EPS Summer Extravaganza 2026: Full Schedule

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8:30am CDT

Decodable Books: Remove the Guesswork in Reading

Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:30am - 10:30am CDT

Attend this session to transition from "guesswork" to mastery-based reading instruction, ensuring every student has the tools to decode accurately. This hands-on session offers a deep dive into the practical application of decodable books as essential scaffolding for emerging readers. During the workshop, participants will learn to promote literacy equity by matching text difficulty to a student's specific phonics journey, effectively removing the frustration of unknown variables. Beyond theory, teachers will actively engage with and take away a toolkit of ready-to-use routines designed for immediate implementation in Tier 1 literacy blocks or small-group instruction.

Speakers

Elise Lovejoy

Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:30am - 10:30am CDT
Francis Tuttle Danforth 3853 E Danforth Rd

Belonging, Reading, Early Childhood: PreK-2 | Collaboration, Reading, Early Childhood: PreK-2 | Learn & Perform, Reading, Early Childhood: PreK-2

8:30am CDT

Data, Data, Data! Turning numbers into next steps.

Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:30am - 10:30am CDT

Francis Tuttle Danforth

Data or it didn't happen!
Dive deeper and gain a stronger understanding of why data matters (beyond compliance)
Learn what data to actually track (it doesn't have to be everything!)
Use simple, functional spreadsheets to drive instruction (I'll provide templates and show you how to create your own)
Walk away with tools you can use immediately

Speakers

Charina Urban

Moderate Behavior Teacher

Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:30am - 10:30am CDT
Francis Tuttle Danforth 3853 E Danforth Rd

Collaboration Integrity Learn & Perform Classroom & Behavior Management Technology / Ed-Tech

8:30am CDT

Building Writing Abilities in Just Six Minutes a Day!

Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:30am - 10:30am CDT

Francis Tuttle Danforth

In this session, I'll share how I've transformed my students' writing abilities over the past four years through short, daily writing sessions called "Sacred Writing Time." We'll model how this writing time functions and explore modifications for ALL writing levels. You'll walk away with ready-to-use slideshows organized by month with opinion, narrative, informational, and social-emotional prompts for the upcoming school year!

Speakers

Lindsey Fite

4th Grade Teacher, Edmond Public Schools

Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:30am - 10:30am CDT
Francis Tuttle Danforth 3853 E Danforth Rd

Learn & Perform, Writing, Reading, World Languages, Upper Elementary: 3-5, Middle 6-8, High 9-12

8:30am CDT

Empowering Every Learner: Inclusive Tools to Support Reading, Writing, and Understanding

Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:30am - 10:30am CDT

EPSAC

Students enter our classrooms with a wide range of learning styles, needs, and skills. Attendees will explore the UDL tools available in the Read&Write and OrbitNote extensions (available to all EPS students) that support reading, writing, note taking, studying, and learning. Participants will leave with practical strategies for making learning accessible and engaging for all students. Participants need to bring a charged device.

Speakers

Emily Boyett

Assistive Technology Specialist/SLP, Edmond Public Schools

Emily Boyett, M.A., CCC-SLP, ATP is an assistive technology specialist and speech-language pathologist for Edmond Public Schools in central Oklahoma. She has worked 26 years in public education providing AT and speech language services for students with a broad range of disabilities... Read More →

Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:30am - 10:30am CDT
EPSAC 1001 W Danforth

Learn & Perform, Writing, Reading, Upper Elementary: 3-5, Middle 6-8, High 9-12 | Technology / Ed-Tech, Writing, Reading, Upper Elementary: 3-5, Middle 6-8, High 9-12

8:30am CDT

5 Keys to Strong Kids - Unlocking Protective Factors in Our School Community

Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:30am - 11:30am CDT

Francis Tuttle Danforth

Get ready for a proactive, inspiring dive into the Strengthening Families™ Protective Factors Framework! In this session, we’ll unpack and get an introduction to all five of the factors that help families thrive: Parental Resilience, Social Connections, Concrete Supports, Parenting Knowledge, and Children’s Social-Emotional Competence. Through practical examples and real-world strategies, participants will learn how everyday interactions can reduce stress, spark connection, and create stronger, more resilient school communities. Come ready to learn, reflect, and leave with simple actions that make a big difference for kids and families!

Speakers

Ezequiel Madrigal

Secondary Behavior Interventionist, Edmond Public Schools

I taught middle and high school Spanish for eight years before transitioning to my role as a Secondary Behavior Interventionist and also recently completed my Master's degree in Educational Leadership with aspirations of being a future school administrator

Stephanie Wimer

Assistant Principal

Tamera Lange

Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:30am - 11:30am CDT
Francis Tuttle Danforth 3853 E Danforth Rd

Belonging Collaboration Hope Mental Health & Wellness

8:30am CDT

Jump Into Reading K-2nd Grades

LIMITED

Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:30am - 11:30am CDT

Francis Tuttle Danforth

Limited Capacity seats available

Join us for an engaging opportunity designed for K-2 teachers. During this training, teachers will explore HMH Into Reading curriculum and learn how to effectively implement its resources and instructional routines in the classroom.

