Conference Strand: TT_LT

M1-04-Ex Merrimack 9:00 am - 9:50 am	Why Comfort Can Hold Us Back: Rethinking Growth in Schools Lorraine Connell, Former Teacher / Student Leadership, Peers not Fears
Level: Beginner  Extensions	Learn to recognize how staying in the comfort zone limits both adult and student growth, and begin to reframe discomfort as an essential part of learning. Walk away with new language and insight to open up conversations in your school community about what it really means to grow---and how we can support one another in doing so. Why do educators resist stepping into roles like advisory? Why do students shut down when learning gets hard? In this session, explore how the Zones of Comfort---Comfort, Challenge, and Panic---show up in schools and silently shape resistance, disengagement, and fear of failure.
M2-04-Ex Merrimack 10:20 am - 11:10 am	Building Community & Engagement Through Student-Led Video Announcements Liz Lichtenberg, Technology Integrator, Gilmanton School, SAU#79
*  Level: Beginner  Extensions	Discover how you can transform the mundanity of morning announcements into a dynamic and engaging learning experience for your students using minimal resources and skill. Empower tough-to-reach students and challenge those who are looking to transform their learning. Soon your entire school will be singing your selected theme songs, requesting more episodes of their favorite special features, and treating your anchors like celebrities!
M3-02-Ex Webster 11:40 am - 12:30 pm	Student Agency, Innovation & Leadership (SAIL): Integrate AI with Impact Rebecca Magary, SpotLight, Founder, AI Navigator, and Susan Fenn
Level: Beginner	Teach students about AI through hands-on, engaging, real-world opportunities. SAIL stands for Student Agency, Innovation, and Leadership. Through SAIL, schools have an opportunity to implement a student group or Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) focused on exploring and shaping the future of AI in their school and community. Students are not just learning about AI; they are actively working to understand its potential, address its ethical implications, and find creative ways to use it to solve real-world problems. SAIL empowers students to become leaders in the field of AI, giving them the skills and the platform to make a real difference. Learn about AI, discuss its ethical considerations, and even develop their own AI-powered solutions for problems they identify. Ultimately, SAIL is about giving students a voice in how AI shapes our world.
M3-Capital Armory	QH Supercharging Personalized Learning Stacey Pominville, Program Manager - Partnership, VLACS, and Julie Reece, VLACS
Level: Intermediate	Explore how personalized, competency-based education models can help address pressing issues within the education community---such as re-engaging disengaged students, reducing inequities between districts, and expanding access to high-quality learning experiences. The education system is facing significant strain, reflected in the experiences of students, families, and educators alike. Rising class sizes, limited resources, and ongoing debates over educational policy are generating concerns that may compromise the quality and fairness of learning opportunities.
T1-04-Ex Merrimack 9:00 am - 9:50 am	From Technoference to Triumph: A Pathway to Reclaim Learning & Engagement James Sgroi, K-12 Digital Learning Specialist, North Reading Public Schools
*  Level: Beginner	Drowning in technoference, doomscrolling, and screen addiction? It is time for educators to lead with purpose, not control. This session arms students with digital literacy, critical thinking, and ethical tech habits---turning digital chaos into mindful engagement. Let's break the scroll cycle and educate forward for a smarter, intentional future!
T2-02-Ex Webster 10:20 am - 11:10 am	Make Your Grass Greener: Choosing Tenacity in Your Professional Work Caitlin Bennett, SpotLight, Digital Learning Specialist, Londonderry School District
*  Level: All  Extensions	Listen, solve, juggle, repeat -- the rallying cry for all Ed Leaders: coaches, librarians, specialists, admin, and lead teachers. The to-do list never ends, and we often spend our jobs in the gray area between what we can control and what we wish we could control. We call out the hard truths, discover mindsets to remain focused, and leave with an actionable plan to cultivate with matters most.