Breakout Session 2
Afternoon sessions coming soon!
B12 - Fist Bump: Living an Encouraged Life
(Hope and Belonging)
Presenter: Dr. Zac Bauermaster
Fist Bump: Living an Encouraged Life invites educators and school communities into the simple but transformative power of everyday moments. Through personal stories, practical insight, and a hopeful look at how small interactions in schools and classrooms can shape a discouraged world, this breakout helps listeners learn to live encouraged from the inside out and become people who lift others up. Zac offers a call to pay attention, show up, and offer the kind of presence that gives students, colleagues, and staff strength for the journey of learning and life. By investing in these moments of encouragement in schools, we discover that we are stronger together.
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
B13 - Intervening with School Avoidance within Your Sphere of Influence
(Behavior)
Eligible for NASP CPD and SWK credit
Presenter: Dr. Caitlin F. Bennyhoff, NCSP; Dr. Matthew R. Ferchalk
Implementing interventions for school avoidance requires support from all stakeholders in a student’s education. This presentation will briefly review an easily accessible assessment for school avoidance, followed by strategies, support, and suggestions. Participants from a variety of roles can expect to gain an understanding of the functions of school avoidance and strategies they can implement within their role to support students and families with whom they may interact.
Audience: General Educators, Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Paraeducators, Parents, Early Childhood Educators, Elementary Educators, Middle School Educators, High School Educators, University Students, Agency Personnel, School Nurses
B14 - When you don't know what to do, TEACH!
(Behavior)
Presenter: Ms. Jennifer Shade
Problem behaviors often arise when students lack the skills they need to succeed. This interactive session dives into 12 powerful replacement skills designed to address both skill deficits and performance deficits. You’ll learn how to identify the functional relationship between challenging behaviors and missing skills, and discover practical strategies to teach alternatives that truly work.Problem behaviors often arise when students lack the skills they need to succeed. This interactive session dives into 12 powerful replacement skills designed to address both skill deficits and performance deficits. You’ll learn how to identify the functional relationship between challenging behaviors and missing skills, and discover practical strategies to teach alternatives that truly work.
Audience: General Educators, Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Paraeducators, Substitutes, Parents, Elementary Educators, Middle School Educators, High School Educators, University Students, Agency Personnel
B15 - Utilizing the Classroom Check-up to Support Tier 1 Classroom Climate
(Behavior)
Eligible for NASP CPD credit
Presenter: Dr. Drew Hunter
Effective, efficient, and evidence-based classroom management strategies are important to developing a positive classroom climate. The Classroom Check-Up is a validated consultation model used to increase the implementation of evidence-based classroom management. This presentation will review how data-driven consultation can increase the adoption of efficient and positive approaches to classroom management and improve Tier 1 class climate.
Audience: General Educators, Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Elementary Educators, Middle School Educators, High School Educators, University Students
B16 - Interactive Ways to Engage Adolescent Writers
(Instructional Practices)
Presenters: 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, Administrators/Supervisors, Parents, Middle School Educators, High School Educators, University Students
B17 - Strategies from the Field of Positive Psychology to Help Us Thrive (Part 2)
(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 2: Practical Applications for Everyday Success
Dive deeper into actionable techniques for fostering optimism, engagement, and well-being in daily practice. Learn how to integrate these strategies into classroom and personal routines to sustain long-term well-being.
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
B18 - Increasing Explicitness of Math Instruction
(Instructional Practices)
Presenter: Mr. Jared Campbell
Research consistently shows that using manipulatives and visuals significantly improves students’ comprehension and retention of mathematical concepts (Mancl, Miller, & Kennedy, 2012; Carbonneau, Marley, & Selig, 2013). This session empowers educators to make math instruction explicit by integrating manipulatives and visual representations. Content will be tailored to the audience’s needs in real time.
Audience: General Educators, Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Parents, Middle School Educators, High School Educators
B19 - Interoception: A Key Skill for Emotional Regulation and Success at All Ages
(Behavior)
Presenter: Dr. Kerri Hample OTR/L, NBC-HWC
This presentation is designed to provide an interoception introduction with application to emotional regulation and application to eating, sleeping, and attention. Several key strategies for educators, parents, and community members to understand interoception will be shared. Participants will be able to use strategies to promote emotional regulation in their homes, classrooms, and community settings.
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
B20 - 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
B21 - Yoga, Mindfulness, and Social-Emotional Learning in the Classroom
(Behavior)
Presenter: Ms. Ann Fields
This session explores how yoga, mindfulness, and social-emotional learning can be easily integrated into the classroom to support focus, emotional regulation, student, and educator well-being.
Audience: General Educators, Special Educators, Paraeducators, Substitutes, Parents, Early Childhood Educators, Elementary Educators, Middle School Educators, School Nurses
B22 - Retirement Readiness
(Financial Planning)
Presenters: Mr. Christopher Pajak, Ms. Emily Reading, Mr. Cody Morris
Planning for retirement is an important part of someone's long-term financial well-being. This presentation outlines a retirement strategy that includes assets (Growth, Access, Predictable Income) and income alignment. The presentation also discusses the importance of envisioning your retirement, estimating your budget, and building your nest egg. Risks during retirement (longevity, inflation, market volatility, health care, excessive withdrawals) are highlighted. At the end of the discussion, the audience should have enough knowledge and confidence to begin developing a retirement plan.
Audience: General Educators, Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Substitutes, Early Childhood Educators, Agency Personnel, School Nurses
B23 - Could I be a Superhero?
(Behavior)
Eligible for NASP CPD credit
Presenter: Dr. Gina R. Scala
Can young children be Superheros? If so, how? If not, why not? Often, we wonder how young children can exhibit behaviors that would be considered inappropriate. Of course, these young children can and do exhibit those behaviors. A common outcome is a "what can you do" feeling. You have the power to impact change and use strategies that result in positive outcomes. We will review numerous opportunities to implement with students that can impact them. Participants will leave with "can dos" for their day-to-day work or interactions with younger students. You must enjoy humor and laughing to attend.
Audience: General Educators, Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Paraeducators, Substitutes, Parents, Early Childhood Educators, Elementary Educators, University Students, Agency Personnel, School Nurses