2026 Elevated Teaching Summit: Full Schedule

Vision

In Canyons School District, we believe that all stakeholders benefit from purposeful technology integration within the learning process, focusing on student achievement. Educational technology will be used to empower teachers, students, and other stakeholders to gain the knowledge and skills needed to adapt, create, consume, and connect responsibly and ethically with the broader world in preparation for meaningful life opportunities.

9:30am MDT

UDL: What is it? Why use it?

Tuesday June 2, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am MDT

3406

This session will break down the basics of UDL and how you can incorporate it into your class in small chunks or in whole units

Presenter

Sydnie Schoepf

Instructional Coach, Hillcrest High, Canyons District

Sydnie has 17 years in education and a PhD in Curriculum & Instruction. She loves to nerd out about all things learning and EdTech. When she's not working, you can catch her playing with her two puppies, reading, or both.

Tuesday June 2, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
3406

Instructional Design & Planning

Content Area Math, ELA, World Language/DLI, Social Studies, CTE, PE/Health, Special Education, Arts, Science
Audience Classroom Teachers, Admin
Ed Tech Tool Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Instructional Priority Multilingual Supports, STEAM/STEM, Writing, Scaffolding

9:30am MDT

Activate, Engage, Extended: Using Inquiry and Collaboration to Promote Literacy

Tuesday June 2, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am MDT

2311

This interactive session explores how teachers can guide students through a structured reading process that promotes inquiry, collaboration, and deeper understanding of texts. Participants will learn practical strategies to prepare students to engage with a text, facilitate collaborative reading and annotation, and extend learning beyond the text through meaningful discussion and reflection.

Using an Activate – Engage – Extend framework, the session will model strategies that help students build curiosity before reading, collaboratively analyze and annotate during reading, and synthesize their thinking after reading. Educators will experience classroom-ready routines that support student inquiry, structured collaboration, and deeper comprehension across content areas.

Participants will leave with concrete tools to help students:
• Prepare for reading through inquiry-based activation strategies
• Collaboratively read and annotate complex texts
• Extend understanding through discussion, synthesis, and reflection activities

The session emphasizes practical, student-centered strategies that foster meaningful engagement with texts while building critical thinking and collaborative learning skills.

Presenter

Susie Baer Young

Instructional Coach, Canyons School District

Tyson Swasey

ELA Teacher

Tuesday June 2, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
2311

Instructional Priorities

Content Area ELA
Audience Elementary Teachers, Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers
Instructional Priority AVID, Multilingual Supports

9:30am MDT

Helping All students Access Challenging Text

Tuesday June 2, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am MDT

2412

Dr. Throndsen will be sharing scaffolding strategies to support teachers as they help all student access challenging text.

Presenter

Julie Butler

Teacher Specialist, Canyons School District

Bernice Allen

Teacher Specialist, Canyons School District

LaNae Goates

instructional coach, Canyons School District

This is my 23rd year in education. I have taught 2nd-6th grade at the elementary level. I have been an instructional coach for 14 years. I have my Reading, Math, ESL, Coaching, EdTech, and K-12 Literacy Specialist Endorsement. I am also LETRS Certified. I worked for 4 years... Read More →

Dr. Jennifer Throndsen

Educational Consultant, Impactful Learning Designs

With over 20 years of experience in education, Jennifer Throndsen, PhD, has served in various roles across the classroom, school, district, and state levels. Her career includes positions as an elementary and middle school teacher, instructional coach, adjunct faculty, district office... Read More →

Tuesday June 2, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
2412

Instructional Priorities

Content Area ELA
Audience Elementary Teachers
Instructional Priority Multilingual Supports, Formative Assessments

9:30am MDT

Student-Talk and Movement Strategies to Support Vocabulary Acquisition and Retention

Tuesday June 2, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am MDT

2307

In this break-out, two different student-talk / vocabulary strategies will be demonstrated with attendees acting in the student roles. Krista Edwards and Emily Gonzalez will model strategies for Tier 1 Vocabulary Instruction, using lessons that they have used in the past and taught with improved student outcomes and student engagement. Krista will start with demonstrating a lesson pairing visual scaffolds to vocabulary acquisition, and Emily will demonstrate a strategy using physical movement in a World Language classroom to support vocabulary acquisition. Following these two demonstrations, there will be time for a debrief and conversation on how these strategies apply to your classroom and content. Teachers will leave with the confidence that they have actionable strategies they can implement immediately.

Presenter

Krista Edwards

Instructional Coach

Emily Gonzalez

High School Spanish Teacher

Tuesday June 2, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
2307

Instructional Priorities

Content Area ELA, World Language/DLI, Social Studies, CTE, Special Education, Science
Audience Elementary Teachers, Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers, Classroom Teachers
Instructional Priority Multilingual Supports, Systematic Vocabulary Instruction

9:30am MDT

The Collaborative Classroom: Using Quality Interactions and Mind Mirrors to Boost Engagement

Tuesday June 2, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am MDT

3503

We will be presenting on a QTEL lesson structure we have implemented in the classroom. This strategy includes reading in 4 voices, collaboration, creating a mind mirror of the character you are reading about, and presentation skills.

