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Monday, December 9
 

8:00am CST

**KEYNOTE** - How To Get All Teachers To Become Like The Best Teachers
Monday December 9, 2024 8:00am - 9:15am CST
Grand Ballroom
Feedback Survey
There are dramatic differences in the quality of teachers in every school. If all teachers could be more like the best teachers, then we would have significant improvement in every school. Every building has special teachers who connect with all students and consistently engage them in learning. This session focuses on what educational leaders can do to get all of the teachers to be like their best teachers.
Speakers
TW
Monday December 9, 2024 8:00am - 9:15am CST
Grand Ballroom
  **KEYNOTE**, Teacher Effectiveness

9:30am CST

**FEATURED SPEAKER** - Custom AI Chatbots for Personalized Student Learning
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Conference Dining Room
Feedback Survey
AI chatbots are a powerful way to provide safe, monitored, personalized learning experiences for students. Chatbots can be used for a wide range of engaging activities such as interviewing a historical figure, discussing a book, learning about a career, assessing understanding, providing tutoring, or diving into any topic. With AI these chatbots adjust to each student individually to meet their specific needs and interests. In this session we will explore traditional AI chatbots, as well as tools such as SchoolAI, Mizou, Khanmigo, and MagicSchoolAI where you can choose from a wide range of pre-made chatbots or easily create your own. For more details see: https://bit.ly/curts-chatbots
Speakers
EC
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Conference Dining Room
  **FEATURED SPEAKER**, Technology

9:30am CST

**FEATURED SPEAKER** - Unpacking the NGSS: Practice-Based Science Education – What is it? Am I doing it? And What are Ways to Support It Moving Forward?
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Mallard
Feedback Survey
This session will provide a broad overview of the NGSS, discussing the frameworks that inform the standards, instructional practices that support the NGSS in the classroom, and high-quality instructional resources that are available that can support NGSS implementation. We will also discuss tools you can use to become a critical consumer of resources to use in your classroom.
Speakers
JS
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Mallard
  **FEATURED SPEAKER**, Standards

9:30am CST

Commitments for Authentic, Positive and Caring Teachers
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Torrey Pines
Feedback Survey
In the spirit of the classic Choose Your Own Adventure series, this will be an interactive session with participants having an opportunity to select educator commitments that they would like to learn most about. This session will expose you to a variety of authors' best practices and fundamentals, particularly in the areas of communication, relationships, and critical thinking. Participants will leave the session with awareness of daily techniques that if implemented in earnest, will improve and strengthen your current environment whether it be a classroom, department, or school; students will grow and staff will feel empowered and valued.
Speakers
avatar for Kari Keith

Kari Keith

Director of Multilingual Programs, Palatine 15
As an educational leader and a mother, I am curious and interested in inclusive leadership practices that transform lives for the better.  In particular, I really enjoy hearing about multilingual leadership and educational pathways, especially from colleagues and students whose family... Read More →
SK
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Torrey Pines
  Climate/Classroom Management, Cross Curricular

9:30am CST

Navigating Tensions: A Guide to De-Escalation
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Pebble Beach
Feedback Survey
In this workshop, participants will learn practical strategies and insightful approaches aimed at diffusing heightened situations and fostering a sense of calm in interpersonal dynamics. Explore proven techniques for effective communication, conflict resolution, and emotional intelligence, equipping yourself with valuable skills to navigate challenging moments for better outcomes.
Speakers
avatar for Roselene Quick

Roselene Quick

Director of School Services - ROE #12, Regional Office of Education #12
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Pebble Beach
  Climate/Classroom Management, Cross Curricular

9:30am CST

The Surprising Power of Belonging in Schools
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Cardinal
Feedback Survey
A sense of belonging within a school community is perhaps our most powerful tool to promote not only student well being and resilience but to enhance student academic engagement. A sense of belonging is associated with higher academic achievement, better attendance, improved behavior, and reductions in mental health problems, among many other benefits. Unfortunately, there is a crisis of belonging in our schools. Drawing upon research from brain science, social sciences, education and 30 years of practice within schools, this session will help participants uncover the positive impact of a belonging community on students and staff, discuss factors that threaten a student's sense of belonging and provide strategies that can be implemented immediately to create a belonging community in our classrooms and in our schools.
Speakers
DB

Doug Bolton

Director of School Consultation
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Cardinal
  Climate/Classroom Management, Cross Curricular

9:30am CST

Using Timely Data to Drive Your PLC
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Augusta
Feedback Survey
This presentation is geared towards instructional leaders who are responsible for facilitating Data Driven Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). Through this session, instructional leaders will see how we collect data from multiple sources to analyze student learning and address the 4 PLC questions. In our district we use an online assessment platform to administer common assessments and then track the learning by student and by standard. We pull the data from the assessments out of the online program and use spreadsheets to track the data for each student over the course of the year. As a PLC team, we use protocols to analyze the data to track our SMART goal progress and determine which students need additional support or extension.
Speakers
AM

Adie McHugh

Team Leader, Conrady/NPD117
BK
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Augusta
  Data, Cross Curricular

9:30am CST

Digging Deeper: How Coaches’ Questioning Can Lead to Student Improvement
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
La Grange
Feedback Survey
As an instructional coach, it is easy to fall into the “advice trap.” This does little to empower the teachers we work with as coaches. In this session, we will explore questioning techniques that uncover unknown thinking in our teachers and help to elevate instructional practices in order to raise student achievement. We will dive into the purpose of the questions that are the most effective and identify ways to incorporate these into our coaching conversations.
Speakers
SN

Stephanie Nicoletti

Instructional Coach, CCSD #46
LA
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
La Grange
  Instruction, All

9:30am CST

Self-Paced Student Learning
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Monarch
Feedback Survey
True differentiation allows students to move through learning at their own pace. Managing a classroom full of kids that all have different needs can seem overwhelming! In this session you will hear how the general idea of "The Modern Classroom Project" was applied to a middle school science class to achieve true differentiation and self-paced learning. These strategies can be applied to any content, any grade, but the focus of this session will be how it was implemented in middle school.
Speakers
avatar for Sarah Meador

Sarah Meador

Director of ROE Services, Regional Office of Education #8
With over two decades immersed in education, spanning the teaching of 3rd through 8th graders, Sarah Meador has gathered a breadth of knowledge and experience. Her focus on science education, engagement strategies, and technology integration has led her to achieve the honor of becoming... Read More →
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Monarch
  Instruction, Cross Curricular

9:30am CST

Strategies for Contextualizing, Rather Than Memorizing Vocabulary for Students in Kindergarten Through Grade 12 - Strategies for all, especially multilingual learners
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Hinsdale
Feedback Survey
Knowing vocabulary words is imperative to reading comprehension as a student will only comprehend to their level of vocabulary knowledge, especially for English Language Learners. However, the knowledge of what vocabulary words mean is only part of the process. Learning about parts of words (prefix, suffix, and root words), and how they come together to make up the English language can help readers understand words while reading. Attend this session to learn more about evidence based vocabulary strategies that will help all learners, including multilingual/English learners contextualize, rather than memorize vocabulary. Strategies will cover Pre-Kindergarten through High School.
Speakers
avatar for Kari Harris

Kari Harris

Network Capacity Coach, IL MTSS Network/Northern Illinois University
Kari Harris is a Network Capacity Coach located in the northern region of Illinois. She has educational experience as a classroom teacher, a reading specialist, a literacy coach, and an instructional coach. Kari earned a Bachelor of Science from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo... Read More →
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Hinsdale
  Instruction, Cross Curricular

