Theme: "Anchored in Christ - Firm in Faith - Bold in Service"

Verse reference - 

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (I Corinthians 15:58)

Conference Host: St. Croix Lutheran Academy, West St. Paul, Minnesota

• Conference Evaluation (Link goes live After last sectional)

• Link to clock hours for the full conference is shown after you submit the evaluation form. 

7:45 - 8:20 - Coffee & Water served at SCLA 

7:45 - 8:20 - Registration 

8:30 - 9:45 - Opening Worship with Communion - Offering Designation:
Worship Folder 

9:45 - 10:00 - Welcoming to the Conference and Announcements 

• Ryan Klatt, Minnesota District Lutheran Teachers' Conference (MNDLTC) Chairman

• Brad Essig, SCLA Principal

10:00 - 10:20 - Break (Coffee, Bottled Water & Snacks) 

10:20 - 11:30 - Educational Keynotes:

• ECE - "The Science of Learning in K-8" (Anna Geiger) Auditorium 

• All - "Full, Ready, and Exact" (Andrew Pudewa, Founder, Author & Director; Institute for Excellence in Writing) Choir Room

• All - "Be Who You Needed: Building Stronger Connections and Healthier Boundaries with Youth" (Dr. Brooklyn Raney, EdD and Author: "One Trusted Adult") Chapel

11:40 - 12:15 - New Business - Reports & Elections

• Pastor Dennis Klatt, MN District President

• Paul Grubs & John Meyer, MLC Licensure & Graduate Studies & Continuing Education

12:15 - 1:15 - Lunch 

1:15 - 2:15 - Sectional #1 

1. (All) "4C’s: Educator-Student Care - Lessons & Limits " (Brooklyn Raney, EdD, One Trusted Adult) Room 207

2. (All) "Knowing How to See Things Differently: The Frame" (Kevin Brennan, Director - Top 20 Training) Band Room 

3. (All) "The Power of Choice" (Amber Albee Swenson) Room 302

4. (All) "Maximize Your Personal Retirement Planning" (Gabe Smith, CFP® & Mike Lendt, MBA, ChFC® - Hahn Financial Group) Room 209

5. (All) "AI or RI: Should We Even Teach Math, Spelling, and Writing?" (Andrew Pudewa, Institute for Excellence in Writing) Room 113

6. (ECE Directors) "Administrative Challenges With Hiring" (Mrs. Jamie Fischer, Director at St. John's Roots to Wings Learning Center) Room 311

7. (PreK-1) "New Picture Books for You and Your Students" (Barb Polzin) Choir Room 

8. (K-4) "Smart Strategies for Teaching Spelling" (Anna Geiger) Auditorium

9. (K-4) "Make and Take" Art Extravaganza (Elizabeth Tiedemann) Room 104 / 203

10. (K-4) "Primary Source - Elementary Grade Management" (Benjamin Clemons, Professor - MLC) Room 202

11. (K-8) "Building Musical Foundations: Practical Music Resources" (Emma Nolte) Room 301

12. (K-12) "Artificial Intelligence: Useful Tool or Real Problem" (Sam Nelson) Room 308

13. (4-12) "Supporting Student Mental Health in Today’s World: From Struggle to Resilience" (Jackie Kacmarynski) Room 112

14. (5-12) "The Faith of our Founders" (Tony Perry) Room 107

15. (6-12) "See to It No One Takes You (and our children and youth) Captive" (Rev. David Thompson) Room 111

2:15 - 2:35 - Break (Drinks & Snacks)

2:35 - 3:35 - Sectional #2

1. (All) "Weathering the Storms: Staying Grounded in Your Purpose" (Kevin Brennan, Director - Top 20 Training) Band Room 

2. (All) "Supporting Educator Mental Health in Today's World: From Surviving to Thriving" (Jackie Kacmarynski) Room 112

3. (All) "From Victim to Victor" (Amber Albee Swenson) Room 302

4. (All) "Maximize Your Personal Retirement Planning" (Gabe Smith, CFP® & Mike Lendt, MBA, ChFC® - Hahn Financial Group) Room 209

5. (All) "Google Workspace" (Michael Plocher) Room 111

6. (All) "Singing the Hymns of Paul Gerhardt in His Anniversary Year" (Paul Prange) Room 107

7. (PreK-17) "Imagination and Storytelling" (Michael Wiechmann - Art Teacher) Room 208 / 305

8. (PreK-3 - 2nd) "Overcoming Burnout In Early Childhood Ministry" (Michael Helwig, MDiv, LPC) Room 110

9. (ECE Directors) "Administrative Challenges With Hiring" (Mrs. Jamie Fischer, Director at St. John's Roots to Wings Learning Center) Room 311

10. (K-12) "Forming Faithful Partnerships: How Parent Agreements Empower Schools to Set and Enforce Expectations" (Sam Nelson) Room 308

