ENGAGE 2026 Professional Learning Conference: Full Schedule

Lunch Options or Bring Lunch for Game Show theme Party happening in the Student Union!

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8:30am CDT

Tuesday July 21, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am CDT

Come explore the skills tested from the Writing Process TEKS in the STAAR Revising passages. Leave with ideas, lessons, and resources to use in any unit to engage students in thinking like writers!

Presenters

Tosh McGaughy

Educational Consultant, Tosh McGaughy LLC

(say it Mc-GOY)
I am a certified English teacher who enjoys learning & sharing about literacy, leadership, assessment, curriculum design, & school improvement. I share free TEKS-based resources on my website: www.tinyurl.com/ToshShares

Tuesday July 21, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am CDT
Rm. 806 - Northwest High School Northwest High School, 2301 Texan Drive, Justin, TX 76247

Instruction, ELA

Audience Secondary
TOPIC Content Literacy

8:30am CDT

Off the Bench and Into the Game: Active Grammar Strategies

Tuesday July 21, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am CDT

Rm. 1105 - Northwest High School

In this session, participants will explore movement-based strategies for teaching grammar focuses to help students internalize key concepts. We'll also dive into fun, practical techniques for coaching students to apply their grammar skills when editing their own writing — leaving you with a playbook of ready-to-use ideas for your classroom.

Presenters

Melissa Garcia

Tonya Gurley

Tuesday July 21, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am CDT
Rm. 1105 - Northwest High School Northwest High School, 2301 Texan Drive, Justin, TX 76247

Planning, ELA | Instruction, ELA

Audience Elementary
TOPIC Instructional Strategies

10:15am CDT

Boosting STAAR Success with Class Companion

Tuesday July 21, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am CDT

Rm. 1103 - Northwest High School

Discover how Class Companion can transform STAAR preparation in your 3rd–12th grade classrooms! In this hands-on session, teachers will explore how to use Class Companion’s AI-powered tools to provide targeted, TEKS-aligned practice that mirrors STAAR's question types. Learn how to easily create assignments from existing curriculum, generate rigorous open-ended and multiple-choice questions, and deliver instant, actionable feedback to support student growth.

Participants will leave with ready-to-use strategies for using Class Companion to:
✅ Differentiate practice based on student needs
✅ Track progress on specific TEKS and readiness standards
✅ Encourage critical thinking and test-taking stamina
✅ Save time while improving instructional impact

Presenters

Kayla Beaman

Susan Borroeta

Tuesday July 21, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am CDT
Rm. 1103 - Northwest High School Northwest High School, 2301 Texan Drive, Justin, TX 76247

Instruction, ELA

Audience Secondary
TOPIC Instructional Strategies

10:15am CDT

Score a Touchdown with Authentic Text Interaction! - Elementary

Tuesday July 21, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am CDT

Rm. 806 - Northwest High School

Come engage with the critical thinking of our comprehension & response TEKS as we intentionally interact with texts. Leave with resources, ideas, and strategies to use with any text!

Presenters

Tosh McGaughy

Educational Consultant, Tosh McGaughy LLC

Tuesday July 21, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am CDT
Rm. 806 - Northwest High School Northwest High School, 2301 Texan Drive, Justin, TX 76247

Instruction, ELA

Audience Elementary
TOPIC Content Literacy

10:15am CDT

Using AI to Support Planning in the K-1 World

Tuesday July 21, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am CDT

Rm. 1201 - Northwest High School

Have you tried to use AI to help you start the planning process? This course will dive into ways that AI can support your work in the classroom.

Presenters

Kendra Holder

First Grade Teacher, Northwest ISD

Tuesday July 21, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am CDT
Rm. 1201 - Northwest High School Northwest High School, 2301 Texan Drive, Justin, TX 76247

Planning, ELA | Instruction, ELA

Audience Elementary
TOPIC Technology

1:00pm CDT

Game Plan for Rigor: Executing the TEKS Every Play for ELA/SLA/SCI

Tuesday July 21, 2026 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT

Rm. 1201 - Northwest High School

Step into the playbook for rigorous instruction! In this session, K-8 classroom teachers will learn how to leverage the TEKS Guide to plan for instruction with a deep understanding of the TEKS. Through collaborative analysis and planning, participants will ensure every learning “play” aligns to the rigor of the TEKS in ELA, SLA, and science.
Audience: K - 8th grade classroom teachers.

