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Monday, July 21
 

8:00am CDT

AMSTI: Algebra and Functions (9-12) Part 1
Monday July 21, 2025 8:00am - 3:00pm CDT
This one-day session focuses on patterns and relationships among numbers and objects in different types of expressions, equations, and inequalities through different representations. Participants will explore student-invented strategies, analyze evidence of student understanding to inform planing of next instructional steps, discuss the importance of sense-making, and explore the impact of concrete, semi-concrete, and abstract learning opportunities on the development of conceptual understanding and connection to the ACT assessment.

Private session for preregistered participants. The AMSTI Math Foundations is a prerequisite course. Participants must attend both part 1 and part 2. AMSTI is not able to provide materials and supplies following the training.
Presenters
SK

Scotty Keenan

Secondary Curriculum Supervisor, Baldwin County Central Office Staff
avatar for Sarah Eddington

Sarah Eddington

AMSTI Affiliate Presenter, AMSTI
Monday July 21, 2025 8:00am - 3:00pm CDT
Room E - 9th Grade Academy
  Math

10:00am CDT

ACT Relay - Get hyped up to ACE the ACT
Monday July 21, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Relay Day is an exciting and action-packed event where individuals or teams come together to participate in a series of relay races, fostering a spirit of teamwork, competition, and community. It’s a day dedicated to practicing ACT skills/strategies while having fun and bonding with others. The event typically features a variety of relay races, each designed to challenge participants in different ways, including practicing testing skills while competing against their peers. Relay Day encourages collaboration, sportsmanship, and healthy competition, leaving participants with a sense of accomplishment and camaraderie, as well as good fun practice for the ACT.
Presenters
AH

Andrew Hardegree

Math Teacher, Baldwin Preparatory Academy
LL

Lauren Lanier

Math Teacher, Baldwin Preparatory Academy
avatar for Carrie Maxwell

Carrie Maxwell

Math Teacher, Baldwin Preparatory Academy
avatar for Lindsey White

Lindsey White

Teacher, Baldwin Prep Academy
Monday July 21, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
TBA

10:00am CDT

Classroom Screen - It's A Scream
Monday July 21, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Looking for a game-changer to streamline your classroom routines, boost engagement, and save your sanity? Come see why Classroom Screen is every teacher’s favorite digital sidekick! This all-in-one tool helps you manage transitions, timers, noise levels, and more—with just a few clicks. Whether you're teaching littles or teens, this session will have you saying, "Where has this been all my life?"

Warning: May cause extreme excitement, classroom calm, and jealous coworkers. 😎
Come scream (with joy) about Classroom Screen with us!
Presenters
avatar for Stacey Tatum

Stacey Tatum

3rd Grade Teacher, Elberta Elementary
Monday July 21, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 251

10:00am CDT

Thinking in Action: Practical Strategies for Active Learning
Monday July 21, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Are your students engaged in deep thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration—or are they just waiting for answers? In this dynamic session, we’ll explore Building Thinking Classrooms strategies that shift students from passive receivers of information to active thinkers and doers. Rooted in Peter Liljedahl’s research, these strategies empower students to take ownership of their learning while fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and perseverance.

What You’ll Learn:
✅ Strategies for forming randomized, collaborative groups that increase participation and accountability
✅ Techniques to reduce student dependency on direct instruction while increasing engagement
✅ Practical ways to shift classroom norms so students take risks, share ideas, and develop persistence

Why Attend?
Expect an interactive, hands-on experience where you’ll engage in thinking tasks just like your students would. Walk away with ready-to-use strategies that can be implemented immediately in any secondary classroom—whether you teach math, science, or humanities.
Presenters
avatar for Annie Freeman

Annie Freeman

Building Thinking Classrooms, Robertsdale High School
Monday July 21, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 207

10:00am CDT

Math Talk That Works: Building Language into Every Math Lesson
Monday July 21, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
English learners have to juggle learning math and a new language at the same time. In this session, we’ll look at easy, practical ways to weave language supports into your daily math routines using the WIDA language standards. Walk away with ready-to-use strategies and examples to boost both math and language learning.
Presenters
avatar for Danielle White

Danielle White

Education Specialist, English Learners, Alabama State Department of Educatin
Monday July 21, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 270

10:00am CDT

Making Science Come Alive with Gizmos
Monday July 21, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
In this session, participants will learn strategies to engage students in critical thinking and inquiry with Gizmos. Participants will also discuss best practices for using simulations, how to incorporate literacy and develop a deeper understanding to support student learning in a standards-based science classroom.
Presenters
avatar for Tiffany Christian

Tiffany Christian

Senior Implementation Coordinator, ExploreLearning
Tiffany Christian is an Area Implementation Coordinator with ExploreLearning in the Mid-Atlantic region.  She has 17 years of experience in public education as a gifted math and science teacher, an academic coach, and a district K-12 science instructional lead.  She currently lives... Read More →
Monday July 21, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 93

10:00am CDT

Artistically Mindful Brain Breaks
Monday July 21, 2025 10:00am - 11:50am CDT
When your class gets out of hand. You need a break! Your students need a break!
But what do you do?!?!?
Come to this session and obtain useful mini lesson plans that will give you the tools to provided your class easy to execute artistically mindful brain breaks.
Brain Breaks are short structured activities designed to help students or even teachers to reset, refocus, and re-energize the mind. These breaks often incorporate movement, mindfulness, or sensory activity to improve focus and learning.
They are quick and effective to reduce fatigue, boredom, and frustration.
Just a few examples: altered book prompts and postcard sketches.
But these are just a few....come to find out MORE ideas!



Presenters
avatar for Joyce Garrison

Joyce Garrison

Art Teacher, Rosinton Elementary
Hello!I am excited to be returning to GRITC as a presenter!I graduated with my bachelors of fine art and master's of education from the University of Montevallo, which is located in Montevallo, AL.I am married and we live in Loxley. I teach elementary art and I absolutely love it... Read More →
JP

Jessica Peppers

Teacher, Pine Grove Elementary
Monday July 21, 2025 10:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 45 - Art Room

11:00am CDT

Let's Chat - Making Oral Assessments Easy in the World Language Classroom
Monday July 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Oral assessments are essential for measuring language proficiency—but let’s be honest, they can be time-consuming and tricky to grade, which makes them easy to avoid. In this practical and encouraging session, world language teachers will explore ways to make oral assessments more accessible, efficient, and student-friendly.

Learn how to:

Give quick, clear feedback that answers every student’s favorite question: “What grade did I get?”

Grade multiple students at once—whether in pairs, small groups, or individually

Use ACTFL-aligned rubrics designed to be simple, clear, and non-intimidating for students

Empower all learners to succeed while saving yourself time and energy

Walk away with ready-to-use tools, grading strategies, and renewed confidence in incorporating oral assessments into your classroom.
Presenters
avatar for Sarah Holt

Sarah Holt

Teacher, Fairhope High
Spanish teacher at Fairhope High School. eMINTS teacher. Google certified level 1. I'm a tech nerd and a language lover!
Monday July 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 91

11:00am CDT

Teaching Made Magical: Transform Your Classroom with Magic School AI
Monday July 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Imagine cutting hours off your planning time while delivering more engaging, personalized lessons—sounds like magic, right? Magic School AI is the ultimate AI-powered tool designed for all teachers, in all subjects, at all grade levels! From generating lesson plans and assessments to providing instant differentiation and feedback, this platform does the heavy lifting so you can focus on what truly matters—your students.

Join this session to see how AI can streamline your workload, spark creativity, and supercharge student learning. Whether you're a tech newbie or an AI enthusiast, you'll walk away with practical strategies to make AI your most powerful teaching assistant!

