Paraprofessional Summit 2026: Full Schedule

Welcome, Paraprofessionals!

8:30am CDT

Arrival

Thursday August 20, 2026 8:30am - 8:45am CDT

8:45am CDT

Thursday August 20, 2026 8:45am - 10:15am CDT

Are you tired of playing "behavioral fire-fighter"? It’s time to shift from managing outbursts to mastering instruction. Moving from different stages of chaos in the classroom to one of calm requires a fundamental shift from traditional behavior management to a skill-based approach. Traditional methods often rely on using punitive consequences, rewards, and punishments to control students from...
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Thursday August 20, 2026 8:45am - 10:15am CDT
Marathon/Price

10:15am CDT

Break

Thursday August 20, 2026 10:15am - 10:30am CDT

10:30am CDT

Kate Totch - Fostering Independent Students: Building and Removing Scaffolds

LIMITED

Thursday August 20, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am CDT

Taylor

Limited Capacity seats available

Discover how to turn everyday supports into powerful tools for student growth! This hands-on session unpacks the "how" and "why" of effective scaffolding — teaching you to use a simple least-to-most prompting framework that meets students where they are and guides them toward independence. Walk away with real-world examples, ready-to-use planning tools, and the chance to build your own...
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Thursday August 20, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
Taylor

Breakout Session 1

10:30am CDT

Katie Berg - Executive Function: What's the Support

LIMITED

Thursday August 20, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am CDT

Marathon/Price

Limited Capacity seats available

Participants will learn about how the brain works and how we can adjust to meet students where they are. Executive functioning is the ability to organize cognitive processes. This includes the ability to plan, prioritize, stop and start activities, shift from one activity to another activity, and monitor one’s behavior. It affects everything we do, so when a student has differences...
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Thursday August 20, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
Marathon/Price

Breakout Session 1

10:30am CDT

Madeline Conrad - The Regulated Classroom

LIMITED

Thursday August 20, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am CDT

Oneida

Limited Capacity seats available

Gain a greater understanding of Polyvagal Theory, the autonomic nervous system, how trauma affects behavior, and how to shift dysregulation with 4 Core Practices. Learn how to implement these micro-moments (one- to three-minute experiences) to shift students (and ourselves) from dysregulation to regulation. Have a plan to take care of yourself and reinvigorate the joy you once experienced in our...
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Thursday August 20, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
Oneida

Breakout Session 1

11:30am CDT

Lunch

Thursday August 20, 2026 11:30am - 12:15pm CDT

12:15pm CDT

Break

Thursday August 20, 2026 12:15pm - 12:30pm CDT

12:30pm CDT

Karie Jo Bornberg - AI: Your New Sidekick!

LIMITED

Thursday August 20, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

Oneida

Limited Capacity seats available

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing education, and paraprofessionals have an important role to play in using it effectively and supporting students as they navigate an AI-enabled world. In this session, we'll explore both the opportunities and challenges AI presents in today's classrooms. Participants will discover practical ways to use AI to support their daily work, including creating...
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Thursday August 20, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Oneida

Breakout Session 2

12:30pm CDT

Kate Totch - AAC Community of Practice

LIMITED

Thursday August 20, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

Price

Limited Capacity seats available

Do you work with a student who uses an alternative form of communication? This session is for you! Come join a collaborative conversation about supporting students who use AAC. Ask questions, share ideas, and learn from each other.

Thursday August 20, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Price

Breakout Session 2

12:30pm CDT

Liz Sanger-Kuckkan - Unlock Effective Reading Routines: Evidence-Based Strategies for Paraprofessionals Supporting Struggling Readers

LIMITED

Thursday August 20, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

Marathon

Limited Capacity seats available

Empower your students to decode faster and comprehend deeper! Designed specifically for support staff, this practical professional learning session bridges foundational phonics instruction with pre-reading comprehension. Walk away with practical scripted routines with clear, step-by-step instructional scripts for phonemic awareness and phonics drills. Learn simple frontloading techniques to...
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Thursday August 20, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Marathon

Breakout Session 2