Gulf Regional Innovative Teaching Conference

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8:00am CDT

Brain Pump

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

Participants will learn how to implement Brain Pump, a movement-based approach that connects physical activity and neuroscience to boost learning, attention, and self-regulation. This session includes hands-on strategies, simple routines, and classroom-friendly activities that promote focus, improve behavior, and support students’ cognitive, social, and emotional development.

Presenters

Misty Blackmon

Education Administrator ADECE (Region Director), AL Dept. of Early Childhood

Dotsy Carter

Education Specialist (FCPK Coach), ADECE

I have been in education for 38 years and I am still learning something new each year that motivates and inspires me to want to share it with others.
Last summer, I attended a "Train the Trainer" Brain Pump PD that connected many dots for me with my job and personal life. Physical movement directly affects brain function, learning and self-regulation. It should be intentionally planned into daily routines and plans in a practical/natural... Read More →

Tuesday July 14, 2026 8:00am - 3:00pm CDT
Room 24

Behavior Math Reading

Level Pre-K Teachers

9:00am CDT

Getting Started with Progress Learning

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

Room 202

This will be an introductory session to learn how to create and manage your classes, assessments, and assignments. We’ll give you a tour of our mature secondary student dashboard. You’ll also learn about our variety of reports to monitor student progress and maximize student achievement.

Presenters

Becca Baker

Training Manager, Progress Learning

Becca was an elementary teacher for 10 years before joining Progress Learning. She taught 4th and 5th-grade math and science in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX area. She joined Progress Learning in 2021 as a Program Trainer and has led the team since 2023.

Gabriella Unanue

Program Trainer, Progress Learning

Tuesday July 14, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 202

Assessment Math Reading Science Social Studies Technology

Level Middle Teachers, Special Education

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

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 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

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

Allison Fisher

English Teacher, Daphne High School

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

Closing the Gap: Accelerated Remediation with Liftoff

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

Room 202

Discover how to turn data into growth. This session explores how Liftoff’s adaptive diagnostic automatically builds personalized learning paths to bridge skill gaps for math, science, and reading. Learn to pair these automated journeys with targeted small-group resources to kickstart student progress and track every milestone along the way.

Presenters

Becca Baker

Training Manager, Progress Learning

Gabriella Unanue

Program Trainer, Progress Learning

Tuesday July 14, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 202

Math Reading Science

Level Middle Teachers

11:00am CDT

Targeted ACAP Prep

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

Room 202

Build a roadmap to ACAP success with Progress Learning. Learn how to construct standards-aligned common assessments that mirror state rigor and utilize premium subject-area content. Once the data is in, we’ll show you how to instantly pivot to remediation.

Presenters

Becca Baker

Training Manager, Progress Learning

Gabriella Unanue

Program Trainer, Progress Learning

Tuesday July 14, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 202

Assessment ELA Math Reading Science Social Studies

Level Middle Teachers

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

Unlocking Meaning: From the Word Level and Beyond

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

Room 267

This professional learning session is designed to support educators in understanding how meaning is constructed across multiple levels of reading – from the word and beyond. This session highlights the role of oral language, vocabulary, and background knowledge in supporting students’ ability to make meaning at the word, phrase, sentence, and paragraph levels. Educators will engage in practical strategies that demonstrate how these components work together to strengthen reading comprehension. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how to intentionally connect instruction at all levels, ensuring that literacy practices support all learners in becoming meaning-focused readers.

Presenters

Jennifer Alberstadt

Regional Literacy Specialist, Alabama Reading Initiative

Amy Barker

Regional Literacy Specialist, Alabama Reading Initiative

Tuesday July 14, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 267

ELA Reading

Level Elementary 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

Diving into the Data

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

Room 202

In this session, you’ll get an overview of the different reports available in Progress Learning, learn which reports to bring to a parent/teacher conference or PLC meeting, pull small groups, and more.

Presenters

Becca Baker

Training Manager, Progress Learning

Gabriella Unanue

Program Trainer, Progress Learning

Tuesday July 14, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 202

Assessment ELA Math PLCs Reading Science Social Studies

Level Middle Teachers

12:00pm CDT

Not One More Thing: Embedding Kagan Structures Into Instruction

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

Room 3

Teachers often feel overwhelmed by new strategies layered on top of existing expectations. What if engagement didn’t require adding one more thing to your plate? In this interactive session, participants will learn how Kagan cooperative learning structures can replace traditional instructional routines within lessons. Discover simple “structure swaps” that transform lecture, questioning, and practice into highly engaging learning experiences. Teachers will leave with practical strategies that increase participation and accountability—without increasing planning time.

Presenters

Makenzie Cunningham

Instructional Coach, Rosinton Elementary

Makenzie Cunningham is an instructional coach at Rosinton with 11 years of experience in education. She has taught second, third, and fourth grades, as well as special education for pre-K through first grade. Makenzie has completed both Kagan Coaching and Instructional Coaching certifications... Read More →

Tuesday July 14, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 3

Community Engagement ELA Math Reading Science Social Studies

Level Elementary Teachers

12:00pm CDT

Ignite Your Classroom with PBLs

Tuesday July 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:50pm CDT

Room 93

Create community, improve communication skills, and incorporate problem-solving through engaging project-based learning lessons. PBLs are a great way to build creativity in students and cover many standards at once. They connect to real-world occupations and inspire students' futures. These lessons make learning fun and more memorable. They are easy to develop for your classroom no matter which subject you teach. For this 2-hour session, we will use Gemini's GEMs as AI helps us to build a PBL unit to use in your classroom next year.

Presenters

Laura Morin

Gifted Teacher, Magnolia Elementary

Tuesday July 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 93

Arts Community Building Community Engagement Math Reading Science Social Studies STEM/STEAM Technology

Level All Teachers

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

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