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Welcome to URSA 2026 at Southern Utah University! All sessions will be in buildings on the upper campus (east end). Here’s the Campus Map (PDF) if needed. 

WiFi: eduroam or SUU-Conference, password "summertimefun" 

PLAN AHEAD - Tentative Future Conference Dates
July 7-9, 2027 - Price, UT
July 17-19, 2028 - Richfield, UT
Company: 1 hour BYOD (Bring Your Own Device): Hands-On-Activities clear filter
Wednesday, July 15
 

1:30pm MDT

Craft Your Digital Teaching Assistant: Building Custom AI Assistants with Google Gemini Gems
Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
ED 202 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 202
Come discover how to move beyond basic prompting and start building your own specialized AI team. Using Google Gemini Gems, you will learn how to "program" custom AI assistants tailored to your specific classroom or administrative needs—no coding required. You'll also learn about an existing library of pre-made Gemini Gems you can easily copy and start using right away! Make sure to bring your own laptop or Chromebook to this session and leave with a personalized digital assistant ready to tackle your unique tasks.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Mac Laptop; Windows Laptop; Chromebook

Speakers
avatar for Rob Bentley

Rob Bentley

Instructor and Adobe Product Manager, UEN - Utah Education Network
Rob taught secondary Spanish and Language Arts for 6 years. For the last 19 years, he's been teaching teachers how to integrate technology effectively into their curriculum. During his time at UEN, he's presented at URSA,  UELMA, UCET, ISTE, FETC, UFLA, SUMS, and the CTE conferences... Read More →
Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
ED 202 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 202 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

1:30pm MDT

Putting Google AI to Work: A Practical Guide to Prompt Engineering and Productivity with Gemini - USBE + Google Sponsored Session
Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
ED 104 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 104
🎉 Get $200 for your classroom! Just attend any 3 of the 8 available USBE+Google sessions in ED 104 to qualify for a USBE-sponsored $200 DonorsChoose classroom credit! 📝🚀

Feeling overwhelmed by your to-do list of emails, lesson plans, and administrative tasks? This hands-on workshop demonstrates how Gemini can become your productivity partner, streamlining your academic workflow. We will dive into the essential skill of prompt engineering, teaching you how to craft effective commands to get the results you need, fast. You'll learn practical strategies from drafting student communications and generating creative assignment ideas to summarizing research and managing your schedule. This session is dedicated to hands-on exploration, giving you the time and guidance to discover how AI can support you professionally and personally. You will leave with a toolkit of ready-to-use prompts and the skills to confidently use Gemini to save time, spark innovation, and reclaim valuable daily hours.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Not applicable

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any web-enabled device is recommended.
Speakers
avatar for Chris McCaffrey

Chris McCaffrey

Google Certified Trainer & Coach, Google ~ Kiker Learning
Chris McCaffrey is a Google for Education Certified Trainer & Coach as well as the Coordinator of Innovation, while managing the virtual academy at Wilson School District in PA. Drawing from over 25 years in education—including experience as a school board director, adjunct professor... Read More →
Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
ED 104 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 104 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

1:30pm MDT

Creating a Connected Classroom: Strategies to decrease behaviors and increase academics.
Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
ED 102 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 102
This presentation will provide attendees with the brain science behind how brains develop and why students have specific behaviors.  The brain science will then lead to practical, real life application on how to actually use the science to increase academic output and decrease negative behaviors.  Attendees will leave the session with skills they can apply the next day in the classroom.   

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: None
Speakers
avatar for Amie Huggins

Amie Huggins

TBRI Coach for Schools, Raise the Future
Amie Huggins is a 30 year classroom teacher.  She is also a TBRI Practitioner and the co-author of the book, Creating a Connected Classroom.  She works for a non-profit called Raise the Future and through them has developed the curriculum, Tools for Transformation.  This curriculum... Read More →
Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
ED 102 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 102 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Instructional Coaching, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. |   School-based Mental & Behavioral Health, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

1:30pm MDT

Why PD Sucks (and Why Personalization is the Cure)
Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
SC 128 - Science Center, Room 128
Stop me if you’ve been here: it’s 3:30 PM, the fluorescent lights are humming, and you’re fighting the urge to check your watch (or the back of your eyelids) during another one-size-fits-all staff meeting. If that sounds familiar, it’s time to flip the script on Professional Development. This session offers a fast-paced "peek" into how we can kill the "yawn factor" by moving away from "sit-and-get" models and toward a personalized, choose-your-own-adventure experience for your entire school. You will go beyond just hearing about personalization—you’ll actually experience a unique learning path firsthand. By brainstorming with peers and exploring new strategies, you’ll walk away with a toolkit to make educator learning purposeful, relevant, and—dare we say—actually fun.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Mac Laptop; Windows Laptop; Chromebook; Windows Tablet / Smartphone; iPad / iPhone; Android Tablet / Smartphone

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Mac Laptop; Windows Laptop; Chromebook
Speakers
avatar for Kayla Towner

Kayla Towner

Senior Product Trainer, UEN - Utah Education Network
Kayla Towner is a Senior Product Trainer at the Utah Education Network (UEN) and, first and foremost, a passionate educator. She loves spending time with her family—playing soccer ⚽️, reading books 📚, hiking 🥾, and adventuring across Utah 🏔️. Kayla is dedicated to... Read More →
avatar for Dani Sloan

Dani Sloan

IT Product Manager, UEN - Utah Education Network
Dr. Dani Sloan helps educators lead, research, and teach digital citizenship. She's a UEN Product Manager and Instructor at the University of Utah. She is a former Elementary Teacher and current mom to a seventh grader. Dani is passionate about preparing students for a digital world... Read More →
Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
SC 128 - Science Center, Room 128 370 West 200 South, Cedar City, UT 84720
  Leadership, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

2:50pm MDT

Your New AI Teacher's Aide from Google: Fast-Track Your Prep with NotebookLM - USBE + Google Sponsored Session
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
ED 104 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 104
🎉 Get $200 for your classroom! Just attend any 3 of the 8 available USBE+Google sessions in ED 104 to qualify for a USBE-sponsored $200 DonorsChoose classroom credit! 📝🚀

Stop spending your summer planning! Learn how to safely ground Google’s free AI tool in your own curriculum files to build print-ready worksheets, quick flashcards, and hands-on, low-screen activities in seconds.

Imagine having a brilliant, zero-cost teacher's aide who handles your heavy-lifting prep work while you focus on your students. Welcome to Google NotebookLM. In this relaxed, hands-on session, we’ll show you how to feed this secure AI tool your actual lesson plans, state standards, or favorite textbooks to instantly spit out high-impact classroom resources.

