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Do your read-alouds spark surface-level recall or deep inquiry? After implementing high-level questioning frameworks in my classroom, student engagement during literacy blocks soared. In this session, participants will move beyond passive listening to design interactive read-aloud experiences that demand critical thinking. We will practice "think-aloud" modeling and develop strategic stopping points that require students to analyze, infer, and evaluate. Attendees will leave with a "Read Aloud Planner" template and a curated list of complex texts perfect for K-8 inquiry. Please bring a favorite picture book to use during our hands-on planning workshop.
This past year, we noticed a frustrating pattern in our reading intervention data: students’ phonics skills and decoding accuracy were improving, yet their overall reading progress had stalled. This led us to dig deeper to find the missing piece of the puzzle. The answer? Fluency! In this session, participants will explore how targeted fluency intervention can unlock progress for striving readers who appear “stuck.” Using real case studies from an elementary intervention room, participants will examine practical routines that build accuracy, automaticity, and prosody. Attendees will leave with research-informed strategies and a clear plan for strengthening fluency during intervention.
Literacy Specialist, Logan-Rogersville School District
Lindsey Conner serves as the Elementary Literacy Specialist at the Logan-Rogersville School District, where she leads professional development, supports curriculum development and initiatives, and provides coaching for classroom teachers. Before her current role, she supported young... Read More →
This session connects educators and leaders who are committed to supporting staff wellness. Through collaboration and shared ideas, participants will explore innovative, practical, and evidence-informed strategies to strengthen well-being in their schools and districts. This meeting will serve as the GOWellness Networks’s first meeting of 2026-2027.
This session examines how clearly defining school culture can lead to significant gains in attendance and engagement. Billings Schools developed a shared vision that shaped attitudes, behaviors, and daily routines—resulting in stronger relationships and measurable improvements in attendance rates. Attendees will learn practical steps to build a culture that inspires both students and staff to show up and thrive.
I am just finishing my 20th year in education. I was a HS PE teacher/Varsity Baseball Coach/JH Volleyball coach for most of my career, with some basketball mixed in early for the first 15 years of my educational career. I am one of the few people who got to end their coaching car... Read More →
Wednesday July 29, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am CDT Short Creek 4
This session explores how Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) empowers teachers to build on students’ natural mathematical thinking. Participants will learn how to use student strategies to guide instruction, ask purposeful questions, and create a classroom where all learners can succeed. Through real- world classroom examples and experiences, and hands-on problem solving, educators will leave with practical tools to differentiate instruction, increase engagement, and deepen conceptual understanding in math for every student.
How can you teach students to communicate effectively while also making it relevant to the digital environment all around us? Podcasting! In this session, attendees will hear one teacher's experience bringing podcasting into her classroom and how it can be adapted for other ages or subjects. Participants will leave with materials to help them supply, plan, and teach podcasting in their own classroom.
What if the curriculum you already have is the starting point for meaningful, real-world learning? In this session, you’ll learn how to connect standards and curriculumn like puzzle pieces to create engaging, real-world projects. Walk away with steps and strategies that feel manageable and realistic to try for your classroom.
Classroom/STEM Educator, Reeds Spring School District
I’m an educator who loves creating hands-on, real-world learning experiences that make students excited to think, explore, and problem solve. I’m passionate about connecting learning across subjects, building strong classroom community, and helping students see themselves as capable... Read More →
Wednesday July 29, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am CDT Short Creek 3
What does it actually take to move from vision to classroom impact? In this interactive workshop, leadership teams co-design a clear, actionable 3-year implementation plan grounded in real constraints like time, culture, and staff readiness. Facilitated by Magnify Learning and leaders from Joplin Schools, participants will leave with aligned priorities, next steps, and a roadmap to build momentum—not just another initiative. This session models the same process used over the last decade in successful district implementations nationwide.
Magnify Learning partners with schools and districts to implement Project Based Learning that boosts learner engagement, achievement, and future-ready skills. Our proven PBL Mastery Program creates sustainable PBL at the leadership and teacher levels to transform school culture.
Kick off the 2026–27 school year with the GoLiteracy Network! This session invites literacy leaders (coaches, interventionists, administrators, university professors, and other educators leading literacy efforts in their context) to reconnect and refocus for the year ahead. Participants will network with colleagues, share priorities and challenges, and strengthen our professional community supporting literacy improvement. We will also launch this year’s GoLiteracy book study, introducing the selected text and outlining how our learning will unfold throughout the year. Join us to start the year with new connections, fresh ideas, and a shared commitment to improving literacy outcomes for students.
