innovate25: Full Schedule

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8:40am CST

Family Engagement for Growth and Belonging

Tuesday February 25, 2025 8:40am - 9:05am CST

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.

Speakers

Jess Payne

Tuesday February 25, 2025 8:40am - 9:05am CST
Salon 3 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Belonging Culture

Audience All K-12 Educators, Building Principals
Session Type Ignite
School / Company MNPS

8:40am CST

Passports, Playlists and Passions... Personalized Learning Projects

Tuesday February 25, 2025 8:40am - 9:05am CST

Salon 2

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.

Speakers

Lori Rejent

Unified Arts Curriculum Coordinator, Music Specialist, Brentwood School District

Tuesday February 25, 2025 8:40am - 9:05am CST
Salon 2 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Design Belonging

Audience All K-12 Educators, Classroom Teachers, Library Media Specialists
Session Type Spark
School / Company Brentwood Schools
Resource Page https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1GBmj1ahrhp5u3_PvQqsGr_Rwv3G5XFIkhQ8VDC7ZsNo/edit?gid=0#gid=0

8:40am CST

Science Education is Evolving

Tuesday February 25, 2025 8:40am - 9:30am CST

Salon C

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.

Speakers

Adam Scimone

Tuesday February 25, 2025 8:40am - 9:30am CST
Salon C Marriott St. Louis Airport

Design

Audience All K-12 Educators, Classroom Teachers, Curriculum Coordinators, Instructional Coaches, Technology Directors
Session Type Panel
School / Company EducationPlus

8:40am CST

Task Talk

Tuesday February 25, 2025 8:40am - 9:30am CST

Salon 1

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.

Speakers

Robyn Haug

Director of Assessment and Professional Learning, School District of Clayton

Robyn Haug is a veteran classroom teacher with over twenty years of experience in K-12 classrooms. After stepping out of the classroom for four years to work as a secondary instructional coach on aligning grading and professional learning practices across a building and a district... Read More →

Task Talk Innovate 25.pptx pdf

Tuesday February 25, 2025 8:40am - 9:30am CST
Salon 1 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Design

Audience All K-12 Educators
Session Type Ignite
School / Company Clayton School District

9:10am CST

Embracing the Mess: Transforming Classroom Chaos into Student Engagement

Tuesday February 25, 2025 9:10am - 9:35am CST

Salon 2

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.

Speakers

Bryson Reid

Premier Charter School

Tuesday February 25, 2025 9:10am - 9:35am CST
Salon 2 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Culture

Audience All K-12 Educators, Building Principals, Classroom Teachers, Curriculum Coordinators, Specialist / Encore
Session Type Spark
School / Company Premier Charter School

10:10am CST

Adapting Innovations to All Learners

Tuesday February 25, 2025 10:10am - 10:35am CST

Salon 3

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.

Speakers

Melissa Tackett

Innovations Technology Teacher, Orchard Farm

I teach curious K-4 STEM leaders in Orchard Farm School District in a special area class called Innovations. My class fosters creative thinking, utilizes technology, and helps students discover their potential to question, test, and design. I am passionate about inclusive STEM opportunities... Read More →

Tuesday February 25, 2025 10:10am - 10:35am CST
Salon 3 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Design Belonging

Audience All K-12 Educators
Session Type Spark
School / Company Orchard Farm

10:10am CST

Responding to Inappropriate Behavior: Proactive Strategies and Effective Responses

Tuesday February 25, 2025 10:10am - 11:00am CST

Salon 1

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.

Speakers

Lindsay Schmidt

EducationPlus

Lindsay serves districts by helping to develop behavioral systems of support, facilitate professional development for beginning teachers and is an ISTE Certified Educator and Trainer. Lindsay has worked in education for over 17 years as a Classroom Teacher, Consultant and Professional... Read More →

Tuesday February 25, 2025 10:10am - 11:00am CST
Salon 1 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Belonging

Audience All K-12 Educators, Classroom Teachers, Curriculum Coordinators, Instructional Coaches, Technology Directors
Session Type Panel
School / Company EducationPlus

10:10am CST

Feeding the Learning Brain

Tuesday February 25, 2025 10:10am - 11:00am CST

Salon 2

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.

Speakers

Denise Ford

Gifted Teacher, Kirkwood School District

Passionate about Gifted Education, innovation, creativity, and learning.

Tuesday February 25, 2025 10:10am - 11:00am CST
Salon 2 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Design Wellness

Audience All K-12 Educators
Session Type Ignite
School / Company Kirkwood School District

10:10am CST

Embracing AI in Education—Challenges, Myths, and Opportunities

Tuesday February 25, 2025 10:10am - 11:00am CST

Salon C

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.

Speakers

Erin Lawson

Education Plus

Erin serves EdPlus member districts by developing tailored learning opportunities and professional development programs. Erin has 20 years of education experience in a variety of roles including 6th-grade teacher, district technology coach and Director of Professional and Program... Read More →

Tuesday February 25, 2025 10:10am - 11:00am CST
Salon C Marriott St. Louis Airport

Integration Culture Leadership

Audience All K-12 Educators
Session Type Ignite, Panel

11:10am CST

A Healthy Balance: Tech vs. Tradition

Tuesday February 25, 2025 11:10am - 12:00pm CST

Salon B

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.