Instead of staring at a blank screen, you’ll learn how to generate paper-based reading scaffolds, localized vocabulary lists, and creative offline activities that keep you fully compliant with Utah’s new early-elementary screen time rules. Whether you need a quick 10-minute printable extension activity for 2nd grade, a Socratic discussion guide for 6th grade, or tailored support for your English Language Learners, you’ll walk away with a bank of ready-to-use shortcuts to win back your prep periods this fall.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Not applicable

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any web-enabled device is recommended.
Speakers
avatar for Chris McCaffrey

Chris McCaffrey

Google Certified Trainer & Coach, Google ~ Kiker Learning
Chris McCaffrey is a Google for Education Certified Trainer & Coach as well as the Coordinator of Innovation, while managing the virtual academy at Wilson School District in PA. Drawing from over 25 years in education—including experience as a school board director, adjunct professor... Read More →
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
ED 104 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 104 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

2:50pm MDT

From Generic to Gem: Building Your First Gemini Gems
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
ED 202 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 202
Tired of typing the same prompts over and over? It’s time to meet Gems — your customizable chatbots designed to handle whatever task for you. Whether you need a persistent lesson planner, a student feedback coach, or a schedule sorter. Gems allow you to package your best instructions into a single, reusable tool.We’ll cover the breakdown of a Gemini Gem, use cases for educators, tips and tricks and have time to live build! In this hands-on session, we will start with the basics to then begin building. By the end of the hour, you’ll have a custom AI assistant ready to go to work for you!  Note: Participants will need access to Gemini Gems through their Google account. Skills may be transferable to over AI platforms with custom chatbots (SchoolAI, MagicSchool, etc.) 

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Mac Laptop; Windows Laptop; Android Tablet / Smartphone; iPad / iPhone; Windows Tablet / Smartphone; Chromebook; Other (If not listed above, please indicate what device(s) would benefit attendees in your session description)

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: None
Speakers
avatar for Emma Moss

Emma Moss

Digital Teaching & Learning Specialist, Canyons School District
Emma Moss is a Digital Teaching and Learning Specialist and AI Project Co-Lead in Canyons School District, as well as the Artificial Intelligence for K-12 Program Director in Utah. She founded the Utah AI Collaborative and leads monthly meet-ups on AI and innovation in education... Read More →
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
ED 202 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 202 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. |   Assessment & Data Management, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

2:50pm MDT

Data Privacy Basics Live!
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
CC Sage Valley - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Sage Valley Room (100 Level)
Last year, the Student Data Privacy team at the Utah State Board of Education introduced an asynchronous Canvas course that many districts and charters have used to meet requirements for data privacy training. This session will be a special live edition of that training! We'll walk through all the most critical info you need to know about Data Privacy Basics; including Data Privacy Rights, Sharing Data, and Protecting Data. Pro-tip: Check with your district or charter ahead of time to see if this course will be a requirement of your back to school training. If so, you can leave this session with a certificate of completion so you can skip that step in the fall! If you would like to get a certificate of completion, please bring a device to participate.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any of these
Speakers
avatar for Nicole Sanchez

Nicole Sanchez

Student Data Privacy Specialist, USBE - Utah State Board of Education
Nicole Sanchez is a former junior high teacher and instructional coach, and is now a Student Data Privacy Specialist at the Utah State Board of Education. Nicole especially loves to work with districts and charter schools across the state to help them improve their privacy practices... Read More →
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
CC Sage Valley - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Sage Valley Room (100 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. |   Digital Citizenship & Media Literacy, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. |   Other, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

2:50pm MDT

From Chaos to College-Ready: Streamlining MS and HS Research with Scrible
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
CC Red Hills Room - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Red Hills Room (200 Level)
Papers can often feel like a disorganized mess of open tabs and lost citations. Scrible—free for all Utah public and charter schools—is a powerhouse platform designed to scaffold the entire research and writing workflow. Whether you teach 5th-grade ELA or 9th-grade History, Scrible provides the scaffolding your students need to master close reading, organize their thoughts, and cite sources correctly. In this hands-on session, stop by to learn how to manage the chaos of research projects in one simple platform. You’ll hear success stories from Utah classrooms and walk away with a toolkit for tracking student progress and building media literacy skills that stick!
Speakers
avatar for DawnRae Smith

DawnRae Smith

Secondary Career & Tech Educator, Iron County School District
DawnRae Smith is a Family and Consumer Sciences and Gaming Concepts teacher who brings 10 years of history teaching and special education experience to the classroom. For the past two years, she's implemented the Modern Classrooms Model, focusing on practical, realistic approaches... Read More →
avatar for Shilpa Duvoor

Shilpa Duvoor

Exhibitor Partner, Scrible
Shilpa has over 20 years of experience in education as a teacher, school leader, leadership coach, and a customer success leader in edtech startups. Shilpa met Victor Karkar, CEO and co-founder of Scrible, and helped pilot early versions of Scrible in her classes! She is now the Head... Read More →
avatar for Tiffany Swindlehurst

Tiffany Swindlehurst

Teacher, Iron County School District

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
CC Red Hills Room - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Red Hills Room (200 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Exhibitor

2:50pm MDT

“This Class is Therapy” Gamification, Learning, and Mental Health
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
SC 129 - Science Center, Room 129
In the Snow College Integrating Technology into Education courses students study the concept of Gamification, the bringing of gaming principles into Education. As part of this lesson students have to prepare a lesson with a game and then teach it to the rest of the class. A common feedback from these students was to express just how much they needed the experience of playing a game to make them feel better in the middle of a busy semester. It is often discussed how Gamification can help students learn but it is also important to realize how the relief from playing a game can also have a positive impact.

