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2025 Utah Rural Schools Conference

Welcome to URSA 2025 at Park City High School!

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1:30pm MDT

Utah School Safety in 2026: Understanding the Updated Legislative Landscape

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT

CC Whiting Room - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Whiting Room Room (200 Level)

The 2026 Utah legislative session introduced major changes to school safety requirements, affecting emergency planning, threat assessment, reporting obligations, and coordination with law enforcement. This 60‑minute session distills the most important updates, clarifies new compliance expectations, and explains how these laws interact with existing state and federal guidance. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of what has changed and practical steps for updating local policies and procedures.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: None

Speakers

Ashley Pistello

School Safety Center Specialist, USBE - Utah State Board of Education

Ashley Pistello joined the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) as the School Safety Center Specialist in 2023. She previously collaborated with the Utah School Safety Center as a liaison from SafeUT and the Huntsman Mental Health Institute (HMHI). In addition to her experience as... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
CC Whiting Room - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Whiting Room Room (200 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Leadership, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. | Other, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Learning Strand or Track 1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation
Subject Area All Grade Levels
Audience District / School Administrators
Grade Level Other

1:30pm MDT

Learner-Centered Design: Evidence, Iteration, and Impact

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT

SC 122 - Science Center, Room 122

Learner-centered education is often discussed aspirationally, but successful implementation requires clear structures, agency for all learners, and evidence-informed decision-making. Join us in exploring how one school in Salt Lake City is pursuing these ideas. Participants will explore concrete examples, implementation protips, and indicators of impact that support personalized and competency-based learning. Put your students in the driver's seat of their education and their future!

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any of these

Speakers

Nathan Auck

STEM Coordinator, Utah State Board of Education

Nathan Auck has engaged stakeholders at all levels of our country’s educational ecosystem, working towards better experiences and outcomes for each student. In 2015, he was awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, in 2017, he served a year-long... Read More →

Keslie Green

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
SC 122 - Science Center, Room 122 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Utah Core Curriculum, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. | Leadership, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Learning Strand or Track 1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation
Subject Area All Grade Levels
Audience Teachers, District / School Administrators
Grade Level Leadership, Other

2:50pm MDT

Group Contingencies and the Good Behavior Game for Classroom Management

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT

CC Charles Hunter - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Charles Hunter Room (100 Level)

Teachers are juggling more behavior needs than ever while still trying to keep students engaged and learning. This session will introduce group contingencies—Independent, Dependent, and Interdependent—as simple, realistic ways to support behavior without adding a lot to your plate. We’ll also look closely at the Good Behavior Game as a classroom-tested example that has been shown to reduce disruptive behavior and boost on-task time.You’ll see real classroom examples, watch short video clips, and have dedicated time to sketch out how these ideas could work with your own students. You’ll leave with a one-page cheat sheet on the three types of group contingencies, a planning template, printable Good Behavior Game materials, and links to free online resources. By the end of the session, you’ll have a clear, ready-to-try plan you can start using as soon as the following week.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any of these

Speakers

Dr. Audrey N. Hoffmann

Rhea Rayomand Palkhiwala

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
CC Charles Hunter - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Charles Hunter Room (100 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Instructional Coaching, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. | Assessment & Data Management, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. | School-based Mental & Behavioral Health, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Learning Strand or Track 1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation
Subject Area All Grade Levels
Audience Everyone
Grade Level Other

2:50pm MDT

Rediscovering True Education: Classroom Practices That Actually Work

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT

GC 109 - General Classroom Building, Room 109

In my session, I will share practical, evidence-based techniques and strategies that equip teachers in rural schools with the tools and support needed to manage low-level chronic disruptions, reduce disciplinary referrals, and enhance teaching time. By empowering teachers to effectively manage classroom behavior, my training reduces stress, reclaims valuable instructional time, and fosters an optimal learning culture that elevates instruction and teaching in order to reach every student and fulfill every teacher.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any of these

Speakers

Kenneth Applegate

Educator, Local Education Advocate

Kenneth Applegate believes genuine connections with students are essential for academic success. His own educational background and love of lifelong learning continues to fuel his passion to help educators embrace their callings. He advocates for research-based, practical strategies... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
GC 109 - General Classroom Building, Room 109 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Leadership, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. | Utah Core Curriculum, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Learning Strand or Track 1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation
Subject Area All Grade Levels
Audience Teachers, District / School Administrators
Grade Level Other

