2025 Utah Rural Schools Conference: Full Schedule

Only Purchase One Ticket for Each Individual Attendee
Full URSA 2025 Session Schedule will be published here NO LATER than June 1. Please check back soon!

1:30pm MDT

Accuracy & Automaticity: Science of Reading for Upper Elementary Students

Wednesday July 9, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT

Room #137

In recent years, schools and districts throughout Utah have updated their reading practices to better promote student literacy. Rightfully, much of this attention has been devoted to early elementary readers. Still, some may wonder how to apply Science of Reading principles to upper elementary readers. This session outlines how to support multisyllabic word reading accuracy in Tier I as well as promote student automaticity in grade level text.

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

Speakers

Jake Downs

Assistant Professor, Science of Reading Education, Utah State University

Dr. Jake Downs is assistant professor of Science of Reading Education at Utah State University and host of the Teaching Literacy Podcast. He is a former 4th grade teacher, instructional coach, and Elementary Literacy Coordinator for Cache County School District. Learn more about Jake... Read More →

Wednesday July 9, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
Room #137 1750 Kearns Blvd, Park City, UT 84060

1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation, Intermediate - basic core competency; some prerequisite skills required.

Learning Strand or Track Utah Core Curriculum
Subject Area Language Arts, Leadership
Audience Teachers, Instructional Coaches
Grade Level 3 - 4, 5 - 6

2:50pm MDT

The White Whale of Reading: Effective Comprehension Instruction

Wednesday July 9, 2025 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT

Room #137

The ultimate goal of reading is comprehension. Recently, great strides have been made throughout Utah to update reading practices to better align with the Science of Reading. Still, for many, effective comprehension instruction remains elusive. How do we teach kids to understand text? What do we do when kids don't understand text? What about skills and strategies? Is knowledge-building the answer? This session outlines principles of effective comprehension instruction and provides a practical framework for tier I text instruction.

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

Speakers

Jake Downs

Assistant Professor, Science of Reading Education, Utah State University

Wednesday July 9, 2025 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
Room #137 1750 Kearns Blvd, Park City, UT 84060

1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation, Intermediate - basic core competency; some prerequisite skills required.

Learning Strand or Track Utah Core Curriculum
Subject Area Language Arts, Leadership
Audience Teachers, Instructional Coaches
Grade Level Elementary - grades K - 6, Middle School / Jr. High - grades 6 - 8

9:45am MDT

Rural STEM Learning Pathways and Effective Educator Support: Strategies for Success

Thursday July 10, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am MDT

Room #137

Rural Utah STEM: Let's tackle real challenges together. In just 45 minutes, we'll explore key insights from the National Academies' report on "K-12 STEM Education and Workforce Development in Rural Areas."

We'll focus on two crucial areas: supporting our valued rural STEM educators and enhancing student STEM learning experiences. Discover practical strategies for recruitment, retention, and professional development. We'll also discuss how to create engaging, place-based learning opportunities and build pathways connecting education to local workforce needs.

This session is about sharing ideas and starting conversations. We'll take a quick dive into the report's recommendations and begin to brainstorm actionable steps for our specific context. You'll leave with a few key takeaways and a renewed perspective on strengthening STEM education in your rural community. Join us to connect, collaborate, and explore possibilities.

NOTE: This session repeats on Thursday, July 10 at 11:10 am in Room 137.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Device to access google docs, internet, and research study

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

Speakers

Milo Maughan

Secondary Science Specialist, Utah State Board of Education

Milo Maughan is the Secondary Science Education Specialist at the Utah State Board of Education. With a strong background in physics and a passion for innovative teaching methods, Milo has been instrumental in developing and implementing science standards that engage and inspire students... Read More →

Michelle Berg

Science/STEM Education Specialist, Utah State Board of Education

Michelle Berg is a passionate educator and STEM champion with over 16 years of experience in education. She is dedicated to fostering wonder, sense-making, and problem-solving in learning experiences for all students. Michelle has served in various roles, including elementary educator... Read More →

Thursday July 10, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
Room #137 1750 Kearns Blvd, Park City, UT 84060

1 hour BYOD (Bring Your Own Device): Hands-On-Activities, Intermediate - basic core competency; some prerequisite skills required.

Learning Strand or Track Other
Subject Area STEM / STEAM
Audience All of the above
Grade Level All Grade Levels

11:10am MDT

Rural STEM Learning Pathways and Effective Educator Support: Strategies for Success

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT

Room #137

Rural Utah STEM: Let's tackle real challenges together. In just 45 minutes, we'll explore key insights from the National Academies' report on "K-12 STEM Education and Workforce Development in Rural Areas."

We'll focus on two crucial areas: supporting our valued rural STEM educators and enhancing student STEM learning experiences. Discover practical strategies for recruitment, retention, and professional development. We'll also discuss how to create engaging, place-based learning opportunities and build pathways connecting education to local workforce needs.

This session is about sharing ideas and starting conversations. We'll take a quick dive into the report's recommendations and begin to brainstorm actionable steps for our specific context. You'll leave with a few key takeaways and a renewed perspective on strengthening STEM education in your rural community. Join us to connect, collaborate, and explore possibilities.

