2026 UAPCS Charter School Conference
Conference Schedule
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
| 12:00-7:00pm | General Registration and Exhibit Hall Open |
| 12:30-12:50pm | Welcome Session |
| 12:50-1:50pm | Charter School University Session 1 |
| 2:00-3:00pm | Charter School University Session 2 |
| 3:00-3:30pm | Exhibit Hall Networking Snack |
| 3:30-4:30pm | Charter School University Session 3 |
| 4:40-5:40 pm | Charter School University Session 4 |
| 5:45-6:00 pm | Exhibit Hall Networking/ Reception |
| 6:00-8:00pm | Awards Dinner and Program |
Thursday, June 11, 2026
| 8:30-4:00pm | Registration and Exhibit Hall Open |
| 8:30-9:00am | Exhibit Hall Networking and Breakfast |
| 9:00-10:00am | Charter School University Session 5 |
| 10:10-11:40am | General Session Keynote Speaker Steven Sharp Nelson |
| 11:40-12:45pm | Exhibit Hall Networking and Lunch |
| 12:50-1:50pm | Charter School University Session 6 |
| 1:55-2:20pm | Exhibit Hall Networking and Snack |
| 2:25-3:25pm | Charter School University Session 7 |
| 3:30-4:00pm | Closing Session/Prize Drawing |
2026 Charter School University Courses
Breakout Session Overview
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
| ***Charter School University Session 1*** | ***Charter School University Session 1*** | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Room | 12:50 – 1:50 p.m. | Room | 12:50 – 1:50 p.m. |
| Meridian A | From Board Chair to the LEA, What I Wish I'd Known ThenJon EbornSummit Academy | Meridian G | Nature: The Best Co-TeacherKaren BellUtah's Every Kid Outdoors, Division of Outdoor Recreation |
| Meridian B | No More Whack-a-Mole: Preventing Misbehavior Before It StartsNathan CuretonInnovations Ed | Meridian H | PCBL in the Primary Grades (K-1)Rachel SmithOdyssey Charter School |
| Meridian C | Take A Little Field TripTrent Van LeuvenMackay High School | Twilight 1 | Avoiding Schoolslop: Rethinking How We Assess and Teach in the AI WorldMaria AndersenBeehive Science and Technology Academy |
| Meridian D | Beyond Translation: Designing Classrooms Where English Learners Can ThriveNancy Y. SomarribaSandstone Psychology | Twilight 2 | Selective Factors Impacting Charter School EnrollmentNathan MarshallProvidence Hall Charter School |
| Meridian E | Scaffolding Grade Level Text for All ReadersJennifer ThrondsenImpactful Learning Designs | Twilight 3 | Media Resources Available at No Cost for Teachers and Students in UtahMariah GerlachProvidence Hall Charter School |
| Meridian F | Strategic Planning and Long-Term SustainabilityHeather WendlingNational Charter Schools Institute | Zephyr | Math for All: Using Number Talks to Support Students with Disabilities, Multilingual Learners, and Students with Diverse Math NeedsJasmine FrancoElevated Charter School |
| ***Charter School University Session 2*** | ***Charter School University Session 2*** | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Room | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. | Room | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. |
| Meridian A | Board Clerk Training – How to Comply with the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act (OPMA)Joy PalmerVanguard Charter School | Meridian G | Leading Through Conflict: Practical Skills for Boards and School Leaders When the School Is Under StressJamee AdamsMountain View Montessori |
| Meridian B | Heroes and HorsesTyler Bastian and Nicole TomlinRoots Charter High School | Meridian H | Executive Function in Action: Simple Interventions with Life-Changing Results for Students and TeachersLindsay BairdWSU Charter Academy |
| Meridian C | Canva Reimagined: Unlock the MagicKayla TownerUtah Education Network | Twilight 1 | Statewide Online Education Program (SOEP) Unlocked: Tips, Tricks, and Financial StrategiesMeagan Johnston and Cynthia WhiteStatewide Online Education Program |
| Meridian D | Student Engagement Strategies in a Virtual Learning EnvironmentStephanie DavisWestEd | Twilight 2 | A PCBL JourneyAmy EdwardsElevated Charter School |
| Meridian E | Tips and Tricks to Boost Student EnrollmentBrandon FrancisTarget River | Twilight 3 | The Underdiscovered World of Metacognition-Reading Comprehension Power!Alicia GriffinParadigm Schools |
| Meridian F | From Innovation to Impact: Using Go See Coach to Implement Evidence-Based PracticesJohn Jeon and David ForbushUSU Center for the School of the Future | Zephyr | Motivating Math MomentsBecca McKendrickMonticello Academy |
