Gulf Regional Innovative Teaching Conference

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9:00am CDT

Practical AI for Educators: Enhancing Instruction, Feedback, and Efficiency Without Losing the Human Touch

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

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming education, but many educators remain unsure how to use AI tools ethically, effectively, and confidently in their daily practice. This session provides a practical, educator‑centered introduction to using AI as a support—not a replacement—for teaching and learning.
Participants will explore real classroom examples of how AI tools such as generative text assistants can be used to streamline lesson planning, personalize feedback, differentiate instruction, and support student engagement while maintaining academic integrity. The session also addresses common concerns, including ethical use, bias, transparency, and appropriate classroom boundaries.
Designed for educators at any experience level with AI, this session emphasizes hands‑on strategies that can be implemented immediately. Attendees will leave with concrete prompts, workflow ideas, and guidance for introducing AI responsibly to students.

Presenters

Roland Weldon

Tuesday July 14, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 206

Assessment Chromebook CTE Data Digital Citizenship ELA Google Professionalism Safety Science Social Studies Technology

Level All Teachers, Counselors, Librarians, 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

Library

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
Library

9:00am CDT

Canva Essentials Skills

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

Room 251

Join our workshop to build confidence using Canva in your classroom. Learn how to navigate the Home screen, find and use templates, and share activities. We will dive into the Canva editor and explore tips and tricks to level up your designs. You’ll get hands-on experience using elements, animation, and more. Please bring your laptop for some hands-on learning!

Presenters

Sasha Goman

Canva Learning Consultant, Canva Education

Sasha is a Canva Learning Consultant, and she is a former secondary education teacher. She has a master's degree in Teacher Leadership from Northwestern University, where she studied professional development and coaching. She is excited to help teachers create more engaging and dynamic... Read More →

Tuesday July 14, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 251

Community Engagement Professionalism

Level All Teachers, Elementary Teachers, Librarians

9:00am CDT

General PowerSchool Q&A

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

Room 32

Get answers to your PowerSchool questions and learn how to make the most of its features.

Presenters

Joseph Marshall

Enterprise Systems Professional, Other

Enterprise Department

Tuesday July 14, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 32

Data Technology

Level Administrators, Central Office, 504 Coordinators, Counselors, Librarians, Special Education, Registrars

9:00am CDT

PowerSchool SIS Basics / Tips and Tricks

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

Room 28

Learn the essentials and expert tips to navigate PowerSchool SIS efficiently.

Presenters

Joseph Marshall

Enterprise Systems Professional, Other

Tuesday July 14, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 28

Data Technology

Level Administrators, Central Office, 504 Coordinators, Counselors, Librarians, Special Education, Registrars

9:00am CDT

Teach Smarter, Not Harder: Curriculum‑Aligned Content with Discovery Education

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

Room 255

Discover how Discovery Education simplifies planning with ready‑to‑use, standards‑aligned videos, activities, and lesson supports across all subjects K-12. Walk away with resources you can teach with tomorrow.

Presenters

Tomi Rush

Sr. Partner Success Manager, Discovery Education

Tuesday July 14, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 255

ELA ELL Math Science Social Studies Technology

Level Administrators, All Teachers, Counselors, Librarians, Special Education

9:00am CDT

Intro to Google Classroom

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

Room 96

This session will introduce the features and functions of Google Classroom. Participants will have the opportunity to follow along and get started creating their own digital environments.

Presenters

Allie Schultze

Tuesday July 14, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 96

Google Technology

Level All Teachers, Counselors, Librarians, Special Education

10:00am CDT

Empowering Thinkers: Mastering the Three Phases of Classroom Inquiry

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

Room 5

In this session, we will explore a comprehensive, three-phase framework for integrating inquiry-based learning into your classroom using technology.
. Effective inquiry goes beyond simply asking students for answers; it is about structuring lessons, empowering students to drive their own curiosity, and purposefully guiding their cognitive processes.

Presenters

Jeremy King

Instructional Technology Coorindator, Central Office Staff

Tuesday July 14, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 5

Artificial Intelligence eMINTS Technology

Level Central Office, All Teachers, Librarians

10:00am CDT

Nurturing Norms: Crafting Classroom Community with Confidence

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

Room 214

This session empowers educators to create structured yet flexible classroom environments by providing a comprehensive understanding of classroom norms. Through interactive and practical activities, participants will explore the what, why, and how of norm-setting, fostering a positive learning atmosphere that enhances student engagement and academic success. The hands-on approach ensures that educators leave with actionable strategies ready for immediate application in their educational settings.

Presenters

Haylee Anderson

Instructional Specialist, eMINTS National Center

Haylee Anderson is currently an instructional specialist with eMINTS National Center. She has previously been a high school English and Spanish and a middle school ELA educator in Missouri. Her family is the most important thing in the world to her. She lives in Southwest Missouri... Read More →

Tuesday July 14, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 214

Behavior Community Building eMINTS Health/ Wellness

Level Administrators, All Teachers, Counselors, Librarians, Special Education

10:00am CDT

General PowerSchool Q&A

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

Room 32

Get answers to your PowerSchool questions and learn how to make the most of its features.

