Summer Institute for Authentic Learning and Leadership: Full Schedule

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

1:25pm EDT

Authentic Learning as an “Achievement Culture” Cure

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:25pm - 2:20pm EDT

We are in the midst of a youth mental health crisis that is reaching a critical stage. Many of our students experience anxiety and depression; some describe living in a constant state of stress. Teen anxiety and depression levels are particularly high in affluent communities where students feel extreme pressure to achieve. In this session, we will examine the problem with input from a student, a neuropsychologist, and a school leader who looked at his school's data and made changes to radically improve student mental health. We will also have conversation about engaging our communities in confronting this crisis, with an emphasis on how we can utilize authentic learning as a tool in our commitment to student and staff wellness.

Speakers

Steve Shapiro

Co-Founder, Our Family Culture

Steve Shapiro is a veteran school reimaginer, with over 30 years of K-12 classroom teaching experience, 15 concurrent years as a high school humanities program director, and four years as a district leader of experiential learning. In response to the unsettling state of youth mental... Read More →

Nancy Shapiro

Co-Founder, Our Family Culture

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:25pm - 2:20pm EDT
W1401

Breakout Presentation

1:25pm EDT

Blue Lobster Lessons: Designing Unforgettable Learning Experiences! (REPEATED JULY 16, 11:00 am to 11:55 am, Room W2102)

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:25pm - 2:20pm EDT

W2102

What if schools intentionally cultivated “blue lobster” classrooms—rare, unforgettable learning experiences that students talk about for years? Blue lobsters occur only once in every two million lobsters because of a rare genetic trait. In the same way, extraordinary classrooms are created through intentional habits, bold creativity, meaningful relationships, engaging instruction, and innovative use of AI tools.

This high-energy session blends inspiration, humor, practical strategies, and hands-on experiences to help educators transform ordinary lessons into extraordinary ones. Participants will discover how to boost engagement, increase “teacher street cred,” and design memorable learning moments that spark curiosity and excitement. Educators will also explore practical ways to use AI to enhance instruction, spark creativity, personalize learning, save time, and make lessons more interactive and relevant for today’s students.

Through real-world examples, interactive activities, and immediately usable ideas, participants will leave with strategies and AI-enhanced resources they can implement right away to create classrooms that stand out from the crowd.
Whether you are looking to reignite passion in your teaching, inspire innovation in your school, or simply make learning more fun, meaningful, and future-ready, this session will provide the tools and mindset to help students—and teachers—become one in a million.

SESSION REPEATED JULY 16, 11:00 am to 11:55 am, Room W2102

Speakers

Buddy Berry

Superintendent, EIS

Dr. Buddy Berry is the superintendent of Eminence Independent Schools in Kentucky. He founded the innovative model “School on FIRE” (Framework of Innovation for Reinventing Education). Buddy was recognized by the Obama Administration as one of the top 100 School Superintendents... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:25pm - 2:20pm EDT
W2102

Breakout Presentation

1:25pm EDT

From Quiet to Curious: Building Question-Asking Skills in Grades 6–12 Through Authentic Interviews (SESSION REPEATED JULY 15, 2:30 pm to 3:25 pm, Room W1102)

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:25pm - 2:20pm EDT

W1102

Teenagers interview people all the time—patients in healthcare pathways, local industry partners in CTE, experts for research projects, even peers and families. But very few have ever been explicitly taught how to ask professional‑quality questions.

This interactive workshop, based on the forthcoming book From Quiet to Curious: A Teacher’s Guide to Building Question-Asking Skills in Grades 6–12 (Corbin & Reeves), gives educators a complete, ready-to-use framework for teaching question‑asking as a core academic and career skill. Participants will experience the book’s three-tier scaffolded model for professional interviewing:

Tier 1 – Foundation Questions & Active Listening: Building rapport, psychological safety, and basic “getting the story” questions.

Tier 2 – Focused Questions & Strategic Frameworks: Using simple, domain-specific frameworks (e.g., patient assessment, supplier evaluation) to probe systematically instead of randomly.

Tier 3 – Confirmatory Questions & Decision-Making: Verifying requirements, surfacing red flags, and making clear “go / no‑go” recommendations based on evidence.

Rather than sit-and-get theory, educators will practice the framework in role plays drawn from healthcare and manufacturing case studies, adapt it to their own disciplines, and leave with concrete tools: sample question banks, student-facing frameworks, a 90‑minute lesson plan, and an 8‑week implementation outline. We will also explore rubrics and micro‑assessments that make “asking good questions” visible, gradable, and growth‑oriented for diverse learners.

Whether you teach biology, welding, AP computer science, or 9th-grade English, you’ll leave with a practical structure for turning quiet, hesitant questioners into curious, confident interviewers who can navigate authentic professional conversations.

SESSION REPEATED JULY 15, 2:30 pm to 3:25 pm, Room W1102

Speakers

Annalies Corbin

Founder & CEO, PAST Foundation

Annalies Corbin is the Founder, President & CEO of the PAST Foundation, an internationally recognized nonprofit that designs and implements STEM‑rich, inquiry-based learning experiences with schools, districts, and industry partners. With a background in anthropology and STEM education... Read More →

Erika Reeves

Bodies Learning Lab, Metro Early College STEM High School

Erika Reeves is a veteran educator, Master Teacher, and STEM Bodies Coordinator at Metro Early College High School in Columbus, Ohio. She teaches advanced Anatomy & Physiology while leading innovative biomedical career pathways that connect students with authentic research and healthcare... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:25pm - 2:20pm EDT
W1102

Breakout Presentation

1:25pm EDT

How Do We Intentionally Teach Critical Thinking Skills? (SESSION REPEATED JULY 16, 11:00 am - 11:55 am)

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:25pm - 2:20pm EDT

W2103

Critical thinking shouldn't just be a happy accident—it’s a skill that can and should be taught with purpose. In this session, participants will explore practical strategies for embedding critical thinking into daily instruction across content areas. We’ll unpack what “critical thinking” really means, examine its key components, and identify common misconceptions that get in the way of teaching it effectively. Educators will learn how to design lessons, questions, and tasks that challenge students to analyze, evaluate, and create—not just recall. Using the CHESS system, attendees will leave with a toolkit of techniques to foster a classroom culture where inquiry thrives, reasoning is valued, and students become confident, independent thinkers prepared for complex problem-solving in any field.

SESSION REPEATED JULY 16, 11:00 am - 11:55 am

This session qualifies for Gifted PD hours.

Speakers

Todd Stanley

Gifted Services Coordinator, Pickerington Local Schools

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:25pm - 2:20pm EDT
W2103

Breakout Presentation, Gifted PD Certificate

1:25pm EDT

Learning Through One Another—A People-Based Learning Consultancy (SESSION REPEATED JULY 15, 3:35 pm - 4:30 pm, Room W2101)

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:25pm - 2:20pm EDT

W2101

The Overview Effect

What if one of the greatest learning resources at this conference isn't on the program, but sitting beside you?
Join Sam Chaltain and Jane Shore for an interactive session built around the Consultancy Protocol, a People-Based Learning approach that helps participants think more deeply about authentic challenges by learning with and through one another.