In this presentation, we will talk about Gamification and how it can help students. We will then divide into groups and go through the process of teaching each other to play a board game, actually play it, then study a lesson plan that has been prepared for it. We will then reflect on how we might be able to use a game like that in our classes and how taking a moment to play a game made us feel. Through this experience, we hope to be able to use Gamification in a more purposeful manner.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Not Applicable

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Not Applicable
Speakers
avatar for David J. Rodríguez Sanfiorenzo

David J. Rodríguez Sanfiorenzo

Associate Professor of Education, Snow College
Dr. David Rodríguez Sanfiorenzo has been an educator at different levels for 20 years. Currently, he serves as an Associate Professor of Education at Snow College where he enjoys the calm and beauty of rural Utah. He teaches Introduction to Education, Integrating Technology into... Read More →
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
SC 129 - Science Center, Room 129 370 West 200 South, Cedar City, UT 84720
  Instructional Coaching, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. |   School-based Mental & Behavioral Health, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

2:50pm MDT

What Worked When It Mattered? Pandemic Recovery Success in Utah
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
ED 102 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 102
When faced with new challenges and uncertainty following pandemic-related disruptions, some Utah schools beat the odds in their student academic recovery. What school-level factors made this possible? In this interactive session, the Utah Education Policy Center (UEPC) will share findings from a statewide mixed-methods study of eight schools that demonstrated strong post-pandemic recovery. Conducted in partnership with USBE and ULEAD, the study examined the school-level factors that leaders and educators identified as most important to academic recovery in their schools. The findings point to reinvesting in the fundamentals rather than adopting pandemic-specific interventions: adaptive school leadership, high-quality PLCs, data-informed instruction, and other aligned support systems coherently working together. Adaptive leadership emerged as a key driver in these contexts, as leadership promoted the central coherence needed for these schools to improve outcomes through the strategic, sustained use of the people, structures, and practices already available to them. Session OutcomesParticipants will:Learn about key findings from the UEPC Pandemic Recovery study.Explore school portraits of success that make the study’s findings more concrete within school contexts.Reflect on their own school's strengths and opportunities for growth in relation to the study's findings.Develop action plans for high-leverage next steps, key partners, and needed supports.Why This MattersThis session translates research into actionable insights for schools, offering rural educators and leaders a research-informed starting point for strengthening the systems and practices that support student outcomes. All participants will leave with printed school portraits and a conversation guide to support continued reflection.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any of these
Speakers
avatar for Andrea Rorrer

Andrea Rorrer

Director, UEPC - Utah Education Policy Center
Dr. Andrea K. Rorrer  is the Director of the UEPC and a Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy. Andrea, who has 35 years of experience in education, received her master’s degree at the University of Virginia and her Ph.D. from the University of Texas... Read More →
avatar for Kody Colvin

Kody Colvin

Lead School & District Improvement Specialist, Utah Education Policy Center
Kody Colvin is a Lead School and District Improvement Specialist with the Utah Education Policy Center, where he partners with schools and systems to strengthen instructional leadership, professional learning, and continuous improvement efforts. With over 15 years of experience in... Read More →
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
ED 102 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 102 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Leadership, Intermediate - basic core competency; some prerequisite skills required. |   Professional Learning Communities (PLCs & PLNs), Intermediate - basic core competency; some prerequisite skills required.
 
Thursday, July 16
 

9:45am MDT

A Kickstart with Gemini: Demystifying the Tech - USBE + Google Sponsored Session
Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
ED 104 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 104
🎉 Get $200 for your classroom! Just attend any 3 of the 8 available USBE+Google sessions in ED 104 to qualify for a USBE-sponsored $200 DonorsChoose classroom credit! 📝🚀

Are you curious about how AI tools like Gemini work, but are you concerned about privacy and data security? This introductory session is the perfect place to start, demystifying the technology behind the hype. We will break down, in clear and simple terms, how Google AI generates content and makes decisions. More importantly, we'll guide you through the settings to show you how to take control of your conversations by managing your privacy and understanding how your data is used. This workshop is designed for beginners, providing the essential first steps to becoming a confident and AI-literate user. You will leave with the foundational knowledge to use Gemini with assurance and make informed decisions about leveraging Google AI responsibly in your work.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Not applicable

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any web-enabled device is recommended.
Speakers
avatar for Chris McCaffrey

Chris McCaffrey

Google Certified Trainer & Coach, Google ~ Kiker Learning
Chris McCaffrey is a Google for Education Certified Trainer & Coach as well as the Coordinator of Innovation, while managing the virtual academy at Wilson School District in PA. Drawing from over 25 years in education—including experience as a school board director, adjunct professor... Read More →
Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
ED 104 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 104 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

9:45am MDT

Making Sheets Work For You
Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
ED 203 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 203
Go beyond the basics and learn some ways to have Google Sheets do some of the busy work for you so that you can narrow in on the important things.  We will talk about several formulas for organizing data and even throw in some AI helps to get things just how you want them!

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Mac Laptop; Windows Laptop; Chromebook
Speakers
SK

Stacey King

Teacher, Utah Online School
Stacey grew up in Logan, Utah and attended Utah State University, graduating with her bachelors degree in Family & Consumer Sciences and Math Education. Nine years later, she earned her Masters of Education in Learning and Technology. She loves using technology to solve problems and... Read More →
Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
ED 203 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 203 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Intermediate - basic core competency; some prerequisite skills required. |   Assessment & Data Management, Intermediate - basic core competency; some prerequisite skills required.

9:45am MDT

Beyond the Brain Games: Mastering the Next Frontier of Utah Students' Career Readiness
Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
CC Red Hills Room - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Red Hills Room (200 Level)
You’ve been uncovering student aptitudes for years—now it’s time to put those discoveries into high gear. This session is designed specifically for Utah’s educators who are ready to evolve from "aptitude testing" to "active planning." We will dive deep into the new Brightpath game-changers: the CCR Planner for personalized 4-year course mapping, Family Connect for bringing parents into the loop, and the Work-Based Learning (WBL) module for managing local employer connections. Join us as we explore how these tools create a seamless journey from the first "Brain Game" to industry-recognized CTE certifications and high-fit career placement. It’s time to strengthen your legacy and give your students a competitive edge!
Speakers
avatar for Paul Ashby

Paul Ashby

Customer Success Manager, YouScience
With over 20 years in education, Paul brings expertise in Special Education, administration, and professional development. His passion for guiding students towards optimal career paths has flourished in his 2-year tenure at YouScience, where as the Customer Success Manager, he collaborates... Read More →
Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
CC Red Hills Room - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Red Hills Room (200 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Exhibitor

9:45am MDT

Doing More With Less: Using Technology to Strengthen Instruction in Rural Schools
Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
CC Vermillion Cliffs - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Vermillion Cliffs Room (100 Level)
Rural schools often face unique challenges, lean staffing, geographic distance, and limited access to specialized instructional support, while being asked to deliver strong outcomes for every student, just like their suburban counterparts.  Technology can help bridge some of those gaps, but only when thoughtfully aligned to real classroom and leadership needs.

In this session, former Utah principal Eric Price shares the problems he worked to solve for teachers and students, what he looked for when evaluating instructional solutions, and practical leadership principles for using technology to strengthen instruction, improve visibility into student learning, and better target support, without adding complexity for already stretched educators.
Speakers
avatar for Eric Price

Eric Price

Sr. Account Executive, Derivita

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
CC Vermillion Cliffs - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Vermillion Cliffs Room (100 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Exhibitor

9:45am MDT

Ignite Your Spark: Fueling Self-determination
Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
SC 129 - Science Center, Room 129
Tired of stalling out? It's time for a fresh SPARK of insight! In this high-energy session, you'll fan the flames of self-determination/self-advocacy; two powerhouse drivers of student success. We'll illuminate the connection between these strategies and the predictors of post-school success for students with disabilities.

