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Friday, June 6
 

8:00am CDT

Anticipating Change, Preparing for Uncertainty: The Future of AI in Schools
Friday June 6, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
If nothing else has become clear in the three years since ChatGPT emerged, it’s that generative AI is a long-term, strategic opportunity and challenge for schools, not a short-term technological one. The pace of AI’s evolution, the number of issues it raises, and the power of its emotional and pedagogical impact have made it incredibly difficult not just to make decisions about AI in the present, but to know which possibilities to embrace and which pitfalls to avoid. How do we become more open to, more proactive about, and more prepared for the possibilities that come with deep change? This session is designed to help educators anticipate an AI future, even if we can’t predict it. We’ll consider the current state of the technology, look at some case studies, and practice strategic foresight exercises.
Keynote Speakers
avatar for Eric Hudson

Eric Hudson

Facilitator & Strategic Advisor, Eric Hudson Consulting
Eric Hudson is a facilitator and strategic advisor who supports schools in making sense of what’s changing in education. He specializes in learner-centered assessment, human-centered leadership, and strategic program design. Most recently, Eric spent ten years at Global Online Academy... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Brauer Auditorium

9:15am CDT

Brain Moves
Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Brain Moves is an innovative educational program designed to transform classrooms into spaces where students are actively engaged and empowered in their learning. Rooted in the Fundamental Movement Patterns of Total Body Connectivity developed by Irmgard Bartenieff and Peggy Hackney, the program equips teachers with effective strategies to integrate movement into their daily teaching, creating an environment that values the whole child. By incorporating dynamic movement activities, Brain Moves strengthens the body-mind connection, supporting not only physical health but also cognitive development, emotional regulation, and social-emotional growth in young learners. By incorporating movement into the classroom, Brain Moves helps improve focus, attention, presence, and self-awareness, while encouraging positive social interactions and relationships among students. Attendees will leave with practical ideas and movement activities that they can implement in the classroom right away.
Speakers
avatar for Summer Beasley

Summer Beasley

PE Faculty, MICDS
Summer Beasley received a BFA from Webster University and a MFA from Lindenwood University. She has performed and choreographed across the U.S. and she has performed internationally with Karlovsky & Company Dance. Summer completed a 200 hour yoga teacher training with Pam Schulte... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

9:15am CDT

Personalizing Learning by Design
Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
When we clearly identify desired results and carefully consider the necessary evidence, we are able to design the most relevant and engaging learning experiences. Our decisions about what to teach and how to teach are guided by the priorities in Stages 1 and 2 of the Understanding by Design framework and by what we know about the learner in terms of readiness, interest, and learning profile. In this session, we will explore resources and tools to support creativity and innovation in designing learning experiences that honor and amplify learners’ interests and passions while equipping them for success.
Speakers
avatar for Charity Meyer

Charity Meyer

Director of Elementary Learning, School District of Greenfield
Charity Meyer serves as the Director of Elementary Learning in the School District of Greenfield. In her role, she works side by side with leaders and educators, delivering coaching and professional learning experiences, emphasizing deep implementation of modern curriculum, assessment... Read More →
avatar for Patrice Ball

Patrice Ball

Director of Secondary Learning, School District of Greenfield
Patrice Ball serves as the Director of Secondary Learning in the School District of Greenfield where she facilitates the professional learning, curriculum, assessment, and instruction in grades 6-12. Previous roles include instructor of assessment courses in the graduate program at... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

9:15am CDT

Project Based Learning for the Traditional Classroom
Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Do you work at a college prep or traditional model school but want to push the envelope a little? ARTIful (Authentic, Relevant, Transferable, and Impactful) teaching by integrating authentic projects into student experiences has the capacity to move students from compliance to genuine interest. You can start small without sacrificing weeks of your class time and see the results of students’ critical thinking skills applied to your content. Authentic projects give students genuine opportunities to practice future ready skills such as cooperation and communication, and they allow students to push their creativity to the limits by creating a virtual museum exhibit for Cahokia Mounds, learning chemistry by creating a food truck business, or discovering energy and circuitry by wiring a basement or presenting to the St. Louis city planners about green energy. Participants of this workshop will learn the basic foundations of ARTIful project learning and how to find an authentic audience, choose a meaningful project, and create an assessment that holds students to your high standards.
Speakers
avatar for Mark Russo