| ***Charter School University Session 3*** | ***Charter School University Session 3*** | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Room | 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. | Room | 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. |
| Meridian A | Policy That Works: Governance for Real OutcomesJoylin LincolnUtah Association of Public Charter Schools | Meridian G | Pulling Rhinoceros Teeth: Telling Your Stakeholders Your StoryLincoln FillmoreState Charter School Board |
| Meridian B | Giving It Your All Without Giving It ALLBlake ClarkClark Educational Consulting | Meridian H | More Than Bilingual: Building Identity and Cultural CompetenceEulogio AlejandreEsperanza Elementary School (retired) |
| Meridian C | High-Impact Instruction: Using ALDO to Scale Evidence-Based PracticesJeremiah SandbergAscent Academies of Utah | Twilight 1 | Teaching Argument Writing Skills Through Class DebatesHeather BurtonLakeview Academy |
| Meridian D | Helping Students Engage When They Don't Understand What's Going OnMark GardnerRoots Charter High School | Twilight 2 | Leveraging Media Creation in the Classroom and SchoolJoshua HallDreamstock Media |
| Meridian E | Every Day Counts: Attendance Strategies for SuccessMegan Menlove and Garrett RussellUtah State Board of Education | Twilight 3 | Less Screen. More Human. How AI Builds Adult Capacity to Deliver Measurable Literacy OutcomesMarci Housemanrinnalla |
| Meridian F | A Director's Guide to Educator Licensing and HiringMalia HiteUtah State Board of Education | Zephyr | Driving Math Achievement: Defining High-Quality Math Instruction – Part 1Dr. Destiny Woodbury and Dr. Natasha WardEdConnective |
| ***Charter School University Session 4*** | ***Charter School University Session 4*** | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Room | 4:40 – 5:40 p.m. | Room | 4:40 – 5:40 p.m. |
| Meridian A | Board Ethics 101Chris YorgasonYorgason Law Offices, PLLC | Meridian G | Intro to PCBL: Guiding Principles and Strategies for Improving LearningKayla TownerUtah Education Network |
| Meridian B | Coaching That Moves the Needle: Turning Classroom Observations into Measurable GrowthHaylee Chesney and Erick DiazWallace Stegner Academy | Meridian H | Common Missteps in Classroom ManagementAllison Parker RiddleDavis School District |
| Meridian C | Academic Innovation, It Cannot Just be a Catch PhraseMatty BryantSpark Academy at Heritage Schools | Twilight 2 | Ready, Set, Differentiate! Same Summit, Different PathsKatrina HandsakerInnovations Ed. |
| Meridian D | Strategic Staffing: Attracting, Placing, and Retaining High-Quality Educators for Maximum ImpactDeLaina Tonks, Steve Davis, Ann Meeks, Lisa BoucherMountain Heights Academy | Twilight 3 | Adults Working with Youth: Mandated Reporter TrainingEmily SparksPrevent Child Abuse Utah |
| Meridian E | Navigating the Noise: Empowering News-Literate Students with CheckologyChris HaughtSouthwest Educational Service Center | Zephyr | Driving Math Achievement: Defining High-Quality Math Instruction – Part 2Dr. Destiny Woodbury and Dr. Natasha WardEdConnective |
| Meridian F | UAPCS Incubator Fellowship ProgramTom Rupp and Rachel KnightonCustom Class Charter School and Vanguard Academy | ||
Breakout Session Overview
Thursday, June 11, 2026
| ***Charter School University Session 5*** | ***Charter School University Session 5*** | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Room | 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. | Room | 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. |
| Meridian A | Staying Out of Hot Water: A Practical Guide to Resolving Public Education Hotline ComplaintsPlatte Nielson and Cynthia PhillipsAW Services | Meridian H | From Chaos to Consistency: Classroom Management That Works (Yes, for Teachers AND Students)Kenneth ApplegateEducation Advocate |
| Meridian B | Radical Collaboration: Growing an Ecosystem of Innovative Educators Across UtahNate Justis, Cami Player and Laura ReinaUSU Collaboratory for Innovation in Teaching and Leadership / Edith Bowen Laboratory School | Twilight 1 | Do Less, Get More: Systems Thinking for Sustainable Charter SchoolsJulie LaubLean Think |
| Meridian C | From Paper to Insight: Using AI to Analyze Handwritten Student Work Without Putting Kids on ScreensDane Roberts and Christopher RobertsMonticello Academy / Intevate Labs | Twilight 2 | A Place Called Charter School: A 60-Minute Design LabDavid Forbush, Parker Fawson and John JeonUSU Center for the School of the Future |
