innovate25: Full Schedule

8:40am CST

Feeding the Learning Brain

Monday February 24, 2025 8:40am - 9:05am CST

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.

Monday February 24, 2025 8:40am - 9:05am CST
Salon 2 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Wellness Design

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

8:40am CST

A Healthy Balance: Tech vs. Tradition

Monday February 24, 2025 8:40am - 9:05am CST

Salon 3

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 →

Monday February 24, 2025 8:40am - 9:05am CST
Salon 3 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Wellness Integration Culture

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

9:10am CST

Digital Heroes: Cisco's GPS for Genius Hour

Monday February 24, 2025 9:10am - 9:35am CST

Salon 3

Learn: Discover Cisco’s Global Problem Solvers (GPS) program as a powerful framework for Genius Hour, guiding students to tackle real-world issues. Learn how GPS cultivates critical thinking and digital storytelling to address local, national and global challenges.

Engage: Through live polls, collaborative brainstorming and Q&A, actively explore digital storytelling techniques and educational tools to enrich student-led projects. Small group discussions will foster idea-sharing and practical insights.

Apply: Gain ready to implement Genius Hour projects with Cisco's GPS resources, using digital storytelling to empower students to address contemporary challenges with creativity and precision.

Speakers

Arthur Vambaketes

Monday February 24, 2025 9:10am - 9:35am CST
Salon 3 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Technology Culture

Audience Building Principals, Classroom Teachers, Curriculum Coordinators, Instructional Coaches
Session Type Spark
School / Company Ferguson Florissant School District / Cisco Corp.

10:40am CST

Future-Ready Classrooms: Harnessing AI and Discovery Education to Tailor Learning

Monday February 24, 2025 10:40am - 11:05am CST

Salon 1

Learn: Discover how to combine Discovery Education with free AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT to create personalized learning experiences, streamline lesson planning and boost student engagement. Get insights into practical strategies for customizing learning pathways, generating quizzes and designing full learning modules.

Engage: Participate in hands-on demonstrations to see AI tools in action, adapting content and generating lesson ideas tailored to your classroom needs. Share ideas and collaborate with peers to brainstorm innovative ways to integrate AI into your teaching practices.

Apply: Gain actionable strategies and an exclusive preview of Discovery Education’s upcoming AI-powered assessment tools. Whether you’re an AI novice or an experienced user, you’ll be ready to use these tools to save time and elevate your teaching.

Speakers

TBD

Monday February 24, 2025 10:40am - 11:05am CST
Salon 1 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Integration Design Belonging

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

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

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

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

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

9:10am CST

Get Excited about Overexcitabilities: Harnessing the Energy of the Exceptional Learner

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

Salon 3

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.

Speakers

Carly Mansfield

Gifted Specialist, Kirkwood Schools

Carly Mansfield is a dedicated Gifted Specialist at the Kirkwood School District, bringing over 20 years of teaching experience to her role. She has taught elementary education, middle school social studies, served as a building STEM coordinator, and now focuses on gifted education... Read More →

Jennifer Moore

Tuesday February 25, 2025 9:10am - 9:35am CST
Salon 3 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Wellness Belonging

Audience All K-12 Educators, Building Princiapsl, Classroom Teachers, Curriculum Coordinators, Instructional Coaches, Specialist / Encore
Session Type Spark
School / Company Kirkwood School District, Kirkwood School District

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

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

Feeding the Learning Brain

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

Salon 5

Speakers

Denise Ford

Gifted Teacher, Kirkwood School District

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

Tuesday February 25, 2025 10:10am - 10:35am CST
Salon 5 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Design Wellness

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

12:40pm CST

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

Tuesday February 25, 2025 12:40pm - 1:05pm CST

Salon 3

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.

Speakers

Nana Becoat

Tuesday February 25, 2025 12:40pm - 1:05pm CST
Salon 3 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Wellness Culture

Audience All K-12 Educators, Classroom Teachers
Session Type Spark
School / Company Hazelwood 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

TBD

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