SAIL 2025: Full Schedule

9:00am CDT

Exploring Systems Thinking with STELLA Computer Modeling

Tuesday June 10, 2025 9:00am - 11:30am CDT

In this session we will explore the power of systems thinking in the middle and high school STEM classroom through hands-on experience with STELLA modeling software. We will learn how to create our own dynamic models and analyze pre-built models. Aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), we will focus on the science practice of developing and using models to make predictions, explain concepts, and support student inquiry.

Participants in this session should bring a laptop.

Speakers

Lauren Reuss

Tuesday June 10, 2025 9:00am - 11:30am CDT
Benilde-St. Margaret's 2501 Highway 100 S., St. Louis Park

Technology Integration, 6-8, 9-12 | Real World / Applied / Authentic Learning, 6-8, 9-12 | 21st Century Learning (Creativity/Collaboration/Critical Thinking/Communication), 6-8, 9-12 | Classroom Strategies, 6-8, 9-12

12:30pm CDT

Driving Question Boards/Question Focus Technique

Tuesday June 10, 2025 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT

Benilde-St. Margaret's

Harness student curiosity and ownership of the curriculum. Using Driving Question Boards generated with the Question Focus Technique, students can see the relevance of the curriculum and gain a stake in the game. In asking questions at the beginning of a unit, students make immediate connections that can be referred to as you move through the course.

Speakers

Mark Peterson

Tuesday June 10, 2025 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
Benilde-St. Margaret's 2501 Highway 100 S., St. Louis Park

Real World / Applied / Authentic Learning, ALL GRADES | 21st Century Learning (Creativity/Collaboration/Critical Thinking/Communication), ALL GRADES | Classroom Strategies, ALL GRADES

9:00am CDT

Modeling Science: Exploring the NGSS Practice of Developing and Using Models

Wednesday June 11, 2025 9:00am - 11:30am CDT

Benilde-St. Margaret's

In this session we will dive into the NGSS Science and Engineering practice of Developing and Using Models to deepen student understanding of scientific phenomena. Through engaging, collaborative activities, educators will construct and evaluate physical models that represent real-world scientific concepts. This session emphasizes the power of models to support sense-making, encourage inquiry, and make abstract ideas tangible for students.

Speakers

Lauren Reuss

Wednesday June 11, 2025 9:00am - 11:30am CDT
Benilde-St. Margaret's 2501 Highway 100 S., St. Louis Park

Real World / Applied / Authentic Learning, ALL GRADES | 21st Century Learning (Creativity/Collaboration/Critical Thinking/Communication), ALL GRADES | Classroom Strategies, ALL GRADES

12:30pm CDT

Expanding Perspectives: Building capacity in Cultural Competency with Practical Classroom Tools

Wednesday June 11, 2025 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT

Benilde-St. Margaret's

This course satisfies hours for the MN license renewal category for Cultural Competency. This course offers a dual focus on growing your capacity and self-awareness while providing actionable classroom strategies that foster a strong sense of belonging for all students. Educators will reflect on their own frames of reference and uncover potential biases that shape expectations and relationships with students, families, and the wider school community. Through guided self-reflection, collaborative discussions, and hands-on exploration of practical tools, participants will leave equipped to create welcoming, responsive classroom environments.

Speakers

Dennis Draughn

Dennis Draughn is an educational leader dedicated to equity, inclusion, and fostering environments where all individuals feel a sense of belonging. As an African American male, he brings a nuanced perspective to his work, blending lived experience with a deep understanding of culturally... Read More →

Wednesday June 11, 2025 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
Benilde-St. Margaret's 2501 Highway 100 S., St. Louis Park

License Renewal Special Category, ALL GRADES | Multiple Perspectives / Global Understanding, ALL GRADES | Classroom Strategies, ALL GRADES

12:30pm CDT

Creating 3D Assessments

Wednesday June 11, 2025 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT

Benilde-St. Margaret's

This course will take a look at how you can create assessments that move beyond memorization and regurgitation of facts. How can you create opportunities to assess content, but also how students can use that content to solve complex problems related to your discipline? Bring along some assessments to rework! We will use the NGSS science standards as a backdrop but all disciplines are invited.

