2026 GOCSD Innovation Summit

2026 GOCSD Innovation Summit

Access the pages below to view the sessions, and learn more about our speakers and sponsors. Log in to view your schedule of selected sessions. The Attendees Guide has everything you need to have the best experience!

9:00am CDT

Heroes Within: A Framework for Empowering Students to Own Their Learning Journeys Main BallroomAaron Hansen

10:30am CDT

Active Literacy: Engaging Reluctant Readers Roark CreekZachary Hamby Beyond the Page: Sparking Deeper Critical Thinking Through Interactive Read Alouds Old Glory - Hilton PromenadeLori Waltz Fluency First Aid: Practical Interventions for Striving Readers Compton FerryLindsey Conner • Anna Schneider From Apathy to Agency: Student-Driven ELA Pathways Hensley FerryJoey O'Neal • Allison Centanni GOWellness Network Session Boston FerryNancy Leonard How Clearly Defining Culture can Create Better Attendance and the School Environment Short Creek 4Justin Snider Math That Makes Sense: CGI for Every Learner Short Creek 2Constance Powell Podcast to Proficiency: Building Communication and Digital Literacy Through Podcasting Fall CreekCaitlin Selle Setting up, Managing & Maintaining Student-led Classrooms Main Ballroom (Enter right side)Nathan Fleming Start Small, Think Big: Real-World Learning Made Practical Short Creek 3Xann Boyd Supercharge Your Culture Short Creek 1Matt Pearce • Erin Wayt Deep Dive with Keynote Aaron Hansen Part 1: Heroes Within: Empowering Students to Own Their Learning Cooper Creek 2/3Aaron Hansen From Vision to Action: Designing Your 3-Year School Transformation Cooper Creek 1Brian Owen • Rachelle Antcliff

1:00pm CDT

Becoming Apprentices to Developing Apprentices Roark CreekBetty Glasgow GoLiteracy Network Session Compton FerryLindsey Conner It Takes a Village: Reimagining School Community Short Creek 1Niki Dailey • Natosha Hulett Power of Pulling: Why Retrieval is the Key to Long-Term Learning Old Glory - Hilton PromenadeKatherine Morrison • Melisa Dodd Rebuilding Readers: Effective Intervention for Grades 3+ Short Creek 2Kristin Maerke School Finance 101 - Empowering Educators to Advocate for Missouri Public Schools Short Creek 3Tony Rosetti • Dr. Brenten Byrd Speak. Listen. Learn: Maximizing Student Understanding in Grades 4-12 Fall CreekShanna Pugh • Brittany Thompson Teaching the ADHD Brain: Executive Function in Real Classrooms Main Ballroom (Enter right side)Rachael Shreve The Power of Expectations: Transforming Student Culture Through Accountability and Incentives Boston FerryGretchen Pendley • Stephanie Kuper To Infinity and Beyond: How to utilize AI in the classroom. (Beginner AI Usage) Short Creek 4Josh Welborn Deep Dive with Keynote Aaron Hansen Part 2: Heroes Within: Empowering Students to Own Their Learning Cooper Creek 2/3Aaron Hansen GOSPED Network Roundtable Hensley FerryChris O'Neill Portrait of a Learner: The "How-To" Session Cooper Creek 1Christy Coursey • Amy Summers • Alissa Basta • Alison Holt

2:00pm CDT

From Absences to Engagement: A PBIS Approach to Improving Attendance Boston FerryTiffany Buttram • Dallas DeWeese From Ideas to Impact: Building Student Leadership with Lead4Change Compton FerryKarla Spear • Tori Frisbee GOCoach Network Session Hensley FerryBrooke Gantt • Lydia Ross LITTLE students reading BIG words: multisyllabic words in the elementary classroom Roark CreekLaurie Fine RTI at Work in Secondary Schools: Systems, Structures, and Impact Short Creek 3Jennifer Renegar Smarter Teaching with AI: Tools, Strategies, and Safeguards Short Creek 1Tim McBride Spell Yeah!- a Crash Course in Spelling for Teachers Short Creek 2Kristin Maerke The Brain Behind Behavior: What Every Educator Should Know Main Ballroom (Enter right side)Audra Kingery The Clarity Blueprint Old Glory - Hilton PromenadeMelisa Dodd • Katherine Morrison Tips and Tools for Behaviors and Teaching in a Special Education Classroom Short Creek 4Rachel Ward Unlocking Literacy: Harnessing the Science of Reading for Grades 6-12 Fall CreekShanna Pugh • Brittany Thompson Real Businesses, Real Projects: Designing Teacher Externships That Drive Authentic, Real-World Learning Cooper Creek 1Kristen Mills • Brad Brown Beyond the Score: Using Descriptive Dashboards to Tell Your District's Story Cooper Creek 2/3Holly Schrage • Charles Pearson