Let’s work smarter, not harder—because teaching should be magical!

This session is also offered on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Presenters
avatar for Stacey Tatum

Stacey Tatum

3rd Grade Teacher, Elberta Elementary
Monday July 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 20

11:00am CDT

When Subjects Collide (in a Good Way)
Monday July 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Tired of teaching in a silo? This session will show you how to build meaningful cross-curricular connections that engage students and reinforce key skills across all content areas. Whether you're in math, science, CTE, ELA, social studies, or the arts, you’ll explore easy ways to collaborate, design relevant lessons, and bring real-world learning into your classroom. From using parables in math, to novel circles with STEAM, to workplace readiness through technical writing and soft skills—this session offers practical, tested examples that can inspire your next unit and energize your instruction.
Presenters
AA

Alyssa Abdeltif

Teacher, Baldwin Preparatory Academy
Monday July 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 19

12:00pm CDT

Math Talk That Works: Building Language into Every Math Lesson
Monday July 21, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
English learners have to juggle learning math and a new language at the same time. In this session, we’ll look at easy, practical ways to weave language supports into your daily math routines using the WIDA language standards. Walk away with ready-to-use strategies and examples to boost both math and language learning.
Presenters
avatar for Danielle White

Danielle White

Education Specialist, English Learners, Alabama State Department of Educatin
Monday July 21, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 95

12:00pm CDT

Implementing Gizmos in the Math Classroom
Monday July 21, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Gizmos is a STEM interactive learning tool used to provide opportunities for students to make connections, discover concepts, analyze data, and draw conclusions. Teachers can create deeper and meaningful lessons integrating academic standards and technology with Gizmos activities. Come ready to see how Gizmos can help support you and your students as we model lessons, share Gizmos and academic standard correlation lists, discuss experiences, and provide time to support you in exploring specific Gizmos for implementation in your classroom.
Presenters
avatar for Leslie Majewski

Leslie Majewski

Teacher, Daphne Middle
avatar for Tyler Barber

Tyler Barber

Teacher, Daphne Middle School
Monday July 21, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 91

12:00pm CDT

Making Science Come Alive with Gizmos
Monday July 21, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
In this session, participants will learn strategies to engage students in critical thinking and inquiry with Gizmos. Participants will also discuss best practices for using simulations, how to incorporate literacy and develop a deeper understanding to support student learning in a standards-based science classroom.
Presenters
avatar for Tiffany Christian

Tiffany Christian

Senior Implementation Coordinator, ExploreLearning
Tiffany Christian is an Area Implementation Coordinator with ExploreLearning in the Mid-Atlantic region.  She has 17 years of experience in public education as a gifted math and science teacher, an academic coach, and a district K-12 science instructional lead.  She currently lives... Read More →
Monday July 21, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 93

12:00pm CDT

Spectacular STEM: Alabama's Science & Engineering Fair System
Monday July 21, 2025 12:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
The Alabama Science and Engineering Fair provides an amazing opportunity for your middle and high school students to showcase their independent STEM Research Projects. Students perform research that they choose, collect data, interpret results and then communicate their findings at local, regional, state, and national competitions for top dollar prizes.
Presenters
avatar for Dr. Karen Dane

Dr. Karen Dane

Coordinator, Alabama Science and Engineering Fair, Auburn University
Hi! I'm helping coordinate the state of Alabama Science and Engineering Fair (ASEF), which will be held at Auburn University on Saturday, April 5, 2025. Let me know how I can help start up or improve Science Fair at your school!
Monday July 21, 2025 12:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Room 17

1:00pm CDT

Literacy, Accessibility, & AI, Oh My!
Monday July 21, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Come see how Discovery Education’s Learning Platform can support your learners anytime, anywhere. We will review how to search and filter through multimodal content to find the best resources to support your students’ learning journey. We will explore how to use instructional strategies that maximize the effectiveness of digital content as well as incorporate the use of Discovery Education’s Studio & AI Assessment Teacher Tools to show how students can communicate their learning.
Presenters
avatar for Tomi Rush

Tomi Rush

Senior Partner Success Manager, Discovery Education
PI

Pam Inabinnett

Partner Success Director, Discovery Education
Monday July 21, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 19

1:00pm CDT

Infusing Industry Into The Classroom & Creating A Bridge toPlans After High School
Monday July 21, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
I want to give educators an overview of what my role is as a career coach and how I can help assist students with plans after high school. This can be done through resume workshops, mock interviews, and 1 on 1 sessions to link students with community contacts we have created in our role. It often creates a reachable goal for a student and can sometimes spark motivation that wasn't there prior.

I also want to highlight the different ways that we can infuse industry contacts from the community into what is being taught in the classroom through guest speakers and field trips. Exposing students to industry professionals I often find it creates links to the content that are valuable in fostering engagement with the material being used.
Presenters
avatar for Michael  Hill

Michael Hill

Career Coach, Baldwin County High
Monday July 21, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 228

1:00pm CDT

Troublesome Topics in Secondary Mathematics
Monday July 21, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
This session will prepare teachers to meet troublesome topics head-on and teach more effectively with Gizmos. This session will support middle and high school math teachers as they grapple with the modern requirements from fractions to ratios and proportions to functions instruction in state standards. Participants will gain specific strategies for leading students to a conceptual understanding of math concepts and learn techniques for differentiating instructions for students.
Presenters
avatar for Tiffany Christian

Tiffany Christian

Senior Implementation Coordinator, ExploreLearning
Tiffany Christian is an Area Implementation Coordinator with ExploreLearning in the Mid-Atlantic region.  She has 17 years of experience in public education as a gifted math and science teacher, an academic coach, and a district K-12 science instructional lead.  She currently lives... Read More →
Monday July 21, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 93

1:00pm CDT

Tie-Dye makes everything BETTER!
Monday July 21, 2025 1:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Come learn about tie-dye. Learn how easy it would be to do tie-dye for yourself, a group, a class, a club, or even the entire school! Let's tie-dye Baldwin county!!!!

Bring a 100% COTTON T-shirt the morning of your session, drop it in the bucket, and then come back and tie-dye a beautiful creation!!!!

This is a GRITC favorite session!
Presenters
avatar for Joyce Garrison

Joyce Garrison

Art Teacher, Rosinton Elementary
Hello!I am excited to be returning to GRITC as a presenter!I graduated with my bachelors of fine art and master's of education from the University of Montevallo, which is located in Montevallo, AL.I am married and we live in Loxley. I teach elementary art and I absolutely love it... Read More →
AP

Amy Plunkett

Supervisor, Curriculum & Instruction K-12 Fine Arts, Health & PE BCBE, Central Office Staff
Monday July 21, 2025 1:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Room 45 - Art Room

2:00pm CDT

Career Day Every Day!
Monday July 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Join this Discovery Education session where we discuss how to bring meaningful conversations to your classroom through a wide span of diverse people and industries that power our world. Career Connect is a new tool that helps prepare students for career readiness and cross-curricular connections in an easy-to-use and accessible environment. With this tool you can connect your classroom to real professionals with real stories, in real-time. Spark engagement in your classrooms, no matter what subject you teach!
Presenters
avatar for Tomi Rush

Tomi Rush

Senior Partner Success Manager, Discovery Education
PI

Pam Inabinnett

Partner Success Director, Discovery Education
Monday July 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Room 19

2:00pm CDT

Locura de Marzo - Music and Culture in the World Language Classroom
Monday July 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Get ready to bring the excitement of March Madness into your Spanish classroom—with music! In this energizing session, world language teachers will learn how to implement Locura de Marzo, a classroom-friendly music bracket competition featuring 16 Spanish-language songs.