Literacy Specialist, Logan-Rogersville School District
Lindsey Conner serves as the Elementary Literacy Specialist at the Logan-Rogersville School District, where she leads professional development, supports curriculum development and initiatives, and provides coaching for classroom teachers. Before her current role, she supported young... Read More →
Wednesday July 29, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm CDT Compton Ferry
Discover how strong partnerships between families and schools can transform a school community through the power of the Leader in Me framework (you do not need to be a Leader in Me school to walk away with many valuable resources). In this engaging session, presenters will share their unique perspective serving on both the Staff Lighthouse Team and the Parent Lighthouse Team, working together to bridge the gap between home and school. Learn how intentional collaboration has led to increased family engagement and a thriving school culture. This session will highlight impactful initiatives such as school-wide assemblies, Family Nights, Parent Lighthouse efforts, and community-building events like the Turkey Trot 5K, Pancakes with the Grinch, and quarterly PLC treats. Participants will also explore growth over time through MRA survey data, showcasing the journey from where the school began to where it is today. Walk away with practical ideas, inspiration, and strategies to strengthen your own school-family partnership because truly, it takes a village.
Students in grades 3 and above who are significantly behind in reading require more than typical instruction—they need targeted, intensive intervention. This session explores evidence-based strategies to rebuild foundational skills, including phonemic awareness, decoding, and fluency, while accelerating progress toward grade-level expectations. Learn how to identify skill gaps, prioritize instruction, and provide explicit, systematic support for older struggling readers. Whether you are a classroom teacher or interventionist, you will leave with practical tools to help students close gaps, build confidence, and become more proficient, independent readers.
Have you found understanding school finance to be difficult? You are not alone, most educators, parents and community members find it very complex and hard to understand. This session is designed to strengthen financial literacy among educators and administrators by breaking down the complexities of Missouri’s public school funding system. Participants will deepen their understanding of key components of the state’s funding formula and identify major revenue sources, including local, state, and federal contributions. The session will also explore how legislative decisions shape school funding, with opportunities to analyze proposed bills and their potential impact on districts. Through this learning, attendees will be equipped with the knowledge and confidence to effectively advocate with state legislators, develop strong communication strategies with policymakers, and engage thoughtfully in education policy discussions that influence the future of their schools and communities. Participants will leave with a School Finance 101 Quick Guide and Advocacy Toolkit.
ADHD is not a behavior problem, it’s an executive functioning challenge. In this session, educators will gain a clear understanding of how the ADHD brain works and why traditional strategies often fall short. Participants will learn practical, classroom-ready interventions that support focus, task completion, and independence. This session will also reframe common 504 accommodations into more effective, brain-based approaches that align with how students with ADHD actually function.
This session introduces educators to beginner-friendly AI tools designed to simplify lesson planning, grading, and communication. Participants will explore how AI can save valuable time, enhance instructional design, and personalize learning experiences for all students—including effective applications to support English Language Learners. Real classroom examples will illustrate how these tools can reduce workload and create more space for meaningful student interaction. Bring a charged laptop for guided hands-on practice.
This is our first GOSPED Network meeting of the 26-27 school year. We will network and discuss current topics in special education and set the course for our upcoming year.
We will explore how each elementary building in the Republic School District is using current structures and strategies to implement newly developed Portrait of a Learner competencies. Session presenters will highlight how building educators are using student leadership teams and specials/electives/fine arts teams to explore career pathways and competencies. They will also share how current leadership portfolio practices can be used with competencies. There will be information on how to implement competency vocabulary across grade levels, as well. This is a great session for all educators.
Schools across the country are working to address chronic absenteeism and rebuild strong attendance habits. This session will highlight how one elementary school used PBIS systems to create a positive culture around attendance while engaging both students and families. Presenters will share practical strategies including incentive structures, family engagement ideas, and data tracking methods that helped increase attendance and strengthen school climate. Participants will leave with ready-to-implement ideas and tools that can be adapted for their own schools and grade levels.
Coaching looks different everywhere–and that’s where the learning lives. This session invites anyone whose role includes "coaching" to connect and explore what is working, what’s evolving, and how others are adapting their coaching to meet educator and student needs. This meeting will serve as the GOCoach Network’s first meeting of 2026-27.
