Session 2

Igniting Community Collaboration Through STEAM

Room: Keystone

Presenter(s): Eric Brennan, Emily Trace, & Amy Crider

Description: This session will focus on how to build a STEAM ecosystem within your school district and community! Come learn about our district’s first-ever STEAM Expo & Fine Arts Night that showcased student creativity through interactive displays and fostered community engagement through local partnerships. Discover how this event can bring everyone together to celebrate student innovation, creating a bridge to future career opportunities with local organizations. Come explore ways to cultivate collaboration and inspiration at the intersection of education and industry in your own community today!

Grade Level Focus: K-12

Audience: Classroom Teachers, Specialists, Principals, Librarians/Media Specialists, Technology Directors/Facilitators, Superintendents, Curriculum Directors/Specialists

Bio: Eric Brennan serves as the K-12 STEAM Department Head at Greencastle Antrim School District and brings 11 years of experience as a High School STEAM teacher. Eric is dedicated to fostering authentic learning experiences that align with student interests, aiming to inspire creativity and innovation. He enjoys collaboration and forming new partnerships at the K-12 level, while also working to develop opportunities that promote STEAM learning inside and outside the classroom.

Amy Crider teaches in a K-2 school library while serving as her school's District Librarian and Emily Trace is a K-2 STEM Teacher.  Amy and Emily are recipients of a 2022 PASmart Advancing Grant to increase STEM education and opportunities by creating partnerships within their community and district to build sustainable experiences for students and families. They are passionate about collaborating and incorporating literacy, creativity, and exploration!

DIY Robotics

Room: Meadow

Presenter(s): Chris Barnabei

Description: This session will present a DIY robotics option developed by Drexel University’s ExCite Center in which functional robots can be built using simple 3D printed K’Nex compatible components that attach to servo motors, K’Nex pieces, and a microcontroller of your choice (we use Micro:bits).  All components will be available during the session so that we can get hands-on and build and program our own robots. We will conclude the session with a discussion on integration ideas across the curriculum as well as differentiation strategies across grade, ability, and interest levels. STL files of the K’Nex compatible servo components will be provided for later printing, so it is recommended that attendees have access to a 3D printer. While this session is mainly intended for grades 6-12, modifications can be made to make it work for elementary students as well. 

Grade Level Focus: 6-12

Audience: Classroom Teachers, Specialists, Librarians/Media Specialists

Bio: Chris Barnabei is a technology integrator, librarian, and computer science teacher at the Career Magnet School (Grades 9-12) in the Chambersburg Area School District. In addition to teaching app development and AP Computer Science, he works with teachers to integrate technology and STEM throughout the curriculum. Chris is an Apple Distinguished Educator and regular presenter at state, national and international events. 

Click HERE for session resources.

Unleashing Student Creativity with Apple

Room: Laurel

Presenter(s): Terrance Shepler & Jeremy Brokos

Description: Join us for a comprehensive 50-minute exploration of Apple's 'Everyone Can Create.' This presentation offers a deep dive into the transformative shifts in contemporary education. Discover strategies that have successfully transitioned students from consumers to creators, utilizing Apple's creative tools to facilitate relevant, authentic, and innovative learning experiences. Witness captivating student projects that spotlight their creativity and depth of understanding. Additionally, gain valuable insights and tips for seamlessly implementing 'Everyone Can Create' in various educational settings. Regardless of your content area or grade level, there's something for everyone in this session. Engage in meaningful dialogue, discuss methodologies, and acquire a fresh perspective on redefining today's educational approach.

Grade Level Focus: 6-12

Audience: Classroom Teachers

Bio: Terrance Shepler holds a Master's degree in Educational Technology. As a dedicated history teacher at Susquenita High School, Terrance has showcased his versatility across subjects like AP US History, Civics, and Media. Honored as an Apple Distinguished Educator in 2023, he's not only adept at harnessing Apple's innovative tools but also a recognized voice in the field, having spoken at MACPL, PETE&C, and ISTE. Terrance is passionate about transforming learning through technology.

Jeremy Brokos holds a Bachelor's degree in Secondary Mathematics Education and a Master's degree in Educational Leadership. He currently serves as Math Department Chair at Susquenita High School. In his time in education, he has worked to discover and implement new ways of engaging students in the mathematics classroom. His focus has always been on creating purposeful learning experiences through technology that allows his students to practice and apply what they learn. Jeremy's learning has led him to become a certified Apple Learning Coach with the goal of using this platform to instill positive learning experiences with technology to his students and colleagues.