Speakers

Kathy McIntyre

1st Grade TeacherI am a, Edmond Public Schools

I am a first grade teacher with 17 years of experience in EPS. I am LETRS trained and passionate about helping students deelop strong literacy foundations. Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to lead professional development sessions and collaborate with educators to... Read More →

Jeanne Ksiazak

Teacher, Edmond Public Schools

Hi, I'm Jeanne Ksiazak and I have 22 years of teaching experience with Kinder - 2nd grade students. I'll be starting my 17th year in first grade at EPS this upcoming school year. I have had the priviege of co-leading several district professional development sessions and serving... Read More →

Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:30am - 11:30am CDT
Francis Tuttle Danforth 3853 E Danforth Rd

Collaboration, Writing, Reading | Learn & Perform, Writing, Reading

10:45am CDT

Don’t Just Read It—Write It! Unlocking Literacy Through Writing Integration

Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT

Francis Tuttle Danforth

This session explores why writing is a critical—but often overlooked—component of effective reading instruction for elementary students with reading delays/deficits. If you have students who can read a word but struggle to apply it, this session will show you how writing bridges that gap. Participants will leave with ready-to-use routines that seamlessly embed writing into existing reading instruction—without adding extra lesson prep. If you want concrete strategies, sample lesson structures, and adaptable tools for writing about reading that you can implement in your classroom immediately, this session is for you!

Speakers

Nichole Seay

Certified Academic Language Therapist, Special education teacher, Cross Timbers Elementary

Jennifer Nichols

Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Francis Tuttle Danforth 3853 E Danforth Rd

Collaboration, Writing, Reading, Early Childhood: PreK-2, Upper Elementary: 3-5 | Learn & Perform, Writing, Reading, Early Childhood: PreK-2, Upper Elementary: 3-5

10:45am CDT

Teaching is intense...PD doesn't have to be! Instructional Nudges for Math Teachers

FILLING

Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT

Francis Tuttle Danforth

Limited Capacity filling up

Come join us for low-intensity, high-impact teaching nudges that will support your math teaching!

Speakers

Darcy McMullen

Elementary Math Content Specialist, Edmond Public Schools

Tessa Tefertiller

Edmond Public Schools

Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Francis Tuttle Danforth 3853 E Danforth Rd

Learn & Perform, Math

10:45am CDT

Accommodations in Reading: Determining the Who & How

Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT

EPSAC

Many students with and without disabilities benefit from alternative reading methods such as text-to-speech or audio text, but how do we decide who requires which accommodations, if any? In this session participants will learn how the Universal Protocol for Accommodations in Reading (uPAR) can help determine what, if any, reading accommodations work best for their students. Attendees will learn how to analyze results and create an actionable plan for how to support struggling readers. Participants need to bring a charged device.

Speakers

Emily Boyett

Assistive Technology Specialist/SLP, Edmond Public Schools

Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
EPSAC 1001 W Danforth

Learn & Perform, Reading, Upper Elementary: 3-5, Middle 6-8 | Technology / Ed-Tech, Reading, Upper Elementary: 3-5, Middle 6-8

12:30pm CDT

Design Smarter, Not Harder: Using Canva + ChatGPT to Create Classroom Visuals and Templates

Wednesday July 22, 2026 12:30pm - 2:30pm CDT

Francis Tuttle Danforth

Learn how to use ChatGPT and Canva together to save time while designing engaging, ready-to-use classroom materials. In this hands-on session, participants will explore how ChatGPT can generate ideas, content, and templates for lessons, interventions, parent communication, social stories, behavior supports, and more. Educators will then use Canva to transform those ideas into polished, visually engaging presentations, instructional materials, and classroom visuals that are both functional and student-friendly.

Participants will also learn how to create personalized visuals and social stories that increase student engagement by connecting directly to student interests, strengths, and needs. These visuals can also feature the student themselves, helping build ownership, connection, and motivation. The session will include strategies for designing both whole-class and individualized supports that students are excited to use, along with simple ways to reuse and adapt templates across settings.

Attendees should bring a device so they can actively practice creating their own visuals and templates during the session. Participants will leave with practical prompts, design ideas, and ready-to-use strategies they can immediately implement in their classrooms.

