Back-to-School ConnectED Conference 2026: Full Schedule

9:30am EDT

Brains on Overdrive: Behavior in the Age of Screens and Stress K4-5

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

Limited Capacity seats available

Do you have students that struggle with regulating emotions, coping with frustration, or having the stamina to persist through difficult tasks? This session breaks down how screen exposure and stress affect the brain and gives teachers realistic, classroom strategies they can use immediately to improve student behavior and engagement.

Speakers

Jennifer Dorriety

Board Certified Behavior Analyst, District Office

Friday July 31, 2026 9:30am - 10:15am EDT
416

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood, Elementary

9:30am EDT

Data at a Glance: Using Spreadsheets to Monitor ES Progress

LIMITED

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

409

Limited Capacity seats available

In this session teachers will learn how to use a spreadsheet that takes essential standard data and calculates progress automatically to develop a plan of action. Teachers will learn how to edit the spreadsheet and change it to meet the needs of their team. The spreadsheet tracks separate classroom progress as well as whole grade levels.

Speakers

Michael James

2nd Grade Teacher, West Pelzer Elementary School

Michael James is a fourth grade teacher in his 8th year of teaching upper elementary. Michael is passionate about developing systems that work for teachers. In his mind, data is a tool that can help all teachers define success for each of their students if used in an effective wa... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 9:30am - 10:15am EDT
409

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood, Elementary

9:30am EDT

Extension in the Elementary Reading Classroom

LIMITED

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

404

Limited Capacity seats available

Turn “early finishers” into eager explorers. In this session, literacy coaches will share practical, high-impact extension activities that deepen comprehension, strengthen vocabulary, and spark independent thinking in elementary readers.

Speakers

Mary Beth Smith

Literacy Coach, Hunt Meadows Elementary School

Rebecca Ratcliffe

Literacy Coach, Wren Elementary School

Haley Mahon

Literacy Coach, West Pelzer Elementary School

Friday July 31, 2026 9:30am - 10:15am EDT
404

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood, Elementary

9:30am EDT

Getting Started with Freckle

LIMITED

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

402

Limited Capacity seats available

Join our Renaissance representative to learn more about Freckle.

Moderators

Austin Cartee

Speakers

Lisa Baumohl

Renaissance

Sponsors

Renaissance

Friday July 31, 2026 9:30am - 10:15am EDT
402

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Elementary, New to District

9:30am EDT

Interpreting Decoding and Encoding Assessments

LIMITED

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

406

Limited Capacity seats available

In this session, teachers will learn how to interpret spelling inventories (encoding assessments) and the LETRS word-reading assessment (decoding assessment) to guide instructional decisions. Analyses can be used to both group students and determine learning objectives for individual students.

Speakers

Kim Ragan

Interventionist and Literacy Specialist, West Pelzer Elementary School

M.Ed. Literacy, Certified Literacy Specialist, Orton-Gillingham - Trained

Friday July 31, 2026 9:30am - 10:15am EDT
406

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood, Elementary

9:30am EDT

PebbleGo and Let Them Grow!

LIMITED

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

415

Limited Capacity seats available

Participants will learn how to navigate PebbleGo and how this resource can be beneficial in the classroom for all readers, regardless of his/her reading level. They will also learn how to access the many resources that are available through the app/website, and how these resources can enhance lessons with all learners.

Speakers

Brenda Perry

Elementary Librarian, Cedar Grove Elementary School

With over 14 years experience as a classroom teacher and elementary librarian, I am passionate about helping students discover the joy of reading. As a librarian, I am dedicated to connecting learners with books that build confidence in reading and encouraging them to become lifelong... Read More →

Jodi Cowart

Middle School Librarian, Powdersville Middle School

With over 25 years in public education at the elementary and middle school levels serving as a fourth grade classroom teacher, teacher of Gifted & Talented, a Reading Coach and a librarian, my heart lies in connecting teachers and students to excellent books and resources that support... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 9:30am - 10:15am EDT
415

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood, Elementary, Related Arts

9:30am EDT

Power Partnering: Unlocking the Full Potential of Your TA

LIMITED

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

403

Limited Capacity seats available

Discover how a well-utilized teaching assistant can transform your classroom. In this session, you’ll gain simple, high-impact strategies to strengthen collaboration, streamline support, and accelerate student learning.

