Featured Speakers

Beth Barra

Beth Barra is a former 4th-grade ELA teacher turned Innovation Specialist/Coach. She is passionate about education, social justice, technology, and blending those into every day lessons. She is a Google Certified Educator and a certified Mindfulness Instructor. Beth is trained in Univeral Design for Learning and is a Social Emotional Learning enthusiast. She has both attended and presented at many MassCUE Fall Conferences and acted as the Social Media Ambassador for the Fall 2019 Conference.

Previously, Beth worked in the East Bridgewater Public Schools for twelve years. Currently, she is employed at the Marshfield Public Schools, working within the five elementary schools in the community. Her job as an Innovation Specialist is to support and enhance instructional best practices that promote the consistent use of digital learning tools for teachers. She also models best practices that ensure student access to learning opportunities, student engagement with content, and student choice in expressing knowledge and understanding. Beth loves a lot of things about her new gig, but her favorite aspect of it is that she gets to work in the same school that her cousins, aunts, uncles, and mom went to as kids!

When she’s not teaching, Beth is most likely on an adventure with her two young sons, scoping out the best new restaurant to try with her husband, or working on rebuilding a vintage camper with her family. Be sure to follow her on Twitter @mrs__barra and Instagram @mrs__barra!

Are you reALLY an ally?
Wednesday, October 19, Session 1, 10:15 A.M. – 11:10 A.M.

Participants will explore what it means to be an ally – for their students, colleagues, and people in their lives. We’ll define terms such as BIPOC and LGBTQIA+, discuss the power in the phrases we use, as well as ways to support and uplift all types of communities. Get ready for some heavy topics: because when we know better, we do better.

Promoting Digital Learning Tools Through a UDL Lens
Thursday, October 20, Session 8, 2:45 P.M. – 3:40 P.M.

Are you a newbie to UDL? Are you looking for examples of digital learning tools? Want to give your students choice and voice? Come find out how to blend firm goals and flexible means using of technology!

Jon Corippo

Jon Corippo describes himself as a “formerly disgruntled student.” He made it almost all the way through school at a 2.9 GPA. His final three semesters in Advertising changed everything, though: Advertising classes were project based. Jon’s grades shot to nearly 4.0. Also while at Fresno State, Jon served as a graduate assistant football coach, learning about leadership and teaching at the feet of Jim Sweeney. Jon graduated college with no intention of teaching.

After about 7 years in non-educational jobs, Jon’s amazing wife persuaded him to try his hand in education: he was hooked after just two days as a long-term sub on an emergency credential.

About 20 years later, Jon had served a decade at the K-8 level, opened a 1-1, PBL, Google-based high school, served in two county offices, including as an Assistant Superintendent and It Director. Jon has been recognized a County Teacher of the Year, a 20 to Watch Educator by the NSBA, and was a finalist in the EdTech Digest Awards. Jon also holds the Apple Distinguished Educator, Google Certified Innovator, and Microsoft Innovative Educator badges.

Jon is very proud of his work with CUE, where he served as the Chief Learning Officer and Executive Director. Under Jon’s leadership, CUE professional learning has trained over 60,000 educators.

Jon lives in Coarsegold, California, near Yosemite, with his wife (a very successful educator), three children and a random number of free-range chickens.

Follow Jon on Twitter @jcorippo.

Teach Better and Work Less with Eduprotocols for TK-5
Wednesday, October 19, Session 3, 1:30 P.M. – 2:25 P.M.

Dramatically reduce your primary classroom workload and planning time by adopting an Eduprotocols mindset in your class. Even better, student behavior and academic outcomes will improve at the same time. Co-creator and author Jon Corippo is going to help you live your best teacher life!

Teach Better and Work Less with Eduprotocols for Grades 6-12/AP
Thursday, October 20, Session 5, 10:15 A.M. – 11:10 A.M.

Wendy Garland

Wendy Garland is a Librarian at Avery Elementary School in Dedham, MA. She has spoken at library conferences both locally and internationally. She was awarded the Goldin Foundation Award, Massachusetts Super Librarian Award, and was a participant in the AASL Induction Program.

Wendy shares all things “library” at @dancelibrarian and http://listenconnectempower.blogspot.com/.

Building Community In and Through our Library
Wednesday, October 19, Session 2, 11:30 P.M. – 12:25 P.M.

When learning communities are connected, cooperative, and supportive, students feel safe and respected to learn together and use each other’s strengths. With a focus on building relationships and trust, our library has built a safe space for students to explore and grow. This session will include examples of how we learn together and build community within our library through our routines and collaborative thinking. It will also feature how we build community within our school with a Battle of the Books, student run assemblies and student library job program. It will also highlight how we connect with and beyond our community through a town read, public library relationship, free book giveaway connected with free food, international bookmark exchange, and Makers on a Mission (Makerspace with a specific mission).

Active Learning in the School Library
Thursday, October 20, Session 7, 1:30 P.M. – 2:25 P.M.

Students are active learners when they engage with materials/content and exercise communication, collaboration and critical thinking skills. Students in our library find a variety of ways to interact with material presented, allowing them to express themselves, work with others, and feel seen. This session will highlight experiences that activate different kinds of thinking and different skill sets including index card building challenges, debates, origami, poetry/music, and responses to prompts using Legos, green screen and ChatterPix. The activities presented can be replicated with little to no budget and offer opportunities for students to uncover and nurture new talents and qualities.

Rhianon E. Gutierrez

Rhianon Gutierrez Rhianon E. Gutierrez (she/her) is driven to make a more accessible world for all. For the past 20 years, she has pursued this mission through education, media, and disability advocacy. At present, she serves as the Director of Digital Learning in the Boston Public Schools, where she leads the district’s instructional technology team and advises on accessible and inclusive uses of technology districtwide. As an educator, Rhianon has taught media arts and digital literacy skills across K-12, higher education, and workplace settings. As a designer and consultant who lives with a disability, she collaborates with organizations to develop accessible digital content and advise on disability inclusion strategies for stage, film, television, games, and interactive media. She frequently presents on the topics of Universal Design for Learning, digital learning, and media access and representation.

Rhianon is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and was named a 2018 Emerging Leader and 2020 Inclusive Learning Network Outstanding Educator by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).

Follow Rhianon on Twitter @RhianonElan.

The Accessible Digital Classroom
Wednesday, October 19, Session 4, 2:45 P.M. – 3:40 P.M.

How can we be an ally in designing accessible digital spaces for learning? In this session, participants will define the components of an accessible digital classroom and explore free tools that they can use across content areas to create an accessible digital classroom using an LMS or a shared digital space.

Inclusive Leadership Practices for Teams
Thursday, October 20, Session 6, 11:30 P.M. – 12:25 P.M.

We’ve all attended team meetings, but how many of them are facilitated well and inclusively? In this presentation, participants will learn practical strategies from a district edtech leader for how they can use technology to design and facilitate inclusive meetings that consider the various sensory, learning, and language needs of participants.

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