Start Strong 2026

Start Strong 2026

Save the date for Upper Arlington’s Start Strong mini-conference on August 5-6, 2026--schedule to follow!

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

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8:30am EDT

Draft-What Steps Can I Take to Plan for Retirement, Even if it's a Long Time From Now? (preK-12)

Thursday August 6, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am EDT

Pete Scully and Laura Mickens will review pre-tax savings vehicles that are available to UA employees in addition to STRS. This review will cover the HSA, Section 125 plan, 403b, 457b, and 401a programs and approved vendors.

Speakers

Pete Scully

Thursday August 6, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am EDT

Certified Staff

Content Level Introductory, Proficiency
Audience PK, K-5, 6-8, 9-12

8:30am EDT

Making Room for the Storm: Relating to Stress in a Healthier, Values-Driven Way

Thursday August 6, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am EDT

Educators face an overwhelming amount of stress, yet traditional advice to eliminate the stress with typical self-care activities often leads to disappointment. Grounded in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), this interactive workshop shifts the focus from fighting stress to fundamentally changing our relationship with it. Participants will learn how to "unhook" from difficult thoughts, use self-compassion to lessen the burden of emotional pain, and orient toward core values to maintain momentum when life hits hard. Through experiential exercises and collaborative discussions, teachers will acquire a practical toolkit to navigate burnout throughout the school year. Crucially, these mindfulness and self-compassion strategies are designed to be shared directly with students, equipping educators to foster emotional resilience and values-based coping skills within their classrooms.

Speakers

Bobby Huffman

Intervention Specialist, Upper Arlington Schools

Bobby Huffman has spent two decades in the classroom navigating the beautiful, complex world of special education. Currently serving as an Intervention and Behavioral Specialist at Jones Middle School, Bobby has 20 years of experience supporting students with autism and behavioral... Read More →

Thursday August 6, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am EDT

Trauma Informed Care

Content Level Introductory
Audience PK, K-5, Admin, 9-12, 6-8

8:30am EDT

Draft-Hold for Progressive Education Workshop NEED DESCRIPTION

Thursday August 6, 2026 8:30am - 10:40am EDT

Speakers

Andrew Williams

3rd grade teacher, Wickliffe Progressive

Thursday August 6, 2026 8:30am - 10:40am EDT

Progressive Education

Content Level Introductory
Audience K-5

9:40am EDT

Draft-LPDC & Licensure Workshop NEED DESCRIPTION

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:40am - 10:40am EDT

Speakers

Kristin Bugnitz

Peer Assistance Specialist, Upper Arlington Schools

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:40am - 10:40am EDT

Certified Staff

Content Level Introductory, Proficiency
Audience PK, K-5, Admin, 6-8, 9-12

9:40am EDT

Draft-K-5 at a Glance Curriculum Document NEED DESCRIPTION

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:40am - 10:40am EDT

Speakers

Andrea Rowson

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:40am - 10:40am EDT

Curriculum (Literacy/Math/Science/Social Studies)

Content Level Introductory
Audience K-5

9:40am EDT

Draft-Confidentiality and Ethical Communication

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:40am - 10:40am EDT

This presentation will focus on confidentiality and ethical communication when discussing students and their behavior through a trauma-informed and supportive lens. Participants will explore how adult perceptions and projections impact students’ sense of safety, regulation, and identity, and how maintaining a neutral, supportive stance can promote positive outcomes. The session will also address strategies for managing challenging behaviors while preserving student dignity, as well as tools to support staff in recognizing and regulating their own stress and frustration to maintain professionalism and a supportive classroom environment.

Speakers

Larysa Gilbert

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:40am - 10:40am EDT

Trauma Informed Care

Content Level Introductory
Audience PK, K-5, 6-8, 9-12, Admin

10:50am EDT

Draft-Collaboration Station NEED DESCRIPTION

Thursday August 6, 2026 10:50am - 11:50am EDT

Thursday August 6, 2026 10:50am - 11:50am EDT

Content Level Introductory, Proficiency
Audience PK, K-5, 6-8, 9-12

10:50am EDT

Draft-Wired to Worry: Supporting the Anxious Mind in School

Thursday August 6, 2026 10:50am - 11:50am EDT

Anxiety doesn’t always look like panic or tears in the classroom. Often, it hides behind perfectionism, frequent trips to the nurse, avoidance, or even disruptive behavior. For an anxious student, the brain is stuck in a chronic "fight-or-flight" response, making meaningful learning nearly impossible. This session pulls back the curtain on how anxiety physically impacts a student's brain, memory, and behavior.

Speakers

Larysa Gilbert

Thursday August 6, 2026 10:50am - 11:50am EDT

Trauma Informed Care

Content Level Introductory
Audience K-5, PK, 9-12, 6-8

12:00pm EDT

Draft-Power Teacher NEED DESCRIPTION

Thursday August 6, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm EDT

Speakers

Sarah Painter

Thursday August 6, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm EDT

Certified Staff

Content Level Introductory
Audience K-5, 6-8, 9-12

12:00pm EDT

Draft-Conflict Resolution for Administrators

Thursday August 6, 2026 12:00pm - 1:30pm EDT

Led by a retired federal mediator, this session focuses on best practices for addressing conflict and issues as they arise. We will also have a review of the District complaint process.
Topics Addressed:

Best practices in conflict resolution and problem-solving
District complaint process

This session is for new administrators only.

Speakers

George Albu

Thursday August 6, 2026 12:00pm - 1:30pm EDT

Content Level Introductory, Proficiency
about <br>

1:10pm EDT

Draft-Abre NEED DESCRIPTION

Thursday August 6, 2026 1:10pm - 2:10pm EDT

Speakers

Tracy Macedonia

Assessment Coordinator, Upper Arlington City Schools

Thursday August 6, 2026 1:10pm - 2:10pm EDT

Certified Staff

Content Level Introductory
Audience K-5, 9-12, 6-8

1:40pm EDT

Draft-Active Employee Management for Administrators

Thursday August 6, 2026 1:40pm - 3:10pm EDT

This session is dedicated to understanding specific roles and responsibilities, including a review of various classifications and who supervises each, approaches for managing behavior and strategies for providing effective feedback.

Topics Addressed:

Best practices for evaluation and discipline
Nuances of UA contracts/policies/job categories related to evaluation and discipline

Speakers

Derek Haggerty

Thursday August 6, 2026 1:40pm - 3:10pm EDT

Content Level Introductory, Proficiency
about <br>

2:20pm EDT

Draft-Collaboration Station NEED DESCRIPTION

Thursday August 6, 2026 2:20pm - 3:20pm EDT

Thursday August 6, 2026 2:20pm - 3:20pm EDT

Content Level Introductory, Proficiency
Audience PK, K-5, 6-8, 9-12, Admin

2:20pm EDT

Draft-Digital Classroom Management NEED DESCRIPTION

Thursday August 6, 2026 2:20pm - 3:20pm EDT

Speakers

Amanda Viau

Thursday August 6, 2026 2:20pm - 3:20pm EDT

Content Level Introductory
Audience K-5, 6-8, 9-12