DTAL Conference 2025: Full Schedule

DTALcon 25 will be held at Tallwood High School on Tuesday, August 5, 2025. To stay up to date on DTALcon news and register for the event click HERE.

As of 9:00 AM on Monday, August 4, 2025 attendees will no longer be able to make any changes in SCHED. This will allow Conference Admin to prepare for the conference and print schedules. You may still attend however since you are not able to sign up for a session it is advised that you attend sessions that are open.

See you on Tuesday, August 5, 2025!

9:00am EDT

Creative Writing + Coding with CodeVA

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:40am EDT

Room 140

CodeVA has a free online tool anyone can use to create non-linear (choose your own pathway) stories and games, with coding options available to make the experience even more engaging! In this session, you will learn how to integrate this resource into your MS or HS learning plans and make the writing process more enjoyable and more creative for your students.

Presenters

Lori Weyrauch

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

William Laney

Instructional Tech Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:40am EDT
Room 140

40 Minute Choice

9:00am EDT

Discovery Education: Sparking Curiosity with Discovery Education's Studio

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:40am EDT

Room 112

Get ready to fuel student inquiry and engagement in this hands-on session exploring Discovery Education's Studio for science! Participants will discover how to locate interactive resources within Discovery Experience and harness the power of Studio to design captivating lessons. Whether students are working independently, collaborating in small groups, or engaging as a class, Studio provides the tools to make learning dynamic and meaningful.

Presenters

Discovery Education Discovery Education

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:40am EDT
Room 112

40 Minute Choice

9:00am EDT

Quivervision and Content: Leveraging AI for Student Engagement

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:40am EDT

Room 143A

Presenters

Erik Peterson

Beth Smith

Instructional Tech Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

My passion lies in leveraging AI to streamline teacher tasks, integrating technology to create engaging learning experiences for students, and fostering a love for coding and robotics. My diverse background as a classroom teacher and a Gifted Resource Teacher enriches my current role... Read More →

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:40am EDT
Room 143A

40 Minute Choice

9:00am EDT

Simplify and Streamline: Practical Strategies for an Organized and Well-Managed Classroom

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:40am EDT

Room 110

This session equips educators with practical strategies to create organized, well-managed classrooms that foster student independence and maximize instructional time. Rooted in our Strategic Plan’s focus on high-quality instruction and learning environments, this session highlights simple, replicable systems that support smoother transitions, clear routines, and reduced distractions. By simplifying physical spaces and streamlining procedures, teachers can cultivate environments that promote self-regulation, collaboration, and engagement—essential skills for future-ready learners. Perfect for new and experienced educators seeking to enhance classroom efficiency while supporting student success in any subject area.

Presenters

Katie Karr

Title I Resource, Department of Teaching & Learning

Taylor Olson

Title I Resource, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:40am EDT
Room 110

40 Minute Choice

9:00am EDT

SOL-Aligned Street View Tours

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:40am EDT

Room 117

View (and leave with a copy of) 10 Google Maps Street View tours authored by the presenter to support specific science and social studies SOLs in grades 3, 4, and 5. This session will include a brief overview of each tour: Weathering and Erosion (5th), Rock Cycle (5th), Virginia's Regions (4th) Virginia’s Natural Resources (4th), Cloud Types (4th), Ocean Floor (4th), Ancient China (3rd), Greek Architecture (3rd), Roman Architecture (3rd) and Vincent van Gogh's Art (K-5). Additional discussion topics include instructional delivery considerations and creating your own Street View tours.

Link to slide deck presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1cR4BtnXr4KjB4nQ9W-SdmUFnlzJst3u2uI9IFXEgd9U/edit?usp=sharing

Presenters

Shawn Krisch

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:40am EDT
Room 117

40 Minute Choice

9:00am EDT

Turning Cafeteria Chaos into Curricular Gold

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:40am EDT

Room 125

Tired of watching perfectly good apple slices hit the trash? Ready to turn “Ew, compost!” into “Ooh, compost!”? Join us for an engaging, joy-filled journey into the world of food waste reduction in schools. We’ll dig into the messy magic of composting, explore real-world problem-solving projects that empower students to academically and socially excel, and show you how this work aligns beautifully with a smorgasbord of curricular standards—from science and math to ELA and social studies. This session is focused on elementary but can easily be adapted to all grade levels.

Presenters

Christina Sommer

3rd Grade Teacher, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Susan Faulkner

Elementary Math Instructional Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Julie Byers

Instructional Tech Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:40am EDT
Room 125

40 Minute Choice

9:00am EDT

VBCPS Mental Health Resources

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:40am EDT

Room 111

Join this session to learn more about the mental health resources and supports available to elementary and secondary students, as well as staff members in VBCPS.

Presenters

Martha Crawford

Instructional Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:40am EDT
Room 111

40 Minute Choice

9:50am EDT

AI Unlocked: Future-Ready Tools to Elevate Your Teaching Game

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:50am - 10:30am EDT

Room 119

Remember the phrase, “There’s an app for that”? In today’s classroom, it’s more like “There’s an AI tool for that!” This fast-paced, hands-on session will introduce you to a variety of cutting-edge AI tools designed to streamline your workflow, spark creativity, and enhance student learning.

Discover how to use Canva’s Magic Studio to generate stunning visuals, QuestionWell to instantly create high-quality question sets, Quizizz to build quick formative assessments, and SchoolAI to provide personalized guided practice and tutoring for students. You’ll not only see each tool in action but also get the chance to explore them yourself and envision how they can elevate excellence in your own classroom.

Get ready to leave inspired, empowered, and Future Ready!

Presenters

Karen Franklin

Computer Teacher, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:50am - 10:30am EDT
Room 119

40 Minute Choice

9:50am EDT

Canva Whiteboards, Polls, and Quizzes - Oh My!

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:50am - 10:30am EDT

Room 111

Transform students from passive viewers of content to engaged, active participants in their own learning. In Canva, you can use polls and quizzes to check for understanding as you present your slides and display the results in real-time. Canva whiteboards can be used to demonstrate/reflect on learning, plan group projects, brainstorm, and much more. You will experience these tools like a student and then learn how to create your own from scratch. And YES -- you can easily import your Google Slides/PowerPoints into Canva. Finally, browse/search the HUGE library of amazing Canva templates available to suit your needs.