9:30am CST

Unpacking the Science of Learning - Utilizing Retrieval Practices in the Classroom
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Clarendon Hills
Feedback Survey
The session will explore research in cognitive psychology and related disciplines, focusing on effective learning methods for lifelong learning and skill mastery. Participants will be provided with practical examples of these methods to utilize in their classrooms.
Speakers
avatar for Janet Flesch

Janet Flesch

Regional Specialist, Illinois SLD Support Project
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Clarendon Hills
  Student Engagement, Cross Curricular

9:30am CST

Declutter Your Digital Life
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Salt Creek
Feedback Survey
There’s a better way to work! This Google-focused session will share 23 tips you didn't know you needed for cutting out the clutter, streamlining your workflow, and getting more done every day. You'll learn actionable strategies to help you prioritize tasks, organize files, manage emails, schedule and run efficient meetings, and improve your document and slide creation. Learn the tips the pros use to declutter your digital life to spend more time on the things that matter most. Bring your device and learn as you listen.
Speakers
avatar for Eric Santos

Eric Santos

Regional Educational Technology Coordinator, Learning Technology Center of Illinois
Eric Santos is the Regional Educational Technology Coordinator for the Learning Technology Center in the Chicagoland region. Eric believes in advocating for greater equity in educational opportunities as well as engaging, inspiring, and empowering all educators through effective edtech... Read More →
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Salt Creek
  Technology, Cross Curricular

9:30am CST

Relationships before Rigor
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Doral
Feedback Survey
Using STEAM practices, this session will help to build staff confidence in relationship ideas and increase student classroom engagement. We will focus on priority standards, how to address your teachers and students, ways to build bridges between STEAM and your classroom, and opening a door for future school development conversations.
Speakers
JW

Jessica Winn

STEAM Educator, NIU
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Doral
  Technology, Cross Curricular

10:45am CST

**FEATURED SPEAKER** - Coaching for Equity: instructional coaching as a way to address systemic inequity in science classrooms
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Mallard
Feedback Survey
Instructional coaching is a way to build reflective practices in teachers to drive instructional change. The relational nature of coaching techniques allows the coach to provide specific, context-based suggestions that could be used to address inequitable structures in classrooms. Individuals who work with teachers can make specific and intentional moves to help teachers reflect on and challenge structures of power, narratives, and values of science, and what science participation looks like from within specific classroom structures.
Speakers
JS
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Mallard
  **FEATURED SPEAKER**, Instruction

10:45am CST

**KEYNOTE** - What Great Leaders Do Differently
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Ballroom F
Feedback Survey
What are the specific qualities and practices of great educational leaders that elevate them above the rest? This session reveals what the most effective leaders do differently than their colleagues. Participants will focus on what the most successful leaders do . . . that others do not. Everyone will leave knowing what great leaders do differently, why these things make them more effective, and learn how to immediately implement each of these into your own districts and schools.
Speakers
TW
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Ballroom F
  **KEYNOTE**, Educational Leadership

10:45am CST

Self Care - A Realistic and Systematic Plan for Putting Your Oxygen Mask on First
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Torrey Pines
Feedback Survey
Self Care is a word that is heard often. We are told to practice self care, take care of ourselves, put your oxygen mask on before you help others but what does that really look like? As educators we naturally give and take care of others before we take care of ourselves, how can we fix that? Our building principal and social worker worked together using a variety of resources to put together a year long plan focusing each month on a self care habit. These habits are applicable to the adults in your system but also applicable to the youngest students. Learn more about his process and plan and take away ideas that you can implement to incorporate these habits of self care into your classroom and building.
Speakers
LC
ER

Emilie Ruppert

Social Worker
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Torrey Pines
  Climate/Classroom Management, SEL

10:45am CST

MTSS: Leading a Strong Tier 1
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Ballroom A-B
Feedback Survey
The success of any Multi-Tiered System of Supports begins with focused leadership and a strong Tier 1. Join other school and district leaders to learn about potential roadblocks to a strong Tier 1 and actions steps to move your MTSS work forward.
Speakers
avatar for Kim Spiker

Kim Spiker

Network Capacity Coach, IL MTSS-Network/Northern Illinois University
I was a general education teacher for 20 years, mostly elementary, and have been coaching schools and districts on implementing MTSS for 9 years. I also have some administrative experience. I spent my time in rural schools and admire them for their "many hat" efforts to do their best... Read More →
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Ballroom A-B
  Data, MTSS

10:45am CST

Cracking the Coaching Code
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
White Oak
Feedback Survey
Education is a people business. Our hope as leaders is to create an environment and structure where deep, meaningful conversations happen consistently and teacher growth is the norm and not the anomaly.

This session uses personality archetypes to help leaders better understand themselves and how to communicate to others. Once we understand that we can continually adapt our communication styles to meet the diverse needs of those we serve, we crack the coaching code and can become a better leader for those we serve.
Speakers
avatar for PJ Caposey

PJ Caposey

Superintendent, Meridian CUSD 223
Award winning educator, author x 7, keynote speaker. https://www.amazon.com/P.-J.-Caposey/e/B00DVY1BMI%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
BW

Bryan Wills

Board of Education President
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
White Oak
  Instruction, Cross Curricular

10:45am CST

Elevating Student Engagement through Instructional Coaching
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Monarch
Feedback Survey
Instructional coaching offers a powerful approach to not only enhance teaching practices but also to profoundly impact student engagement. In this session, participants will explore the foundational principles of instructional coaching and its direct correlation to student engagement. We will unpack strategies for leveraging coaching techniques to create learning environments where every student feels seen, heard, and motivated to excel.
Speakers
avatar for Faye Licari

Faye Licari

Instructional Coach, Kane County Regional Office of Education
avatar for Elsa Glover

Elsa Glover

Instructional Coach, Kane County Regional Office of Education
Hello!My name is Elsa Glover and I'm an instructional coach for Kane County Regional Office of Education. I earned my Bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois in English and History. Then I earned my Master's in Arts and Teaching at Aurora University.My teaching career started... Read More →
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Monarch
  Instruction, Cross Curricular

10:45am CST

Improving Student Learning with Teacher Teams through Learning Cycles
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Augusta
Feedback Survey
Administrators will learn how to collaborate with teacher teams to address student learning problems. The session includes an overview of a research-based learning cycle that explicitly addresses the root cause of student learning problems while providing structures to administrators and teacher teams for collaboration. Learning cycles is a systemic approach to teacher teams collaborating to improve student learning by using data to identify a specific responsive strategy to improve student learning. This includes analysis of trend and learning gap data. Implementing a learning cycle promotes distributed leadership throughout the teacher team, addresses comprehensive data analysis and review, identifies needed resources, professional learning, and setting SMART goals to measure the effect of the selected responsive strategy.
Speakers
LS

Lisa Skelly

Professional Development Specialist, Regional Office of Education #17
SF

Stacie France

LEAD Hub Director
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Augusta
  Instruction, Cross Curricular

10:45am CST

Maps Aren’t Just for Social Studies Anymore! GIS Maps in Your Curriculum
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Pebble Beach
Feedback Survey
Maps can be used in any subject area to provide a unique look at the world - to visualize data, observe patterns and relationships, and seek new insights based on analysis. This session will introduce you to two free, GIS mapping platforms that only require Internet connectivity.

