Gulf Regional Innovative Teaching Conference

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8:00am CDT

ACT AIM Reading Training (Pre-Registered Participants ONLY)

Tuesday July 14, 2026 8:00am - 3:30pm CDT

Room G - 9th Grade Academy

ACT AIM Reading Training (2 days- Pre-Registered Participants ONLY)

Presenters

Dorothy LeBlanc

ACT AIM Facilitator, Mastery Prep

Dorothy LeBlanc is an educator with more than 20 years of experience as a middle school and high school teacher, instructional coach, and professional learning facilitator. She has taught English Language Arts, Mathematics, Business, and Social Studies while supporting teachers in... Read More →

Tuesday July 14, 2026 8:00am - 3:30pm CDT
Room G - 9th Grade Academy

Assessment

Level Administrators, Middle Teachers, High Teachers, Career Tech Teachers, Special Education

9:00am CDT

You Can't Teach a Nervous System That's on Fire: Understanding Student Dysregulation in the Age of Social Media

Tuesday July 14, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Cafeteria/Auditorium

Something has shifted in our classrooms. Educators across grade levels and subject areas are reporting the same thing: students who cannot focus, cannot regulate, cannot tolerate uncertainty, and cannot connect the way they once could. And most professional development has responded by adding more — more curriculum, more programs, more policy, more things for already-exhausted educators to implement.

This session takes a different approach entirely.

You Can't Teach a Nervous System That's On Fire is a deep, honest, and surprisingly hopeful look at what is actually happening to the students sitting in our classrooms — through the lens of neuroscience, social media research, and the realities of growing up in an era of unprecedented collective overwhelm.

Participants will leave with:

A clear, accessible understanding of how chronic social media consumption is affecting the adolescent nervous system

The ability to recognize and reframe specific student behaviors through a neurological lens — transforming how they see and respond to their most challenging students

Practical, evidence-informed strategies to support student regulation that require no new budget and no additional programs

Language and tools to share with parents navigating these same challenges at home

This is not a session about blaming phones, diagnosing students, or adding to anyone's workload. It is a session about understanding — because when you truly understand what you are looking at, everything about how you show up changes.

And that changes what is possible in the room.

Presenters

Kristi Bush

Keynote Speaker, Social Media Safety Educator, KNB Communications

Kristi Bush serves as a national education consultant and social media safety advocate. She is a licensed social worker with greater than 20 years of clinical practice and health care experience. She attended Troy and Auburn University where she studied social work and counseling... Read More →

Tuesday July 14, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Cafeteria/Auditorium

9:00am CDT

Interact Differently: Reimagining Teaching with Interactive Displays & Digital Signage

Tuesday July 14, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Room 93

Today’s classrooms require more than just a display — they require tools that actively engage students, support teachers, and create more dynamic learning environments. In this session, educators will explore how interactive displays and digital signage can transform the way teaching and learning happen in the classroom and across campus. Attendees will walk away with practical tips, creative classroom use cases, and simple strategies for using built-in tools from Clear Touch to increase collaboration, participation, and instructional impact.

Presenters

Madison Hunt

Account Manager, Clear Touch

Tuesday July 14, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 93

CTE Data Math PLCs Reading Robotics Science Social Studies Technology

Level Administrators, Central Office, All Teachers, Pre-K Teachers, Elementary Teachers, Middle Teachers, High Teachers, Career Tech Teachers, Special Education

9:00am CDT

MagicSchool Teacher Level 2: Level Up Your AI-Powered Teaching

Tuesday July 14, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Room 92

Ready to go beyond the basics? In this Level 2 session, educators will deepen their use of MagicSchool to design more targeted instruction, refine differentiation, and create higher-quality materials with greater efficiency. Learn how to customize outputs, build reusable workflows, and apply MagicSchool across planning, assessment, and student support. Walk away with advanced strategies that elevate your practice and maximize impact in the classroom.

Presenters

Destinie Thomas

Professional Learning and Community Engagement Specialist, MagicSchool AI

Destinie Thomas is a Professional Learning and Community Engagement Specialist at MagicSchool, where she helps educators discover how AI can make teaching more joyful, efficient, and equitable. She has spent her career creating engaging learning experiences—whether coaching teachers... Read More →

Tuesday July 14, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 92

ELA ELL Math Reading Science Social Studies

Level All Teachers, Elementary Teachers, Middle Teachers, High Teachers, Career Tech Teachers, Special Education

10:00am CDT

Pathways to Possibility: Career Exploration with Discovery Education

Tuesday July 14, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

Room 255

Get ready to spark curiosity and inspire tomorrow’s
workforce! In this interactive session, we’ll explore curated
career resources and student-driven career exploration
tools that make real-world learning come alive. See how
Discovery Education helps empower teachers, propel
student growth, and connect your classroom to exciting
career pathways. Walk away with ideas and resources to
help students dream big and take their first steps toward
the future they imagine.

Presenters

Tomi Rush

Sr. Partner Success Manager, Discovery Education

Tuesday July 14, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 255

Continuing Education CTE

Level Administrators, All Teachers, Career Tech Teachers, Counselors

10:00am CDT

PowerSchool SIS Incidents

Tuesday July 14, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

Room 28

Manage and track student incidents with ease using Simple.

