This session will provide practical, classroom-tested strategies to help educators stay organized while effectively supporting students with special education accommodations. Participants will explore simple systems for tracking and implementing accommodations with consistency, while also strengthening meaningful parent communication through clear, proactive approaches. In addition, this session will highlight how structured “brain breaks” can be intentionally used to support student focus, reduce disruptions, and maintain positive behavior without losing instructional momentum. Attendees will leave with ready-to-use tools, ideas, and routines that can be implemented immediately to create a more organized, responsive, and student-centered classroom environment.
Inspired by Michael Tucker, this condensed presentation provides an overview of effective classroom accommodations that support students with autism in general education settings. It focuses on practical strategies that promote access to learning, improve communication, and reduce barriers related to sensory, social, and executive functioning differences. Emphasis is placed on creating structured, predictable environments, using visual supports, and implementing flexible instructional methods that meet diverse needs. By understanding and applying these accommodations, educators can foster inclusion, increase student engagement, and support academic and social success for students with autism.
Extending Learning with Edpuzzle Slides, What’s New in Edpuzzle: Interactive Tools for Engagement, Making Videos Interactive: Questions, Checks, and Engagement with Edpuzzle, Edpuzzle and Using YouTube Videos for Blended Learning
This interactive workshop is designed to help educators bring energy, structure, and differentiation into their classrooms through the use of M.A.T.H.H. stations aligned with the Bluebonnet curriculum. Participants will learn how to effectively organize and implement station-based instruction that allows teachers to meet daily with small, focused groups while creating opportunities for meaningful, targeted support and spiral review. By the end of the workshop, participants will walk away with practical tools, ready-to-use ideas, and a clear framework for implementing M.A.T.H.H. stations that enhance both teaching effectiveness and student success.
This session is designed for teachers who aspire to grow their leadership capacity while remaining in the classroom. Participants will explore how their daily actions can positively influence their team and campus. Through reflection, discussion, and real-world scenarios, teachers will learn how to support colleagues, foster a positive campus culture, and take initiative in team and campus-wide efforts.
“Students stop loving to learn when teachers stop loving to teach.” – L. Watkins, Class of 2026
This session invites educators to reimagine secondary classrooms by bringing back the energy, creativity, and engagement often reserved for elementary schools. Inspired by a powerful student insight, “students stop loving to learn when teachers stop loving to teach,” this session challenges the idea that rigor and joy can’t be in the same room. Participants will experience practical, high-impact strategies that infuse “magic” into secondary instruction without sacrificing academic depth or standards. From interactive routines, to choice, and celebration, each idea is designed to increase engagement, deepen learning, and build a stronger classroom culture.
Teachers will walk away with ready-to-use ideas, adaptable across content areas, that make learning feel meaningful, memorable, and fun. Because when teachers love to teach, students love to learn.
Looking to boost student engagement without adding hours to your planning time? In this high-energy professional learning session, teachers will explore simple, low-prep classroom strategies that make a big impact. From bingo boards and interactive notebooks to chalk talks and jigsaw activities, you’ll walk away with practical tools you can implement immediately.
Designed with busy educators in mind, this session focuses on easy-to-use techniques that increase participation, encourage collaboration, and keep students actively involved in their learning. Get ready to spread your wings, try something new, and help your students soar to success!
This session will focus on helping students feel safe, seen, and successful through practical, realistic, and relationship centered information and activities. You will - Understand how trauma impacts the brain and behavior - Recognize common trauma responses in students - Learn practical classroom strategies that actually work - Reflect on how connection influences student success
Transform your WIN (What I Need) time sessions by diving into effective strategies for forming small groups and maximizing intervention time. Learn how to utilize ELA and math techniques that inspire growth and boost student achievement. Discover practical tips and activities to prepare your students for success and turn small moments into big victories!
In this session, we will explore the importance of building relationships, effective communication, and keys to setting expectations. Participants will understand the importance of building relationships with students and how it impacts their learning and well-being. In addition, we will explore practical strategies for building relationships and how effective communication relates.
Dr. Elisabeth Ivy is the Regional Team Lead for MTSS at ESC Region 11. During her career in education, Dr. Ivy has taught from pre-K through college and has served as a Reading Specialist, Instructional Coach and MTSS District Support Specialist.
