Breakout Sessions

Ingenuity Spotlight

The Path Toward Competency Based Education and Student Agency

The path toward competency based education and true student agency go hand in hand. Both are often referenced in district visions and goals. And though the idea is solid and the end goal justifiable, the path is often elusive, time consuming, and grueling, leaving the end goal unattainable for many school districts.

This session will focus on how the Digital Convergence Framework couples strategic milestones, professional learning and change management in order for districts to be triumphant in reaching competency based learning and student agency.

Presented By Modern Teacher
Lisette Casey, Strategy Officer

Ingenuity Spotlight

When tasked to provide concrete exemplars for the expectations of personalized learning to the Red Lion Area School District’s administrative team, these four leaders put their heads together and created a learning plan. The response by the administrative team was so positive that the learning plan was also utilized to sell personalized learning to the School Board. This team didn't stop there! Learning plans are currently guiding teachers’ professional development in this district. Attend this session so you can learn how your district can Learn with Learning Plans too.

Presented By Red Lion Area School District, PA
Abby Gold, Modern Curriculum Specialist
Todd McClimans, Supervisor of Teacher Development
Libby Stambaugh, Supervising Elementary Principal
Tim Smith, Director of Information Technology Services

Ingenuity Spotlight

During this session, Clippers will outline the design, purpose, and power of our cross-functional team, Te(a)ch for Learning. This team is representative of a range of stakeholders and includes strong teacher voice. As a decision-making body, they have engaged in and led a range of professional learning opportunities that are among the hallmarks of our transformation success.

Presented By Falmouth Public Schools, MA
Dr. Sonia Tellier, Assistant Superintendent
Dr. Mary Kate Stevens, Teaching & Learning Specialist
Ms. Tricia Bourgeault, Mathematics Teacher

Ingenuity Spotlight

Come find practical ideas, tools, and inspiration for the journey with Modern Teacher. Return to your schools with clarity on how this all works, who it's all about and why this all matters. My hope is to restore the hearts of our hard working educators. For all levels, leaders, teachers,coaches and community.

Presented By Lincoln County School District, NV
Michael Roth, Principal

1. Learner Centered Practices to Motivate All Learners
   This presentation describes how our school modified the shared vision and SOP to fit within the Modern Teacher PD. Creating a shared vision can be daunting when letting the students help. As a school, we had to shift our thinking and develop a new idea of using a shared vision. Connecting with students is an essential aspect of our jobs, and we work daily to build relationships to ensure our classrooms are student-centered places where they feel like they can learn and grow.
   
   Presented by Lincoln County School District, NV
   Dr. Sherry Spencer, Credit Recovery Specialist
   
   

2. Square Pegs: Honoring the Promise for All Students
   Changes to our educational landscape have presented opportunities for Alternative Schools to offer a positive and significant impact on students who are nontraditional, at-risk and credit deficient. Combs Center for Success builds connections and supports between our school staff and diverse student body. Using student voice and choice, advisories, inventive blended and hands-on learning opportunities, intentional social emotional supports and multiple technological resources, CCS is focused on helping students to get their diploma and to have a plan for what comes after graduation. Our Data Notebooks and Learning Plans help our students to own their own progress and achievements.
   
   

   Presented by J.O. Combs Unified School District, AZ
   Patricia Goolsby, Principal
   Mrs. Mary Wyman, Online Director/Classroom Teacher

Ingenuity Spotlight

Connecting the professional learning driver to the message from the top, it’s important to help colleagues build awareness around the ‘why’ of the work of second order change. We routinely see colleagues struggling to connect shifting pedagogies to their lived experiences as students, and none of us have that frame of reference to which to connect. Professionally, we need to immerse ourselves in the strategies and walk away asking, “How can I make that work in my classroom?” rather than hear about it and walk away saying, “That will never work in my classroom!”

Presented By Falmouth Public Schools, MA
Dr. Sonia Tellier, Assistant Superintendent

Ingenuity Spotlight

Designing education for the average student is impossible when there is no ‘average student’ to base this on. Instead, we consider the extremes of what our students are capable of and design to the edges.The Eastern York School District’s mission is to inspire joy and passion for lifelong learning and provide the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that empower our learners to thrive in a world where change is constant. The Eastern York School District is future-focused, not forward-focused. Come and learn about how Eastern York is redesigning the educational experience.

Presented By Eastern York School District, PA
Dr. Joseph Mancuso, Superintendent
Keith Shoemaker, Director of Teaching and Learning

Ingenuity Spotlight

Ever wonder how elective content areas personalize learning for students in a Modern Curriculum? How can the elective content educators leverage technology to increase student engagement and personalize learning? This session provides an insight into Art, Music and Physical Education at an elementary level and how technology tools are used throughout class to help students make choices on what they want to learn and how they are going to achieve their content standards. From learning plans, playlists and understanding the big pictures allows educators the ability to give students a wider range of customization in their educational experience.

Presented By School District 49, Falcon Zone, CO
Ben Wells, Elementary Physical Education Teacher
Melissa Ardolf, Elementary Physical Education Teacher

1. Catch the Tiger Mentality: Leading with Positive Culture
   Attendees will learn how we used SOP's, Vision, and School codes to create a positive culture around the implementation of Modern Teacher and EPIC. We will share the key components we used to flip the script and create a positive culture and community throughout the school. How to include students and staff in leading with a positive culture around learning new things and the implementation of modernized instruction.
   
   Presented by Douglas County School District, NV
   Hollie Harvey, EPIC Instructional Coach
   Jesse Laca, Social Studies Teacher

2. The Power of Change
   Are you a leader, Coach, or Teacher trying to implement Modern Teacher in your school? This workshop is for you. We will be sharing many ideas and strategies to help make a positive difference in your school culture. You will walk away with tools to try out that will be highly effective, fun, and informative. Take this opportunity to build your tool box.
   
   Presented by Douglas County School District, NV
   Pamela Gilmartin, Principal
   Cris Jezek, Coach

1. Creating Continuity through Standards-Based Grading
   We will provide a brief overview of standards-based grading and how it is different from traditional grading. As a school district currently undergoing this transition to standards-based grading, we will describe our journey thus far. We will share a process for how the work of standards-based grading is carried out in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and how this process empowers teachers to become experts in utilizing standards-based data for targeted instruction in small groups. The result is a cohesive community of teachers who collaborate and share data and best practices with one another.
   
   Presented by Gaston County Schools, NC
   Dr. April Conley, Principal
   Mrs. Donna Kelly, Principal
   Mrs. Kristin Kiser, Principal
   
   

2. Bringing Clarity to Rigor and Relevance
   In this session we will describe scaffolded instruction used to train and support teachers as they develop an understanding of standards and plan aligned rigorous and relevant instruction for students.
   
   Presented by J.O. Combs Unified School District, AZ
   Alyssa Debois, K-12 ELA Content Coach
   Christine Murphy, K-12 Science/Social Studies Content Coach
   Cassie Bates, K-12 Literacy Content Coach
   Cindi Andrew, K-12 Math Content Coach

Ingenuity Spotlight

Welcome to this active session! We will be enjoying an outside walk around the Broadmoor while discussing Gretchen Rubin’s book The Four Tendencies and how knowing your Tendency (as well as those around you) can improve your interactions. No need to have read the book, but it can be helpful to take the quiz (gretchenrubin.com/quiz/)-it’s FREE, before the session begins. Dress warm and bring your curiosity!

Presented By School District 49, CO
Melissa Riggs, Education Technology Specialist-Instruction