Come with a problem of practice you're genuinely wrestling with. It doesn't need to be polished or formal. Through a structured process of listening, reflection, and collaborative sensemaking, you'll experience how the perspectives of others can expand your own thinking and open new possibilities for action.

You'll leave with fresh ideas for your own challenge, meaningful new connections, and a practical protocol you can bring back to your school or organization to help others Connect, Reflect, and Affect together.

SESSION REPEATED JULY 15, 3:35 pm - 4:30 pm, Room W2101

Speakers

Sam Chaltain

samchaltain.com, Writer/Storyteller

Sam Chaltain is an educator, author, and possibilitarian whose work explores what becomes possible when we reimagine the assumptions underlying school and learning.

Jane Shore

Founder, School of Thought

"I'm a learning scientist, school co-founder, visual thinker, and self-described peopleologist who studies and designs for what people make possible for one another.Come find me if you want to talk about: People-Based Learning, designing schools and gatherings where people learn with... Read More →

People Based Learning Consultancy pdf

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:25pm - 2:20pm EDT
W2101

Breakout Presentation

1:25pm EDT

Portrait to Practice to Project: A Case Study in District Transformation Fueled by Authentic Learning

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:25pm - 2:20pm EDT

W2107

Seven years ago, Belpre City Schools formally adopted its Portrait of a Graduate. Learn about Belpre's innovative professional development program that built educator capacity to create authentic educational units for all learners and create alignment within the system. Find out how that success led to the passage of the district's first capital improvement bond in sixty years, and get a sneak peak at what a building designed for 21st century teaching and learning can look like.

Speakers

Jeffrey Greenley

Superintendent, Belpre City School District

Dr. Jeffrey Greenley currently serves as Superintendent of Belpre City School District and is in his eighth year. He is a published author in authentic educational system design and has championed that work since becoming part of EdLeader 21 and the Battelle for Kids SOAR Cohort... Read More →

Erica Wright

Director of Teaching and Learning, Belpre City Schools

Jenn Fuller

Project Executive, Principal, Fanning Howey

Portrait to Practice to Place pptx

Belpre City Schools K 5 4Cs Rubrics Final Copies pdf

Belpre City Schools 6 12 4Cs Rubrics FINAL pdf

Experience the Four C's Facilitator's Guide Belpre City Schools.docx pdf

Adult Rubrics for Artifacts pdf

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:25pm - 2:20pm EDT
W2107

Breakout Presentation

1:25pm EDT

Teaching with Joy, Leading with Heart

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:25pm - 2:20pm EDT

W2108

Teaching with Joy, Leading with Heart invites educators to reconnect with the purpose and passion that brought them to this work. In the midst of increasing demands, this session focuses on practical, meaningful ways to cultivate joy across school communities. Participants will explore how small shifts in mindset, relationships and daily practices can create a more positive, energized environment for both students and staff. By centering joy as a powerful driver of engagement and connection, educators will leave inspired and equipped to lead with heart and make school a place where everyone thrives.

Speakers

Katie Appel

Instructional Coach, Bexley City Schools

Megan Reeve

School Counselor, Bexley City Schools

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:25pm - 2:20pm EDT
W2108

Breakout Presentation

1:25pm EDT

The Ecosystem Equation: Activating Partnerships for Authentic STEM Learning

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:25pm - 2:20pm EDT

W1103

This interactive session explores how schools and communities can leverage their local ecosystems to create authentic, student-centered learning experiences that drive meaningful change. Co-facilitated through a partnership between the DO STEM Ecosystem leadership and the Partnerships for Authentic Learning and Leadership Design Incubator, this session combines an example of design thinking in K-12 schools, real-world case studies, collaborative discussion, and hands-on problem-solving to help participants rethink how partnerships can support innovation in education.

Speakers

Jessica Short

Chief of Operations, DO STEM

Jessica Short is the Chief of Operations at DO STEM, driving initiatives to advance STEM education in the Dayton region. Passionate about innovation and equity, she fosters collaboration between educators, students, and industry leaders, ensuring impactful programs that prepare future... Read More →

Kristin Bourdage

Director of Professional Learning, Partnerships for Authentic Learning and Leadership

Dr. Kristin Bourdage is a passionate educator with more than 32 years of experience as a middle school and Title I Reading teacher, literacy coach, education researcher, professor of education, district administrator, and professional learning leader. She currently serves as a professional... Read More →

The Ecosystem Equation Activating Partnerships for Authentic STEM Learning pdf

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:25pm - 2:20pm EDT
W1103

Breakout Presentation

1:25pm EDT

The View from the Ship: Navigating Shifting Tides in Gifted Education

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:25pm - 2:20pm EDT

W2106

Systems leadership means holding fast to a shared vision while successfully navigating changing regulatory conditions, maintaining optimism, and supporting everyone on board. Reflecting on a 20-year voyage through the shifting tides of Ohio’s gifted education system, this session explores the history of our field and the lessons learned along the way. Come chart a course for the future as we discuss how to work together to ensure a horizon of opportunity for all children.

This session qualifies for Gifted PD hours.

Speakers

Karen Rumley

Director of Instructional Program, Kent City Schools

Karen Rumley is retiring as the Director of Instructional Program for Kent City Schools, where she has coordinated district-wide curriculum initiatives and provided professional development to support student learning. She also served as the district’s testing coordinator, federal... Read More →

The View from the Ship Gifted. Rumley 7.15.26 pdf

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:25pm - 2:20pm EDT
W2106

Breakout Presentation, Gifted PD Certificate

1:25pm EDT

When Student Centered Learning Includes Students (SESSION REPEATED JULY 15, 2:30 pm to 3:25 pm in Room W2408)

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:25pm - 2:20pm EDT

W2408

Students from THE Ohio State University Student Leadership Research Collaborative (OSU SLRC)
and Dr. Keith Bell

The student team of Emma Rathburn, Najma Omar and Grace Vepouyoum from Groveport Madison High School and Neil Teri and Kennedi Freeman from New Albany High School will present on the Student Considerations for Implementation of AI Policies in Ohio School Districts. Through Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR), these students outlined for the educators in the room how Ohio’s model policy can represent student voice by examining survey data from students and school districts in Oho. YPAR is an equity driven approach to learning where young people act as lead investigators to identify a problem, conduct scientific research, and advocate for policy or institutional change.

SESSION REPEATED JULY 15, 2:30 pm to 3:25 pm in Room W2408

Speakers

Dr. Keith Bell, Sr.

OSU Student Leadership Collabortive, The Ohio State University, College of Education and Human Ecology

During a lengthy career as a teacher, principal, central-office administrator and ultimately a district superintendent, Keith Bell often preached to students that learning is a lifelong pursuit.Bell worked in six districts, almost all in central Ohio schools since starting as a high-school... Read More →

Shilo Myers

Kavya Sharma

Siva Putcha

Raina Redd

Sahana Prabu

James Neil

Micah Neil

Grace Vepouyoum

Student, Groveport Madison High School

Neil Teri

Student, New Albany High School

Najma Omar

Student, Groveport Madison High School

Kennedi Freeman

Student, New Albany High School

Emma Rathburn

Student, Groveport Madison High School

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:25pm - 2:20pm EDT
W2408

Breakout Presentation

2:30pm EDT

Beyond the Script: Bringing Joy and Authenticity to Mandated Literacy Curriculums (REPEATED JULY 15, 3:35 p.m. to 4:30 pm, W2407)

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 3:25pm EDT

W2407

Are you looking to bring engagement, authenticity, and joy into learning while working within state and district mandated literacy curriculums? Join this collaborative roundtable discussion to share ideas, strategies, and practical examples that help students connect more deeply with required content. Participants will leave with fresh inspiration and actionable approaches for making learning meaningful, engaging, and student-centered.

