Cultivating Tenacity, Engagement and Self-Discipline in Students

Rick Wormeli

Tenacity is a virtue, but the personal fortitude to stick with an arduous task takes time and experience to mature. Many students grow impatient with content not parsed into soundbites, and reading extended, logical rhetoric through each argument to its ultimate conclusion is almost unheard of. On the other hand, if the story is good, students will read books of more than 700 pages. They play online games working their way through 12 levels of difficulty for six hours, and they stay after school into the evening to practice for theater productions, get ready for sports tournaments and conduct fun science experiments for the public. Join us for a compelling session on how to help students find the reserves to stick with projects and tasks, be they physical or intellectual. We will look at the role of dopamine, goal-setting, descriptive feedback that does not invoke ego, meaning-making, executive function, re-do's, teacher-student relationships and more. There is no such thing as laziness; our students want to do demanding, complex learning, they want to persevere! To this, our students aspire; with this, our world was built. In our classrooms right now, there is an eager William Wilberforce, Malala Yousafzai, and younger versions of J.K. Rowling and Theodore Seuss Geisel (both turned down repeatedly for their manuscripts) looking for inspiration. This generation is more than ready for what it takes to make the world their own. Let's light this rocket!

• Slide Deck for Cultivating Tenacity, Engagement and Self-Discipline in Students

LOCATION - PAC

Creating Checklists and Choice Boards

Monica Lavelle and Susan Chamberlain

• Session Category - Blended Learning
• Session Type - Hands on, Blended Learning, Make and Take
• Skill Level - Average
• Keywords - Checklists, choice boards, blended learning
• Device Needed - Yes

Need ideas? Come view a variety of checklists and choice boards! Spend the rest of your session turning the ideas into a checklist or choice board for use in your own classroom.

BIO - Monica Lavelle and Susan Chamberlain are District Instructional Coaches

LOCATION - Blackbox Theater

Start 3D Printing Using Free 3D Software

Matt Young, Craig Huffman

• Session Category - Using Technology
• Session Type - Lecture, Hands on, Technology enhanced
• Skill Level - Average
• Keywords - 3D printing, technology, young
• Device Needed - Yes

With technology advancing in the education world, so are the capabilities of what our students can do. Learn to enhance your lessons with software that allows students to design 3D pieces on their devices and print them off in the round. 3D printing can be used as enhancements for many subjects such as science, math, art, engineering, and many more. Come learn hands on how to use free programs to enhance your curriculum. See how a 3D printer works and how to get them for your classroom.

BIO - Craig and Matt have presented on how to use technology in the art room all over the country. Craig and Matt have presented at the Ohio Art Education Conference (Craig and Matt are featured speakers there this year), National Art Education Conference for the last 5 years(6 including this year), Craig and Matt have spoken for the last 2 years at the OETC conference and were asked to return this year, and they are in the process of writing an art tech book with Scholastic Publications.

LOCATION - SESSION CANCELED

Service Learning: An Instructional Strategy That Works

Renee Mortimer, Diana Glanzman, Amy Palmer, Marieca Mattox, Anna Meyer, Annette Crowell, Bob Weida, Kaylee Jensen

• Session Category - Innovative Teaching Strategy(s)
• Session Type - Lecture, Discussion, Technology Enhanced
• Skill Level - Low
• Keywords - Service Learning, Authentic, Experiential, Hands-On, Instructional Strategy
• Device Needed - Yes

Facilitators will provide the basic Service Learning framework as well as authentic classroom Service Learning Projects in order to inform and encourage others to utilize this meaningful, experiential instructional strategy.

BIO - Renee Mortimer: Service Learning Coordinator; Diana Glanzman: Service Learning Facilitator; Amy Palmer: First Grade, Heritage Elementary "Pickerington for Puerto Rico"; Marieca Mattox: School Counselor, Heritage Elementary "Pickerington for Puerto Rico"; Anna Meyer: Vice Principal, Tussing Elementary; Annette Crowell: School Counselor, Tussing Elementary; Kaylee Jensen: First Grade, Tussing Elementary "The Memory Project"; Bob Weida: High School English Teacher, PHSN "Senior Citizen Prom"

LOCATION - Room 404

Using Freckle Math in the Classroom

Damicka Bates, Jen Miller

• Session Category -Improving Student Achievement
• Session Type - Blended Learning
• Skill Level - Low
• Keywords - Blended Learning, Freckle, Math, Individualized Instruction, student achievement
• Device Needed: Yes

Teachers will learn and explore the use of Freckle Math in the classroom to create opportunities for providing individualized instruction for students.