Presenters

Bryan Dulmage

Instructional Technology Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Google Certified Level I & II. I am interested in all things #edtech but specifically how to use technology as a tool to help students develop their strengths, find their passions, think deeply about content, and show their creativity. Follow me on X (fka Twitter) @instruct_edt... Read More →

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:50am - 10:30am EDT
Room 111

40 Minute Choice

9:50am EDT

Family Engagement Is for All of Us: Empowering Teachers, Administrators, and Support Staff to Build Meaningful Partnerships

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:50am - 10:30am EDT

Room 140

Family engagement isn’t just a strategy—it’s a shared responsibility that belongs to everyone in a school community. Research consistently shows that strong family-school partnerships boost student achievement, improve attendance, and increase graduation rates.

This interactive workshop will build the capacity of teachers, administrators, and support staff to engage families in authentic, equitable, and impactful ways. Participants will explore strategies to strengthen communication, build trusting relationships, and create inclusive environments where families feel valued as partners. Through hands-on activities, real-world examples, and practical tools, attendees will leave with actionable approaches to make family engagement a cornerstone of school success.

Presenters

Brittany Peeples

Central Office Staff, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:50am - 10:30am EDT
Room 140

40 Minute Choice

9:50am EDT

Harmonizing Disciplines: A Future-Ready Approach to Cross-Curricular Learning

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:50am - 10:30am EDT

Room 125

Unlock the power of integration in this dynamic, hands-on session designed to inspire educators to blend Art, Music, Physical Education, and Computer Science into core academic instruction. Participants will explore practical, classroom-ready strategies that promote collaboration across disciplines, deepen student engagement, and elevate learning outcomes. Through interactive activities and real-world examples, you'll discover how cross-curricular learning can build future-ready skills such as creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration. Leave with fresh ideas, digital tools, and integrated lesson frameworks that harmonize your curriculum and empower students to thrive in an interconnected world.

Presenters

Erin Nye

Library Media Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Library Media Specialist at Kingston ES

Carley Whidden

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Michelle Pressley

ITS, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:50am - 10:30am EDT
Room 125

40 Minute Choice

9:50am EDT

Launch Littles into Learning: Book Creator in the Primary Classroom

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:50am - 10:30am EDT

Room 123

Ready to elevate your classroom with creativity and cross-curricular connections? Join us for a beginner-friendly session focused on using Book Creator with our youngest learners (grades K–2). Discover how this powerful digital tool can transform student voice, support early literacy, and integrate content across subjects—reading, writing, science, math, and more. You'll walk away with practical strategies, ready-to-use templates, and inspiration to help your littles become confident digital authors. Whether you have one device or a class set, this session will help you take the first steps toward a future-ready classroom where even the smallest learners can shine!

Presenters

Amber Langston

Janet Seward

ITS, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:50am - 10:30am EDT
Room 123

40 Minute Choice

9:50am EDT

Leveraging Imagine Math for K-2 Teachers

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:50am - 10:30am EDT

Room 126

Kimberly Gray from Imagine Math will facilitate a session for teachers on Imagine Math Pathways and reports. She will be open to any questions you may have about implementing Imagine Math on a daily basis.

Presenters

Kimberly Gray

Imagine Math

Johanna Ortiz

Coordinator Mathematics, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:50am - 10:30am EDT
Room 126

40 Minute Choice

9:50am EDT

Magic of Meaningful Feedback with AI

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:50am - 10:30am EDT

Room 128

Discover how Magic School AI can transform the way you give feedback on student writing. In this session, you'll learn how to use the AI tool to provide timely, specific, and meaningful feedback that supports the development of resilience in their writing. You will walk away with practical strategies to elevate the way you give feedback on student writing that will result in the students becoming self reflective learners.

Presenters

Mandy Brewer

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Erin Williams

Instructional Technology Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Anna Bradt

Teacher, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:50am - 10:30am EDT
Room 128

40 Minute Choice

9:50am EDT

Simplify and Streamline: Practical Strategies for an Organized and Well-Managed Classroom

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:50am - 10:30am EDT

Room 110

Presenters

Katie Karr

Title I Resource, Department of Teaching & Learning

Taylor Olson

Title I Resource, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:50am - 10:30am EDT
Room 110

40 Minute Choice

9:50am EDT

Using number talks to build conceptual understanding and confidence

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:50am - 10:30am EDT

Room 112

Resilience, confidence, and number sense are essential for student well-being and success in learning new math concepts. This interactive session highlights how an Algebra 1 team uses daily Number Talks combined with Building Thinking Classroom routines to foster engagement, perseverance, and conceptual understanding in all students. Participants will experience sample number talks and explore how these short, targeted routines can build a strong foundation for algebraic thinking. Attendees will leave with a ready-to-use set of Algebra 1 number talk prompts and practical strategies for seamless classroom implementation. Learn how purposeful math talk can transform student mindset, participation, and long-term achievement.

Presenters

Casandra Scott

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:50am - 10:30am EDT
Room 112

40 Minute Choice

9:50am EDT

Word Up! Writing Right Across the Contents

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:50am - 10:30am EDT

Room 136

Kick off your year with high-impact, evidence-based literacy strategies tailored for content classrooms. In this interactive session, we’ll unpack vocabulary and writing techniques that align with evidence-based literacy instruction and empower students to think—and write—like content experts. Walk away with practical tools you can plug directly into your first unit.

Presenters

Rikki Betancourt

Coordinator of Secondary English, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 9:50am - 10:30am EDT
Room 136

40 Minute Choice

10:45am EDT

Creativity, Curiosity, and Collaboration: Transforming Engagement with Digital Tools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 10:45am - 11:25am EDT

Room 110

Want to boost student engagement, comprehension, and collaboration all at once? In this hands-on session, discover how to creatively integrate Canva, Goosechase, and other interactive tools into your lessons. Turn traditional assignments into exciting, student-driven projects that spark curiosity and deepen understanding. Leave with ready-to-use ideas and digital tools that will transform your classroom!

Presenters

Katie Bennett

English Teacher, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Mary Davanzo-Tysor

Literacy Coach, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 10:45am - 11:25am EDT
Room 110

40 Minute Choice

10:45am EDT

Discovery Education: Unlocking Science Techbook’s Potential for Every Learner

Tuesday August 5, 2025 10:45am - 11:25am EDT

Room 117

Dive into the wonders of Discovery Education’s Science Techbook in this interactive session designed to make differentiation effortless and engaging. Participants will explore the model lesson packed with diverse resources and tools, allowing you to tailor instruction to meet the needs of every student whether they're emerging language learners (ELs), struggling learners, or advanced learners ready to soar.