SESSION REPEATED JULY 15, 3:35 p.m. to 4:30 pm, W2407

Speakers

Lisa Hamm

Kindergarten Teacher, Olentangy Local Schools, Heritage Elementary School

Beyond the Script 2026 SI Presentation pdf

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 3:25pm EDT
W2407

Breakout Presentation

2:30pm EDT

Big Brand Brilliance

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 3:25pm EDT

W2102

What’s your brand as an educator? How are you known by your students? What is your teacher “street cred”? Whatever your brand is, this session can help make you more purposeful about your instruction. Come learn how to “better your brand” by taking a deep dive into how the “Big Brands” run things. Learn from some of the principles that drive Disney, Starbucks, Nike, Apple, Buc-ees, and the Savannah Bananas! This is a one-of-a-kind session with a chance to connect mainstream innovation into game-changing instruction!

Speakers

Buddy Berry

Superintendent, EIS

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 3:25pm EDT
W2102

Breakout Presentation

2:30pm EDT

Cardboard and Curriculum

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 3:25pm EDT

W1105

Think outside the box by teaching with the box! You don't need a massive budget or a high-tech makerspace to bring powerful, hands-on learning into your classroom. This interactive session explores how to transform everyday recyclable materials—from cardboard boxes to plastic caps—into dynamic learning tools that seamlessly integrate into your existing daily routines.

We will look past basic crafting and focus on how upcycled materials can be intentionally mapped to your academic standards. Discover practical, low-prep strategies to use these resources for standard review, real-world application, and creative extension. Leave with a blueprint of ready-to-use ideas that will spark student curiosity, minimize your footprint, and maximize your instructional impact.

Speakers

Emily Byers

Director of Technology and Innovation, Jonathan Alder Local Schools

Emily Byers is the Director of Technology and Innovation at Jonathan Alder Local Schools, where she dedicates her career to redefining what it means to learn. Emily blends deep academic expertise with a vibrant passion for hands-on, creative thinking. She specializes in STEM education... Read More →

Cardboard and Curriculum pdf

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 3:25pm EDT
W1105

Breakout Presentation

2:30pm EDT

Connecting Math with the Great Outdoors

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 3:25pm EDT

W1302

It's time to get outside with your math standards. By using a backward design process, this session will show you how you can get your class to see math in the real world, even if that is just outside of your building. Learn about how to connect your standards to gardening and outdoor education, and get some time to think through what ideas you have!

This session qualifies for Gifted PD hours.

Speakers

Shelly Bloom

Gifted Intervention Specialist, Tremont Elementary School, Upper Arlington City Schools

I am a Gifted Intervention Specialist at the elementary level, specializing in math instruction. The content I deliver to my students ranges from focuses on extension and going in depth, as well as compacting and accelerating material. I have been teaching for 15 years and have always... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 3:25pm EDT
W1302

Breakout Presentation, Gifted PD Certificate

2:30pm EDT

From Meh to Memorable: Leadership Strategies that Build Student Agency

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 3:25pm EDT

W2302

Many schools today feel stuck in what could be called the “Meh Era” of schooling: students are present but disengaged, and learning often feels transactional rather than meaningful. In this session, Nikole James explores how school leaders can move beyond compliance-driven systems and intentionally design structures that foster student agency, ownership, and purpose.

Participants will learn practical leadership strategies for embedding student voice into school culture, including student participation in leadership teams, hiring committees, and initiatives like Student-Led Elective Fairs. The session will also highlight how experiences such as student shadow days can help educators better understand learning from the student perspective.

Rather than requiring sweeping reforms, this session focuses on small, strategic shifts leaders can support in classrooms, such as structured choice and simple changes to lesson design that increase student ownership without lowering rigor.

Attendees will leave with actionable ideas for helping their schools move from compliance and disengagement to cultures where curiosity, voice, and meaningful learning thrive.

Speakers

Nikole James

Assistant Principal, New Albany High School

Nikole James is an Assistant Principal at New Albany High School and is currently in her 22nd year in education. She is a doctoral student in Educational Studies at The Ohio State University, where her research focuses on student agency and meaningful engagement in secondary schools... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 3:25pm EDT
W2302

Breakout Presentation

2:30pm EDT

From Quiet to Curious: Building Question-Asking Skills in Grades 6–12 Through Authentic Interviews (SESSION REPEATED JULY 15, 1:25 pm to 2:20 pm, Room W1102)

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 3:25pm EDT

W1102

Speakers

Annalies Corbin

Founder & CEO, PAST Foundation

Erika Reeves

Bodies Learning Lab, Metro Early College STEM High School

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 3:25pm EDT
W1102

Breakout Presentation

2:30pm EDT

Making Executive Functioning Skills Visible (SESSION REPEATED JULY 16, 9:55 am - 10:50 am)

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 3:25pm EDT

W2103

Executive functioning skills (EFS) are the building blocks to a successful person, and yet how purposeful are we in teaching these skills? When a student lacks focus, do we give them strategies for being more focused or do we simply tell them to be more focused? If a student is poor at organization, are we explicitly showing them what well organized looks like? As teachers, especially of the gifted, we need to be overt in teaching these strategies and make students aware of their own weaknesses and potential workarounds for these. EFS are skills that transcend the classroom because they are skills people will be using for the rest of their lives, no matter what line of work they go into. In this lab/workshop, learn about the core 10 EFS, how you can use micro-skills to build student capacity, and how you can intentionally teach these strategies to students.

SESSION REPEATED JULY 16, 9:55 am - 10:50 am, W2103

This session qualifies for Gifted PD hours.

Speakers

Todd Stanley

Gifted Services Coordinator, Pickerington Local Schools

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 3:25pm EDT
W2103

Breakout Presentation, Gifted PD Certificate

2:30pm EDT

Meeting the Needs of Our Community: A K-5 Year-Long Service-Learning Project

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 3:25pm EDT

W2406

How young is too young to raise social consciousness in students? Discover how a year-long service- learning project empowered K-5 students in Upper Arlington. Kids were able to learn about food and housing insecurity, including actionable steps that included making Move-In Kits for Home for Families and building and installing five free little pantries in Central Ohio. Walk away with an actionable blueprint to integrate empathy instruction, cross-grade collaboration, and impactful community partnerships in your school district. This session provides an honest look at the logistical realities, community partner integration, and strategies required to foster a culture of active, compassionate citizenship in students.

Speakers

Kelli Wilcox

Kindergarten Teacher, Barrington Elementary, Upper Arlington Schools

Katie Benton

Fourth Grade Progressive Teacher, District Service Learning Leader, Barrington Elementary School, Upper Arlington City Schools

Katie Benton has been an elementary school teacher for 25 years. She has been a service learning leader in Upper Arlington City Schools for the past 20 years and has worked on numerous high quality service learning projects across K-12.