Speakers

Jodi Wolf

Behavior Interventionist, Edmond Public Schools

I am a dedicated educator with 11 years of experience serving students in Edmond Public Schools. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Master of Reading from the University of Central Oklahoma. During my career, I spent eight years as a Mild/Moderate Special Education... Read More →

Wednesday July 22, 2026 12:30pm - 2:30pm CDT
Francis Tuttle Danforth 3853 E Danforth Rd

Belonging, Early Childhood: PreK-2, Upper Elementary: 3-5 | Collaboration, Early Childhood: PreK-2, Upper Elementary: 3-5 | Classroom & Behavior Management, Early Childhood: PreK-2, Upper Elementary: 3-5

12:30pm CDT

Streamlining Secondary Math PLC's - effecive data analysis

LIMITED

Wednesday July 22, 2026 12:30pm - 2:30pm CDT

EPSAC

Limited Capacity seats available

We will look at how to look at assignments and assessments you are already doing and how to (hopefully) quickly analyze what needs to be tweaked in your upcoming lesson plans.

Speakers

Tessa Tefertiller

Edmond Public Schools

Wednesday July 22, 2026 12:30pm - 2:30pm CDT
EPSAC 1001 W Danforth

Collaboration, Math, Middle 6-8, High 9-12

12:30pm CDT

Athletics- How do you SCHAPE your teams culture.

Wednesday July 22, 2026 12:30pm - 2:30pm CDT

EPSAC

How to impact and build our programs culture with building a philosophy, pillars of your program and making your teams the most positive and impactful program at your site.

Speakers

Brent Hodges

Athletic Director-North, Edmond Public Schools

Wednesday July 22, 2026 12:30pm - 2:30pm CDT
EPSAC 1001 W Danforth

Collaboration, Athletics, Middle 6-8, High 9-12 | Integrity, Athletics, Middle 6-8, High 9-12 | Hope, Athletics, Middle 6-8, High 9-12 | Learn & Perform, Athletics, Middle 6-8, High 9-12

12:30pm CDT

Geology Rocks

Wednesday July 22, 2026 12:30pm - 2:30pm CDT

Francis Tuttle Danforth

Geology can be an exciting hands-on subject that will engage your students. We will explore strategies and activities that will help upper elementary and middle schoolers become curious about Earth Science. You will receive lessons and instructional practice in three geologic activities. We will create Playdoh plate tectonics, Starburst Rock Cycle, and Rock Types Observtions.

Speakers

Heather Thornton

6th Grade Science Teacher, Edmond Public Schools

Teaching is my joy. Science is my passion. In my first career as a park interpreter at Palo Duro Canyon State Park, I found my direction in helping teach students about our natural resources. As I transitioned into the classroom 20 years ago, I made connections with my students... Read More →

Wednesday July 22, 2026 12:30pm - 2:30pm CDT
Francis Tuttle Danforth 3853 E Danforth Rd

Learn & Perform, Science, Upper Elementary: 3-5, Middle 6-8

12:30pm CDT

Elementary Science: Designing 3D Assessments in Partnership with Generative AI

LIMITED

Wednesday July 22, 2026 12:30pm - 2:30pm CDT

Francis Tuttle Danforth

Limited Capacity seats available

Are you looking for easier ways to design science tests that actually show what your students are thinking? In this fast-paced, 2-hour session, we will show you how to quickly build "hands-on" science assessments using a helpful framework and the power of artificial intelligence.

Together, we will practice breaking down science standards, writing smart prompts for AI, and shaping the AI's ideas to fit your real classroom needs. We will also talk honestly about when and how it's appropriate to use AI in schools. You'll leave with a ready-to-use mini-quiz or task, prompt templates you can copy and paste, and new strategies to save you time next week.

Speakers

Shelby Smittle

Wednesday July 22, 2026 12:30pm - 2:30pm CDT
Francis Tuttle Danforth 3853 E Danforth Rd

Learn & Perform, Early Childhood: PreK-2, Upper Elementary: 3-5 | Technology / Ed-Tech, Early Childhood: PreK-2, Upper Elementary: 3-5

12:30pm CDT

5 Keys to Strong Kids - Developing Parental Resilience and Concrete Supports

LIMITED

Wednesday July 22, 2026 12:30pm - 3:30pm CDT

Francis Tuttle Danforth

Limited Capacity seats available

Get ready for a proactive, inspiring dive into two of the Strengthening Families™ Protective Factors Framework! In this session, we’ll go deeper into two of the five protective factors that help families thrive: “Parental Resilience” and “Concrete Supports in Times of Need”. Through practical examples and real-world strategies, participants will learn how everyday interactions can reduce stress, spark connection, and create stronger, more resilient school communities. Come ready to learn, reflect, and leave with simple actions that make a big difference for kids and families!

