reading and writing skills. Explore how dictation technology can be leveraged to support struggling readers and writers in capturing their thoughts and ideas.

Engage: Participate in interactive activities that model classroom practices and foster a positive learning environment. Create your own literary examples and experiment with dictation technology on your own device to understand its application for students.

Apply: Gain practical examples of literary structures and techniques for integrating students' personal language into literacy instruction. Reflect on how to use dictation technology to support struggling students and leave with strategies that can be transferred directly into your teaching practice. 

Science Education is Evolving

Adam Scimone, EducationPlus

Learn: Examine how recent shifts in science education practices are changing teachers' approach to their instruction. Learn from science teaching experts on how new initiatives are building on what we already know about best practice and the impact of these initiatives.
Engage: Connect with the conversation through questions and sharing personal comments using the chat feature. Dig deeper into the topics by using the Q&A segment to ask about topics such as 3-Dimensional teaching, Sense-Making and using science phenomena.
Apply: Discover an updated view on modern science teaching practices.  Gain an informed understanding of how science education will continue to evolve in the next several years and build new perspectives on how to think about science ed and where to find resources that support the work.  

Task Talk
Robyn Haug, Clayton School District

Learn: Discover quick and effective strategies for designing tasks that boost student engagement. Explore practical approaches that can be applied across various subject areas.

Engage: Take part in a hands-on, station rotation discovery model. This interactive setup will guide participants in creating a high-quality task tailored to their subject area and instructional goals.

Apply: Gain ready-to-use sample tasks that can be implemented immediately in the classroom, ensuring an impactful takeaway for engaging students.  

Understanding the F.R.E.S.H. Approach to Culturally-Responsive, Standards-Based Instruction
Keynote Speaker Stephanie Boyce

Learn: Take a deep dive into the principles behind culturally responsive, standards-based (CRSB) instruction and how to integrate into the F.R.E.S.H. framework. Explore the “why” and “what” of CRSB instruction and understand its crucial role in fostering student success in diverse classrooms.

Engage: Through collaborative exercises and targeted discussions, analyze real-world scenarios that illustrate the impact of culturally responsive strategies. Engage in dialogue with peers, share insights and experiences related to implementing CRSB instruction enhancing your understanding of its practical applications.

Apply: Gain actionable ideas for integrating culturally responsive elements into your lesson planning. With guided discussions and collaborative activities, develop a clear understanding of how to identify and apply strategies that align with academic standards, making learning more meaningful for students from all backgrounds.

Unlocking Student Engagement with Discovery Education
Marissa Geyer, Discovery Education

Learn: Discover how Discovery Education Experience simplifies lesson planning and enhances student engagement. Explore standards-aligned resources and tools for PreK-12 that support dynamic and interactive teaching.

Engage: Participate in a collaborative challenge to “Escape the Discovery Education Room” with your peers, solving clues while exploring innovative tools and strategies. This interactive activity showcases how Discovery Education can transform the learning experience in your classroom.

Apply: Gain actionable strategies and fresh ideas to integrate Discovery Education resources into your lessons, empowering you to captivate students and streamline planning. Prepare to implement these tools and elevate your teaching!

Unpacking the F.R.E.S.H. Approach to Culturally-Responsive, Standards-Based Instruction

Keynote Speaker Stephanie Boyce

Learn: Take a deep dive into the principles behind culturally responsive, standards-based (CRSB) instruction and how to integrate into the F.R.E.S.H. framework. Explore the “why” and “what” of CRSB instruction and understand its crucial role in fostering student success in diverse classrooms.
Engage: Through collaborative exercises and targeted discussions, analyze real-world scenarios that illustrate the impact of culturally responsive strategies. Engage in dialogue with peers, share insights and experiences related to implementing CRSB instruction enhancing your understanding of its practical applications.
Apply: Gain actionable ideas for integrating culturally responsive elements into your lesson planning. With guided discussions and collaborative activities, develop a clear understanding of how to identify and apply strategies that align with academic standards, making learning more meaningful for students from all backgrounds.

Video Lesson Teaching
Vielia Jeffries-Evans, University City School District

Learn: Explore how to effectively use video to record and teach lesson demonstrations that can be uploaded to a dedicated YouTube channel. Discover how recorded lessons can capture students' attention through step-by-step modeling for projects, skill development or desired behaviors.