BIO - Damicka Bates - Mrs. Bates is currently a 5th-grade math teacher at Harmon Middle School. She has been in this position since the 2017 school year. Prior to that, she taught Math at Diley Middle School. Currently, she is pursuing a Master of Science Degree in Educational Leadership. Mrs. Bates and her husband Jason have three wonderful children, Mickale, Mayson, and Jr.

Jen Miller - I am starting my 7th year teaching at Diley Middle School. I currently teach 6th grade Math. I have taught both math and science during the past six years.

LOCATION - Room 109

Edpuzzle

Kim Bauer and Rochelle Hanson

• Session Category -Using Technology
• Session Type - Technology enhanced, Blended Learning
• Skill Level - Low
• Keywords - edpuzzle
• Device Needed: Yes

We will discuss how to use EdPuzzle in the blended learning classroom. The session will start with going over how to find lessons that can immediately be used in the classroom. Then we will learn how to create our own EdPuzzles and gather data. Rochelle Hanson and Kim Bauer will support teachers in learning how to use EdPuzzle right away in their classroom.

BIO - Rochelle Hanson has been working in Pickerington Schools since 2012. Rochelle is currently a 5th grade science and social studies teacher at Harmon Middle School.

Kim Bauer has been working in Pickerington Schools since 1994. Kim is currently a 5th grade science and social studies teacher at Harmon Middle School.

LOCATION - PAS #2

UDL: Variability is the Only Norm

Blythe Wood & Tara Ruckman

• Session Category - Improving Student Achievement
• Session Type - Blended Learning
• Skill Level - Low
• Keywords - UDL - Universal Design for Learning
• Device Needed - Yes

The participants will be able to:

1. Examine the three principles of Universal Design for Learning

2. Identify examples of classrooms strategies that can be implemented to support the three principles of Universal Design for Learning

3. Complete a Curriculum Barrier Analysis for a student in their classroom (or case sample) that includes at least one strategy to make the curriculum accessible in each of the three principle areas of Universal Design for Learning.

BIO -

Tara Ruckman & Blythe Wood are the Academic/Behavior Coaches for the Special Education Department, K-12. Their responsibilities include:

• Overseeing the implementation of direct instruction academic programs for the special education department K-12
• Providing Support/Coaching to Intervention Specialists district-wide in the areas of instructional practices, behavior management, writing IEP's, and other areas related to Special Education.
• Reviewing curriculum, locate resources, recommend departmental purchases and inventory resources
• Providing professional development in multi-sensory instruction, inclusion, co-teaching, de-escalation, differentiation, Ohio Learning Standards Extended, math & literacy strategies and other topic related to instructional strategies and intervention

LOCATION - Room 405

Google Drawings: It's Not For Drawing

Sheri Broz-England

• Session Category - Innovative Teaching Strategy(s)
• Session Type - Lecture, Hands on, Technology enhanced, Blended Learning
• Skill Level - Average
• Keywords - Google Drawing, Blending Learning, Technology
• Device Needed - Yes

During this hands-on session, participants will learn how to integrate Google Drawings into any curriculum. Basic use of Google Drawings will be practiced and easily applied to participant's classroom goals.

Blending technology with traditional teaching practices will invite students to create, explore and demonstrate understanding of content in authentic and meaningful ways. Discover how Google Drawings can be used as a fantastic tool to inspire, create and share knowledge.

BIO - Sheri has taught visual arts in Pickerington since 1998. Schooled as a painter and ceramicist, she incorporates a myriad of media, techniques and artistic concepts in daily interactions with her students. Understanding that technology is another form of art media, she embraces it's use in the art room to challenge both her and her students.