Speakers

Mark Peterson

Wednesday June 11, 2025 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
Benilde-St. Margaret's 2501 Highway 100 S., St. Louis Park

Real World / Applied / Authentic Learning, 6-8, 9-12 | 21st Century Learning (Creativity/Collaboration/Critical Thinking/Communication), 6-8, 9-12 | Classroom Strategies, 6-8, 9-12

9:00am CDT

Accommodation, Modification, and Adaptation of Materials and Instruction

Thursday June 12, 2025 9:00am - 11:30am CDT

Benilde-St. Margaret's

This class will fulfill the Minnesota Department of Education license renewal requirement in accommodation, modification, and adaptation of materials and instruction. Learn to write and follow accommodation plans that are helpful to students, unburdensome for teachers, and satisfying to parents.

Speakers

Kristin Gilbertson

Director of Learning Support, middle school teacher, avid reader, camping enthusiast, rec pickleballer, proud MN Gopher

Thursday June 12, 2025 9:00am - 11:30am CDT
Benilde-St. Margaret's 2501 Highway 100 S., St. Louis Park

License Renewal Special Category, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 | School Leadership, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 | Classroom Strategies, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

12:30pm CDT

Teaching the Now with AI: Using Timely Topics to Spark Meaningful Learning

Thursday June 12, 2025 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT

Benilde-St. Margaret's

In a world where the news never stops and your lesson plans are already full... how do you help students make sense of what’s happening—without pulling an all-nighter?

This hands-on, low-pressure workshop is for any teacher who wants to bring more relevance into their classroom without starting from scratch. Whether you teach math, English, science, business, religion, or art, you’ll learn how to use AI tools like ChatGPT to turn what’s happening in the world into timely, engaging, and manageable learning moments.

We’ll explore:

How to turn articles into summaries students will actually understand

Quick ways to generate real-world examples, scenarios, and dilemmas

Prompts that get students thinking critically—and talking meaningfully

No AI experience needed. No robots taking over your classroom. Just fresh ideas, practical tools, and a little laughter to help you connect today’s headlines to what you’re already teaching.

Speakers

Anne Dougherty

Anne Dougherty is an award-winning educator, entrepreneur, and curriculum designer who’s spent her career building programs that make learning feel real, relevant, and student-driven. At Benilde-St. Margaret’s, she helped launch and grow the RED (Research, Entrepreneurship, Design... Read More →

Thursday June 12, 2025 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
Benilde-St. Margaret's 2501 Highway 100 S., St. Louis Park

Technology Integration, ALL GRADES | Real World / Applied / Authentic Learning, ALL GRADES | 21st Century Learning (Creativity/Collaboration/Critical Thinking/Communication), ALL GRADES | Classroom Strategies, ALL GRADES

9:00am CDT

Design Thinking - Crash course

Tuesday June 17, 2025 9:00am - 11:30am CDT

Benilde-St. Margaret's

In this hands-on workshop, you'll dive into the Design Thinking approach—a mindset that values learning from failure, embracing ambiguity, and focusing on human needs. As you work through the stages of Empathy, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test, you'll not only experience the process firsthand but also envision how you can integrate the cycle—or individual phases—into lessons, projects, and real-world problem-solving with your students.

Speakers

Kelli Rahn

Tuesday June 17, 2025 9:00am - 11:30am CDT
Benilde-St. Margaret's 2501 Highway 100 S., St. Louis Park

Real World / Applied / Authentic Learning, ALL GRADES | 21st Century Learning (Creativity/Collaboration/Critical Thinking/Communication), ALL GRADES | Classroom Strategies, ALL GRADES

9:00am CDT

The Power of Video: Screencasting and EdPuzzle

Tuesday June 17, 2025 9:00am - 11:30am CDT

Benilde-St. Margaret's

Video can be a powerful tool for engaging students. First it allows for visual and audio stimulation that helps students retain information. Second, it is also practical for students who would like to view it multiple times to fully absorb the information. We will explore two tools to bring video to your classroom. Screencasting allows you to make and edit videos so that you can customize the video to include the content exactly as you want it. EdPuzzle allows videos to be interactive. As the video plays, questions and comments pop up that the student must engage with before continuing. This allows you to focus the student on the most important content.