Mark Russo

Integrated Studies Teacher, Principia School
Mark Russo began as a naturalist at state parks and outdoor education centers before finding his calling as a middle and high school classroom teacher. He has worked in traditional, non-traditional inner city classroom settings in Saint Paul, Minnesota since 2000, combining his love... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

9:15am CDT

The Depth is in the Discussion: Making Learning Visible with Depth of Knowledge (DOK)
Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
What does deeper learning look, sound, or feel like? How could you ensure your students are learning at the level demanded by academic standards, activities, and assessments? Examine how Depth of Knowledge establishes and evaluates the depth and extent students must demonstrate and discuss their learning. Understand how Depth of Knowledge categorizes and clarifies the complexity and demand of academic standards, activities, and assessments. Analyze which part of a learning expectation determines its DOK Level. Use the language of DOK to specify what exactly and how deeply students must comprehend and communicate their learning to demonstrate proficiency or perform successfully. Most importantly, discover how Depth of Knowledge ensures teaching and learning experiences are actionable, measurable, and visible.
Featured Speakers
avatar for Erik M. Francis

Erik M. Francis

Author / Educator / Presenter, Maverik Education
Erik M. Francis, M.Ed., M.S., is an international author, educator, presenter, and professional development provider with 30 years of experience in education. He is the author of Inquiring Minds Want to Learn: Posing Good Questions to Promote Student Inquiry (Solution Tree), Deconstructing... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

9:15am CDT

Navigating the Complexities: Mastering Stakeholder Dynamics Through The Game of Education
Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 11:30am CDT
Educational leadership is rarely straightforward. Stakeholders – administrators, educators, parents, and community members – each bring distinct priorities, hidden motivations, and political pressures to the table. In this highly interactive session, participants will step into roles that reflect real-world educational dilemmas, experiencing firsthand the strategic thinking, negotiation, and collaboration necessary to drive meaningful change. Using The Game of Education, a unique game-theory-based simulation, you will explore scenarios demanding tough decisions, balance competing agendas, and practice authentic leadership skills in a safe, reflective environment. Walk away with deeper empathy, refined negotiation strategies, and actionable insights to address your district’s toughest challenges.
Featured Speakers
avatar for Dr. Howard Fields

Dr. Howard Fields

Founder & Assistant Superintendent, InDepth & Kirkwood School District
Dr. Howard E. Fields III is an internationally recognized educational leader, researcher, and creator known for his innovative approaches to educational leadership.Dr. Fields earned his Ph.D. in Education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 2017. His groundbreaking doctoral... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 11:30am CDT

9:15am CDT

Designing a Research-Informed Class Period for Deeper Learning
Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 11:45am CDT
Teachers are both artists and scientists. Their canvas is the class period, and their science is grounded in research on how the brain learns. This session will workshop a practical model for structuring class periods based on key educational research findings. We will explore strategies like retrieval practice, fostering a sense of belonging, providing effective feedback, ensuring knowledge and skill transfer, using direct instruction, cultivating meta-cognition, employing formative assessments, enhancing memory, and assigning purposeful homework.
By the end of the session, teachers and school leaders will leave with a flexible research-informed framework that enables them to design class periods where students engage deeply and think critically about the targeted learning objectives and goals they are striving to meet.
Featured Speakers
avatar for Glenn Whitman

Glenn Whitman

History Teacher & Dreyfuss Family Director of the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School
Glenn Whitman is a History teacher and Dreyfuss Family Director of the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning (CTTL) at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School (MD). Glenn is the co-author of Neuroteach: Brain Science and the Future of Education (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 11:45am CDT

9:15am CDT

Engaging Students on Generative AI: What, Why, How
Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 11:45am CDT
Making healthy, ethical decisions about AI is a skill our students need, now and in the future. In this session, we’ll explore decision-making as a teachable, relevant skill that can engage students in productive, open conversation about generative AI. We’ll begin by looking at what we know (and don’t know) about generative AI’s impact on student learning and wellness at school and in life. Then, we’ll explore the relationship between decision-making and autonomy, look at the research on student agency, and consider a variety of pathways for engaging students on AI in the classroom and beyond. We’ll practice using games, case studies, and generative thinking exercises as tools, and we’ll draft plans for how we can be proactive with student engagement and education in the 2025-26 school year.  
Keynote Speakers
avatar for Eric Hudson