Have you ever wondered WHY a special education referral takes SO LONG? And wondered WHAT could possibly be involved and why you have to be a part of the process? If you answered yes to either of these questions, come sit and chat with us. Bring your coffee, or other favorite school appropriate beverage, and we will share all that is involved and how important your participation is. Your favorite diagnosticians will be there to talk with you about the referral process all the way from your first comment of "Hmmm...I think this student needs more help" to "How is it possible they did/not qualify?"
Did you know that chocolate milk does not come from brown cows? You might, but many children in America today may not. Join us for an informative session highlighting Farm Bureau's "Ag in the Classroom" initiative, which focuses on integrating agricultural literacy and real-world applications into classroom learning. We will explore the many resources available to classroom teachers through this program and feature several lesson plans that can be integrated into the teaching of core subjects.
Extending Learning with Edpuzzle Slides, What’s New in Edpuzzle: Interactive Tools for Engagement, Making Videos Interactive: Questions, Checks, and Engagement with Edpuzzle, Edpuzzle and Using YouTube Videos for Blended Learning
Leadership is not defined by a title — it is defined by influence, relationships, and a commitment to helping others grow. This interactive 30–40 minute session explores how every staff member, regardless of role, can lead with purpose, build strong connections, and create a culture of high expectations through care, consistency, and service. Drawing from experiences across multiple levels of public education leadership, participants will reflect on how loving children — and colleagues — well can inspire growth, accountability, and excellence in every classroom, hallway, office, and campus. Attendees will leave encouraged and equipped to lead where they are while positively impacting the people around them.
Do you have a great idea that could transform learning in your classroom or benefit students across your campus? The Decatur Education Foundation (DEF) is here to help bring those ideas to life! In this session, DEF will walk you through the grant application process, share examples of successful past projects, and highlight how you can apply for funding during the 2026-2027 school year.
What is the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA), and what does it mean for you? This session provides a clear, practical overview of Decatur ISD's TIA system. Participants will learn how teacher observation data and student growth measures work together to determine designations and what to expect during the data capture year. We’ll also address common questions, clarify misconceptions, and explore how TIA supports both professional growth and compensation. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of the system and confidence in what lies ahead.
Ever wonder what goes on in the dyslexia lab? Join us to learn more about the tools and strategies dyslexia therapy incorporates for our students. You'll discover ways to help all students and support those with dyslexia at the same time. Drop by and learn what we can all do to help the non-traditional learner.
Student-led learning is a powerful approach for increasing engagement and promoting deeper understanding of content. According to the Learning Pyramid model, students can retain up to 90% of what they teach to others, making this strategy especially impactful. Embedding student-led opportunities into daily instruction encourages active participation and ownership of learning. Strategies such as quick checks for understanding, peer collaboration, and group projects push students beyond the traditional “sit and get” model, fostering critical thinking, communication, and long-term mastery of skills.
Strong Tier 1 instruction is the foundation of student success—but what does it actually look like in practice? This session will define the key components of high-quality Tier 1 instruction, including clear learning targets, engaging strategies, differentiation, and ongoing formative assessment.
Strong classrooms are built on connection, structure, and intentional teaching of social-emotional skills. This session explores how Conscious Discipline and trauma-informed practices can transform classroom culture by helping teachers create predictable routines, teach self-regulation, respond to challenging behavior with purpose, and build a sense of safety and belonging for every child.
Extending Learning with Edpuzzle Slides, What’s New in Edpuzzle: Interactive Tools for Engagement, Making Videos Interactive: Questions, Checks, and Engagement with Edpuzzle, Edpuzzle and Using YouTube Videos for Blended Learning
Do you have a great idea that could transform learning in your classroom or benefit students across your campus? The Decatur Education Foundation (DEF) is here to help bring those ideas to life! In this session, DEF will walk you through the grant application process, share examples of successful past projects, and highlight how you can apply for funding during the 2026-2027 school year.
We will discuss the roles of general education and special education teachers and how special education teachers are an extra level of support for students.
The Technology Applications TEKS are probably already happening in your classroom — even if nobody is walking around saying, “This computational thinking is impressive!” or "Nice data literacy there!" Students are already solving problems, creating, revising, and making sense of information every day. The first three Tech App TEKS aren't about adding one more thing to your plate or becoming a tech expert overnight — it’s about recognizing the great thinking that’s already happening and making it more intentional!
