Break-Out Sessions
Teaching with the S.T.A.R.S.: Successful Teaching & Rejuvenated Strategies
THURSDAY, JUNE 10
(Last updated 5/20/10)

SESSION I: 9:00 – 9:45

Theme: Improving Student Learning
Title: Building Community with-in Your Classroom through Writing
Room: 600
Presenter: Erin DeHart
Summary: In this session, the presenter will demonstrate ideas for creative writing in the classroom that will build community with students. The presenter will discuss how social justice can be taught with student writing.

Theme: Fostering Health Learning Communities
Title: Tween Tribune
Room: 602
Presenter: Barb Johnson & Angi Wiegert
Summary: This presentation is an introduction to Tween Tribune. It is an online newspaper written by kids for kids. Get great ideas on how to incorporate this activity into your own classroom.

Theme: Staff Awareness for Student Support
Title: Response to Intervention: Tier I (Effective Response Strategies)
Room: 603
Presenter: Melanie Mueller
Summary: Response to intervention in Tire 1 will address quality instructional practices that can be applied across the curriculum. A handful of basic resources will be offered to attendees to assist in the successful implementation of best practice strategies related to reading comprehension, vocabulary development, and active engagement..

Theme: Improving Instruction with Technology
Title: Networking Tools for Teachers
Room: 604
Presenter: Amber Dorsey & Darren Hanson
Summary: We will discuss and show teachers some Web 2.0 tools to allow networking within the class.

SESSION II: 10:00 – 10:45

Theme: Improving Student Learning
Title: Helping Students with Asperger’s Transition to High School
Room: 600
Presenter: Bob DeHart
Summary: Brief overview of Asperger characteristics and behavior traits, followed by strategies and techniques that can be used to help students with Asperger’s transition to High School.

Theme: Fostering Health Learning Communities
Title: Top 20 Teens – Helping Your Middle School Students Discover How to “Think-Learn-Communicate” for Success
Room: 602
Presenter: Vikki Deuel & Connie Allen
Summary: Our students live in times of constant change. How they see themselves, plus their skill with “thinking, learning and communicating” determines their degree of success. Discover how learning “Top 20” skills empowers students’ lives, relationships and experiences by raising awareness about the way they think, learn, and communicate.

Theme: Staff Awareness for Student Support
Title: Response to Intervention: Tier II & III (Response Strategies & Action Planning)
Room: 603
Presenter: Melanie Mueller
Summary: This session will provide examples utilizing RTI strategies that are working for students in need of support beyond the regular classroom, both in academic and behavioral areas. Information in finding great interventions will also be provided.

Theme: Improving Instruction with Technology
Title: Virtual Field Trips and Guests for Your Classroom
Room: 604
Presenter: Amy Hall
Summary: During this presentation, you will get to see a demonstration of a virtual field trip my 6th graders took to Washington D.C. to the National Archives. I will provide you with a list of other virtual field trips available and also a list of some visitors that can be used to make your classes come alive.

SESSION III: 11:00 - 11:45

Theme: Improving Student Learning
Title: Quick & Dirty Modifications: What do I do with this kid?
Room: 600
Presenter: Marie Matuella
Summary: N/A

Theme: Fostering Health Learning Communities
Title: Grab Your Assets & Run: How to Implement the 40 Developmental Assets in Your School!
Room: 602
Presenter: Lindsey Eisenmenger
Summary: Interested in the 40 Developmental Assets? Then this presentation is for you! This presentation will demonstrate how our school implemented the 40 Developmental Assets framework and give you concrete ideas to help you implement this kid-friendly support system in your own school.

Theme: Staff Awareness for Student Support
Title: Science PLC @ Work
Room: 603
Presenter: Kendra Matkins & Kimmie Vogt
Summary: Meet two science teachers who have put PLCs to work in their classrooms. Collaboration is what we do! Listen to the advantages of working with other teachers to help your students be successful in the classroom.

Theme: Improving Instruction with Technology
Title: Boosting Vocabulary with Your Classroom Quia Webpage
Room: 604
Presenter: Matt Breitkreutz
Summary: Learn to create and manage your own Webpage at Quia.com. Your classroom Webpage will merge your curriculum with the students’ love of technology to increase vocabulary skills. Come learn how to create online assessments, track student learning, bridge the gap for lower quartile, and capture the attention of all students.

LUNCH: 11:50 – 12:50
Keynote Speaker: Andres Gamboa – Senior at Grand Island Sr. High

SESSION IV: 1:00 – 1:45

Theme: Improving Student Learning
Title: Flip This Classroom
Room: 600
Presenter: Chris Grundmayer
Summary: Are you looking for a few new ideas to motivate learners in your middle school classroom but have limited funds to work with? Participants in this workshop will find uses for inexpensive household items and throw aways to help motivate all types of learners.

