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Welcome to URSA 2025 at Park City High School!

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Wednesday, July 15
 

11:00am MDT

Conference Credit
Wednesday July 15, 2026 11:00am - 4:00pm MDT
Information will be posted before the start of the conference. SUU and USBE licenes hours will be available to conference attendees.
Wednesday July 15, 2026 11:00am - 4:00pm MDT
Online Form 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Conference Info

11:00am MDT

Conference Registration and Badge Pick-Up
Wednesday July 15, 2026 11:00am - 4:00pm MDT
Wednesday July 15, 2026 11:00am - 4:00pm MDT
AU - Auditorium Foyer 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Conference Info

11:00am MDT

Conference WiFi Informatiion and Tech Support
WiFi: SUU Conference, Password: TBD

Tech Support for presenters can be found at this phone number - (435) XXX-XXXX or by swinging by the Level 2 Lobby of the Education Building.
Wednesday July 15, 2026 11:00am - 4:00pm MDT
ED Level 2 Foyer, East - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Level 2 Foyer 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Tech Support

1:30pm MDT

Why PD Sucks (and Why Personalization is the Cure)
Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
Stop me if you’ve been here: it’s 3:30 PM, the fluorescent lights are humming, and you’re fighting the urge to check your watch (or the back of your eyelids) during another one-size-fits-all staff meeting. If that sounds familiar, it’s time to flip the script on Professional Development. This session offers a fast-paced "peek" into how we can kill the "yawn factor" by moving away from "sit-and-get" models and toward a personalized, choose-your-own-adventure experience for your entire school. You will go beyond just hearing about personalization—you’ll actually experience a unique learning path firsthand. By brainstorming with peers and exploring new strategies, you’ll walk away with a toolkit to make educator learning purposeful, relevant, and—dare we say—actually fun.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Mac Laptop; Windows Laptop; Chromebook; Windows Tablet / Smartphone; iPad / iPhone; Android Tablet / Smartphone

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Mac Laptop; Windows Laptop; Chromebook
Speakers
avatar for Kayla Towner

Kayla Towner

Senior Product Trainer, UEN - Utah Education Network
Kayla Towner is a Senior Product Trainer at the Utah Education Network (UEN) and, first and foremost, a passionate educator. She loves spending time with her family—playing soccer ⚽️, reading books 📚, hiking 🥾, and adventuring across Utah 🏔️. Kayla is dedicated to... Read More →
Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
SC 128 - Science Center, Room 128 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

1:30pm MDT

Creating a Connected Classroom: Strategies to decrease behaviors and increase academics.
Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:30pm - 3:50pm MDT
This presentation will provide attendees with the brain science behind how brains develop and why students have specific behaviors.  The brain science will then lead to practical, real life application on how to actually use the science to increase academic output and decrease negative behaviors.  Attendees will leave the session with skills they can apply the next day in the classroom.   

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
avatar for Amie Huggins

Amie Huggins

TBRI Coach for Schools, Raise the Future
Amie Huggins is a 30 year classroom teacher.  She is also a TBRI Practitioner and the co-author of the book, Creating a Connected Classroom.  She works for a non-profit called Raise the Future and through them has developed the curriculum, Tools for Transformation.  This curriculum... Read More →
Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:30pm - 3:50pm MDT
ED 102 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 102 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

2:30pm MDT

Refreshment Break
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 2:50pm MDT
TBD
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:30pm - 2:50pm MDT
TBD 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720
  Break

2:50pm MDT

From Generic to Gem: Building Your First Gemini Gems
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
Tired of typing the same prompts over and over? It’s time to meet Gems — your customizable chatbots designed to handle whatever task for you. Whether you need a persistent lesson planner, a student feedback coach, or a schedule sorter. Gems allow you to package your best instructions into a single, reusable tool.We’ll cover the breakdown of a Gemini Gem, use cases for educators, tips and tricks and have time to live build! In this hands-on session, we will start with the basics to then begin building. By the end of the hour, you’ll have a custom AI assistant ready to go to work for you!  Note: Participants will need access to Gemini Gems through their Google account. Skills may be transferable to over AI platforms with custom chatbots (SchoolAI, MagicSchool, etc.) 