This interactive session invites educators to reimagine Genius Hour, not just as a student-driven initiative, but as dedicated time for teachers to explore, design, and implement strategies that build student voice, choice, and independence. Participants will engage in their own Genius Hour experience, using that time to dive into resources, collaborate with peers, and create actionable plans to weave these powerful forces into your daily instruction across every grade level. Get ready to grab red-hot resources to fuel a future where every student is empowered to lead their own learning journey. Don't just teach – IGNITE their potential!

With a focus on empowering students from early childhood through secondary education, participants will learn to integrate self-determination and self-advocacy (SD/SA) into instruction using evidence-based practices linked to postschool success. This session explores strategies and resources that build SD/SA skills, showing how to embed them in developmentally appropriate, inclusive curricula. Instructional approaches will be connected to IDEA and ESSA requirements, to promote positive outcomes in employment, independent living, and postsecondary education. Through collaborative activities, participants will design actionable plans using practical tools and lesson ideas for immediate classroom use. By the end, attendees will gain concrete strategies to enhance student engagement, voice, and choice, and the confidence to implement SD/SA practices to support students with disabilities in reaching their full potential.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Not Applicable

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Mac Laptop, Windows Laptop, Android Tablet / Smartphone, iPad / iPhone, Windows Tablet / Smartphone
Speakers
JR
Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
SC 129 - Science Center, Room 129 370 West 200 South, Cedar City, UT 84720
  Other, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

11:10am MDT

Google AI as a Catalyst for Creative Inquiry - USBE + Google Sponsored Session
Thursday July 16, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
ED 104 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 104
🎉 Get $200 for your classroom! Just attend any 3 of the 8 available USBE+Google sessions in ED 104 to qualify for a USBE-sponsored $200 DonorsChoose classroom credit! 📝🚀

This workshop examines the role of generative AI as a collaborative partner in the creative process, offering a pedagogical framework for its integration into arts and humanities curricula. We will explore how tools like Gemini can facilitate advanced ideation, support divergent thinking, and help students overcome creative stagnation. Through hands-on application, participants will learn to design practical assignments and studio prompts for disciplines including creative writing, music composition, and the visual arts, equipping students to critically and ethically engage with Google AI as part of a contemporary creative practice.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Not applicable

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any web-enabled device is recommended.
Speakers
avatar for Chris McCaffrey

Chris McCaffrey

Google Certified Trainer & Coach, Google ~ Kiker Learning
Chris McCaffrey is a Google for Education Certified Trainer & Coach as well as the Coordinator of Innovation, while managing the virtual academy at Wilson School District in PA. Drawing from over 25 years in education—including experience as a school board director, adjunct professor... Read More →
Thursday July 16, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
ED 104 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 104 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

11:10am MDT

AI on the Ground: Research Meets Rural Realities
Thursday July 16, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
ED 202 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 202
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how educators plan, teach, and learn - but what does that look like in practice, especially in rural contexts? In this interactive workshop, the Utah Education Policy Center (UEPC) will facilitate a collaborative learning experience where research insights and educator expertise come together to help make sense of AI's rapidly evolving role in education and in their schools and classrooms. Drawing on recent UEPC research, participants will explore the opportunities, functions, and guardrails for responsible human-AI collaboration, including how AI can serve as a feedback partner, instructional support tool, and collaborative coach, alongside key considerations for ethics, transparency, and teacher agency. The UEPC will share findings from ongoing survey research with Utah educators about their AI use, including which tools they're using, how it's changing their practice, and what concerns and questions remain. These insights set the stage for the session's central activity: a structured, collaborative exchange in which participants share their AI experiences, strategies, cautions, and questions with peers across diverse rural school contexts. Participants will leave with:Key research insights on AI's roles in professional learning and instructionA snapshot of where Utah educators currently stand with AI integrationPractical strategies and ideas from fellow educators to support responsible human-AI collaboration Whether you're an AI enthusiast, skeptical adopter, or hopeful bystander, this session is designed to meet you where you are. Bring your experiences, your questions, and your willingness to learn alongside your peers about how AI is shaping our educational landscapes.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any of these
Speakers
avatar for Kody Colvin

Kody Colvin

Lead School & District Improvement Specialist, Utah Education Policy Center
Kody Colvin is a Lead School and District Improvement Specialist with the Utah Education Policy Center, where he partners with schools and systems to strengthen instructional leadership, professional learning, and continuous improvement efforts. With over 15 years of experience in... Read More →
Thursday July 16, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
ED 202 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 202 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. |   Professional Learning Communities (PLCs & PLNs), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

11:10am MDT

We can help your students learn more about engineering.
Thursday July 16, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
CC Charles Hunter - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Charles Hunter Room (100 Level)
Come learn about the resources we can provide you to help your students learn more about engineering.   We have hands on activities, summer research internships, summer camps, discover engineering traveling exhibit and engineering day.    We also have lesson plans and teacher checkout materials.   https://www.price.utah.edu/k12https://www.price.utah.edu/discover-engineeringhttps://www.price.utah.edu/k12/lesson-plans

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: None
Speakers
avatar for Morgan Boyack

Morgan Boyack

Outreach Manager, Price College of Engineering at the University of Utah
Has been doing outreach for the last 13 years for the Price College of Engineering at the UofU.   Passionate about helping rural areas learn more about engineering. 
Thursday July 16, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
CC Charles Hunter - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Charles Hunter Room (100 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. |   Utah Core Curriculum, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

11:10am MDT

Everything that Matters Begins with Trust: How to Create It, Sustain It, and Restore It
Thursday July 16, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
SC 128 - Science Center, Room 128
This workshop helps educators examine trust as the foundation for effective learning, leadership, and school culture. Participants will review the sources of trust in a school, practice trust-building responses to common school scenarios, and leave with a concrete commitment for specific actions.  The focus will be on practical application of concepts in case studies and hands-on activities that answer the question: “What does trust look like in schools?  How do leaders and teachers create and sustain it?”