Ashley Stechschulte

2nd Grade Teacher, Barrington Elementary, Upper Arlington Schools

Summer Institute Meeting the Needs of Our Community pdf

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 3:25pm EDT
W2406

Breakout Presentation

2:30pm EDT

Teaching ELA with a Purpose (and a Puppy)

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 3:25pm EDT

W2401

This session highlights a 6th-grade ELA service-learning project with a local dog rescue organization. In this four-week unit, students investigate a challenge faced by a local animal rescue organization, raise awareness to support adoptions, use a “see a problem, solve a problem” mindset, and of course use their ELA skills. Through daily interaction with a classroom puppy, guest presentations from the rescue organization and dog fosters, traditional research, lessons from a dog trainer, critical reading, and reflective writing, students implemented daily puppy training routines and created authentic informational texts (ELA Writing 6.4 with a focus on style and audience), including social media posts, presentations, announcements, and adoption posters. Many students extended their learning by researching and proposing fundraising efforts. Grounded in experiential learning and place-based writing, the project positioned students as creative agents of change in our district and hopefully for the future.

Speakers

Rachel Jones

6th Grade ELA, Fairbanks Middle School, Fairbanks Local School District

Serving in education for the past 28 years, I have taught 4 grade levels and am currently a 6th grade ELA teacher with Fairbanks Local School District in Union County. I thoroughly enjoy learning projects that give my students engaging real-world experiences that connect them with... Read More →

Kristin Bourdage

Director of Professional Learning, Partnerships for Authentic Learning and Leadership

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 3:25pm EDT
W2401

Breakout Presentation

2:30pm EDT

When Student Centered Learning Includes Students (SESSION REPEATED JULY 15, 1:25 pm to 2:20 pm in Room W2408)

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 3:25pm EDT

W2408

Students from THE Ohio State University Student Leadership Research Collaborative (OSU SLRC)
and Dr. Keith Bell

The student team of Emma Rathburn, Najma Omar and Grace Vepouyoum from Groveport Madison High School and Neil Teri and Kennedi Freeman from New Albany High School will present on the Student Considerations for Implementation of AI Policies in Ohio School Districts. Through Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) these students outlined for the educators in the room how Ohio’s model policy can represent student voice by examining survey data from students and school districts in Oho. YPAR is an equity driven approach to learning where young people act as lead investigators to identify a problem, conduct scientific research, and advocate for policy or institutional change.

SESSION REPEATED JULY 15, 1:25 pm to 2:20 pm in Room W2408

Speakers

Dr. Keith Bell, Sr.

OSU Student Leadership Collabortive, The Ohio State University, College of Education and Human Ecology

Kavya Sharma

Siva Putcha

Raina Redd

Sahana Prabu

James Neil

Micah Neil

Shilo Myers

Kennedi Freeman

Student, New Albany High School

Najma Omar

Student, Groveport Madison High School

Emma Rathburn

Student, Groveport Madison High School

Neil Teri

Student, New Albany High School

Grace Vepouyoum

Student, Groveport Madison High School

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 3:25pm EDT
W2408

Breakout Presentation

3:35pm EDT

Authentic Learning in Action (SESSION REPEATED JULY 16, 9:55AM TO 10:50AM)

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:35pm - 4:30pm EDT

W1103

Come one, come all! No previous skill required - just the willingness to try something new (think juggling and/or balloon twisting!) in an effort to truly feel what authentic learning is like. With many metaphors and direct connections to the work we do, this session will allow participants to try a new skill and build meaningful connections to how authentic learning for everyone in a school -- all roles -- helps enhance the learning process.

SESSION REPEATED JULY 16, 9:55AM TO 10:50AM

This session qualifies for Gifted PD hours.

Speakers

Jen Mott

Assistant Principal & Athletic Director, Mason City Schools

Dr. Jen Mott has been with Cincinnati Circus Company since 2006 as a juggler, stilt-walker, balloon artist, and fire performer. She also began college that same year. Since then, she earned both her undergraduate degree in Secondary Education for Spanish and completed her Master’s... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:35pm - 4:30pm EDT
W1103

Breakout Presentation, Gifted PD Certificate

3:35pm EDT

Beyond the Script: Bringing Joy and Authenticity to Mandated Literacy Curriculums (REPEATED JULY 15, 2:30 p.m. to 3:25 pm, W2407)

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:35pm - 4:30pm EDT

W2407

(SESSION REPEATED JULY 15, 2:30 p.m. to 3:25 pm, W2407)

Speakers

Lisa Hamm

Kindergarten Teacher, Olentangy Local Schools, Heritage Elementary School

Beyond the Script 2026 SI Presentation pdf

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:35pm - 4:30pm EDT
W2407

Breakout Presentation

about <br>

3:35pm EDT

Designing With, Not For: How Student Partnerships Drive Innovation

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:35pm - 4:30pm EDT

W2403

At Roto, we spend our days creating immersive exhibits and experiences for museums and cultural institutions. While exhibit development often begins with designers, educators, and subject matter experts, some of our most valuable insights come from the students who interact with our ideas along the way. Their questions, creativity, and unexpected perspectives help us create stronger experiences and often lead us in directions we never anticipated.

Attendees will get an inside look at Roto's Design Thinking process and the creative collaboration that drives our work. We'll share how designers, educators, engineers, fabricators, and learners work together to test ideas, challenge assumptions, and continuously improve experiences through prototyping and evaluation.

Using Roto's Space Outpost Designer exhibit as a case study, participants will explore how learner involvement influenced the evolution of a real project and helped shape the final visitor experience. Participants will leave with practical examples and strategies they can adapt to encourage creativity, student voice, authentic collaboration, and innovation in their own settings.

Speakers

Jessie Hughes

School Program and Evaluation Manager, Roto

Jessie brings 13+ years of classroom experience, specializing in STEM for 8th graders. Her expertise includes curriculum development and providing Professional Development for teachers. With a Bachelor’s in Middle Childhood Education and a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction... Read More →

Erek Nass

Project Director, Roto

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:35pm - 4:30pm EDT
W2403

Breakout Presentation

3:35pm EDT

Getting Students to Think: Simple Ways to Get Outside the Curriculum

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:35pm - 4:30pm EDT

W1302

With scripted math curriculums and complicated standards, it can be hard to find ways to naturally integrate opportunities for critical thinking...the kind of math and sorts of problems that you truly encounter in the real world. In this session, you will solve a variety of problems and complete various exercises that are low prep, high reward, and don't take away significant time from your standards, but yield a high reward regarding student engagement and exposure to high ceiling activities.

This session qualifies for Gifted PD hours.

Speakers

Shelly Bloom

Gifted Intervention Specialist, Tremont Elementary School, Upper Arlington City Schools

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:35pm - 4:30pm EDT
W1302

Breakout Presentation, Gifted PD Certificate

3:35pm EDT

It's All About Culture

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:35pm - 4:30pm EDT

W1401

Authentic learning requires much more than passive compliance. So how do we help students develop the mindsets and habits that will support authentic learning success? We must focus on the single force that provides the context of all human experience: CULTURE. In this interactive session, Steve will help you identify the specific student qualities that lead to effective authentic learning experiences and will present a strategy to build powerful cultures that bring those qualities to life in your classroom. Participants will learn strategies they can apply in all learning spaces- from the home, to the classroom, to the school at large. This is a session that will stay with you and impact all aspects of your life.