Discover the magic of built-in features that enhance learning accessibility and foster student independence. Experience Immersive Reader, speech-to-text tools, adjustable reading levels, language conversion capabilities, and an interactive glossary, all of which empower educators to make science concepts come alive for a wide range of learners.

Presenters

Discovery Education Discovery Education

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Geri Scherck

Instructional Tech Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

I am a certified preK-8th grade teacher. Currently, I am an Instructional Technology Specialist at Lynnhaven Elementary School. Lynnhaven is 1-to-1 using Chromebooks for K-5th. We also utilize iPads and many coding devices for facilitating the learning of every student. One of my... Read More →

Tuesday August 5, 2025 10:45am - 11:25am EDT
Room 117

40 Minute Choice

10:45am EDT

From Hot Mess to Success! Using AVID Binders in the High School Classroom

Tuesday August 5, 2025 10:45am - 11:25am EDT

What happens when teachers team up to implement AVID Binders into their General Education classrooms? Real results and real strategies you can use! In this interactive session, participants will learn about AVID Binders and how to actually get them working in the high school classroom. Hear firsthand insights from Gen.Ed., Honors, and AP High School teachers who have successfully integrated them into their daily instructional routines. You don't need to know AVID to do AVID Binders! Come this way for practical ideas, resources, and inspiration to launch AVID Binders in your own High School classrooms!

Presenters

William Washington

Assistant Principal, Landstown HS

”You may not have cooked the meal, but you are in control of the energy you bring to the table.“ - Everything that drives student success is rooted in Relationships and Intentionality. Connect with students, partner with families, give them everything you can give - then... Read More →

Morgan Rogers

Teacher, Landstown HS

Lauren Dietz

Teacher, Landstown HS

Joseph Sendzik

Social Studies Teacher, Landstown High School

Megan Daniels

Teacher, Landstown HS

Tuesday August 5, 2025 10:45am - 11:25am EDT

40 Minute Choice

10:45am EDT

Little Scientists, Big Questions: Engaging Scientific Inquiry Through Hands-On Stations

Tuesday August 5, 2025 10:45am - 11:25am EDT

Room 111

Ignite curiosity and deepen science learning by starting with hands-on exploration! In this interactive session, elementary teachers will experience the power of inquiry-first instruction—where students observe, question, and predict before concepts are formally introduced. Learn how to design meaningful experiences that connect to your science units, align with the VBCPS Future-Ready Profile, and build student excitement all at the same time. Leave with ready to go plans and stations that you could implement before the start of a science unit - just gather materials and go!

Presenters

Amanda Marcum

Instructional Tech Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Amy Rille

Library Media Specialist, Cooke Elementary School

Tuesday August 5, 2025 10:45am - 11:25am EDT
Room 111

40 Minute Choice

10:45am EDT

pARTners in Art

Tuesday August 5, 2025 10:45am - 11:25am EDT

Room 301

Using the power of inclusion, the Visual Fine Art Program is developing an art course designed to provide a unique opportunity for students with and without disabilities to come together in an inclusive environment to engage in meaningful art-making through a quality arts education program.

In the right setting, students can grow as artists with opportunities that foster self-awareness and understanding of the world around them. With the right support in place, students are given the freedom to express themselves uniquely through art.

Presenters

Amber Hester

Coordinator of Fine Arts, Department of Teaching and Learning

Tuesday August 5, 2025 10:45am - 11:25am EDT
Room 301

40 Minute Choice

10:45am EDT

Set Yourself Up for Success: Kick Off the School Year with Confidence and Joy!

Tuesday August 5, 2025 10:45am - 11:25am EDT

Room 112

Ready to start your year feeling calm, prepared, and excited? This lively session is packed with easy-to-use strategies that will help you create a warm, welcoming classroom where every little learner feels valued. Discover how to build strong connections, set up smooth routines, and create a positive vibe that sparks curiosity and joy all year long. Let’s make this your best school year yet—full of smiles, success, and meaningful moments!

Presenters

Dena Sciacchitano

Pre-Kindergarten Resource Tchr, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Pam Gonzales

Pre-Kindergarten Resource Tchr, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Amanda Kelly

Department of Teaching & Learning

Elvia Vazquez

Pre-Kindergarten Resource Tchr, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 10:45am - 11:25am EDT
Room 112

40 Minute Choice

10:45am EDT

Social Studies in 2030: A Look to the Future

Tuesday August 5, 2025 10:45am - 11:25am EDT

Room 109

Explore the alignment between the 2023 social studies standards, the updated VBCPS curriculum and its new emphasis' and the Future-Ready Profile by considering the ways our classrooms have the potential to change as we work towards the goals of Compass to 2030.

Presenters

Chad Gangwer

Coordinator Elementary Curriculum, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 10:45am - 11:25am EDT
Room 109

40 Minute Choice

10:45am EDT

Stations That Shine: Making Choice Time Count

Tuesday August 5, 2025 10:45am - 11:25am EDT

Room 125

Discover the magic behind meaningful, manageable, and magnetizing Pre-K stations! In this fast-paced, idea-packed session, you'll learn how to design choice time experiences that keep little learners engaged, independent, and thriving. From must-have materials to smooth transitions and intentional planning, we’ll share practical tips and creative strategies to turn your centers into shining stars of the classroom. Get ready to walk away with fresh ideas and a spark of inspiration to make your choice time truly count!

Presenters

Becca Carter

Instr Specialist - Cntrl Offic, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 10:45am - 11:25am EDT
Room 125

40 Minute Choice

11:35am EDT

Building Your Differentiation Toolbox

Tuesday August 5, 2025 11:35am - 12:15pm EDT

Room 112

New teachers of gifted and advanced learners often do not know where to begin with embedding gifted pedagogy into the curriculum. This session will offer an introduction to differentiation and provide some easy entry points for tailoring instuction to meet students' needs. Participants will leave ready to implement these models and strategies at their schools.