Eric Hudson

Facilitator & Strategic Advisor, Eric Hudson Consulting
Eric Hudson is a facilitator and strategic advisor who supports schools in making sense of what’s changing in education. He specializes in learner-centered assessment, human-centered leadership, and strategic program design. Most recently, Eric spent ten years at Global Online Academy... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 11:45am CDT

9:15am CDT

Generative AI (GenAI) is Here. What Does Learning to Program Look Like Now?
Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 11:45am CDT
Everyone knows that programming skills can help people be more effective across many different types of jobs. It can also be a source of intense creativity for hobbyists who wish to create digital artifacts in the 21st century. Learning to program, however, has historically been a daunting task. Programming languages are hard to learn and unforgiving when people make mistakes.
Generative AI (GenAI) tools have the potential to turn all of this on its head. Rather than speaking to a computer in a syntactically rigid programming language, programmers can now interact with a GenAI in a natural language, like English.
Specifically GenAI tools like ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot, can solve introductory programming assignments. They can solve introductory programming exam questions. They can trace code step by step, explain what code does, help debug (fix) code, convert code from one programming language to another, and generate test cases for code.
So then: that’s it? We’re done? We don’t need to learn programming anymore?
Not so fast :D
While it’s true that GenAI can contribute to carrying out many programming tasks, in this talk we will demonstrate that rather than causing programming to go away, GenAI has the potential to lead us to ever-higher levels of problem solving, needed if we are to keep pace with the world’s demand for software.
We’ll begin with a brief summary of what the research says about GenAI and learning to program. Do students learn when using GenAI, and how can learning be enhanced? What are the effects of GenAI on learner creativity? Can GenAI serve as an effective tutor?
Next, we’ll describe the design goals and findings emerging from the Computing Education Research Laboratory at UC San Diego as we create and study an introductory programming course for majors and non-majors that fully incorporates GenAI and can provide materials for anyone interested in our approach.
Featured Speakers
avatar for Dr. Daniel Zingaro

Dr. Daniel Zingaro

Associate Professor, University of Toronto Mississauga
Dr. Daniel Zingaro is an Associate Teaching Professor at the University of Toronto. His passion is taking everything he knows about teaching and learning to create books that put the learner first. Most recently, Dr. Zingaro and Leo Porter wrote Learn AI-Assisted Python Programming... Read More →
avatar for Leo Porter

Leo Porter

Professor, Author, University of California San Diego Computer Science and Engineering Department
Leo Porter is a Teaching Professor in the Computer Science and Engineering Department at UC San Diego. He is best known for his research on the impact of Peer Instruction in computing courses, the use of clicker data to predict student outcomes, and the development of the Basic Data... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 11:45am CDT

9:15am CDT

How AI Helps and Hurts the Creative Process
Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 11:45am CDT
Creativity is one of the brain’s most complex processes. Research in neuroscience shows how creative insight is facilitated by time in the Default Mode Network (mind wandering). Other studies show how time in the Default Mode has been reduced due to smartphone use, and that smartphone use is on the rise. Combined, this would suggest humans are getting less creative. Is this so? This workshop will talk about the goal of improving innovative skills and the ways technology has enhanced and detracted from creative thinking.
Featured Speakers
avatar for Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa, PhD

Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa, PhD

Educational Researcher & Harvard University Educator, Conexiones: The Learning Science Platform
Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa, Ph.D., is a teacher at Harvard College and the Harvard University Extension School where her course, “The Neuroscience of Learning: An Introduction to Mind, Brain, Health, and Education” offers a transformative self-learning adventure. She is the co-founder... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 11:45am CDT

9:15am CDT

On Awakening Knowledge of Self: Don’t Sleep During the Revolution
Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 11:45am CDT
On Awakening Knowledge of Self: Don’t Sleep During the Revolution explores the intersection of Hip Hop’s fifth element - Knowledge of Self - with themes of identity, voice, leadership, history, and culture. Attendees will be empowered to connect with their authentic selves and embrace their unique stories as critical elements of their educational practices. This engaging session features storytelling, original spoken word performances, lyrically written presentation slides, a creative writing activity, and a simulated open mic experience. Attendees are asked to reflect on the question: how does my knowledge of self inform how I structure conditions for equitable student learning and engagement?
Featured Speakers
avatar for Tony Keith Jr., PhD

Tony Keith Jr., PhD

Poet, Writer, and Hip-Hop Educator
Tony Keith Jr., PhD is an award-winning Black American gay poet, spoken word artist, and Hip-Hop educational leader from Washington, D.C. Or, you can just call him an “Ed Emcee”. He is the author of How the Boogeyman Became a Poet (2024) and Knucklehead (2025), both published... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 11:45am CDT