Speakers

Chelsea Roberts

Kindergarten Teacher, West Pelzer Elementary School

Chelsea Roberts is an elementary teacher with 14 years of experience in kindergarten through 2nd grade. She loves creating engaging, hands-on lessons that build strong foundations in literacy and math. Chelsea is passionate about helping students grow as independent learners and enjoys... Read More →

Emily Owens

Kindergarten Teacher Assistant, West Pelzer Elementary School

Friday July 31, 2026 9:30am - 10:15am EDT
403

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood, Classroom Assistants, Special Education

9:30am EDT

Seesaw AI: Smarter Tools for Elementary Classrooms

LIMITED

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

401

Limited Capacity seats available

Seesaw AI is purpose-built for elementary classrooms to tackle real challenges and boost student success. Our AI tools support teachers in creating meaningful learning experiences that connect with every student and lay the foundation for lifelong learning. Discover how to save time on assignments, assessments, and communication so you can focus on what matters most: your students.
Understand Seesaw’s AI Philosophy + Principles
Learn how to use Seesaw’s AI features

Moderators

Amelia Skelton

Speakers

Seesaw

Sponsors

Seesaw

Friday July 31, 2026 9:30am - 10:15am EDT
401

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood, Elementary

9:30am EDT

Where Wonder Begins: Science Curriculum Highlights

LIMITED

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

408

Limited Capacity seats available

This session will guide teachers in using the NSTA-recommended mapping strategy to connect engaging phenomena to standards and instruction. Participants will explore how real-world phenomena can drive student curiosity, questioning, and deeper scientific understanding. Teachers will also dig into curriculum folders to examine the wide range of available resources, including lesson materials, pacing guides, assessments, and support tools that can be used to strengthen science instruction throughout the year.

Speakers

Beth Owings

STEM Teacher/ Lead Elem Science Teacher, Spearman Elementary School

Friday July 31, 2026 9:30am - 10:15am EDT
408

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood, Elementary

9:30am EDT

K4 Opening Meeting

LIMITED

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

414

Limited Capacity seats available

This meeting is for all K4 teachers and assistants.

Speakers

Karen Sweat

Early Learning Literacy Specialist, Palmetto Elementary School

Friday July 31, 2026 9:30am - 11:15am EDT
414

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience K4

10:30am EDT

Accommodations Made Easy

LIMITED

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

409

Limited Capacity seats available

This presentation provides a practical breakdown of commonly seen IEP accommodations, offering clear classroom examples to eliminate implementation confusion in core subjects. It equips educators with a universal checklist for quick reference and essential advice on communicating these supports to parents during assessments. Lastly, we provide the essential resources to implement accommodations effectively, ensuring all students receive their legally mandated support.

Speakers

Jill Walls

Resource Teacher, Hunt Meadows Elementary School

Cynthia Hembree

Special Education Teacher, Hunt Meadows Elementary School

Miranda Cubitt

Special Education Teacher, Hunt Meadows Elementary School

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am EDT
409

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood, Elementary

10:30am EDT

Authentic Assessment and Insights with Seesaw

LIMITED

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

401

Limited Capacity seats available

Effective formative assessment is key to guiding instruction and supporting student growth. In this session, explore how to use Seesaw to create auto-graded assessments that deliver real-time insights into student understanding and save teachers’ time.
Explore formative assessment types
View assessment data
Create formative assessments

Moderators

Katie Bethea

Speakers

Seesaw

Sponsors

Seesaw

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am EDT
401

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood, Elementary

10:30am EDT

Creating Calm in the Chaos

LIMITED

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

411

Limited Capacity seats available

Participants will learn various strategies, organizational tips, and management tools to create a calm classroom environment that is conducive for all learners. Participants will leave with ideas, tips, and tricks that can be implemented immediately.