Speakers

Steve Shapiro

Co-Founder, Our Family Culture

Nancy Shapiro

Co-Founder, Our Family Culture

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:35pm - 4:30pm EDT
W1401

Breakout Presentation

3:35pm EDT

Leading Through Learning: Rethinking How Schools Learn and Adapt

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:35pm - 4:30pm EDT

W2108

Schools are rich with data. Every day, student work, formative assessments, and parent interactions give us invaluable feedback. Yet too often, our systems move more slowly than our classrooms. By the time we can truly act on insights, the moment has passed. As educators, we are constantly making thoughtful, brilliant adjustments, we are just doing it inside structures that weren't built for speed.

This session is about a powerful, simple shift: rethinking how feedback flows so our schools can learn, breathe, and adjust in real time.

We will look at a pattern used by high-performing organizations across industries: act, measure, learn, adjust. But we aren't here to add more to your plate. Instead, we will explore how to connect this agile rhythm directly to the work you are already doing in classrooms, team meetings, and leadership decisions. We’ll take existing practices, like data reviews and formative assessments, and make them more immediate, visible, and deeply actionable.

What We Will Do Together:

Map Your Current Flow: Analyze how feedback and data currently move through your unique school context.
Redesign the Loop: Work through a real-time challenge you are currently facing to build a faster, more responsive insight loop.
Keep it Sustainable: Ensure these adjustments integrate seamlessly into your current workload without creating burnout.

The Ultimate Goal: You will leave this session with a practical, customized blueprint. A plan you can implement on Monday to boost learner engagement, support educators, and make confident, data-informed decisions without waiting months to see if they worked.

Speakers

Liz Hamen

Agile Lead, Nationwide

As an Agile Transformation Coach at Nationwide, my mission is to design scalable frameworks that empower teams to take true ownership of their work. I work to leverage my knowledge and expertise to deliver innovative and value-driven solutions that lead to high-value outcomes. Drawing... Read More →

Jamie Peeso

Vice President, JP Morgan Chase

Linda Amici

Educator, Westerville City Schools

Linda Amici is an educator passionate about empowering future leaders to “be the change” the world needs. As a middle school instructional coach for the Westerville City School District and part-time faculty member for Otterbein University, she seeks to inspire those around... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:35pm - 4:30pm EDT
W2108

Breakout Presentation

3:35pm EDT

Learning Through One Another—A People-Based Learning Consultancy (SESSION REPEATED JULY 15, 1:25 pm - 2:20 pm, Room W2101)

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:35pm - 4:30pm EDT

W2101

The Overview Effect

What if one of the greatest learning resources at this conference isn't on the program, but sitting beside you?
Join Sam Chaltain and Jane Shore for an interactive session built around the Consultancy Protocol, a People-Based Learning approach that helps participants think more deeply about authentic challenges by learning with and through one another.

Come with a problem of practice you're genuinely wrestling with. It doesn't need to be polished or formal. Through a structured process of listening, reflection, and collaborative sensemaking, you'll experience how the perspectives of others can expand your own thinking and open new possibilities for action.
You'll leave with fresh ideas for your own challenge, meaningful new connections, and a practical protocol you can bring back to your school or organization to help others Connect, Reflect, and Affect together.

SESSION REPEATED JULY 15, 1:25 pm - 2:20 pm, Room W2101

Speakers

Sam Chaltain

samchaltain.com, Writer/Storyteller

Sam Chaltain is an educator, author, and possibilitarian whose work explores what becomes possible when we reimagine the assumptions underlying school and learning.

Jane Shore

Founder, School of Thought

People Based Learning Consultancy pdf

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:35pm - 4:30pm EDT
W2101

Breakout Presentation

3:35pm EDT

Let's Get Cross-Curricular!

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:35pm - 4:30pm EDT

W1408

Are you a teacher who is looking for more Accomplished marks on your OTES evaluation? Are you looking to be more collaborative with your colleagues and branch out cross-curricularly? This session will present on several Spanish cross-curricular projects. Materials will be available. Questions and feedback will be welcome!

Speakers

Jenna Bollinger

Spanish Teacher, Galion High School

High school Spanish teacher of nine years. Lover of all animals, particularly cats, euchre, reading, and traveling. I love looking at things under a microscope and I will always ask why.

cross curricular Summer Institute 26 Canva Presentation info png

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:35pm - 4:30pm EDT
W1408

Breakout Presentation

3:35pm EDT

Portrait of a Learner: Designing the Student of the Future... Today!

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:35pm - 4:30pm EDT

W2102

This session takes a deep dive into the glue that holds personalized learning together. Come hear real examples on how to transform your learning outcomes with dynamic, specific suggestions. Highlights include an overview of Graduate/ Learner Profiles, Exemplars, and Innovative Learning Outcomes. Participants will be taken on a guided journey of how to weave Next Practice with Best Practice to create the student of the future! We will spend time on reviewing how to bring a Portrait of a Learner to life.

Speakers

Buddy Berry

Superintendent, EIS

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:35pm - 4:30pm EDT
W2102

Breakout Presentation

3:35pm EDT

Using Inquiry Learning to Create Authentic Learners, Not Students

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:35pm - 4:30pm EDT

W2103

Learning can sometimes feel very passive in schools. Teachers are the ones with the knowledge, and their task is to pass this along to their students. Or is it? Wouldn't learning be more natural if we allowed the kids to ask the questions and to chase their answers? This is what inquiry learning allows students to do. They pose the question, they decide how they are going to answer it, they choose the product they will produce to show what they know.

Teachers can use four different strategies in order to structure their inquiry learning:
· Service-learning
•. Project-based learning
· Problem-based learning
· Case-based learning

Whichever one you choose, inquiry-based involves engaging students in active exploration, reflection, and problem-solving. This approach emphasizes curiosity, questioning, and investigation to deepen understanding and make connections with the real world. Following the inquiry cycle allows children to do this and become learners, not followers.

Particpants in this workshop will learn about all three of these strategies and choose one to design a unit they can use with their students.

This session qualifies for Gifted PD hours.

Speakers

Todd Stanley

Gifted Services Coordinator, Pickerington Local Schools

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:35pm - 4:30pm EDT
W2103

Breakout Presentation, Gifted PD Certificate

9:55am EDT

Authentic Learning in Action (SESSION REPEATED JULY 15, 3:35 PM TO 4:30 PM)

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT

W1105

Come one, come all! No previous skill required - just the willingness to try something new (think juggling and/or balloon twisting!) in an effort to truly feel what authentic learning is like. With many metaphors and direct connections to the work we do, this session will allow participants to try a new skill and build meaningful connections to how authentic learning for everyone in a school -- all roles -- help enhance the learning process.

SESSION REPEATED JULY 15, 3:35 PM TO 4:30 PM

This session qualifies for Gifted PD hours.

Speakers

Jen Mott

Assistant Principal & Athletic Director, Mason City Schools

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT
W1105

Breakout Presentation, Gifted PD Certificate

9:55am EDT

Give Better Than Facebook: Using Givebutter and Give Lively to Fund Your Ideas

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT

W1103

The PAST Foundation recently added its first dedicated fundraising role. As schools and nonprofits navigate funding changes and challenges, our newest colleague (Chief Advancement Officer Bridget Tharp) shares best practices for teachers who want to raise funds for STEM activities, classroom supplies and more.