LOCATION - PAS #1

Creating Your Own Rubrics for Personalized Learning

Todd Stanley

• Session Category - Innovative Teaching Strategy(s)
• Session Type - Hands on
• Skill Level - Average
• Keywords - rubrics, authentic learning, personalized learning, engagement
• Device Needed: Yes

NOTE: This is a double session, sessions #4 and #5

Rubrics are a valuable way for teachers to assess students in non-traditional, performance-based assessments, many of which require students to employ 21st century skills. The argument some people make against them though is that rubrics are often subjective because they are based on the teacher’s opinion rather than an objective multiple-choice question where there is a single correct answer. What of you could create rubrics that are objective, evaluating students on a consistent basis? What if you could create rubrics that are tailor-made to the skills students will be demonstrating in the performance-assessment? This session will show you step-by-step how to create objective rubrics that can be used to evaluate student performance. This way the rubrics you are using to evaluate students are specific to their understanding rather than just a general one that does not always apply or leaves too much room for subjectivity.

BIO - Todd Stanley is the author of many teacher-education books including Project-Based Learning for Gifted Students: A Handbook for the 21st Century Classroom, When Smart Kids Underachieve in the Classroom: Practical Solutions for Teachers, and his latest, Authentic Learning: Real World Experiences that Build 21st Century Skills. He served as a classroom teacher for 18 years and is currently the gifted services coordinator for Pickerington Local Schools where he lives with his wife and two daughters.

LOCATION - Room 128

Google for Building Admins

Whitney Robinson

• Session Category - Leadership
• Session Type - Lecture, Hands on
• Skill Level - Average
• Keywords - G Suite; Administration
• Device Needed - Yes

Building administrators, have you ever been in a classroom watching innovative integration of Google tools and though, "I wish I could use that too"? Believe it or not, you can. In this session learn how to utilize G Suite tools for everything including discipline (Google Forms), day-to-day communication and accountability (Google Classroom), PBIS (Slides), scheduling (Sheets), community outreach (Tour Builder), and more. In this one-hour session, see examples, get templates, and gather ideas for ways to improve efficiency and get back a little of the fun you may (mistakenly) feel you had to leave in the classroom. As a session bonus, there will be a discussion of recent G Suite additions that have already improved teaching and learning in your building (and utilize AI technology) that you probably didn't even realize are already making your daily lives easier.

BIO - Whitney Robinson is a Google Certified Trainer with extensive experience presenting professional development in the areas of educational technology, instructional strategies, and PBIS as an instructional coach, instructional technology coordinator, and now building level administrator. Whitney has also presented at OMLA and the Illuminate Education Midwest Conference and was accepted to present research on Blended Learning at the 2018 ISTE conference.

LOCATION - Room 131

Trauma Informed Care - next steps in creating a Trauma Informed School

Stacy Tennenbaum, Dr. Cathy Ely and Jessie Burr

• Session Category - Improving Student Achievement
• Session Type - Lecture
• Skill Level - Average
• Keywords - project-based learning, authentic learning, student engagement
• Device Needed: No

There are 10 steps to creating a Trauma Informed Care School. This session will review TIC and identify the 10 steps of becoming a TIC school and how to implement them.

BIO -

Stacy Tennenbaum has been in the district for over 20 years and is currently the Principal at Pickerington High School Central. She has been involved with every grade level and and with Special Education as well at Regular Education throughout her career the PLSD. She had developed a passion for Trauma informed Care as she sees it impact students daily.

Jessie Burr is the District Social Worker and in her first year with PLSD. This is her 15th year as an independently licensed social worker practicing within Fairfield County. Her background includes community and school-based mental health treatment, inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations, drug and alcohol treatment and experience as an adult mental health probation officer. She has a Bachelor's degree in psychology from Otterbein University, a Master's of Social Work from The Ohio State University and is an ODE licensed school social worker.

Cathy Ely is in her fourth year with PLSD and currently is the Prevention and Intervention Services Coordinator. She was previously the district social worker and coordinated the social work intern program. Prior to working with the district, she was a school social worker for 12 years with Reynoldsburg City SChools. Cathy has her PhD in Health Education and Promotion and her Master's degree in social work from The Ohio State University. She has taught courses for the university in Clinical Social Work with Children and Adolescents as well as School Social Work.