As we transition to the new English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS), staying ahead of the implementation timeline is critical for campus and district leaders. This session provides a comprehensive look at the three-phase roadmap for moving from the current standards to full implementation in 2028–2029. Participants will explore the major structural shifts, including the move from four to five proficiency levels and the reorganization of standards into new grade bands. The most significant change: the introduction of subject-specific Proficiency Level Descriptors (PLDs) designed to support language acquisition within ELAR, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.
In this training, we will discuss classroom management and de-escalation strategies for interfering behaviors. Classroom teachers and interventionists will explore proven techniques for de-escalating challenging behaviors in the classroom. This session will equip educators with practical tools and techniques to reduce conflicts, build positive relationships, and set limits.
Extending Learning with Edpuzzle Slides, What’s New in Edpuzzle: Interactive Tools for Engagement, Making Videos Interactive: Questions, Checks, and Engagement with Edpuzzle, Edpuzzle and Using YouTube Videos for Blended Learning
Looking to bring blended learning into your classroom? This session will provide practical, easy-to-implement strategies for combining digital tools with face-to-face instruction. While we will highlight examples from math through our LASO grant work, the structures and approaches shared can be applied across any content area. Participants will leave with ready-to-use ideas to support student engagement, differentiation, and instructional efficiency.
The purpose of this session is to better understand how to leverage the power zone during student work time, especially at the secondary level. As students become older, the need to engage with students instructionally is still great. While students are participating in independent or group work, this can be a powerful time to receive immediate feedback on student understanding, as well as differentiate by scaffolding up or down.
How do we make sure our students get the very best experiences in real life learning - practicum courses, work-based learning, on-site internships, and career prep classes? What are the state guidelines for each of these types of learning? How do we create a thorough, beneficial training plan for each student that meets state requirements? What are the expectations for teacher site visits? This session is designed specifically for Career and Technical Education teachers.
Are you tired of feeling like you're constantly "putting out fires" with student behavior and academics? It’s time to stop reacting to problems and start preventing them. We’ll break down the basics of MTSS and show you how to move from "survival mode" to a system that is proactive. We will discuss how to use MAP data into a roadmap for helping struggling students through MTSS. You'll also learn how to create behavior plans that are student led (instead of just telling them what not to do) and how to keep simple, effective notes on your Tier 2 and Tier 3 students without getting buried in paperwork.
Teacher burnout is an overused term that keeps popping up with no real description or tools to heal. I would like to teach you the details to how your nervous system works so that you can not only see the small signs before this occurs, but leave with real tools in putting out the fires. My approach stems from leaving education and fostering children with trauma in which I experienced extreme caregiver burnout. I have now healed and have returned to teaching with a smile. Is it really possible to not feel this way at work each day?? When teachers feel empowered, their students will too.
Our goal is to lessen the stress on teachers by giving tips to monitor progress during a grading period so they are prepared to provide input at a grading period as well as giving input on suggested goals for IEP preparation so the the goal design is a collaboration. How to understand and IEP goal and how to monitor progress in the general education classroom to give sufficient and adequate input.
Behavioral staff will discuss the roles played by administration, general education teachers, and special education staff when students are having behaviors in a general education classroom setting.
How to partner with the American Heart Association through the service-learning programs Kids Heart Challenge (elementary) and American Heart Challenge (middle/high schools) to enhance students' knowledge of heart health and learn the life-saving skill of CPR, while building leadership skills. We will also cover the wellness grant program and educational resources provided to schools by the American Heart Association.
Classroom Management is a challenge for everyone! Early Childhood Classroom Management is key for a safe, loving, structured, predictable, and secure environment. Learn about, and share what works with consistent expectations, rules, organization, transitions, support, and consequences suitable for all learners!
Attendees will gain familiarity with a variety of popular apps and websites, including CodeSpark, ScratchJr, Code.org, Bee-Bot, and Code-a-pillar. Through guided exploration, participants will learn how these tools support foundational coding concepts such as sequencing, problem-solving, and logical thinking.
This session emphasizes creativity, play-based learning, and real-world classroom application. Whether you are new to coding or looking to expand your current practices, you will leave with practical strategies and resources to confidently integrate coding into your elementary curriculum.
Extending Learning with Edpuzzle Slides, What’s New in Edpuzzle: Interactive Tools for Engagement, Making Videos Interactive: Questions, Checks, and Engagement with Edpuzzle, Edpuzzle and Using YouTube Videos for Blended Learning
This session introduces teachers to ClassWize, a classroom management tool that provides real-time visibility into student device activity. Participants will learn how to monitor student screens, guide online behavior, and use key features such as opening and closing tabs, sending messages, and locking screens to support instruction. The session focuses on practical strategies that help keep students engaged and on task while enhancing digital classroom management.