Speakers

Stephanie Wimer

Assistant Principal

Tamera Lange

Wednesday July 22, 2026 12:30pm - 3:30pm CDT
Francis Tuttle Danforth 3853 E Danforth Rd

Belonging Collaboration Hope Mental Health & Wellness

12:30pm CDT

Jump Into Reading K-2nd Grades

LIMITED

Wednesday July 22, 2026 12:30pm - 3:30pm CDT

Francis Tuttle Danforth

Limited Capacity seats available

Speakers

Kathy McIntyre

1st Grade TeacherI am a, Edmond Public Schools

Jeanne Ksiazak

Teacher, Edmond Public Schools

Wednesday July 22, 2026 12:30pm - 3:30pm CDT
Francis Tuttle Danforth 3853 E Danforth Rd

Collaboration, Writing, Reading, Early Childhood: PreK-2 | Learn & Perform, Writing, Reading, Early Childhood: PreK-2

1:30pm CDT

Civic History: Cow Towns to Council Houses

LIMITED

Wednesday July 22, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm CDT

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Limited Capacity seats available

Explore how the study of history and civics can become more meaningful by analyzing how traits such as Honor, Courage, Grit, and Service have motivated individuals and major events of the past. Come join us on a hands-on discovery of the American West ON-SITE at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum!

Speakers

Pam Merrill

Learning and Curriculum Coordinator, National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum

Former social studies teacher and curriculum coordinator, Edmond schools; Curriculum & Assessment Consultant, Oklahoma State Department of Education

Wednesday July 22, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm CDT
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

2:45pm CDT

From Pawns to Possibilities: How to Start and Sustain a School Chess Club

Wednesday July 22, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm CDT

Francis Tuttle Danforth

Starting a chess club may feel intimidating at first, but it can be much simpler than expected, even for educators who are unsure where to begin or only have a basic understanding of chess. This session will guide participants through the process of creating and sustaining a successful elementary school chess club by covering meeting organization, beginner-friendly lessons, routines, tournaments, and strategies for keeping students engaged. Resources for starting school chess clubs consistently emphasize that you do not need to be a chess expert to successfully run a club and that creating a welcoming environment centered around gameplay and community is what matters most.

This session will also share the experience of starting a chess club at a Title I school site and the overwhelmingly positive feedback received from students, families, staff, and district representatives. Participants will learn how to fund their club through DonorsChoose, including how to create and promote projects to gain community support. Attendees will leave with practical resources, planning ideas, and ready-to-use materials to confidently begin building a chess club at their own school.

Speakers

Jodi Wolf

Behavior Interventionist, Edmond Public Schools

Wednesday July 22, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm CDT
Francis Tuttle Danforth 3853 E Danforth Rd

Belonging, Early Childhood: PreK-2, Upper Elementary: 3-5 | Integrity, Early Childhood: PreK-2, Upper Elementary: 3-5 | Hope, Early Childhood: PreK-2, Upper Elementary: 3-5

2:45pm CDT

Preventing and De-Personalizing Student Misbehavior

FULL

Wednesday July 22, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm CDT

Francis Tuttle Danforth

Limited Capacity full

This session empowers educators to recognize themselves as the decisive element in the classroom climate, focusing on how their personal responses influence whether a student crisis is escalated or de-escalated and whether a child is humanized or dehumanized. Through a collaborative format designed for all key staff, participants will study the brain science of anger including the roles of the amygdala, the developing prefrontal cortex, and learn to reframe student resistance using the "Can’t vs. Won’t" model. Attendees will actively analyze the seven phases of the anger chain to match specific strategies to student behavior, practice delivering clear "alpha commands," and refine non-verbal communication techniques such as maintaining a supportive stance and a neutral expression. Ultimately, the session provides a comprehensive toolkit for unemotional enforcement of schoolwide policies and a library of social skills lessons to teach students how to interact appropriately with adults and manage their own emotional equilibrium.

Speakers

Ezequiel Madrigal

Secondary Behavior Interventionist, Edmond Public Schools

Wednesday July 22, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm CDT
Francis Tuttle Danforth 3853 E Danforth Rd

Classroom & Behavior Management

2:45pm CDT

Boost Elementary Science Learning with Sensemaking Notebooks

LIMITED

Wednesday July 22, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm CDT

Francis Tuttle Danforth

Limited Capacity seats available

Discover how sensemaking notebooks can transform your K–5 science lessons into powerful tools for learning. In this session, you’ll explore how to help students document their thinking, analyze data, and build literacy while strengthening their 3-dimensional understanding of our science standards. Together, we’ll tackle key questions: What should an elementary science notebook look like? What belongs inside? How do we guide students to record observations, explain their reasoning, and make sense of phenomena? You’ll see examples of how notebooks support the Science and Engineering Practices, integrate writing and drawing, and provide a window into student thinking. Sensemaking notebooks give you the flexibility to adapt to your teaching style and your students’ needs—all while centering the four essences that drive meaningful, lasting learning.

Speakers