LOCATION - Media Center

¿No Hablo Ingles? What to do with your students who don't speak English.

Erik Barbon & Tracy Massey

• Session Category -Improving Student Achievement
• Session Type - Lecture, Hands on, Technology enhanced, Group work
• Skill Level - Average
• Keywords - EL, English Learner, Newcomer, Strategies, diverse learners, student achievement
• Device Needed - Yes

Have you ever had a student who couldn't communicate in English? Join us for an interactive, thought provoking, evidence based, workshop full of EL strategies for students who have limited English. Content area teachers will be able to immediately add these to their toolbox and implement them in their classroom to raise student achievement.

NOTE: This sessions is specifically for educators in the Elementary and Middle Schools.

BIO - Erik Barbon is the English Learner Coordinator and Tracy Massey is the English Learner Instructional Coach for Pickerington Schools.

LOCATION - Room 119

The Dynamic Literacy & Math Duo EquatIO and Read&Write!

Stephanie Howell & Marc Callahan

• Session Category -Using Technology
• Session Type - Lecture, Hands on
• Skill Level - Average
• Keywords - #Texthelp
• Device Needed - Yes

Attendees will learn how to download Read&Write and EquatIO from the Chrome Web Store and use the tools in both solutions to help engage and personalize student learning on the Web, within PDFs, and all areas of the G­Suite. Both solutions are UDL based, COPPA compliant and offer beneficial accessibility features that empower student achievement from K ­through­ College. Attendees will also learn which tools align with the Freemium and Premium student versions of Read&Write and EquatIO.

BIO - Stephanie Howell has been working in Pickerington Schools since 2014. She is currently the Middle School Instructional Technology Coordinator for Pickerington Schools. She has also taught special education in 5th grade at Diley Middle School. She has worked previous to Pickerington as an Independent Provider for individuals with Special Needs and as a One-On-One Aide at Forest Rose School. She has volunteered and worked in the Special Education field since 2006. She enjoys working with staff and students to increase the use of instructional technology.

Marc Callahan has 20+ years of experience in the educational technology and publishing industries. He has worked extensively with Google Apps, testing and accountability, digital curriculum, RTI, and assistive technology. Marc loves vintage cars, learning new things and resides in Cincinnati-OH with his wife, daughters and great dane!

LOCATION - Room 126

Evidence-Based Practices

Andrea Baldwin, Maggie Buckley

• Session Category -Improving Student Achievement
• Session Type - Discussion, Group Discussion
• Skill Level - Average
• Keywords - instructional strategies, John Hattie, evidence-based, TBTs
• Device Needed - No

Based on John Hattie's work, we will explore evidence-based strategies that have the biggest impact on student achievement. This work complements the work of Teacher-Based Teams as they identify strategies to increase student achievement. Examples will be given as a whole, but also targeted towards literacy, science and math.

BIO - Andrea and Maggie are both curriculum coordinators. Andrea has been with the district since 1997 and Maggie has been with the district since 2014. Both have held various positions in education such as classroom teacher, building administration, and State-level support.

LOCATION - Room 122

Experiment. Fail. Learn. Repeat. Makerspace Life Lessons

Karrie Kreinbrink, Julie Seibert, Julie Lewis, Lynn Trotch, Bobbi Lohiser, Tammy Barletta, Rosalind Flaugher

• Session Category -Increasing the Engagement of Students
• Session Type - Hands on
• Skill Level - Low
• Keywords - makerspace, media center
• Device Needed - Yes

Join the elementary media center aides from as they share their story of how they've learned to experiment, fail, learn, and repeat alongside their students. During this session, the first ten minutes will be spent on the logistics of incorporating a makerspace in your media center. You'll hear from seven media center specialists as they share what has worked and what has not as well as other helpful tips and tricks when you are just getting started. The rest of the time will include hands-on activities and lessons you will take part in and ideas you can walk away with to implement tomorrow!

Slide Deck for Experiment, Fail, Learn, Repeat.

BIO - Karrie Kreinbrink, Julie Seibert, Julie Lewis, Lynn Trotch, Bobbie Lohiser, Tammy Barletta, Rosalind Flaugher are all the Pickerington Schools Media Center Aides.