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any of these
Speakers
avatar for Dale COX

Dale COX

Associate Professor, Program Director K-12 Educational Leadership, UVU - Utah Valley University
Dale Cox is an Associate Professor and the Program Director of K-12 Educational Leadership at Utah Valley University.  He received his doctorate in educational leadership from Lehigh University, his M.Ed. in educational administration from Arizona State University, and his B.A. in... Read More →
Thursday July 16, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
SC 128 - Science Center, Room 128 370 West 200 South, Cedar City, UT 84720
  Leadership, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. |   Instructional Coaching, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

1:30pm MDT

Top Ten Ways to Differentiate in Canvas
Thursday July 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
ED 203 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 203
Unlock the full potential of the tool you’re already using.

Canvas: Top 10 Ways to Differentiate Your Planning, Instruction, and Assessment! This lively, practical session reveals easy-to-implement strategies — including new features and powerful but underused tools — that help you personalize learning for every student. From planning to instruction to assessment, you’ll walk away with ready-to-use ideas that save time and boost engagement. Even if you’re not currently using Canvas, many of these approaches adapt beautifully to other platforms. Join us for a fun, hands-on exploration packed with real classroom examples and immediate takeaways!

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Not Applicable

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Mac Laptop; Windows Laptop; Chromebook
Speakers
avatar for Jason Snow

Jason Snow

Digital Teaching and Learning Coach, Northeastern Utah Educational Services
Jason a reformed middle school science teacher and the last 7 years spreading the good NUES to North Eastern Utah Teachers as a regional trainer. Trying to personalize the PD to only what matters in your classroom.
Thursday July 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
ED 203 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 203 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

1:50pm MDT

Digital Resilience: Strategies for Managing Social Media and Student Focus in Grades 6–12
Thursday July 16, 2026 1:50pm - 2:50pm MDT
ED 102 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 102
Secondary students are constantly navigating a digital world that was designed to capture their attention. This session provides 6–12 educators with practical strategies to help students manage this reality. Instead of just talking about safety, we will focus on building Digital Resilience.We will explore how to teach students to "look under the hood" of their social media feeds, recognize how algorithms influence their worldview, and use mental health check-ins to combat digital fatigue. You will leave with a toolkit of routines that integrate easily into any subject area, ensuring your students develop the self-regulation skills they need for the modern workforce.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any of these
Speakers
avatar for Davina Sauthoff

Davina Sauthoff

K12 Library Media Specialist, USBE - Utah State Board of Education
Davina Sauthoff, EdD. is the Library Media Specialist for the Utah State Board of Education. She loves reading, 📚 spending time with family 💟 which includes two pups. She is passionate about leveraging the expertise of school  🏫 librarians  and the vital role the school... Read More →
Thursday July 16, 2026 1:50pm - 2:50pm MDT
ED 102 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 102 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Digital Citizenship & Media Literacy, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

1:50pm MDT

From Prompt to Page: Building Better Canvas Content with AI
Thursday July 16, 2026 1:50pm - 2:50pm MDT
CC Whiting Room - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Whiting Room Room (200 Level)
From Prompt to Page: Building Better Canvas Content with AI

This 1-Hour BYOD Workshop session demonstrates how AI can be used to quickly generate well-designed Canvas pages, assignments, and instructional materials that are both aesthetically engaging and pedagogically sound through coding. Rather than spending hours formatting content, aligning elements, and troubleshooting layout issues, participants will see how simple prompts can produce clean, organized, and accessible Canvas-ready code in minutes. The focus is on practical, time-saving strategies that faculty can immediately implement in their own courses.

During the session, I will model how AI can help structure content with clear headings, visual organization, and thoughtful instructional flow that supports student learning. Examples will include building assignment pages, instructional modules, and activity directions that improve clarity, reduce cognitive load, and enhance student engagement. I will also demonstrate how AI can assist with creating ADA-conscious formatting, including readable layouts, consistent hierarchy, and accessible design choices.

In addition to saving time, this approach helps instructors focus more on pedagogy and less on technical formatting. Participants will see how AI can support alignment between objectives, instructions, and learning activities while also producing polished, professional-looking pages. The goal is to provide a realistic workflow that instructors can replicate immediately, whether they are new to Canvas design or looking to streamline existing course development.

Attendees will leave with concrete examples, prompt ideas, and a practical process for moving from concept to Canvas page quickly and effectively.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Device that can access Canvas and the Internet

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Mac Laptop, Windows Laptop, Android Tablet / Smartphone, iPad / iPhone, Windows Tablet / Smartphone, Chromebook
Speakers
avatar for Crystal Stott

Crystal Stott

Professor of Education, Snow College
Dr. Crystal Stott is an Assistant Professor of Education and Family Studies at Snow College and an Adjunct Faculty member and Clinical Field Supervisor for Utah Valley University. With a background spanning early childhood through higher education, she brings nearly two decades of... Read More →
Thursday July 16, 2026 1:50pm - 2:50pm MDT
CC Whiting Room - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Whiting Room Room (200 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Intermediate - basic core competency; some prerequisite skills required.

1:50pm MDT

Prompting, Not Cheating: Building Authentic Literacy Skills in the AI Era - USBE + Google Sponsored Session
Thursday July 16, 2026 1:50pm - 2:50pm MDT
ED 104 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 104
🎉 Get $200 for your classroom! Just attend any 3 of the 8 available USBE+Google sessions in ED 104 to qualify for a USBE-sponsored $200 DonorsChoose classroom credit! 📝🚀

Whether your school allows student AI use or has it completely blocked, learn how to use Gemini on your terms to spark critical thinking, design bulletproof writing prompts, and keep academic integrity intact.

Let’s be honest: AI has completely changed the game for student writing assignments, and every district in Utah is handling it a little differently. Whether your students have access to Gemini, use tools like SchoolAI, or are restricted to good old-fashioned paper and pencil, this session is for you. We are skipping the tech-heavy lectures and focusing on practical, "use-it-on-Monday" literacy strategies.

In this relaxed session, we will look at AI from two vital angles. First, you'll discover how to use Gemini as your backend partner to instantly generate customized reading guides, low-screen vocabulary match games, and writing prompts that are too localized for an AI to fake. Second, for districts allowing student access, we’ll explore how to teach students to use Gemini responsibly—treating it like a live brainstorming buddy for outlining and critical thinking rather than a shortcut button. You’ll walk away with flexible, cheat-resistant assignment ideas that fit your specific district’s rules perfectly.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Not applicable

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any web-enabled device is recommended.
Speakers
avatar for Chris McCaffrey

Chris McCaffrey

Google Certified Trainer & Coach, Google ~ Kiker Learning
Chris McCaffrey is a Google for Education Certified Trainer & Coach as well as the Coordinator of Innovation, while managing the virtual academy at Wilson School District in PA. Drawing from over 25 years in education—including experience as a school board director, adjunct professor... Read More →
Thursday July 16, 2026 1:50pm - 2:50pm MDT
ED 104 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 104 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

1:50pm MDT

Moving Rural Education Forward: How CATCH Journeys Are Transforming PE and Health in Utah Schools
Thursday July 16, 2026 1:50pm - 2:50pm MDT
CC Vermillion Cliffs - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Vermillion Cliffs Room (100 Level)
What if your rural district could offer a world-class physical education and health curriculum — without the burden of building it from scratch?