Speakers

Kimberly Terry

Former Kindergarten Teacher - Now Reading Interventionist, Spearman Elementary School

Judy Griggs

Literacy Coach, Spearman Elementary School

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am EDT
411

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood

10:30am EDT

Extension in the Elementary Reading Classroom

LIMITED

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

404

Limited Capacity seats available

Speakers

Mary Beth Smith

Literacy Coach, Hunt Meadows Elementary School

Rebecca Ratcliffe

Literacy Coach, Wren Elementary School

Haley Mahon

Literacy Coach, West Pelzer Elementary School

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am EDT
404

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood, Elementary

10:30am EDT

From Stories to Sources: Sparking Curiosity in 3rd–5th Grade Learners!

LIMITED

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

406

Limited Capacity seats available

This session, led by a 4th grade teacher and a school librarian, explores engaging ways to teach research to 3rd–5th grade students using read-alouds, picture books, graphic novels, and primary sources. Participants will learn practical, classroom-tested strategies to spark curiosity, build background knowledge, and promote critical thinking across content areas. Attendees will leave with ready-to-use ideas and lessons that make research interactive and meaningful.

Speakers

Deidre Ables

Media Specialist, West Pelzer Elementary School

This marks my eleventh year at West Pelzer as a school librarian. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from Clemson University and a Master’s in Library and Information Science from the University of South Carolina. I recently obtained National Board Certification in 20... Read More →

Whitney Broderick

Fourth Grade Teacher, West Pelzer Elementary School

I will be beginning my 20th year of teaching in the 2026-2027 school year! I have taught all my years in Anderson School District 1 at West Pelzer Elementary. I have taught third and fourth grade. I am certified to teach K4-6th grade and GT! I have my Masters in Elementary Educat... Read More →

Julianne Kaye

Media Specialist, Hunt Meadows Elementary School

I have dedicated 24 years to education, including six years as a first- and third-grade teacher and the past 18 years as an elementary school librarian, where I inspire a love of reading and lifelong learning in my students. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Lenoir-Rhyne... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am EDT
406

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Elementary

10:30am EDT

Getting Started with Lalilo

LIMITED

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

402

Limited Capacity seats available

Join our Renaissance representative to learn more about adminstering Lalilo.

Moderators

Lauren Brewington

Speakers

Lisa Baumohl

Renaissance

Sponsors

Renaissance

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am EDT
402

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood, New to District

10:30am EDT

Making Prevention Loop Work in the Early Childhood Classroom

LIMITED

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

403

Limited Capacity seats available

Taking a close look at how to organize and run ela and math prevention loops in the kindergarten class. Will provide a model of utilizing the UFLI curriculum, incorporating decodables/leveled readers, and getting the most bang for your buck to hit the most foundational skills in the allotted time period. Will also look at how to fine tune and ensure all students have access to and plenty of practice with Tier 1 content during the math prevention loop. Will dive into how the push in model with first grade works and how we provide students with ample hands on practice on grade level content.

Speakers

Chelsea Roberts

Kindergarten Teacher, West Pelzer Elementary School

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am EDT
403

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood

10:30am EDT

Tier 2 by Design: Using Data to Group with Purpose

LIMITED

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

407

Limited Capacity seats available

This professional development session will help teachers use student data intentionally to create effective instructional groups that target specific learning needs. Participants will explore how to group and regroup students by essential standards, allowing for more focused instruction, flexible support, and responsive teaching that drives student growth.

