Academic Innovation Conference 2026: Full Schedule

You will be able to validate your attendance (Check-In to sessions) using your personal schedule.

9:00am EDT

Work Smarter, Not Harder: AI Systems That Support Teachers

Wednesday June 10, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am EDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Teachers are expected to manage curriculum, policies, communication, differentiation, and data—often across disconnected systems. The result is not a lack of effort, but a lack of time and clarity.
This session shares how our rural school redesigned its approach by using technology to do the heavy lifting for teachers. By combining a centralized school website hub with AI-powered “Brains” (NotebookLM), custom GPTs, and Gemini Gems, we created a system where teachers can instantly access answers, resources, and support—without searching, guessing, or feeling overwhelmed.
Participants will see how this ecosystem works together:

A schoolwide digital hub as the single source of truth
AI tools that answer questions, summarize documents, and guide decisions
Custom-built tools that support real teacher workflows

Speakers

Heather Payne Herron

Instructional Technology Facilitator, Swain Middle School (Swain County Schools)

My name is Heather Payne Herron, and I am an Instructional Technology Facilitator at Swain Middle School in Bryson City, North Carolina. A proud graduate of Swain County Schools, I have spent all 33 years of my teaching career serving the students of Western North Carolina. I began my journey teaching 5th grade... Read More →

Wednesday June 10, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am EDT
Sycamore Room 106

Breakout Sessions, AI in Education

Audience Educators, All Levels, Administrators/School Leaders, Counselors/Student Support, Specialists, District Leadership
Subject AI
global Y

10:10am EDT

Tapestry of Belonging 2.0

LIMITED

Wednesday June 10, 2026 10:10am - 11:10am EDT

Sycamore Room 107

Limited Capacity seats available

“A Tapestry of Belonging: Where All Students Feel Welcome, Empowered, and Valued” invites educators to reimagine their classrooms and schools as dynamic, interconnected spaces where every student’s identity and voice matter. Using the powerful metaphor of a tapestry—where each thread contributes to a stronger whole—this session explores how fostering belonging can transform school culture, student engagement, and academic success.
Participants will engage in interactive strategies that promote social awareness, empathy, and collaboration, including activities such as Synectics, Hexagonal Thinking, and structured peer dialogue. Grounded in access-focused education, this session highlights practical approaches for creating welcoming environments through differentiated instruction, culturally responsive practices, and relationship-centered teaching.
Attendees will leave with actionable tools to build welcoming classroom spaces, strengthen student voice, and support all learners. Ultimately, this session empowers educators to intentionally weave compassion, understanding, and accessibility into their daily practice—creating learning environments where every student feels seen, heard, and a true sense of belonging.

Speakers

Brittany Brady

Academic Innovation Specialist, Appalachian State GEAR UP

Yolanda Adams

Assistant Director for Student Leadership & Family Outreach, GEAR Up Appalachian State University

Yolanda Adams, originally from Bogotá, Colombia, has proudly called Boone, North Carolina home for over two decades. Her life’s work is rooted in service, advocacy, and a deep commitment to expanding opportunity for all students, families, and communities.
For more than ten years, Yolanda served Watauga County Schools, where she worked directly with students and families to bridge language, cultural, and access gaps. In December 2023, she began a new chapter as Assistant Director for Student Leadership & Family Outreach with GEAR UP... Read More →

Wednesday June 10, 2026 10:10am - 11:10am EDT
Sycamore Room 107

Breakout Sessions, Student-Centered Teaching

Company Appalachian State GEAR UP
Audience Educators, Administrators / School Leaders, Counselors / Student Support, Specialists, District Leadership, All Levels
Subject School Climate & Culture, Student-Centered Teaching & Learning
global Y

1:35pm EDT

"I Don't Know" is not a Get Out of Jail Free Card: Increasing Student Participation

LIMITED

Wednesday June 10, 2026 1:35pm - 2:35pm EDT

Elm Room 211 B

Limited Capacity seats available

One of the biggest challenges we face as educators is holding students to high standards without creating “gotcha” moments that make them shut down or explode. This can be incredibly difficult in the face of students who appear to be disinterested, disengaged or downright combative. By examining the reasons behind these behaviors and seeking to meet students where they are, we can create a safety net of strategies for our students that keep them gently, but firmly, on the hook for participation. This allows us to expect (and get!) excellence from our students while taking their social and emotional needs into account. In this practical and fun session, you will learn, practice and experience a multitude of practical, research-based techniques to empower your lessons and your learners. Unlock the secrets to success that will increase student participation and content-based talk in whole-class discussions, random calling and partner activities, filling your toolbox with strategies that you can take away and use for yourself or the teachers you support the moment you set foot back in your schools and classrooms.

Speakers

Katie Anderson

www.consciousteaching.com, Conscious Teaching, LLC

Katie Anderson is an award-winning National Board Certified Teacher, author, and 15-year classroom veteran, teaching all grades K-12 through her work with the Wake County Public School System in North Carolina and Duke University’s Talent Identification Program. She has also served... Read More →

Wednesday June 10, 2026 1:35pm - 2:35pm EDT
Elm Room 211 B

Breakout Sessions, Student-Centered Teaching