Back-to-School ConnectED Conference 2026

Back-to-School ConnectED Conference 2026

9:30am EDT

From Compliance To Persistence

Friday July 31, 2026 9:30am - 10:15am EDT

509

Limited Capacity seats available

This session highlights new instructional strategies I have used and refined to increase student engagement, ownership of learning, and depth of understanding. Participants will explore how intentional lesson design, student choice, and structured inquiry can shift classrooms from teacher-led to student-driven learning. Practical examples and ready-to-use ideas will be shared so strategies can be implemented immediately.

Speakers

Abbie McReynolds

Seventh Grade Science Teacher, Palmetto Middle School

Abbie McReynolds is a 7th grade science teacher at Palmetto Middle School. She is passionate about designing instruction that increases student engagement, ownership, and persistence in learning. Through her classroom practice, she has focused on shifting from teacher-led instruction... Read More →

Carlye Cole

Special Education Teacher, Palmetto Middle School

My name is Carlye Cole. I currently teach an intellectual disabilities self-contained classroom at Palmetto Middle School. With 11 years of experience in Anderson School Distrcit One, I have worked with a wide range of students and abilities across both middle and elementary school... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 9:30am - 10:15am EDT
509

General Audience

Audience Elementary, Middle
Topic/Subject Instructional Strategies

9:30am EDT

Sending out an SOS: Strategies to Save Your Sanity (and Your Lesson)

Friday July 31, 2026 9:30am - 10:15am EDT

413

Limited Capacity seats available

We’ve all had those moments...when the lesson isn’t landing, engagement is low, looking for a way to check for understanding, and you need a quick reset. This session is your SOS. We’ll spotlight easy, effective instructional strategies you can pull out in real time to re-engage students and get learning back on track using Discovery Education tools.

Speakers

Pam Inabinett

Director, Partner Success, SE, Discovery Education

Pam Inabinett brings two decades of South Carolina classroom experience and just the right amount of tech-loving enthusiasm. She started as a classroom teacher before becoming an Instructional Technology Specialist in Dorchester School District Two, where she first discovered the... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 9:30am - 10:15am EDT
413

General Audience

Audience General Audience
Topic/Subject Instructional Strategies

9:30am EDT

Curriculum Disconnect: Are You Truly Teaching What is Being Tested?

Friday July 31, 2026 9:30am - 10:15am EDT

504

Limited Capacity seats available

Participants will explore a systematic methodology for recalibrating instructional content and formative assessments, ensuring every classroom activity is purposefully mapped to the cognitive demands of state standards. Beyond theoretical alignment, this workshop offers a transparent look at our realignment process: what worked, what didn't, and where we are headed!

Speakers

Joanna Watkins

Librarian, Palmetto High School

Alex Young

Social Studies Teacher, Palmetto High School

Friday July 31, 2026 9:30am - 10:15am EDT
504

Secondary (MS/HS)

Audience High
Topic/Subject Instructional Strategies

9:30am EDT

Power Tools for Teaching

Friday July 31, 2026 9:30am - 10:15am EDT

505

Limited Capacity seats available

Implementing these four Power Tools into daily classroom practice will provide in-depth opportunities for students to show what they know and take ownership of their own learning. These strategies will also help teachers become more informed about student performance, misconceptions, and progress toward mastery... and require little to no prep!

Speakers

Ashley Weaver

8th Grade Math Teacher, Powdersville Middle School

Dr. Ashley Weaver is a National Board Certified, 8th grade math teacher at Powdersville Middle School with 18 years of experience in the classroom. Her goal as an educator is to convince the world that every person is a "math person." When not in school, you can find her with her... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 9:30am - 10:15am EDT
505

Secondary (MS/HS)

Audience Middle
Topic/Subject Instructional Strategies

9:30am EDT

Strengthening Tier 1 with Cooperative Learning and Differentiated Small Group Instruction