Presenters

Angela Boubouheropoulos

K-12 Gifted Coordinator, Department of Teaching and Learning

Meghann Scott

Instructional Specialist Gifted Programs, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 11:35am - 12:15pm EDT
Room 112

40 Minute Choice

11:35am EDT

Community Helpers: PreK Weekly Visitors and Skills Badges

Tuesday August 5, 2025 11:35am - 12:15pm EDT

Room 110

Looking for a creative way to foster essential classroom skills in your PreK students—like turn-taking, listening to speakers, and making safe choices? Discover how our school launched a Community Helpers Visitor Program that brings support staff into the classroom as engaging, consistent “visitors.” Learn how we used the beloved role of the “PreK Mailman” to foster relationships, reinforce positive behaviors, and build a successful classroom community through fun, weekly visits. You’ll also explore how to use Adobe Firefly’s simple AI image generation tools to create vibrant, personalized skill badges that motivate and celebrate students as they grow. Walk away with ideas you can implement right away to promote connection, success, and joy in your PreK classroom.

Presenters

Kelly Geller

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tim Trask

Instructional Technology Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 11:35am - 12:15pm EDT
Room 110

40 Minute Choice

11:35am EDT

Connection Before Content: Building Rapport and Boosting Engagement in the Classroom

Tuesday August 5, 2025 11:35am - 12:15pm EDT

Room 139

Discover practical strategies to create a classroom environment where students feel seen, valued, and motivated to learn. Designed primarily for middle and high school classrooms across all subject areas, this session will explore techniques for building authentic connections, fostering trust, and increasing engagement through simple daily practices. Whether you’re working with reluctant learners or looking to strengthen classroom culture, you'll leave with actionable ideas you can start using right away.

Presenters

Tom Semmel

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 11:35am - 12:15pm EDT
Room 139

40 Minute Choice

11:35am EDT

Elevate Student Creation With Book Creator Templates

Tuesday August 5, 2025 11:35am - 12:15pm EDT

Room 119

** Alyssa Faubion, aka Farmer Faubs, will also co present with me and Janet.

Elevate your Book Creator projects! Move beyond basic books by designing structured templates that guide student creativity while meeting learning objectives. In this interactive workshop, you'll explore design principles for effective templates, learn how to lock crucial components, and add multimedia prompts. We'll cover the essential workflows for sharing templates via links and within Book Creator libraries. Walk away with the skills and confidence to create and distribute templates that foster focused, creative student expression. This session is appropriate for all grade levels and subject areas. A features shared can be used on the free and paid account.

Presenters

Janet Seward

ITS, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Alyssa Fabion

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Monica Roach

Instructional Tech Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Pixel art is my jam and I LOVE the flipped classrooom! Ask me about it!

Tuesday August 5, 2025 11:35am - 12:15pm EDT
Room 119

40 Minute Choice

11:35am EDT

Maximizing Productivity with Google Tools LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 11:35am - 12:15pm EDT

Room 126

In the ever-evolving digital landscape, staying ahead means embracing tools that streamline your workflow, foster collaboration, and unlock new levels of productivity. Let’s explore how Google Drive, Chrome, Keep, and Calendar are not just tools for today, but gateways to a more efficient future.
Beyond just storage, Drive offers innovative ways to organize resources and assignments with ease, laying the foundation for a future of seamless collaboration and effortless document management. Leverage productivity-enhancing extensions that not only boost today’s efficiency but also create a smarter, more intuitive browsing experience moving forward. Revolutionize your note-taking and task management, simplifying your digital life today while setting you up for streamlined, future-ready organization. Google calendar enables you to manage your schedule with precision, making time management effortless. You will leave with actionable insights into how Google’s suite of tools can transform your productivity, whether you’re managing resources, engaging with students, or simplifying your daily routines.

Presenters

Jennifer Ives

Instructional Technology Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Jennifer has dedicated her career to Virginia Beach City Public Schools, working as an elementary classroom teacher, Gifted Resource Teacher, and now as an Instructional Technology Specialist. She believes that technology should serve us, not the other way around. Jennifer loves coaching... Read More →

Tuesday August 5, 2025 11:35am - 12:15pm EDT
Room 126

40 Minute Choice

11:35am EDT

New Synergy Gradebook & Canvas Sync LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 11:35am - 12:15pm EDT

Room 141

Discover the new features and interface of the Synergy Gradebook including strategies and recommendations for creating assignments and grading. Then, dispel any myths or misconceptions you may have about syncing grades from your Canvas Assignments to the Synergy Gradebook. Learn teacher-tested ways to use these two essential tools to their maximum effectiveness and efficiency.

Presenters

Amber Nordwall

Instructional Technology Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 11:35am - 12:15pm EDT
Room 141

40 Minute Choice

11:35am EDT

Old School STEAM: Getting Hands-On with Science and Engineering LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 11:35am - 12:15pm EDT

Room 143A

Let's leverage the power of hands-on experiments and demonstrations to foster deep understanding in science and engineering for elementary students. Participants will explore simple, engaging, and cost-effective activities that align with the Virginia Science Standards of Learning and support Compass to 2030, specifically the focus on deeper learning and empowering students as life-ready graduates. We'll take a deep dive into the power of STEAM night as well, to get the whole family involved.

Presenters

Nicole Holdcraft

Instructional Tech Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

With over a decade of experience teaching in both Chicago public and private schools, specializing in elementary education and early childhood development, Nikki brings a wealth of expertise to the education field. Recognized as Teacher of the Year in 2021 and Reading Teacher of the... Read More →

Beth Smith

Instructional Tech Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 11:35am - 12:15pm EDT
Room 143A

40 Minute Choice

11:35am EDT

Personalize Learning with SchoolAI Spaces LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 11:35am - 12:15pm EDT

Room 111

Unlock personalized learning with SchoolAI's "Create a space!" This hands-on session dives deep into creating dynamic, engaging online spaces tailored to your middle and high school students' unique needs in any subject area. Students get instant, detailed AI-powered feedback that sparks genuine curiosity and excitement. All student interactions are easily monitored in real-time on your teacher dashboard. You will build, customize, and launch your own space and learn practical classroom management strategies to maximize students' learning potential with this amazing tool!

Presenters

Bryan Dulmage

Instructional Technology Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Julia Foust

Instructional Tech Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 11:35am - 12:15pm EDT
Room 111

40 Minute Choice

12:45pm EDT

AI Allies for Educators: Boost Productivity with Magic School & Gemini LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:45pm - 1:25pm EDT

Room 143A

This session is designed for K-12 teachers. The goal is to equip educators with practical strategies to leverage AI tools, specifically Magic School AI and Gemini, to significantly reduce time spent on planning, communication, and administrative duties. Participants will learn to use AI as an ally, apply tools to common tasks, understand ethical usage, and begin experimenting with AI to reclaim valuable time for direct student interaction and instruction.