Speakers

Candice Garrison

Literacy Coach, Concrete Elementary School

Candice Garrison is the Literacy Coach at Concrete Primary and has served in this role for 4 years. Prior to becoming the Literacy Coach, Candice taugh Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade. Candice has a passion for helping students learn to read and close gaps! She specializes in helping... Read More →

Nicole McGaha

Literacy Coach, Oak Hill Elementary School

Nicole McGaha is a veteran educator who truly "gets" the classroom. With over 18 years of experience under her belt, she spent over a decade teaching before stepping into her current role as the Literacy Coach at Powdersville Elementary. For the last five years, Nicole has focused... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am EDT
407

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Elementary

10:30am EDT

Where Wonder Begins: Science Curriculum Highlights

LIMITED

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

408

Limited Capacity seats available

Speakers

Beth Owings

STEM Teacher/ Lead Elem Science Teacher, Spearman Elementary School

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:15am EDT
408

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood, Elementary

12:45pm EDT

Co-Teaching That Works: Practical Strategies for Elementary Classrooms

LIMITED

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

406

Limited Capacity seats available

Participants will explore practical, realistic strategies for implementing co-teaching in K4–5th grade classrooms. Rooted in real classroom partnerships and inspired by Andrea Honigsfeld’s work, this session focuses on what actually works, especially when supporting multilingual learners. Attendees will walk away with simple, actionable ideas they can begin implementing in their classrooms.

Speakers

Jordanne Kittrell

Multilingual Language Specialist, West Pelzer Elementary School

I am the Multilingual Language Specialist at West Pelzer. I have been teaching for 10 years and previously taught both 5th and 6th grade. I hold certifications in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, Gifted and Talented, and TESOL. I serve multilingual learners through a co-teaching... Read More →

Whitney Broderick

Fourth Grade Teacher, West Pelzer Elementary School

Liz Whitfield

Kindergarten Teacher, West Pelzer Elementary School

I graduated from Clemson University in 2021 and graduated with my MAT in 2022 through the Teacher Residency Program. I am in my 4th year as a kindergarten teacher at WPES. My favorite thing about K5 is modeling how to develop a love for learning and equipping children with the superpower... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 12:45pm - 1:30pm EDT
406

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood, Elementary

12:45pm EDT

Cracking the Code: Upper Elementary & Tier 3

LIMITED

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

402

Limited Capacity seats available

What do we do when students face foundational gaps but the curriculum keeps moving forward? Join the Anderson 1 Literacy Coaches for a practical session on maximizing your Tier 3 time. We will move beyond basic remediation to focus on high-impact strategies that help struggling readers tackle grade-level content. You will leave with a toolkit of "high-leverage" scaffolds designed to build student confidence and bridge the gap between intensive support and classroom success for upper grade students.

Speakers

Nicole McGaha

Literacy Coach, Oak Hill Elementary School

Candice Garrison

Literacy Coach, Concrete Elementary School

Amber Greer

Literacy Coach, Cedar Grove Elementary School

Friday July 31, 2026 12:45pm - 1:30pm EDT
402

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Elementary

12:45pm EDT

Engaging the Elementary Music Learner

LIMITED

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

404

Limited Capacity seats available

Participants will gain a better understanding of best practices and methods in relation to formal evaluation based on the NIET's 4.0 rubric for teacher effectiveness. This rubric can be a challenge for related arts teachers, but with the provided tools in this session, participants and learners will master achievement of the outlined goals.

Speakers

Amy Gregory

Music Teacher-Elementary, Oak Hill Elementary School

Friday July 31, 2026 12:45pm - 1:30pm EDT
404

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Related Arts

12:45pm EDT

Fostering Joyful Learning Experiences

LIMITED

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

401

Limited Capacity seats available

Get ready to spark joy in learning with Seesaw! In this session, educators will explore the power of the Green Add Button and dive into Seesaw’s creative tools to enhance engagement, provide meaningful support, and promote student voice at every stage of the learning journey.
Seesaw refresh!
Learn how teachers document classroom moments and learning
Explore how students can capture their own learning

Moderators

Hannah Kate Blunt

5th grade teacher, Powdersville Elementary School

Hannah Kate Blunt is a 5th grade teacher at Powdersville Elementary. She has taught for nine years, with the majority of her career being in North Carolina. She has been back in Anderson One for one year as a 5th grade self contained teacher on a team where the rest of the teachers... Read More →

Speakers

Seesaw

Sponsors

Seesaw

Friday July 31, 2026 12:45pm - 1:30pm EDT
401

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood, Elementary, New to District

12:45pm EDT

Level Up Your Foundational Literacy Practices

LIMITED

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

414

Limited Capacity seats available

Join us for an interactive workshop focused on high-impact instructional strategies. We will demystify sound-spelling mapping and practice effective word chaining sequences that keep students engaged. Whether you’re looking to refine your small group instruction or boost your whole-group phonics routines, you’ll gain the confidence and the "why" behind these essential literacy moves.