MapMaker, a National Geographic and Esri, Inc. collaboration, allows teachers and students to explore and design maps, using basic GIS tools. Students can add map symbols and layers of curated data to show information. Swipe and filtering tools make it easy to compare and analyze data.

GeoInquiries™ are free, ready-to-use, GIS-based mapping activities, based on inquiry methods. An amazing array of introductory GIS map activities, created by Esri’s Education Team, connect to curriculum for various subjects at multiple grade levels. You can present an activity with one computer or as a hands-on activity for students. They gently introduce the teacher and the students to the interactive world of digital maps and help you see traditional content in new ways.

See how a map can enhance a topic you are teaching and engage your students in GIS mapping and inquiry.
Speakers
avatar for Judith Bock

Judith Bock

Geography and GIS Education Consultant
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Pebble Beach
  Instruction, Cross Curricular

10:45am CST

Using the 5Es with STEAM
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Ballroom I-J
Feedback Survey
Are you eager to ignite a dynamic fusion of learning in your classroom? Dive into our session and discover the art of weaving together diverse content standards through the dynamic framework of the 5Es lesson design. Explore invaluable resources to seamlessly blend various subjects, empowering your students with engaging and interconnected learning experiences. Walk away equipped with the expertise and tools to cultivate impactful educational journeys in your classroom. Join us and unlock the potential of cross-curricular exploration!
Speakers
avatar for Rachel Priola

Rachel Priola

Instructional Coach, CCUSD 301
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Ballroom I-J
  Instruction, Cross Curricular

10:45am CST

When a Student Needs More: How to Intensify Tier 2 and Tier 3 Instruction and Interventions
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Hinsdale
Feedback Survey
What do you do when student(s) are not responding to an intervention? This session will provide evidence-based strategies to improve intervention outcomes for these students. You will learn how to systematically make changes to an intervention’s strength, dosage, alignment and generalizability to improve learning outcomes. Join us to learn more and take helpful new ideas and tools back to your classroom to strengthen intervention for all your students!
Speakers
avatar for Kari Harris

Kari Harris

Network Capacity Coach, IL MTSS Network/Northern Illinois University
Kari Harris is a Network Capacity Coach located in the northern region of Illinois. She has educational experience as a classroom teacher, a reading specialist, a literacy coach, and an instructional coach. Kari earned a Bachelor of Science from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo... Read More →
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Hinsdale
  Instruction, Cross Curricular

10:45am CST

Unlocking High Achievement: Standards and Collaboration in Action
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Westmont
Feedback Survey
This professional development session is designed to enhance your understanding of how to effectively unpack standards and integrate learning intentions into assessments and lesson planning. In this session, participants will delve into strategies for deconstructing standards to identify key concepts, skills, and knowledge. We will explore the importance of collaborating with your team to align learning intentions with standards to create meaningful assessments and lessons that promote growth, achievement, and equitable learning opportunities for all learners. This session will provide practical tools and resources that can be immediately applied in the classroom.
Speakers
JG
avatar for Elisa Cirone
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Westmont
  Standards, Cross Curricular

10:45am CST

Gamify Instruction to Increase Engagement, Collaboration, and Reflection
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Ballroom E
Feedback Survey
In this session, participants will leave with gamification ideas that can easily be implemented, are standards driven, empower students, and make learning fun. Using these student driven activities and giving students a voice and choice in their learning is just one more way to bring back the FUN and help increase engagement! We will reference our own experiences increasing engagement with gamifying as well as teacher and student feedback. Our inspiration comes from some of our favorite professional texts (Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics, Explore Like a Pirate, and Fully Engaged). Get inspired and bring in collaboration and creativity into your classroom.
Speakers
EO
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Ballroom E
  Student Engagement, Cross Curricular

10:45am CST

From Doodling to Da Vinci: Get Artsy with AI
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Salt Creek
Feedback Survey
Explore AI-powered multimedia experiences that make digital creation more accessible to everyone through faster content generation and powerful editing features. Learn how AI tools can create everything from logos for your business to cover art for your AI-generated album. Create and edit podcasts, audiobooks, short films, training videos, advertisements, even social media posts. This session is intended to inspire and inform you of what the future of AI holds for creative multimedia production.
Speakers
avatar for Eric Santos

Eric Santos

Regional Educational Technology Coordinator, Learning Technology Center of Illinois
Eric Santos is the Regional Educational Technology Coordinator for the Learning Technology Center in the Chicagoland region. Eric believes in advocating for greater equity in educational opportunities as well as engaging, inspiring, and empowering all educators through effective edtech... Read More →
Monday December 9, 2024 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Salt Creek
  Technology, Arts

12:00pm CST

**FEATURED SPEAKER** - Active Learning with Google Tools and EduProtocols
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Conference Dining Room
Feedback Survey
EduProtocols are instructional templates that are designed to engage students in learning through critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity, in any subject or grade level. In this session you will see how engaging these can be for students by trying out several hands-on activities with Google tools such as Sketch and Tell, Iron Chef, Tier List, Thin Slides, and more. For more details see: https://bit.ly/curts-active
Speakers
EC
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Conference Dining Room
  **FEATURED SPEAKER**, Technology

12:00pm CST

A Plan for Social Emotional Regulation
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Torrey Pines
Feedback Survey
As we looked to increase academic rigor in our school we realized that many students struggled with self regulation when confronted with a difficult or rigorous task. Our School Improvement Leadership Team utilized the Cycles of Inquiry process to develop a systematic plan to track emotional responses and then provide consistent strategies to empower students to self regulate. Learn more about our process and the self regulation strategies that students learned in this process.
Speakers
LC
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Torrey Pines
  Climate/Classroom Management, SEL

12:00pm CST

Empowering All Learners: Student Success Through Gender Equity
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Oak Brook
Feedback Survey
In this session, participants will explore the concept of gender bias, and how identifying it can help to enhance the climate and culture in their classrooms. Participants will learn how understanding gender bias can increase student engagement and success while improving relationships throughout the school.
Speakers
avatar for Peter Cunningham

Peter Cunningham

Director of Instruction and Personnel, Diamond Lake SD 76
EB

Erica Berger

Director of Engagement and Growth
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Oak Brook
  Climate/Classroom Management, Cross Curricular

12:00pm CST

Home Court Advantage: Turning Your Classroom into Their Stadium
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Ballroom E
Feedback Survey
Just as sports teams tend to perform better when they play at home, our students excel when they are in a comfortable classroom where they feel safe and encouraged. In this interactive session, participants will experience several activities that they can take back to their classrooms to help establish their own home court advantage. Building relationships is imperative, so we offer strategies to use not just in August but throughout the year to maintain the levels of excitement that sports fans feel when cheering on their favorite teams.
Speakers
KM
KH
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Ballroom E
  Climate/Classroom Management, Cross Curricular

12:00pm CST

How Creating and Implementing an Alternative Discipline Framework Leads to Raised Student Engagement and Achievement
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Doral
Feedback Survey
As educators, we are often adept at identifying and then filling in the specific academic skills impeding a student’s ability to succeed in a content area; however when it comes to behaviors, our focus often shifts from a student demonstrating gaps in learning based on the absence of a specific skills to punishment or exclusion. This session will focus on how to create and implement an alternative discipline framework that puts learning at the center by matching restorative, reflective and instructional consequences to infractions and focusing on learning and developing SEL competencies while focusing on the learning that needs to take place to change the demonstrated behavior. Participants will engage in deep reflection of their current systems and how they support or inhibit student learning and walk away with a new approach to classroom and school based behavior management which will lead to increased student achievement. Participants will identify the SEL skills needed to address the presenting behaviors and walk away with multiple plans, forms and templates to address different frequent types of behavior incidents that impede access to ongoing academic learning. You will feel empowered with the extensive resources provided as examples and strategies that can be utilized for multiple types of behavior incidents impeding focus on academic learning. You’ll find you have much more time to teach after this session and your students will be able to learn!
Speakers
avatar for Elsie Lagunas