Rural Utah schools face a unique set of challenges: limited staffing, multi-grade classrooms, stretched budgets, and the expectation to meet state standards across every subject area. Physical education and health education are often the first to be deprioritized — yet research consistently shows that student wellness is foundational to academic achievement, attendance, and social-emotional development.

CATCH Global Foundation’s PE Journeys and Health Ed Journeys were designed with exactly these realities in mind. These research-backed, standards-aligned curricula are built for flexibility — whether you have a dedicated PE teacher or a classroom educator wearing many hats. Lessons are ready-to-use, developmentally appropriate for K–8, and structured to reduce planning time while increasing student engagement.

In this session, attendees will explore how CATCH Journeys:

• Align with Utah state standards for PE and health education

• Support teachers in delivering confident, effective instruction

• Integrate seamlessly into existing school schedules — even in small or multigrade settings

• Use evidence-based strategies tied to improved student health outcomes

Walk away with hands-on experience using the curriculum, practical implementation strategies, and the confidence that your students’ physical and emotional wellness is in good hands.
Speakers
avatar for Laura Seay

Laura Seay

Community Partnerships Manager, CATCH Global Foundation
Thursday July 16, 2026 1:50pm - 2:50pm MDT
CC Vermillion Cliffs - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Vermillion Cliffs Room (100 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Exhibitor

3:10pm MDT

Your Custom AI Toolbox: Save Time by Building Reusable Gemini "Gems" - USBE + Google Sponsored Session
Thursday July 16, 2026 3:10pm - 4:10pm MDT
ED 104 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 104
🎉 Get $200 for your classroom! Just attend any 3 of the 8 available USBE+Google sessions in ED 104 to qualify for a USBE-sponsored $200 DonorsChoose classroom credit! 📝🚀

Tired of copying and pasting the same long, detailed prompts into Gemini every day? Learn how to build your own saved, specialized AI assistants to handle repetitive tasks like lesson hooks, exit tickets, and differentiated reading levels in one click.

As a K-12 educator, your time is your most valuable resource. If you find yourself repeatedly typing the exact same instructions into an AI—like "Rewrite this at a 3rd-grade reading level" or "Create a 5-question quiz based on this text"—it's time to meet Gemini Gems. Think of Gems as custom, saved mini-assistants that remember your specific rules, classroom standards, and favorite teaching styles so you never have to start from scratch.

In this fun, practical session, we’ll show you how to build your own personal toolkit of Gems. We'll build a "Bell-Ringer Builder," a "Rubric Maker," and a "Parent Newsletter Editor." Best of all, we’ll look at how educators around the country are sharing these teacher-to-teacher so you don't have to reinvent the wheel. Note: We will also briefly cover how districts allowing student AI access can share Gems with middle and high schoolers to safely scaffold assignments—but the main focus is winning back hours of your own prep time!

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Not applicable

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any web-enabled device is recommended.
Speakers
avatar for Chris McCaffrey

Chris McCaffrey

Google Certified Trainer & Coach, Google ~ Kiker Learning
Chris McCaffrey is a Google for Education Certified Trainer & Coach as well as the Coordinator of Innovation, while managing the virtual academy at Wilson School District in PA. Drawing from over 25 years in education—including experience as a school board director, adjunct professor... Read More →
Thursday July 16, 2026 3:10pm - 4:10pm MDT
ED 104 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 104 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

3:10pm MDT

Becoming Digitally Deliberate
Thursday July 16, 2026 3:10pm - 4:10pm MDT
GC 109 - General Classroom Building, Room 109
Digitally Deliberate: A Workshop for Teachers & Staff
Have you ever felt like you're losing the battle for your students' attention to their screens? Have you ever caught yourself reaching for your phone more than you'd like to admit? This workshop tackles the digital dangers affecting both you and your students head-on, starting with you before turning to them.

In this workshop, you'll cover:
  • The digital dangers affecting students and educators today
  • Advice from "the digital doctor" on managing your own screen time
  • What's really happening with your students and why it matters
  • Practical tips to help kids build healthier habits with technology
You'll walk away with:
  • A better understanding of your own relationship with screens
  • Real insight into what your students are struggling with daily
  • Simple, actionable strategies to help kids manage screen time in and out of the classroom


Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any of these
Speakers
avatar for Talmage Erickson

Talmage Erickson

Speaker, The Screen Guys
Talmage Erickson, AKA "The Screen Guy" is a student assembly speaker specializing in digital wellness, screen time, and social media. As the author of "The 10 laws of Screen Management," Talmage travels to schools to help parents, educators, and students better their relationship... Read More →
Thursday July 16, 2026 3:10pm - 4:10pm MDT
GC 109 - General Classroom Building, Room 109 152 South 300 West, Cedar City, UT 84720
  Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. |   Digital Citizenship & Media Literacy, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

3:10pm MDT

Teachers are leaders and should be the shapers our profession
Thursday July 16, 2026 3:10pm - 4:10pm MDT
ED 204 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 204
What we do as educators is often dictated by those who are not in our classrooms. We lead in our classrooms and should lead outside of them too. We'll work through how and when to connect with your policy makers from the local school district to the legislature and state board. Teachers will become familiar with the legislative website and practice communicating with their legislators. Teachers will leave having a better understanding of how educational policy works and the successes that can occur as they engage themselves.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Any web enabled device

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any web enabled device
Speakers
avatar for Stephan Seabury

Stephan Seabury

Teacher and Community Engagement Lead, Teacher Fellows, Providence Hall High School
Mr. Seabury believes a civically engaged teacher creates civically engaged students. His students learn not only the content of how our government works but are given opportunities in and outside of the classroom to meet with policy makers and practice the skills of civic engagem... Read More →
Thursday July 16, 2026 3:10pm - 4:10pm MDT
ED 204 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 204 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Leadership, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.
 