Engage: Utilize project materials, acquired skills and a cell phone camera to practice teaching and demonstrating a lesson that will be uploaded to your YouTube channel created for this purpose.

Apply: Gain skills to launch your own YouTube video lesson demonstration to support students who may struggle, provide resources for absent learners and maximize preparation time during lessons, especially when teaching multiple classes back-to-back.  

A Healthy Balance: Tech vs. Tradition
Sophie Chambers, Chillicothe R-II School District

Learn: Explore how to achieve a healthier balance between technology and traditional skills in your classroom. This session addresses concerns about excessive screen time and the impact on essential soft skills, drawing from discussions held within my school district.

Engage: We will cover diverse topics, including virtual reality, traditional geography skills, handwriting versus speech-to-text, library resources, and the importance of face-to-face communication. Attendees will have opportunities for Q&A throughout the presentation to foster engagement.

Apply: Participants will receive a T-chart to assess their current balance between technology and traditional skills, along with actionable strategies for reinforcing soft skills in their classrooms. Leave with practical ideas to enhance your curriculum and promote student success in both realms.  

Best Practices for Integrating and Enhancing Creativity in the Classroom

Apple Education

Learn: Understand why creativity is essential for problem-solving, analytical thinking and collaboration in today’s classrooms. Explore the challenges of defining and fostering creativity as part of the learning process.
Engage: Join an interactive discussion on best practices for integrating creativity into your school’s curriculum. Share ideas and examples with peers on how iPad can support innovative teaching and learning strategies.
Apply: Gain practical tips for embedding creativity into lessons across various subject areas. Use iPad tools to empower students to think critically, collaborate effectively and express their ideas in unique ways.

Code.org Programs for Your School

Andy Tiepen, Code.org

Learn: Discover the expansive, free curriculum offered by Code.org, created to make computer science education accessible in every classroom. Attendees will explore the K-12 resources that align with state standards, focusing on foundational digital skills and computer science principles.
Engage: Through interactive discussion, participants will examine how Code.org’s curriculum integrates with their own teaching goals and classroom settings. We’ll also dive into available support, including teacher training funded through DESE, ensuring a fully supported rollout of these resources.
Apply: By the end of this session, participants will be prepared to bring Code.org's curriculum into their schools. They will leave with actionable steps and knowledge on accessing the resources, securing teacher training, and engaging students in computer science

Day in the Life of a Discovery Education Teacher
Marissa Geyer, Discovery Education

Learn: Explore how Discovery Education Experience can enhance every part of your school day, from sparking curiosity with immersive videos and virtual field trips to providing engaging, standards-aligned content for lesson planning.

Engage: Bring your laptop and dive into hands-on activities that demonstrate how to use Discovery Education for transitions, recess or downtime. Collaborate with fellow educators to uncover creative ways to integrate these tools seamlessly into your daily routines.

Apply: Gain strategies to captivate students and extend learning beyond the classroom by sharing resources with students and families. Whether you’re new or experienced with Discovery Education, you’ll gain practical tools to elevate your teaching and engage your students.

Embracing AI in Education—Challenges, Myths, and Opportunities
Erin Lawson, EducationPlus

Learn: Uncover the transformative potential of AI in education, from reshaping traditional teaching methods to supporting differentiated instruction. Panel experts will share perspectives on high-impact AI tools, practical applications and how to discern value amidst an ever-growing landscape of AI resources.

Engage: Participate in the discussion by using the Chat feature to ask questions, share insights and connect with both panelists and peers. A dedicated Q&A segment will allow you to explore specific questions, including how AI can enhance your role and support your teaching goals.

Apply: Gain actionable knowledge of current high-impact AI tools and examples of their use in educational settings. Learn strategies for leveraging AI to meet diverse student needs and enrich learning outcomes in ways that align with your teaching style and classroom objectives.

Immersive Learning Through Augmented Reality

Apple Education

Learn: Discover how augmented reality (AR) can transform learning by providing students with immersive experiences that inspire curiosity and creativity. Gain insights into the tools and resources available for integrating AR into K-12 classrooms using iPad.
Engage: Participate in a discussion on best practices for incorporating AR into diverse subject areas, including science, social studies and more. Explore real-world examples of AR applications that enhance student engagement and understanding.
Apply: Gain practical strategies for planning and implementing AR experiences in your curriculum. Empower your students to explore the world in new and meaningful ways through the use of AR technology.