Presenters

Joseph Marshall

Enterprise Systems Professional, Other

Enterprise Department

Tuesday July 14, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 32

Data Technology

Level Administrators, Central Office, 504 Coordinators, Counselors, Librarians, Special Education, Registrars

10:00am CDT

Google Gemini: Your Classroom Assistant

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

Room 96

Dive into the features of Google Gemini, an AI chatbot that can help you create plans, assist in designing instruction, and customize your bot to meet your needs.

Presenters

Allie Schultze

Tuesday July 14, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 96

Google Technology

Level All Teachers, Counselors, Librarians, Special Education

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

The Teacher’s Spellbook: Google Scripts + Gemini Edition

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

Room 3

Step into The Teacher’s Spellbook and discover how to transform your daily tasks into automated “magic” using Google Apps Script and Google Gemini. This session is designed for educators with little to no coding experience who want to save time, reduce repetitive work, and streamline classroom and administrative workflows.

Participants will explore how Google tools like Sheets, Forms, and Slides can be enhanced with simple scripts to automate tasks such as sending emails, organizing data, generating reports, and creating presentations. The real “cheat code” of the session is learning how to use Google Gemini to write these scripts—no coding background required.

Through real-world examples, including large-scale event management and classroom applications, attendees will leave with practical strategies, ready-to-use prompts, and the confidence to begin automating their own workflows immediately.

Presenters

Miranda Mosley

Instructional Technology Resource Teacher, MCPSS

Tuesday July 14, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 3

Technology

Level Administrators, Central Office, All Teachers, Counselors, Librarians, Special Education, Registrars

10:00am CDT

Padlet Tools to Deepen Instruction

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

Room 17

This 2-hour learning lab will allow you to really go into deep adult learning mode to learn all about what Padlet has to offer. This versatile tech tool goes beyond a simple space to brainstorm ideas! With this longer format session, participants will have time to explore resources and to start planning / thinking about how they could apply these tools in their teaching.

Presenters

Larissa Walder

Digital Learning Specialist, Padlet

Tuesday July 14, 2026 10:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 17

Technology

Level All Teachers, Librarians

11:00am CDT

Practical AI for Educators: Enhancing Instruction, Feedback, and Efficiency Without Losing the Human Touch

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

Room 206

Presenters

Roland Weldon

Tuesday July 14, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 206

Assessment Chromebook CTE Data Digital Citizenship ELA Google Professionalism Safety Science Social Studies Technology

Level All Teachers, Counselors, Librarians, 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

PowerSchool SIS Reporting and SubReports

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

Room 28

Dive into reporting features to gather valuable insights from PowerSchool SIS data.

Presenters

William Waldrop

Enterprise Systems Professional, Other

Tuesday July 14, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 28

Data Technology

Level Administrators, Central Office, 504 Coordinators, Counselors, Librarians, Special Education, Registrars

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 Leanring

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

PD & Community Specialist, MagicSchool

Destinie Thomas is a Professional Development and Community 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, leading... Read More →

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

AI-Powered Studying with NotebookLM

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

Room 96

Unleash the power of your personalized and protected AI assistant with NotebookLM. Find out how to create accessible study guides and learning aides for you and your students.

Presenters

Allie Schultze

Tuesday July 14, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 96

Google Technology

Level All Teachers, Counselors, Librarians, Special Education

1:00pm CDT

Fantastic 5-Minute Tips Ready to Use in Your Classroom!

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

Room 214

Looking for some simple, effective strategies and routines that will enhance your classroom during the upcoming school year? Did you know that eMINTS has a ton of free tips, resources and strategy cards on various topics including technology integration, building classroom culture, and using reflective practice with students? Come experience the tips live and in person, and then feel free to use them all year long!

Presenters

Doug Caldwell

Instructional Specialist, eMINTS

Inspiring education with digital learning!

Tuesday July 14, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 214

Community Building Community Engagement eMINTS

Level All Teachers, Counselors, 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

PD & Community Specialist, MagicSchool

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

Formative Assessment with Pear Deck

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

Room 96

Learn how to engage and assess your students using Pear Deck! Create interactive slide decks that students will love to interact with while delivering content or for gauging learning.

Presenters

Allie Schultze

Tuesday July 14, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 96

Google Technology

Level All Teachers, Librarians, 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

Practical AI for Educators: Enhancing Instruction, Feedback, and Efficiency Without Losing the Human Touch

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

Room 206

Presenters

Roland Weldon

Tuesday July 14, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Room 206

Assessment Chromebook CTE Data Digital Citizenship ELA Google Professionalism Safety Science Social Studies Technology

Level All Teachers, Counselors, Librarians, Special Education

2:00pm CDT

Canva Code and Magic Activities

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

Room 251

Discover how Canva’s AI tools, Magic Activities and Canva Code (no coding knowledge required), can transform your classroom. In this session, you’ll explore how these innovative features make it easier than ever to create engaging instructional materials, streamline classroom management, and design interactive games and activities aligned with academic standards. Learn how to harness AI to promote higher-order thinking skills, encourage creativity, and save valuable planning time while making learning more dynamic and meaningful for your students. Please bring your laptop for some hands-on learning!

Presenters