Elsie Lagunas

Student Advocate Support Specialist, North Cook ISC
AS
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Doral
  Climate/Classroom Management, Cross Curricular

12:00pm CST

Playful Practices: Exploring Social Emotional Learning Through Games and Activities
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Western Springs
Feedback Survey
** Open House Format ** Spend time in this session exploring a variety of social emotional learning games and mindful activities - HANDS ON! Play, explore, experiment with these SEL games and mindful activities in real time to get ideas for your classroom. Resources featured include: Breaking Barriers Down, Icebreaker Linemaker, Connect More, Head Rush, You Know, Ouisi, Mindfulness Matters, Rory’s Story Cubes, Hygge Game. Additionally, a variety of mindful activities will be showcased for educators to practice in real time and take back to their classrooms. Register to WIN - One complete set of the resources will be given away in a raffle drawing!
Speakers
MC

Michelle Coconate

Director of Social Emotional Support Services, Peoria County ROE #48
EK
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Western Springs
  Climate/Classroom Management, Cross Curricular

12:00pm CST

The Journey of Systemic Implementation of SEL in Rural Education
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
White Oak
Feedback Survey
This workshop will cover two different approaches to coaching for systemic SEL in rural school districts. Discussions will include SEL coaching, data-driven school improvement plans, and ongoing professional learning. Participants will receive a customized scope and sequence to support educator and student SEL.
Speakers
avatar for Jessica Donaldson

Jessica Donaldson

Professional Learning Specialist, Regional Office of Education #33
Jessica Donaldson serves as a Behavioral Health Consultant at Regional Office of Education #33 with over 15 years of extensive experience in Behavioral Health. Her expertise lies in bridging the gap between behavioral health and education through comprehensive training, coaching... Read More →
CN
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
White Oak
  Climate/Classroom Management, SEL

12:00pm CST

Improving Student Engagement and Family Communication Through Autocrat
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Pebble Beach
Feedback Survey
If you're a Google school looking to increase student engagement and accountability for academic progress, as well as improve communication with families, this session is for you! We will dive deep into an extension called Autocrat.

With Autocrat, you can merge information from any Google Sheet into a Google Doc or PDF and send it to any email address or share the documents with a data team.

The possibilities are endless: weekly newsletters, student reflections, SEL data, 9-week feedback, grading projects and essays, organizing student data, and much more.

Finding ways for students to communicate with their families is often a challenging Domain 4 task, but it becomes much easier with Autocrat.

By the end of this session, you will leave with a product you can use in your class as soon as tomorrow!
Speakers
avatar for Laura Moore

Laura Moore

Instructional Coach, East Peoria Community High Sch
Laura Moore is teaching her 14th year in the classroom as a math teacher, currently at East Peoria Community High School. As a Google Certified educator, technology in the classroom has always been a passion. Laura is constantly trying new ideas and platforms to improve her teaching... Read More →
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Pebble Beach
  Data, Cross Curricular

12:00pm CST

Equipping Educators: Strategies for Inclusive & Equitable Literacy Success
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Hinsdale
Feedback Survey
This session equips educators with an understanding of how to address diverse reading challenges from Dyslexia to Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). Through the Simple View of Reading (Gough & Tunmer, 1986) framework, participants learn data analysis techniques and evidence-based interventions for word recognition, language comprehension, and reading comprehension difficulties. These strategies cultivate an inclusive culture of literacy success, aligning seamlessly with the Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan to raise the literacy achievement of all students.
Speakers
avatar for Kellyn Sirach

Kellyn Sirach

Reading Content Specialist, IL SLD Support Project
Kellyn Sirach is a passionate and motivated educator who has committed her career to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to learn to read. Over the past year, she has served as the Reading Content Specialist for the IL SLD Support Project developing professional development... Read More →
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Hinsdale
  Instruction, Reading/Language Arts

12:00pm CST

How m(AI) Use this with Students?
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Salt Creek
Feedback Survey
In this session, discover how to enhance student learning with AI – at any age. Kelli will share specific teaching ideas and workflows that allow even the little students to learn how to learn with AI … even in the landscape of ever evolving tech.
Speakers
KL
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Salt Creek
  Instruction, Cross Curricular

12:00pm CST

Shifting the Focus from Keywords to Modeling in Word Problems
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Ballroom I-J
Feedback Survey
Word problems are always an area of frustration for teachers as well as students. Identifying key words to solve world problems in math is a common practice that often confuses students. Come find out how to shift the focus from identifying keywords to modeling and making sense of problems that you can make work in your classroom tomorrow!
Speakers
avatar for Rachel Priola

Rachel Priola

Instructional Coach, CCUSD 301
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Ballroom I-J
  Instruction, Math

12:00pm CST

Punk Rock Classrooms - Bringing PASSION, UNITY, & DIY to Schools & Classrooms
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Ballroom A-B
Feedback Survey
In this session, Mike, South Cook, IL. 2023 Elementary School Principal of the Year, will share the punk rock mindset and how the ideas of PASSION, UNITY, & DIY create classrooms and schools where students and staff are engaged, are ALL part of the culture and learning, and have ownership of what happens. Punk Rock Classrooms focuses on uniting educators to drop egos, work together emphasizing their own strengths and relying on their crew where they may have an area of growth. Educators do not need flashy programs, software, or scripted curriculum to engage our students. With the punk rock mindset, educators can bring life changing lessons to their students that will not be forgotten. There is no reason that a classroom should not resemble that punk show you still remember 20 years later: small club, no flashy lights or pyrotechnics, cramped sweaty youth in the pit together, singing along and being just as much of the show as the band. Our classrooms need to resemble this, students moving around, collaborating and working together, taking over the “mic” and taking charge of their learning on their terms. A teacher should be in the middle of the classroom, moving around and facilitating just as when that hardcore vocalist turns the mic to the crowd and has them sing the chorus. The band is there to facilitate, but the crowd is taking the energy where they know it needs to go. Our teachers need to step aside and let our students do this.
Speakers
avatar for Michael Earnshaw

Michael Earnshaw

Principal, Oak Glen Elementary School - Lansing SD 158
Michael Earnshaw is a father, husband, and elementary school principal. He is the author of The EduCulture Cookbook: Recipes and Dishes to Positively Transform School and Classroom Culture with EduMatch Publishing and co-host of the Punk Rock Classrooms Podcast. Michael strives to... Read More →
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Ballroom A-B
  Student Engagement, Cross Curricular

12:00pm CST

Thriving Together as a School Community: Four Strategies to enhance our current practices for student success
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Westmont
Feedback Survey
School teachers and administrators are key to building a strong school community. Join us in this session as we share strategies that you can implement within your current structures in order to develop more inclusive practices. As a platform for discussion, four strategies will be shared that center around 1) reflecting on personal practices in how we show up for our students and staff in ways that are open and inclusive, 2) strengthening School Improvement Plans to reflect an equitable lens, 3) reviewing school data sources and committee structures to ensure that we are focused on all students and their individual growth, and 4) realigning our stakeholder engagement practices in ways that best reflect the students and communities we serve. Our goal is for you to leave our session with concrete next steps that can easily be implemented in order to achieve your goals around building a thriving and inclusive school community.
Speakers
avatar for Julie Morris