10:30am CDT

Classroom- and School-based Strategies to Support the Whole Learner
Friday June 6, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
Our district focuses on the WHOLE Learner. As leaders, educators embrace the opportunity to enrich our approach to bolster students’ academic and affective needs. Research has shown that since the COVID-10 Pandemic, students’ social-emotional needs have multiplied. While colleges and universities prepare general education teachers to facilitate academic learning, equipping educators to support students’ social-emotional needs is something that many pre-service programs do not fully address. This session will focus on adding effective strategies to classroom- and school-based instructional environments to better support students’ academic buoyancy and grow 21st century skills and dispositions.
Speakers
avatar for Charity Meyer

Charity Meyer

Director of Elementary Learning, School District of Greenfield
Charity Meyer serves as the Director of Elementary Learning in the School District of Greenfield. In her role, she works side by side with leaders and educators, delivering coaching and professional learning experiences, emphasizing deep implementation of modern curriculum, assessment... Read More →
avatar for Patrice Ball

Patrice Ball

Director of Secondary Learning, School District of Greenfield
Patrice Ball serves as the Director of Secondary Learning in the School District of Greenfield where she facilitates the professional learning, curriculum, assessment, and instruction in grades 6-12. Previous roles include instructor of assessment courses in the graduate program at... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT

10:30am CDT

Empowered Learning: Lessons from Implementing ARTI-ful Learning (ABL) to Elevate Engagement and Teacher Practice
Friday June 6, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
When students are placed at the center of learning – given choice, voice, and real-world relevance – engagement soars, ownership deepens, and learning becomes more meaningful and lasting. However, shifting to student-centered learning through ARTI-ful Learning (ABL) requires a fundamental change in teacher practice.

This session, led by an educator who has implemented ABL across multiple grade levels and a school leader who guided elementary faculty through this transition, will explore what it takes to shift from teacher-directed to student-driven learning. Participants will gain practical insights from our experiences, including:
  • The Why of ABL - Why Authentic, Relevant, Transferable, and Impactful learning leads to deeper engagement and 21st century skill development.
  • How We Supported Teachers - Strategies we used to help teachers transition from traditional instruction to student-centered facilitation.
  • What Was Hard - The biggest stumbling blocks in shifting to ABL and how we overcame them.
  • What We Would (and Wouldn’t) Do Again - Lessons learned, missteps to avoid, and key actions that made the biggest difference.
Speakers
avatar for Rissa Arens

Rissa Arens

Principia School
Rissa is a career long elementary educator and classroom teacher. She thrives in leading teachers through change helping them develop a responsive classroom and techniques to inspire and engage students. She currently coaches teachers at Principia Lower School to create classrooms... Read More →
avatar for Peter Dry

Peter Dry

Director, The PDL Group
Dr. Peter Dry is an educational leader focused on innovation in schools and organizations. He specializes in strengths-based leadership and future-ready education.  He works with schools and teams to improve engagement and effectiveness.His experience includes leading strategic innovation... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT

10:30am CDT

Structuring Group Projects for Student Success
Friday June 6, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
If group projects can be a powerful educational tool, why do so many teachers (and students) groan when the topic is brought up?  After years of trying different tactics, I realized that I need to teach the collaboration skills needed right along with my content. This session will cover six ways to change how you structure your group projects that will increase accountability, engage everyone in a meaningful way, and assess each individual student's contribution and skills.
Speakers
avatar for Mark Russo

Mark Russo

Integrated Studies Teacher, Principia School
Mark Russo began as a naturalist at state parks and outdoor education centers before finding his calling as a middle and high school classroom teacher. He has worked in traditional, non-traditional inner city classroom settings in Saint Paul, Minnesota since 2000, combining his love... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT

12:30pm CDT

5 Lessons That Transformed My Journey as an Educator and Leader
Friday June 6, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Effective educational leadership is deeply personal and shaped by critical moments, reflective practice, and meaningful relationships. In this reflective and empowering spotlight session, Dr. Howard Fields shares five transformative lessons gained from his 16-year journey as a coach, teacher, principal, and district leader. Drawing from his experiences navigating challenges such as systemic inequities and community crises, Dr. Fields will discuss the importance of authentic self-awareness, believing in every student’s potential, storytelling as advocacy, embracing thoughtful change, and prioritizing mental and emotional health. Attendees will leave inspired and equipped to lead authentically, advocate fiercely for equity, and thrive professionally and personally.
Featured Speakers
avatar for Dr. Howard Fields