Presenters

Sunni Johnson

Director of Curriculum, Northwest ISD

Tuesday July 21, 2026 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Rm. 1201 - Northwest High School Northwest High School, 2301 Texan Drive, Justin, TX 76247

Instruction, ELA, Science

Audience All Levels

1:00pm CDT

Pages with Purpose: Rigorous & Responsive Journals in ELA

Tuesday July 21, 2026 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT

Rm. 1303- Northwest High School

Stop chasing engagement and start building a system! This session shows how interactive journals can become a self-sustaining system that supports rigorous literacy practices, ongoing formative assessment, and consistent student engagement—without increasing teacher workload.

Presenters

Katelynn Steinhauser

English II Teacher, JAMES M STEELE EARLY COLLEGE H S

Tuesday July 21, 2026 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Rm. 1303- Northwest High School Northwest High School, 2301 Texan Drive, Justin, TX 76247

Instruction, ELA

Audience Secondary
TOPIC Assessment

1:00pm CDT

Score a Touchdown with Authentic Text Interaction! - Secondary

Tuesday July 21, 2026 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT

Rm. 806 - Northwest High School

Come engage with the critical thinking of our comprehension & response TEKS as we intentionally interact with texts. Leave with resources, ideas, and strategies to use with any text!

Presenters

Tosh McGaughy

Educational Consultant, Tosh McGaughy LLC

Tuesday July 21, 2026 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Rm. 806 - Northwest High School Northwest High School, 2301 Texan Drive, Justin, TX 76247

Instruction, ELA

Audience Secondary
TOPIC Content Literacy

1:00pm CDT

The Starting Lineup: Tier 1 Strategies for Constructed Responses That Score

Tuesday July 21, 2026 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT

Rm. 1217 - Northwest High School

Every championship team starts with a strong starting lineup — players who are prepared, coached, and ready to perform when it matters most. In this session, educators will discover how to put their best Tier 1 instructional strategies on the field by leveraging Lead4ward's Think Along structure to build confident, skilled writers in every classroom. The Think Along is more than a reading tool — it is a powerful coaching framework that walks students through the thinking process step by step, modeling how to read closely, gather evidence, and construct a response that scores. Participants will explore how to intentionally integrate the Think Along into daily Tier 1 instruction, guiding students from first read to finished written response with clarity and purpose. From understanding the prompt to organizing evidence to crafting a well-supported constructed response, educators will leave with a full starting lineup of ready-to-use moves, modeled lessons, and classroom strategies that ensure every student — not just the all-stars — is suited up and ready to compete. This is Tier 1 instruction at its finest — no substitutions needed.

Presenters

Kelli Palmer

Elementary ELA Instructional Coach, Northwest ISD

Tuesday July 21, 2026 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Rm. 1217 - Northwest High School 2301 Texan Dr, Justin, TX 76247, USA

Instruction, ELA

Audience Elementary
TOPIC Instructional Strategies

1:00pm CDT

Writing from Scratch: Whip up Delicious Writing Lessons Your Students Will Eat Up! (GT Update)

Tuesday July 21, 2026 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT

Rm. 1314 - Northwest High School

Motivating our young writers to take creative "whisks" can be tricky at the elementary level. In this practical, you-can-do-it session, you will learn strategies for young writers to add some flavor to their writing. Through demonstrations, video clips, and oodles of ideas, you’ll be excited to go back to the classroom and try some of these writing recipes with just the right dash of fun.