Julie Morris

Professional Learning Specialist, West40 ISC
KK
Monday December 9, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST
Westmont
  Student Engagement, Cross Curricular

1:15pm CST

**FEATURED SPEAKER** - The Future of Feedback - Guided Grading with AI
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Conference Dining Room
Feedback Survey
One of the biggest challenges in education is the time required to provide detailed feedback on student work. Thankfully we now have powerful AI tools that can generate personalized feedback for student work based on the guidelines, rubrics, and style we suggest. This can include feedback on student writing from short answers to full essays, as well as feedback on spoken student explanations. In this session we will explore AI feedback tools such as Class Companion, Snorkl, EnlightenAI, and more. For more details see: http://bit.ly/curts-aigrading
Speakers
EC
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Conference Dining Room
  **FEATURED SPEAKER**, Technology

1:15pm CST

**FEATURED SPEAKER** - Unpacking Cultural Relevance to Bridge the Divide Between School and Everywhere Else in the World (part 1)
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Mallard
Feedback Survey
Cultural relevance promotes inclusive environments that expand perspectives of meaningful participation to include all students. This session will consist of two parts, with part 1 focusing on: (1) What is cultural relevance? (2) How has cultural relevance been applied? and (3) How can we make actionable steps in our own classrooms to affirm the diverse cultures and perspectives of our students?
Speakers
JS
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Mallard
  **FEATURED SPEAKER**, Instruction

1:15pm CST

**KEYNOTE** - Have You Shifted Your Monkey Today?
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Ballroom F
Feedback Survey
Do the best staff members do too much and your worst employees too little? Are there people in your organizations who work at avoiding doing work? Do you know anyone who whines, pouts, or complains endlessly? This session is just what you need. This session will help everyone lead their organizations more effectively. Come and join the fun as you learn how to shift the monkey!
Speakers
TW
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Ballroom F
  **KEYNOTE**, All

1:15pm CST

Empowering Educators with Effective Feedback Practices
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Monarch
Feedback Survey
Effective feedback lies at the heart of growth and improvement in education. However, providing feedback that truly resonates with educators and drives meaningful change can be a challenging endeavor. In this session, participants will explore the art and science of feedback, discovering how it can serve as a catalyst for professional growth and enhanced student outcomes.
Speakers
avatar for Faye Licari

Faye Licari

Instructional Coach, Kane County Regional Office of Education
avatar for Elsa Glover

Elsa Glover

Instructional Coach, Kane County Regional Office of Education
Hello!My name is Elsa Glover and I'm an instructional coach for Kane County Regional Office of Education. I earned my Bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois in English and History. Then I earned my Master's in Arts and Teaching at Aurora University.My teaching career started... Read More →
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Monarch
  Assessment, Cross Curricular

1:15pm CST

Climate Before Content
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Ballroom C-D
Feedback Survey
Discover the essential building blocks for fostering a positive classroom climate in this interactive breakout session. Explore how intentional relationship-building, community-building activities, and social-emotional learning strategies lay the groundwork for effective tier one instruction. Learn practical techniques to establish a safe, inclusive environment where students feel valued and supported, enabling them to engage fully in learning. Unlock the keys to creating a classroom culture where every student can thrive, setting the stage for academic success.
Speakers
EH

Elizabeth Hand

Instructional Coach, Rockford Public School District #205
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Ballroom C-D
  Climate/Classroom Management, Cross Curricular

1:15pm CST

Give Me a Break: Creating a Kinesthetic Classroom Climate
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Cardinal
Feedback Survey
Are you looking for strategies to improve student focus, supplement class instruction, and boost test scores? This session offers instructional tips for incorporating physical activity into the classroom. Learn how to integrate brain breaks and energize your classroom.
Speakers
avatar for Tammy Schiek

Tammy Schiek

Associate Professor, Rockford University
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Cardinal
  Climate/Classroom Management, Cross Curricular

1:15pm CST

Half-Marathon Management: 13.1 Lessons for School Leaders to Empower Staff to Uncover the Unique Individuality of ALL Students to Best Connect, Reach, & Teach Them for a Lifetime of Success
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Ballroom A-B
Feedback Survey
Michael Earnshaw, South Cook IL. 2023 Elementary Principal of the Year, will guide and pace attendees through a half-marathon’s worth of lessons, tips, and strategies to not only make them more comfortable taking risks, collaborating, and getting out of their comfort zones, but also reaching and building positive relationships with EVERY student that is in their school. Through honest & personal storytelling, Michael will engage attendees & share simple, practical, yet powerful techniques to improve school and classroom culture. Michael’s activities and stories focus on empowering our staff to know that every school year is different, just as every half-marathon is, but with the proper training and understanding of all the different facets and obstacles we may face, we can always be a positive influence in those we serve and finish our race, together. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of their own strengths and how they can best serve their staff, students, and community.
Speakers
avatar for Michael Earnshaw

Michael Earnshaw

Principal, Oak Glen Elementary School - Lansing SD 158
Michael Earnshaw is a father, husband, and elementary school principal. He is the author of The EduCulture Cookbook: Recipes and Dishes to Positively Transform School and Classroom Culture with EduMatch Publishing and co-host of the Punk Rock Classrooms Podcast. Michael strives to... Read More →
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Ballroom A-B
  Climate/Classroom Management, Cross Curricular

1:15pm CST

Human Elements: Honoring the Humanity of Humans
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
La Grange
Feedback Survey
What is it that ties people together? Join the conversation as we take a look at the abundant ideas around what makes humans care about one another, what inspires them, and how our own humanity drives us to seek happiness, purpose, and bonds. Whether we are considering Sheryl Sandberg, Simon Sinek, Dalia Feldheim, Daniel Coyle, Liz Wiseman, or Shawn Achor, it all comes down to the human elements, really.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. April D. Jordan

Dr. April D. Jordan

Executive Director
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
La Grange
  Climate/Classroom Management, Culture & Climate

1:15pm CST

"How to Herd Cats and Teach Humans: Instructional Strategies That Actually Work!"
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Ballroom E
Feedback Survey
Are you tired of feeling like you're herding cats in the classroom? Do you find yourself assessing student engagement by counting the number of yawns per minute? In this session we’ll dive head first into a carefully curated list of instructional strategies that you can take home with you today! I’ll cover assessment, writing, discussion, SEL, grading, and AI strategies just to name a few! All strategies can be adjusted to fit your needs.
Speakers
SR
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Ballroom E
  Instruction, Cross Curricular

1:15pm CST

How do People REALLY Learn?
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Doral
Feedback Survey
Want students to be college and career ready in the 21st century? Start by designing student experiences based on the science of how people actually learn. Thanks to recent research from multiple fields, we now know how to radically increase student learning. In this interactive session, learn about the four major principles that can transform teaching practice, using concrete examples. Then, ground what we explore in the reality of your schools. Throughout the session, generate ideas for curriculum, instruction, and assessment that will lead to significantly greater success for your students.
Speakers
avatar for Mike Czerniawski

Mike Czerniawski

School Improvement Coordinator, West40 ISC #2
All students deserve a great education. To make that happen, I work with educational leaders to enhance district and school transformation efforts. I specialize in helping educators focus on the changes to leadership, instruction, professional learning networks, and climate and culture... Read More →
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Doral
  Instruction, Cross Curricular