Dr. Howard Fields

Founder & Assistant Superintendent, InDepth & Kirkwood School District
Dr. Howard E. Fields III is an internationally recognized educational leader, researcher, and creator known for his innovative approaches to educational leadership.Dr. Fields earned his Ph.D. in Education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 2017. His groundbreaking doctoral... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

12:30pm CDT

An Integrated & Mission-Aligned Approach to Student Well-being
Friday June 6, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
During this workshop, you will learn about Ravenscroft school, a PK-12, coed, day, 1,250-student community, and our institutional structure centered on student well-being. We believe physical, psychological, and emotional development is deeply intertwined with intellectual growth. Guided by this value, the Associate Head of School for Student Affairs oversees a team of strategically placed clinicians and health providers throughout the organization. Rooted in early identification and prevention strategies, our model aims to leverage our school’s mission, current systems and programs, and works to equip all members within the community to support the well-being of students and guide them to appropriate resources. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in case study scenarios, review handbook policies, and learn about institutional procedures that showcase our clinical services. Participants will leave with an understanding of this framework and steps for implementation.
Speakers
avatar for Kendra Varnell

Kendra Varnell

Associate Head of School for Student Affairs, Ravenscroft School
Kendra Varnell is the Associate Head of School for Student Affairs at Ravenscroft School, and is a licensed clinical psychologist with over a decade of experience working in educational and clinical settings. Kendra graduated from Wake Forest University with a bachelor’s degree... Read More →
SB

Sam Borkovic

Director of Student Athlete Well-Being, Ravenscroft School
Samantha (Sam) Borkovic (she/her) is the Director of Student Athlete Well-being at Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, North Carolina. She oversees the mental and emotional health of over 800 student athletes in grades 7-12 at Ravenscroft School. She partners with local clinicians, families... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

12:30pm CDT

Using ERB’s Access 360 Reports to Enhance Student Achievement
Friday June 6, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Discover how Woodward Academy is leveraging ERB’s Access 360 reports to drive meaningful improvements in student learning. This session will provide practical strategies for using ERB data to modify instruction, update curriculum, and implement targeted interventions for individual students and small groups.
We will demonstrate how to generate and interpret key reports that empower teachers to personalize instruction, address learning gaps, and enhance student achievement. Additionally, we’ll explore how Woodward Academy integrates social-emotional data from the SelfWise and Check-in Survey to provide holistic student support.
Participants will also gain insight into the “Using ERB Results” online support site, which helps teachers efficiently analyze student performance, access ERB intervention resources, and take actionable steps based on Milestones assessments—ensuring students are well-prepared for the CTP in the spring.
Finally, we’ll showcase how AI-powered tools can streamline the process of creating customized intervention strategies for remediation and enrichment, helping educators save time while maximizing student growth.
Key Takeaways:
  • Learn how to generate and apply key Access 360 reports to enhance student learning.
  • Explore Woodward Academy’s ERB Results Support Site and its role in individualizing instruction.
  • Gain hands-on experience using AI to create personalized student interventions.
  • Join us to explore practical, data-driven strategies for using ERB reports in meaningful ways to support student success!
Featured Speakers
avatar for Connie White

Connie White

Director of Learning Design & Innovation, Woodward Academy
Connie White is a visionary leader in education, serving as the Director of Learning & Innovation at Woodward Academy in College Park, Georgia, since 2015. With a background as an Upper School Physics, Chemistry, and Math teacher, she was among the pioneering Technology & Learning... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

1:40pm CDT

Belonging and the Brain: Creating the Conditions for Student Learning and Achievement
Friday June 6, 2025 1:40pm - 1:55pm CDT
Every day, every student in every school will have two essential things with them: their developing brain and their developing identity. They will never forget them. Teachers, schools, and districts that explore the science of how the brain learns side-by-side how students feel and experience a sense of academic and social belonging in school are creating the conditions for students to achieve their full potential. 
This session will explore how lesson planning, direct instruction, checks for understanding, retrieval practice, feedback, and formative assessment are not just teaching and learning strategies; they are belonging strategies. 
Participants will leave with “next-day” strategies and frameworks to share with their colleagues and apply to their instructional design and work with students. 
Prepare this session by reading “Setting the Conditions for Learning: Why Belonging and Great Teaching Always Matter.”
Featured Speakers
avatar for Glenn Whitman