Speakers

Steve Pohlen

Director of Learning and Technology, BSM

Director of Learning and Technology, Benilde-St. Margaret's

Tuesday June 17, 2025 9:00am - 11:30am CDT
Benilde-St. Margaret's 2501 Highway 100 S., St. Louis Park

Technology Integration, ALL GRADES | 21st Century Learning (Creativity/Collaboration/Critical Thinking/Communication), ALL GRADES | Classroom Strategies, ALL GRADES

12:30pm CDT

Learning Styles and Pedagogy

Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT

Benilde-St. Margaret's

Does teaching and learning in our classroom meet the needs and strengths of all of our students? We will explore the Myers-Briggs styles framework and discuss how it can impact our teaching methods and curriculum design to make a positive and effective learning environment for everyone.

Speakers

Steve Pohlen

Director of Learning and Technology, BSM

Director of Learning and Technology, Benilde-St. Margaret's

Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
Benilde-St. Margaret's 2501 Highway 100 S., St. Louis Park

Real World / Applied / Authentic Learning, ALL GRADES | 21st Century Learning (Creativity/Collaboration/Critical Thinking/Communication), ALL GRADES | School Leadership, ALL GRADES | Classroom Strategies, ALL GRADES

12:30pm CDT

Google Docs, Sheets, and Forms Integration

Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT

Benilde-St. Margaret's

Google Docs, Sheets, and Forms are separate, discrete tools teachers use on a daily basis. What if you could use them in an integrated way to increase the efficiency of your work flow? Come and find out how to coordinate these tools to improve the work flow with your students. How can you connect a Google Form to a Document, that is also connected to a Spreadsheet that you can automate a response to your students with feedback? How can you turn a Google slide show into an assessment that is easy to provide feedback to?

Speakers

Mark Peterson

Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
Benilde-St. Margaret's 2501 Highway 100 S., St. Louis Park

Technology Integration, 6-8, 9-12 | 21st Century Learning (Creativity/Collaboration/Critical Thinking/Communication), 6-8, 9-12 | Classroom Strategies, 6-8, 9-12

12:30pm CDT

Student Engagement Strategies for K-8 Classrooms

Wednesday June 18, 2025 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT

Benilde-St. Margaret's

Explore a variety of high-impact student engagement strategies designed to boost participation, deepen understanding, and create a more dynamic learning environment. This session highlights tech-integrated tools like PearDeck, Gimkit, Quizlet, and EdPuzzle, alongside hands-on approaches that support differentiation and formative assessment. Tailored especially for K-6 and K-8 teachers, you'll leave with ready-to-use ideas to bring back to your classroom. Perfect for educators seeking practical ways to energize their instruction and connect with all learners.

Speakers

Susie Hinnendael

Alyson Markham

Wednesday June 18, 2025 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
Benilde-St. Margaret's 2501 Highway 100 S., St. Louis Park

Technology Integration, 3-5, 6-8 | Classroom Strategies, 3-5, 6-8

9:00am CDT

Creative Problem Solving: A College in the Schools Preview

Thursday June 19, 2025 9:00am - 11:30am CDT

Benilde-St. Margaret's

What if your students didn’t stop at the first idea—but explored ten more? This hands-on session introduces Creative Problem Solving, a College in the Schools course offered through the University of Minnesota’s College of Design. You’ll engage in activities that stretch divergent thinking skills—encouraging students to generate multiple solutions, take creative risks, and push beyond the expected. The exercises are adaptable across subjects, making them valuable tools in any classroom. Whether you're looking for new ways to spark student creativity or are considering bringing this course to your school, this session offers both inspiration and practical strategies.

Speakers

Kelli Rahn

Thursday June 19, 2025 9:00am - 11:30am CDT
Benilde-St. Margaret's 2501 Highway 100 S., St. Louis Park

Real World / Applied / Authentic Learning, 6-8, 9-12 | 21st Century Learning (Creativity/Collaboration/Critical Thinking/Communication), 6-8, 9-12 | Classroom Strategies, 6-8, 9-12

12:30pm CDT

Students and Teachers as designers: Canva for all

Thursday June 19, 2025 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT

Benilde-St. Margaret's

Canva can be a tool for many classroom activities: 1) Save Time: Customizable teaching resources made by teachers for teachers. 2) Supercharge your classroom: Make lessons engaging with AI-powered tools. 3). Foster student skills: Everything from creativity to critical thinking and 4) Deliver lessons your way: From planning to teaching, you have control over the entire learning experience

Speakers

Steve Pohlen

Director of Learning and Technology, BSM

Director of Learning and Technology, Benilde-St. Margaret's

Thursday June 19, 2025 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
Benilde-St. Margaret's 2501 Highway 100 S., St. Louis Park

SAIL 2025