Every Teacher A Leader Summit 2026: Full Schedule

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9:00am EDT

From Page to Performance: Readers Theater and AI for Every Classroom

Friday July 31, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am EDT

This interactive session explores how readers theater can be used to build reading fluency, comprehension, and student confidence across grade levels. Participants will learn practical strategies for implementing readers theater in their classrooms and see how it can support collaboration and engagement for a wide range of learners. Designed for teachers just beginning to explore artificial intelligence, this session will also introduce simple, accessible ways to use AI to create engaging, leveled scripts tailored to students’ needs. Participants will have time to experiment with these tools, so please bring a device and be ready to try it out in real time.

Speakers

Joshua Chard

Arts Integration Teacher Leader Fellow, Maine Department of Education Office of Teaching and Learning

Joshua Chard is a second-grade teacher at East End Community School in Portland, Maine, and the 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year. With more than 30 years in education, he creates culturally responsive, arts-integrated learning experiences that center joyful relationships, student voice... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am EDT

Innovation, General

9:00am EDT

Pathways to Possibilities: A New Approach to Career Exploration

Friday July 31, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am EDT

Alfond 208

In the Pathways to Possibilities session, participants will reimagine the traditional high school career fair as a targeted, interactive, fast-paced workshop in which students engage in short sessions to understand the career opportunities and supports available across the state. During the workshop, participants will create an event for their school using resources and tools to support their planning process.

Speakers

Lisa Knedler

Career Connections Teacher Leader Fellow, Maine Department of Education, Office of Teaching and Learning

Lisa Knedler is the Career Connections Teacher Leader Fellow for the Office of Teaching and Learning at the Maine Department of Education. Her days are spent teaching at Gray-New Gloucester High School where she is the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Coordinator and... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am EDT
Alfond 208

Innovation, 9-12

10:30am EDT

Creating the Evidence: Book Art in Action

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am EDT

Ayotte 103

Research consistently demonstrates that hands-on learning strengthens comprehension, increases student engagement, and promotes deeper understanding beyond rote memorization. In this workshop, participants will construct three book structures that function as authentic alternative assessments. Explore how book art can provide meaningful evidence of learning while fostering creativity, reflection, and student ownership across content areas and grade levels.

Speakers

Sharon Gallant

Retired Educator, MSAD 11

Sharon Gallant was a science educator at Gardiner Area High School and the 2023 Kennebec County Teacher of the Year. With more than 30 years in education, she is recognized for outdoor and experiential learning and has presented professional development throughout Maine. Sharon holds... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am EDT
Ayotte 103

Innovation, 3-8

10:30am EDT

Engaging Students and Shell-ebrating Maine Bivalves and Aquaculture

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am EDT

Alfond 136

Step into Maine's blue economy and re-engineer our relationship with our ocean! In this fast-paced hands-on workshop, you'll create tools that aquaculture farmers rely on and will leave with a turn-key NGSS-aligned curriculum that empowers students to harness their engineering skills to solve global food and restoration challenges. Help students realize their ability to help build the future of sustainability using STEAM!

Speakers

Kristel Anuszewski

Distinguished Educator, Learning Through Technology Team, Maine DOE

Kristel Anuszewski, a lifelong Mainer and 2024 Kennebec County Teacher of the Year, has 32 years of educational experience. After twenty-seven years teaching high school English and four years serving as an elementary librarian at Windsor Elementary, she now works as a Distinguished... Read More →

Colleen Maker

Biology and Marine Biology Teacher, Washington Academy

Colleen Maker is a biology and marine biology teacher at Washington Academy and serves as a K–12 Aquaculture Teaching Consultant for Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center. With 21 years of teaching experience, she is passionate about working with community partners to create authentic... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am EDT
Alfond 136

Innovation, 3-12

10:30am EDT

The Compass and the Canvas: Leading Innovation Inside and Out

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am EDT

Ayotte 104

How might we apply principles of human-centered, empathy-fueled design thinking to develop a more symbiotic relationship between outdoor education and educational technology? During this interactive sprint, participants will use a 5-phase design process to transform the indoor/outdoor dynamic of learning spaces by engaging the Compass Mindset (mentorship and self regulation) and the Canvas Mindset (creativity and multi-modal expression).

Speakers

Selina Greene Warren

Outdoor Learning Facilitator & School Garden Coordinator, Community Regional Charter School

Selina Greene Warren is a dedicated Outdoor Learning Facilitator and School Garden Coordinator at Community Regional Charter School. She was named the 2023 Maine Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher of the Year and received the 2024 National Excellence in Teaching Agriculture Award... Read More →

Dan Ryder

Director of Design & Innovation, Community Regional Charter School

Dan Ryder is a veteran classroom educator and Director of Design & Innovation at Community Regional Charter School. He formerly served as Co-Founder and Education Director of the SUCCESS & INNOVATION CENTER at MT BLUE CAMPUS ), an empathy-fueled makerspace + mentoring space for... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am EDT
Ayotte 104

Innovation, General