innovate25: Full Schedule

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8:40am CST

Passports, Playlists and Passions... Personalized Learning Projects

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

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

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

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

11:10am CST

MTSS with the Head and the Heart

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

Salon 2

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.

Speakers

Breeya Perry

Trish Diebold

Tuesday February 25, 2025 11:10am - 12:00pm CST
Salon 2 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Leadership Culture

Session Type Ignite
School / Company Special School District

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

3:30pm CST

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

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

Salon 2

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

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

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

Speakers

Sherri Kulpa

Director of Curriculum and Instruction, EducationPlus

Tuesday February 25, 2025 3:30pm - 4:00pm CST
Salon 2 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Design