You'll discover:

How to create and organize a song bracket for students to vote on their favorites

A variety of engaging activities to accompany each song, including quality resources, including lyrics, artist info, and cultural context

How to incorporate language learning through vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, and lyric analysis

This activity offers students a fresh and fun break from the usual grammar and vocabulary drills while introducing them to the vibrant world of Spanish-speaking music and culture. It’s a student favorite that builds cultural awareness, listening skills, and vocabulary—all through the power of music.
Presenters
avatar for Sarah Holt

Sarah Holt

Teacher, Fairhope High
Spanish teacher at Fairhope High School. eMINTS teacher. Google certified level 1. I'm a tech nerd and a language lover!
Monday July 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Room 228

2:00pm CDT

From Testing the Waters to Wide Open Throttle: Get Kami Certified
Monday July 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
This interactive Learning Lab is your one-stop shop to achieve your Kami Level 1
AND 2 certifications. Our expert navigator will guide you through hands-on exercises and collaborative explorations, ensuring you deeply understand Kami's core features and unlock more advanced functionalities. From annotation essentials to collaborative document design and interactive assignments, you'll leave this session with the skills and certifications to confidently integrate Kami into your teaching and engage your students. Prepare to elevate your Kami prowess and cast off towards enhanced learning experiences!
Presenters
avatar for Mantha Camacho

Mantha Camacho

Teaching and Learning Coordinator, Kami
Mantha Camacho is a Teaching and Learning Coordinator with Kami. Before joining Kami, she taught for 18 years in public education, with most of those years in a DAEP setting. She is a Google Level 2 Certified educator, was voted Teacher of the Year in 2008, and served in several leadership... Read More →
Monday July 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Room 243

2:00pm CDT

Building an Engaging Classroom Community
Monday July 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Building an engaging classroom community might be easier than you think! By facilitating cooperative learning opportunities and advocating for student choice, engagement and community build on one another.
Presenters
avatar for Jennifer McKoewn

Jennifer McKoewn

Teacher, Florence B. Mathis Elementary
Monday July 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Room 28
 
Tuesday, July 22
 

8:00am CDT

AMSTI: Algebra and Functions (9-12) Part 2
Tuesday July 22, 2025 8:00am - 3:00pm CDT
Algebra and Functions Part I is a prerequisite for this session. This one-day session focuses on patterns and relationships among numbers and objects in different types of expressions, equations, inequalities, and functions through different representations. Participants will explore student-invented strategies, analyze evidence of student understanding to inform planing of next instructional steps, discuss the importance of sense-making, and explore the impact of concrete, semi-concrete, and abstract learning opportunities on the development of conceptual understanding and connection to the ACT assessment.

Private session for preregistered participants. The AMSTI Math Foundations is a prerequisite course. Participants must attend both part 1 and part 2. AMSTI is not able to provide materials and supplies following the training.
Presenters
SK

Scotty Keenan

Secondary Curriculum Supervisor, Baldwin County Central Office Staff
avatar for Sarah Eddington

Sarah Eddington

AMSTI Affiliate Presenter, AMSTI
Tuesday July 22, 2025 8:00am - 3:00pm CDT
Room E - 9th Grade Academy
  Math

8:00am CDT

ACT AIM Writing Training
Tuesday July 22, 2025 8:00am - 3:50pm CDT
The ACT Instructional Mastery Writing training provides candidates with the information necessary to facilitate effective ACT Writing test preparation, identify and recommend test-taking strategies, and understand test structure and content. This is an interactive training providing practical ideas and opportunities to share ideas and teaching techniques with colleagues. This session has been updated to include the new enhancement information and revised activities reflecting the enhancement changes.
Tuesday July 22, 2025 8:00am - 3:50pm CDT
Room 91

9:00am CDT

Literacy, Accessibility, & AI, Oh My!
Tuesday July 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Come see how Discovery Education’s Learning Platform can support your learners anytime, anywhere. We will review how to search and filter through multimodal content to find the best resources to support your students’ learning journey. We will explore how to use instructional strategies that maximize the effectiveness of digital content as well as incorporate the use of Discovery Education’s Studio & AI Assessment Teacher Tools to show how students can communicate their learning.
Presenters
avatar for Tomi Rush

Tomi Rush

Senior Partner Success Manager, Discovery Education
PI

Pam Inabinnett

Partner Success Director, Discovery Education
Tuesday July 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 19

9:00am CDT

Sentence by Sentence: Scaffolding Short Response Success
Tuesday July 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Short responses can be small but mighty—when students know how to build them. In this session, explore the Guided Short Response strategy, a step-by-step approach to help students craft clear, complete, and content-rich paragraph responses. You’ll gain ready-to-use tools and scaffolds that break down the writing process, making it more accessible for all learners—including English language learners and students with special needs. Walk away with strategies to boost confidence, meet rubric expectations, and support diverse learners in expressing what they know.
Presenters
avatar for Kristina Crouch

Kristina Crouch

Professional Learning Specialist, NoRedInk
Tuesday July 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 270

9:00am CDT

TEAMS Contracts-What You Need to Know
Tuesday July 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
The session will provide information to secondary math and science teacher about TEAMS contract, the application process, and the professional development requirements for TEAMS teachers.
Presenters
Tuesday July 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 214

9:00am CDT

Troublesome Topics in Secondary Mathematics
Tuesday July 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
This session will prepare teachers to meet troublesome topics head-on and teach more effectively with Gizmos. This session will support middle and high school math teachers as they grapple with the modern requirements from fractions to ratios and proportions to functions instruction in state standards. Participants will gain specific strategies for leading students to a conceptual understanding of math concepts and learn techniques for differentiating instructions for students.
Presenters
avatar for Tiffany Christian

Tiffany Christian

Senior Implementation Coordinator, ExploreLearning
Tiffany Christian is an Area Implementation Coordinator with ExploreLearning in the Mid-Atlantic region.  She has 17 years of experience in public education as a gifted math and science teacher, an academic coach, and a district K-12 science instructional lead.  She currently lives... Read More →
Tuesday July 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 93

9:00am CDT

2025-2026 District Math PLC (Day 1)
Tuesday July 22, 2025 9:00am - 3:00pm CDT
This session is for Baldwin County teachers who have already preregistered.

The Baldwin County Math PLC meets five times during the 2025-2026 school year and is ASDE TEAMS approved PD. July 22-23 are the first two of five meeting dates. The District Math PLC focuses on becoming better math teachers by (1) effectively implementing the mathematical teaching practices, (2) digging deep into math content, (3) collaborating with fellow math teachers, and (4) using current math research to inform and provoke action.