Literacy-Based Inquiry Lessons

Room: Juniata

Presenter(s): Jennifer Eley and Caitlin Karetas

Description: Join us on an educational adventure where creativity meets curriculum! Centered around the STEELS standards, a series of lessons which capture the essence of applying design concepts, principles, and processes through the lens of play, exploration, and productive struggles will be featured. Each lesson will showcase a carefully selected high-quality trade book that not only enhances the core lesson concepts but also fosters meaningful connections and provides essential background information for students. This presentation will offer educators innovative ideas and pedagogical techniques to seamlessly integrate into their primary classrooms while also guiding participants on how to establish partnerships with WITF for future lessons!

Grade Level Focus: K-8

Audience: Classroom Teachers, Specialists

Bio: Jennifer Eley is an educator with over sixteen years of experience as a former kindergarten, third grade, and fifth-grade teacher as well as a building administrator. Jennifer has had the privilege of serving students in urban, rural, and suburban districts and is passionate about providing all students high-quality educational experiences. Currently, Jennifer is the Director of Education at WITF, focused on building partnerships with schools and enhancing learning experiences for students. 

Caitlin Karetas is a recent graduate of Penn State Harrisburg, where she received her degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Human Development. Since graduating, Caitlin has been working at WITF as the Elementary Education Program Coordinator. In this role, Caitlin has been partnering with classroom teachers to support student learning through WITF's Explore In The Classroom program.

Click HERE for session resources.

Fostering Independent Learning Through Student Interests and Passions in Our Creativity Lab

Room: Friendship

Presenter(s): Mariah Rackley & Ray Truex

Description: Our Creativity Lab was designed to be a class where students' interests drove the content and provided students with the opportunity to use their agency to take ownership of their learning. Over the last four years, Mr. Truex has grown this course into a student favorite in our 8th-grade curriculum using real-world problem-solving, creative thinking, solution-finding, innovation, and passion projects. Watching our students direct their learning and have the opportunity to choose their own path has been awesome to watch! This class has grown and expanded beyond what we imagined, and it is exciting to see our students, families, and stakeholders embrace the design of this course! 

Grade Level Focus: K-12

Audience: Classroom Teachers, Principals, Librarians/Media Specialists, Technology Directors/Facilitators, Superintendents, Curriculum Directors/Specialists

Bio: Mariah Rackley is the Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Cornwall-Lebanon School District in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. She has been a principal, assistant principal, and learning support teacher. Mariah holds degrees in Elementary and Special Education, Teaching and Curriculum, and Educational Management and Leadership with a concentration in Creativity and Innovation. She was named an NASSP Digital Principal of the Year in 2018 and received the 2022 June Herr Educator of the Year Award.

Ray graduated from Gettysburg College in 1994 with a major in English and a minor in Education. He taught 7th and 8th grade English at Cedar Crest Middle School from 1996 through 2020, when he was given the chance to launch the Creativity Lab for 8th-grade students. Allowing students the time, place, and space to pursue passions and learn independently- and watching them embrace the learning process- has been the highlight of his career! 

Click HERE for session resources.

Whole Child Approach for Students with Moderate to Severe Disabilities

Room: Dogwood

Presenter(s): Jeremy Klipple & Courtney Ples

Description: TeachTown, the leading provider of K-12 standards-based, adapted core curriculum, offers students with moderate to severe disabilities, equitable and inclusive access to the general education curriculum and the individualized interventions that support their success. Whether your district or intermediate unit requires a core curriculum for reading, math, science, and social studies or individualized interventions across domains like social, transition, adaptive, vocational, or cognitive skills, we are here to provide a whole-child approach that measurably improves the academic, behavioral and adaptive skills of your students – from K through the transition years.

Grade Level Focus: Overall focus (K-12)

Audience: Classroom Teachers, Specialists, Principals, Curriculum Directors/Specialists

Bio: As an Account Executive at TeachTown, Jeremy helps school districts teach the most complex individuals how to learn. He has a proven track record of building long-lasting partnerships, and he has been working in the Education Technology space for the last 5 years working with schools and districts to solve a variety of challenges. Jeremy is passionate about education technology and its impact on student achievement and outcomes.

Catch Scratch Coding Fever with Block Coding! 

Room: Board

Presenter(s): Frannie Shue

Description:

I. Introduction to Scratch coding covering the basic blocks to get started.  Movement, sound, backstage, event block, and look blocks explained and demonstrated.  

II. Basic Programming to get started right away in class. Building a basic program as a class to give students immediate success.   

III. Books and Videos used in lessons. Literacy integration into lesson examples will be shown.   

IV Class ideas and examples. 

V. Moving Beyond Basics 

VI. Tales from a Scratch Teacher (What I learned over the years).  

VII. Conclusion and questions.

Grade Level Focus: K-8

Audience: Classroom Teachers, Specialists, Librarians/Media Specialists

Bio: Frannie Shue is a Technology Teacher teaching block coding for three years at the Bald Eagle Area Elementary Schools, second through fifth grades inclusion classrooms.  She is a Keystone Technology Innovator Star 2022.  She has been a reviewer for the ISTE and PETE & C conferences.