1:15pm CST

Developing Successful Partnerships
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Pebble Beach
Feedback Survey
Successful partnerships with colleagues and families are built on effective collaboration. This is crucial for implementing inclusive practices and promoting student academic and social-emotional learning. In our discussion, we will cover communication styles, challenges to collaboration, and strategies for improving partnerships with general educators, special educators, paraprofessionals, administrators, and families. We will also provide resources that can be implemented immediately.
Speakers
MM
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Pebble Beach
  Student Engagement, SEL

1:15pm CST

Engaging Minds: Active Teaching through Object Based Learning
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Hinsdale
Feedback Survey
Discover the transformative power of Object-Based Learning (OBL) in the modern classroom with our presentation on "Engaging Minds: Active Teaching through Object-Based Learning." This innovative educational approach leverages physical objects to stimulate student engagement, enhance critical thinking, and deepen understanding across various subjects.
Join us as we explore how OBL can bring abstract concepts to life by integrating tangible artifacts into lesson plans. Participants will gain insight into the diverse benefits of OBL, including improved retention, heightened curiosity, and the development of observational and inferential skills.
Our interactive presentation, inspired by the Smithsonian’s Teacher Innovator Institute, will showcase practical examples from different educational settings, demonstrating how everyday objects, historical artifacts, and art pieces can serve as powerful educational tools. Attendees will learn how to curate and incorporate objects into their own teaching practices, creating immersive and interactive learning experiences.
Additionally, we will discuss the logistical aspects of implementing OBL, such as sourcing objects, managing classroom dynamics, and aligning with curriculum standards. By the end of the session, educators will be equipped with actionable strategies to foster a more engaging and participatory classroom environment through the use of object-based learning.
Prepare to be inspired by this dynamic approach that not only captivates students but also enriches their educational journey, turning passive learning into an active exploration of the world around them.
Speakers
CO
avatar for Kristen Delisio

Kristen Delisio

Hinckley-Big Rock CUSD 429
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Hinsdale
  Student Engagement, Cross Curricular

1:15pm CST

Executive Functioning: What Is It and How Does It Affect Our Students
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Oak Brook
Feedback Survey
Executive functioning consists of many different processes that allow individuals to manage their everyday lives. It’s the skills we acquire that allow us to plan and organize our lives while managing ourselves emotionally. Without control of our executive functioning skills, we struggle to activate ourselves to take action, to stay focused and retain information to our long-term memory, to regulate our emotions and manage our frustrations. Our students require intense and explicit instruction in these areas more than ever before. Teachers will learn about each of the key components of executive functioning, the challenges of teaching executive functioning, and strategies to teach executive functioning skills in the classroom.
Speakers
avatar for David Brannstrom

David Brannstrom

Instructional Coach, Burlington Central #301
David Brannstrom is an instructional coach, with a specialization in special education, in Burlington, Illinois. David began his educational journey in 2004 as a middle school special education case manager and is currently an instructional coach/tech with an emphasis on special education... Read More →
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Oak Brook
  Student Engagement, SEL

1:15pm CST

Stop, Collaborate and Listen
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Salt Creek
Feedback Survey
Collaboration is fundamental in today's learning environment. Often, we assign collaborative tasks to students without explaining the key elements for success. This session is designed to unravel the core of collaboration and how it can be incorporated into the classroom. Get ready to discover various strategies for teaching people of all ages about teamwork. Participants will also have opportunities to experience digital and hands-on activities to promote and practice collaboration. Together, let’s make sure we’re supporting our learners to become strong collaborators for the classroom and beyond.
Speakers
KN

Katie Normoyle

Instructional Coach, CCUSD 301
avatar for Leah Herold

Leah Herold

Instructional Coach, Central District 301
Leah Herold is in her 17th year as an educator in Central District #301. This is her seventh year of being an Instructional Coach. Prior to this position, she taught 4th grade for nine years. Leah is a Level 1 & 2 Google Certified Educator. She holds an undergraduate degree in Elementary... Read More →
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Salt Creek
  Student Engagement, Cross Curricular

1:15pm CST

Unveiling the Nexus between Student Engagement and School Culture
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Clarendon Hills
Feedback Survey
For the past three years, I have worked to identify the similarities among school culture and student engagement. Through a very detailed literature analysis, I will share what classroom teachers and school administrators can do in their schools to improve the school culture, while heightening student engagement in the process.
Speakers
avatar for Morgan Wilhoit

Morgan Wilhoit

Superintendent
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Clarendon Hills
  Student Engagement, Cross Curricular

1:15pm CST

Key Components of High-Quality Program for Newcomers
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Western Springs
Feedback Survey
Participants will examine the recent shifts in immigration patterns that have brought an influx of newcomers to our state and explore the socio-cultural, linguistic, and academic needs of their newcomers. Reflecting on the unique needs of their local community, participants will be guided in applying research-based and pragmatic systems to meet the needs of their newcomers with aligned and measurable success indicators, to complement their existing ESL/Bilingual/Dual program. Successfully meeting the needs of newcomers during their first months in US schools helps to lay the foundation for successful academic achievement, linguistic growth, and a healthy cultural identity.
Speakers
BM
Monday December 9, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CST
Western Springs
  Subgroup Populations, Cross Curricular

2:30pm CST

**FEATURED SPEAKER** - Google Tools to Support all Learners
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Conference Dining Room
Feedback Survey
There are many Google tools, apps, extensions, and features available to assist all learners. In this session we take an in-depth hands-on look at a wide range of technology tools to assist any and all learners. These can include text-to-speech, speech-to-text, readability, reading comprehension, artificial intelligence tools, audio support, organization, focus, and more. Learn what tools are available and how to access and use these free tools with your students. For more details see: https://bit.ly/curts-support
Speakers
EC
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Conference Dining Room
  **FEATURED SPEAKER**, Technology

2:30pm CST

**FEATURED SPEAKER** - Unpacking Cultural Relevance to Bridge the Divide Between School and Everywhere Else in the World (part 2)
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Mallard
Feedback Survey
Cultural relevance promotes inclusive environments that expand perspectives of meaningful participation to include all students. The second session will be a time for participants to workshop applications of cultural relevance for their classroom context in collaboration with the presenter and other participants in similar subjects/grade bands.
Speakers
JS
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Mallard
  **FEATURED SPEAKER**, Instruction

2:30pm CST

**KEYNOTE** - Leading Educational Change
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Ballroom F
Feedback Survey
This session provides a step-by-step approach to successfully implement any change that you would like to occur in your educational setting. Leading Educational Change is designed for anyone who is interested in successfully implementing change throughout their school or organization.
Whether you are turning your organization around or just making a good setting better, you will leave with specific strategies you can immediately implement. Additionally you will understand how to successfully bring about any changes in people or programs in the future.
Included will be information on where to start the change process, ways to make sure it will be supported by all, and how to diminish the influence of the resistors. Whether it is a change you hope to make or a new mandate you have to implement you will learn how to bring everyone in your organization on board.
Speakers
TW
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Ballroom F
  **KEYNOTE**, Organizational Change