Learning to read is the primary work of K-2 classrooms. That work includes learning letters, sounds, and lots of words...mostly one or two syllables with blends, digraphs, and vowel teams. All of that is needed...but so is learning to read multisyllabic words. If little readers don't learn to read big words, then the shift from "learning to read" in K-2 classrooms to "reading to learn" in 3-5 classrooms is going to be difficult. At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to enhance the work they are already doing to include bigger words in reading and writing!
I am a teacher who has spent years in first grade, among other things, and now LOVES the role of reading interventionist! I love to help students become the best readers and writers they can be and support their teachers throughout the process!
Wednesday July 29, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm CDT Roark Creek
Many teachers lack confidence in our own ability to spell because we did not receive adequate training in phonics in elementary school or college. So, when students come to us with questions about spelling, many of us fall upon the misconception that “English is such a tricky language." The truth is that 97% of words follow a pattern of rules. When teachers understand these rules, we are better equipped to support our students. Teachers of all grade levels and subject areas will leave this session with a deeper understanding of spelling rules and resources to support their students.
This session will provide an overview of the brain and the central nervous system and how student behavior is shaped by the state and function of the CNS. Attendees will learn to recognize brain states and respond appropriately, using conscious presence and somatic techniques to guide the student toward regulation.
This session provides practical strategies for addressing challenging behaviors in both special education and general education classrooms. The presentation incorporates insights from CPI, Autism Helper, and Conscious Discipline, along with classroom-tested approaches developed through years of experience. Attendees will also explore a visual schedule format that has been successfully implemented and adapted over the past decade to align with evolving curriculum demands and the integration of educational technology.
When teachers experience industry firsthand, classroom learning becomes more relevant and career-connected for students. Branson Public Schools addressed this challenge through its Teacher Externship Program, placing educators with local businesses to design authentic client-connected projects. In this interactive session, participants will examine the externship structure, explore logistics for implementation, and analyze examples of real-world projects developed with community organizations. Participants will collaborate to identify strategies they can use to launch or strengthen externship experiences in their own districts. Attendees will leave with a practical framework, planning tips, and partnership ideas to implement a successful teacher externship model to make real-world learning available for all students.
We will dive into practical, research-backed strategies for crafting high-quality assessments that drive student growth. Participants will explore how to design a variety of assessment items and track progress effectively, ensuring assessments are clear, aligned with learning goals, and impactful. We’ll also discuss time-saving tools, including AI, to streamline the creation of proficiency scales and assessment item banks. By the end of the session, attendees will have actionable insights to enhance their assessment practices and support ongoing student progress.
Students cannot access academic content when they are dysregulated. This session explores how self-regulation, coping skills, and executive functioning impact learning across K–12 settings. Participants will leave with practical, brain-based strategies they can implement immediately to support student behavior, increase engagement, and improve academic outcomes.
This ready-to-use learning session equips educators with 20 high-impact literacy strategies designed to meet the diverse needs of today’s learners. Participants will explore practical, classroom-tested approaches that support comprehension, vocabulary development, engagement, and differentiation across content areas. The session includes modeling, examples, and adaptable resources that can be implemented immediately in grades 5–8 classrooms. Strategies are tailored to support a range of learners, including struggling readers, advanced students, and multilingual learners. Educators will leave with a toolkit of interactive techniques, graphic organizers, and scaffolds to enhance literacy instruction and create an inclusive, student-centered learning environment.
Are you "drowning" in the complexities of Missouri state assessments? This session introduces the MAP, EOC, and CCR Prep Assistant, a set of custom Google Gemini "Gems" designed to translate dense DESE blueprints and item specifications into actionable classroom tools. The goal is to SAVE YOU TIME! Every state assessed teacher who attends will receive access to an individualized Gem for YOUR specific grade and content! Participants will explore how to instantly generate practice questions that mimic state-mandated rigor and use "Scorer’s Mindsets" to provide high-impact feedback. You will leave with a personalized "Test Prep Action Plan" and the skills to automate your most time-consuming planning tasks while maintaining strict alignment with Missouri Learning Standards.
Director of Learning Systems & Client Relations, StepUp Consulting
At Step Up we want to be your “How To” guide when it comes to tackling school initiatives! With our Curriculum Management Tool (CMT), Missouri Assessment Teaching Tool (MATT) Book, and our RSP Fast Tracking Tool we strive to help you organize and streamline your process to give... Read More →
Wednesday July 29, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm CDT Short Creek 1
In this roundtable discussion, participants will explore the Panther Grown Egg Project and the importance of providing hands-on agricultural experiences for both elementary and secondary students.