Friday July 31, 2026 9:30am - 11:15am EDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Strong Tier 1 instruction requires intentional decision-making about how students engage with information, process their learning, and receive the support or challenge they need to make progress. In this session, participants will explore how to use learning goals and student data to determine when whole-group instruction is the most effective pathway and when differentiated small-group instruction may better support learners at different levels of readiness.
During the first half of the session, we will focus on making whole-group instruction more effective by chunking content, pausing for processing, and leveraging cooperative learning structures to promote meaningful interaction, improve comprehension, and increase retention. In the second half, participants will explore how data can inform decisions about when to transition from whole-group to differentiated small-group instruction and how to design targeted learning experiences that provide the appropriate level of support, practice, enrichment, or extension. We will conclude by exploring how the Station Rotation Model can create consistent opportunities for small-group instruction and discussing the shifts necessary to use small groups effectively for Tier 2 support and enrichment, ensuring those experiences address learner needs rather than simply repeating instruction that was not successful the first time.

Speakers

Catlin Tucker

Education Expert, Best-Selling Author, and International Speaker

Dr. Catlin Tucker is an education expert, bestselling author, and international speaker with 24 years of experience in education. Named Sonoma County Teacher of the Year in 2010, she earned a Master’s in Education from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a doctorate... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 9:30am - 11:15am EDT
Library

Secondary (MS/HS)

Audience Middle, High
Topic/Subject Instructional Strategies

10:30am EDT

Outwit, Outlast, Outplay the Barriers: Scaffolding for Student Success

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am EDT

510

Limited Capacity seats available

Learning and mastering content shouldn’t be a challenge to students but when they enter our classroom with barriers, we often don’t know how to support learning at their level, when feeling the pressure to teach on-grade level standards. Come learn what scaffolding is and how it can support ALL learners inside your classroom.

Speakers

Ashley Brewer

Instructional Coach, Powdersville Middle School

Passionate public school educator of 16 years who has taught both middle school and high school English. Spent the last four years in Pickens County where I served as an At-Risk Coach and Instructional Coach. Excited to be back in A1!

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am EDT
510

General Audience

Audience General Audience
Topic/Subject Instructional Strategies

10:30am EDT

Sending out an SOS: Strategies to Save Your Sanity (and Your Lesson)

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am EDT

413

Limited Capacity seats available

We’ve all had those moments...when the lesson isn’t landing, engagement is low, looking for a way to check for understanding, and you need a quick reset. This session is your SOS. We’ll spotlight easy, effective instructional strategies you can pull out in real time to re-engage students and get learning back on track using Discovery Education tools.

Speakers

Pam Inabinett

Director, Partner Success, SE, Discovery Education

Pam Inabinett brings two decades of South Carolina classroom experience and just the right amount of tech-loving enthusiasm. She started as a classroom teacher before becoming an Instructional Technology Specialist in Dorchester School District Two, where she first discovered the... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am EDT
413

General Audience

Audience General Audience
Topic/Subject Instructional Strategies

10:30am EDT

Innovating the Classroom: Structure, Songs, and Seating

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am EDT

516

Limited Capacity seats available

Traditional secondary classes (especially math classes) can seem extremely stale to students and teachers. In this session I will share a few changes I have implemented to the high school classroom to make it a more inviting and interactive environment and the effect it has had on my students.

Speakers

Denton Carter

High School Math, Powdersville High School

I am a recent graduate of Anderson University and ASD1, and currently teach math at Powdersville High School. I am extremely passionate about my job and care deeply about my students and making a positive impact on their educational journey. I enjoy doing math, watching college sports... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am EDT
516

Secondary (MS/HS)

Audience Middle, High
Topic/Subject Instructional Strategies

10:30am EDT

Power Tools for Teaching

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am EDT

505

Limited Capacity seats available

Implementing these four Power Tools into daily classroom practice will provide in-depth opportunities for students to show what they know and take ownership of their own learning. These strategies will also help teachers become more informed about student performance, misconceptions, and progress toward mastery... and require little to no prep!