Speakers

Sophie Chambers

Gifted Instructor, Chillicothe R-II School District

STEAM Club Facilitator; Innovation & Learning Coach for PK-5th Grades; Gifted Instructor for K-8th Grades; METC 2018 Spotlight Educator; Presenter at METC (2 yrs), ISTE (2 yrs), MOREnet (1 yr), MSBA (1 yr), District PD (5 yrs); Chillicothe EdCamp Co-Founder; Grant Recipient from MPER... Read More →

Tuesday February 25, 2025 11:10am - 12:00pm CST
Salon B Marriott St. Louis Airport

Integration Wellness Culture

Audience All K-12 Educators, Building Principals, Classroom Teachers, Curriculum Coordinators, Instructional Coaches, Library Media Specialists, Technology Directors, Specialist / Encore
Session Type Ignite
School / Company Rhilicothe R-II School District

11:10am CST

Let's Talk about Building an Effective School Culture

Tuesday February 25, 2025 11:10am - 12:00pm CST

Salon C

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.

Speakers

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 →

Tuesday February 25, 2025 11:10am - 12:00pm CST
Salon C Marriott St. Louis Airport

Leadership

Audience All K-12 Educators, Classroom Teachers, Curriculum Coordinators, Instructional Coaches, Technology Directors
Session Type Panel
School / Company EducationPlus

12:00pm CST

Inbox edu

Tuesday February 25, 2025 12:00pm - 3:00pm CST

‎ Podcast Row Booth 4

Help reply to today's trends! Follow this link and complete the form to be a guest on the show!

Speakers

Jonathon Lee

Tuesday February 25, 2025 12:00pm - 3:00pm CST
‎ Podcast Row Booth 4 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Podcast Row

Audience All K-12 Educators, Administrators
Session Type Podcast
School / Company EducationPlus

12:10pm CST

Building Thinking Classrooms: Transforming Math Education Through Collaboration and Understanding

Tuesday February 25, 2025 12:10pm - 1:00pm CST

Salon C

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.

Speakers

Tim Levine

Becky VanSant

Olivia Strazewski

Tuesday February 25, 2025 12:10pm - 1:00pm CST
Salon C Marriott St. Louis Airport

Design

Audience All K-12 Educators, Math, Elementary
Session Type Ignite, Panel

2:30pm CST

Is AI Transformational?

Tuesday February 25, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm CST

Salon 2

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.

Speakers

Bob Deneau

Chief Information Officer, Rockwood School District

Tuesday February 25, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm CST
Salon 2 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Leadership Technology

Audience All K-12 Educators, Classroom Teachers, Curriculum Coordinators, Technology Directors
Session Type Ignite
School / Company Rockwood School District

2:30pm CST

AI Tools with Students

Tuesday February 25, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm CST

Salon 4

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.

Speakers

Lindsey Weatherby

Owner, Ctrl + Alt + Teach Professional Development

Lindsey Weatherby is a dedicated special education teacher with a passion for creating engaging, well-developed, and effective lesson plans that support all learners. With expertise in fostering critical thinking, she designs instructional activities that challenge students to infer... Read More →

Tuesday February 25, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm CST
Salon 4 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Technology

Audience All K-12 Educators
Session Type Ignite
School / Company Special School District

3:00pm CST

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

Tuesday February 25, 2025 3:00pm - 3:25pm CST

Salon 1

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.

Speakers

Discovery

Tuesday February 25, 2025 3:00pm - 3:25pm CST
Salon 1 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Audience All K-12 Educators
Session Type Spark
School / Company Discovery Education

3:30pm CST

Cognitive Strategies to Increase Student Achievement

Tuesday February 25, 2025 3:30pm - 4:00pm CST

Salon 3

Learn: Explore how cognitive engagement shifts the learning responsibility from teacher to student, fostering deeper understanding and retention. Understand the impact of active learning on student achievement and classroom energy.

Engage: Experience a variety of high-impact, low-prep strategies that can be applied across all content areas. Participate in hands-on activities that model these techniques in action.

Apply: Gain a toolkit of practical strategies to implement immediately, ensuring your students take an active role in their learning while you reclaim your energy and enthusiasm for teaching!

Speakers

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 →

Tuesday February 25, 2025 3:30pm - 4:00pm CST
Salon 3 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Belonging

Audience All K-12 Educators

3:30pm CST

Maximizing Language Learning with AI: From Enhancement to Transformation

Tuesday February 25, 2025 3:30pm - 4:00pm CST

Salon 1

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.

Speakers

Rob Greenhaw

MELL Instructional Consultant, Education Plus

Rob serves EdPlus members by providing consultation to schools that are working to implement high-quality, comprehensive and collaborative educational programs for English Learners. Rob also conducts professional development workshops that focus on providing practical strategies to... Read More →

Tuesday February 25, 2025 3:30pm - 4:00pm CST
Salon 1 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Belonging

Audience All K-12 Educators

3:30pm CST

Making Change Less Messy: Using the Change Matrix for Big and Small Shifts

Tuesday February 25, 2025 3:30pm - 4:00pm CST

Salon 4

Learn: Explore the Change Matrix as a simple yet powerful tool to help navigate transitions at any level. Understand how the Change Matrix can simplify both big and small shifts in schools while reducing stress and providing a smoother transition.

Engage: Participate in interactive discussions and activities that break down the Change Matrix into practical steps. Collaborate with peers to troubleshoot common challenges and brainstorm ways to make change feel more manageable.

Apply: Gain concrete strategies to implement the Change Matrix in your school or classroom. Whether you're launching a major project or making small instructional shifts, you’ll have the tools to navigate change with confidence and clarity.

Speakers

Erin Lawson

Education Plus

Tuesday February 25, 2025 3:30pm - 4:00pm CST
Salon 4 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Design

Audience All K-12 Educators