This session will provide an overview of the different types of mathematical practices including the mathematical teaching practices, student mathematical practices, equity-based math practices, and practices for orchestrating mathematical discourse.
Presenters
SK

Scotty Keenan

Secondary Curriculum Supervisor, Baldwin County Central Office Staff
Tuesday July 22, 2025 9:00am - 3:00pm CDT
Library - High School
  Math

10:00am CDT

Career Day Every Day!
Tuesday July 22, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Join this Discovery Education session where we discuss how to bring meaningful conversations to your classroom through a wide span of diverse people and industries that power our world. Career Connect is a new tool that helps prepare students for career readiness and cross-curricular connections in an easy-to-use and accessible environment. With this tool you can connect your classroom to real professionals with real stories, in real-time. Spark engagement in your classrooms, no matter what subject you teach!
Presenters
avatar for Tomi Rush

Tomi Rush

Senior Partner Success Manager, Discovery Education
PI

Pam Inabinnett

Partner Success Director, Discovery Education
Tuesday July 22, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 19

10:00am CDT

AI-Powered Writing Routines: Boost Fluency and Streamline Feedback with Quick Writes
Tuesday July 22, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Leverage the power of AI to supercharge your students’ writing fluency—and save valuable instructional time. In this session, explore how NoRedInk’s Quick Writes and AI Grading Assistant work together to create high-impact, low-prep writing routines. You’ll learn how to design short, purposeful prompts that get students writing every day, while AI-generated feedback supports revision and growth in real time. Discover how this cutting-edge tool lightens your grading load, accelerates feedback cycles, and helps students develop writing stamina and confidence—all with just a few clicks.
Presenters
avatar for Kristina Crouch

Kristina Crouch

Professional Learning Specialist, NoRedInk
Tuesday July 22, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 270

10:00am CDT

Navigating Schoology: Real Tips from a Real Teacher
Tuesday July 22, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
I will give my advice on using Schoology to organize class materials. Connect to PowerSchool to sync grades. Learn how to link to external tools, some of which will send grades back to Schoology. I am a high school math teacher that has used Schoology since the beginning. Come learn how to get started!
Presenters
avatar for Deborah Kilzer

Deborah Kilzer

Teacher, Foley High School
Tuesday July 22, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 228

10:00am CDT

Making Science Come Alive with Gizmos
Tuesday July 22, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
In this session, participants will learn strategies to engage students in critical thinking and inquiry with Gizmos. Participants will also discuss best practices for using simulations, how to incorporate literacy and develop a deeper understanding to support student learning in a standards-based science classroom.
Presenters
avatar for Tiffany Christian

Tiffany Christian

Senior Implementation Coordinator, ExploreLearning
Tiffany Christian is an Area Implementation Coordinator with ExploreLearning in the Mid-Atlantic region.  She has 17 years of experience in public education as a gifted math and science teacher, an academic coach, and a district K-12 science instructional lead.  She currently lives... Read More →
Tuesday July 22, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 93

10:00am CDT

Invention Education comes to Alabama
Tuesday July 22, 2025 10:00am - 11:50am CDT
Invention Convention Alabama is a new K-12 invention education program designed to inspire students in problem-identification, problem-solving, entrepreneurship, and creativity. Through competitions, events, and a flexible, project-based curriculum aligned with educational standards, students develop real-world skills that prepare them for future success. This TEAMS approved workshop for 5th - 12th grade educators will provide tools and tips for how to get started with invention education in your classroom, afterschool program, or club.
Presenters
ML

Mary Lou Ewald

Director, STEM Outreach, Auburn University
Tuesday July 22, 2025 10:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 17

11:00am CDT

Bright Ideas: Illuminating Learning with Blacklight Magic
Tuesday July 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
In this interactive workshop, educators will discover how blacklight activities can boost student engagement across subjects. Learn the science behind UV light, explore creative lesson ideas, and try hands-on demos with fluorescent materials, invisible ink, and glow-in-the-dark elements. From science and literacy to SEL and classroom transformations, you'll leave with practical, glowing strategies to energize learning!
Presenters
NT

Nancy Timmons

Art Teacher, Central Baldwin Middle
Tuesday July 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 228

11:00am CDT

One-Pagers: ELA Assessment for Fiction & Non-Fiction
Tuesday July 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
This session will highlight the strategies and benefits of assessing using one-pagers. These artistic and creative assessments meet many standards at once, while allowing students to feel a sense of expression & voice. This session will go over all the steps to achieving one-pager success: assignment sheet, materials, rubrics, and variations of the project.
Tuesday July 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 214

11:00am CDT

When Subjects Collide (in a Good Way)
Tuesday July 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Tired of teaching in a silo? This session will show you how to build meaningful cross-curricular connections that engage students and reinforce key skills across all content areas. Whether you're in math, science, CTE, ELA, social studies, or the arts, you’ll explore easy ways to collaborate, design relevant lessons, and bring real-world learning into your classroom. From using parables in math, to novel circles with STEAM, to workplace readiness through technical writing and soft skills—this session offers practical, tested examples that can inspire your next unit and energize your instruction.
Presenters
AA

Alyssa Abdeltif

Teacher, Baldwin Preparatory Academy
Tuesday July 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 19

12:00pm CDT

ACT Relay - Get hyped up to ACE the ACT
Tuesday July 22, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Relay Day is an exciting and action-packed event where individuals or teams come together to participate in a series of relay races, fostering a spirit of teamwork, competition, and community. It’s a day dedicated to practicing ACT skills/strategies while having fun and bonding with others. The event typically features a variety of relay races, each designed to challenge participants in different ways, including practicing testing skills while competing against their peers. Relay Day encourages collaboration, sportsmanship, and healthy competition, leaving participants with a sense of accomplishment and camaraderie, as well as good fun practice for the ACT.
Presenters
AH

Andrew Hardegree

Math Teacher, Baldwin Preparatory Academy
LL

Lauren Lanier

Math Teacher, Baldwin Preparatory Academy
avatar for Carrie Maxwell

Carrie Maxwell

Math Teacher, Baldwin Preparatory Academy
avatar for Lindsey White

Lindsey White

Teacher, Baldwin Prep Academy
Tuesday July 22, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 228

12:00pm CDT

Revolutionary Writing with the Writing Revolution
Tuesday July 22, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Struggling to get students to write with clarity, depth, and purpose? Whether you teach kindergarten or high school, math or social studies, The Writing Revolution (Hochman Approach) provides simple yet powerful strategies to seamlessly integrate writing into your instruction—without adding to your workload!

Join this engaging session to discover how structured, explicit writing instruction can transform student learning, boost comprehension, and improve performance across disciplines. Walk away with ready-to-use strategies that will revolutionize the way you teach writing—no matter your grade level or content area!

Let’s empower students to think, express, and succeed—one sentence at a time!
Presenters
avatar for Stacey Tatum

Stacey Tatum

3rd Grade Teacher, Elberta Elementary
Tuesday July 22, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 20

12:00pm CDT

From Blank Page to Polished Essay: Supporting the Extended Writing Project with Guided Drafts
Tuesday July 22, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Tired of students getting stuck—or giving up—before they even start their essays? In this session, discover how NoRedInk’s Guided Drafts can transform long-form writing into a manageable, supported process for every learner. You’ll learn how to scaffold each stage of essay writing—planning, drafting, revising, and editing—so students gain confidence and independence while you gain time for targeted, individualized support. Bonus: We’ll showcase how Guided Drafts align seamlessly with Baldwin County’s Extended Writing Projects and StudySync units, making it easier than ever to meet your instructional goals.
Presenters
avatar for Kristina Crouch

Kristina Crouch

Professional Learning Specialist, NoRedInk
Tuesday July 22, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 270

12:00pm CDT

Math Talk That Works: Building Language into Every Math Lesson
Tuesday July 22, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
English learners have to juggle learning math and a new language at the same time. In this session, we’ll look at easy, practical ways to weave language supports into your daily math routines using the WIDA language standards. Walk away with ready-to-use strategies and examples to boost both math and language learning.
Presenters
avatar for Danielle White

Danielle White

Education Specialist, English Learners, Alabama State Department of Educatin
Tuesday July 22, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 95

12:00pm CDT

TEAMS Contracts-What You Need to Know
Tuesday July 22, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
The session will provide information to secondary math and science teacher about TEAMS contract, the application process, and the professional development requirements for TEAMS teachers.
Presenters
Tuesday July 22, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 214

