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:
Live stream  
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, Measured Mom) 

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

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

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) 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

9. (K-4) "Make and Take" Art Extravaganza (Elizabeth Tiedemann)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

7. (PreK-17) "Imagination and Storytelling" (Michael Wiechmann - Art Teacher)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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