Gulf Regional Innovative Teaching Conference

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9:00am CDT

Taking the Mystery Out of Executive Function

Wednesday July 15, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Learn to identify specific executive function skills and how they influence academic, behavioral, and social development in children and young adults. Leave with practical activities you can implement in the classroom to bolster students’ executive function skills!

Presenters

Chaelah Jenkins

Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Advanced Behavioral and Educational Consulting, LLC

Wednesday July 15, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 267

Assessment Behavior

Level 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

Wednesday July 15, 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 →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Library

9:00am CDT

Collaboration over Chaos: Simple Systems for Powerful Group Leanring

Wednesday July 15, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Room 252

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

Wednesday July 15, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 252

Behavior Community Building eMINTS

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

9:00am CDT

“L.E.N.S.: Looking at Behavior Through the 504 Lens”

Wednesday July 15, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Room 92

Participants will explore how behavior can be understood through the **L.E.N.S. framework—Learn, Evaluate, Navigate, and Support—**to better recognize when student behavior may be connected to a disability under Section 504. This training will help educators identify potential 504 indicators, evaluate behavior within the context of student needs, navigate appropriate procedures while maintaining compliance with Section 504. Participants will leave with practical tools to shift from simply reacting to behavior to responding with informed, supportive interventions.

Presenters

Dionne Dunton

Supervisor, Central Office Staff

Wednesday July 15, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 92

Behavior Data Differentiation Health/ Wellness

Level Administrators, All Teachers, 504 Coordinators, Counselors

10:00am CDT

Section 504 101: From Questions to Confidence

Wednesday July 15, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

Room 92

This training will cover the purpose of Section 504, eligibility criteria, and the process for identifying, evaluating, and supporting students with disabilities.By the end of the training, coordinators and administrators will feel more confident navigating the 504 process and supporting staff, students, and families. 📚

Presenters

Dionne Dunton

Supervisor, Central Office Staff

Wednesday July 15, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 92

Behavior Data Differentiation

Level Administrators, All Teachers, 504 Coordinators, Counselors, Special Education

10:00am CDT

Big Feelings, Big Behaviors: Helping Students Reset in K–6

Wednesday July 15, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

Room 19

Elementary teachers are increasingly encountering students who struggle to manage big emotions that lead to disruptive or escalating behaviors. This session will equip educators with practical, classroom-tested strategies to recognize early warning signs of escalation and respond with calm, effective techniques that help students reset while maintaining a productive learning environment.

Participants will explore the stages of behavioral escalation, learn de-escalation language that prevents power struggles, and discover proactive strategies that support emotional regulation in K–6 classrooms. Attendees will leave with ready-to-use tools, teacher scripts, and behavior supports they can implement immediately.

Presenters

Angela Hurst

K3 Project Success Teacher, Pine Grove Elementary

I am a dedicated educator with 22 years of experience teaching 3rd and 4th grade. I currently serve as a Project Success Teacher, where I work closely with Tier 3 behavior intervention students to support their growth and success. I’m a proud wife to David and mom to DJ and Zach... Read More →

Savanah Miller

Special Education Teacher

Wednesday July 15, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 19

Behavior Differentiation Safety

Level Administrators, Pre-K Teachers, Elementary Teachers, 504 Coordinators, Counselors, Special Education

11:00am CDT

F.A.M.I.L.Y. - Fair Access, Meaningful Inclusion, Leadership, and You (Belonging)

Wednesday July 15, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

Room 207

The goal of this research-informed session is to introduce Nancy Schlossberg’s concepts of marginality and mattering through demonstrating how they can transform K-12 practice for Hispanic (ELL) and African American Students. These concepts are crucial for understanding how people adapt and thrive in environments. Participants will learn accessible definitions of marginality and mattering and why they matter for student engagement, identity, and achievement. Furthermore, we will examine common classroom and school level indicators of marginality for Spanish speaking ELL’s, and black students through short case studies and reflect on how this looks in our schools. Lastly, the goal is to explore evidence-based strategies teachers, assistant principals, and supervisors can implement immediately to increase students’ sense of mattering such as family engagement practices, targeted mentoring, and peer network interventions.

Presenters

Sharrell Edmond

Assistant Principal, Foley High School

Sharrell Edmond is a native of Mobile, Al. She is a proud graduate of Auburn University. While on the plains, she was able to obtain both a B.A. in Spanish and a B.A. in Theatre. She returned to Mobile where she began her teaching career with MCPSS teaching both Spanish and theatre... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 207

Behavior Community Building ELL

Level Administrators, All Teachers, 504 Coordinators, Counselors, Special Education

12:00pm CDT

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

Wednesday July 15, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT

Room 202

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

Wednesday July 15, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 202

Behavior

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

1:00pm CDT

180 Days of Reaching and Teaching

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT

Room 5

This session is geared towards non-tenured, new teachers who desire guidance on how to make connections with students. In today’s ever-evolving educational landscape, school teachers are given the power and the responsibility of building student confidence while building and sustaining their self-efficacy. This complex relationship requires sound judgment and authentic positive relationships. This interactive session offers the opportunity to participate in a scenario-based conversation rooted in real-world teaching events. Participants will examine each case, consider multiple perspectives, and determine the best course of action. Through guided facilitation, this session will enhance awareness of the uniqueness of students, sharpen decision-making, and promote collaborative problem-solving among educational leaders.

Presenters

Dr. Tiara Bailey

Assistant Principal, Foley Middle School

Dr. Bailey brings 24 years of experience in secondary education and five years in administration, with a focus on teacher self-efficacy and student relatedness. Having taught general sciences as well as advanced and full-inclusion science courses — including Biology, Life Science... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 5

Behavior