12:00pm CDT

Creative Mastery: Unlocking Higher-Order Assessments with Canva
Tuesday July 22, 2025 12:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
This lesson for Secondary educators will explore the opportunities Canva holds for assessing higher-order thinking tasks at the culmination of a learning unit. Canva features allow students to demonstrate learning through creative projects, infographics, animated presentations and more. By understanding and implementing the educational tools available through Canva, teachers can assess synthesis of taught standards and facilitate peer evaluation in ways that engage students and close knowledge gaps masked in traditional projects. This presentation will have an overview of available features, suggestions for planning assessments, and provide a framework for the appropriate time to incorporate this technology.
Presenters
WP

Wendi Perkins

Teacher, Daphne High
Tuesday July 22, 2025 12:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 17

1:00pm CDT

Teaching Made Magical: Transform Your Classroom with Magic School AI
Tuesday July 22, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Imagine cutting hours off your planning time while delivering more engaging, personalized lessons—sounds like magic, right? Magic School AI is the ultimate AI-powered tool designed for all teachers, in all subjects, at all grade levels! From generating lesson plans and assessments to providing instant differentiation and feedback, this platform does the heavy lifting so you can focus on what truly matters—your students.

Join this session to see how AI can streamline your workload, spark creativity, and supercharge student learning. Whether you're a tech newbie or an AI enthusiast, you'll walk away with practical strategies to make AI your most powerful teaching assistant!

Let’s work smarter, not harder—because teaching should be magical!
Presenters
avatar for Stacey Tatum

Stacey Tatum

3rd Grade Teacher, Elberta Elementary
Tuesday July 22, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 20

1:00pm CDT

Hyperdocs for Pre-Reading & Pre-Viewing
Tuesday July 22, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
This session will showcase the use of hyperdocs as a pre-reading and pre-viewing strategy. Teachers will walk away with valuable, relevant information on how to curate resources and small tasks so that students can build their own background knowledge before reading or viewing a text.
Tuesday July 22, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 214

1:00pm CDT

From Testing the Waters to Wide Open Throttle: Get Kami Certified
Tuesday July 22, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
This interactive Learning Lab is your one-stop shop to achieve your Kami Level 1
AND 2 certifications. Our expert navigator will guide you through hands-on exercises and collaborative explorations, ensuring you deeply understand Kami's core features and unlock more advanced functionalities. From annotation essentials to collaborative document design and interactive assignments, you'll leave this session with the skills and certifications to confidently integrate Kami into your teaching and engage your students. Prepare to elevate your Kami prowess and cast off towards enhanced learning experiences!
Presenters
avatar for Mantha Camacho

Mantha Camacho

Teaching and Learning Coordinator, Kami
Mantha Camacho is a Teaching and Learning Coordinator with Kami. Before joining Kami, she taught for 18 years in public education, with most of those years in a DAEP setting. She is a Google Level 2 Certified educator, was voted Teacher of the Year in 2008, and served in several leadership... Read More →
Tuesday July 22, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 243

1:00pm CDT

Axolotls, Fishing Rodeos and TNT... IN MATH?
Tuesday July 22, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Attention all fearless and innovative math and science teachers in upper elementary, middle, and high school! You know who you are—I see you! If you’re ready to ditch the mundane and harness the power of gaming to supercharge student engagement, this session is for you.

Step into the world of Minecraft: Education Edition, where equations come to life, science gets explosive (safely, of course!), and students collaborate, create, and problem-solve in ways that traditional methods just can’t match. In this informational session, we’ll explore how to transform your math and science classroom into an immersive, interactive learning environment—one block at a time!

This is an informative session all about how you can use Minecraft in the classroom.  We'll shoot the breeze about tons of cool stuff like how to actually use it, where to kick things off, and even how to incorporate it into different subjects. After our chat, you can jump right in and give it a go yourself in our hands-on "Minecraft Learning Lab" session. Make sure to sign up for that too!  Who's stoked to learn and play with Minecraft together? Let's do this thing! 🎮✨

😉 P.S. Bonus lesson included on using AI to enhance communication, give clear directions, and craft engaging lesson plans that bring Minecraft into your classroom! Disclaimer: This description was "spiced up" with AI)
Presenters
avatar for Rebecca Cissel

Rebecca Cissel

Teacher, Loxley Elementary
I am a 6th-grade teacher and a tech nerd.  I love trying out new tools in my classroom and sharing them with other educators.
Tuesday July 22, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 251

1:00pm CDT

Infusing Industry Into The Classroom & Creating A Bridge toPlans After High School
Tuesday July 22, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
I want to give educators an overview of what my role is as a career coach and how I can help assist students with plans after high school. This can be done through resume workshops, mock interviews, and 1 on 1 sessions to link students with community contacts we have created in our role. It often creates a reachable goal for a student and can sometimes spark motivation that wasn't there prior.

I also want to highlight the different ways that we can infuse industry contacts from the community into what is being taught in the classroom through guest speakers and field trips. Exposing students to industry professionals I often find it creates links to the content that are valuable in fostering engagement with the material being used.
Presenters
avatar for Michael  Hill

Michael Hill

Career Coach, Baldwin County High
Tuesday July 22, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 228

1:00pm CDT

Sentence by Sentence: Scaffolding Short Response Success
Tuesday July 22, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Short responses can be small but mighty—when students know how to build them. In this session, explore the Guided Short Response strategy, a step-by-step approach to help students craft clear, complete, and content-rich paragraph responses. You’ll gain ready-to-use tools and scaffolds that break down the writing process, making it more accessible for all learners—including English language learners and students with special needs. Walk away with strategies to boost confidence, meet rubric expectations, and support diverse learners in expressing what they know.
Presenters
avatar for Kristina Crouch

Kristina Crouch

Professional Learning Specialist, NoRedInk
Tuesday July 22, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 270

1:00pm CDT

Tie-Dye makes everything BETTER!
Tuesday July 22, 2025 1:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Come learn about tie-dye. Learn how easy it would be to do tie-dye for yourself, a group, a class, a club, or even the entire school! Let's tie-dye Baldwin county!!!!

Bring a 100% COTTON T-shirt the morning of your session, drop it in the bucket, and then come back and tie-dye a beautiful creation!!!!

This is a GRITC favorite session!
Presenters
avatar for Joyce Garrison

Joyce Garrison

Art Teacher, Rosinton Elementary
Hello!I am excited to be returning to GRITC as a presenter!I graduated with my bachelors of fine art and master's of education from the University of Montevallo, which is located in Montevallo, AL.I am married and we live in Loxley. I teach elementary art and I absolutely love it... Read More →
AP

Amy Plunkett

Supervisor, Curriculum & Instruction K-12 Fine Arts, Health & PE BCBE, Central Office Staff
Tuesday July 22, 2025 1:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Room 45 - Art Room

2:00pm CDT

Level Up Learning: Gamify Anything!
Tuesday July 22, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Want to boost student engagement and make learning more fun? In this session, you'll discover how to gamify any lesson, review, or worksheet! Learn how to design effective review games, create lesson-length interactive experiences, and turn ordinary worksheets into exciting challenges. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced educator, you'll walk away with ready-to-use strategies and tools to make learning more dynamic and enjoyable for your students. Get ready to level up your teaching!
Presenters
BB

Brittany Babineaux

Teacher, Fairhope Middle
Tuesday July 22, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Room 20