Is AI Transformational?
Bob Deneau, Rockwood School District

Learn: Discover the latest AI tools and their potential applications in the classroom. Discover cutting-edge technology and showcase how AI can create new learning opportunities, sparking innovation for both educators and students.

Engage: Actively experiment with AI tools while engaging in thought-provoking discussions on the broader impact of AI on education. Collaborate with peers to explore AI's role in transforming the learning experience.

Apply: Gain practical ideas and strategies for leveraging AI in your classroom. Be prepared to create transformative learning experiences that harness AI's potential to engage and inspire students.  

Maximizing Language Learning with AI: From Enhancement to Transformation

Rob Greenhaw, EducationPlus

Learn: Explore how AI tools can enhance language instruction for multilingual learners by generating instructional resources aligned with the WIDA Standards Framework. Gain insights into effective AI-generated prompts that produce examples, practice items and mentor texts to support language development.

Engage: Participate in hands-on demonstrations of AI-powered strategies that scaffold assignments and assessments, ensuring alignment with students' English proficiency levels. Collaborate with peers to explore AI’s potential in differentiating instruction for multilingual learners.

Apply: Gain practical AI-driven techniques and ready-to-use strategies for integrating AI into your language instruction. Empower your students with customized learning experiences that foster language growth and engagement.

Reviving Literacy: Innovative Strategies for Elementary Student’s Reading and Writing Success
Maggie Bunten, eMINTS

Learn: Discover how to incorporate students' personal vocabulary and experiences into literacy instruction, making the learning more meaningful and relevant. Identify various literary structures found across curriculums and learn how to use these structures to enhance students' reading and writing skills. Explore how dictation technology can be leveraged to support struggling readers and writers in capturing their thoughts and ideas.

Engage: Participate in interactive activities that model classroom practices and foster a positive learning environment. Create your own literary examples and experiment with dictation technology on your own device to understand its application for students.

Apply: Gain practical examples of literary structures and techniques for integrating students' personal language into literacy instruction. Reflect on how to use dictation technology to support struggling students and leave with strategies that can be transferred directly into your teaching practice.  

Unveiling AI’s Big Bag of Tricks: Cheating or Innovation
Lindsey Weatherby, Special School District /Lindbergh Schools

Learn: Delve into the latest and most effective AI for all students but especially those who require additional support.

Engage: Take part in a hands-on, station rotation discovery model to create high-quality task(s) tailored to your subject area and instructional goals.

Apply: Gain new found insights that are ready to be applied into your classroom fostering an open-minded approach to integrating AI responsibly.

Video Lesson Teaching
Vielia Jeffries-Evans, University City School District

Learn: Explore how to effectively use video to record and teach lesson demonstrations that can be uploaded to a dedicated YouTube channel. Discover how recorded lessons can capture students' attention through step-by-step modeling for projects, skill development or desired behaviors.

Engage: Utilize project materials, acquired skills and a cell phone camera to practice teaching and demonstrating a lesson that will be uploaded to your YouTube channel created for this purpose.

Apply: Gain skills to launch your own YouTube video lesson demonstration to support students who may struggle, provide resources for absent learners and maximize preparation time during lessons, especially when teaching multiple classes back-to-back.  

Erin Lawson, EducationPlus

Learn: Uncover the transformative potential of AI in education, from reshaping traditional teaching methods to supporting differentiated instruction. Panel experts will share perspectives on high-impact AI tools, practical applications and how to discern value amidst an ever-growing landscape of AI resources.

Engage: Participate in the discussion by using the Chat feature to ask questions, share insights and connect with both panelists and peers. A dedicated Q&A segment will allow you to explore specific questions, including how AI can enhance your role and support your teaching goals.

Apply: Gain actionable knowledge of current high-impact AI tools and examples of their use in educational settings. Learn strategies for leveraging AI to meet diverse student needs and enrich learning outcomes in ways that align with your teaching style and classroom objectives.

Is AI Transformational?
Bob Deneau, Rockwood School District

Learn: Discover the latest AI tools and their potential applications in the classroom. Discover cutting-edge technology and showcase how AI can create new learning opportunities, sparking innovation for both educators and students.

Engage: Actively experiment with AI tools while engaging in thought-provoking discussions on the broader impact of AI on education. Collaborate with peers to explore AI's role in transforming the learning experience.