Glenn Whitman

History Teacher & Dreyfuss Family Director of the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School
Glenn Whitman is a History teacher and Dreyfuss Family Director of the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning (CTTL) at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School (MD). Glenn is the co-author of Neuroteach: Brain Science and the Future of Education (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 1:40pm - 1:55pm CDT

1:40pm CDT

Designing and Facilitating Assessments for Students Agency
Friday June 6, 2025 1:40pm - 1:55pm CDT
Learner-centered assessment is not just about what we ask students to do; it’s about how we facilitate the assessment to support their sense of ownership and self-efficacy. In this session we’ll practice designing for three pillars: goal-setting, empowering processes, and authentic assessment of learning. We’ll learn and practice teaching strategies in each area that position students as active collaborators who exercise the core competencies that support agency like generative thinking, self-regulation, project management, and reflection. We’ll explore how to use the tools of learner-centered assessment (rubrics, portfolios, conferences, etc.) to elevate student voice and to guide students to do the hard but meaningful work of navigating complexity and embracing challenging work. Participants will then have a chance to reimagine one of their existing assessments in order to prioritize student agency.
Keynote Speakers
avatar for Eric Hudson

Eric Hudson

Facilitator & Strategic Advisor, Eric Hudson Consulting
Eric Hudson is a facilitator and strategic advisor who supports schools in making sense of what’s changing in education. He specializes in learner-centered assessment, human-centered leadership, and strategic program design. Most recently, Eric spent ten years at Global Online Academy... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 1:40pm - 1:55pm CDT

1:40pm CDT

Leveling Up Classroom Creativity with Lasers & Microcontrollers
Friday June 6, 2025 1:40pm - 4:00pm CDT
Want to take your classroom projects to the next level - without adding high-level complexity? This hands-on session is designed for educators and makerspace leaders looking for accessible, high-impact tools that expand creative possibilities for students.
We’ll start by getting hands-on with laser cutting and engraving basics, exploring how quick and simple modifications can dramatically enhance student projects. Then, we’ll dive into microcontrollers, using the BBC Micro:Bit to bring interactivity, motion, and light to life in the classroom - no prior coding experience needed!
Along the way, we’ll break down practical strategies for teaching these tools effectively, adapting them for different age groups, skill levels, and learning environments. Whether you run a dedicated makerspace or are just looking for ways to integrate more hands-on learning, you’ll leave with concrete ideas, tested techniques, and project inspiration that’s ready to implement. 
Expect experimentation, collaboration, and a low-barrier approach to high-impact making - all in a fast-paced, creative environment. Come ready to build, test, and explore. No prior experience required - just curiosity and a willingness to create!
Featured Speakers
avatar for Leigh Northrup

Leigh Northrup

Dean of Innovation & Technology, Cannon School
Leigh Northrup’s lifelong passion for making traces back to his grandfather’s workshop, where he first discovered the joy of creating with his hands. Now, as the Dean of Innovation and Technology at Cannon School for over 24 years, he has built a thriving, nationally renowned... Read More →
avatar for Mush Hughes

Mush Hughes

Makerspace Facilitator, Cannon School
Mush Hughes joined Cannon School as an Upper School Makerspace Facilitator in 2017. Prior to that time, he was an independent consultant for an international nonprofit, where he taught teachers how to use math and reading software, and developed STEM incentive curriculum for schools... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 1:40pm - 4:00pm CDT
Maker Lab

1:40pm CDT

On Awakening Knowledge of Self: Don’t Sleep During the Revolution
Friday June 6, 2025 1:40pm - 4:00pm CDT
On Awakening Knowledge of Self: Don’t Sleep During the Revolution explores the intersection of Hip Hop’s fifth element - Knowledge of Self - with themes of identity, voice, leadership, history, and culture. Attendees will be empowered to connect with their authentic selves and embrace their unique stories as critical elements of their educational practices. This engaging session features storytelling, original spoken word performances, lyrically written presentation slides, a creative writing activity, and a simulated open mic experience. Attendees are asked to reflect on the question: how does my knowledge of self inform how I structure conditions for equitable student learning and engagement?
Featured Speakers
avatar for Tony Keith Jr., PhD

