2025 Utah Rural Schools Conference

Welcome to URSA 2025 at Park City High School!

1:30pm MDT

Accuracy & Automaticity: Science of Reading for Upper Elementary Students Room #137Jake Downs Beyond the Page: Elevating Students with Digital Resources Room #235Chris Haught Bucking the National Trend: Competency-Based Licensing Impacts Teacher Shortages Room #134Malia Hite Burnout or Resilience: Addressing the challenges of educators in today’s schools and classrooms? Room #143Dale COX • Meghan Everette Equal Opportunity in Education Room #238Holly Bell Mild to Spicy- Turning Up the Heat on Math Rigor Room #146Jenna Keyes • Paula Carlson • Stephanie Folkman On the Edge of AI: Exploring Emerging Innovations Lecture HallEmma Moss • Jonathan Stewart The National EdTech Plan in Action: Improving Technology Use in Utah Schools through Shared Successes Room #133Amber Wright • Rick Gaisford • Melanie Valentine The Power of Feedback: Using Data and Reflection to Enhance Instruction Room #131Kelbie Jackson The Role of Prevention and Intervention in school behavior Room #234Heidi Mucha What's New and Exciting in Adobe Express? Room #231Rob Bentley

2:50pm MDT

A Legislation Update on Education Law Room #132Quinn Kellis AI for Administrators Room #131David Long • Cody Spendlove Designing Support for students with Executive Function Skill challenges Room #147Sheryl Vernon • Lauren Ezzell • Katie Clark From Potential to Proficiency: Driving Systemic Change Room #244Marci Houseman Leading the Way to Improved Literacy Outcomes-The Principals Pivotal Role Room #143Christine Elegante • Denice Maedgen Reaching Every Student: How Utah is Using Early Warning Systems to Support Student Success Room #134Nicole DellaRocco Roles and Responsibilities for Faculty and Staff for ALL Learners Room #148Tony Pellegrini • Jenna Olson Suicide Prevention in Schools Room #135Holly Todd Survey Says! Educator Job Satisfaction Room #144Meghan Everette • Julie Lundell The Big Six: Designing a District-Wide Technology Strategy Room #231Jared Covili The Power of Connection: Influencing Others Through Authentic Relationships Room #238Travis Henderson • Ryan Harris The White Whale of Reading: Effective Comprehension Instruction Lecture HallJake Downs Unlocking Digital Literacy: Empowering Teachers for Today's Middle Level Classroom Room #234April Stevenson Utilizing the New Focused Graduation Pathway to Keep Students Engaged Room #232Stephanie Patton Writing with Purpose: Build a Collaborative and Supportive Community of Writers Room #235Jenny Blauer

9:45am MDT

AI and I: Exploring Generative AI for K-12 Education Room #245Matt Winters AI and Privacy: What Every Teacher Needs to Know Room #241John Lyman • Nicole Sanchez • Jeremy Zabriskie Amplify Classroom Voices with Adobe Podcast Room #147Rob Bentley Commemorate America250 with National History Day Room #136Wendy Rex Atzet • Tatiana Chudy Elevate Your Institution's Competetive Advantage with Family Engagement Room #238 From Past to Press: Teaching News Literacy Strategies through Social Studies Historical Thinking Room #134Jodi Ide • Gretchen Zaitzeff How Nature and Movement Can Impact Educator and Student Wellness Room #144Sarah Roundy • Teri Davis Introducing K-2 Computer Science using Robotics Room #242Nathan Wilson Leaving the Classroom for Leadership: Lessons in First Year School Leadership Room #231Doug Stump Let Them Count Room #237Jaci Keetch Maintaining Privacy Through the Whistleblowing Process Room #133Mark Meyer Pathways to Success: Positive School Experiences Supporting Students with Disabilities Room #142Andrea Rorrer • Crystal Emery Raising Up Readers: Scaffolding Grade Level Text for All Room #235Dr. Jennifer Throndsen School Improvement In Successful Schools: Making Good Schools Great Room #232Quinn Kellis Taming the AI Dragon: Practical Gemini & Notebook LM for Educators Room #135Clint Stephens Trigonometry in Motion Room #141Josh White

11:10am MDT

A Love Affair With Picture Books Across the Standards Lecture HallTeresa Pugmire AI and I: Exploring Generative AI for K-12 Education Room #245Matt Winters Building Foundations: Strategies for Successful Early Learning Instruction Room #142Jared Lisonbee • Cristina Barrera • Katrina Herd Celebrating Educators: Creating Meaningful Recognition Practices Room #242Kristin van Brunt Digital Skills, Analog Tools: Unplugged Coding for Kids Room #147Kelli Cannon Exploring Cultural Responsiveness: Practicum Experiences in Rural Educational Settings Room #136Laureen Graves • Heather Kennedy From Comics to Comprehension: Why Graphic Novels Belong in Every Classroom and School Library Room #241Gretchen Zaitzeff • Davina Sauthoff Important Lessons in School Safety from a Behavioral Health Perspective Room #134Scott Eyre Leading Deeper Learning with Deeper Purpose Room #232David Boren Lessons in Leadership from the Culture Code Room #231Dani Sloan Power Tools: Differentiate For All Your Learners Without Teacher Burn-Out Room #234Dari Thacker Sine Curves and Spaghetti Room #141Josh White Strengthening Leadership Capacity Through Communities of Practice in Utah Room #133Quinn Kellis • Kody Colvin Taking a Unified Approach to Meet School Prevention Requirements Room #238Cathy Davis • Clarissa Stebbing Using Nearpod to Support Multilingual Learners Room #244Braxton Thornley

