Gulf Regional Innovative Teaching Conference

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

Monday July 13, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 93

Behavior Data Differentiation Health/ Wellness

Level Administrators, All Teachers, 504 Coordinators, Counselors

1:00pm CDT

Section 504 101: From Questions to Confidence

Monday July 13, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT

Room 93

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

Monday July 13, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 93

Behavior Data Differentiation

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

1:00pm CDT

General PowerSchool Q&A

Monday July 13, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm 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

Monday July 13, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 32

Data Technology

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

1:00pm CDT

PowerSchool SIS Reporting and SubReports

Monday July 13, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT

Room 28

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

Presenters

William Waldrop

Enterprise Systems Professional, Other

Monday July 13, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 28

Data Technology

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

2:00pm CDT

Click to Compliance: Creating 504 Plans in Frontline

Monday July 13, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT

Room 93

Participants will learn how to use Frontline Education to efficiently create and manage student Section 504 plans. This training will guide participants through the step-by-step process of entering student information, documenting eligibility, selecting appropriate accommodations, and completing required forms within the system. Session participants will feel confident navigating Frontline to build clear, compliant, and effective 504 plans.

Presenters

Dionne Dunton

Supervisor, Central Office Staff

Monday July 13, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Room 93

Data Differentiation

Level Administrators, 504 Coordinators, Counselors

2:00pm CDT

SIS - Searchbar Tips and Tricks

Monday July 13, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT

Room 28

Dive into Seachbar and Multiselect features to gather valuable insights from PowerSchool SIS data.

Presenters

Tabitha Syde

Utility Registrar, Other

Monday July 13, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Room 28

Data Technology

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Room 19

Big feelings. Big behaviors. Real solutions.

If you’ve ever felt your classroom shift in seconds from calm to chaos, this session is for you. Join us for an energizing, no-fluff deep dive into how to confidently handle escalating behaviors without power struggles, shutdowns, or lost learning time.

You’ll learn how to catch the early warning signs before things blow up, use game-changing de-escalation language that actually works, and put proactive strategies in place that help students regulate and refocus. Built for K–6 educators, this session is packed with real talk, real strategies, and ready-to-use teacher scripts you can take back and use immediately.

Walk in curious—leave feeling confident, equipped, and ready to take back your classroom.

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

Tuesday July 14, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 19

Behavior Differentiation Safety

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

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

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

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