Tony Keith Jr., PhD

Poet, Writer, and Hip-Hop Educator
Tony Keith Jr., PhD is an award-winning Black American gay poet, spoken word artist, and Hip-Hop educational leader from Washington, D.C. Or, you can just call him an “Ed Emcee”. He is the author of How the Boogeyman Became a Poet (2024) and Knucklehead (2025), both published... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 1:40pm - 4:00pm CDT

1:40pm CDT

Writing, Thinking, and The Brain: How Neuroscience Can Improve Writing Instruction
Friday June 6, 2025 1:40pm - 4:00pm CDT
Writing is the highest form of thinking, as evidenced by neuroimaging that shows that more neural networks are activated during writing than during any other cognitive activity. When repeated, this activation builds and strengthens the neural networks that undergird the wide variety of thinking capacities involved in writing through a process known as neuroplasticity, the physical changes in brain structure that constitute learning.  The learning sciences tell us that frequency and precision of practice, feedback (and feedforward), the development of metacognitive capacities, strong relationships and sustaining cultures are all essential to building better writers. ThinkWrite addresses writing from a holistic perspective, looking at all of the systems and subsystems involved in the process.

This session will acquaint you with a powerful new model of the writing process grounded in the research of Mind, Brain and Education science (MBE), the confluence of cognitive psychology, neuroscience and educational research. This presentation covers a brief overview of the neuroscience of learning, presents the 15 stages of thinking that support the writing process, and will familiarize teachers with the neural networks that underlie these thinking stages along with targeted ways to stimulate and strengthen them to maximize each individual’s writing potential. This model and these activities are geared to all levels of writing instruction from pre-K through 16 and beyond.

Teachers will be provided with tools in the form of activities that target the specific stages of thinking involved in writing and rubrics that will help them give feedback on the process and the otherwise invisible thinking involved in good writing. We will examine what it means for writing teachers to become thinking coaches, and tackle how to give feedback on thinking stages that may feel more unfamiliar to us as well as on the product, process, progress and promise of a student’s writing.

Today, new technologies such as generative AI hold great promise and potential for coaching thinking and writing; simultaneously, if not properly employed, for all of their promise, these same tools threaten to undermine the development of the brain structures needed for good thinking and writing by supplanting the agency of students in different phases of the writing process, eroding their thinking capacities, weakening both the individual student and the society and culture we hope they will sustain and build. This presentation will provide a brain-based framework for considering how and when to use such tools in writing instruction. We will interrogate the power and potential of the rapidly developing generative AI technologies through the lens of the most recent research.

Good writing is not simply the residue of good thinking; the practice of writing shapes our thinking capacities by changing the underlying neural structures within the brain. This growth within the brain is how we each learn as individuals.  What’s more, the thinking capacities grown through writing practice are essential to the proper functioning of democratic systems; capacities such as effective communication, evaluation of evidence and analysis, cognitive flexibility, emotional and cognitive empathy and perspective taking, along with the resilience due to better executive control of emotions in the face of setbacks and challenges benefit not just the individual student but the larger social systems that sustain us all. Teachers of writing will leave this session with a new, more precise model of the writing process and the knowledge of their essential role in both their students’ growth and in building a more resilient society.
Featured Speakers
avatar for Chris Rappleye

Chris Rappleye

Upper School English Teacher, Mary Institute & St. Louis Country Day School
Chris Rappleye has taught English at MICDS since January of 1989, primarily in the Upper School, and has coached cross country and track and field for almost as long. He has consulted and presented for the ACT as well as for the College Board's Advanced Placement program in English... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 1:40pm - 4:00pm CDT

1:45pm CDT

Designing Future-Ready Schools Through Authentic, Relevant, Transferable, and Impactful Learning
Friday June 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT
The traditional classroom model is outdated. Instead, we need schools that prioritize ARTI-ful learning – where students engage in real-world problem solving, meaningful projects, and community-based learning.

