Gulf Regional Innovative Teaching Conference

You will be able to validate your attendance (Check-In to sessions) using your personal schedule.

10:00am CDT

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

Monday July 13, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

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

Monday July 13, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 254

Behavior

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

11:00am CDT

Unlock the Power of Kami

Monday July 13, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

Room 254

Join us to discover how Kami empowers every learner by turning everyday lessons into interactive experiences. During this hands-on session, we will explore the tools together and learn how to easily enhance lessons you are already teaching in the classroom. You'll leave with ideas that will support students throughout the learning journey and make student engagement soar.

Presenters

Janet Burnett

Teaching & Learning Coordinator, Book Creator/Kami

Janet Burnett is a Teaching & Learning Coordinator for Kami and Book Creator, but also a lifelong educator. With 28 years of experience in education as a teacher and Technology Specialist, she is passionate about helping teachers “power-up” daily lessons while bringing joy to... Read More →

Monday July 13, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 254

Assessment Community Building ELA ELL Math Reading Science Social Studies Technology

Level All Teachers, Librarians, Special Education

12:00pm CDT

7 Challenges that Showcase STEM in the Middle Grades (4-8)

Monday July 13, 2026 12:00pm - 1:50pm CDT

Room 254

Discover seven classroom-tested STEM missions designed to shift students from passive observers to active problem-solvers with minimal setup and maximum curiosity. In this session focused on middle grades (4-8) learning, participants will explore and adapt 7 ready-to-implement STEM challenges that directly connect math/science concepts to Alabama's new 2025 Digital Literacy & Computer Science (DLCS) Standards. These intentionally designed student activities promote collaboration and build skills like computational thinking, iterative processing, and real-world application of learning. This session will include time for unpacking grade level standards to make meaningful connections, trying out STEM challenges that increase student engagement, and collaborating on how to customize a STEM experience that lets students apply their math, science and engineering skills.

Presenters

Timothy Johnson

Regional Technology Specialist, Alabama Technology in Motion, Region 10

Angela Clark

Regional Technology Specialist, Alabama Technology in Motion, Region 7

Monday July 13, 2026 12:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 254

Coding Community Building Makerspace Math Robotics Science Technology

Level Elementary Teachers, Middle Teachers, Librarians, Special Education

2:00pm CDT

Basics to Breakthroughs: Designing intentional learning with Kami

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

Room 254

Join us to explore how to strategically leverage Kami’s features to create highly engaging, personalized learning experiences. In this hands-on session, you will learn to create custom content scaffolding and provide critical, in-the-moment student support. We will discuss how to use Kami tools to tailor the environment for every learner. You’ll leave with a versatile toolkit of instructional strategies and a proven roadmap for fostering student independence.

Presenters