11. (K-12) "Screens & Souls: Discipleship in the Digital & AI Age" (Martin Spriggs, WELS CTO) Room 306

12. (K-4) "Smart Strategies for Teaching Spelling" (Anna Geiger) Auditorium

13. (K-8) "Building Musical Foundations: Practical Music Resources" (Emma Nolte) Room 301

14. (1-8) "What's New in Chapter Books?" (Barb Polzin) Choir Room 

15. (5-8) "Middle Management - Building Responsible Upper Grades" (Benjamin Clemons, Professor - MLC) Room 202

16. (5-12) "Four Deadly Errors of Teaching Writing" (Andrew Pudewa, Institute for Excellence in Writing) Room 113

17. (5-12) "Activities for Advisors & Adult Advocates: Come Ready to Play!" (Brooklyn Raney, EdD, One Trusted Adult) Room 207

18. (6-12) "Using John Hattie’s research to create engaging conversations with teachers…and students" (Ryan Kirchoff - Lead Educational Consultant) Room 212

3:35 - 3:45 - Transition Time

3:45 - 4:15 - Business: 

• WELS Lutheran Schools, Curriculum Coordinator Melanie Giddings

• District Schools Coordinator, Dave Gartner; ECE District Coordinator, LaShawn Smith

• David Russow

• Committees: 

  1. Nominations Committee - St. Paul's, St. James

  2. Auditing - St. Croix Middle School

4:15 - 4:30 - Devotion (Chapel)

EVENING SOCIAL (6-10 p.m.) - WhirlyBall (2405 E Old Shakopee Rd., Bloomington, MN 55425)

• 6:00 PM - Pizza and Beverages (2 drink tickets per attendee - other beverages included) 

• 7:00-10:00 PM - WhirlyBall, Laser Tag, Bowling, Fellowship 

• $20 p/extra guest

8:00 - 8:30 - Coffee & Water Served at SCLA

8:30 - 8:50 - Devotion 

8:50 - 10:00 - Religious Keynote: "Our Confessional Lutheran Identity - Doctrine, Practice, and a Distinct Gospel Witness" (Rev. Paul Prange)

10:00 - 10:20 - Break (Coffee, Bottled Water & Snacks) 

10:20 - 11:20 - Sectional #3

1. (All) "Creating an Effective and Healthy School/Workplace Culture" (Kevin Brennan, Director - Top 20 Training) Band Room 

2. (All) "Religious Keynote Follow-Up" (Paul Prange) Room 107

3. (All) "AI Lesson Blueprint—UDL and Differentiation" (Michael Plocher) Room 111

4. (All) "The Power of Choice" (Amber Albee Swenson) Room 302

5. (K-12) "Active Reading, Active Learning: Practical K-12 Reading Strategies for All Content Areas" (Dr. Cindy Whaley, MLC) Room 301

6. (K-12) "Occupational Therapy, Autism, and School Participation" (Clare Koezly Escobar, OTD, OTR/L, BCP) Room 311

7. (PreK-2) "Beyond Brain Breaks: Regulation and SEL in the Early Childhood Classroom" (Amanda Berg) Auditorium

8. (PreK-4) "Time for Science" (Julie Nelson and Emma Dorn) Room 202

9. (K-4) "Art Class Inspirations (Back By Popular Demand)" (Elizabeth Tiedemann) Room 104 / 203

10. (K-8) "Using Data to Inform Instruction" (Emily Carroll, Resource Teacher- Bloomington Living Hope) Room 303

11. (3-8) "What's New in Chapter Books?" (Barb Polzin) Choir Room 

12. (4-12) "Supporting Student Mental Health in Today’s World: From Struggle to Resilience" (Jackie Kacmarynski) Room 112

13. (6-12) "Using John Hattie’s research to create engaging conversations with teachers…and students" (Ryan Kirchoff - Lead Educational Consultant) Room 212

11:30 - 11:45 - Concluding Business 

• Resolutions (Resurrection, Rochester):

• Thanks to 2026 Committees: Nominations - St. James, Resolutions - Rochester, Auditing - St. Croix Middle School

• • 2026 Offering: 

  • 2026 Appreciation: 

  • Future Conferences: 2027 — Oct. 21-22

• 2027 Committees: Nominations - Bloomington-Living Hope, Resolutions - St. Peter, Auditing - Lewiston

• Conference Evaluation (Link goes live after last sectional) - Link to clock hours for the full conference is shown after you submit the evaluation form.

11:45 - 12:00 - Closing Devotion

12:00 - 12:30 pm - Lunch for Licensure Attendees 

12:30 - 2:30 pm - Licensure Class 1 - Reading Preparation including English Language and Multilingual Learners - Dr. Whaley Room 

2:45 - 4:45 pm - Licensure Class 2 - Curriculum Accommodations & PBIS - Dr. Whaley Room