Every Teacher A Leader Summit 2026: Full Schedule

9:30am EDT

Bringing Technology and Wellness Together in the Classroom

Thursday July 30, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am EDT

As school districts increasingly integrate 1-to-1 device initiatives, the conversation must shift from mere technical proficiency to the cultivation of sustainable digital health. This session presents a comprehensive framework for a Digital Wellness Program that synthesizes three critical pillars: Digital Citizenship, Technical Mastery, and Cognitive Wellness. Rather than viewing these as disparate subjects, this integrated model treats them as a singular competency necessary for student success in a hyper-connected world.

Speakers

Eric Huntington

Technology Integrator, Cape Elizabeth Middle School

I am currently the technology integrator at Cape Elizabeth Middle School. I teach 8th grade technology and 6th grade digital wellness. This is my 18th year as an educator and I live in Portland, ME!

Thursday July 30, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am EDT

Innovation, 3-12

9:30am EDT

Escape the Ordinary: Unlocking Learning Through Classroom Escape Rooms

Thursday July 30, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am EDT

Speakers

Allyson Gilbert

Susie Brawn

Thursday July 30, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am EDT

Innovation

9:30am EDT

Not Extras, Not Enrichment: The Power of Arts Integration

Thursday July 30, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am EDT

This interactive session explores how arts integration can deepen learning, increase engagement, and build strong classroom communities. Participants will experience practical, ready-to-use strategies that blend the arts with core content areas, reflecting on how creative processes support academic, social-emotional, and cognitive growth. You’ll leave with simple ways to get started and a renewed understanding of the arts in your classroom.

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 →

Thursday July 30, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am EDT

Innovation, K-8

9:30am EDT

The Quiet Revolution: Transforming Public Spaces with Montessori Magic

Thursday July 30, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am EDT

Speakers

Ashley Cirone

Thursday July 30, 2026 9:30am - 10:45am EDT

Innovation

11:00am EDT

Keeping AI HUMAN in Every Classroom

Thursday July 30, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT

Speakers

Kate Meyer-Jewett

Thursday July 30, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT

Innovation

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

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

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

Innovation, 9-12