Presenters

Shannon Anderson

Author, Brain Coach, Educator, Motivational Speaker, www.shannonisteaching.com

Shannon Anderson has taught for 26 years, from first grade through college level. She also served as the gifted coordinator for her school district and on the board of directors for the Indiana State Literacy Association. A highlight of her teaching career was being named one of the... Read More →

Tuesday July 21, 2026 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Rm. 1314 - Northwest High School Northwest High School, 2301 Texan Drive, Justin, TX 76247

Instruction, ELA | Planning, ELA

Audience Elementary
TOPIC GT Update

1:00pm CDT

Patterns of Wonder (PK-K): Tips, Tricks, and Implementation

Tuesday July 21, 2026 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT

Rm. 1207 - Northwest High School

Come to learn more about using Patterns of Wonder in your classroom. Are you looking for simple ways to integrate it daily? Are you looking for alternate books to use? This session will explore not only the basics of Patterns of Wonder, but also some tips and tricks to make it an easy resource to use in your classroom.

Presenters

Sarah Dugan

Tuesday July 21, 2026 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Rm. 1207 - Northwest High School Northwest High School, 2301 Texan Drive, Justin, TX 76247

Planning, ELA, PreK | Instruction, ELA, PreK

Audience Elementary
TOPIC Instructional Strategies

2:45pm CDT

Beyond the Red Pen: Empowering Writers Through Micro-Conferences

Tuesday July 21, 2026 2:45pm - 4:15pm CDT

Rm. 1303- Northwest High School

Looking to transform your writing instruction into something more meaningful, targeted, and student-centered? This session will explore how micro-conferences can be used to build student agency, improve writing mastery, and track individual progress over time. During this session, you will see real classroom examples of micro-conferencing, practice scripting a micro-conference, learn how to track student writing progress, develop your own digital template, and collaborate with peers. Walk away with templates, strategies, and inspiration to make writing feedback more meaningful and manageable—for you and your students!

Presenters

Katelynn Steinhauser

English II Teacher, JAMES M STEELE EARLY COLLEGE H S

Tuesday July 21, 2026 2:45pm - 4:15pm CDT
Rm. 1303- Northwest High School Northwest High School, 2301 Texan Drive, Justin, TX 76247

Instruction, ELA

Audience Secondary
TOPIC Differentiation

2:45pm CDT

Interactive Read Aloud: Where Every Student Gets Off the Bench

Tuesday July 21, 2026 2:45pm - 4:15pm CDT

Rm. 1205 - Northwest High School

Every great sports broadcast starts with preparation — and so does a great read aloud. In this hands-on session, teachers will learn how to transform read aloud into an interactive, high-leverage instructional tool. Explore how to plan strategic stopping points, craft think alouds aligned to the TEKS, and design turn-and-talk opportunities that spark meaningful student discourse. You'll get prep time and leave with a read aloud game plan ready to run from day one.

Presenters

Melissa Garcia

Mitzie Buss

Tuesday July 21, 2026 2:45pm - 4:15pm CDT
Rm. 1205 - Northwest High School Northwest High School, 2301 Texan Drive, Justin, TX 76247

Planning, ELA | Instruction, ELA

Audience Elementary
TOPIC Instructional Strategies

2:45pm CDT

Two-a-Days: Training Your Brain with Paired Texts

Tuesday July 21, 2026 2:45pm - 4:15pm CDT

Rm. 1217 - Northwest High School

Every great athlete knows that two-a-days build the strength, endurance, and mental toughness it takes to compete at the highest level. The same is true for our readers. In this power-packed session, educators will lace up and dive into the world of paired texts — a dynamic instructional approach that challenges students to think harder, read deeper, and push beyond the surface of a single text. Just as two-a-day practices sharpen an athlete's skills from multiple angles, paired texts train the brain to analyze, synthesize, and draw connections across two carefully selected passages. Participants will explore strategies for intentional text pairing, scaffolding complex thinking, and coaching students through evidence-based discussion and writing. Leave this session with a training plan full of practical tools and classroom-ready resources that will condition your students to become stronger, more confident readers — one rep at a time.

Presenters

Kelli Palmer

Elementary ELA Instructional Coach, Northwest ISD

Tuesday July 21, 2026 2:45pm - 4:15pm CDT
Rm. 1217 - Northwest High School 2301 Texan Dr, Justin, TX 76247, USA

Planning, ELA | Instruction, ELA

Audience Elementary
TOPIC Content Literacy

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