Key Takeaways:
  • What ARTI-ful Learning is and why it matters in the AI age
  • How experiential learning, project-based approaches, and emerging technologies support deep learning.
  • Success stories from work in ARTI-ful units.
  • How educators can start shifting their classrooms today.
Speakers
avatar for Peter Dry

Peter Dry

Director, The PDL Group
Dr. Peter Dry is an educational leader focused on innovation in schools and organizations. He specializes in strengths-based leadership and future-ready education.  He works with schools and teams to improve engagement and effectiveness.His experience includes leading strategic innovation... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT

1:45pm CDT

Enhancing Student Engagement Using Instructional Practices in Learning By Scientific Design Principles
Friday June 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT
In this case study, the post-doctoral fellow collaborated with a K-5 Urban school to investigate the impact of instructional practices on student engagement. Due to consistent student behavior, the school generated the problem of practice that focused on developing the school-wide classroom management plan and social-emotional learning curriculum for students so that students can regulate their emotions effectively and teachers can deliver engaging lessons by building a conducive learning environment. The fellow partnered with the school leadership team to develop an instructional cycle that consisted of observing and providing feedback to the teachers on their goals set up using the Learning By Scientific Design Principles. In this instructional cycle, the teachers watch their GoReact videos and select the goals for themselves using teacher actions from Learning by Scientific Design Principles. The instructional coach and the post-doctoral fellow observed the teacher using the two observational rubrics that measured the teacher's instructional practices and student engagement. The feedback shared with the teachers was based on the implementation of those practices and the number of students engaged in the classroom with a focus on planning and preparing rigorous and challenging lesson plans that are aimed at improving student engagement and, thereby, increasing student outcomes. The student outcome was assessed by the exit card data for each lesson and the student engagement rubric, which played a crucial role in developing and enhancing different instructional practices as per the academic needs of the students.
Speakers
avatar for Natalie Bolton

Natalie Bolton

Associate Professor, University of Missouri-St. Louis
Natalie Bolton is an associate professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis within the College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Preparation. She earned her Ph.D. in educational leadership from the University of Louisville. She has an M.A. in secondary education... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT

1:45pm CDT

Practical, Effective Ways to Foster Connection in the Classroom
Friday June 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT
Building strong, authentic connections in the classroom is essential for student engagement, well-being, and academic success. This session explores practical and effective strategies to cultivate meaningful relationships between students and educators. Participants will learn how to integrate restorative techniques into their academic rigor to create a classroom culture of trust, respect, and belonging.
Speakers
avatar for John Converse

John Converse

Director of Restorative Practices, EducationPlus
John Converse is a restorative practitioner who brings 19 years of educational experience to life in his interactions with others. He has a set of skills that foster belonging and connection through the art of restorative practices.  He is a certified trainer with the International... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT

3:00pm CDT

Cognitive Strategies to Increase Student Achievement
Friday June 6, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Are you exhausted at the end of each day, while your students seem to leave with boundless energy? It’s time to turn the tables and empower your students to take charge of their own learning! Discover effective strategies to actively engage your students at a cognitive level throughout your lesson, with minimal preparation required. In this dynamic session, you’ll learn a variety of techniques, all of which are adaptable to any content area. Leave this workshop armed with practical, tangible strategies that will invigorate your classroom and empower your students to thrive.
Speakers
avatar for Tanya Garcia

Tanya Garcia

St. Louis RPDC Educational Consultant, EducationPlus
Tanya Garcia serves our member districts by developing tailored learning opportunities and professional development programs and working with area districts to provide supports for effective teaching and learning. Throughout her 15 years in education, Tanya has served in various roles... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

3:00pm CDT

Leading Change: Transforming Schools for an Unpredictable Future
Friday June 6, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Schools must evolve to prepare students for a rapidly changing world, but meaningful change is often met with resistance. This session equips school leaders with practical strategies to drive innovation, overcome barriers, and create buy-in for new educational models. Drawing from expertise in leadership development, strengths-based coaching, and Appreciative Inquiry, this session will provide actionable insights to help administrators and educators navigate change effectively.

Key Takeaways:
  • Understand the psychology of change: Why educators resist and how to engage them.
  • Learn how to use Appreciative Inquiry to foster a culture of innovation.
  • Explore Strengths-Based Leadership and how it can develop a growth mindset in staff and students.
  • Discover practical strategies to create buy-in for new pedagogies, including ARTI-ful learning, AI integration, and interdisciplinary approaches.

Why This Session Matters: This session blends leadership best practices with real-world applications for transforming schools. Designed for administrators, education leaders, and instructional coaches, it offers the tools needed to lead change with confidence, ensuring that innovative practices take root and thrive.
Speakers
avatar for Peter Dry

Peter Dry

Director, The PDL Group
Dr. Peter Dry is an educational leader focused on innovation in schools and organizations. He specializes in strengths-based leadership and future-ready education.  He works with schools and teams to improve engagement and effectiveness.His experience includes leading strategic innovation... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
 
STLinSTL 2025
From $250.00
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