Theme: Fostering Healthy Learning Communities
Title: Technology in the Arts
Room: 602
Presenter: Ryan Waters
Summary: In this presentation we will cover the use of open source software to produce 2D animations and Stop-Motion animations which could be applied to any content area as well as the use of screen capture programs and Blogger to produce online tutorials. Additional web 2.0 apps covered include: Sumopaint, Phun, Fantasticcontraption, Befunky, and Picnik.

Theme: Staff Awareness for Student Support
Title: Layered Curriculum
Room: 603
Presenter: Kendra Matkins
Summary: Learn how to differentiate instruction in your classroom with materials that you already have without going crazy! Layered curriculum incorporates Bloom’s Taxonomy, Multiple Intelligences, and Learning Styles,

Theme: Improving Instruction with Technology
Title: Ten Free On-Line Resources Every Teacher Should Know: Version 2010
Room: 604
Presenter: Dr. Neal Topp
Summary: Teachers are always concerned with finding high quality websites that they can use to help students learn. This presentation will discuss ten on-line resources that are very valuable for teachers. Each website will be demonstrated and examples of teacher uses will be included. The presentation handout and website will contain more detailed information for each site.

SESSION V – 2:00 - 2:45

Theme: Improving Student Learning/Fostering Healthy Learning Communities
Title: Teachers in Balance - “A Teacher’s Guide to Having it All”
Room: 500
Presenter: Nita Lechner-Danklesen
Summary: Teachers in Balance is a short, intensive workshop where participants self-test in several areas of wellness, graph a personal wellness wheel and experience many tools to enhance their own journey to well-being as well as for their students. Discover the “Secret” to positively and quickly changing your life and your classroom. Realize how your thoughts affect you and all of those around you in either a life giving or life defeating way. Discover what makes you the AMAZING teacher you are!

Theme: Staff Awareness for Student Support
Title: Meeting the Needs of Gifted Learners
Room: 603
Presenter: Dr. Joan D. Lewis
Summary: Gifted learners need opportunities to be taught at a challenge level at least some of the time – not left to practice what they know. Why? How do busy teachers manage that task along with everything else? Selected strategies will be provided with rationale for their use.

Theme: Improving Instruction with Technology
Title: Moodle
Room: 604
Presenter: Megan Andersen
Summary: This session will be an introduction to using the e-learning course management tool, Moodle. Ideas on how to use it within your curriculum and classroom will be explored, as well as both student and instructor view.

SESSION VI – 3:00 - 3:45

Theme: Improving Student Learning/Fostering Healthy Learning Communities
Title: Teachers in Balance “A Teacher’s Guide to Having it All” - continued
Room: 500
Presenter: Nita Lechner-Danklesen
Summary: Teachers in Balance is a short, intensive workshop where participants self-test in several areas of wellness, graph a personal wellness wheel and experience many tools to enhance their own journey to well-being as well as for their students. Discover the “Secret” to positively and quickly changing your life and your classroom. Realize how your thoughts affect you and all of those around you in either a life giving or life defeating way. Discover what makes you the AMAZING teacher you are!

Theme: Staff Awareness for Student Support
Title: Assuring Successful Transition into Middle School
Room: 603
Presenter: Dr. Al Arth & Dr. Kathleen Wheeler
Summary: A range of topics, ideas, and discussion regarding the needs, cares, and concerns associated with making the transition from an elementary classroom to a middle school.

Theme: Improving Instruction w/ Technology
Title: I-Pods in the Classroom
Room: 604
Presenter: Carey Hahne
Summary: To help special education students foster their independent learning, Norfolk Public Schools has implemented iPods into the classroom. This presentation will demonstrate how students use the iPods and what has gone on behind the scenes to get the program implemented.

Teaching with the S.T.A.R.S.: Successful Teaching & Rejuvenated Strategies
Friday, June 11

SESSION I: 9:00 – 9:45

Theme: Student Motivation & Management
Title: BOYS AND BOOKS: The Educational Challenge of Boy Readers
Room: 600
Presenter: Tessie Boudreau and Mike Zook
Summary: Boys offer us joys and challenges in the classroom, especially in the area of reading and writing. Learn the research behind boys as learners and how to reach your most reluctant readers with some creative approaches in and out of the school day.