This training focuses on using MAP Growth data to set meaningful, student-centered goals. Participants will learn how to analyze key reports, including RIT scores and growth projections, and set goals for each reporting period. Teachers will learn how to keep the data in a simple, easy-to-read format. By the end of the session, educators will leave with better understanding of how to track yearly MAPS data for their students in a way that is easy to understand for both the student and their parents. Participants can walk away with ready to use resources.
We will discuss the roles of general education and special education teachers and how special education teachers are an extra level of support for students.
Join us for a collaborative session designed for educators who are currently pursuing their master’s degree or considering taking that next step into leadership. This session focuses on building a strong sense of community, connection, and support among aspiring leaders. Together, we will explore ways to collaborate, share experiences, and learn from one another while working together to make a meaningful impact on our campuses. Participants will gain practical strategies for balancing graduate school, professional responsibilities, and family, while also having the opportunity to exchange ideas and problem solve with peers. You will leave not only with tools and tips, but with a network of educators committed to growing and leading together.
This collaborative session brings CTE educators together across grade levels and program areas to strengthen alignment, improve instructional continuity, and support student success. You get to engage in vertical team planning focused on curriculum alignment, essential skills, industry readiness, student transitions, and pathway coherence from introductory to advanced coursework. Teams will identify opportunities for collaboration, address gaps and repetition in content, and develop actionable next steps to enhance CTE programs and student outcomes.
In this training, we will discuss classroom management and de-escalation strategies for interfering behaviors. Classroom teachers and interventionists will explore proven techniques for de-escalating challenging behaviors in the classroom. This session will equip educators with practical tools and techniques to reduce conflicts, build positive relationships, and set limits.
Extending Learning with Edpuzzle Slides, What’s New in Edpuzzle: Interactive Tools for Engagement, Making Videos Interactive: Questions, Checks, and Engagement with Edpuzzle, Edpuzzle and Using YouTube Videos for Blended Learning
This interactive workshop is designed to help educators bring energy, structure, and differentiation into their classrooms through the use of M.A.T.H.H. stations aligned with the Bluebonnet curriculum. Participants will learn how to effectively organize and implement station-based instruction that allows teachers to meet daily with small, focused groups while creating opportunities for meaningful, targeted support and spiral review. By the end of the workshop, participants will walk away with practical tools, ready-to-use ideas, and a clear framework for implementing M.A.T.H.H. stations that enhance both teaching effectiveness and student success.
Do you struggle with negative attitudes in your classroom? Are you tired of the constant tattling? Do you wish you could better help yourself and students overcome negative perspectives and attitudes? If so, then this session will encourage you! This session will train educators and school leaders on how to build a culture of joy in their classroom and at their school. I will provide practical tips for how to train students to "see the gold" in what their classmates are doing rather than focusing on negativity. I will highlight a tool that helped me shift the culture of the music room during my first year at Carson. My session will also be tailored to address the power of gratitude for educators when going through each school year. Between the workload, behavior issues, challenges with curriculum, hard conversations with students or colleagues, and/or personal life endeavors; the burden teachers carry is a lot. I will talk about how neurologically speaking anxiety and gratitude cannot coexist. So practicing gratitude as an educator can help lower anxiety levels even if circumstances will not change. Lastly, there will be a practical exercise that will allow educators to collaborate, learn and experience the power of gratitude in real time! You do not have to endure this year alone!
Looking to bring blended learning into your classroom? This session will provide practical, easy-to-implement strategies for combining digital tools with face-to-face instruction. While we will highlight examples from math through our LASO grant work, the structures and approaches shared can be applied across any content area. Participants will leave with ready-to-use ideas to support student engagement, differentiation, and instructional efficiency.
This session provides an introduction to Lowman Education and the services and support offered to schools, educators, and students. Attendees will gain an overview of the programs, goals, key resources, and how Lowman Education helps promote student growth, engagement and academic success.
Join us for an interactive training focused on engaging, high impact vocabulary instruction for elementary students. Research shows that students from low socioeconomic backgrounds and emergent bilingual learners may experience significant vocabulary gaps, sometimes up to a million words, impacting comprehension and overall academic success. In this session, we will explore the why behind intentional vocabulary instruction and its critical role in closing these gaps. Then, roll up your sleeves for a hands on make and take experience where you will learn practical, research based strategies you can immediately implement in your classroom. Walk away equipped with tools that help all students build language, confidence, and deeper understanding.
