Gulf Regional Innovative Teaching Conference

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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

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

ParentSquare - Level Up Your Communication: Going Above and Beyond with Family Engagement

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

Room 252

Ready to boost your family's engagement and excitement? In this interactive session, we’ll show you how to streamline communication and boost family engagement using Groups, Post Add-Ons, and Appointment Sign-Ups. Walk away with simple, powerful tools to connect with families and staff—without adding more to your plate.

Presenters

Scott Hardison

Training Specialist, ParentSquare

I am a Training Specialist at ParentSquare. My role is to educate ParentSquare customers on how to best utilize the product for effective school-to-home communication.

Tuesday July 14, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 252

Community Building Community Engagement Leadership Technology

Level Administrators, All Teachers, Counselors, Special Education

9:00am CDT

Creating Safe & Supportive Environments through Effective Classroom Management

Tuesday July 14, 2026 9:00am - 10:50am CDT

Room 269

Classroom Management Strategies

Presenters

Kristie Shankles

MTSS-Specialist, ALSDE

Jonathan Thompson

HPE and AL-MTSS Specialist, ALSDE

Tuesday July 14, 2026 9:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 269

Health/ Wellness Leadership

Level Administrators, Central Office, All Teachers

9:00am CDT

Begin the Journey of True Instructional Leadership with "Discover Kagan"

Tuesday July 14, 2026 9:00am - 11:50am CDT

Room 271

Discover Kagan Cooperative Learning. Discover an approach to teaching and
learning that focuses on one core concept: Full Student Engagement. Kagan empowers
teachers to create full student engagement using Kagan’s research-based and classroom
proven cooperative instructional strategies. Instead of engaging one student at a time,
Kagan’s Everyone Answers! structures create an unparalleled level of engagement for every
student, every day. This high-leverage approach addresses eight pressing challenges district
leaders face today. Discover how Kagan helps districts: 1) reduce teacher burnout and
shortages; 2) increase achievement, reduce learning and achievement gaps; 3) drastically
cut disruptive behaviors and referrals; 4) enhance engagement, reduce distractions, and
student boredom; 5) reduce chronic absenteeism; 6) decrease assessment workload while
increasing authentic assessment; 7) improve student well-being; 8) meet the needs of all
learners. Discover what Kagan really is, how it addresses education’s pressing concerns, and
how Kagan works with districts. This Discover Kagan session is an opportunity for your
leadership team to come to consensus, deciding if Kagan is right for your district.

Presenters

Aaron Diaz

Director of Implementation Support, Kagan Publishing and Professional Development

Dr. Aaron Diaz has served as a bus driver, coach, teacher, assistant principal, and principal. He is passionate about improving pedagogy, teacher support, community engagement, relationshipbuilding, and strategic planning—especially through the use of Kagan Cooperative Learning... Read More →

Tuesday July 14, 2026 9:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 271

Leadership

Level Administrators, Central Office

10:00am CDT

ParentSquare - Level Up Your Communication: Going Above and Beyond with Family Engagement

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

Room 252

Presenters

Scott Hardison

Training Specialist, ParentSquare

I am a Training Specialist at ParentSquare. My role is to educate ParentSquare customers on how to best utilize the product for effective school-to-home communication.

Tuesday July 14, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 252

Community Building Community Engagement Leadership Technology

Level Administrators, All Teachers, Counselors, Special Education

11:00am CDT

Tiered Instruction: Igniting Curiosity

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

Room 269

Explore Tier I Instruction Strategies for engagement.

Presenters

Kristie Shankles

MTSS-Specialist, ALSDE

Jonathan Thompson

HPE and AL-MTSS Specialist, ALSDE

Tuesday July 14, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 269

Data Leadership PLCs

Level Administrators, Central Office, All Teachers

12:00pm CDT

ParentSquare - Game Plan for Groups: Athletics & Activities Edition

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

Room 91

Coaches and club leaders—this one’s for you. Learn how to set up and manage your team using Groups, from adding guest users to organizing practices and games with the calendar. We’ll also cover post permissions and powerful add-ons so you can keep everyone informed, engaged, and ready for game day. Bring all of your questions and let's go!

Presenters

Scott Hardison

Training Specialist, ParentSquare

I am a Training Specialist at ParentSquare. My role is to educate ParentSquare customers on how to best utilize the product for effective school-to-home communication.

Tuesday July 14, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 91

Community Building Community Engagement Leadership Technology

Level Administrators, All Teachers, Counselors, Special Education

1:00pm CDT

What’s new in Canva?

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

Room 251

Join us to learn about Canva’s Latest tools. This session offers a seamless introduction to what’s new and how you can use these updates to enhance your creative projects. Join us for an engaging walkthrough and leave inspired to take your Canva experience to the next level. 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 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 251

Coding Community Engagement Leadership

Level All Teachers

1:00pm CDT

ParentSquare - Data-Driven Communication & Secure Family Engagement

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

Room 91

Designed for principals and administrators, this session focuses on turning insights into action. Explore how to leverage ParentSquare reports to monitor engagement and make informed decisions, while also learning how to securely share important documents with families. We’ll also cover best practices for launching StudentSquare at your site and how to use data to keep a real-time pulse on communication across your school. Walk away with practical strategies to communicate with confidence.

Presenters

Scott Hardison

Training Specialist, ParentSquare

I am a Training Specialist at ParentSquare. My role is to educate ParentSquare customers on how to best utilize the product for effective school-to-home communication.

Tuesday July 14, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 91

Community Building Community Engagement Leadership Technology

Level Administrators, All Teachers, Counselors, Special Education

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

Trauma-Informed Approach Overview: A Pathway Toward Student Success

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

TBA

This overview of trauma-informed education equips educators with the knowledge and tools necessary to cultivate a compassionate classroom culture. Participants will gain insights into the neurological, emotional, and social effects of trauma on learning.(Condensed Version)

Presenters

Kristie Shankles

MTSS-Specialist, ALSDE

Jonathan Thompson

HPE and AL-MTSS Specialist, ALSDE

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

Community Building Health/ Wellness Leadership

Level Administrators, Central Office, All Teachers

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

Sasha Goman

Canva Learning Consultant, Canva Education

Tuesday July 14, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Room 251

Community Engagement Leadership Coding

Level Administrators, Central Office, All 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

English Learner Data: What Leaders Need to Know

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

Room 28

This session helps district and school administrators use English learner data to inform program planning and instructional support. Participants will review indicators related to English language development, academic outcomes, and program effectiveness, and explore how these data can inform decisions and strengthen services for ELs.

Presenters

Stephanie Montiel

ESL Supervisor, BCBE

I acquired my love for teaching while working in Paraguay as a Peace Corps volunteer. I hold a master's degree in English as a second language (ESL) and an education specialist degree in teacher leadership, both from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. I completed a schoo... Read More →