1:40pm MDT

AI and I: Exploring Generative AI for K-12 Education Room #245Matt Winters Building STEM Leadership and Integration: Lessons from Utah’s SEI Cohort Room #135Kellie Yates • Kody Colvin Discovering what your students really know when “asking” the right questions Lecture HallJennifer King Energize and Elevate Teaching and Learning for All! Room #137Kathy Einhorn Leading Off the Grid: Innovation and Leadership in Rural Schools Room #231Jenna Olson • Jenny Atcitty • Heather Amado Leading with Hope: Building Resilient Communities Room #141Holly Todd Nearpod 2.0: Renaissance Next Connection Room #244Faith Smith Playful Pathways: Teaching Science of Reading Using Developmentally Informed Interactions Room #143Jared Lisonbee • Cristina Barrera • Katrina Herd Professional Development Credit Options Room #237Joey Foote Reel Rights: Curating, Streaming, and Copyright Essentials for Schools Room #134Gretchen Zaitzeff Student and Child-Centered: Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Model Lives in Rural Schools Room #147Darren Parry • Pam Powell • Sarah Allen Teaching Ethnic Studies in Utah: New Requirements, Trusted Materials Room #133Wendy Rex Atzet • Etiana Coley Mells Teaching through Modeling: DigCit in Action Room #136Dani Sloan Writing instruction for grades K-2 Room #142Christine Elegante • Courtney Bills Addressing Key Challenges in Educational Leadership: Insights from SUU’s Administrative Leadership Masters Project Room #232Tony Pellegrini

3:10pm MDT

AI and I: Exploring Generative AI for K-12 Education Room #245Matt Winters Beyond the Page: Elevating Students with Digital Resources Room #242Chris Haught Building Bridges: Practical Strategies to Empower Teachers To Help All Language Learners Succeed Room #147Talia A. Casares • Patricia Zavala Enhancing Science and Engineering Practices Through Mind Mapping Room #235Emily Perkins • Michelle Kantaris From One Spark to a System: Scaling MTSS in Remote Schools Room #231Jenna Olson • Jenny Atcitty • Heather Amado From Silos to Synergy: Integrating Instructional Ecosystems Room #132Nathan Auck How to Improve Fluency through Partner Reading-Paragraph Shrinking Lecture HallMelinda Meccariello • Dina Wise Movement Integration for K-6 classes Room #234Ashley Boyack No Cap: Finding the "Joy Snacks" in Ed Tech Integration Room #241JoLynn Torgerson Radical Candor for Educators Room #136Dani Sloan • Katie Blunt Raising Resilient Kids In A Tech Heavy World Room #238Nate Webb Strategies to Reignite Your Joy of Teaching! Room #137Kathy Einhorn Strengthening Paraeducator Capacity: A Collaborative Professional Learning Model in Rural Utah Room #135Cori Groth • Kody Colvin Taming the AI Dragon: Practical Gemini & Notebook LM for Educators Room #131Clint Stephens Teaching with Heart: Fostering Compassion and Hope in Every Classroom Room #141Holly Todd Utah Out-of-School-Time Needs Assessment--Findings and Next Steps Room #237Lisa Wisham Writing Instruction in Grades 3-6 Room #142Denice Maedgen • Courtney Bills

9:45am MDT

AI and Privacy: What Every Teacher Needs to Know Room #145John Lyman • Nicole Sanchez • Jeremy Zabriskie AI for Administrators Room #131David Long • Cody Spendlove Antecedents in the Classroom: What's the Function? Room #147Emma Preston Connecting with your Community Room #136Kole Krahenbuhl • Kelly Winn Diffusing Defiance- Navigating Resistance Effectively Lecture HallKatie Clark Energizing your Classroom Black Box TheaterBrandon Harrison From Comics to Comprehension: Why Graphic Novels Belong in Every Classroom and School Library Room #134Gretchen Zaitzeff • Davina Sauthoff Google Demo Slam: 2025 Room #137Kelli Cannon How to Solve the AI Plagiarism Problem: Process over Product Room #233Emily Shank Illuminate Learning with Lucid Tools for FREE Room #241Clint Stephens Learning to Learn: Teaching that Supports the Science of Learning Room #237Jeremy Smith Nearpod 2.0: Renaissance Next Connection Room #244Faith Smith New Teacher Retention: Influence Your Young Teachers to Stay Room #238Pamela Pedersen Raising Up Readers: Scaffolding Grade Level Text for All Room #231Dr. Jennifer Throndsen Superpower to Success: Leading People, Teams, and Yourself in Today’s Landscape Room #232Adam Mendler The Power of Feedback: Using Data and Reflection to Enhance Instruction Room #144Kelbie Jackson Updates from the School Safety Center Room #135Ashley Pistello

11:00am MDT

Adventure Awaits: Guiding Students with Disabilities to Postschool Success Room #135Crystal Emery • Deanna Taylor Creating a predictable environment for optimal behavior In our schools and classrooms Room #237Elizabeth Howcroft Engendering Hope in Teachers and Students: Using the Skills of Improv and Storytelling in Education Room #146Jacob Earnest HELP! My Students Can't Write...Advancing Thinking Through Writing K-5 Lecture HallAmy Mahoney Keep It Together With Google Keep Room #241Clint Stephens Nearpod 2.0: Renaissance Next Connection Room #244Faith Smith School Attendance and the Effect on Risk and Protective Factors Room #143Phillip Bertoch Scrible: Elevate Student Research and Writing in Your K-12 Classroom Room #235Chris Haught Singleton PLCs: We Survived, and Thrived! Room #238KC Olson The Adventure Awaits: A Teachers Guide to unlocking their Leadership Potential. Room #142Kelbie Jackson • Courtnee Justice

2025 Utah Rural Schools Conference

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