Presenter

Caitlin Barrus

Instructional Coach, Canyons School District

I am currently getting ISTE certified. Additionally, I am an eMINTS affiliate trainer, and have presented on the use of SAMR and TPACK.

Lindsey Hausknecht

Instructional Coach, Canyons School District

Tuesday June 2, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
3503

Instructional Priorities

Content Area ELA, Social Studies, Special Education, Science
Audience Classroom Teachers
Instructional Priority Multilingual Supports, WISR

9:30am MDT

High Quality Teaching & Learning: Leveraging AI to improve Feedback Cycles

Tuesday June 2, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am MDT

2507

This session explores how AI can be used to strengthen feedback cycles and support high-quality teaching and learning. Participants will examine how timely, actionable feedback helps students refine their thinking, deepen understanding, and take ownership of their learning, while also reducing the burden on teachers.

It will introduce teachers to Snorkl, which is a tool for students to record and explain their thinking, and then get immediate and personalized feedback from AI. Students insights are also shared educators so they can better understand how their students think, including their strengths and where they need more support.

Presenter

Maggie Kenny

Partnerships, Snorkl

Maggie Kenny is a former middle school special education teacher and a member of the Snorkl team. She works with schools and districts across the country to support AI-powered formative assessment and help teachers provide more timely, individualized feedback. Drawing on her classroom... Read More →

Tuesday June 2, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
2507

Instructional Tools & Technology

Content Area Math, ELA, World Language/DLI, Social Studies, Special Education, Science
Audience Elementary Teachers, Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers, Admin Staff, Classroom Teachers, Admin
Ed Tech Tool Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Instructional Priority Multilingual Supports, Formative Assessments, STEAM/STEM, Feedback Cycles

9:30am MDT

Boost Student Success: Practical Executive Function Strategies for the Classroom

Tuesday June 2, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am MDT

3416

Empower students to thrive by intentionally teaching executive function skills. This interactive session shifts the focus from managing behavior to building capacity. Learn actionable "adult moves"—modeling metacognition, creating predictable routines, and using visual tools—that help students plan, prioritize, and sustain attention, bridging the gap between external support and self-regulation.

Presenter

Bethany Baker

SPED Teacher Specialist, Canyons School District Special Education Dept

Kristin Crain

Teacher Specialsit, Canyons School District

Tuesday June 2, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
3416

Student Supports (MTSS)

Content Area Math, ELA, World Language/DLI, Social Studies, CTE, PE/Health, Special Education, Arts, Science
Audience Elementary Teachers, Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers, Classroom Teachers, Counselors
Instructional Priority Multilingual Supports, Classroom Management, Executive Function

10:40am MDT

Make it Mario: Low-Tech Ideas to Gamify your Curriculum

Tuesday June 2, 2026 10:40am - 11:40am MDT

2313

In this fun and fast-paced presentation, teachers of all content areas will be given ideas and actionable steps to support their students in practice and review work while motivating them through competition and creative presentation.

Presenter

Katie Schmoldt

Instructional Coach, Canyons School District

I love history teaching, integrating technology, and anything outdoors!

Kaylie Sullivan

Secondary English Language Arts Teacher

Tuesday June 2, 2026 10:40am - 11:40am MDT
2313

Instructional Design & Planning

Content Area Math, ELA, World Language/DLI, Social Studies, CTE, PE/Health, Special Education, Arts, Science
Audience Elementary Teachers, Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers, Admin Staff, Classroom Teachers, Counselors, Admin
Ed Tech Tool Google/CSDdocs
Instructional Priority Multilingual Supports, Classroom Management, SALTA, PBIS, Writing Instruction

12:40pm MDT

Wonders Newcomer Lessons for Language Aquisition

Tuesday June 2, 2026 12:40pm - 1:40pm MDT

2414

Feedback Survey

This presentation will share lessons created to supplement the Wonders Newcomers Guide. These lessons support additional practice and monitoring of the target vocabulary. Come learn about how to access and use these lessons and all the supporting components.

*Note: this presentation was shared last year, so please note that it is not new, if you have already attended.

Resources shared are found here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1XpnMukxJV66CpnKRL0YFmUk_TgMjlKK5

Presenter

Danae Gothard

Instructional Coach, Canyons School District

Danae Gothard has been an Instructional Coach and Education Technology Coach in Canyons School District for 14 years. She has prior classroom experience in the elementary setting and is currently working with students in K-5.

Emily Russo

Instructional Coach, Canyons School District

Emily is an instructional coach at Peruvian Park Elementary. She has been a coach for Canyons School District for 10 years. Before joining Canyons she taught elementary school on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

Tuesday June 2, 2026 12:40pm - 1:40pm MDT
2414

Student Supports (MTSS)

Audience Elementary Teachers
Instructional Priority Multilingual Supports

1:50pm MDT

Engaging and rigorous strategies to improve learning

Tuesday June 2, 2026 1:50pm - 3:00pm MDT

2214

We will present simple interactive collaborative strategies to increase engagement and rigor in classrooms everyday across all content areas

Presenter

Leigh Anstadt

Instructional Coach, Canyons School District

Zachary Van Dyke

Teacher

Tuesday June 2, 2026 1:50pm - 3:00pm MDT
2214

Instructional Priorities

Audience Classroom Teachers
Instructional Priority AVID, WISR, Multilingual Supports

1:50pm MDT

15 tech tools to support Multilingual Learners

Tuesday June 2, 2026 1:50pm - 3:00pm MDT

3406

This session introduces a curated collection of high-impact digital tools designed to support multilingual learners. Attendees will leave with ready-to-use resources and ideas that seamlessly integrate technology to scaffold learning while maintaining rigor and student voice.

