Speakers

When John was 10 years old, he walked down the hallways of Stuarts Draft Middle School to find his locker and classes on what he believed was a normal "back-to-school" night. However, the moment he walked through the door frame of Room 30, he met his sixth-grade science teacher, Ms. Cross. From that moment on, he knew he wanted to be a teacher - not just any teacher, but a teacher as influential as Ms. Cross. That moment in Room 30 where he met Ms. Cross still fuels his drive as a teacher. Yet, his single greatest accomplishment, if asked, is his family. If you have ever worked with John via Zoom, WebEx, Google Meets, or Teams, you have almost certainly met each member of his immediate family through their impromptu cameo appearances. John lives in Waynesboro, Virginia with his wife Danielle, a  fellow educator, their two children, Tessa and Jackson, and Labrador retrievers, Bella and Dukes. Oh, and Tessa and Jackson affectionately call Ms. Cross, Grandma Sally. 

Outside of being a husband and father, John is a bestselling author and has worked with schools, classrooms, and teachers all over the world on the translation and application of the science of learning to the classroom, school, and home environments, and what works best in teaching and learning. He has worked with teachers and leaders in Australia, Canada, Colombia, Dubai, Egypt, England, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, South Korea, Thailand and all across the United States.

John is a Professor of Education in the College of Education at James Madison University. In 2015, John was awarded the inaugural Sarah Miller Luck Endowed Professorship. In 2021, John was honored with an Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia. Most recently, he was named a Madison Scholar in the College of Education.  At James Madison University, he continues to work with pre‑service teachers and graduate students, as well as actively pursuing his research interests, including the science of learning, the design and measurement of classroom environments that promote student engagement and learning. 

Teresa Eldredge is an educator with over 16 years of experience. Currently, she serves as a Gifted and Talented Teacher Specialist in Jordan School District. She has experience teaching grades K through 6 in diverse environments: general, online, enrichment, and magnet classrooms. Teresa earned her B.S. from the University of Utah and an M.Ed. from Southern Utah University. She has an endorsement in Gifted and Talented Education and is currently finishing her Instructional Coaching Endorsement. Teresa is committed to helping students reach their full potential and empowering them with the knowledge needed for lifelong success.

Chelsey's current role is Teacher Specialist in Jordan School Districts' Language and Culture Services. She has worked in Jordan District for 10 years. She has experience teaching 5th and 6th grade and has been an Instructional Coach. Chelsey has a Master's Degree in Education from Southern Utah University along with endorsements in ESL and Instructional Coaching, and is in the process of working on her Ed Tech Endorsement. 

Melissa enjoys promoting mathematics by doing mathematics.  She is one of the Jordan District elementary mathematics specialists and she loves working with teachers and students to see the joy of mathematics. She collects fancy pens and notebooks and has a goal to visit all MLB stadiums. She is an obsessive writer of to-do lists and loves catching up on the latest audible best seller. She spends her free time traveling with friends and visiting family. 

Melissa is the State Elementary Science and STEM Education Specialist. She received a Master of Arts in Teacher Education-Integrated STEM emphasis from Brigham Young University and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Science Education from Utah State University. She has developed and facilitated professional development for elementary preservice and in-service educators throughout the state in science, engineering, English as a second language, and language arts. Helping build the capacity of teachers to deepen student learning is her passion.

Heather Leister is a Kindergarten teacher at Bastian Elementary. Her favorite part about teaching kindergarten is watching students grow into independent learners. Heather makes it through her kindergarten days with the help of chocolate and great teammates.

Denise Rogers teaches Kindergarten at Bastian Elementary.  She loves teaching Kindergarten and watching the students' eyes light up as they are learning science in class.  Denise is lucky to have been on a team with great knowledge of Kindergarten Science and has helped her find ways to teach it with half day classes.  She loves to read when she can find spare time after running her daughters to dance every day.

Thelissa Powell teaches Kindergarten at Bastian Elementary. She loves incorporating science in everyday learning. When she isn’t in class she enjoys reading and drinking her Diet Dr. Pepper.

Aimie has been an educator for 9 years. She started out as a paraprofessional in a high school in Cedar City where she grew to love helping teachers create accommodations for students with exceptionalities. She is currently a 2nd grade teacher at Aspen Elementary and loves getting to see her students light up when they understand and learn something new. She loves designing curriculum and finding fun, new ed tech tools to use in her classroom lessons. When she is not teaching you will find her sleuthing her way through Escape Rooms with her husband or rocking out, singing badly, in her car to 90's alternative and hip hop songs!