2:00pm CDT

AI-Powered Writing Routines: Boost Fluency and Streamline Feedback with Quick Writes
Tuesday July 22, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Leverage the power of AI to supercharge your students’ writing fluency—and save valuable instructional time. In this session, explore how NoRedInk’s Quick Writes and AI Grading Assistant work together to create high-impact, low-prep writing routines. You’ll learn how to design short, purposeful prompts that get students writing every day, while AI-generated feedback supports revision and growth in real time. Discover how this cutting-edge tool lightens your grading load, accelerates feedback cycles, and helps students develop writing stamina and confidence—all with just a few clicks.
Presenters
avatar for Kristina Crouch

Kristina Crouch

Professional Learning Specialist, NoRedInk
Tuesday July 22, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Room 270

2:00pm CDT

Math Talk That Works: Building Language into Every Math Lesson
Tuesday July 22, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
English learners have to juggle learning math and a new language at the same time. In this session, we’ll look at easy, practical ways to weave language supports into your daily math routines using the WIDA language standards. Walk away with ready-to-use strategies and examples to boost both math and language learning.
Presenters
avatar for Danielle White

Danielle White

Education Specialist, English Learners, Alabama State Department of Educatin
Tuesday July 22, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Room 95

2:00pm CDT

Troublesome Topics in Secondary Mathematics
Tuesday July 22, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
This session will prepare teachers to meet troublesome topics head-on and teach more effectively with Gizmos. This session will support middle and high school math teachers as they grapple with the modern requirements from fractions to ratios and proportions to functions instruction in state standards. Participants will gain specific strategies for leading students to a conceptual understanding of math concepts and learn techniques for differentiating instructions for students.
Presenters
avatar for Tiffany Christian

Tiffany Christian

Senior Implementation Coordinator, ExploreLearning
Tiffany Christian is an Area Implementation Coordinator with ExploreLearning in the Mid-Atlantic region.  She has 17 years of experience in public education as a gifted math and science teacher, an academic coach, and a district K-12 science instructional lead.  She currently lives... Read More →
Tuesday July 22, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Room 93
 
Wednesday, July 23
 

8:00am CDT

AMSTI: Algebra and Functions (6-8) Part 1
Wednesday July 23, 2025 8:00am - 3:00pm CDT
This two-day session focuses on connections among grade-band standards and strategies to help students learn algebra and functions concepts. Participants will explore student-invented strategies, analyze evidence of student understanding to inform planning of next instructional steps, discuss the importance of sense-making, and explore the impact of concrete, semi-concrete, and abstract learning opportunities on the development of conceptual understanding and connections to standard US algorithms.

Private session for preregistered participants. The AMSTI Math Foundations is a prerequisite course. Participants must attend both part 1 and part 2. AMSTI is not able to provide materials and supplies following the training.
Presenters
SK

Scotty Keenan

Secondary Curriculum Supervisor, Baldwin County Central Office Staff
Wednesday July 23, 2025 8:00am - 3:00pm CDT
Room E - 9th Grade Academy
  Math

8:00am CDT

ACT AIM Writing Training
Wednesday July 23, 2025 8:00am - 3:50pm CDT
The ACT Instructional Mastery Writing training provides candidates with the information necessary to facilitate effective ACT Writing test preparation, identify and recommend test-taking strategies, and understand test structure and content. This is an interactive training providing practical ideas and opportunities to share ideas and teaching techniques with colleagues. This session has been updated to include the new enhancement information and revised activities reflecting the enhancement changes.
Wednesday July 23, 2025 8:00am - 3:50pm CDT
Room 91

9:00am CDT

One-Pagers: ELA Assessment for Fiction & Non-Fiction
Wednesday July 23, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
This session will highlight the strategies and benefits of assessing using one-pagers. These artistic and creative assessments meet many standards at once, while allowing students to feel a sense of expression & voice. This session will go over all the steps to achieving one-pager success: assignment sheet, materials, rubrics, and variations of the project.
Wednesday July 23, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 214

9:00am CDT

Where to Begin with National Board Certification
Wednesday July 23, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Are you interested in obtaining your National Board Certification, but do not know where to begin? Join us for an informative session on the National Board Certification process. This session will cover key aspects of the program, its benefits, and practical tips for success.
Presenters
avatar for Jaime Tillman

Jaime Tillman

Curriculum Leader, Daphne Middle School
avatar for Jacquelyn Wilson

Jacquelyn Wilson

Library Media Specialist, Stonebridge Elementary
I am the Library Media Specialist at Stonebridge Elementary. I have been an educator for 12 years. I spent 5 of those years as an elementary school teacher and the other 7 as a Library Media Specialist. In our school library, I like to promote a culture of reading while also including... Read More →
Wednesday July 23, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 8

9:00am CDT

Making Science Come Alive with Gizmos
Wednesday July 23, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
In this session, participants will learn strategies to engage students in critical thinking and inquiry with Gizmos. Participants will also discuss best practices for using simulations, how to incorporate literacy and develop a deeper understanding to support student learning in a standards-based science classroom.
Presenters
avatar for Tiffany Christian

Tiffany Christian

Senior Implementation Coordinator, ExploreLearning
Tiffany Christian is an Area Implementation Coordinator with ExploreLearning in the Mid-Atlantic region.  She has 17 years of experience in public education as a gifted math and science teacher, an academic coach, and a district K-12 science instructional lead.  She currently lives... Read More →
Wednesday July 23, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 93

9:00am CDT

Math Talk That Works: Building Language into Every Math Lesson
Wednesday July 23, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
English learners have to juggle learning math and a new language at the same time. In this session, we’ll look at easy, practical ways to weave language supports into your daily math routines using the WIDA language standards. Walk away with ready-to-use strategies and examples to boost both math and language learning.
Presenters
avatar for Danielle White

Danielle White

Education Specialist, English Learners, Alabama State Department of Educatin
Wednesday July 23, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Room 95

9:00am CDT

Tie-Dye makes everything BETTER!
Wednesday July 23, 2025 9:00am - 10:50am CDT
Come learn about tie-dye. Learn how easy it would be to do tie-dye for yourself, a group, a class, a club, or even the entire school! Let's tie-dye Baldwin county!!!!

Bring a 100% COTTON T-shirt the morning of your session, drop it in the bucket, and then come back and tie-dye a beautiful creation!!!!

This is a GRITC favorite session!
Presenters
avatar for Joyce Garrison

Joyce Garrison

Art Teacher, Rosinton Elementary
Hello!I am excited to be returning to GRITC as a presenter!I graduated with my bachelors of fine art and master's of education from the University of Montevallo, which is located in Montevallo, AL.I am married and we live in Loxley. I teach elementary art and I absolutely love it... Read More →
AP

Amy Plunkett

Supervisor, Curriculum & Instruction K-12 Fine Arts, Health & PE BCBE, Central Office Staff
Wednesday July 23, 2025 9:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 45 - Art Room

9:00am CDT

2025-2026 District Math PLC (Day 2)
Wednesday July 23, 2025 9:00am - 3:00pm CDT
This session is for Baldwin County teachers who have already preregistered.

The Baldwin County Math PLC meets five times during the 2025-2026 school year and is ASDE TEAMS approved PD. July 22-23 are the first two of five meeting dates. The District Math PLC focuses on becoming better math teachers by (1) effectively implementing the mathematical teaching practices, (2) digging deep into math content, (3) collaborating with fellow math teachers, and (4) using current math research to inform and provoke action.

