2025 Utah Rural Schools Conference: Full Schedule

Welcome to URSA 2025 at Park City High School!

9:45am MDT

zSpace

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 12:10pm MDT

🛝 Format Alert: This is a fluid, 2-hour "drop-in" playground where you can stop by anytime to explore small-group activities at your own pace.

TBD

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Not Applicable

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Not Applicable

Speakers

Brandon Harrison

Art, Media, & InnovationSpecialist, CUES - Central Utah Educational Services

Brandon is the Innovation and Technology Integration Specialist at CUES in Richfield. He has been involved in education for 20+ years. Before CUES, he spent 3 years as an Education Mentor for the Cache County and Logan City School Districts' YIC program. He then taught junior high... Read More →

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 12:10pm MDT
AU - Auditorium Foyer 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Learning Strand or Track 2 hour Playground - hands on activities and discussions with various small groups during a 2-hour window
Subject Area High School - grades 9 - 12
Audience Teachers
Grade Level Computer Science, STEM / STEAM

11:10am MDT

Mammoth Plans and Jazz Hands: Building an Innovation Lab for Students

Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT

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

This session details the launch and operation of the Jordan Innovation Lab, a 4−6 grade district Makerspace. We will share specifics on working with community partners, acquiring high-end equipment and integration of classroom content. We will also share hosting district-wide field trips and "Teacher Tinker Time".

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

Jared Covili

Administrator, Digital Teaching and Learning, Jordan School District

Jared Covili is the Administrator for Digital Teaching and Learning in the Jordan School District. Jared's background is in secondary education where he was a Language Arts teacher at the secondary level. Jared received his Bachelor's degree in English and his Master's degree in... Read More →

Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
CC Yankee Meadows - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Yankee Meadows Room (100 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), 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 Everyone
Grade Level Computer Science, STEM / STEAM

11:10am MDT

Unplug and Play: Teaching Computational Thinking Skills Through Game Play

Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT

SC 129 - Science Center, Room 129

Learn how to use board games, card games, and pony beads to teach Computational Thinking skills and add some (more) fun back into your classroom. During this session, you will learn how to use games to teach and reinforce Computational Thinking skills. Worried you don't teach Computational Thinking? You do! Computational Thinking (CT) is taught and used in almost every subject. By the end of this session, you will know what CT is, how to use it, and you will have got to play a game or two. So, win-win all around.

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

Kelli Cannon

Digital Learning Specialist, Jordan School District

Kelli Cannon has been an educator for 12 years, teaching upper elementary students prior to her current role as a Digital Learning Specialist. Kelli holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Technology, as well as endorsements in STEM, Teaching English as a Second Language and Instructional... Read More →

Traci Rindlisbach

Elementary Computer Science Specialist, Jordan School District-Digital Teaching and Learning

Traci Rindlisbach is the Elementary Computer Science and Digital Specialist in Jordan School District. She has been an educator for 17 years. She has helped create and implement Computer Science rotations into Jordan District elementary schools: K-6. Traci loves talking about and... Read More →

Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
SC 129 - Science Center, Room 129 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

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