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

Learning for All: UDL in Elementary

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

2505

"Designing for All: UDL in Elementary” is a professional learning session that explores how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) supports inclusive practices in elementary classrooms. Participants learn the three UDL principles—Engagement, Representation, and Action & Expression—and how proactive design increases equitable access for students with IEPs while benefiting all learners. Through real-world examples, collaborative activities, and lesson planning practice, educators explore practical strategies such as choice, visuals, assistive technology, and flexible assessments. The session emphasizes that small, intentional design changes can create more inclusive, effective learning environments for every student.

Presenter

Kat Nelson

Teacher Specialist: SPED, Canyons School District

Tuesday June 2, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
2505

Instructional Design & Planning

Content Area Special Education
Audience Elementary Teachers, Admin Staff, Classroom Teachers, Counselors, Admin
Instructional Priority WISR, Scaffolding

9:30am MDT

Science of Reading- Overview: Stop Guessing, Start Growing

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

2410

Join us as we explore the five interconnected pillars of reading—phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. Together, we will discover how these essential components work to build skilled readers, all while keeping oral language as the critical foundation that fuels every step of reading development.

Presenter

Bernice Allen

Teacher Specialist, Canyons School District

Julie Butler

Teacher Specialist, Canyons School District

Tuesday June 2, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
2410

Instructional Design & Planning

Content Area ELA, Special Education
Audience Elementary Teachers, Middle School Teachers, Classroom Teachers, Admin, SpEd Teachers
Instructional Priority WISR, Science of Reading

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

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

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

Access for All: Making Strong Instruction Work for Every Learner

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

2311

We will show how WICOR strategies can be utilized for every learner, with an emphasis on special education access. We plan to model and showcase at least one strategy for every WICOR element that can be used in most classrooms.

Presenter

Susie Baer Young

Instructional Coach, Canyons School District

Kayla Alexander

ACC Teacher

Tuesday June 2, 2026 10:40am - 11:40am MDT
2311

Instructional Priorities

Content Area Special Education
Audience Middle School Teachers, Special Education
Instructional Priority AVID, Classroom Management

10:40am MDT

Beyond Labels: Supporting Diverse Special Education Classifications in the Gen Ed Classroom

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

3416

As inclusion becomes the standard, general education classrooms are increasingly diverse, serving students with a wide range of needs. This session provides a practical overview of common special education classifications—including Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Other Health Impairment (OHI/ADHD), and Speech/Language Impairments. Moving beyond formal definitions, we will explore how these classifications manifest in daily learning, social interactions, and behavior. Participants will gain teacher-friendly strategies for implementing accommodations and modifications, foster a truly inclusive environment, and learn how to collaborate effectively with specialists to support every learner.

Presenter

Bethany Baker

SPED Teacher Specialist, Canyons School District Special Education Dept

Melany Johnson

Secondary Special Education Specialist, Canyons School District

Tuesday June 2, 2026 10:40am - 11:40am MDT
3416

Safe & Supportive Environment

Content Area Special Education
Audience Elementary Teachers, Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers, Classroom Teachers, Counselors, Admin

10:40am MDT

Using EdPlan to help with IDEA Compliance for Administrators

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

2507

Administrators will learn how to use and navigate edplan and other SPED Tools. These tools are designed to help teams be able to keep up on the compliance of IDEA within their buildings.

Presenter

Derick Menlove

Teacher Specialist, Canyons Special Education Dept.

Tuesday June 2, 2026 10:40am - 11:40am MDT
2507

Student Supports (MTSS)

Content Area Special Education
Audience Admin

12:40pm MDT

Youth Academy: Panel

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

2505

Presenter

Chanci Loran

Assistant Director, Student Wellness Services, Canyons School District, Student Wellness Services

Chanci Loran is the mother of two amazing boys. She grew up in rural Montana and relocated to Salt Lake with her husband after teaching in Vancouver, Washington and Glendale, Arizona. Chanci’s background includes serving as a principal, assistant principal, adjunct instructor, data... Read More →

Felipe Martin

Youth Academy Teacher

Tiffany Engar-Smith

Student Support Teacher

Jessi Cummings

Teacher, Youth Academy

Tuesday June 2, 2026 12:40pm - 1:40pm MDT
2505

Safe & Supportive Environment

Content Area Special Education

12:40pm MDT

Stronger Referrals, Better Support: A teacher's guide to SLP qualification criteria

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

2303

Have you ever reached out to your school Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) about a student and wondered how intervention or next steps are determined?

