Morning Sessions
Keynote Address and Breakout Session 1
Keynote Address
"It's All About People"
Presenter: Dr. Zac Bauermaster
Education is all about people. Period. Whether you're an administrator, teacher, or support staff member, you’re a leader, and the heart of what we do in schools lies in connecting with and supporting others. However, it can be easy to get caught up in the daily grind, to-do lists, and the hustle and bustle of life, missing out on what is most important—the people. It’s the people who make a place special. Join Zac as he shares a personal experience that opened his eyes to the importance of prioritizing relationships and how all school staff, regardless of their role, have the power to shape a positive culture. In his keynote, Zac will introduce and break down his PEOPLE Framework for leadership: Prioritize, Empathize, Observe, Purpose, Love, and Encourage. This practical and heartfelt framework is designed to help administrators, teachers, and support staff strengthen connections with one another, students, and families. By embracing the PEOPLE Framework, you’ll transform how you approach each day, creating a school community where students want to come, staff want to work, and families trust and are proud to send their kids.
More sessions coming soon. Watch this space!
A01 - Could I be a Superhero?
(Behavior)
Eligible for NASP CPD and SWK credit
Presenter: Dr. Gina Scala
Can young children be Superheros? If so, how? If not, why not? Often, we wonder how can young children exhibit behaviors which would be considered inappropriate. Of course these young children can and do exhibit those behaviors. A common outcome is "what can you do" feeling. You have the power to impact change and utilize strategies that will result in positive outcomes. We will review numerous opportunities to implement with students that can impact students. Participants will leave with "can dos" for their day to day work or interactions with younger students. You must enjoy humor to and laugh to attend.
Audience: General Educators, Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Paraeducators, Substitutes, Parents, Elementary Educators, University Students, Agency Personnel, Early Childhood Educators, School Nurses
A02 - Unlocking Learning: The Power of BreakoutEDU in the Classroom
(Educational Technology)
Presenter: Ms. Lori Blantz
Step into a world where learning feels like an adventure and student engagement reaches new heights. In this interactive session, educators will explore the transformative potential of BreakoutEDU, an immersive game-based learning platform that challenges students to collaborate, think critically, and problem-solve in dynamic ways. Participants will experience a live BreakoutEDU game, unpack the pedagogy behind its design, and discover how to align it with curriculum standards across grade levels and subject areas. Whether you're a tech-savvy teacher or just beginning your edtech journey, you'll leave with practical strategies, ready-to-use resources, and the confidence to bring the excitement of BreakoutEDU into your own classroom. Unlock the door to deeper learning—one clue at a time!
Audience: General Educators, Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Paraeducators, Elementary Educators, , Middle School Educators, High School Educators
A03 - AI for Everyone!
(Educational Technology)
Presenter: Mr. Brian Booker
AI is here and it is changing the landscape of education. Everyone can use AI to best support their work and focus more time on building strong, meaningful relationships with students. This session will place AI in its proper spot in the evolution of educational technology, allow participants to discuss the potential of using AI in the classroom, review best practices for prompting, and allow time to interact with different platforms.
Audience: General Educators, Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Substitutes, Elementary Educators, Middle School Educators, High School Educators, University Students
A04 - Adapting Sentence Combining to Peer Tutoring for Efficient Intervention
(Instructional Practices)
Eligible for NASP CPD credit
Presenters: Dr. Drew Hunter
This session will review the evidence base for peer tutoring and present the results of using peer tutoring to implement a sentence combining intervention with third grade students. Peer tutoring is a viable option for the efficient delivery of evidence-based interventions with limited resources. Intervention protocols will be modeled as well as strategies for adapting interventions to a peer tutoring delivery format.
Audience: General Educators, Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Elementary Educators, Middle School Educators, High School Educators, University Students
A05 - Strengthening Positive Climate: Practical Strategies for Behavior and Engagement
(Behavior)
Presenter: Ms. Julie Brown
Creating and sustaining a positive school climate is essential for fostering student engagement and reducing challenging behaviors. This session will explore practical, evidence-based strategies that educators can implement to strengthen classroom and school-wide environments. Participants will learn approaches to promote positive interactions, increase student motivation, and build systems that support consistent expectations. Through real-world examples and actionable tools, this session will equip educators with techniques to enhance behavior and engagement, ultimately improving outcomes for all learners.
Audience: General Educators, Special Educators, Paraeducators, Elementary Educators, Middle School Educators, High School Educators
A06 - Phenomenal 3-D Science Teaching and Learning: Relevant, Responsive, and Authentic
(Instructional Practices)
Presenter: Dr. Peter Licona
The new PA STEELS standards represent a reimagination of what it means to teach and learn science. The new standards will provide teachers with opportunities to engage with new curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment while students engage in new forms of learning. This session will explore the unlimited potential of the new STEELS standards, pedagogy to support STEELS teaching and learning, and how this new science teaching and learning is relevant, responsive, and authentic.