Participants will learn:

Why to avoid Facebook for fundraising purposes and what to use instead (Give Butter or Give Lively)
Template language to remind donors that their gift may be matched by their employer
Peer-to-Peer fundraising: How to create friendly competition among other teachers (or perhaps your students) for your cause
Ideas for involving your students and saying thank you to your donors

Speakers

Bridget Tharp

Chief Advancement Officer (Fundraising/Development), The PAST Foundation

Bridget Tharp is Chief Advancement Officer at The PAST Foundation. Bridget leads fundraising strategy and relationship building for the organization. She joined PAST in 2026 after 12 years of experience in fundraising and strategic communications. Before PAST, her work included fundraising... Read More →

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT
W1103

Breakout Presentation

9:55am EDT

Launching Authentic Learning: STEM Strategies That Are Out of This World

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT

W2108

Step into an out‑of‑this‑world learning experience where educators become explorers, immersing themselves in what high‑quality STEM instruction feels like when it truly takes off. Rather than observing strategies from afar, participants will engage in hands‑on, collaborative missions that model the inquiry, creativity, problem‑solving, and learner agency at the center of meaningful STEM education. As the journey continues, educators will investigate how authentic, integrated learning experiences unfold, reflect on the essential elements that make them successful, and consider ways to elevate the everyday instruction already happening in their classrooms. This interactive session is designed to launch new ideas, boost instructional confidence, and build a shared understanding of what strong STEM culture and practice can look like across grade levels - whether you’re already orbiting in this work or just beginning your ascent. Participants will also discover how the Ohio Quality Model for STEM and STEAM Education serves as a powerful navigational tool, grounding deeper learning in real‑world relevance. By the end, educators will return to their schools energized, inspired, and equipped with practical strategies to bring out‑of‑this‑world learning opportunities to students of all ages.

Speakers

Sarah Redick

STEM Education Program Specialist, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce

Sarah Redick holds a PhD in STEM Education, as well as master's degrees in Educational Technology and Middle Childhood Education, and a bachelor's degree in Chemistry. She has over a decade of teaching experience, at both the middle school and post-secondary levels. Dr. Redick... Read More →

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT
W2108

Breakout Presentation

9:55am EDT

Making Executive Functioning Skills Visible (SESSION REPEATED JULY 15, 2:30 pm - 3:25 pm, Room W2103)

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT

W2103

Executive functioning skills (EFS) are the building blocks to a successful person, and yet how purposeful are we in teaching these skills? When a student lacks focus, do we give them strategies for being more focused or do we simply tell them to be more focused? If a student is poor at organization, are we explicitly showing them what well organized looks like? As teachers, especially of the gifted, we need to be overt in teaching these strategies and make students aware of their own weaknesses and potential workarounds for these. EFS are skills that transcend the classroom because they are skills people will be using for the rest of their lives, no matter what line of work they go into. In this lab/workshop, learn about the core 10 EFS, how you can use micro-skills to build student capacity, and how you can intentionally teach these strategies to students.

SESSION REPEATED JULY 15, 2:30 pm - 3:25 pm, Room W2103

This session qualifies for Gifted PD hours.

Speakers

Todd Stanley

Gifted Services Coordinator, Pickerington Local Schools

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT
W2103

Breakout Presentation, Gifted PD Certificate

9:55am EDT

Mini-Moments of Magic: Small Shifts for a Joyful Classroom Community

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT

W2106

In this session, we will explore the question of how we can protect the soul of our classrooms without falling behind on curriculum or other mandates. We will share and brainstorm intentional, low-lift, high-impact strategies designed to foster authentic belonging and joy. We will create a “toolkit for belonging” of micro-shifts that fit into the transitions, morning meetings, and even the rigorous academic blocks you are already teaching. Join us to rediscover the spark that brought you to education and generate ideas on how to build a classroom community that feels like a destination, not just a requirement.

Speakers

Adie Young

1st Grade Teacher, Cassingham Elementary School - Bexley City Schools

Adie Young has been cultivating curiosity and classroom community for 13 years, with the last eight spent in first grade at Cassingham Elementary School in Bexley. Known for her heart-centered approach, Adie focuses on the foundational belief that student achievement begins with strong interpersonal connections. She is passionate about creating high-energy, joy-infused learning environments where students feel safe to take risks and—most... Read More →

Julie Fitzgerald

First Grade Teacher, Cassingham Elementary, Bexley City Schools

Mini Moments of Magic pdf

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT
W2106

Breakout Presentation

9:55am EDT

Out of This World Learning: Cultivating Community and Leadership Through Our Middle School Farmers Market

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT

W2107

Step into a learning experience that is truly out of this world, where community, creativity, and authentic learning come together in the Hastings Middle School Farmers Market. In this session, you will explore how a fully student-driven marketplace was designed, planned, and operated by sixth graders who took on real-world roles across planning, marketing, and finance teams.

While one group of students led the organization of the market itself, the remaining sixth graders launched their own small businesses designing, producing, and marketing original products to sell at their vendor booths. Others engineered and built interactive Kids Corner booths to engage younger visitors and families in meaningful, hands-on fun.

Rooted in our science curriculum, this project transforms learning beyond the classroom as students explain the scientific and agricultural principles behind their products directly to market patrons. The experience is further enriched by three stages of student performers, creating a vibrant community event that highlights student talent and school spirit.
.
Throughout the process, students develop essential life-long skills, including problem-solving, communication, leadership, collaboration, and civic responsibility. This session will also highlight student and teacher reflections, sharing what worked, how challenges were overcome, and how each year’s iteration leads to deeper learning and growth.

We are excited to share how this entirely student-driven initiative connects to our school garden, student passions, and authentic career exploration. Participants will be invited to reflect, interact, and envision how they might cultivate similar meaningful, real-world learning experiences in their own schools and classrooms.

Speakers

Elizabeth Blank

Teacher, Hastings Middle School, Upper Arlington City Schools

Elizabeth Blank has been a dedicated educator at Hastings Middle School for 20 years. She is passionate about teaching, her students, and creating meaningful learning experiences that extend beyond the classroom. With a love for the outdoors and gardening, Elizabeth works to connect... Read More →

Beth Joseph

Teacher, Hastings Middle School, Upper Arlington Schools

Hastings Farmers Market pdf

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT
W2107

Breakout Presentation

9:55am EDT

Parents’ Role in Supporting Authentic Learning

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT

W1302

Teachers often lament that parents aren’t doing things at home that produce students with the habits and dispositions for authentic learning success. But how do we help parents do better? This session will explore tools that help parents raise kids who come to school ready for success in authentic learning projects. Let’s get beyond frustration with parents and move toward solutions that put us on the same side: developing young people who have what it takes to handle challenging authentic tasks with confidence and character.

Speakers

Steve Shapiro

Co-Founder, Our Family Culture

Nancy Shapiro

Co-Founder, Our Family Culture

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT
W1302

Breakout Presentation

9:55am EDT

Passion Night... From Vision to Impact

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT

W1401

Educators from Galion Intermediate School will share their journey of designing and implementing a school-wide Passion Night focused on authentic learning and student engagement. This session will walk participants through the full process—planning, execution, and reflection—providing practical strategies and real examples that can be adapted to any school setting.