This session will begin diving deeper into the mathematical teaching practices by exploring establishing mathematics goals to focus learning and implementing rich tasks that promote reasoning and problem solving.
Presenters
SK

Scotty Keenan

Secondary Curriculum Supervisor, Baldwin County Central Office Staff
Wednesday July 23, 2025 9:00am - 3:00pm CDT
Library - High School
  Math

10:00am CDT

Axolotls, Fishing Rodeos and TNT... IN MATH?
Wednesday July 23, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Attention all fearless and innovative math and science teachers in upper elementary, middle, and high school! You know who you are—I see you! If you’re ready to ditch the mundane and harness the power of gaming to supercharge student engagement, this session is for you.

Step into the world of Minecraft: Education Edition, where equations come to life, science gets explosive (safely, of course!), and students collaborate, create, and problem-solve in ways that traditional methods just can’t match. In this hands-on session, we’ll explore how to transform your math and science classroom into an immersive, interactive learning environment—one block at a time! Bring your computer (and a controller if you have one), and let’s "play"—I mean, learn! 😉 P.S. Bonus lessons included on using AI to enhance communication, give clear directions, and craft engaging lesson plans that bring Minecraft into your classroom! Disclaimer: This description was "spiced up" with AI)
Presenters
avatar for Rebecca Cissel

Rebecca Cissel

Teacher, Loxley Elementary
I am a 6th-grade teacher and a tech nerd.  I love trying out new tools in my classroom and sharing them with other educators.
Wednesday July 23, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 253

11:00am CDT

Bright Ideas: Illuminating Learning with Blacklight Magic
Wednesday July 23, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
In this interactive workshop, educators will discover how blacklight activities can boost student engagement across subjects. Learn the science behind UV light, explore creative lesson ideas, and try hands-on demos with fluorescent materials, invisible ink, and glow-in-the-dark elements. From science and literacy to SEL and classroom transformations, you'll leave with practical, glowing strategies to energize learning!
Presenters
NT

Nancy Timmons

Art Teacher, Central Baldwin Middle
Wednesday July 23, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 228

11:00am CDT

PowerTools and *AI using Tech to Survive [&Thrive] in the Classroom.
Wednesday July 23, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
This session is designed for K-12 educators seeking to optimize their use of both popular and underutilized technical applications to enhance overall teacher effectiveness. We'll cover topics such as effective utilization of Artificial Intelligence by educators in the classroom and time management, along with effective methods for providing instructional differentiation to meet the needs of all students. Additionally, participants will receive access to a website featuring updated content originally created for Troy University students.
Presenters
avatar for Roland Weldon

Roland Weldon

College Instructor, Troy University
Wednesday July 23, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 255

11:00am CDT

Teaching Made Magical: Transform Your Classroom with Magic School AI
Wednesday July 23, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Imagine cutting hours off your planning time while delivering more engaging, personalized lessons—sounds like magic, right? Magic School AI is the ultimate AI-powered tool designed for all teachers, in all subjects, at all grade levels! From generating lesson plans and assessments to providing instant differentiation and feedback, this platform does the heavy lifting so you can focus on what truly matters—your students.

Join this session to see how AI can streamline your workload, spark creativity, and supercharge student learning. Whether you're a tech newbie or an AI enthusiast, you'll walk away with practical strategies to make AI your most powerful teaching assistant!

Let’s work smarter, not harder—because teaching should be magical!
Presenters
avatar for Stacey Tatum

Stacey Tatum

3rd Grade Teacher, Elberta Elementary
Wednesday July 23, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 5

11:00am CDT

Stories from History. Lessons for Today.
Wednesday July 23, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Are you ever in a position where you find yourself on a quest, a continuous search for sources that are not only reliable but also trustworthy? Perhaps you often seek lesson plans that are not just informative, but also engaging and educational? Well, fear not, for RetroReport is here to offer you a beacon of hope in the vast sea of information overload.
RetroReport, a beacon of light in the darkness of misinformation, blends the elements of credible journalism, rich history, fundamental civics knowledge, and essential media literacy education. Their exceptional work serves as a testament to the profound impact that historical events have on shaping the contemporary world we live in. Through the art of documentary storytelling, they delve deep into the annals of time to elucidate how the past reverberates in the present. In an age where misinformation spreads like wildfire, RetroReport stands as a bastion of truth and accuracy by undertaking a three-fold mission.
Firstly, they strive to breathe new life into the realms of history and civics education, ensuring that current and future generations are well-versed in the intricacies of the past. Secondly, they provide nonpartisan journalism that is rooted in verifiable facts, serving as a reliable compass in navigating the turbulent waters of today's media landscape. And lastly, they equip individuals with the necessary tools for media literacy, empowering them to discern truth from falsehood in an era of deception and distortion.
With an extensive repertoire of over 250 short documentaries and video series, RetroReport has collaborated with esteemed partners such as The New York Times, PBS, The New Yorker, VICE, Scientific American, NBC News, Politico, Time, The Guardian, and Univision. Their educational materials have proven to be invaluable resources for educators across diverse disciplines, from English and science to history and beyond.
As a dedicated secondary ELA teacher, I am committed to sharing the wonders of RetroReport with my fellow educators. Together, we can explore innovative ways to seamlessly integrate RetroReport's wealth of knowledge and insight into our lesson plans, enriching the educational experience for our students. So, won't you join me on this enlightening journey to discover RetroReport and unlock the boundless potential it holds for enhancing your teaching repertoire?
Click on the link provided to join RetroReport for free and embark on a transformative educational experience like never before. Let us harness the power of RetroReport to enlighten minds and inspire hearts in the pursuit of knowledge and truth. Link: ​Click Here​​​
Presenters
avatar for Nikki Minoso

Nikki Minoso

Teacher, Spanish Fort High
Wednesday July 23, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 7

11:00am CDT

Engaging Secondary Students in Contemporary Literature
Wednesday July 23, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
This session will take a closer look at contemporary YA literature that has could have educational merit for secondary standards and objectives. Specific books published in the last 3 years will be discussed and the process of requesting they be added to the district reading list will be reviewed. The use of contemporary literature can provide students with relatable content, characters, and situations. This can also encourage students to read outside of the required literature for class, and remind them that there are so many amazing stories being told now for them to enjoy.
Presenters
avatar for Allie Schultze

Allie Schultze

Consulting Teacher, Central Office Staff
Hi! I'm Allie and I'm a Consulting Teacher with the Ed Tech Department. Some of you may have cursed my name while attempting to finish some of our online PD (totally understandable). This was my 10th year in Baldwin County and my 15th in education. I previously worked as a Teacher... Read More →
Wednesday July 23, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 4

11:00am CDT

Navigating Schoology: Real Tips from a Real Teacher
Wednesday July 23, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
I will give my advice on using Schoology to organize class materials. Connect to PowerSchool to sync grades. Learn how to link to external tools, some of which will send grades back to Schoology. I am a high school math teacher that has used Schoology since the beginning. Come learn how to get started!
Presenters
avatar for Deborah Kilzer

Deborah Kilzer

Teacher, Foley High School
Wednesday July 23, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 8

12:00pm CDT

Hyperdocs for Pre-Reading & Pre-Viewing
Wednesday July 23, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
This session will showcase the use of hyperdocs as a pre-reading and pre-viewing strategy. Teachers will walk away with valuable, relevant information on how to curate resources and small tasks so that students can build their own background knowledge before reading or viewing a text.
Wednesday July 23, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 214

12:00pm CDT

Building an Engaging Classroom Community
Wednesday July 23, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Building an engaging classroom community might be easier than you think! By facilitating cooperative learning opportunities and advocating for student choice, engagement and community build on one another.
Presenters
avatar for Jennifer McKoewn

Jennifer McKoewn

Teacher, Florence B. Mathis Elementary
Wednesday July 23, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 228