Presenters

Kristin Sanderlin

Instructional Tech Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Ashton Morrow

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:45pm - 1:25pm EDT
Room 143A

40 Minute Choice

12:45pm EDT

BTC Routines: Managing the Flow of Learning from the Vertical Boards to their Focused Notes LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:45pm - 1:25pm EDT

Room 103

Have you heard about Building Thinking Classrooms and want help managing the flow of learning? Are you looking for ways to bring more structure to student collaboration and note-taking? In this interactive session, participants will experience a model Algebra 1 lesson from start to finish—beginning with a student-centered task, moving through small group thinking and consolidation, and ending with personalized, focused note-making. Along the way, you'll explore classroom-ready routines for assigning leveled tasks, guiding collaborative learning, and helping students capture meaningful notes. Leave with ready-to-use tools and templates to deepen engagement and strengthen learning in your Thinking Classroom.

Presenters

Jaclyn McVea

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Monica Lang

Math Coach, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:45pm - 1:25pm EDT
Room 103

40 Minute Choice

12:45pm EDT

Designing for Alignment: How PLC Structures Enhance Curriculum and Instruction LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:45pm - 1:25pm EDT

Room 125

This professional development presentation explores effective PLC organizational structures to enhance teacher collaboration and curriculum alignment to ultimately support student achievement. It emphasizes consistent use of schoolwide meeting templates, data-driven decision-making to refine instruction, the integration of AVID strategies to boost engagement, as well as cohesive collaboration throughout the PLC. Participants will learn how to use student data to revise lessons, to improve communication among teams, and implement student-centered collaborative practices that foster accountability and instructional coherence across grade levels and departments while aligning with school and district wide visions and goals.

Presenters

Brandi Cotton

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Autumn Harrison

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:45pm - 1:25pm EDT
Room 125

40 Minute Choice

12:45pm EDT

Excellence Amplified: Smart Strategies for Future-Ready Instruction LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:45pm - 1:25pm EDT

Room 104

Geared toward middle school educators, this session dives into smart, research-based strategies and digital tools that elevate instruction and empower future-ready learners. Attendees will explore practical ways to boost engagement, differentiate learning, and integrate technology to support student growth—especially in literacy and cross-curricular content. Walk away with ready-to-implement resources and strategies that will transform your classroom into a hub of excellence and innovation.

Presenters

keisara young williams

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:45pm - 1:25pm EDT
Room 104

40 Minute Choice

12:45pm EDT

From Tiny to Towering: Building Vocabulary with STEM LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:45pm - 1:25pm EDT

Room 105

Help students grow their vocabulary while exploring the world through STEM! Join an elementary school Instructional Technology Specialist to learn how using semantic gradients can help young learners understand shades of meaning while connecting to science and engineering practices. Walk away with easy-to-use, hands-on activities and lessons that make learning new words fun and meaningful in your classroom.

Presenters

Amber Bush

Instructional Technology Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Amber Bush Instructional Technology Specialist @mrsamberbush Diamond Springs Elementary School Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:45pm - 1:25pm EDT
Room 105

40 Minute Choice

12:45pm EDT

Pause: A Mindfulness Experience LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:45pm - 1:25pm EDT

Room 117

In this session, teachers will be taught how to teach mindfulness to students through different strategies. Recentering students and teaching them strategies to cope with stress is a great way to get them future-ready!

Presenters

Emily Murrell

2nd Grade teacher, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Emily has worked in VBCPS for 5 years and is looking forward to her 10th year in the classroom. Emily enjoys using technology in the classroom to create an engaging experience for learners. She believes in integrating content into language arts and math to immerse students in what... Read More →

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:45pm - 1:25pm EDT
Room 117

40 Minute Choice

12:45pm EDT

Storyboarding Ancient Civilizations LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:45pm - 1:25pm EDT

Room 110

Storyboarding ancient civilizations engages students in visual storytelling, deepening their understanding of historical events, cultures, and contributions. This hands-on approach fosters creativity, sequencing skills, and content retention as well as integrates language arts and computer science skills. Participants will explore strategies for integrating storyboarding into social studies lessons, encouraging students to think critically and make meaningful connections across time periods. We will specifically show how this concept was integrated into our unit on Ancient Greece culminating in a final product where students demonstrated learning by painting on Saran Wrapped desks.

Presenters

Brooke Martinette

Instructional Technology Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Joy Drumm

Grade 3 Teacher, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tyler Prentiss

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:45pm - 1:25pm EDT
Room 110

40 Minute Choice

12:45pm EDT

Building Bridges: Using Technology to Scaffold for ESL Students LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:45pm - 2:15pm EDT

Room 140

Learn how to use digital tools like Magic School AI and DeepL to scaffold assignments and make them more accessible for English Learners. In this hands-on session, we’ll discuss what modifications ESL students actually need and how to easily adapt assignments without lowering expectations. You’ll learn how to simplify and clarify directions before translation, get quick translation tips, and practice modifying your own materials. You’ll leave with ready-to-use strategies to support multilingual learners in middle and high school. Bring an assignment you’d like to adapt and we’ll work through it together!

Presenters

Jiuliana Meza Alcazar

Spanish Teacher, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Lisa Baigert

Social Studies Teacher, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:45pm - 2:15pm EDT
Room 140

40 Minute Choice

1:35pm EDT

All Write, All Write, All Write: AI and Gamified Strategies to Increase Writing Engagement for All LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT

Room 107

Let’s start the conversation, share experiences, and empower one another to bounce back stronger—because thriving should never come at the cost of your health.

Presenters

Analiese Smith

5th grade Teacher, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Chad Huff

Instructional Tech Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT
Room 107

40 Minute Choice

1:35pm EDT

Dashboard to Resources: Maximizing Lexia Core 5 for Targeted Instruction LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT

Room 128

Unlock the full potential of Lexia Core5 to transform your literacy instruction! In this hands-on session, educators will learn how to effectively leverage Lexia's powerful tools and data to boost student achievement. Discover how to use the Lexia Dashboard to gain deeper insights into student progress, identify skill gaps, and make informed decisions about your next instructional steps. Participants will leave with practical strategies for integrating Lexia resources into their instruction and remediation to meet the diverse needs of elementary learners and accelerate reading growth.