Participants will explore how the team built staff buy-in, structured engaging experiences for families, and showcased meaningful student work that connects learning to the real world. The session will also highlight lessons learned, challenges faced, and adjustments made to improve impact.

Attendees will leave with:
•. A clear framework for organizing their own Passion Night
•. Ideas for increasing student voice and authentic learning opportunities
•. Strategies for engaging families and the broader community
•. Reflection tools to evaluate success and plan next steps

Whether you are just beginning to explore authentic learning or looking to deepen community engagement, this session offers a realistic, replicable model grounded in practice.

Speakers

Matt Dick

Galion Intermediate Principal, Galion Intermediate, Galion City Schools

Galion Intermediate Principal 3-5 GradesApprox 370 studentsFinishing 2nd year as a principal and 6th year in administration.20 years in education10 years as Head Football Coach and 20 years of coaching experience.

Katie Guy

5th ELA, Galion Intermediate, Galion City Schools

Kelly Showecker

5th ELA/IS, Galion Intermediate, Galion City Schools

Maura Hartley

4th ELA, Galion Intermediate, Galion City Schools

2026 Summer Institute pdf

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT
W1401

Breakout Presentation

9:55am EDT

Reimagining Special Education: Voice, Goals, and Real-World Learning

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT

W2101

I’ll start things off with a short look at my journey as an intervention specialist—highlighting what changes I have made- like open communication, student-friendly IEP goals, elevating student voice, and bringing learning to life through authentic experiences and STEM projects.

Then it’s your turn. We’ll collaborate, break into small, focused groups, and give you time to start shaping ideas you can use right away in your own classroom and subject area if you're not an intervention teacher.

Speakers

Theresa Knapp

Intervention Specialist, Heritage Elementary Olentangy Schools

Theresa has been an elementary intervention specialist with Olentangy schools for 23 years. She also teaches special education courses at Otterbein University as an adjunct professor. Theresa enjoys bringing joyful, authentic learning to her students. On the weekends, she loves... Read More →

Reimaging Special Education pptx

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT
W2101

Breakout Presentation

9:55am EDT

The Gift of Student Voice: Creating Schools and Classrooms Where Student Voices Matter

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT

W2102

Student voice is more than simply allowing students to share opinions—it is about empowering young people to become active participants, leaders, problem-solvers, and change agents within their schools and communities. When students feel heard, valued, and trusted, classrooms transform from places of compliance into environments filled with ownership, engagement, innovation, and purpose.

In this inspiring and practical session, educators and school leaders will explore how student voice can serve as a powerful catalyst for transformation in schools. Through authentic opportunities for leadership, collaboration, feedback, creativity, and decision-making, students can help shape school culture, improve learning experiences, strengthen relationships, and drive meaningful change. Participants will discover strategies for moving beyond token student input toward creating systems where student perspectives truly influence classroom practices, school initiatives, and community impact.

Using a festive “holiday” theme, this session will highlight how listening to students may be the greatest gift educators can offer. Attendees will explore practical strategies, real-world examples, and AI-enhanced tools that amplify student voice, foster empowerment, and inspire students to become confident contributors in their learning journey.

Participants will leave with actionable ideas for creating schools and classrooms where every student feels seen, heard, empowered, and capable of making a difference—because when students are given a voice, they often become the spark that transforms everything

Speakers

Buddy Berry

Superintendent, EIS

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT
W2102

Breakout Presentation

9:55am EDT

Thinking Beyond the Structured Literacy Curriculum

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT

W1102

Join a second and third grade teacher as they reflect on their journey of using a structured literacy curriculum in their classrooms for the first time. Hear various ways that they have enriched their students’ experience by adding in creativity challenges, service-learning projects, and other authentic reading and writing experiences. Learn how the structured curriculum and the enrichment meets gifted students’ needs. Spend time reflecting on your own practice and collaborate with others to decide where you can integrate these kinds of experiences into your structured literacy curriculum, and share ideas with others.

This session qualifies for Gifted PD hours.

Speakers

Karmyn Metzger

2nd Grade Teacher / Instructional Coach, Worthington City Schools

Sarah Pence and Karmyn Metzger are Worthington City Schools educators. Sarah has been teaching in Worthington for 14 years, in both third and fourth grade. Karmyn has been teaching for 13 years, in both second and third grade. They enjoy focusing on the whole child and getting to... Read More →

Karen Rumley

Director of Instructional Program, Kent City Schools

Sarah Pence

Teacher, Worthington City Schools

2026 SIALL Thinking Beyond the Structured Literacy Curriculum (1) pdf

CKLA Grade 3 Authentic Learning Brainstorm pdf

CKLA Planning Tool pdf

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:55am - 10:50am EDT
W1102

Breakout Presentation, Gifted PD Certificate

11:00am EDT

Blue Lobster Lessons: Designing Unforgettable Learning Experiences! (REPEATED JULY 15, 1:25 pm - 2:20 pm, Room W2102)

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:00am - 11:55am EDT

W2102

Speakers

Buddy Berry

Superintendent, EIS

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:00am - 11:55am EDT
W2102

Breakout Presentation

11:00am EDT

Building a Culture of Kindness in Your School and Classroom

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:00am - 11:55am EDT

W2406

As school districts continue to face challenges related to attendance, staff morale and student engagement, leaders are searching for strategies that support both people and performance. This session examines how kindness can be intentionally leveraged to strengthen student outcomes while also reinvigorating staff and improving overall school culture.

Speakers

Mike Collins

COO, Values-In-Action / President, MCG Strategies, Values-In-Action

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:00am - 11:55am EDT
W2406

Breakout Presentation

11:00am EDT

Career and College Ready Pathway Idea Incubator

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:00am - 11:55am EDT

W2408

Transform "random acts of authentic learning" into sustainable student success. In this fast-paced incubator, we explore the journey from Pedagogy to Pathway, shifting the focus from isolated projects to integrated systems. You’ll bring an initial concept, a project, a partnership, or a program, and use our “Spark Framework” to stress-test its alignment with college and career readiness. This session provides a high-level roadmap for scaling authentic learning into robust career pathways. Leave with a refined vision, a gap analysis of your current strategy, and a clear understanding of the systemic supports needed to make your vision a reality.

Speakers

Michele D Timmons

Foounder and CEO, EnvisionEdPlus

As Founder and CEO of EnvisionEdPlus, Michele Timmons envisions a future where EACH young person thrives - in school and beyond. Michele oversees a high-quality, diverse team that supports formal and informal education-based organizations across the preschool - grade 12 spectrum... Read More →

Tricia Moore

Chief Operations Officer, EnvisionEdPlus

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:00am - 11:55am EDT
W2408

Breakout Presentation

11:00am EDT

Community Connections

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:00am - 11:55am EDT

W2403

The Overview Effect

Looking for a way to connect your classroom to your community? I am presenting on 2 projects I completed this year that have led to connections within my school's community. The projects can translate to any age or grade level and can find their way into many different content levels/areas.