Speakers

Ashley Weaver

8th Grade Math Teacher, Powdersville Middle School

Dr. Ashley Weaver is a National Board Certified, 8th grade math teacher at Powdersville Middle School with 18 years of experience in the classroom. Her goal as an educator is to convince the world that every person is a "math person." When not in school, you can find her with her... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am EDT
505

Secondary (MS/HS)

Audience High
Topic/Subject Instructional Strategies

11:30am EDT

Lunch and Learn with Catlin Tucker (Admin & Instructional Coaches)

Friday July 31, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm EDT

Limited Capacity seats available

This session is designed for Admin and Instructional Coaches

Speakers

Catlin Tucker

Education Expert, Best-Selling Author, and International Speaker

Dr. Catlin Tucker is an education expert, bestselling author, and international speaker with 24 years of experience in education. Named Sonoma County Teacher of the Year in 2010, she earned a Master’s in Education from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a doctorate... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm EDT
Library

Topic/Subject Instructional Strategies

12:45pm EDT

From Classroom to Career: Bringing Learning to Life

Friday July 31, 2026 12:45pm - 1:30pm EDT

413

Limited Capacity seats available

How do we make learning meaningful? By connecting it to the real world. This session highlights how Discovery Education’s Careers Hub empowers students to explore industries, discover career pathways, and understand the “why” behind what they’re learning. Walk away with practical ways to embed career connections across content areas.

Speakers

Pam Inabinett

Director, Partner Success, SE, Discovery Education

Pam Inabinett brings two decades of South Carolina classroom experience and just the right amount of tech-loving enthusiasm. She started as a classroom teacher before becoming an Instructional Technology Specialist in Dorchester School District Two, where she first discovered the... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 12:45pm - 1:30pm EDT
413

Secondary (MS/HS)

Audience Middle, High
Topic/Subject Instructional Strategies

12:45pm EDT

Strengthening Tier 1 with Cooperative Learning and Differentiated Small Group Instruction

Friday July 31, 2026 12:45pm - 2:30pm EDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Strong Tier 1 instruction requires intentional decision-making about how students engage with information, process their learning, and receive the support or challenge they need to make progress. In this session, participants will explore how to use learning goals and student data to determine when whole-group instruction is the most effective pathway and when differentiated small-group instruction may better support learners at different levels of readiness.
During the first half of the session, we will focus on making whole-group instruction more effective by chunking content, pausing for processing, and leveraging cooperative learning structures to promote meaningful interaction, improve comprehension, and increase retention. In the second half, participants will explore how data can inform decisions about when to transition from whole-group to differentiated small-group instruction and how to design targeted learning experiences that provide the appropriate level of support, practice, enrichment, or extension. We will conclude by exploring how the Station Rotation Model can create consistent opportunities for small-group instruction and discussing the shifts necessary to use small groups effectively for Tier 2 support and enrichment, ensuring those experiences address learner needs rather than simply repeating instruction that was not successful the first time.

Speakers

Catlin Tucker

Education Expert, Best-Selling Author, and International Speaker

Dr. Catlin Tucker is an education expert, bestselling author, and international speaker with 24 years of experience in education. Named Sonoma County Teacher of the Year in 2010, she earned a Master’s in Education from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a doctorate... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 12:45pm - 2:30pm EDT
Library

Secondary (MS/HS)

Audience Middle, High
Topic/Subject Instructional Strategies

1:45pm EDT

Power of the Pivot: Mastering Conversation Turns

Friday July 31, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT

406

Limited Capacity seats available

This session explores how intentional conversational turns serve as a catalyst for oral language development. Drawing on the Strive for Five framework (Zucker & Cabell, 2024), participants will master "pivoting" techniques to scaffold or challenge student responses in real-time. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to weave academic vocabulary into daily discourse, ultimately boosting student comprehension and expressive confidence.

Speakers

Melissa Oliver

ML Specialist, Spearman Elementary School

Friday July 31, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT
406

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood, Elementary
Topic/Subject Instructional Strategies

1:45pm EDT

UDL and Differentiation For All Levels of Learners

Friday July 31, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT

506

Limited Capacity seats available

Participants will learn the following: What is UDL and Differentiation?; Why is this important for our classrooms/students?; Resources that assist teachers with implementing both in their day to day lessons; How this can impact the learning that is happening in the classroom.

