2026 GOCSD Innovation Summit

In this session, participants will get proven strategies to supercharge their District, Building, or Classroom.

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.

This session provides classroom teachers with a practical framework for using AI to reduce workload while maintaining high instructional standards. Participants will explore how AI supports lesson planning, content creation, grading, and differentiation, including maximizing prompts aligned to state standards and district curriculum. Attendees will leave with ready-to-use prompt structures, practical classroom examples, and clear guidelines for responsible use. Emphasis is placed on teacher oversight, academic integrity, and long-term classroom use.

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.

In classrooms where joy and curiosity are intentionally cultivated, students take on the cognitive heavy lifting. When learning is infused with a sense of wonder, engagement shifts from compliance to genuine investment. Educators can spark this transformation by designing experiences that invite exploration—through purposeful games, rich partner discourse, and thoughtfully crafted puzzles.

According to the 2025 MSTA teacher survey over 71% of educators said they have considered leaving the profession this year, with 41% of respondents saying job-related stress was a factor. The first half of this session will go over tools and practical daily habits, educators can utilize to set clear, consistent work boundaries so they can focus attention to other passions outside of school. Participants will also engage in activities, like some simple restorative stretches, that can improve their mental and physical well being. Participants will come away with new skills and supports so they can avoid the teacher burnout.