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Mac Laptop; Windows Laptop; Android Tablet / Smartphone; iPad / iPhone; Windows Tablet / Smartphone; Chromebook; Other (If not listed above, please indicate what device(s) would benefit attendees in your session description)

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

Emma Moss

Digital Teaching & Learning Specialist, Canyons School District
Emma Moss is a Digital Teaching and Learning Specialist and AI Project Co-Lead in Canyons School District, as well as the Artificial Intelligence for K-12 Program Director in Utah. She founded the Utah AI Collaborative and leads monthly meet-ups on AI and innovation in education... Read More →
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
ED 202 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 202 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

2:50pm MDT

Data Privacy Basics Live!
Last year, the Student Data Privacy team at the Utah State Board of Education introduced an asynchronous Canvas course that many districts and charters have used to meet requirements for data privacy training. This session will be a special live edition of that training! We'll walk through all the most critical info you need to know about Data Privacy Basics; including Data Privacy Rights, Sharing Data, and Protecting Data. Pro-tip: Check with your district or charter ahead of time to see if this course will be a requirement of your back to school training. If so, you can leave this session with a certificate of completion so you can skip that step in the fall! If you would like to get a certificate of completion, please bring a device to participate.

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
avatar for Nicole Sanchez

Nicole Sanchez

Student Data Privacy Specialist, USBE - Utah State Board of Education
Nicole Sanchez is a former junior high teacher and instructional coach, and is now a Student Data Privacy Specialist at the Utah State Board of Education. Nicole especially loves to work with districts and charter schools across the state to help them improve their privacy practices... Read More →
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
CC Sage Valley - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Sage Valley Room (100 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

2:50pm MDT

Group Contingencies and the Good Behavior Game for Classroom Management
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
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

2:50pm MDT

Increasing Student Attendance
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
This session will dive into attendance best practices around Utah, current school attendance legislation, attendance supports that the Utah State Board of Education offers to schools and LEAs, and will teach about the Statewide Attendance Campaign, "Every Day Counts". 

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
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
ED 203 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 203 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

2:50pm MDT

What Worked When It Mattered? Pandemic Recovery Success in Utah
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
When faced with new challenges and uncertainty following pandemic-related disruptions, some Utah schools beat the odds in their student academic recovery. What school-level factors made this possible? In this interactive session, the Utah Education Policy Center (UEPC) will share findings from a statewide mixed-methods study of eight schools that demonstrated strong post-pandemic recovery. Conducted in partnership with USBE and ULEAD, the study examined the school-level factors that leaders and educators identified as most important to academic recovery in their schools. The findings point to reinvesting in the fundamentals rather than adopting pandemic-specific interventions: adaptive school leadership, high-quality PLCs, data-informed instruction, and other aligned support systems coherently working together. Adaptive leadership emerged as a key driver in these contexts, as leadership promoted the central coherence needed for these schools to improve outcomes through the strategic, sustained use of the people, structures, and practices already available to them. Session OutcomesParticipants will:Learn about key findings from the UEPC Pandemic Recovery study.Explore school portraits of success that make the study’s findings more concrete within school contexts.Reflect on their own school's strengths and opportunities for growth in relation to the study's findings.Develop action plans for high-leverage next steps, key partners, and needed supports.Why This MattersThis session translates research into actionable insights for schools, offering rural educators and leaders a research-informed starting point for strengthening the systems and practices that support student outcomes. All participants will leave with printed school portraits and a conversation guide to support continued reflection.

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
avatar for Andrea Rorrer

Andrea Rorrer

Director, UEPC - Utah Education Policy Center
Dr. Andrea K. Rorrer  is the Director of the UEPC and a Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy. Andrea, who has 35 years of experience in education, received her master’s degree at the University of Virginia and her Ph.D. from the University of Texas... Read More →
avatar for Kody Colvin

Kody Colvin

Lead School & District Improvement Specialist, Utah Education Policy Center
Kody Colvin is a Lead School and District Improvement Specialist with the Utah Education Policy Center, where he partners with schools and systems to strengthen instructional leadership, professional learning, and continuous improvement efforts. With over 15 years of experience in... Read More →
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
ED 102 - Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Room 102 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

2:50pm MDT

An Educational Expedition: Rediscovering Educator Joy
Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
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
avatar for Laureen Graves

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 →
HK

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

2:50pm MDT

The Teacher Brain Budget Hack
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
avatar for Mary Saylor

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
 
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