NOTE: This session repeats on Thursday, July 10 at 9:45 am in Room 137.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Device to access google docs, internet, and research study

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

Speakers

Milo Maughan

Secondary Science Specialist, Utah State Board of Education

Michelle Berg

Science/STEM Education Specialist, Utah State Board of Education

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
Room #137 1750 Kearns Blvd, Park City, UT 84060

1 hour BYOD (Bring Your Own Device): Hands-On-Activities, Intermediate - basic core competency; some prerequisite skills required.

Learning Strand or Track Other
Subject Area STEM / STEAM
Audience All of the above
Grade Level All Grade Levels

1:40pm MDT

Energize and Elevate Teaching and Learning for All!

Thursday July 10, 2025 1:40pm - 2:40pm MDT

Room #137

Would you like to develop critical thinking for all of your students ? Do you want to motivate the unmotivated by bringing fun, divergent ways of thinking to your classroom? Do you want students who are interested in your standards-based lessons and who retain and track their own learning? If so, don’t miss this opportunity to learn strategies to elevate your instruction.. I’ll focus on strategies to engage and enhance learning for all of your students through meaningful, relevant learning. Bring back the joy of learning for you and your students through storytelling and engaging, relevant lessons!

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Mac Laptop

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

Speakers

Kathy Einhorn

Teacher (retired) Administrator (retired), Park City School District (retired)

Kathleen (Kathy) Einhorn is in her 40th year an educator. She started her career in Salt Lake City, Utah as a junior high special education teacher, and continued working as a teacher (English, reading, Special Education), curriculum director, Instructional Support Specialist, Principal... Read More →

Thursday July 10, 2025 1:40pm - 2:40pm MDT
Room #137 1750 Kearns Blvd, Park City, UT 84060

1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Learning Strand or Track Utah Core Curriculum
Subject Area Language Arts, Mathematics
Audience Teachers, District / School Administrators
Grade Level All Grade Levels

3:10pm MDT

Strategies to Reignite Your Joy of Teaching!

Thursday July 10, 2025 3:10pm - 4:10pm MDT

Room #137

Wouldn’t it be great if you could stop spending so much time on correcting behaviors and more time doing what you love…? Teaching? In this session, you'll learn strategies that will get you excited about being back in your charter school classroom every day! If you’re going home worn out from your daily workload, if you question whether teaching is still for you, or if you just want to learn some practical teacher and student-friendly procedures, then come to this session!

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Mac Laptop

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

Speakers

Kathy Einhorn

Teacher (retired) Administrator (retired), Park City School District (retired)

Thursday July 10, 2025 3:10pm - 4:10pm MDT
Room #137 1750 Kearns Blvd, Park City, UT 84060

1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Learning Strand or Track Utah Core Curriculum
Subject Area Language Arts, Mathematics
Audience Teachers, District / School Administrators
Grade Level All Grade Levels

9:45am MDT

Google Demo Slam: 2025

Friday July 11, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am MDT

Room #137

This is a Demo Slam style presentation and we will host the demos in video form (This makes the presentation go very smoothly). The participants will get to see us present the videos and then vote on the video/tool that they think is the best! If you are unable to physically attend the session, that's still OK. We have had this situation in the past where one of our team members was unable to be there at UCET. We can still present your video on your behalf! The rules will be as follows: Each Google Certified Educator will submit one video Video must demonstrate use of Google tools/add-ons/extensions/etc. Demonstration portion of the video must be ≤ 2 minutes Video must include a brief introduction (may be outside of the 2 minute time limit) Video must conclude with a “SLAM".

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: Google Account

Speakers

Kelli Cannon

Digital Learning Specialist, Jordan School District

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

Friday July 11, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
Room #137 1750 Kearns Blvd, Park City, UT 84060

1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Learning Strand or Track Educational Technology
Subject Area Other
Audience Teachers, EdTech Coach/Digital Teaching & Learning Specialists
Grade Level All Grade Levels

11:00am MDT

HELP! My Students Can't Write...Advancing Thinking Through Writing K-5

Friday July 11, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Room #137

Are your students struggling to write? We will look at the Science of Writing, LETRS strategies, and use a guide to advancing thinking through writing in all subjects and grades. You will leave with a pacing guide and hands on experience for explicitly teaching sentence skills and paragraph skills K-5. We will focus on carefully sequencing instruction, building from sentences to compositions. Using sentence builders, four square writing method, Dr. Anita Archer explicit instruction strategies, and The Writing Revolution you will leave with a clear understanding of how to intentionally plan writing across all subject areas. The Writing Revolution (TWR) provides a clear method of instruction that you can use no matter what subject or grade level you teach.

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, Mac Laptop, Windows Laptop

Speakers

Amy Mahoney

Prek-12, NUES - Northeastern Utah Educational Services

Amy is a Learning Coach at Northeastern Utah Educational Services that supports PreK-12th grade. Amy provides on-going professional learning for teachers, paraprofessionals, building coaches, administrators and district directors. She engages in coaching cycles, PLCs, and science... Read More →

Friday July 11, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm MDT
Room #137 1750 Kearns Blvd, Park City, UT 84060

1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required., Intermediate - basic core competency; some prerequisite skills required.