Gulf Regional Innovative Teaching Conference

You will be able to validate your attendance (Check-In to sessions) using your personal schedule.

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8:00am CDT

2019 ALCOS: Mathematics Overview (6-12) (AMSTI - TEAMS approved)

Tuesday July 14, 2026 8:00am - 11:00am CDT

This 3-hour session that focuses on understanding the new 2019 Alabama Course of Study: Mathematics and its conceptual framework: Position Statements, Mathematical Teaching Practices, Student Mathematical Practices and the 6-12 Content Areas. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in deeper learning as they analyze learning progressions and determine how to incorporate the mathematical practices throughout math instruction.

Presenters

Emily Black

Math Specialist, AMSTI

Tuesday July 14, 2026 8:00am - 11:00am CDT
Room E - 9th Grade Academy

Math

Level Middle Teachers, High Teachers

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

ACAP Ready: Using NoRedInk with Purpose

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

Room 207

Wondering how to make test prep feel less like test prep? In this session, you’ll learn how to use NoRedInk to intentionally build the skills students need for ACAP success. We’ll explore aligned resources, writing tasks, and simple instructional moves that help students grow as writers, not just test takers.

Presenters

Taylirre Andre

Professional Learning Specialist, NoRedInk

Nikki Korte

Professional Development Consultant, NoRedInk

Beyond my role as a passionate ELA educator for over 15 years, I’ve served as an Academic Writing Coach and English Department Head, leading professional development, mentoring teachers, and driving schoolwide improvements. In these roles, my primary goal was to make teaching more... Read More →

Tuesday July 14, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 207

Data ELA

Level Middle Teachers, High Teachers

10:00am CDT

Flip the Script: Assessment Remix

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

Room 206

Tired of the "teach to the test" cycle? Join us for a hands-on exploration of assessment strategies that reflect what your students know. In this session, we’re ditching the Scantron and Google Form in favor of high-engagement alternatives. We will dive into the versatility of Choice Boards, the storytelling power of Podcasts, and the visual synthesis of One Pagers. You’ll also learn how to spark deep classroom discourse with Parlay Ideas and empower students with the “You Write the Test” approach. Leave with a digital toolkit ready to transform your next unit.

Presenters

Nikki Minoso

Teacher, ELA, Spanish Fort High

Dianne Casolaro

ELA Teacher, Baldwin County Public Schools

Tuesday July 14, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 206

Differentiation Digital Citizenship ELA Reading Social Studies

Level Middle Teachers, High Teachers

10:00am CDT

MagicSchool Teacher Level 3: Transform Your Practice with Advanced AI Workflows

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

Room 92

Take your MagicSchool expertise to the next level. In this advanced session, educators will learn how to build and refine powerful, repeatable workflows that drive deeper learning, personalization, and efficiency across their practice. Explore strategic use cases for data-informed instruction, complex differentiation, and cross-role collaboration. Walk away ready to lead, model, and scale high-impact MagicSchool use across your school or district.

Presenters

Destinie Thomas

Professional Learning and Community Engagement Specialist, MagicSchool AI

Tuesday July 14, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 92

ELA ELL Math Science Social Studies Technology

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

10:00am CDT

Mathematical Practices and Gizmos

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

Room 253

This workshop is designed to help participants deepen their understanding of the Standards for Mathematical Practice and learn to develop effective lessons grounded in the standards. These lessons will allow students to go beyond memorizing facts, formulas, and mnemonics and instead focus on developing a deep conceptual understanding of underlying principles. Teachers build skills to engage students and advance mathematical understanding through the Standards of Mathematical Practice. Participants review grade-appropriate content standards and collaborate on potential teaching strategies to achieve student understanding. Participants also work collaboratively to identify mathematical tasks to develop students' capacity to meet the Standards of Mathematical Practice.

