2025 GOCSD Innovation Summit

Discover how to empower students through goal setting with "I Can" statements! This session will explore strategies for helping students take ownership of their learning by setting meaningful goals and tracking their progress. Learn how to guide students in using "I Can" statements to define clear objectives, self-evaluate, and reflect on their growth. Gain insight into how our department successfully implemented these strategies and the impact it had on student learning. At the end of the presentation, participants will be able to implement “I Can” statement routines in their own classrooms to foster student reflection and ownership. Walk away with practical tools to help students turn their aspirations into action!

This session will provide attendees the ability to work smarter, not harder, when designing common formative assessments. AI can be an excellent addition to any professional's toolbox. Presenters will show attendees how to use AI effectively and carefully to increase the rigor and quality of assessments, while maintaining coherence with district curriculum, standard expectations, and even standardized testing format. At the end of the presentation, participants will be able to create their own common formative assessments quickly and easily using AI as a thinking partner.

“Struggle to Success” is often used as a metaphor in special education to describe the journey students with disabilities or learning challenges take, from facing difficulties to achieving personal growth and academic success. This concept emphasizes the importance of resilience, support and individualized strategies to overcome barriers and help these students realize their full potential. Ultimately, RTI as a tool in special education is about fostering an inclusive environment where students are given the resources, strategies, and encouragement they need to succeed. Participants will walk away with valuable tools to provide interventions to special education students in both their special education and regular education classrooms.

This presentation will explore the power of collaboration in the classroom through co-teaching, focusing on how effective partnerships between educators can enhance Tier 1 instruction. Attendees will learn practical strategies for integrating co-teaching models that promote inclusive, differentiated instruction, ensuring all students thrive. We will discuss the benefits of shared responsibility, continuous assessment, and fostering a positive classroom environment where every student’s needs are met. This session offers actionable insights to strengthen teaching practices and improve student engagement and achievement in diverse classroom settings.

Join us to explore how incorporating sign language in the classroom can enhance relationships and boost social-emotional learning. Participants will learn basic signs and discover how using them can strengthen connections between students and staff. By fostering inclusive communication, sign language empowers students, either deaf or hearing, to express themselves with confidence, leading to improved interactions and emotional well-being. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to create a more connected and supportive classroom environment.

Using student success criteria to engage students is a powerful approach to create clear expectations and motivate learners to take ownership of their learning. Using formative assessments to check success on student success criteria is a powerful way to continuously monitor progress, adjust instruction, and ensure that students are on track to meet their goals. Formative assessments give you and your students real-time feedback, allowing you to identify strengths, challenges, and areas for improvement as you move through the lesson or unit.

This session will focus on utilizing the Missouri Learning Standards to assist in writing a standards-based IEP utilizing multiple resources. While there are standards for secondary teachers, this session will focus on K-5 resource teachers writing IEPs aligned with curriculum.

In today’s rapidly evolving digital world, students need more than just academic knowledge; they must be equipped with the skills to navigate and succeed in a digital society. This session will focus on strategies and lesson sequencing to teach students the core principles of digital literacy and 21st-century skills in a meaningful, engaging way. Attendees will leave with practical tools, real-world examples, and ready-to-use lesson plans that can be integrated into various grade levels, from middle school to high school. Educators will have a clear plan for scaffolding these skills in the classroom while supporting a variety of learning standards.

"A thinking student is an engaged student." - Peter Liljedahl. When students are highly engaged and thinking critically, their learning is deeper and lasts longer. Students standing instead of sitting, working at vertical surfaces, and working collaboratively are all practices that keep students engaged and thinking critically. In this session, you will learn how two teachers implemented the ideas from Peter Liljedahl's groundbreaking book Building Thinking Classrooms in their classrooms. Participants do not need to have read the book in order to participate in this introductory session.

Calling all Year 1-3 teachers—let’s kick off the school year together! Join fellow educators from across the region for an energizing and informal meet-up designed just for you. 🌟 What to Expect: ✅ A supportive space to share ideas, ask questions, and swap resources ✅ The chance to connect with other new teachers—because you’re not in this alone! ✅ A free resource table to stock up on helpful materials ✅ Grab N’ Go snacks to keep you fueled No need to be a GOCSD BTC/BTAP member—everyone is welcome! Bring a friend and get ready to start your year feeling supported, inspired, and ready to thrive.