MOmentum: Full Schedule

1:00pm CDT

12 Big Questions School Must Answer to Imagine Irresistible Futures

Tuesday June 2, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT

This session offers a guided exploration of the 2025 ebook release on the 12 Big Questions, following the popular 9 BIG Questions Schools Must Answer to Avoid Going "Back to Normal" (*Because "Normal" Wasn't That Great to Begin With) by Homa Tavangar and Will Richardson. The big questions are being used as a provocation to drive meaningful and fearless inquiry around school change and efficacy in the midst of volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous (VUCA) conditions in the world and in education. Through probing, interactive activities we will audit and explore questions such as What is Learning? Why Do We ______? and Who is Unheard? as well as the three new questions: What is Your Story? What is Success? and What is Your Legacy? Embarking on a systematic interrogation of key questions, our “why” becomes clearer, to unlock new “how’s” for steering schools through crisis and uncertainty.

Speakers

Homa Tavangar

Cofounder, Big Questions Institute

Homa Tavanger is the co-founder of the Big Questions Institute and the Oneness Lab.She brings 30+ years’ experience helping diverse organizations and individuals to build cultural, racial and global competence, strategic governance, and visionary, generative leadership in diverse schools and organizations. She coaches leaders on accountability for equity... Read More →

Tuesday June 2, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Dunseth Auditorioum

ignite culture leadership wellness

Dynamic Theme Exploration

1:00pm CDT

Play Matters: The Power of Play in Education

Tuesday June 2, 2026 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT

RM 217

Learn the foundations of play - where it comes from, why it matters and what it truly is. Explore the brain science behind play and its lifelong role in learning, well-being and engagement. Examine how play supports both academic growth and human connection.

Engage in exploration that models how play enhances learning and instruction. Experience how purposeful play fosters creativity, curiosity and deeper engagement across learning environments.

Apply simple, classroom-ready strategies to immediately create a more playful learning environment. Use practical ideas to weave play into instruction, relationships and daily routines, supporting joyful learning for both educators and students.

Speakers

Denise Ford

Gifted Teacher, Kirkwood School District

Passionate about Gifted Education, innovation, creativity, and learning.

Play Matters the Power of Play in Education mp4

Tuesday June 2, 2026 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
RM 217 209 S Kingshighway St, St Charles, MO 63301

launch wellness belonging

2:00pm CDT

Fueling Educator Wellbeing

Tuesday June 2, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT

RM 136

Learn how energizing physiological habits can enhance clarity, stamina and purpose throughout the school day. Explore research-backed strategies for creating routines that support focus, resilience and overall well-being. Examine practical ways to make habits systematic for lasting impact.

Engage with peers through collaborative problem-solving to troubleshoot potential obstacles to habit formation. Experiment with habit-building techniques and share insights to refine approaches. Explore how small changes can produce meaningful daily results.

Apply practical strategies to create a personalized physiological habit plan ready for immediate implementation. Design daily routines that boost energy, focus and productivity.

Speakers

Jessica Arico

Fueling Educator Wellbeing mp4

Tuesday June 2, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
RM 136 209 S Kingshighway St, St Charles, MO 63301

ignite innovate wellness

3:00pm CDT

The SchoolAI Campfire

Tuesday June 2, 2026 3:00pm - 3:25pm CDT

schoolai Room - 137

Learn how educators are putting AI into practice right now, what's landing and what still needs work. Come ready to learn and engage with fellow educators who are navigating the same real-world AI questions and challenges. This is a space for honest conversation about what AI is doing in real classrooms, what's working, what's hard and what's still uncertain.

Engage in a relaxed, open roundtable where there are no slides and no agenda, just real conversation. Share what you built or experienced today, ask the questions you didn't get to ask in a session and connect with fellow educators navigating the same AI journey you are.

Apply the ideas, connections and insights that surface in the room to your own context. Whether you leave with a new idea to try with schoolai, a clearer question to explore or simply a sense that you are not alone in this work, the campfire is where the day's learning lands.

Speakers

Tarah Tesmer

Senior Educational Strategist, SchoolAI

Tuesday June 2, 2026 3:00pm - 3:25pm CDT
schoolai Room - 137

spark innovate belonging culture wellness

Dynamic Theme Essentials

1:00pm CDT

Healthy Boundaries: Fostering Professional Well-Being

Wednesday June 3, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT

RM 243

Learn the importance of healthy professional boundaries for preventing burnout and maintaining positive work relationships. Explore a four-step framework for establishing and maintaining boundaries. Discover strategies to communicate effectively while protecting your time and energy.

Engage through a variety of hands-on, collaborative activities including a boundary self-assessment.

Apply practical strategies to set and maintain boundaries and create a personal action plan with three specific boundaries to support work-life balance, reduce stress and prevent burnout.

Speakers

LaToya Jones

Social Emotional Learning Coach, Kirkwood School District

LaToya is a PreK-12 SEL Coach dedicated to the work of equity, restorative practices, and building strong, supportive school communities. A firm believer that educator well-being is the foundation of student success, one of her primary focuses is helping staff move past burnout by... Read More →

Healthy Boundaries Fostering Professional Well Being mp4

Wednesday June 3, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
RM 243

ignite wellness innovate

1:10pm CDT

See It. Hear It. Understand It. Multimodal Magic for ML Success

Wednesday June 3, 2026 1:10pm - 2:00pm CDT

Discovery Room - 233

Learn how Discovery Education’s multimodal resources, language supports and scaffolded strategies increase comprehension and confidence for multilingual learners.

Engage in analyzing accessible media, practicing scaffolded routines and experiencing how visual and auditory supports deepen understanding.

Gain practical techniques—like vocabulary routines, structured discussions and visual scaffolds—to make learning meaningful for every student.

PD Partners

John David Son

Regional VP, John David Son

Wednesday June 3, 2026 1:10pm - 2:00pm CDT
Discovery Room - 233

ignite innovate Elevate belonging design wellness

Dynamic Theme Essentials

1:30pm CDT

When Wellness Meets Technology: Reimagining Teacher Sustainability in the Age of AI

Wednesday June 3, 2026 1:30pm - 1:55pm CDT

RM 121

Learn how to pair wellness practices with technology to restore energy and creativity. Explore ways AI can simplify planning, reflection and communication while maintaining the human touch.

Engage in self-reflection, collaborative discussions, and hands-on exploration of wellness-centered tech strategies. Identify stress points in daily routines, test practical tools and consider how these approaches can be adapted to your own classroom context.

Apply wellness-centered tech strategies to immediately reduce stress and streamline workload. Create a personalized action plan that will protect time, sustain creativity and bring renewed energy to your teaching practice.

Speakers