Presenters

Tiffany Christian

Professional Learning Manager, ExploreLearning

Tiffany Christian is a Professional Learning Manager with ExploreLearning serving the East Coast region. She has over 23 years of experience in educational technology and public education as a gifted math and science teacher, an academic coach, district K-12 science instructional... Read More →

Tuesday July 14, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 253

Math

Level Middle Teachers, High Teachers

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

10:00am CDT

Tie Dye - Good Vibes

Tuesday July 14, 2026 10:00am - 11:50am CDT

Room 45 - Art Room

Learn to Tie Dye! Make and take your very own original tie dye!
This is great session for teacher teams, field trips, clubs, field day grade colors, or just a reward for the students you love!
Tie-Dye a class or the whole school!
We will show you how easy it is to set up and have PEACE that it's something everyone can accomplish with fun success!!

Please bring ONE 100% cotton T-shirt and drop in the bucket of solution that morning before you go to the other wonderful sessions,
so it will be ready for you to create your colorful creation!

Presenters

Joyce Garrison

teacher, Rosinton Elementary

Hello!I am excited to be returning to GRITC as a presenter!
I graduated with my bachelors of fine art and master's of education from the University of Montevallo, which is located in Montevallo, AL.
I am married and we live in Loxley. I teach elementary art and I absolutely love it... Read More →

Nancy Timmons

Middle School Art Teacher, Central Baldwin Middle

I have been teaching visual arts in Baldwin County for seven years, working with students from Pre-K through 8th grade. I studied art, religion, and philosophy at the University of West Florida and currently teach 8th grade art, where I enjoy blending creative skill-building with... Read More →

Tuesday July 14, 2026 10:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 45 - Art Room

Arts STEM/STEAM

Level All Teachers, Pre-K Teachers, Elementary Teachers, Middle Teachers, High Teachers, Special Education

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

11:00am CDT

5 Ways to Get Students Involved in a Cooperative Team

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

Room 214

Using cooperative learning in the classroom can be a challenge! Let’s break this down and discuss specific steps and examples that keep team members involved and working positively towards your lesson goals.

Presenters

Doug Caldwell

Instructional Specialist, eMINTS

Inspiring education with digital learning!

Tuesday July 14, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 214

Community Building Community Engagement eMINTS

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

11:00am CDT

From Routine to Results: Intentional Scheduling in the ELA Classroom

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

Room 20

Are your lessons strong individually but sometimes feel disconnected across the week? This session explores how an intentional classroom schedule can transform daily instruction into a cohesive learning cycle that builds literacy skills with purpose and consistency. Designed specifically for secondary ELA teachers, this presentation introduces a structured weekly framework: vocabulary development, grammar instruction, targeted ELA skill teaching, authentic reading application, and collaborative practice through stations.

Participants will learn how predictable instructional routines reduce cognitive load, increase student independence, and strengthen skill retention while simplifying long-term planning. Through practical examples, classroom snapshots, and implementation strategies, teachers will leave with a clear model they can adapt immediately to their own classrooms—without sacrificing flexibility or creativity.

Whether you are refining your current pacing or looking for a sustainable instructional structure, this session will help you make every instructional day intentional and connected to student growth.

Presenters

Hollye Dueitt

Teacher, Bay Minette Middle

I am certified in English Language Arts and General Social Science, and this is my 12th year teaching. My favorite content to teach is British Literature, and I absolutely loved writing research papers in college. I have three amazing children, and my husband and I have been married... Read More →

Tuesday July 14, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 20

Differentiation ELA Reading

Level Middle Teachers, High Teachers

11:00am CDT

TEAMS Contracts-What You Need to Know

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

Room 3

Learn more about the TEAMS contract process

Presenters

Jonathan Crawford

Human Resources Supervisor, Central Office Staff

Tuesday July 14, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 3

PLCs Science

Level Middle Teachers, High Teachers

12:00pm CDT

The Discussion Revolution: Building Student Agency, One Round Table at a Time with Parlay Ideas

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

Room 206

Transform your classroom from a teacher-led lecture into a vibrant, student-driven community with Parlay Ideas. In this hands-on workshop, we’ll explore the Parlay Universe to find ready-made prompts that spark critical thinking and dive into the Written Round Table to see how anonymous peer feedback empowers even your quietest students. You’ll experience a Live Round Table firsthand to see how real-time data and discussion mapping can facilitate civil discourse and provide instant engagement analytics. Join us to learn how to step back as a lecturer and step up as a coach, using Parlay to make every student’s voice visible and every discussion measurable.

