Adapting Innovations to All Learners 

Melissa Tackett, Orchard Farm School District 

Learn: Discovervative methods and technology. Explore approaches to making lessons accessible and engaging for all. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 the Mess: Transforming Classroom Chaos into Student Engagement 

Bryson Reid, Premier Charter School 

Learn: Discover effective tips and tricks for creating a calmer and more peaceful art room environment for students ages 4-7. Explore how to design an inspiring space that fosters artistic education and nurtures creativity among young learners, while also building your confidence as an educator. 

Engage: Participate in interactive discussions addressing common challenges faced in the art room. Share your successful strategies and insights with fellow educators, fostering a collaborative atmosphere where everyone can contribute and learn from one another. 

Apply: Gain valuable information on room design, behavior management , and curriculum ideas that enhance student success and practical strategies to transform classroom chaos into an engaging learning environment where young students can thrive artistically.

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.

Holistic Harmony: E.A.S.E (Embracing Wellness, Advocating Equity, Sustaining Culture, Enhancing Empowerment) 

Nana Becoat, Hazelwood School District 

Learn: Discover the interconnectedness of wellness, equity and culture through the lens of holistic harmony. Explore insights into how these elements can work together to foster an empowering educational environment that supports the whole child. 

Engage: Participate in interactive discussions, reflection exercises and real-life case studies to dive deeper into the principles of holistic wellness. Collaborate with peers to explore diverse perspectives and develop a shared understanding of the impact of equity and cultural celebration in the classroom. 

Apply: Gain practical tools and strategies designed to help you cultivate a classroom atmosphere that prioritizes student wellness, embraces equity and celebrates cultural diversity. Be prepared to implement actionable changes that create a more inclusive, supportive and vibrant learning space for all 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Reviving Literacy: Innovative Strategies for Elementary Student’s Reading and Writing Success 

Amber Ernst and 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.

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.

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.

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.

Reviving Literacy: Innovative Strategies for Elementary Student’s Reading and Writing Success 

Amber Ernst and 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 

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.

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.

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.

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.

Holistic Harmony: E.A.S.E (Embracing Wellness, Advocating Equity, Sustaining Culture, Enhancing Empowerment) 

Nana Becoat, Hazelwood School District 

Learn: Discover the interconnectedness of wellness, equity and culture through the lens of holistic harmony. Explore insights into how these elements can work together to foster an empowering educational environment that supports the whole child. 

Engage: Participate in interactive discussions, reflection exercises and real-life case studies to dive deeper into the principles of holistic wellness. Collaborate with peers to explore diverse perspectives and develop a shared understanding of the impact of equity and cultural celebration in the classroom. 

Apply: Gain practical tools and strategies designed to help you cultivate a classroom atmosphere that prioritizes student wellness, embraces equity and celebrates cultural diversity. Be prepared to implement actionable changes that create a more inclusive, supportive and vibrant learning space for all students.