Presenter

Lesli Morris

DTL Specialist, Canyons School District

Lesli Morris is a Digital Teaching and Learning Specialist for Canyons School District in Sandy, Utah. She also holds ESL, instructional coaching, and educational technology endorsements, and is an ISTE Certified Educator.

Tuesday June 2, 2026 1:50pm - 3:00pm MDT
3406

Student Supports (MTSS)

Audience Admin Staff, Counselors, Elementary Teachers, High School Teachers, Middle School Teachers
Instructional Priority Multilingual Supports

1:50pm MDT

High Yield Strategies to Support all Learners

Tuesday June 2, 2026 1:50pm - 3:00pm MDT

2507

We will present on two strategies- Co-craft questions and QSSSA. We will also talk about assessments adaptions for ML students. Same rigor- different format.

Presenter

Sara Leonard

Instructional Coach, Canyons School District

Kaitlin Portzline

Instructional Coach, Canyons School District

Tuesday June 2, 2026 1:50pm - 3:00pm MDT
2507

Student Supports (MTSS)

Audience Elementary Teachers, Middle School Teachers
Ed Tech Tool Amplify Desmos Math
Instructional Priority Multilingual Supports

9:10am MDT

Money in the Bank: Content Literacy Made Easy

Wednesday June 3, 2026 9:10am - 10:10am MDT

3406

Literacy in the secondary classroom doesn't have to feel scary! In this session we'll provide easy, supportive techniques for how to build up all student vocabularies that you can build into your routines, regardless of content area. Literacy is everyone's responsibility, so let's help students grow their literacy skills!

Presenter

Sydnie Schoepf

Instructional Coach, Hillcrest High, Canyons District

April Hamm

ELD/Literacy Teacher, Canyons School District

I am a Literacy teacher at Hillcrest High School. I have taught elementary school for many years, and I am very interested in using technology to increase students' reading ability and vocabulary. I have experience teaching small group intervention, ESL, and have worked with all grades... Read More →

Wednesday June 3, 2026 9:10am - 10:10am MDT
3406

Instructional Priorities

Content Area ELA
Audience Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers
Ed Tech Tool Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Instructional Priority Multilingual Supports

9:10am MDT

The journey from Spoon-feeding to Chopsticks: Using Rigor and Quality Interactions

Wednesday June 3, 2026 9:10am - 10:10am MDT

3511

Quality Interactions paired with maintaining rigor is key to learning.

Presenter

Courtney Long

Principal

Wednesday June 3, 2026 9:10am - 10:10am MDT
3511

Instructional Priorities

Audience Elementary Teachers, Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers, Admin Staff, Classroom Teachers
Instructional Priority Multilingual Supports

1:45pm MDT

Actionable RTI Strategies to Support Struggling Learners

Wednesday June 3, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm MDT

3416

Join this practical session to move beyond the theory of multi-tiered systems and explore high-leverage, evidence-based strategies that can be implemented immediately. Participants will learn how to strengthen Tier 1 instruction, utilize diagnostic data to form flexible small groups, and implement targeted Tier 2 and 3 interventions that address specific skill gaps in reading and math. Whether you are looking to refine your current process or build a more collaborative intervention team, this session provides actionable tools to boost student achievement and prevent academic failure.

Presenter

Carin Cushing

Special Education Teacher Specialist, Canyons School District

Lauren Gooch

SpEd Teacher Specialist, Canyons School District

Jen Archuleta

Special Education Teacher Specialist, Canyons School District

Wednesday June 3, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm MDT
3416

Student Supports (MTSS)

Audience Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers, Counselors, Admin
Instructional Priority Multilingual Supports

1:45pm MDT

Supporting ML Students in Math Instruction

Wednesday June 3, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm MDT

2414

This workshop will focus on integrating high yield instructional strategies in the diverse ML math classroom, including cooperative learning, asset based instructional strategies, and QTEL strategies. It will focus on simple integration of these while still maintaining rigor and pace with strategies that implement whole brain teaching and Kagan structures to maintain high engagement in the math classroom.

Presenter

Laura Bettison

teacher

Wednesday June 3, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm MDT
2414

Student Supports (MTSS)

Audience Elementary Teachers, Classroom Teachers
Instructional Priority Multilingual Supports

9:30am MDT

9:30am MDT

9:30am MDT

9:30am MDT

9:30am MDT

9:30am MDT

9:30am MDT

10:40am MDT

12:40pm MDT

1:50pm MDT

1:50pm MDT

1:50pm MDT

9:10am MDT

9:10am MDT

1:45pm MDT

1:45pm MDT

Get help with the event