Speakers

Heidi Stilwell

10-12 resource and inclusion teacher, Wren High School

Heidi is a veteran Special Education teacher who is passionate about ensuring that all students have access to the curriculum, regardless of disability or ethnicity. Having taught in multiple states, and multiple classroom environments, Heidi has worked with some of the most challenging... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT
506

General Audience

Audience General Audience
Topic/Subject Instructional Strategies

1:45pm EDT

Work Smarter, Not Harder: Your Shortcut to Standards-Aligned Success

Friday July 31, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT

413

Limited Capacity seats available

Lesson planning doesn’t have to feel like a puzzle. In this session, we’ll show you how Discovery Education’s Curriculum Alignment Resources do the heavy lifting for you. Quickly find standards-aligned content, simplify your planning process, and spend less time searching and more time teaching. Walk away with easy ways to stay aligned, save time, and feel confident in every lesson.

Speakers

Pam Inabinett

Director, Partner Success, SE, Discovery Education

Pam Inabinett brings two decades of South Carolina classroom experience and just the right amount of tech-loving enthusiasm. She started as a classroom teacher before becoming an Instructional Technology Specialist in Dorchester School District Two, where she first discovered the... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT
413

General Audience

Audience General Audience
Topic/Subject Instructional Strategies

1:45pm EDT

Band Director Best Practices

Friday July 31, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT

208

Limited Capacity seats available

Band directors will discuss pedagogical techniques and curriculum to implement throughout the year.

Speakers

Garrett Young

Band Director, Powdersville High School

Friday July 31, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT
208

Secondary (MS/HS)

Audience Related Arts
Topic/Subject Instructional Strategies

1:45pm EDT

Building Variety Into Your Unit Plans

Friday July 31, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT

508

Limited Capacity seats available

Do you ever feel like you do the same types of assignments and activities day after day, unit after unit, year after year? This session is designed to help you re-evalutae your unit planning process to build in variety in content delivery, student practice, and assessment options while still staying focused on essential standards.

Speakers

Leslie Martin

Social Studies Teacher, Powdersville High School

Leslie has been teaching since 2005. She has experience teaching middle school through college, is a master teacher with Clemson University's teacher residency program, and has a Doctorate of Education in Curriculum and Assessment from Southern Weslyan University.

Friday July 31, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT
508

Secondary (MS/HS)

Audience Middle, High
Topic/Subject Instructional Strategies

1:45pm EDT

Getting HIPPY With It

Friday July 31, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT

509

Limited Capacity seats available

Looking for a concise way to help students break down primary and secondary sources?
Get HIPPY with it. This strategy helps students analyze a source from a multitude of layers and can be helpful on stimulus based questions or written response.

Speakers

Aubrey Williams

AP US History Teacher, Wren High School

Mrs. Williams is a Secondary Education Social Studies teacher with a passion for primary source materials used to enrich class discussions. Aubrey has been in public education for 10 years and has served as a curriculum writer for the USS Midway. Aubrey was also the ASD1 Teacher of... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT
509

Secondary (MS/HS)

Audience Middle, High
Topic/Subject Instructional Strategies

1:45pm EDT

The Battle for Authentic Learning: Detecting & Using AI Ethically

Friday July 31, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT

517

Limited Capacity seats available

Join us to learn why ethical AI matters! We will share strategies for how students can use AI in the classroom to enhance, not supplement, their learning. We will also share strategies for teachers to ensure that students are completing authentic work.

Speakers

Amanda Foster

English Teacher, Powdersville High School

Journalist turned English teacher, I love teaching writing in all forms. I am committed to students becoming strong readers, speakers, listeners, and writers before they graduate high school.

Reilly Shillinglaw

English Teacher, Powdersville High School

Hannah Watson

English Teacher, Powdersville High School

Hannah Watson is an English teacher at Powdersville High School. Hannah is passionate about empowering students to become lifelong learners and critical thinkers.

Friday July 31, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT
517

Secondary (MS/HS)

Audience Middle, High
Topic/Subject Instructional Strategies

Back-to-School ConnectED Conference 2026

Register to attend