LOCATION - Room 144

LPDC- Understanding the Ins and Outs of Professional Development and Licensure

Melissa Heck; Beth Richardson; Roshawn Parker; Andrea McVay; Amy Burton; Tricia Sanders; Ben Baptist

• Session Category - Improving Student Achievement
• Session Type - Hands on
• Skill Level - Average
• Keywords - LPDC, IPDP, Pre approval; Evaluation; PDL; license; Renewal;
• Device Needed - Yes

This session will review the process and procedures for licensure renewal for staff members holding a professional licensure. Those with a 4-year Resident Educator or 4- year alternative Resident Educator license have to complete the Resident Educator program before falling under the rules of LPDC. Committee members will walk educators through the different requirements needed along with activities that can be used towards renewal.

BIO - Roshawn Parker- Lead Assistant Principal LJHS; Beth Richardson- LPDC Co-Chair Lead Assistant Principal RSJHS; Andrea McVay- Assistant Principal TGES; Amy Burton- 1st grade teacher FES; Tricia Sanders- English teacher PHSC; Ben Baptist- English teacher PHSN; Melissa Heck - LPDC Co-chair 1st grade teacher TES

LOCATION - Lecture Hall

Hands-Only Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillator Training

Sharon Schmitz, Rhonda Carmel, Marni Dreher, Marcia Stewart, Liz Moody-Ganoom, Diane Morris, Tami Tackett, Jill Mattingly

• Session Category - Improving Student Achievement
• Session Type - Lecture, Discussion, Hands on
• Skill Level - Average
• Keywords - Hands-Only CPR and AED Use
• Device Needed - No

Participants will learn when to implement Hands-Only CPR and use of AED. Lecture, discussion and practice of skills will be included in this session. This session has been requested in particular for Food Service employees, however, any other staff members are welcome to attend.

BIO - Sharon Schmitz, Rhonda Carmel, Marni Dreher, Marcia Stewart, Liz Moody-Ganoom, Diane Morris, Tami Tackett, Jill Mattingly are all Pickerington School Nurses.

LOCATION - Room 139

Digital Curation is the New Scrapbooking

Randall Sampson

• Session Category - Increasing the Engagement of Students
• Session Type - Hands on, Technology enhanced, Playground Style
• Skill Level - Average
• Keywords - Personalized Learning, Student Engagement, Station Rotation
• Device Needed: Yes

Participants will actively engage in using Wakelet as a tool to spark student engagement. Participants will learn how to Capture-Curate-Share the learning experience in the classroom. The key is to streamline the tasks and maximize student engagement.

BIO - Dr. Sampson is an advocate for empowering teachers in the classroom. Through the use of digital technology, the teaching and learning process becomes more personalized. This approach streamlines the learning tasks with depth of knowledge.

LOCATION - Room 133

How to Maximize Social Media for Parent and Community Engagement

Jennifer Economus

• Session Category - Leadership
• Session Type - Group Discussion
• Skill Level - Low
• Keywords - social media, facebook, twitter, instagram, engagement
• Device Needed - No

Social media has become a part of our daily lives. How can we use it in a positive way to engage our colleagues, parents and students? Learn about the latest ways to maximize social media to share the great work happening in the classroom and how to create a positive, interactive, digital experience with stakeholders.

BIO -

Jennifer has spent 20 years in government and non-profit service including as a legislative aide for Assistant Majority Leader of the Ohio House of Representatives, as a lobbyist and grassroots coordinator for the Ohio School Boards Association, and as a communication consultant for public entities. Her love for civics started early when she volunteered for a local congressional campaign at the age of 8. Since then, she’s volunteered on several candidate campaigns and was the levy chairperson for her own local school district.

Jennifer has extensive experience in grassroots advocacy and creating strategy, as well as advocating in both the legislative and executive branches on behalf of client interests. She’s worked on both local and statewide ballot issues and candidate campaigns and has developed outreach strategies and communication plans for a variety of interests from the local, state and national levels with proven success.

