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

Performance Based Self Assessment and Peer Feedback

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

3412

This session equips educators with a framework for integrating self-assessment and peer feedback into their curriculum. By exploring the pedagogical benefits of reflection and highlighting affordable recording technology, this demonstration will center around how to implement structured critique that foster student independence, improve technical skills, and normalize constructive classroom dialogue.

Presenter

Jenni Perkins

Instrumental Music Teacher

Mitchell Atencio

Instrumental Music Teacher, Corner Canyon High School

Tuesday June 2, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
3412

Data-Based Decision Making

Content Area Arts
Audience Elementary Teachers, Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers, Classroom Teachers
Instructional Priority Formative Assessments

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

Curating the Classroom: Engaging Students through Interactive Mini Museums

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

3418

What if your students didn't just summarize their learning, but curated an exhibit? Move beyond an essay or run-of-the-mill Slide Deck and turn your classroom into an interactive gallery.

By stepping into the role of a Museum Curator, students do more than just report facts - they evaluate, prioritize, and defend their choices. Canva’s Mini Museums take the heavy lifting out of design, allowing students to focus on the 'why' behind the 'what'. Join this session for a 3D glow-up that puts learning on a pedestal.

Presenter

Monica Alm

APPEL Coaching Coordinator, Canyons School District

Tuesday June 2, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
3418

Instructional tools & Technology

Content Area Math, ELA, World Language/DLI, Social Studies, Arts, Science
Audience Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers
Ed Tech Tool Canva

9:30am MDT

Congruence and Your Teaching Practice

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

2214

During this reflective session, teachers will work to align their values with their teaching practice as one step towards protecting against burnout and demoralization.

Presenter

Bob Violano

instructional coach, Canyons School District

I am an instructional coach at Mount Jordan Middle School with a background in science education and physics teaching. After moving from Connecticut to Utah in 2008, I earned a Master’s in Secondary Education and a Master’s of Science in Physics Teaching from the University of... Read More →

Tuesday June 2, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
2214

Professional Learning & Educator Growth

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

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

10:40am MDT

Fitting the Pieces: Making Arts Integration Work Across Every Subject Without Reinventing the Wheel

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

3412

Arts integration isn't about adding more to your plate—it's about enriching what you're already teaching. In this interactive session, we'll explore how to weave the arts into existing assignments and curricula in ways that feel natural, not forced. Regardless of what subject you teach, you'll discover practical strategies for helping students make powerful connections across disciplines. We'll look at how arts-integrated assignments boost retention, critical thinking, and student engagement.

Presenter

Jenni Perkins

Instrumental Music Teacher

Sarah Mazuran

Visual Arts Teacher

Being a middle school Visual Arts teacher is important to me because it is one of the most rewarding jobs and it has become a deeply meaningful career. I never know what is going to happen that day in class but I do know that it will be dynamic and never boring! Everyday I get to... Read More →

Tuesday June 2, 2026 10:40am - 11:40am MDT
3412

Instructional Priorities

Content Area Arts
Audience Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers, Classroom Teachers
Instructional Priority STEAM/STEM

10:40am MDT

Re-Tuning Your Teaching: Preventing Burnout in Music Ed

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

2501

Calling all Performing Arts Teachers. Come participate in a round table discussion on best strategies to avoid teacher burnout. Hear from veteran teachers on what strategies have best help them stay in the field, and learn some new tips from recent educational books on how to avoid burnout.

Presenter

Jaron Putnam

Choir Teacher

Tuesday June 2, 2026 10:40am - 11:40am MDT
2501

Professional Learning & Educator Growth

Content Area Arts
Audience Elementary Teachers, Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers, Classroom Teachers

12:40pm MDT

Percussion Pedagogy Workshop - Bret Hughes, Park City SD

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

1123

Percussion pedagogy and methods workshop taught by a percussion expert in the area, and sponsored by Summerhays music.

Note - this was requested by Instrumental Music teachers, who said a session of this nature would make them more likely to attend the conference. This would need to take place in the Band room at Brighton High School.

Presenter

Bret Hughes

Tuesday June 2, 2026 12:40pm - 1:40pm MDT
1123

Instructional Design & Planning

Content Area Arts
Audience Elementary Teachers, Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers

1:50pm MDT

No Time? No Problem! 15-Minute Micro-Challenges using Keva Planks

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

2305

Engineering doesn't always need a three-week unit. Inspired by the success of Maker's Got Talent—a student-created, district-wide Middle School Keva Plank competition—this fully hands-on session focuses on scaling that high-energy excitement down to the classroom level through 10-to-15-minute "Micro-Challenges." Instead of just hearing about these activities, you will actively build and iterate through live mini-challenges while exploring how to design custom prompts that tie directly into your specific content area and curriculum goals. Whether you teach math, science, history, or art, you will learn the thought process behind setting constraints that spark instant teamwork and critical thinking, walking away with a clear blueprint to seamlessly mash up playful engineering with your daily content.