Presenters

Helen Lear

Reading Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Lisa Schliske

Literacy Leader, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT
Room 128

40 Minute Choice

1:35pm EDT

Delivery of Explicit Instruction - Anita Archer Literacy Strategies LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT

Room 139

Join us as we share student engagement and explicit instruction strategies from Anita Archer that will empower your teachers and staff in their delivery of explicit instruction! Plan to participate in choral reading, structured partner responses, and use literacy hold ups, as you learn about the ten Archerisms during this session. This session is for Elementary school teachers and Literacy Leaders.

Presenters

Amy Dirks

Title I Resource, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Amy Paulson

Reading Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Karen Slater

Reading Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT
Room 139

40 Minute Choice

1:35pm EDT

From Pyramids to Presidents: Chatbots as Your Social Studies Sidekick LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT

Room 109

Teachers in grades 3-5 will learn how to use chatbots with their students for research projects, performance task resource gathering, and overall students curiosity. You can expect to engage as a student in grades 3-5 with chatbots to learn how to scaffold their use, and also help students to improve their questioning skills.

Presenters

Chad Gangwer

Coordinator Elementary Curriculum, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tim Bakner

Instructional Technology Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT
Room 109

40 Minute Choice

1:35pm EDT

Future Ready Finance with Khanmigo AI LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT

Room 125

This session explores how Khanmigo, Khan Academy’s AI-powered assistant, enhances instruction in Personal Finance and Economics while supporting W!SE exam readiness. Presenters will walk participants through the teacher dashboard, content alignment, and classroom implementation strategies. Learn how to set up student accounts, assign targeted activities, and monitor progress using built-in analytics and grade tracking tools. Aligned with our Strategic Plan and designed for high school educators, this session focuses on student-centered learning, technology integration, and practical tools that help build financial literacy and support resilient learners through personalized, real-time feedback.

Presenters

Jennifer Blais

Instructional Tech Specialist, Salem High School

VSTE Certified Coach

David Hettiger

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT
Room 125

40 Minute Choice

1:35pm EDT

History Comes Alive for Future Ready Students! School AI Spaces to Chat with the Past LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT

Room 108

Make history come alive! In this session, teachers will learn how to launch SchoolAI Spaces for students to chat with historical figures. Teachers can monitor all conversations and see engagement levels for each student in the class. Appropriate for grades 3-12 with a focus on Social Studies/History, this session will show teachers how to use the VBCPS curriculum to tailor your chatbot to maximize student engagment and learning.

Presenters

Meaghan Sachs

Instructional Technology Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT
Room 108

40 Minute Choice

1:35pm EDT

Monuments Speak: Reimagining Reconstruction Through Your Own Design LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT

Room 106

Our public spaces tell a selective story, often overlooking the various voices that have shaped our nation. This project challenges students to rethink historical narratives by using Tinkercad to design a 3D-printed Reconstruction monument for Virginia Beach. Working in teams, students will explore whose stories are told, how power is represented, and what messages their monument conveys. Through symbolism, location, and design choices, they will create a lasting tribute to Reconstruction’s impact, ensuring future generations engage with this rich time period in history. There is a version of this lesson that focuses on Holocaust memorials.

Presenters

Lauren Teed

Instructional Technology Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Lauren has worked in VBCPS for 13 years and is looking forward to her 14th year. Ten of those years were spent as a Science teacher at Kempsville HS, and she transitioned to the role of ITS in 2020. She enjoys helping teachers integrate technology into their classroom. Lauren holds... Read More →

Maria Faircloth

teacher, Instructional Coaching Team Member, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Teach AP US History for 7 years. Born in Argentina speak fluent Spanish. Currently writing curriculum and editing lessons for the state of Virginia focusing on Inquiry-Based learning. Worked 6 years in alternative education, worked as gifted teachers and ESL. Currently AP US History... Read More →

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT
Room 106

40 Minute Choice

1:35pm EDT

Supporting Student Mental Health LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT

Room 105

During this session, attendees will gain a better understanding of how to support student mental health. Topics in this session will include signs, symptoms and risk factors associated with a mental health concern. Attendees will be introduced to the suicide risk assessment process and the protocols to follow when a student returns to school after a mental health crisis.

Presenters

Dr. Towana Hunter

Instr Specialist - Cntrl Offic, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Annie Chowns

Coordinator, Guidance Services, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT
Room 105

40 Minute Choice

1:35pm EDT

Transforming Behavior, Transforming Outcomes: The Power of Behavior Academies LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT

Room 110

This session offers a deep dive into the design and implementation of Behavior Academies as a proactive, tiered intervention to address student behavior. Participants will learn how to create structured, skill-building sessions that align with MTSS frameworks and support positive student outcomes. With a focus on data-driven decision-making, progress monitoring, and practical tools, this session equips elementary educators and leaders with strategies to implement Behavior Academies that are both impactful and sustainable.

Presenters

Andrea Curney

Coordinator Behavior Intervention, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Katie Catania

Principal ES, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT
Room 110

40 Minute Choice

1:35pm EDT

Vocabulary in Color: Unlocking Shades of Meaning LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT

Room 126

This session will help educators learn the importance of vocabulary instruction and how strong vocabulary skills are directly tied to reading comprehension. This session will also help educators learn how this strategy will strengthen students' oral language comprehension skills (collaborative communicators), and help students become stronger writers. This session is closely aligned with the Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction modules classroom teachers were required to take, and also supports the new shades of meaning vocabulary SOLs.

Presenters

Jenny Hofler

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT
Room 126

40 Minute Choice

1:35pm EDT

Write Fluently, Express Powerfully: Connecting Effortless Foundational Skills to Skilled Composition LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT

Room 103

We have learned about the Simple View of Reading, but what about the Simple View of Writing? In this session we will explore SVW and how accurate and automatic foundational writing skills are just as important as composition. We will take a deep look at the importance of handwriting fluency, spelling, and sentence structure as they relate to overall skilled written expression. Participants will dive into how foundational writing skills and composition skills are taught and developed so that they are able to use data and address student needs in writing instruction.