Presenters

Lance Lewis

Supervisor Registrar and SIS Operations, Other

Tuesday July 14, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 28

Technology

Level Administrators, Central Office, All Teachers, Pre-K Teachers, Elementary Teachers, Middle Teachers, High Teachers, 504 Coordinators, Career Tech Teachers, Counselors, Librarians, Special Education, Registrars

11:00am CDT

Build an AI-Proof Classroom to Promote Academic Integrity

Tuesday July 14, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

Room 254

Generative AI is here—make it work FOR you to protect authentic learning. In this AI deep-dive session, secondary teachers will preview and build five practical strategies to AI-proof instruction and assessment while keeping humans squarely in the loop.

In this interactive training, you will discover or create:

AI literacy lessons and awareness activities
Classroom-ready usage policies and syllabus language
AI citation requirements and source disclosure protocols
Modified assignments that focus on visible thinking and process
Assessment rubrics that value human reasoning over AI outputs

Protecting academic integrity is possible with an intentional approach and an AI toolkit that empowers teachers with customizable and premade resources that will be ready for school year 2026-2027!

Presenters

Angela Clark

Regional Technology Specialist, Alabama Technology in Motion, Region 7

Tuesday July 14, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 254

Assessment Digital Citizenship ELA Professionalism Technology

Level Middle Teachers, High Teachers, Career Tech Teachers, Librarians

12:00pm CDT

Collaboration over Chaos: Simple Systems for Powerful Group Learning

Tuesday July 14, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT

Room 16

Effective collaboration does not happen by chance — it is intentionally designed through structured routines, purposeful tasks, and a classroom culture that values student thinking.

Participants will experience collaborative structures from a learner perspective and examine practical systems that support productive group work, including flexible grouping methods, role development, formative monitoring strategies, and reflection protocols.

Presenters

Annie Freeman

Curriculum Leader, Robertsdale High School

Tuesday July 14, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 16

Behavior Community Building eMINTS

Level All Teachers, Pre-K Teachers, Elementary Teachers, Middle Teachers, High Teachers, Career Tech Teachers, Counselors, Librarians, Special Education

12:00pm CDT

MagicSchool Student Level 1: Getting Started with AI for Learning

Tuesday July 14, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT

Room 92

New to MagicStudent? This introductory session helps students and educators understand how to use AI as a tool for learning, not shortcuts. Explore how MagicStudent can support brainstorming, studying, writing, and organization while promoting responsible and ethical use. Walk away with simple, practical ways to help students build confidence, stay engaged, and use AI to enhance—not replace—their thinking.

Presenters

Destinie Thomas

Professional Learning and Community Engagement Specialist, MagicSchool AI

Tuesday July 14, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 92

ELA ELL Math Science Social Studies Technology

Level All Teachers, Elementary Teachers, Middle Teachers, High Teachers, Career Tech Teachers, Librarians, Special Education

1:00pm CDT

MagicSchool Student Level 2: Deeper Learning with AI-Powered Support

Tuesday July 14, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT

Room 92

Take student learning to the next level with MagicStudent. In this session, participants will explore more advanced ways students can use AI to strengthen critical thinking, refine writing, and engage in meaningful problem-solving. Learn how to guide students in using AI for feedback, revision, and deeper understanding—while reinforcing academic integrity. Walk away with practical strategies to help students use MagicStudent as a true learning partner.

Presenters

Destinie Thomas

Professional Learning and Community Engagement Specialist, MagicSchool AI

Tuesday July 14, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 92

Digital Citizenship ELA ELL Math Science Social Studies Technology

Level All Teachers, Elementary Teachers, Middle Teachers, High Teachers, Career Tech Teachers, Librarians, Special Education

2:00pm CDT

From Data to Action: How the RHS Guiding Coalition Drives Learning, Leadership, and Results

Tuesday July 14, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT

Room 16

Join the RHS Guiding Coalition as they share how they drive student learning by analyzing data using the “Here’s What, So What, Now What” framework and how that thinking translates into real decisions at the classroom and school level. Learn how the GC clarifies schoolwide priorities, keeps PLCs aligned to essential outcomes, and protects teams from initiative overload. Discover how they build capacity in teacher leaders, model effective collaboration, and share best practices across teams. The session will also highlight how the GC monitors work of the PLCs. Walk away with practical strategies to strengthen leadership, collaboration, and results in your own team or .

Presenters

Nancy Caruthers

Teacher, Robertsdale High School

Annie Freeman

Curriculum Leader, Robertsdale High School

Tuesday July 14, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Room 16

Data Differentiation Leadership PLCs Professionalism

Level Administrators, Middle Teachers, High Teachers, Career Tech Teachers, Special Education

Gulf Regional Innovative Teaching Conference - GRITC 2026

8:00am CDT

Dorothy LeBlanc

9:00am CDT

Kristi Bush

9:00am CDT

Madison Hunt

9:00am CDT

Destinie Thomas

10:00am CDT

Tomi Rush

10:00am CDT

Lance Lewis

11:00am CDT

Angela Clark

12:00pm CDT

Annie Freeman

12:00pm CDT

Destinie Thomas

1:00pm CDT

Destinie Thomas

2:00pm CDT

Nancy Caruthers

Annie Freeman

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