This presentation provides an overview of the role of the school Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) and how speech-language services support students in the school setting. It explains the types of communication skills SLPs address—including speech, language, social communication, and fluency—and how these areas can impact academic success and classroom participation.

The presentation also outlines the referral process, including common signs that a student may benefit from a speech-language evaluation and how teachers and staff can collaborate with the SLP to support students’ communication needs.

Presenter

Alexis Garzarelli

SLP

Taylor Cracroft

Speech Language pathologist.

Tuesday June 2, 2026 12:40pm - 1:40pm MDT
2303

Student Supports (MTSS)

Content Area Special Education
Audience Elementary Teachers, Middle 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

Unlock the potential of inclusive education by mastering the art of mainstreaming

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

3416

Unlock the potential of inclusive education by mastering the art of mainstreaming. This session provides general and special educators with practical strategies to successfully integrate students with IEPs into the general education setting. Participants will explore collaborative teaching models, methods for differentiating instruction, and ways to foster a welcoming classroom culture that benefits all learners. Join us to learn how to move beyond compliance to create a truly supportive environment where diverse learners can thrive academically and socially.

Presenter

Bethany Baker

SPED Teacher Specialist, Canyons School District Special Education Dept

Alyssa Bruderer

Special Education Teacher, ABS Elementary, Canyons School District

Tuesday June 2, 2026 1:50pm - 3:00pm MDT
3416

Student Supports (MTSS)

Content Area Special Education
Audience Elementary Teachers, Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers, Admin Staff, Classroom Teachers, Admin

9:10am MDT

Assistive Technology Sandbox: Hands-On Exploration

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

2305

This session will be structured as an Assistive Technology Sandbox, where participants rotate through short, hands-on stations to explore tools that support student access, communication, and independence. Each station will feature a brief overview, quick demonstration, and time to interact with the technology while considering real classroom scenarios.

The sandbox format encourages participants to experiment with tools in a low-pressure environment, helping build familiarity and confidence with assistive technology. By the end of the session, participants will have explored several AT options and identified tools or strategies they may want to try in their own classrooms.

Presenter

Britta Scullion

Occupational Therapist, Canyons School District

Member of the district UATT team

Michele Edem

Special Education Teacher Specialist, Canyons School District

Jenny Longenecker

Speech-Language Pathologist

Michaela Ball, M.S. CCC-SLP

AT/AAC Teacher Specialist, Canyons School District

Michaela Ball is a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) who works to support teachers and SLPs in the Canyons School District in Sandy, Utah and serves on the district’s Utah Assistive Technology Team. She began her journey working in film as a production sound recordist and now uses... Read More →

Wednesday June 3, 2026 9:10am - 10:10am MDT
2305

Content Area Special Education
Audience Elementary Teachers, Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers, Classroom Teachers, Admin, Related Service Providers
Ed Tech Tool Artificial Intelligence (AI), Google/CSDdocs

9:10am MDT

Effective Co-Teaching Strategies for Inclusive Classrooms

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

3416

Basics: This session provides a practical overview of co-teaching models—from Station Teaching to Team Teaching—designed to enhance student engagement and support diverse learners in general education settings. Participants will learn how to build professional relationships, share instructional responsibilities, and move beyond "one teach, one assist" to create true parity in the classroom.

Presenter

Allison Duncan

Math Goddess, Canyons District

Bethany Baker

SPED Teacher Specialist, Canyons School District Special Education Dept

Lauren Gooch

SpEd Teacher Specialist, Canyons School District

Wednesday June 3, 2026 9:10am - 10:10am MDT
3416

Student Supports (MTSS)

Content Area Special Education
Audience Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers, Admin Staff, Classroom Teachers, Admin
Ed Tech Tool Artificial Intelligence (AI)

10:20am MDT

More Than Just Presence: The General Educator’s Role in the IEP Process

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

3416

Do you know your role in the IEP process? This session outlines the crucial contributions general education teachers bring to the IEP table, including data collection, implementing modifications, and supporting student success in the inclusive classroom. Participants will learn how to turn legally required attendance into meaningful collaboration, ensuring students with disabilities thrive in the general education curriculum.

Presenter

Bethany Baker

SPED Teacher Specialist, Canyons School District Special Education Dept

Wednesday June 3, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am MDT
3416

Student Supports (MTSS)

Content Area Special Education
Audience Elementary Teachers, Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers, Admin Staff, Classroom Teachers, Counselors, Admin

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