She joined Allerton Hill Consulting in 2010 and specializes in a full range of executive-level consulting and communications strategies and services for various public entities. She has extensive experience in communications, media relations, media training, crisis management, public affairs, and digital and social media.

Jennifer is a native Ohioan and grew up in Boardman. She has a B.A. in Communication from The Ohio State University and M.A. in Public Policy and Management from The Ohio State University. It should come as no surprise that she is an avid Buckeye’s fan, and she also loves golden retrievers and travels with her family to the Florida Panhandle and Disney World every chance she gets.

LOCATION - Room 204

Focused, Safe, and Personalized: Everything you need to know about Hapara Highlights

Evyan Wagner

• Session Category - Using Technology
• Session Type - Lecture, Discussion, Hands on, Technology enhanced, Blended Learning, Playground Style
• Skill Level - Average
• Keywords - hapara, chromebooks, google, highlights, monitoring, digital citizenship, digital learning, elearning, g suite
• Device Needed - Yes

The internet is an amazing classroom resource but it can be overwhelming to let students loose on the web. Learn how Hapara Highlights gives you visibility into students' work online and enhances your digital classroom with tools that allow you to interact with learners and personalize instruction. And, get a first look at some of the new features coming to Highlights, that will give you more ways to guide student browsing.

BIO - Evyan is the Professional Learning Manager at Hapara. Evyan has worked with teachers and districts across the globe to develop informed, transformative classroom practice with technology. Using her experience as an Instructional Technology Coach, Literacy Specialist, and classroom teacher, she’s become a champion for meaningful and student-focused use of technology--as well as no-nonsense, hands-on adult learning. She lives in Chicago with her lovable and hair-brained dog Steven.

LOCATION - Room 117

Actionable Insights. Engaging Instruction.

Morgan Bennett King

• Session Category - Blended Learning
• Session Type - Lecture
• Skill Level - Low
• Keywords - i-Ready, differentiated instruction, blended learning, student engagement, Curriculum Associates, i-Ready Diagnostic & Instruction, Ready Ohio, Reading & Math
• Device Needed - No

Actionable Insights. Engaging Instruction. i-Ready makes the promise of differentiated instruction a practical reality for teachers and students. It was designed to get students excited about learning, and to support teachers in the challenge of meeting the needs of all learners. Through the power of one intuitive system whose pieces were built from the ground up to work together, teachers have the tools they need to ensure students are on the road to proficiency.

Open the pathway to success for every student: Learn how i-Ready Diagnostic & Instruction makes the promise of differentiated instruction a practical reality for teachers and students. It was designed to get students excited about learning, and to support teachers in the challenge of meeting the needs of all learners. Through the power of one intuitive system whose pieces were built from the ground up to work together, teachers have the tools they need to ensure students are on the road to proficiency.

In a single program, i-Ready:

• integrates powerful assessments and rich insights with effective and engaging instruction in reading and mathematics to address students’ individual needs.
• empowers teachers every day to make more informed instructional decisions.
• motivates students with access to their own personalized path to growth.

BIO - Morgan Bennett King joined Curriculum Associates in 2007 as the Ohio Sales Representative. Morgan develops partnerships with educators ensuring successful product implementations, effective communication and driving student growth, with the goal of making classrooms better for students and teachers. Morgan graduated from The Ohio State University and lives in Galena, OH with her husband, Bret, and their two children, Karis and Brady.

LOCATION - Room 114

Illuminate for ELECTIVES!!

Kim Foley - Illuminate

• Session Category - Using Technology
• Session Type - Hands On, Discussion
• Skill Level - Average
• Keywords -Assessment, Performance Assessment, Illuminate, Electives
• Device Needed - Yes

Electives teachers - do you feel like you get left out? Well, not anymore! Kim, a former PE teacher, will help you to see how you can use Illuminate to reduce the amount of time you need to collect data and jump on the Illuminate bandwagon by creating skills assessments that allow you to get your student data in an easy to use report that you can use to inform your instruction!

BIO - Kim Foley has been an implementation manager for Illuminate, for one and a half years and supports districts in MI, IN and OH. Prior to joining the Illuminate team, Kim spent twenty years in the classroom as a special education teacher and a physical education teacher.

LOCATION - Room 145