2:30pm CST

"Building Bridges: Cultivating Student Collaboration for Classroom Success"
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Sugar Maple
Feedback Survey
This Professional Learning course will ignite your classroom with the power of student collaboration. Dive into strategies that transform your classroom into a hub of student-led learning using cutting-edge, research-based methods. Discover the magic of collaborative learning, with engaging activities that foster a cooperative spirit and teach students to communicate effectively. This interactive session will arm you with practical, ready-to-use tools to bring back to your classroom. Aligned with the Danielson Framework, this course will empower you to inspire your students to take charge of their own learning journey. Get ready to revolutionize your teaching and see your students thrive like never before!
Speakers
KT
KS
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Sugar Maple
  Climate/Classroom Management, Cross Curricular

2:30pm CST

A Classroom in Chaos: Strategies for Supporting Student Mental Health
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Pinehurst
Feedback Survey
The goal of this collaborative presentation is important to the field in its
connection with supporting both general education and special education
teachers, support staff, and leadership. Placing focus on navigating mental
health within tiers, responding to challenging behaviors, intervention
implementation, and an exemplar process of mental health crisis
management. The outcomes of this presentation will
be to understand the importance of mental health in schools, implement
interventions and strategies for supporting students with mental health
needs, and responding effectively to students in crisis. The benefits of this
presentation will provide educators with the knowledge and skills they need
to create a safe and supportive learning environment for all students. The
practices will improve student performance by staff accurately determining
mental health interventions for internalizing and externalizing students. As
well as, utilizing data and an effective crisis management process
throughout your building(s).
Speakers
MW
ML
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Pinehurst
  Climate/Classroom Management, SEL

2:30pm CST

Building UPward: Supporting SEL for Educators
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Monarch
Feedback Survey
Join this session to explore the ways that Grant Community High School District 124 supports staff SEL. During the session we will dive into the importance and impact of holding space for educators to process the often emotional realities of working and growing in this profession. This content applies to educators at any stage of their career, from first year to retirement, in any role in the school. Our instructional coaches’ will share their approach to ongoing PD for staff using a variety of curated resources from experts like Elena Aguilar, Tina Boogren, and Jennifer Abrams. Attendees will leave with examples of activities and discussions, as well as a frame for designing your own version tailored to your school’s adult SEL needs.
Speakers
VS

Vicki Shifley

Instructional Coach, Grant Community High School District 124
TC

Trisha Crambes

Instructional Coach
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Monarch
  Climate/Classroom Management, Coaching/PD

2:30pm CST

If you take care of the teachers, they will take care of the students!
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Westmont
Feedback Survey
When teachers are supported, students flourish. Our proposal prioritizes the well-being of educators, recognizing their pivotal role in shaping young minds. By providing comprehensive support programs, including physical and mental health resources, we ensure teachers are equipped to create nurturing learning environments. Continuous professional development opportunities empower educators to refine their skills and stay abreast of best practices. Competitive compensation and supportive work environments bolster teacher retention, fostering stability within schools. Involving teachers in decision-making processes cultivates a culture of collaboration and innovation. When teachers feel valued and supported, they are better positioned to inspire, guide, and nurture the growth of their students. Thus, investing in teachers is not only an investment in their well-being but also in the holistic success and flourishing of every student they serve.

​​Join me in a workshop where we delve into the powerful connection between teacher well-being and student success. Our theme, "If You Take Care of the Teachers, They Will Take Care of the Students," highlights the pivotal role educators play in shaping student outcomes. Through interactive sessions and expert insights, discover practical strategies for supporting teacher growth and empowerment. Gain valuable tools to foster a positive learning environment where both teachers and students thrive. Don't miss this opportunity to make a real impact in education. Register now to secure your spot!
Speakers
avatar for Vicki Brown

Vicki Brown

Proud Principal, South Shore Fine Arts Academy
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Westmont
  Climate/Classroom Management, Teacher Retention

2:30pm CST

Punk Rock Principalship: Creating Positve School Culture, Building Teacher Leaders, and Fostering Life Long Learning through Risk Taking, Collaboration, and Relationships
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Ballroom A-B
Feedback Survey
Michael Earnshaw, South Cook IL. 2023 Elementary Principal of the Year, has hands-on experience with creating a positive, collaborative, & trusting school culture. During this session, attendees will discover the importance of reflecting on their own lives which have driven them to become educators. Through honest & personal storytelling, Michael will engage attendees & share simple, practical, yet powerful techniques to improve school culture. Attendees will leave armed with activities that can be implemented tomorrow! Michael’s activities focus on empowering our students to know their voices need to be heard & that they have the power to change our world for the better. Michael shares how leading with a Punk Rock Mindset, Passion, Unity, & DIY (Do it Yourself) ethos will drive both staff & students to reach their full potential. Attendees will leave equipped to implement collaborative, engaging, & deep learning activities such as Speed Dating, Struggle Island, & Flippin' Flapjacks.
Speakers
avatar for Michael Earnshaw

Michael Earnshaw

Principal, Oak Glen Elementary School - Lansing SD 158
Michael Earnshaw is a father, husband, and elementary school principal. He is the author of The EduCulture Cookbook: Recipes and Dishes to Positively Transform School and Classroom Culture with EduMatch Publishing and co-host of the Punk Rock Classrooms Podcast. Michael strives to... Read More →
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Ballroom A-B
  Climate/Classroom Management, Cross Curricular

2:30pm CST

School Reimagined: Building a Culture of Kindness, Patience, and Empathy
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Doral
Feedback Survey
The expression of kindness, patience, and empathy by teachers can profoundly impact student outcomes and overall classroom dynamics and combat the myriad of challenges present in our schools. This session will provide educators with the knowledge, tools, and strategies needed to harness the power of kindness, patience, and empathy in their teaching practices. Supported by MTSS data, the presenters will detail the positive impact these strategies have on student growth.

By the end of this session, participants will understand the framework that supports the positive impact of kindness, patience, and empathy on student engagement, motivation, and academic performance. Participants will discover effective communication techniques, including active listening, so that they approach disciplinary issues and challenging conversations in a way that prioritizes kindness, patience, and empathy in school culture.

Throughout the session, participants will engage in practical activities, group discussions, and self-reflective exercises that promote an experiential learning approach. They will leave with a toolkit that empowers them to integrate kindness, patience, and empathy into their teaching practices in an effort to drive school improvement.

This session is designed for educators at all levels, as well as educational administrators and support staff. This inspiring and transformative session will equip educators with the tools and knowledge needed to cultivate a kinder, more patient, and empathetic educational experience that benefits students and educators alike. Kindness, patience, and empathy are essential pillars of an effective culture that drives educational improvement.
Speakers
NP
RB
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Doral
  Climate/Classroom Management, Cross Curricular

2:30pm CST

The Culture of Me: Failing Forwards to Find Our We
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Cardinal
Feedback Survey
This presentation will review how education and our society has moved from a “we” ideology to a “me” focus. From tracing the words, we use, actions of schools, and historical antidotes the audience will gain a sense of how far from community we have come. By using my journey as a first-year principal in the COVID era and being candid about grief, depression, anxiety, imposter syndrome, humor, love, embracing the chaos, contact tracing, trauma, building student self-esteem, and the triumph of students, the audience will learn how to build a school based “we” that fosters finding peace within themselves and how that builds a better school and fosters community. The audience will leave with the understanding that they too can foster their own “we” by looking deep into their “me”. If someone in the audience has considered their “why” from a perspective of anxiety, stress, or even contemplated leaving the field, but retains the resolve to remain in education – this presentation will provide them with the insight and tools to sustain their energy and mental health to do the work, and to share what they have learned with others. So that our “we” can support and retain “me”.
Speakers
JB
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Cardinal
  Climate/Classroom Management, Culture & Climate