| Meridian D | Brain Training: The Missing Piece in Solving the Literacy CrisisAmy HartCanyon Grove Academy | Twilight 3 | Put PEP in your Students' Step!Valerie Hoopes, Anjeanette Armstrong and Andrea JohnsonGuadalupe School / Teaching it Right |
| Meridian E | How Do We Grow Schools TogetherJasmin Zures and Taylor SmithThrivePoint Academy of Utah | Twilight 4 | Leading School Turnarounds: Step-by-step Frameworks for Reversing Declining Enrollment, Improving Test Scores, or Rebuilding Culture in Underperforming ChartersJamee AdamsMountain View Montessori |
| Meridian F | From Leadership Load to Leadership Lift: Launching The Multiplier Effect Book StudyMarci Houseman and Melissa HamiltonChasing Impact | Zephyr | Canva Time SaversChris HaughtSouthwest Educational Service Center |
| Meridian G | Sheets Just Got Real: Personalizing Instruction Using Google SheetsSven LivingstonQuest Academy Charter School | ||
| ***Charter School University Session 6*** | ***Charter School University Session 6*** | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Room | 12:50 – 1:50 p.m. | Room | 12:50 – 1:50 p.m. |
| Meridian A | Stay in Your Lane: How Charter School Boards Can Avoid Micromanaging and Actually Help Their Schools ThriveLori Drake and Richard BiglerHighmark Charter School | Meridian H | AI Tools for Digital Storytelling: Google Vids and Adobe PodcastRob BentleyUtah Education Network |
| Meridian B | AI Without Losing the Human: Using Artificial Intelligence to Deepen Real Connection in SchoolsTyler BastianRoots Charter High School / 243 Collective | Twilight 1 | Crisis Communications: How to Stay in the Game when Crisis Hits Your SchoolTamra WatsonUtah Association of Public Charter Schools |
| Meridian C | Partnering with the State Charter School BoardStacey Hutchings, SCSB Board Members and StaffState Charter School Board | Twilight 2 | Won't You Be Our Neighbor? PBS KIDS and Education Tools for EducatorsMelanie Pehrson-Noyce and Annie FrazierPBS Utah |
| Meridian D | Building Systems for K-3 Literacy SuccessKalie Chamberlain and Jed GrunigUSU Center for the School of the Future / Logan School District | Twilight 3 | Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive, and Dodge: Teaching in 2026 and BeyondDarren BeckMerit Academy |
| Meridian E | Market Update and Facility Financing DiscussionDavid RobertsonLRB Public Finance Advisors | Twilight 4 | Using the TOWS Model to Build a Balanced Scorecard to Navigate the Next Five Years at Syracuse Arts AcademyMatthew Mouritsen, AW ServicesSyracuse Arts Academy Leadership |
| Meridian G | Student Engagement: High-Impact Strategies That Actually WorkNathan CuretonInnovationsEd | Zephyr | Driving Math Achievement: Building a Focused Improvement Plan – Part 1Dr. Destiny Woodbury and Dr. Natasha WardEdConnective |
| ***Charter School University Session 7*** | ***Charter School University Session 7*** | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Room | 2:25 – 3:25 p.m. | Room | 2:25 – 3:25 p.m. |
| Meridian A | Are Your Charter Councils Set Up for Success? School LAND Trust Trends and Resources for Council Formation and StructureMarcus ChenSchool LAND Trust – USBE | Meridian H | Play it Forward: Games that Reinforce Foundational Reading SkillsShannon BowlesReading Horizons |
| Meridian B | Connection Is the Intervention: What Schools Get Wrong About Behavior, Burnout, and BelongingTyler BastianRoots Charter High School / 243 Collective | Twilight 1 | The Importance of Words in a Digital AgeKathy BeckerMemoria Press |
| Meridian C | AI and the Classroom: Protecting the Student Thinking ProcessMelanie ValentineEdTech Blueprint | Twilight 2 | Learning à la Carte: The Art of Personalization and ChoiceMelanie Hueftle and Sven LivingstonQuest Academy Charter School |
| Meridian D | Clarity, Coherence, and Culture: Leadership That Moves Schools ForwardJennifer BlakeLumen Scholar Institute | Twilight 3 | Parents Behaving Badly: Now What? (2026 Edition)Erin PrestonUtah Education Law |
| Meridian E | Utah School Finance 101Dale FrostUtah State Board of Education | Twilight 4 | Social Emotional Awareness and Learning in the Every Day of SchoolNicoletta HouseholderMaria Montessori Academy |
| Meridian F | Enrollment As an Operational DisciplineGage Ecke and Claire ChayetSchola | Zephyr | Driving Math Achievement: Building a Focused Improvement Plan – Part 2Dr. Destiny Woodbury and Dr. Natasha WardEdConnective |
| Meridian G | Too Legit to Sit: Active Classrooms, Engaged LearnersMandy JohnsAscent Academies of Utah | ||