Presenters

Karen Kaas

Instructional Specialist, Department of Teaching & Learning

Tuesday August 5, 2025 1:35pm - 2:15pm EDT
Room 103

40 Minute Choice

2:30pm EDT

Canva 101: How to Create Engaging Lessons and More! LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 2:30pm - 3:10pm EDT

Room 107

This session is best suited for teachers new to Canva or those who want to learn how to do more with what they already know. For the first 10 to 15 minutes, I will be sharing a Canva presentation that I have made specifically for this session; I will discuss whether building a presentation from scratch is better than using an already made template, as well as how to create engaging lessons while also allowing students to use Canva for presentations. The remaining 20 to 30 minutes will be time for teachers to explore Canva on their own as they work to create a lesson for use next school year; I will be circulating the room to answer questions and assist as needed.

Presenters

Amber Preminger

English Teacher, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Bachelor's of Arts (BA) in English - 2012Bachelor's of Science (BS) in Psychology - 2016Teacher est. 2013 ❤

Tuesday August 5, 2025 2:30pm - 3:10pm EDT
Room 107

40 Minute Choice

2:30pm EDT

Digging Deeper into Computer Science with Scratch

Tuesday August 5, 2025 2:30pm - 3:10pm EDT

Room 109

This session will connect educators familiar with computer science into some deeper application and tools with one of CodeVA's curriculum writers. Participants should be familiar with Scratch at a basic level to attend or interested in advanced computer science integration opportunities.

Presenters

Clair Wise

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Chad Gangwer

Coordinator Elementary Curriculum, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 2:30pm - 3:10pm EDT
Room 109

40 Minute Choice

2:30pm EDT

Elevating Comprehension: DSR Strategies for Every Subject LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 2:30pm - 3:10pm EDT

Room 139

Get future ready by unlocking the power of the Developing Skilled Readers (DSR) standards. Participants will dig into the DSR standards to gain a better understanding and learn practical ways to apply these strategies in instruction. Whether it is language arts, math, science or social studies, teachers will use the DSR standards as a toolbox to elevate reading comprehension, fuel curiosity, and get students thinking deeply across the curriculum!

Presenters

Angelia Ragland

Instructional Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Cindy Matney

Reading Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 2:30pm - 3:10pm EDT
Room 139

40 Minute Choice

2:30pm EDT

Elevating Efficiency: Maximizing Time with Securly Classroom LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 2:30pm - 3:10pm EDT

Room 102

Unlock the full potential of Securly Classroom! This session provides best practices, tips, and tricks for leveraging this powerful tool to support a safe online environment for students and advance organizational excellence. Learn how to create a safe and inclusive learning environment while streamlining classroom management, promoting responsible digital citizenship, and maximizing the effective use of this division resource.

Presenters

Bridget Householder

Customer Support Technician II, Department of Teaching & Learning

I am Certified Canvas Technical Administrator and work in Instructional Technology.

Tuesday August 5, 2025 2:30pm - 3:10pm EDT
Room 102

40 Minute Choice

2:30pm EDT

Elevating Science Through the Lens of Assessment LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 2:30pm - 3:10pm EDT

Room 123

What’s keeping your science instruction on the ground floor? Are you ready to Level Up? In this session, we will explore how to plan for instruction from the lens of assessment to elevate the rigor, engagement, and excitement for learning in science. Participants will learn how to develop and utilize learning intentions and success criteria to plan for actively engaging learners in student-centered experiences.

Presenters

Jessica Bradford

Title 1 Resource, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Alex Shea

Instructional Technology Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Nancye Flinn

Coordinator Science, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 2:30pm - 3:10pm EDT
Room 123

40 Minute Choice

2:30pm EDT

Inclusion in Special Ed. - Best Practice LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 2:30pm - 3:10pm EDT

Room 136

This session will empower inclusion teachers to deliver specially designed instruction (SDI) using strategies that support diverse learners across all grade levels and subject areas. Participants will learn practical approaches to integrating SDI into inclusive classrooms, fostering Future Ready Learners. Educators will leave with adaptable instructional techniques that promote academic success and equity, adding tools in their toolbox to create supportive learning environments that cater to the diverse needs of all students. Come explore how SDI can enhance inclusive practices and prepare students for future success.

Presenters

Joan Webb-Douglas

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 2:30pm - 3:10pm EDT
Room 136

40 Minute Choice

2:30pm EDT

Leveraging Imagine Math for K-2 Teachers LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 2:30pm - 3:10pm EDT

Room 126

Presenters

Kimberly Gray

Imagine Math

Tuesday August 5, 2025 2:30pm - 3:10pm EDT
Room 126

40 Minute Choice

2:30pm EDT

Seesaw Assessments through the lens of a Music teacher LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 2:30pm - 3:10pm EDT

Room 112

This session will focus on leveraging Seesaw for our K-5 elementary general music cornerstone assessments. The target audience would be elementary general music teachers of grades K-5 but could benefit anyone wanting to understand how to create and implement Seesaw assessments or interactive assignments. Example assessments and activities will be shared through the Seesaw district library. We will unpack how to locate, modify, implement, create, and utilize them for effective assessment and student feedback. Time will be available for participants to explore, modify, or create their own assessments or activities.

Presenters

Jana Metz

Music Teacher, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

I am an elementary music teacher who loves to sing and share my love of music with young musicians. It is wonderful to see and hear musical talents beginning to take root and watch them grow!

Tuesday August 5, 2025 2:30pm - 3:10pm EDT
Room 112

40 Minute Choice

2:30pm EDT

Strengthening School Attendance: Supporting Schools in Tackling Attendance Challenges LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 2:30pm - 3:10pm EDT

Room 128

This professional learning session will provide a comprehensive tutorial on using the EveryDay Labs platform, guiding participants through its key features and available resources. Attendees will explore how to navigate the platform effectively to support school attendance initiatives. The session will also include a discussion of targeted strategies designed to improve attendance across all student groups, with a focus on equity and measurable outcomes.

Presenters

Alainya Abdelkader

MTSS Coach, Virginia Beach Public Schools

Caitlin Bucholz

PBIS Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 2:30pm - 3:10pm EDT
Room 128

40 Minute Choice

3:20pm EDT

Bright Beginnings: Getting Started with Adobe Express for Creative Teaching LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT

Room 119

Explore the creative potential of Adobe Express in this beginner session designed for educators. Learn foundational skills to confidently integrate this dynamic tool into your classroom, using customizable templates to spark student creativity and personalize learning. Discover how to guide students with intentional design while allowing room for expression. Dive into advanced strategies that transform templates into tools for reflection and exploration. Walk away with practical techniques to engage learners, foster deeper thinking, and prepare students for future success. Participants will learn to remix, create, and utilize templates for meaningful student-driven projects and demonstrations of learning.