Presenters

Nikki Minoso

Teacher, ELA, Spanish Fort High

Tuesday July 14, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 206

Assessment Differentiation Digital Citizenship ELA Professionalism Reading Social Studies

Level Middle Teachers, High Teachers

12:00pm CDT

Sugar and Spice...Not Always Nice: Understanding and Addressing Relational Aggression in Girls

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

Room 254

This session provides school counselors, educators, and support staff with a practical understanding of relational aggression among girls, using key insights from the book, Queen Bees and Wannabes. Participants will explore the secret society of girls, how social dynamics, peer influence, and communication patterns impact behavior, and how adults can respond in ways that build connection, accountability, and healthy relationships.

Presenters

Sherry Rainbolt

Prevention and Support Supervisor, Central Office Staff

Tuesday July 14, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 254

Behavior

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

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

12:00pm CDT

Teaching for Understanding in Mathematics

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

Room 253

Teaching for Understanding in Math is designed to help participants use Gizmos to help students reason mathematically and develop a deeper understanding of math concepts. The instructor discusses and models best practices for inquiry-based teaching with Gizmos in mathematics. Teachers learn how to use Gizmos to develop effective mathematics instruction that strengthens students' understanding of mathematics.

Presenters

Tiffany Christian

Professional Learning Manager, ExploreLearning

Tuesday July 14, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 253

Math

Level Middle Teachers, High Teachers

1:00pm CDT

Crack the ACT Code with NoRedInk

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

Room 207

In this session, you’ll learn how to intentionally use NoRedInk to strengthen the specific skills assessed on the ACT. We’ll explore the Standards & Tests page, review high-impact reading and writing activities, and ground our work in what actually shows up on the test. You’ll have time to build and leave with an assignment you can implement right away.

Presenters

Taylirre Andre

Professional Learning Specialist, NoRedInk

Nikki Korte

Professional Development Consultant, NoRedInk

Tuesday July 14, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 207

Assessment Data ELA ELL

Level High Teachers

1:00pm CDT

Strengthening Secondary MTSS Through High School PST and Grade Level PLC Collaboration

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

Room 16

Discover how Robertsdale High redesigned its Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and Problem Solving Team (PST) processes to strengthen Tier 1 instruction and guide targeted interventions through collaboration with Grade Level PLCs. Participants will explore how PLCs and PST teams analyze academic, attendance, and behavioral data through a shared problem-solving framework. The session highlights practical tools including meeting protocols, RTI-Scheduler integration, teacher feedback systems, and collaborative decision-making structures. Attendees will leave with replicable strategies for aligning PLC collaboration with MTSS systems to increase teacher ownership, strengthen collaboration, and improve student outcomes.

Presenters

Nancy Caruthers

Teacher, Robertsdale High School

Annie Freeman

Curriculum Leader, Robertsdale High School

Tuesday July 14, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 16

Data Differentiation Google/Google Classroom Leadership PLCs

Level Administrators, All Teachers, Middle Teachers, High Teachers, Counselors, 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

1:00pm CDT

Retro Report: Bringing Real-World Relevance to Science, History, and ELA

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

Room 206

How does a 40-year-old news story help a student understand today’s biology lab, tomorrow’s history essay, or next week’s novel? Join us for a hands-on exploration of Retro Report, a free library of short-form documentaries that bridge the gap between historical events and modern-day impacts. Whether you are a Science teacher exploring the ethics of medical breakthroughs, a History teacher connecting past policies to current headlines, or an English teacher analyzing bias and narrative structure, Retro Report offers the primary source material you need. We will dive into their subject-specific collections, explore ready-to-use lesson plans, and learn how to use investigative storytelling to build critical thinking and media literacy skills in every classroom.

