Start Strong 2026: Full Schedule

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.

8:30am EDT

Draft-Communication Crash Course NEED DESCRIPTION

1.00 PD

Wednesday August 5, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am EDT

Speakers

Karen Truett

Wednesday August 5, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am EDT

Certified Staff

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

10:50am EDT

Creating a Human-Centered AI Stoplight Framework and UA AI Policy

1.00 PD

Wednesday August 5, 2026 10:50am - 11:50am EDT

AI can be a powerful assistant to both students and staff. We need a way to harness its power without compromising foundational learning and academic integrity. Come learn how to create rationales for AI use or non-use from a teacher’s and student’s perspective. Use these guidelines in designing parameters for you next lesson or unit. We will also cover the major points of the Upper Arlington AI Guidance document as well as what Ai tools are approved for use.

Speakers

Denise Lutz

Chief Excellence and Engagement Officer, Upper Arlington School

HumanCenteredAIStoplightModel (1) pdf

Wednesday August 5, 2026 10:50am - 11:50am EDT

AI/Technology

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

12:00pm EDT

Draft-Shifting the Lens: An Introduction to Trauma-Informed Care

1.00 PD

Wednesday August 5, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm EDT

When a student acts out or shuts down, our instinct is often to ask, "What is wrong with you?" Trauma-Informed Care challenges us to shift that question to, "What happened to you?" This session will introduce the core principles of trauma-informed education. Discover how chronic stress impacts the developing brain, learn to recognize the subtle signs of trauma in the classroom, and walk away with practical, everyday strategies to create a felt sense of safety and connection for all students.

Speakers

Larysa Gilbert

Wednesday August 5, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm EDT

Trauma Informed Care

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

2:20pm EDT

Draft-iPad Accessibility NEED DESCRIPTION

1.00 PD

Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:20pm - 3:20pm EDT

Speakers

Amanda Viau

Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:20pm - 3:20pm EDT

AI/Technology

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

8:30am EDT

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

1.00 PD

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

9:40am EDT

Draft-LPDC & Licensure Workshop NEED DESCRIPTION

1.00 PD

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-Confidentiality and Ethical Communication

1.00 PD

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

2:20pm EDT

Draft-Collaboration Station NEED DESCRIPTION

1.00 PD

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

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

Start Strong 2026

8:30am EDT

Colleen Wright

Karen Truett

10:50am EDT

Denise Lutz

12:00pm EDT

Larysa Gilbert

2:20pm EDT

Amanda Viau

8:30am EDT

Bobby Huffman

9:40am EDT

Kristin Bugnitz

9:40am EDT

Larysa Gilbert

2:20pm EDT

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