Presenters

Jennifer Ives

Instructional Technology Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Monica Roach

Instructional Tech Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Pixel art is my jam and I LOVE the flipped classrooom! Ask me about it!

Rebecca Yaple

VILL Teacher, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT
Room 119

40 Minute Choice

3:20pm EDT

Creating a Culture That Celebrates Student-Centered Excellence LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT

Room 141

In this session, educators will explore practical strategies to build and sustain a classroom culture where student voice, choice, and ownership are not only encouraged—but celebrated. Grounded in the belief that student-centered learning is the foundation of future-ready excellence, participants will learn how to shift from traditional structures to a more inclusive, empowering environment. Walk away with tools and mindsets to elevate engagement, deepen learning, and transform your classroom into a thriving community of confident, capable learners.

Presenters

Brianna Gomez

Teacher, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Linnel Rucker

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT
Room 141

40 Minute Choice

3:20pm EDT

Elevate Your Workflow: AI-Powered Google Sheets for Educators LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT

Room 140

Ready to take your everyday tasks to the next level? In this session, you’ll see how AI tools can help you write custom automations in Google Sheets—no coding background required. I’ll walk you through real examples I’ve built as a non-coder, designed to save time, reduce repetition, and elevate your efficiency. Leave with practical ideas, working code, and the confidence to start building your own future-ready tools

Presenters

Barbara Besal

Instructional Technology Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT
Room 140

40 Minute Choice

3:20pm EDT

Exploring Tomorrow's Innovators: Science Small Groups in Action LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT

Room 102

Explore how small group instruction can boost engagement, deepen understanding, and strengthen collaboration in elementary science. This session features real classroom examples, data, and simple steps for launching and managing small groups effectively. Learn how to track student progress using anecdotal notes aligned to science strands, and discover how SchoolAI supports instruction and assessment. Walk away with practical, ready-to-use strategies to elevate science learning in your own classroom.

Presenters

Sabrina McDaniel

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Amy Carlisle

Instructional Technology Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT
Room 102

40 Minute Choice

3:20pm EDT

Helping Students Talk Smarter Not Louder: Elevating Classroom Conversations with Accountable Talk LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT

Room 126

This session will help staff understand what Accountable Talk is, why it's important, and how it will help students develop better communication skills to help them both academically and socially. It is intended for elementary teachers, and applicable to all subject areas. Particpants will walk away with ready to use accountable talk stems for various subjects, morning meeting, and closing circles.

Presenters

Jenny Hofler

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT
Room 126

40 Minute Choice

3:20pm EDT

Listen up! LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT

Room 128

The purpose of this session is to share strategies for developing listening comprehension across content areas. With the help of AI it has become easier than ever to develop authentic listening resources, but it is crucial to use effective strategies to determine if students understand what they are listening to. Though geared toward language teachers, the resources and strategies have cross curricular benefits.

Presenters

Leah Donohue

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Paula Hernandez

Instructional Specialist, Department of Teaching and Learning

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT
Room 128

40 Minute Choice

3:20pm EDT

Mastering Foundational Skills for Future Ready Readers LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT

Room 139

Ready to make foundational skills engaging and effective? Discover practical tips and strategies to best implement the HMH Foundational Skills components in grades 3-5, including engaging activities and the use of flexible grouping to support decoding, encoding, and fluency.

Presenters

Kim Spruill

Reading Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Angelia Ragland

Instructional Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT
Room 139

40 Minute Choice

3:20pm EDT

Mining for Knowledge: Integrating Content with Minecraft LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT

Room 105

Join an elementary school Instructional Technology Specialist to explore how kindergarten and first grade students use Minecraft to bring learning to life, one block at a time! Learn how we integrate content, literacy, and math, conduct research, build models, and practice science and engineering skills. Discover how Minecraft can foster creativity, collaboration, and a love of learning! Walk away with practical ideas, resources, and lessons!

Presenters

Amber Bush

Instructional Technology Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Amber Bush Instructional Technology Specialist @mrsamberbush Diamond Springs Elementary School Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT
Room 105

40 Minute Choice

3:20pm EDT

Now Where to Start? Teaching with AI as Your Assistant LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT

Room 125

This session is for HS instructional staff who have completed the “Essential AI for HS Educators” course. New to AI and not sure where to begin? Learn how AI can enhance—not replace—good teaching. With a focus on Google Gemini and VBCPS AI guidelines, participants will learn how to use AI as a professional tool for lesson planning, assessment, communication, and differentiation. Aligned with Compass to 2030, this session introduces practical, low-barrier strategies for integrating AI in ways that empower teachers and support student success.

Presenters

Jennifer Blais

Instructional Tech Specialist, Salem High School

VSTE Certified Coach

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT
Room 125

40 Minute Choice

3:20pm EDT

Outdoor learning, Inside the school grounds: elevated hands on science LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT

Room 123

Do you want to give an authentic hands on outdoor experience for students without all the logistic constraints of a field trip? In this session we will go over outdoor experiences students can have on their own school grounds. We will cover sampling populations, measuring diversity and nature walks while covering biology and life science SOL standards using only grasses, trees and other organisms that grow on most school grounds.

Presenters

Jason Tomik

Instructional Tech Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT
Room 123

40 Minute Choice

3:20pm EDT

Streamline & Shine: Elevating Excellence with Canva and ChatGPT LIMITED

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT

Room 143A

You can quickly create teaching resources with Canva and ChatGPT. Put the power of AI to work in generating your teaching materials by app smashing a powerful graphic creation app with suggested prompts. We will share practical tips for using AI tools to maximize your success.

Presenters

Barbara Butler

Instructional Technology Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Virginia Beach City Public Schools Instructional Technology Specialist

Ellen Nesbit

Instructional Tech Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Instructional Technology Specialist in Virginia Beach, Virginia; Certifications: Google Certified Educator Level II, Microsoft Office Specialist;Masters in Instructional Technology from Old Dominion University (and oddly, a bachelor's in Spanish Literature from Salem College in Winston-Salem... Read More →

Tuesday August 5, 2025 3:20pm - 4:00pm EDT
Room 143A

40 Minute Choice