Presenter

Chandra Martz

DTL Specialist, General

Chandra Martz is a Digital Teaching and Learning Specialist for Canyons School District, where she supports DTL and STEAM initiatives. She has been working in educational technology since 2012, helping K–12 educators and students integrate innovative tools and practices that enhance... Read More →

Tuesday June 2, 2026 1:50pm - 3:00pm MDT
2305

Instructional Design & Planning

Content Area Arts, CTE, ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies, Special Education, World Language/DLI
Audience All, Classroom Teachers, Elementary Teachers, High School Teachers, Middle School Teachers
Instructional Priority STEAM/STEM

1:50pm MDT

Performance Materials Reading Session

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

1119

A reading session of performance materials for performing arts teachers from digital databases such as JWPepper and Drama Notebook (both of whom CSD has district contracts with).

Presenter

J.P. Kentros

Arts Specialist, Canyons School District

Tuesday June 2, 2026 1:50pm - 3:00pm MDT
1119

Instructional Design & Planning

Content Area Arts
Audience Elementary Teachers, Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers

9:10am MDT

Strategies for Engagement with Arts Integration

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

2307

This session will share and apply arts integration strategies for all classroom teachers. It will connect you with ready-to-use strategies that can provided high level engagement strategies for student learning. We will explore how to use Arts Integration as a tool for assessment, allowing students to demonstrate competency through visual, performing, and media arts. Participants will also learn how to bridge their classroom to the professional world via BTS Arts Coaches, Artists in Residence, and POPS resources.

Presenter

Jamie Workman

K-12 Arts Specialist/ BTS Arts Specialist, Utah State Board of Education

Jamie Workman brings a bold mix of experience and creativity to her role at the Utah State Board of Education, where she supports the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program. A Westminster University alum, Jamie started her career teaching in South Korea. When she returned... Read More →

Wednesday June 3, 2026 9:10am - 10:10am MDT
2307

Instructional Design & Planning

Content Area Arts
Audience Elementary Teachers, Classroom Teachers

9:10am MDT

You Can Do This: Practical Art and Music Integration Through Children's Literature

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

2501

Want to bring the benefits of music and visual art into your elementary classroom, but feel unsure of where to begin? You aren't alone! This hands-on session breaks down the barriers to arts integration for general elementary educators by using a familiar and beloved tool: children's literature. In a supportive, scaffolded environment, we will explore:
--Simple, engaging activities inspired by picture books that require no prior musical or artistic training.
--Practical tips for seamlessly connecting visual art, music, and literacy to your existing core curriculum.
--Proven strategies to build your own creative confidence while boosting student engagement.
Leave feeling equipped and empowered to make the arts a regular, stress-free part of your classroom day!

Presenter

Sherise Longhurst

BTS Music Specialist

Cassie Walker

BTS Art Teacher, Lone Peak Elementary

Cassie Walker is an art educator with over 11 years of teaching experience. She currently works as a BTS Arts teacher in Canyons School District, where she has taught for the past nine years. Cassie has an MA in arts education and a BS in elementary education. Before her current role... Read More →

Wednesday June 3, 2026 9:10am - 10:10am MDT
2501

Instructional Design & Planning

Content Area Arts
Audience Elementary Teachers

10:20am MDT

You Can Do This: Practical Art and Music Integration Through Children's Literature

Wednesday June 3, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am MDT

2501

Presenter

Sherise Longhurst

BTS Music Specialist

Cassie Walker

BTS Art Teacher, Lone Peak Elementary

Wednesday June 3, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am MDT
2501

Instructional Design & Planning

Content Area Arts
Audience Elementary Teachers

1:45pm MDT

Nature by Design: Arts-Integrated Connections on Animal Adaptations, Environments, and Landscapes.”

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

2410

When science is taught through hands-on, standards-based art projects, student engagement is at its highest and concepts are better retained. This class will explore connections between elementary scientific concepts and visual art practices focusing on animal adaptations, environments, and weathering; alongside art concepts such as: landscapes, texture, and paper folding. Attendees will also learn skills to create and adapt future arts-integrated lessons and projects of their own.

Presenter