Friday, July 17
 

9:50am MDT

Surviving the RISE: Lowering the Cognitive Lift
Friday July 17, 2026 9:50am - 10:50am MDT
SC 128 - Science Center, Room 128
Let’s be honest: high-stakes testing season can make everyone involved want to hide under a desk. But what if we could make the RISE test a little less terrifying for your 4th-6th graders?In this session, we’ll pull back the curtain on those notorious RISE Cluster questions and dissect them together. We’ll cover practical, no-nonsense test-taking strategies and explore how to give your students low-stakes practice with the actual testing interface. By making the platform second nature beforehand, we'll drastically lower the cognitive lift on test day. This means your students can focus their brainpower on actually showing what they know—rather than trying to figure out what the heck they are supposed to do!Join us to make test prep less painful, more intentional, and a whole lot more effective.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any of these
Speakers
avatar for Rachael Coleman

Rachael Coleman

Teacher Sprcialist, Jordan School District
Jordan School District
avatar for Lynn Gutzwiller

Lynn Gutzwiller

District Science Specialist, Jordan School District
Lynn has worked in education for over 20 years, with extensive experience in  middle school classrooms, administration, and instructional coaching.  She holds a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction and multiple endorsements including Secondary English, Instructional Coaching... Read More →
Friday July 17, 2026 9:50am - 10:50am MDT
SC 128 - Science Center, Room 128 370 West 200 South, Cedar City, UT 84720
  Assessment & Data Management, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

9:50am MDT

Beyond Plagiarism: Reimagining Assessment & Assignments in the Age of AI - USBE + Google Sponsored Session
Friday July 17, 2026 9:50am - 10:50am MDT
ED 104 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 104
🎉 Get $200 for your classroom! Just attend any 3 of the 8 available USBE+Google sessions in ED 104 to qualify for a USBE-sponsored $200 DonorsChoose classroom credit! 📝🚀

Worried that generative AI makes it too easy for students to take shortcuts on assignments? This session reframes the challenge, moving beyond detection to focus on redesigning assessments for a new era. Just as calculators changed how we teach math, AI pushes us to evaluate higher-order thinking, not just information recall. We'll explore how to develop AI-resistant assignment designs using project-based learning and other innovative approaches. Discover how to create assessments that encourage students to use Google AI as a partner in the learning process—a tool for brainstorming, research, and revision—all while upholding academic integrity. You will leave with a portfolio of new assignment ideas and a clear framework for creating assessments that prepare students to use AI ethically and effectively.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Not applicable

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any web-enabled device is recommended.
Speakers
avatar for Chris McCaffrey

Chris McCaffrey

Google Certified Trainer & Coach, Google ~ Kiker Learning
Chris McCaffrey is a Google for Education Certified Trainer & Coach as well as the Coordinator of Innovation, while managing the virtual academy at Wilson School District in PA. Drawing from over 25 years in education—including experience as a school board director, adjunct professor... Read More →
Friday July 17, 2026 9:50am - 10:50am MDT
ED 104 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 104 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI)

9:50am MDT

NUES TAP: Building Better Questions Together with the NUES Teacher Assessment Project
Friday July 17, 2026 9:50am - 10:50am MDT
CC Red Hills Room - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Red Hills Room (200 Level)
Discover the power of NUES TAP: Building Better Questions Together!

This engaging session invites K-12 educators across all grades and subjects to share your needs and wants while learning how to create high-quality, RISE-style questions for low-stakes classroom use. Using the familiar Canvas Quizzes tool (available to all Utah educators), you’ll explore how to build, share, and contribute to a growing database of standards-aligned questions. Whether you want to become a confident user, a creative builder, or simply understand “how the sausage is made,” this fun and collaborative session welcomes everyone. The more voices, the merrier — come help create practical resources that make assessment meaningful and manageable!

Bonus: Math Clusters will be thrown in for no additional cost

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Not Applicable

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Mac Laptop; Windows Laptop; Chromebook
Speakers
avatar for Jason Snow

Jason Snow

Digital Teaching and Learning Coach, Northeastern Utah Educational Services
Jason a reformed middle school science teacher and the last 7 years spreading the good NUES to North Eastern Utah Teachers as a regional trainer. Trying to personalize the PD to only what matters in your classroom.
Friday July 17, 2026 9:50am - 10:50am MDT
CC Red Hills Room - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Red Hills Room (200 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

9:50am MDT

The People Puzzle: Solved with Business Chemistry
Friday July 17, 2026 9:50am - 10:50am MDT
ED 102 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 102
Every team has a unique blend of personalities, motivators, and working styles — but too often, those differences create friction instead of fuel. Deloitte’s Business Chemistry framework offers a practical, research‑based way to understand how people think, act, and interact at work. This session gives participants an energizing look at the four Business Chemistry types — Pioneers, Guardians, Drivers, and Integrators — and shows how applying these insights can enhance collaboration, communication, and leadership effectiveness.Participants will explore how different types perceive risk, make decisions, handle conflict, and respond to change. Through hands‑on activities and real-world scenarios, they’ll learn strategies to flex their style, improve team cohesion, and bring out the best in every member of their organization.Whether you lead teams, develop people, or simply want to work better with others, this session provides tools you can implement immediately to build stronger, more adaptive, and more high‑performing teams.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Android Tablet / Smartphone; iPad / iPhone

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: iPad / iPhone; Android Tablet / Smartphone
Speakers
avatar for Piper Riddle

Piper Riddle

Executive Director, NUES - Northeastern Utah Educational Services
Dedicated educator passionate about fostering curiosity and critical thinking in students and adults; committed to creating a dynamic learning environment that nurtures both academic growth and personal development. Learner, coach, admin, teacher, adjunct, facilitator, leader, mom... Read More →
Friday July 17, 2026 9:50am - 10:50am MDT
ED 102 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 102 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Instructional Coaching, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. |   Leadership, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. |   Professional Learning Communities (PLCs & PLNs), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. |   School-based Mental & Behavioral Health, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

9:50am MDT

Unplug and Play: Teaching Computational Thinking Skills Through Game Play
Friday July 17, 2026 9:50am - 10:50am MDT
SC 129 - Science Center, Room 129
Learn how to use board games, card games, and pony beads to teach Computational Thinking skills and add some (more) fun back into your classroom. During this session, you will learn how to use games to teach and reinforce Computational Thinking skills. Worried you don't teach Computational Thinking? You do! Computational Thinking (CT) is taught and used in almost every subject. By the end of this session, you will know what CT is, how to use it, and you will have got to play a game or two. So, win-win all around.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: None
Speakers
avatar for Traci Rindlisbach

Traci Rindlisbach

Elementary Computer Science Specialist, Jordan School District-Digital Teaching and Learning
Traci Rindlisbach is the Elementary Computer Science and Digital Specialist in Jordan School District. She has been an educator for 17 years. She has helped create and implement Computer Science rotations into Jordan District elementary schools: K-6. Traci loves talking about and... Read More →
Friday July 17, 2026 9:50am - 10:50am MDT
SC 129 - Science Center, Room 129 370 West 200 South, Cedar City, UT 84720
  Other, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

