2026 Nevada PhD: Full Schedule

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7:45am CDT

Wednesday August 19, 2026 7:45am - 8:30am CDT

Do you ever feel like your day is a soundtrack but you didn't get to choose it? In this session learn a few practical skills to stay focused, balanced and productive leading to regaining the position of DJ to your day.

Speakers

Meg Frideres

HS Instructional Guide, Nevada Community Schools

Meg has taught social studies at Nevada High School for 24 years and has been an instructional guide for 10 years. She also coaches students, teachers and sports teams in mindfulness.

Wednesday August 19, 2026 7:45am - 8:30am CDT

Classroom Management

Company Beginner
Audience District, Early Childhood, Elementary, High School, Middle School

7:45am CDT

Assessing the Foundations

Wednesday August 19, 2026 7:45am - 8:30am CDT

This session will provide an overview of how to administer and interpret the Core Phonics Survey and the PAST (Phonological Awareness Screening Test) to identify students’ foundational literacy strengths and needs. Participants will learn how to use assessment data to determine students’ phonics and phonemic awareness levels, plan targeted instruction, and support early reading development through data-informed decision making.

Speakers

Catie Neuman

2nd Grade Teacher, Nevada Community Schools

Heather Barloon

Elementary Teacher

Wednesday August 19, 2026 7:45am - 8:30am CDT

Content Specific

Company Beginner
Audience Elementary, Early Childhood

7:45am CDT

The SEL Starter Kit for New Central Teachers

Wednesday August 19, 2026 7:45am - 8:30am CDT

This session is for new teachers coming into Central. We'll give an overview of what SEL looks like at Central and get you set up with your SEL curriculum account.

Speakers

Emily Kruse

Elementary Counselor and District SEL Consultant, Nevada Community School District

Randi Davis

3/4 MA Elementary Teacher

Wednesday August 19, 2026 7:45am - 8:30am CDT

New Teachers

Company Beginner
Audience New Teachers

7:45am CDT

Clear & Connected: Creating ADA-Friendly Newsletters and Flyers

Wednesday August 19, 2026 7:45am - 8:30am CDT

When we send out weekly newsletters, permission slip updates, or classroom announcements, we want 100% of our families to receive the message. But did you know that standard practices, like emailing a screenshot of a flyer or pasting giant website links, accidentally lock out parents who rely on translation apps, screen magnifiers, or smartphones to read school updates?
In this practical, 45-minute session, we will shift our focus to parent and student communication. You will learn how a few tiny, effortless tweaks to your emails and newsletters can ensure your messages are perfectly readable for every family, every time.
This is a hands-on session. Bring a template or draft of a communication you send home often (a weekly update, a syllabus, or a field trip flyer). We will give it an "accessibility makeover" together so you can start the upcoming school year communicating with total confidence!

Speakers

Carrie Hillman

Technology Integrationist, Nevada Community Schools

Carrie is an educator who has always had a passion for using and integrating technology in meaningful and powerful ways. Carrie is the Technology Integration Specialist for the Nevada Community School District. She assists teachers and students with infusing technology into the curriculum while inspiring them to think and learn in new ways. Carrie also is an assistant teaching professor at Iowa State University, in which she works with pre-service teachers on designing effective courses... Read More →

Wednesday August 19, 2026 7:45am - 8:30am CDT

Technology Use

Company Beginner
Audience Early Childhood, Elementary, District, Middle School, High School

7:45am CDT

Detecting AI in Student Work

Wednesday August 19, 2026 7:45am - 8:30am CDT

Join us to learn how we work to prevent/detect student AI use in our HS English classrooms. We will focus on non-English content areas: what tools/techniques you can use (and shouldn't use!) and talking with students about AI use.

Speakers

Kirsten Weber

HS Mentor/English Teacher

Abby McLoud

Wednesday August 19, 2026 7:45am - 8:30am CDT

Technology Use

Company Beginner
Audience Middle School, High School

8:45am CDT

Data to Decisions: Making Math Intervention Count

Wednesday August 19, 2026 8:45am - 10:15am CDT

In this session, teachers will learn how to turn math data into actionable next steps. We’ll focus on identifying skill gaps, forming purposeful groups, and matching targeted interventions to student needs. Participants will leave with simple routines and ready-to-use strategies to make data-driven decisions that lead to real student growth.