Presenters

Nikki Minoso

Teacher, ELA, Spanish Fort High

Tuesday July 14, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 206

Digital Citizenship ELA Reading Science Social Studies

Level Middle Teachers, High Teachers

1:00pm CDT

Exploring Gizmos: A Beginner's Guide to Interactive Simulations

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

Room 253

Are you new to Gizmos and curious about how interactive simulations can transform your math instruction? This workshop is designed to introduce educators to the ExploreLearning Gizmos platform and demonstrate how simulations can make abstract concepts concrete, foster student engagement, and support inquiry-based learning.
Participants will learn how to navigate the Gizmos platform, explore key features, and engage in hands-on activities that model how Gizmos can support math standards and instructional goals.

Presenters

Tiffany Christian

Professional Learning Manager, ExploreLearning

Tuesday July 14, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 253

Math

Level Middle Teachers, High Teachers

1:00pm CDT

Tie Dye - Good Vibes

Tuesday July 14, 2026 1:00pm - 2:50pm CDT

Room 45 - Art Room

Presenters

Joyce Garrison

teacher, Rosinton Elementary

Nancy Timmons

Middle School Art Teacher, Central Baldwin Middle

Tuesday July 14, 2026 1:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Room 45 - Art Room

Arts STEM/STEAM

Level All Teachers, Pre-K Teachers, Elementary Teachers, Middle Teachers, High Teachers, Special Education

2:00pm CDT

Digital Literacy for Secondary Students

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

Room 5

Here we'll review the current requirements for Digital Literacy in the Alabama ELA course of study and how to move beyond them to help students navigate a web of AI fakes and misinformation. Topics will revolve around reliable sources, bias, and triangulation. Widely useful for any course that requires students to complete online research assignments and even for teachers and administrators who need an updated and modern understanding of source reliability.

Presenters

Michelle Stockman

Teacher, Robertsdale High School

I am currently serving as a senior English and AP English Language teacher at Robertsdale High School, but I have taught ELA in grades 6-12 in both Alabama and Tennessee during my time as a teacher. I have also served as a Reading Intervention teacher and mentor on the elementary... Read More →

Tuesday July 14, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Room 5

Artificial Intelligence Digital Citizenship ELA Reading Science Social Studies

Level Middle Teachers, High Teachers, Librarians

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

2:00pm CDT

Just Add Games

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

Room 17

The presentation explores the use of math games in secondary classrooms (6-12). Put those digital devices away because are talking actual games! We will be exploring how games can enhance student engagement and reinforce foundational skills that can be helpful in their current learning. Attendees will be able to participate in actual game play and debrief and collaborate on how they see these fitting into their current classroom environment.

Secondary students often lose the opportunity for play within the classroom and show a decreased motivation in mathematics. Math games provide an opportunity for active learning, problem-solving and critical thinking skills, and giving all learners the chance at low-stakes practice.

Presenters

Melissa Sessions

Teacher, Daphne Middle School

Tuesday July 14, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Room 17

Math

Level Middle Teachers, High Teachers

2:00pm CDT

Teaching High School Statistics with Gizmos

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

Room 253

In this one-hour session, aligned with the Alabama Courses of Study, teachers will explore strategies for using simulations to enhance student engagement and understanding of mathematical concepts in high school statistics. Participants will learn how to teach students to reason mathematically and develop a deeper understanding of math concepts with simulations. Participants will also discuss the Standards of Mathematical Practice and how to support student learning through critical thinking, questioning, and problem-solving.

Presenters

Tiffany Christian

Professional Learning Manager, ExploreLearning

Tuesday July 14, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Room 253

Math

Level High Teachers

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