9:50am MDT

Advancing Opportunity: Utah Rural Education Supported By Community Partnerships
Friday July 17, 2026 9:50am - 10:50am MDT
CC Yankee Meadows - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Yankee Meadows Room (100 Level)
1 hour BYOD Workshop:Think about an academic outcome in your school or district that has been particularly difficult to improve (i.e. kindergarten readiness, 3rd grade reading proficiency, 8th grade math proficiency, chronic absenteeism, graduation rates, etc.) In this session, in both large and small groups, we will dig into the data and explore what might change if we bring the full power of the community together to address the sticky outcome. We will examine the strategies you could ask the community to pursue to contribute to improving the outcome. We will discuss community shared accountability for the outcome. Finally, through shared example, we will uncover the power of cross-sector partnerships to move educational outcomes forward. 

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any of these
Speakers
avatar for Amy Ahrens Terpstra

Amy Ahrens Terpstra

Chief Impact Officer, Promise Partnership of Utah
Amy Ahrens Terpstra has extensive experience in the nonprofit sector. Amy has served as the Managing Director of Promise Partnership of Utah since January 2022, where she is responsible for driving social impact. During the 2026 legislative session, Amy was instrumental in ushering... Read More →
Friday July 17, 2026 9:50am - 10:50am MDT
CC Yankee Meadows - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Yankee Meadows Room (100 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Utah Core Curriculum, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. |   Leadership, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. |   Assessment & Data Management, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. |   Other, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

11:10am MDT

Navigating the Noise: Empowering News-Literate Students with Checkology
Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
CC Charles Hunter - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Charles Hunter Room (100 Level)
In a digital landscape filled with "fake news," deepfakes, and algorithmic bias, how do we teach students to verify instead of just vilify? Enter Checkology, a powerful, browser-based platform that brings real-world journalists into the classroom to teach the core skills of news literacy.This session will guide educators through the platform’s interactive modules, which challenge students to distinguish between news, opinion, and propaganda. We will explore how to use the "Check Center" to verify viral claims and how to integrate these lessons into ELA, Social Studies, and Library Media curricula. Participants will leave with a ready-to-implement strategy for building a more skeptical, informed, and civically engaged student body.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any of these
Speakers
avatar for Chris Haught

Chris Haught

Media Specialist, SEDC - Southwest Educational Development Center
Chris Haught is the Technology/Media Mentor at Southwest Educational Service Center (SEDC), a regional Service Center that serves six district and seven charter ELA’s.Chris works closely with the region’s librarians providing support and training
Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
CC Charles Hunter - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Charles Hunter Room (100 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Digital Citizenship & Media Literacy, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

11:10am MDT

In Our Google Era: 50 Tools Shaping the Future of Learning
Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
SC 016 - Science Center, Room 016
This session explores 50 powerful Google features and integrated tools categorized by six essential future-ready teaching needs: AI, Creation, Collaboration, Creativity, Accessibility, and Personalization. Our focus is on utilizing Google tools to build skills for tomorrow's world. Leave with a ready-to-use plan for instructional change.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any of these
Speakers
avatar for Kelli Cannon

Kelli Cannon

Digital Learning Specialist, Jordan School District
Kelli Cannon has been an educator for 12 years, teaching upper elementary students prior to her current role as a Digital Learning Specialist. Kelli holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Technology, as well as endorsements in STEM, Teaching English as a Second Language and Instructional... Read More →
Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
SC 016 - Science Center, Room 016 370 West 200 South, Cedar City, UT 84720
  Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

11:10am MDT

Real or Rendered? Promoting Digital Media Literacy in the Age of AI - USBE + Google Sponsored Session
Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
ED 104 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 104
🎉 Get $200 for your classroom! Just attend any 3 of the 8 available USBE+Google sessions in ED 104 to qualify for a USBE-sponsored $200 DonorsChoose classroom credit! 📝🚀

In a world where AI can generate realistic but false text, images, and video, how do we equip students with the skills to be critical digital citizens? This essential workshop moves beyond content creation to focus on critical evaluation. We will provide a framework for teaching students how to identify the hallmarks of AI-generated content, verify sources with greater scrutiny, and understand the societal implications of deepfakes and misinformation. We'll explore how to design assignments that challenge students to evaluate digital content and build their discernment skills critically. You will leave with practical lesson plans and strategies for embedding the crucial 21st-century skill of combating misinformation directly into your existing curriculum.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Not applicable

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any web-enabled device is recommended.
Speakers
avatar for Chris McCaffrey

Chris McCaffrey

Google Certified Trainer & Coach, Google ~ Kiker Learning
Chris McCaffrey is a Google for Education Certified Trainer & Coach as well as the Coordinator of Innovation, while managing the virtual academy at Wilson School District in PA. Drawing from over 25 years in education—including experience as a school board director, adjunct professor... Read More →
Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
ED 104 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 104 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI)

11:10am MDT

The Future Ready Student: Resources for Early Postsecondary Transition Planning for Students with Disabilities
Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
ED 215 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 215
Equip yourself with a transition planning toolkit for middle school students with disabilities! This session offers practical strategies and resources for post school success. We'll provide a direct look at tools specifically designed for middle school postsecondary transition. Participants will leave with concrete strategies and resources ready for immediate use! 

Slidepack available

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any of these
Speakers
avatar for Deanna Taylor

Deanna Taylor

Secondary Transition for Students with Disabilities Specialist, Utah State Board of Education
Deanna Taylor is a Postsecondary Transition for Students with Disabilities Specialist at the Utah State Board of Education. Her public education career has spanned over 40 years as a music teacher, special education teacher, special education director and college instructor in three... Read More →
Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
ED 215 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 215 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Other, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.
 
From $50.00
2026 Utah Rural Schools Conference
From $50.00

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BC 103 - Braithwaite Liberal Arts Center, Room 103
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CC Charles Hunter - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Charles Hunter Room (100 Level
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CC Red Hills Room - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Red Hills Room (200 Level)
CC Rondthaller Room - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Rondthaller Room (200 Level
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CC Shooting Star - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Shooting Star Room (100 Level)
CC Vermillion Cliffs - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Vermillion Cliffs Room (100
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Cedar City, Utah
ED 102 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 102
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ED Level 2 Foyer, East - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Level 2 Foyer
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SC 016 - Science Center, Room 016
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SC 128 - Science Center, Room 128
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