Speakers

Kedra Hamilton

Instructional Guide, Nevada Community Schools

I have taught all grades K -4 since 2002 at Central Elementary School in Nevada, Iowa. My mission is to empower and excite those around me to confidently use their voice, take risks in order to grow, and make positive choices. I strive to nurture and inspire health, kindness, and... Read More →

Jill Adams

K-4 Extension & Enrichment Teacher, Elementary Math Curriculum Lead, Nevada Community Schools

Wednesday August 19, 2026 8:45am - 10:15am CDT

Content Specific

Company Beginner
Audience Elementary, Middle School

8:45am CDT

Arts Integration in Non-Art Subjects

Wednesday August 19, 2026 8:45am - 10:15am CDT

Want to trick your students into analyzing and thinking critically and creatively? In this workshop, you will get a speed lesson on many different dramatic process tactics:
Hot-Seating, Mantle of the Expert, Curriculum-Based Reader’s Theatre, Tableau, and Re-Enactments. Great for all subjects!!

Speakers

Sarah Kate Bode

Wednesday August 19, 2026 8:45am - 10:15am CDT

Meeting the Needs of All Students

Company Beginner
Audience Middle School, High School

8:45am CDT

Strategic Collaboration in Special Education

Wednesday August 19, 2026 8:45am - 10:15am CDT

This session will provide special education teachers with time to collaborate to discuss the needs of students and strategies that have been used successfully. We will also be looking at how to write goals that will transition easily as students move to the next grade level or building.

Speakers

Sam Thompson

Nicole Galliart

HS Special Education, Nevada Community School District

Wednesday August 19, 2026 8:45am - 10:15am CDT

Meeting the Needs of All Students

Company Beginner
Audience District, Early Childhood, Elementary, High School, Middle School

10:30am CDT

Collaboration Station

Wednesday August 19, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am CDT

HS Room ? (Kane)

This engaging session explores how purposeful collaboration can transform learning both inside and outside the classroom. Participants will dive into effective strategies for strengthening teacher–teacher and teacher–para partnerships, while also cultivating meaningful peer-to-peer and student–teacher collaboration. We’ll highlight our work with Building Thinking Classrooms and showcase the development of an Algebra 1 Learning Lab designed to promote both collaboration and independence. Through targeted reteaching and structured, repetitive practice, this model empowers students to take ownership of their learning while working productively with others.

Speakers

Mallory Kane

HS Math

Jennifer Cornelius

HS Special Ed.

Wednesday August 19, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am CDT
HS Room ? (Kane)

Classroom Management

Company Beginner
Audience District, Elementary, Middle School, High School

10:30am CDT

Phonemic Awareness: The Missing Piece

Wednesday August 19, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am CDT

Early Childhood Literacy - Come explore phonemic awareness sequencing from rhyming, alliteration, and syllables to phonemic manipulation! This is a great session to see the progression of literacy from preschool - 1st grade and even 2nd grade interventions. We will present many different approaches to integrating phonemic awareness in your literacy lessons from Literacy Footprints, Kickstart, and LETRS. We hope to share our passion for early childhood literacy along with providing work time and team discussions!

Speakers

Heather Barloon

Elementary Teacher

Amanda Fitch

Lisa Cave

Wednesday August 19, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am CDT

Early Childhood

Company Beginner
Audience Early Childhood

10:30am CDT

Supporting students through honest family dialogue

Wednesday August 19, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am CDT

This session is designed to strengthen teachers’ skills in building effective and consistent communication with families. We will focus on how and when to have honest and caring conversations with families. Teachers will also engage in scenarios to practice navigating conversations with empathy, professionalism, and clarity.

Speakers

Chris deNeui

Elementary Principal

Emily Kruse

Elementary Counselor and District SEL Consultant, Nevada Community School District

Randi Davis

3/4 MA Elementary Teacher

Wednesday August 19, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am CDT

Meeting the Needs of All Students

Company Beginner
Audience District, Early Childhood, Elementary, High School, Middle School

10:30am CDT

Rethinking Screen Time in the Elementary Classroom

Wednesday August 19, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am CDT

Iowa has set new statewide limits on classroom screen time for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. This session focuses on reframing our current technological mindset in the classroom to embrace developmentally appropriate, relationship-centered instructional practices.

Speakers