AI doesn’t lower expectations, it removes unnecessary barriers so more students can engage with complex texts. When used intentionally, it allows every student to participate in meaningful literary analysis, not just decode the words. I will discuss positioning AI as a tool for access, differentiation, and dignity in the classroom, not as a replacement or shortcut. | This session will mostly be for ELA teachers, but will be applicable to everyone since reading comprehension is a cross-curricular skill.
Set It, Track It, Reach It is a practical session focused on helping teachers guide students through meaningful goal setting, effective data tracking, and purposeful student conferences. Participants will learn simple strategies to set achievable goals, monitor progress over time, and hold impactful conversations that empower students to take ownership of their learning and growth.
As we transition to the new English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS), staying ahead of the implementation timeline is critical for campus and district leaders. This session provides a comprehensive look at the three-phase roadmap for moving from the current standards to full implementation in 2028–2029. Participants will explore the major structural shifts, including the move from four to five proficiency levels and the reorganization of standards into new grade bands. The most significant change: the introduction of subject-specific Proficiency Level Descriptors (PLDs) designed to support language acquisition within ELAR, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.
Accessibility is about more than just checking boxes; it’s about ensuring our district’s message reaches every student and family. In this high-energy, hands-on workshop, we’re turning compliance and language inclusivity into a competition. Grab your laptop and bring your "messiest" flyers, syllabi, or slide decks for a live BINGO challenge focused on accessibility and inclusivity.
As we dive into the "Big Five" of inclusive design—contrast, typography, alt-text, reading order, and tagging—you’ll apply fixes in real-time to your own documents. We'll also delve into the basics of language translation. Every fix gets you closer to a BINGO and every participant walks away with a "winner’s" toolkit: documents that are professional, beautiful, and accessible to every learner. Let’s prove that inclusive design isn't just a requirement—it’s a game-changer!
Extending Learning with Edpuzzle Slides, What’s New in Edpuzzle: Interactive Tools for Engagement, Making Videos Interactive: Questions, Checks, and Engagement with Edpuzzle, Edpuzzle and Using YouTube Videos for Blended Learning
Turn your classroom into an experience, not just a space. This session explores how cross-curricular room transformations bring content to life—blending subjects into immersive, hands-on learning that captures attention, deepens understanding, and makes lessons unforgettable. Walk away with practical ideas to design engaging environments where every student is actively part of the learning.
With a 30 minute lunch, sometimes teachers need to move in a way that is helpful for their bodies, but still gives them time to get in food. Or during a conference period to get their blood pumping and increase their focus. I want to show them things to do at their desks as well as how to move in their room during their breaks. Between standing and sitting, sometimes simple moves can help us re-align and re-focus.
How do we prepare students for an AI-driven world while still protecting learning integrity, privacy, and critical thinking? Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing teaching and learning, but many educators are still asking the same questions:
* What should students be allowed to use AI for? * What crosses the line into academic dishonesty? * How do district policies apply to tools like ChatGPT and generative AI? * How can teachers safely incorporate AI without compromising rigor, privacy, or student thinking?
The session will focus on balancing innovation with accountability.
This presentation focuses on how teachers can collaboratively create classroom behavior expectations with students through respect agreements. By involving students in the process, teachers gain valuable insight into student needs, perspectives, and motivations while also creating a stronger sense of ownership and accountability within the classroom. Participants will explore strategies for building positive classroom culture, strengthening relationships, and developing shared expectations that promote respect, engagement, and student success.
Join your district diagnosticians and talk about Child Find, legal rights, and building effective IEPs that empower learners and foster inclusion in the general education setting.
Transform your classroom into an engaging learning experience! This session is designed for K-2 educators and will explore how intentional room transformations can increase student engagement + deepen learning. Participants will learn how to design more immersive, hands-on learning experiences that align with the TEKS while supporting young learners’ developmental needs. Practical strategies, examples, and planning tools will be shared to help teachers integrate standards into creative classroom environments.
Join us for an interactive session where we dive into NWEA MAP data! We will explore the basics of interpreting MAP reports and using that data to intentionally group students for instruction. Together, we’ll make sense of what the data is really telling us and how to apply it in meaningful ways.
You will leave with a clear understanding of how to use MAP data to inform instructional decisions, build effective intervention groups, and ensure all students show measurable growth.