Theme: Instructional Enhancement for Student Success
Title: Social Studies
Room: 602
Presenter: Cody Havranek
Summary: N/A

Theme: Structures to Support Student Learning
Title: Ten Comprehension Strategies to Use Across the Curriculum
Room: 603
Presenter: April Kelley
Summary: Are you looking for some new practical reading strategies to help you increase comprehension in any content area? In this session, we’ll explore ten instructional strategies you can use to help your students become critical thinkers as they read. Be ready to walk away with at least 10 strategies that you can implement immediately.

Theme: Meeting Individual Student Needs
Title: Got Foldaables ® ?
Room: 604
Presenter: Tarina Cox
Summary: Hamburger…Hotdog…no, this isn’t a foods related session; these are just a few of the terms you will hear during this interactive session about Foldables®. You will leave this session with Foldable® examples and ideas that you will be able to use in your middle school classroom starting on the first day of school! (Presenter has been trained by Dinah Zike herself!)

 

SESSION II 10:00-10:45

Theme: Student Motivation & Management
Title: Understanding & Addressing Cyber-bullying
Room: 600
Presenter: Jessica Gall
Summary: From harassing text messages to threats via email, electronic communication has taken adolescent teasing beyond the school ground and daytime hours to a whole new level of cruelty. While the harassment may start online, it can escalate to physical violence and very real emotional distress. Come for an informative presentation and question/answer session on how to address this issue with your students.

Theme: Instructional Enhancement for Student Success
Title: Differentiated Instruction That Works!
Room: 602
Presenter: Kristi Homes
Summary: Come and learn a variety of ways to differentiate your lessons in your classroom. See a variety of activities that you can differentiate and how you can use differentiation in your own classroom. Come and have some fun with differentiated instruction in your classroom.

Theme: Structures to Support Student Learning
Title: Let Students Own Their Learning
Room: 603
Presenter: Dean Tickle
Summary: Have you ever had kids in your classroom that didn’t understand a key concept? What’s worse, they didn’t even seem to care? Tired of throwing out incentives to get kids to do what they should do naturally? We will discuss strategies for helping students take ownership of their education as well as chart their progress using L to J strategies.

Theme: Meeting Individual Student Needs
Title: Co-Teaching in the Classroom
Room: 604
Presenter: Kendra Craven & Kristin Fangmeyer
Summary: This session will explore the many different possibilities that are available for students and teachers in a co-taught classroom. Presenters will share strategies and units that have worked within their classroom, as well as finding ways to implement it in the school.

SESSION III: 11:00 – 11:45

Theme: Student Motivation & Management
Title: Game Show Classroom
Room: 600
Presenter: Dawna Nelson
Summary: Turn your classroom into a Game Show! Students love the high energy of Game Shows, so why not have your students “come on down” and be the next excited learner? This session will give you ideas on incorporating lessons from any subject and turning them into a fun learning experience. It is easy to turn classic game shows such as Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Jeopardy, and Wheel of Fortune into a fun review. This session will also introduce you to other great games you can put to work for you. You will easily be able to start your year off with these simple, fun games and game shows.

Theme: Instructional Enhancement for Student Success
Title: It’s All Greek to Me!
Room: 602
Presenter: Valerie Parrack
Summary: With our study of Ancient Greece, students created commercials to sell or advertise a product or service related to Ancient Greece. This is an excellent culminating project that incorporates technology.

Theme: Structures Support Student Learning
Title: 21st Century Skills
Room: 603
Presenter: Mike Hart & Bob Hasstings
Summary: N/A

Theme: Meeting Individual Student Needs
Title: Understanding Learning: The How, The Why, The What
Room: 604
Presenter: Carol Rempp
Summary: You’ve heard about Ruby Payne’s Understanding the Frameworks of Poverty; now learn strategies to help students learn content while developing cognitive skills. You will leave this session with key background information about these strategies and why they work, as well as handouts of ideas you can customize for your students.

LUNCH: 11:50– 12:50
(Elections – sit by region)

SESSION IV: 1:00– 2:50

Keynote: An introduction to 8 to Great: An Empowerment Curriculum for 6th - 12th Grades

Author: MK Mueller

Location: Auditorium

Summary: The 8 to Great Curriculum offers a process that students of all aptitudes are using to become more successful in academic and the arts. The author, MK Mueller, is a former middle school teacher and her new book, 8 to Great: The Powerful Process for Positive Change was just named Top Self-Help book of the Year by Readers’ Favorite. There are now over 800 certified trainers, mostly middle and high school teachers, sharing this empowerment process with students in 14 states. Meanwhile, faculty members are also raving about how they’ve used the process for personal growth. Come see why so many say, “It should be required for graduation!”

2:50-3:00: CLOSING REMARKS/DOOR PRIZES