Speakers

Kristie Campbell

Literacy Coach, Palmetto Elementary School

Alisa Ellenburg

First Grade Teacher, Palmetto Elementary School

Judy Griggs

Literacy Coach, Spearman Elementary School

Friday July 31, 2026 12:45pm - 1:30pm EDT
414

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood

12:45pm EDT

Multiplication Matters: Developing Lasting Fact Fluency

LIMITED

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

403

Limited Capacity seats available

Students need to master their multiplication and divsion facts, but many kids struggle memorizing them. What if there was a better way to make multiplication facts stick with our kids? After hearing Jennifer Bay-Williams at NCTM, we have begun to rethink what it means to be fluent with multiplication facts. This session will explore what it means to be fluent and then describe instructional strategies that will support students in mastering their foundational and derived multiplication facts.

Speakers

Emily Blakely

5th Grade Teacher, Spearman Elementary School

Gresham Brown

Assistant Principal, Spearman Elementary School

Friday July 31, 2026 12:45pm - 1:30pm EDT
403

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood, Elementary

1:45pm EDT

Adding Confidence, Subtracting Anxiety - Fact Fluency in K-2

LIMITED

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

403

Limited Capacity seats available

How do students gain mastery of addition and subtraction facts? What does it mean for students to be fluent with their facts? Based on the work and research of Jennifer Bay-Williams, we have begun exploring ways to move students towards fact fluency that go beyond asking students to memorize their facts, which often produces anxiety and short term memory rather than lasting flexibility. In this session, we will learn the importance of a strategy approach to fact fluency and how to provide experiences that enable students to master their foundational and derived facts and feel confident in the process.

Speakers

Abby Hoefel

2nd Grade Teacher, Spearman Elementary School

Gresham Brown

Assistant Principal, Spearman Elementary School

Friday July 31, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT
403

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood

1:45pm EDT

Administering Star Computer Adaptive Tests

LIMITED

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

401

Limited Capacity seats available

Join our Renaissance representative to learn more about adminstering Star tests.

Moderators

Chad Love

Speakers

Lisa Baumohl

Renaissance

Sponsors

Renaissance

Friday July 31, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT
401

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood, Elementary, New to District

1:45pm EDT

Brains on Overdrive: Behavior in the Age of Screens and Stress K4-5

LIMITED

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

416

Limited Capacity seats available

Speakers

Jennifer Dorriety

Board Certified Behavior Analyst, District Office

Friday July 31, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT
416

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood, Elementary

1:45pm EDT

Cracking the Code: Upper Elementary & Tier 3

LIMITED

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

402

Limited Capacity seats available

Speakers

Nicole McGaha

Literacy Coach, Oak Hill Elementary School

Candice Garrison

Literacy Coach, Concrete Elementary School

Amber Greer

Literacy Coach, Cedar Grove Elementary School

Friday July 31, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT
402

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Elementary

1:45pm EDT

Level Up Your Foundational Literacy Practices

LIMITED

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

414

Limited Capacity seats available

Speakers

Kristie Campbell

Literacy Coach, Palmetto Elementary School

Alisa Ellenburg

First Grade Teacher, Palmetto Elementary School

Judy Griggs

Literacy Coach, Spearman Elementary School

Friday July 31, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT
414

Elementary (EC/ES)

Audience Early Childhood

1:45pm EDT

Power of the Pivot: Mastering Conversation Turns

LIMITED

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