Audience: General Educators, Special Educators, Substitutes, Parents, Early Childhood Educators, Elementary Educators, Middle School Educators, High School Educators
A07 - Student-Driven Math Instruction: Creating Success Through Strategic Intervention
(Instructional Practices)
Presenter: Ms. Bethany Eaton
Join this session to discover how strategic, research-aligned math intervention can transform student learning. Participants will explore practical, student-centered strategies for strengthening Tier 2 math support through intentional environment design, explicit instruction, and targeted skill development. Drawing from her personal journey implementing math intervention, the presenter will share real examples of how to identify students, structure intervention time, and create conditions where learners feel both challenged and supported. Participants will leave with a clear, actionable plan for bringing authentic, meaningful math experiences into any classroom, empowering students to engage more deeply, think more flexibly, and succeed with greater independence.
Audience: General Educators, Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Elementary Educators
A08 - Interactive Ways to Engage Adolescent Writers
(Instructional Practices)
Presenter: Dr. Kathryn Caprino
In this interactive presentation, you will learn practical, research-based strategies for teaching writing you can take into your classroom! You will learn the why and how for multiple writing strategies that can have an impact on your students' writing skills and motivation – all while doing some writing of your own!
Audience: General Educators, Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Parents, Middle School Educators, High School Educators, University Students
A09 - Strategies from the Field of Positive Psychology to Help Us Thrive
(Hope and Belonging)
Eligible for NASP CPD and SWK credit
Presenter: Dr. Erica Kaurudar
This two-part session explores practical strategies from the field of Positive Psychology to help educators thrive personally and professionally. Participants will learn evidence-based techniques to boost resilience, foster well-being, and create a positive mindset in challenging environments. Through interactive discussion and application, you’ll leave with actionable tools to support both yourself and your students.
Part 1: Foundations of Positive Psychology
Discover the core principles of Positive Psychology and how they apply to educators’ well-being. This session introduces key concepts like strengths-based approaches and resilience-building strategies to help you thrive in your role.
Audience: General Educators, Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Paraeducators, Substitutes, Parents, Early Childhood Educators, Elementary Educators, Middle School Educators, High School Educators, University Students, Agency Personnel, School Nurses
A10 - Supporting Multilingual Learners through Social Emotional Learning
(Behavior/Hope and Belonging)
Presenter: Dr. Raluca Snyder
Discover how the CASEL framework can guide educators in supporting multilingual learners through social emotional learning (SEL). This session explores practical strategies for integrating the five SEL competencies—self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making—into language-rich, culturally responsive instruction. Participants will learn how to build inclusive classroom communities that affirm multilingual identities, foster belonging, and promote academic success. Join us to explore how SEL and language learning intersect to create equitable, emotionally supportive environments where all students can thrive.
Audience: General Educators, Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Paraeducators, Substitutes, Elementary Educators, Middle School Educators, High School Educators
A11 - Evidence-Based Strategies for Supporting Neurodiverse Students
(Instructional Practices)
Eligible for NASP CPD credit
Presenter: Dr. Laura Cunningham OTR/L, CCTP
This session provides evidence-based strategies to support neurodiverse students' inclusion, access, and academic success. Participants gain practical approaches for modifying classroom environments, designing accessible materials, and implementing inclusive teaching practices grounded in Universal Design for Learning that benefit all students while specifically supporting those with autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities.
Audience: General Educators, Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Paraeducators, Substitutes, Parents, Early Childhood Educators, Elementary Educators, Middle School Educators, High School Educators, University Students, Agency Personnel, School Nurses
A12 - Fluency Beyond Facts: Developing Number Sense Through Productive Practice
(Instructional Practices)
Presenter: Mr. Rob Baier
What if fluency meant more than fast facts? In this engaging session, we will explore how productive practice can build deep number sense—not just speed and memorization. Participants will experience classroom-ready routines that strengthen flexibility, reasoning, and conceptual understanding while still developing efficiency. Walk away with practical strategies to help students see patterns, make connections, and build lasting mathematical fluency.
Audience: General Educators, Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Elementary Educators
A12 - Flip the Script on Problem Behavior: Addressing Problem Behaviors by Teaching Socially Appropriate Behaviors with Evidence-Based Techniques
(Behavior)
Room #: Media Center
Presenter: Ms. Jennifer Shade
Preventing and managing common problem behaviors and providing practical procedures for teaching socially appropriate behaviors will be addressed in this session. Participants will learn how to adjust their interactions with individuals to prevent predictable problem behavior from occurring as well as focusing on how to identify potential functions of behavior. Participants will learn strategies for teaching socially appropriate behaviors to replace problematic behavior. The goal of this session is to equip attendees with evidence-based techniques to efficiently and effectively teach necessary skills so that individuals can successfully navigate social environments.
Session A12 Presentation Materials
Audience: Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle, and High School General and Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Paraprofessionals, Agency Personnel, Parents, School Nurses
A13 - Becoming-The Journey of a Change Agent
(Student Advocacy)
Room #: 120
Presenter: Dr. Nikole Hollins-Sims
In this session, participants will describe the value of belonging in their own self-awareness journey to creating transformative educational systems. What role will they play in the work of creating belonging for every learner? How will they create spaces in their roles to disrupt disproportionate outcomes for students and improve school climate? Ultimately, how can we create and support change agents in education?
Session A13 Presentation Materials
Audience: Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle, and High School General and Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Paraprofessionals, Substitutes, School Nurses