2:50pm MDT

An Educational Expedition: Rediscovering Educator Joy

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT

ED 215 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 215

This session will embark on a journey to rediscover the joy of teaching. Joy isn’t a by-product of teaching, it's a prerequisite. The survival guides will lead this expedition through the rugged landscape of rural education, where teachers may be the driver, the mechanic, and the GPS for every student. Has the tank run dry? Educator joy isn’t a luxury but an essential quality for a thriving classroom. Our adventure will include a roadmap to joy with three stops; Stop 1 involves the GPS where we share common practices that lead to getting lost along the way and replacing them with practices that empower students by putting them in the driver’s seat and getting where we really want to go; Stop 2 will cover the importance of taking the scenic route! Rather than just getting to the destination, we want to relish in the beauty and get some red sand in our shoes through experiential learning and shifting the burden of learning while becoming a highly-effective resource and guide; Stop 3 brings us to the ever-important strategies to avoid over-heating (aka teacher burn-out)! The check engine light has been flashing for too long and needed routine maintenance and a check-up to replace fluids (NOT Diet Coke) will protect the spark and keep us running smoothly! Join us for a highly collaborative, fun, and practical road trip through the heart of what it means to teach on a full tank. Let’s work together to reclaim the joy of our profession!

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any of these

Speakers

Laureen Graves

Assistant Professor and Field Services Director, SUU - Southern Utah University

Laureen Graves is a passionate educator, married to Christopher Graves, with four children and six grandchildren who bring immense joy to their lives. The role of being GG is a most cherished role! As a committed advocate for the teaching profession, Laureen hopes to prepare students... Read More →

Heather Kennedy

Assistant Professor, SUU - Southern Utah University

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
ED 215 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 215 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Other, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Learning Strand or Track 1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation
Subject Area All Grade Levels
Audience Instructional Coaches, Everyone, Teachers, Counselors or School-based Mental / Behavioral Health Professionals, District / School Administrators
Grade Level Other

2:50pm MDT

The Teacher Brain Budget Hack

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT

CC Shooting Star - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Shooting Star Room (100 Level)

Many teachers don’t struggle with budgeting because they lack discipline; they struggle because money feels overwhelming, emotional, and exhausting. Avoidance creeps in. Guilt follows. And despite working hard, financial confidence feels out of reach.In this interactive session, Mary Saylor, a 15-year teaching veteran and instructional coach, introduces the Teacher Brain Budget Hack — a budgeting framework designed specifically for educators who feel stuck, avoidant, or frustrated with traditional money advice. Instead of shame or restriction, this approach applies the same instructional strategies teachers use every day in the classroom.Participants will learn the ABC Budgeting System:A — Awareness: Build honest awareness around spending patterns and emotional money triggers.B — Bridge: Learn how to create structure and support that bridges the gap between limiting beliefs and new mindsets and actions, using instructional scaffolding teachers already understand.C — Commit: Identify one simple, daily budgeting habit that is easy to understand, realistic to maintain, and powerful enough to create momentum.This session blends mindset work with practical application. Mary shares how this approach helped her family get out of debt and save six months of income on a teacher’s salary — without earning more or relying on complicated systems.Educators will leave with a clear framework, an actionable first step, and renewed confidence to begin building financial stability using the same classroom management skills they already possess.

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any of these

Speakers

Mary Saylor

Instructional Coach, Cedar Middle School

Mary Saylor is a secondary ELA teacher turned Instructional Coach who is passionate about helping teachers create engaging classrooms without adding hours of extra work. With 16 years of classroom experience, she shares practical strategies, mindset shifts, and classroom systems that... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
CC Shooting Star - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Shooting Star Room (100 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Other, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Learning Strand or Track 1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation
Subject Area All Grade Levels
Audience Everyone, Teachers
Grade Level Other

1:30pm MDT

1:30pm MDT

2:50pm MDT

2:50pm MDT

2:50pm MDT

2:50pm MDT

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