2:30pm CST

Building Emotional Intelligence: Picture Books as Tools for Teaching SEL
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Hinsdale
Feedback Survey
In this engaging session, we will build basic knowledge of The Illinois Social Emotional Learning Standards. After delving into the standards, we will explore our go-to picture books, both old and brand new, that we can leverage to teach and lean into SEL topics and standards.
Speakers
avatar for Dan Wolf

Dan Wolf

Literacy Coordinator, Woodridge School District 68
TM

Toni Mrozik

3rd Grade Teacher
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Hinsdale
  Instruction, Reading/Language Arts

2:30pm CST

Differentiation and Adaptations: Reaching More Students in Your Classroom
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Pebble Beach
Feedback Survey
Differentiation is a method of approaching teaching and learning that takes into account how students learn and their level of preparedness before the lesson. In this session, participants will learn how to plan for differentiation by making adjustments to the content, process, product, and learning environment based on students' readiness, interests, and learning profile. Additionally, resources for implementing differentiation will be provided.
Speakers
MM
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Pebble Beach
  Instruction, Cross Curricular

2:30pm CST

The Future of Teaching: Insights from the Danielson Framework 2022
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Clarendon Hills
Feedback Survey
As education evolves, so do the frameworks that guide effective teaching practices. The Danielson Framework 2022 brings fresh perspectives and innovative strategies to enhance instructional effectiveness and student engagement. Join us for an insightful session where we delve into the latest updates of this renowned framework and discover how it can transform your teaching.
Speakers
SS
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Clarendon Hills
  Instruction, All

2:30pm CST

Charting the Course: From Traditional Grading to Standards-Based Success
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Ballroom G-H
Feedback Survey
Join us for an enlightening session where we share our journey from traditional to standards-based grading practices. In this session, we'll address the question: How can educators effectively shift their grading practices to align with standards and promote student success?

By implementing standards-based grading, educators can provide more accurate and meaningful feedback to students, fostering a deeper understanding of content and promoting academic growth. In turn this provides student ownership and engagement in learning.

Our session will explore practical strategies for unpacking standards, collecting data, and implementing proficiency-based grading. Drawing from research, theory, and best practices in education, we'll ground our discussion in evidence-based approaches that have shown to increase both educator and student success.

Participants can expect to gain an understanding of standards-based grading principles and leave with actionable steps to implement in their own classrooms. Together, we'll chart a course towards a more equitable, standards-aligned approach to assessment, ultimately enhancing student learning outcomes.

Come learn how to transform your grading practices and unlock new possibilities for student achievement!
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Megan Johnson

Dr. Megan Johnson

Assistant Superintendent, Belvidere Community Unit School District #100
I am a mother of two, a wife, daughter, sister, friend, and life long learner. I love to hang out with friends and my family. I enjoy exercising and traveling. I love watching sports and am always a fan of an "underdog" story. I choose to be an educator because I love working with... Read More →
EJ

Elin Jacobson

Elementary Technology Coach
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Ballroom G-H
  Standards, Cross Curricular

2:30pm CST

Are you ready to equip your students with the skills and experiences they need to thrive in high-demand careers?
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Torrey Pines
Feedback Survey
This session will guide you through the exciting world of Pathway Endorsement Programs. Learn how to implement a program that validates student achievement, prepares them for college and career success, and connects them with industry partners.

Key Takeaways:
Demystifying the Framework: Gain a comprehensive understanding of the Pathway Endorsement Program requirements, including a brief overview of Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs), career-focused Instruction, work-based learning experiences, and academic readiness.

Regional Support Systems: Learn more about how one region is providing supports for pathway implementation through resources like Xello and unique events such as the Pathway Playground, team based challegnge days, and indutry signing events.

Industry Partnerships: Learn how to forge valuable connections with local businesses to provide real-world experiences for your students.

Sharing the Journey: A school district will share their firsthand experience implementing a Pathway Endorsement Program, offering insights and best practices.
Speakers
CM

Chanda McDonnell

Pathway Navigator, Regional Office of Education #47
HW

Heather Waninger

Pathway Navigator, Regional Office of Education #47
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Torrey Pines
  Student Engagement, College & Career Readiness

2:30pm CST

MTSS & Multilingual Learners: Applying the Goldilocks Principle
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Western Springs
Feedback Survey
Is your MTSS process serving multilingual learners to the best outcomes? Do you wonder if universal screeners and associated process are over-identifying multilingual learners for Tier 2 and 3 interventions? Or is under-identification your greater concern? Are the applied interventions successful or failing? Are you struggling to get to the just the right balance for your multilingual learners; one that mimics the balance in your never-EL population? Learn about key concepts that must be considered when setting up or tweaking an MTSS process to avoid both over- and underrepresentation, key variables that impact multilingual learners’ progress, key questions that must be asked and answered when interpreting multilingual learners’ classroom performance, assessment results, and progress monitoring data, and key considerations that must be applied to interventions at any tier to hit that just right Goldilocks point for the MTSS process for multilingual learners at your district or school.
Speakers
BM
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Western Springs
  Subgroup Populations, Cross Curricular

2:30pm CST

Become a Samurai with SAMR + AI
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Oak Brook
Feedback Survey
This session is designed for K-12 leaders who are ready to move beyond the basics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and explore its practical application as a transformative teaching tool. We'll delve into using the latest AI tools to push technology use past substitution and into the deeper end of the SAMR pool. We’ll demonstrate a few tips on how AI can enhance your leadership role. We’ll explore cutting-edge AI developments on the horizon that will impact students when they enter the workforce. And finally we’ll equip you with the critical considerations for crafting a robust AI policy for your district. Join this session to become a SAMR and AI Samurai!
Speakers
avatar for Eric Santos

Eric Santos

Regional Educational Technology Coordinator, Learning Technology Center of Illinois
Eric Santos is the Regional Educational Technology Coordinator for the Learning Technology Center in the Chicagoland region. Eric believes in advocating for greater equity in educational opportunities as well as engaging, inspiring, and empowering all educators through effective edtech... Read More →
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Oak Brook
  Technology, Leadership

2:30pm CST

Isn’t it Ironic? Nurturing Humanity through Digital Literacy and AI
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Ballroom I-J
Feedback Survey
In a world of sound bytes, memes, and instant information, how do we help students ethically navigate it all to connect, rather than divide, our society? Dive into how the transformative power of digital literacy and AI, often perceived as nothing more than a cold, mechanical form of cheating, can actually foster our students’ most human traits—empathy, critical thinking, and community building. Gain an understanding of the ISTE standards for both educators and students and how they can support both academic and social-emotional growth. Explore how to use a variety of digital platforms, apps, and assistive technology to revolutionize and energize your teaching and engage students in innovative ways. Learn how to embed inclusive literature, digital resources, and student-centered strategies within a digital literacy framework that facilitates authentic learning opportunities for students across all grade levels and content areas to produce, communicate, interpret, and socialize fluidly and critically between the digital and print worlds. Whether you're a tech-savvy teacher or new to the world of embedding digital instruction, this session offers valuable insights and resources for creating an immersive and transformative learning experience for your students.
Speakers
avatar for Jennifer Bartman

Jennifer Bartman

Teacher, FCUSD #6
avatar for Cindi Koudelka

Cindi Koudelka

Curriculum Director, Fieldcrest CUSD 6
Monday December 9, 2024 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Ballroom I-J
  Technology, Cross Curricular
 
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