12:00pm CDT

Unlocking the Alabama Virtual Library
Wednesday July 23, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Discover how the Alabama Virtual Library provides easy access to research databases tailored for students. Learn how to integrate this valuable tool into your classroom or library to enhance student research skills and discover authentic research project ideas to engage all learners.
Presenters
avatar for Jacquelyn Wilson

Jacquelyn Wilson

Library Media Specialist, Stonebridge Elementary
I am the Library Media Specialist at Stonebridge Elementary. I have been an educator for 12 years. I spent 5 of those years as an elementary school teacher and the other 7 as a Library Media Specialist. In our school library, I like to promote a culture of reading while also including... Read More →
Wednesday July 23, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 8

12:00pm CDT

Math Talk That Works: Building Language into Every Math Lesson
Wednesday July 23, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
English learners have to juggle learning math and a new language at the same time. In this session, we’ll look at easy, practical ways to weave language supports into your daily math routines using the WIDA language standards. Walk away with ready-to-use strategies and examples to boost both math and language learning.
Presenters
avatar for Danielle White

Danielle White

Education Specialist, English Learners, Alabama State Department of Educatin
Wednesday July 23, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 95

12:00pm CDT

"My eyes! My eyes!" How Un-Seeing Connects to Mathematics
Wednesday July 23, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
“My eyes! My eyes!” Phoebe and Rachel said it best, but what does this quote have to do with teaching and learning mathematics? In this session, we will SEE this connection through classroom stories and engaging problems. Spoiler Alert: It isn’t really about un-seeing – it’s about un-understanding.
Presenters
Wednesday July 23, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
Room 255
  Math

12:00pm CDT

Artistically Mindful Brain Breaks
Wednesday July 23, 2025 12:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
When your class gets out of hand. You need a break! Your students need a break!
But what do you do?!?!?
Come to this session and obtain useful mini lesson plans that will give you the tools to provided your class easy to execute artistically mindful brain breaks.
Brain Breaks are short structured activities designed to help students or even teachers to reset, refocus, and re-energize the mind. These breaks often incorporate movement, mindfulness, or sensory activity to improve focus and learning.
They are quick and effective to reduce fatigue, boredom, and frustration.
Just a few examples: altered book prompts and postcard sketches.
But these are just a few....come to find out MORE ideas!



Presenters
avatar for Joyce Garrison

Joyce Garrison

Art Teacher, Rosinton Elementary
Hello!I am excited to be returning to GRITC as a presenter!I graduated with my bachelors of fine art and master's of education from the University of Montevallo, which is located in Montevallo, AL.I am married and we live in Loxley. I teach elementary art and I absolutely love it... Read More →
JP

Jessica Peppers

Teacher, Pine Grove Elementary
Wednesday July 23, 2025 12:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 20

12:00pm CDT

Creative Mastery: Unlocking Higher-Order Assessments with Canva
Wednesday July 23, 2025 12:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
This lesson for Secondary educators will explore the opportunities Canva holds for assessing higher-order thinking tasks at the culmination of a learning unit. Canva features allow students to demonstrate learning through creative projects, infographics, animated presentations and more. By understanding and implementing the educational tools available through Canva, teachers can assess synthesis of taught standards and facilitate peer evaluation in ways that engage students and close knowledge gaps masked in traditional projects. This presentation will have an overview of available features, suggestions for planning assessments, and provide a framework for the appropriate time to incorporate this technology.
Presenters
WP

Wendi Perkins

Teacher, Daphne High
Wednesday July 23, 2025 12:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 17

1:00pm CDT

PowerTools and *AI using Tech to Survive [&Thrive] in the Classroom.
Wednesday July 23, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
This session is designed for K-12 educators seeking to optimize their use of both popular and underutilized technical applications to enhance overall teacher effectiveness. We'll cover topics such as effective utilization of Artificial Intelligence by educators in the classroom and time management, along with effective methods for providing instructional differentiation to meet the needs of all students. Additionally, participants will receive access to a website featuring updated content originally created for Troy University students.
Presenters
avatar for Roland Weldon

Roland Weldon

College Instructor, Troy University
Wednesday July 23, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 255

1:00pm CDT

From Testing the Waters to Wide Open Throttle: Get Kami Certified
Wednesday July 23, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
This interactive Learning Lab is your one-stop shop to achieve your Kami Level 1
AND 2 certifications. Our expert navigator will guide you through hands-on exercises and collaborative explorations, ensuring you deeply understand Kami's core features and unlock more advanced functionalities. From annotation essentials to collaborative document design and interactive assignments, you'll leave this session with the skills and certifications to confidently integrate Kami into your teaching and engage your students. Prepare to elevate your Kami prowess and cast off towards enhanced learning experiences!
Presenters
avatar for Mantha Camacho

Mantha Camacho

Teaching and Learning Coordinator, Kami
Mantha Camacho is a Teaching and Learning Coordinator with Kami. Before joining Kami, she taught for 18 years in public education, with most of those years in a DAEP setting. She is a Google Level 2 Certified educator, was voted Teacher of the Year in 2008, and served in several leadership... Read More →
Wednesday July 23, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 243

1:00pm CDT

Thinking in Action: Practical Strategies for Active Learning
Wednesday July 23, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Are your students engaged in deep thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration—or are they just waiting for answers? In this dynamic session, we’ll explore Building Thinking Classrooms strategies that shift students from passive receivers of information to active thinkers and doers. Rooted in Peter Liljedahl’s research, these strategies empower students to take ownership of their learning while fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and perseverance.

What You’ll Learn:
✅ Strategies for forming randomized, collaborative groups that increase participation and accountability
✅ Techniques to reduce student dependency on direct instruction while increasing engagement
✅ Practical ways to shift classroom norms so students take risks, share ideas, and develop persistence

Why Attend?
Expect an interactive, hands-on experience where you’ll engage in thinking tasks just like your students would. Walk away with ready-to-use strategies that can be implemented immediately in any secondary classroom—whether you teach math, science, or humanities.
Presenters
avatar for Annie Freeman

Annie Freeman

Building Thinking Classrooms, Robertsdale High School
Wednesday July 23, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 207

1:00pm CDT

Level Up Learning: Gamify Anything!
Wednesday July 23, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Want to boost student engagement and make learning more fun? In this session, you'll discover how to gamify any lesson, review, or worksheet! Learn how to design effective review games, create lesson-length interactive experiences, and turn ordinary worksheets into exciting challenges. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced educator, you'll walk away with ready-to-use strategies and tools to make learning more dynamic and enjoyable for your students. Get ready to level up your teaching!
Presenters
BB

Brittany Babineaux

Teacher, Fairhope Middle
Wednesday July 23, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 7
 
Thursday, July 24
 

8:00am CDT

AMSTI: Algebra and Functions (6-8) Part 2
Thursday July 24, 2025 8:00am - 3:00pm CDT
This two-day session focuses on connections among grade-band standards and strategies to help students learn algebra and functions concepts. Participants will explore student-invented strategies, analyze evidence of student understanding to inform planning of next instructional steps, discuss the importance of sense-making, and explore the impact of concrete, semi-concrete, and abstract learning opportunities on the development of conceptual understanding and connections to standard US algorithms.

Private session for preregistered participants. The AMSTI Math Foundations is a prerequisite course. Participants must attend both part 1 and part 2. AMSTI is not able to provide materials and supplies following the training.
Presenters
SK

Scotty Keenan

Secondary Curriculum Supervisor, Baldwin County Central Office Staff
Thursday July 24, 2025 8:00am - 3:00pm CDT
Room E - 9th Grade Academy
  Math
 
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Gulf Regional Innovative Teaching Conference - GRITC 2025
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