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

Wednesday July 15, 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 →

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

9:00am CDT

Class Bank: Building Responsibility Through Classroom Economics

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

Room 16

A classroom economy system can transform student motivation, responsibility, and financial literacy. This session introduces Class Bank, a structured classroom economy framework where students earn, save, and spend classroom currency while practicing real-world decision-making skills. Participants will learn how to implement and manage a classroom economy without adding extra workload.

Presenters

Stacey Tatum

6th Grade Science/Social Studies, Elberta Elementary

Hello! My name is Stacey Tatum, and I am a 6th Grade Science and Social Studies teacher at Elberta Elementary School. This year marks my second year teaching 6th grade after spending several years in 3rd grade, where I developed a deep passion for understanding how students learn... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 16

Community Building Community Engagement Leadership Technology

Level All Teachers, Elementary Teachers, Middle Teachers, High Teachers, Career Tech Teachers

9:00am CDT

Show Me the Money, We Up Next

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

Room 269

This session will engage the participants to understand and learn their asking style. Where every level need the understanding of the importance of fundraising and introduce the exploring post and exploring club workforce development program of 6th-12th grade.

Presenters

William Bryant

Scout Executive/CEO, Mobile Area Council, Scouting America

William Bryant, Jr. is the Scout Executive/CEO Mobile Area Council, Scouting America. He is the immediate past Revenue and Membership Growth Coach for the National Office of the Boy Scouts of America. William is a Subject Matter Expert in Fund Development. In his over 15 years of experience, Willia... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 269

Community Building Community Engagement Leadership Professionalism

Level Administrators, All Teachers, Pre-K Teachers, Elementary Teachers, Middle Teachers, High Teachers, Career Tech Teachers, Counselors

10:00am CDT

In District Fundraising for Clubs/Teams

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

Room 255

Baldwin County Public School’s After School Care program introduces the In-District Contract. These contracts allow high school and middle school organizations to earn funds by making presentations and teaching lessons to elementary school students during the After School program. These contracts are available for summer, fall, and spring semesters, offering opportunities for all groups to earn money for their organizations and recruit future members.

Presenters

Jacque Helms

ASC Coordinator, Central Office Staff

Wednesday July 15, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 255

10:00am CDT

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

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

Room 252

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

Wednesday July 15, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 252

Data Differentiation Google/Google Classroom Leadership PLCs

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

11:00am CDT

From Data to Action: How the RHS Guiding Coalition Drives Learning, Leadership, and Results

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

Room 252

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

Wednesday July 15, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 252

Data Differentiation Leadership PLCs Professionalism

Level Administrators, Middle Teachers, High Teachers, Career Tech Teachers, Special Education

1:00pm CDT

Maximizing Intervention Periods with Student Data to Improve Academic Achievement

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

Room 20

This presentation will focus on utilizing prior student data points from the Pre-ACT, ACT, and other assessment platforms to build a school wide ACT study plan during student "intervention/skinny" periods. The attendees will learn to how to collect and analyze data and how to group student data sets to optimize student learning and engagement during ACT prep. Attendees can expect to have an action plan that includes: data collection/analysis, committee formation, creating planning time, teacher selection, and student and teacher incentives for ACT preparation, growth, and achievement.

Presenters

Monica Shaner

Curriculum Leader, Spanish Fort High

Hello, I am Monica Shaner, the Curriculum Leader at Spanish Fort High School. With sixteen years experience in education, my focus is on academic growth and achievement through problem-based learning, differentiated instruction, and data driven resources. I strive to support teachers... Read More →

Zachary Wenzel

Assistant Principal, Spanish Fort High

I am currently an assistant principal at Spanish Fort High School. I have over ten years of experience in education. My background is in data management and analysis. I am currently working on my doctorate in educational leadership at the University of South Alabama. The focus of... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 20

Data Leadership PLCs

Level Administrators, Central Office, Counselors

Gulf Regional Innovative Teaching Conference - GRITC 2026

9:00am CDT

Kristi Bush

9:00am CDT

Stacey Tatum

9:00am CDT

William Bryant

10:00am CDT

Jacque Helms

10:00am CDT

Nancy Caruthers

Annie Freeman

11:00am CDT

Nancy Caruthers

Annie Freeman

1:00pm CDT

Monica Shaner

Zachary Wenzel

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