3:00pm CDT

Assess, Impress, Progress: Crafting Quality Assessments and Tracking Growth Short Creek 3Jennifer Renegar Beyond the Dance: Turning Prom Planning into Powerful Real-World Learning Compton FerryCassie Nobles From Busy to Brilliant: Student Engagement Through Powerful Protocols Old Glory - Hilton PromenadeTammy Heiney • Wendy Holden From Intention to Impact: Mini Lessons and Interventions That Promote Student Growth Short Creek 4Kaley Greek • Ashley Harting From Spreadsheets to Systems: Building a PLC Data Hub That Drives Action Roark CreekAngela Holman • Jared Patrick From Standards to Student Thinking: Using AI to Design Meaningful Math Tasks Boston FerryWhitney Wenzel • Tanya Ketchum Skills Before Content: Teaching Self-Regulation for Lifelong Success Main Ballroom (Enter left side)Jennifer Shipley Teaching Through Story: Turning Any Lesson into a Human Story Short Creek 2Fernando Sustaita The Literacy Toolkit: Ready-to-Use Strategies for Engaging Readers Main Ballroom (Enter right side)Morgan Lockmiller Un-Googleable by Design: Reclaiming Rigor in the Age of Instant Answers Fall CreekKinsey Martin Beyond the Blueprint: Leveraging AI "Gems" for Precision State Test Prep Short Creek 1Sandy Leech • Jessica Gray Agriculture For All- A PBL Approach: GOCSD Grant Recipient Hensley FerryMelissa Ruble-Porter GOTech Network Kickoff 26-27' Conference RoomChristian Plaster • Jeramie Price Developing Skills That Matter: Real World Learning for All Freshmen Cooper Creek 1Ashley Bateman

8:30am CDT

Beyond the Checklist: Bringing Indicators to Life Through Shared Understanding Roark CreekBrittany Flowers • Calen VanNess • Natasha Adams Breaking the Busy Work Cycle: Authentic Enrichment for Advanced Learners Fall CreekChristina Wallace • Chandi Koeppel Calibrate Confidently: Examples of Creating Consistent Grading Practices Boston FerryAbigail Groves • Candace Miller Making Growth Visible with Effect Size, Quadrants, and Routines Short Creek 3Jennifer Renegar Quick Coping Strategies You Can Put Into Practice This School Year Short Creek 4Elizabeth Deckard Sprinkling Joy: Everyday Ways to Uplift Your School Community Old Glory - Hilton PromenadeMaggie Barnett Stripes School Store: A Student-Led Journey in Entrepreneurial Experiences and MVAs Short Creek 2Leigh Jennings • Rachel Kirkman Unleashing Mathematical Brilliance: What Students Need to Truly Understand Compton FerryPatrick Sullivan • Brandi Compass Wild About Wellness: Helping Staff Bloom to Support Student Success Main Ballroom (Enter right side)Nancy Leonard • Taylor Shields Wonder in the Elementary Classroom Short Creek 1Patricia Rodriguez Between the Lines: A Roundtable for Instructional Coaches Hensley FerryLydia Ross Connecting the Dots from RWL MVA's to Registered Youth Apprenticeships and Internships Cooper Creek 1Betty Glasgow • Rachel Pryor Deep Dive with Keynote Thomas C. Murray: Shifting Mindsets: The Best Leaders are Great Communicators! Cooper Creek 2/3Thomas C. Murray

9:30am CDT

Aligning Your Actions with Your Priorities in the Principalship Short Creek 4Christy Coursey • Camie Lyons • Erin Wayt Dollars & Sense: One Last Look Before the Bell Rings Roark CreekJordan Dickey • Jason Hoffman From Burnout to Balance: Building Habits That Support Well-Being Short Creek 1Rachel N. Johnson GOData Network Session Short Creek 3Jennifer Renegar Hands-On > Screen Time: Bringing Math to Life with Manipulatives in Upper Elementary Boston FerrySavannah Gregorio Set It Up, Don't Clean It Up Fall CreekKrista Gore Taking it from the Classroom to the Community: Senior Projects Old Glory - Hilton PromenadeMelanie Clark The Great! The Good! The Bark! Therapy Dogs Paws-itively Impacting Student Success! Compton FerryAmy Jo Kilgore Using Math Mini-Lessons and Games for Tier 1 Instruction Short Creek 2Hadlee Goldberg Math You Can Touch: Everyday Objects That Make Math Click!” Hensley FerryTanya Ketchum • Whitney Wenzel Connecting Passions to Purpose: The Power of Community-Connected CTE Cooper Creek 1Gage Tiller

10:30am CDT

Shifting Mindsets: Creating a Culture of Innovation Main BallroomThomas C. Murray