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

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

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

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

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

Digging Deeper: Document-Based Inquiry!

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

3410

Transform your social studies classroom into a hub of critical inquiry. This session equips middle and secondary educators with innovative strategies to bridge the gap between primary sources and contemporary real-world issues. Participants will walk away with actionable tools to empower students as lifelong learners and active, informed citizens.

Presenter

Jodi Ide

Teacher Specialist, Canyons SD

Jodi Ide has taught high schoolers and educators to question everything—except her music preferences and the Oxford comma. A social studies specialist with a soft spot for media literacy-themed picture books, she’s on a mission to make sure “once upon a time” doesn’t mean... Read More →

Jessica Edwards

Teacher, Canyons School District

I have been in education for 16 years with 15 years as a social studies teacher and one whole year as an instructional coach! I love getting to support teachers and see all the amazing things that they are doing in their classrooms! #bestjobever In my "free" time, I attempt to keep... Read More →

Tuesday June 2, 2026 10:40am - 11:40am MDT
3410

Instructional Design & Planning

Content Area Social Studies
Audience Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers, Social Studies

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

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

9:10am MDT

All That and a Primary Source! Bringing K-5 Social Studies to Life Through Inquiry

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

2511

Elementary social studies can be more than isolated activities and worksheets. In this interactive, 90s-themed session, participants will step into a pop-up inquiry museum featuring artifacts, source analysis, and discussion while experiencing how social studies strengthens literacy, critical thinking, and civic learning. Teachers will also explore new K–5 social studies lessons and resources designed to support engaging, inquiry-driven, standards-aligned instruction that brings social studies to life for students.

Presenter

Halley Kirk

Specialist, Canyons School District

Halley Kirk is the Gifted and Talented (SALTA) and Elementary Social Studies Specialist in Canyons School District.She has taught in various settings, including the SALTA Gifted and Talented Program, Glendale Middle School in Salt Lake City School District, and Butler Elementary... Read More →

Wednesday June 3, 2026 9:10am - 10:10am MDT
2511

Instructional Design & Planning