Speakers

Ben Pinciotti

K-5 Art Teacher, Cassingham Elementary, Bexley City Schools

I am an elementary Art Teacher with Bexley City Schools, nestled close to downtown Columbus, Ohio. I have been teaching Art for 20 years. I am always looking for new ways to bring in new techniques, projects and experiences into my classroom that revolve around creativity, Art, storytelling... Read More →

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:00am - 11:55am EDT
W2403

Breakout Presentation

11:00am EDT

Fostering Student Agency Through Authentic Advisory Systems

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:00am - 11:55am EDT

W2401

This interactive workshop is designed to equip participants with strategies to foster student agency through intentional practices that can enhance any classroom setting. Participants will explore the foundations of advisory systems, clarifying an advisor’s role and discovering practical ways to build impactful, meaningful relationships with students. The session will cover essential concepts such as individualized learning plans (ILPs), community learning experiences, and reciprocal partnerships with community and industry to support authentic learning. These approaches can be adapted to various educational environments to inspire student ownership of learning.

Additionally, participants will gain insight into PAST’s MicroSchool model, hearing about how advisory has played a role in enhancing the experience of students who are participating in the program, leading to student empowerment and authentic learning experiences.

Speakers

Alyssa Reder

Director, OSLN Central OH STEM Hub, The PAST Foundation

Alyssa first joined PAST in 2014 as an Administrative Assistant to STEM Programming and Research. In 2021, her role shifted to STEM Program Coordinator where she coordinated, created, and collaborated within all areas of PAST, including work with students, educators and industry... Read More →

Paige Shalter Bruening, PhD

Director of Microschools & Project & Grant Coordination, The Past Foundation

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:00am - 11:55am EDT
W2401

Breakout Presentation

11:00am EDT

How Do We Intentionally Teach Critical Thinking Skills? (SESSION REPEATED JULY 15, 1:25 pm - 2:20 pm)

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:00am - 11:55am EDT

W2103

Critical thinking shouldn't just be a happy accident—it’s a skill that can and should be taught with purpose. In this session, participants will explore practical strategies for embedding critical thinking into daily instruction across content areas. We’ll unpack what “critical thinking” really means, examine its key components, and identify common misconceptions that get in the way of teaching it effectively. Educators will learn how to design lessons, questions, and tasks that challenge students to analyze, evaluate, and create—not just recall. Using the CHESS system, attendees will leave with a toolkit of techniques to foster a classroom culture where inquiry thrives, reasoning is valued, and students become confident, independent thinkers prepared for complex problem-solving in any field.

SESSION REPEATED JULY 15, 1:25 pm - 2:20 pm

This session qualifies for Gifted PD hours.

Speakers

Todd Stanley

Gifted Services Coordinator, Pickerington Local Schools

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:00am - 11:55am EDT
W2103

Breakout Presentation, Gifted PD Certificate

11:00am EDT

Minds in Motion: A Creative STEM Journey for Every Child

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:00am - 11:55am EDT

W2101

Join me as I share my journey of bringing design thinking and STEM projects into a classroom for students with mild to moderate disabilities. I’ll share the goals I set, the wins we celebrated, and the lessons learned along the way. This session is interactive—you’ll have the chance to offer feedback and ideas that will help shape the next phase of this evolving STEM adventure.

Speakers

Theresa Knapp

Intervention Specialist, Heritage Elementary Olentangy Schools

Minds in Motion A Creative STEM Journey for Every Child Summer Institute 26 pptx

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:00am - 11:55am EDT
W2101

Breakout Presentation

11:00am EDT

Shaping Perspectives through Podcasting

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:00am - 11:55am EDT

W1408

Have you ever wondered how to turn student voice into meaningful, real-world impact? In this session, explore how students in grades 4–12 research, write, and produce original podcasts for the NPR Student Podcast Challenge—an authentic, student-driven learning experience that blends literacy, creativity, and civic engagement. Participants will see how this project empowers students to investigate issues that matter to them and use their voices to inspire change within their communities.

Grounded in UA Schools’ Profile of an Engaged Learner, this work cultivates creative thinkers who take purposeful risks, skilled communicators who express ideas clearly and ethically, and open-minded, empathetic learners who seek to understand diverse perspectives. Along the way, students strengthen key ELA skills such as research design, evidence-based writing, and purposeful organization, while also developing 21st-century competencies like interviewing experts, collaborating with community members, and communicating across audiences.

This session will highlight classroom successes and student exemplars, while also inviting participants into a collaborative conversation. Together, we’ll brainstorm ways to refine supports and streamline open-ended prompts—ensuring we elevate students' thinking without limiting their creative voice.

This session qualifies for Gifted PD hours.

Speakers

Cat Rinko-Gay

Gifted Intervention Specialist, Barrington Elementary School, Upper Arlington City Schools

Cat Rinko-Gay has worked in gifted education for 15 years. She began her career as a learning specialist and 3rd grade teacher at an all-gifted school in New York City. Since moving to Ohio, she has worked as a Gifted Intervention Specialist for the past 4 years, focusing on ELA and... Read More →

Shaping Perspectives through Podcasting pptx

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:00am - 11:55am EDT
W1408

Breakout Presentation, Gifted PD Certificate

11:00am EDT

The Galion Pizza Problem

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:00am - 11:55am EDT

W2407

This presentation will showcase the successes and challenges of an authentic learning project my students completed in my 6th grade math class. Students had to decide which pizza place in our town was the best value based on the number of toppings. They used concepts of linear equations, tables and graphs along with customer service and taste to make their decisions.

This project showed how algebra can be used to make practical and informed choices in everyday situations. The presentation will describe how the project was introduced, what the students did to make their mathematical choices, and how the entire 6th grade was involved in the final decision of the best pizza place in Galion. How this project can easily be adapted for several different grade levels will also be discussed in the presentation.

Speakers

Rachel Gangwer

6th Grade Math Teacher, Galion Middle School- Galion City Schools

Rachel is a 6th grade math teacher at Galion Middle School. She has been teaching middle school math for 22 years. Her passion is working with students and seeing the "aha" moment when they finally understand a difficult concept. She also enjoys spending time with her family, camping... Read More →

Galion Pizza Problem pptx

Pizza Problem pdf

The Galion Pizza Problem (1) pdf

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:00am - 11:55am EDT
W2407

Breakout Presentation

11:00am EDT

The New Science of Leadership

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:00am - 11:55am EDT

W2402

Every leader leads in their own unique way. But most leaders fail in one of four common ways. In this session, we'll focus on those failures: How do they present in your life? What effects do they have in your home and work spaces?

Participants will have a chance to self-diagnose the failure they are most prone to at this stage in their career. Then we'll work through a few exercises designed to reveal your unique leadership story while acting as an antidote to the failures that traditionally derail leadership.

Finally, we'll discuss how these exercises work as part of a larger, year-long training program and how the program can be most effective in training current and next-gen leaders.

Speakers

Sarah Lagrotteria

Head educator, Just Bloom School

Sarah Lagrotteria (MA, Stanford) runs the Just Bloom training program, based on Dr. Angus Fletcher’s pioneering theory of creative leadership. In 2019, Sarah was honored as one of 50 women nationwide as a Tory Burch Foundation Fellow for women entrepreneurs. Just Bloom’s tra... Read More →

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:00am - 11:55am EDT
W2402

Breakout Presentation