Apply: Gain practical ideas and strategies for leveraging AI in your classroom. Be prepared to create transformative learning experiences that harness AI's potential to engage and inspire students.

#IYKYK: Supporting Students Who Already Know What You're Teaching

Sherri Kulpa, EducationPlus

Learn: Explore the challenge of engaging students who have already mastered the content. Discover research-based strategies for repurposing materials and designing enrichment opportunities that promote deeper learning.

Engage: Participate in discussions and activities that focus on offering student choice, fostering autonomy and sustaining motivation for advanced learners. Share experiences and collaborate on practical solutions with fellow educators.

Apply: Gain concrete techniques to differentiate instruction, create meaningful extension activities and ensure all students remain challenged and engaged in your classroom.

Leading MTSS with the Head and the Heart
Breeya Perry and Trish Diebold, Special School District

Learn: Discover how the SSD MTSS Facilitator Team has effectively embedded cognitive, affective and tangible aspects of Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) into their coaching and learning practices. Gain insights into how to support leaders in fostering a holistic approach to MTSS implementation.

Engage: Engage in exploration of the crosswalk matrices, MTSS playbook and other resources, plus, have meaningful conversations with peers and facilitators to explore practical ways to incorporate effective tips, strategies and practices into your own work. Collaborative dialogue will enhance understanding and inspire actionable ideas.

Apply: Gain information and resources that best fit contextually into your school systems to make data-based decisions around equitably supporting all students within their settings ensuring that both cognitive and emotional aspects are considered in their MTSS systems.

Maximizing Language Learning with AI: From Enhancement to Transformation

Rob Greenhaw, EducationPlus

Learn: Explore how AI tools can enhance language instruction for multilingual learners by generating instructional resources aligned with the WIDA Standards Framework. Gain insights into effective AI-generated prompts that produce examples, practice items and mentor texts to support language development.

Engage: Participate in hands-on demonstrations of AI-powered strategies that scaffold assignments and assessments, ensuring alignment with students' English proficiency levels. Collaborate with peers to explore AI’s potential in differentiating instruction for multilingual learners.

Apply: Gain practical AI-driven techniques and ready-to-use strategies for integrating AI into your language instruction. Empower your students with customized learning experiences that foster language growth and engagement.

A Healthy Balance: Tech vs. Tradition
Sophie Chambers, Chillicothe R-II School District

Learn: Explore how to achieve a healthier balance between technology and traditional skills in your classroom. This session addresses concerns about excessive screen time and the impact on essential soft skills, drawing from discussions held within my school district.

Engage: We will cover diverse topics, including virtual reality, traditional geography skills, handwriting versus speech-to-text, library resources, and the importance of face-to-face communication. Attendees will have opportunities for Q&A throughout the presentation to foster engagement.

Apply: Participants will receive a T-chart to assess their current balance between technology and traditional skills, along with actionable strategies for reinforcing soft skills in their classrooms. Leave with practical ideas to enhance your curriculum and promote student success in both realms.  

Feeding the Learning Brain
Denise Ford, Kirkwood School District

Learn: Discover how teachers can leverage their unique position to positively influence students' brain development. This session will explore research in mind, brain, and education, providing practical strategies to enhance learning, memory, critical thinking, and confidence in the classroom.

Engage: Participants will be actively involved through movement, curiosity, humor, play, music, and interactive discussions, making the learning experience enjoyable and memorable.

Apply: Walk away with a wealth of immediately applicable, low-cost strategies to nurture every student's brain and engage their interest daily. Understanding how the brain learns will transform your teaching practice and enrich your own learning experience as well. 

Getting Excited About Overexcitabilities: Harnessing the Energy of the Exceptional Learner
Carly Mansfield and Jennifer Moore, Kirkwood School District

Learn: Gain a comprehensive understanding of Dabrowski's Overexcitabilities Theory and its relevance to the characteristics of exceptional learners. Delve into each overexcitability, connecting theoretical concepts to real-life experiences.

Engage: Actively discuss overexcitabilities and identify your own, experiencing "OE Breaks" to understand the energy release associated with each type. This session emphasizes experiential learning over passive listening.

Apply: Move beyond theory to practical insights on creating conducive learning environments that support emotional well-being and concentration. Gain strategies for fostering self-awareness and emotional regulation in gifted students, including routines, activities and tools to manage overstimulation and enhance learning experiences for those with overexcitabilities.