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ESC Summer Learning Institute 2025

Unlocking the Power of Knowledge: The Key to Deeper Learning for All


Join us on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at Grandview Heights Middle School for a dynamic day of professional learning at the Summer Learning Institute 2025! This year’s theme, "Unlocking the Power of Knowledge: The Key to Deeper Learning for All," will inspire educators to explore innovative strategies that foster deeper understanding and engagement for every learner.

For just $60*, attendees will gain access to expert-led sessions, collaborative discussions, and valuable resources—all while enjoying a provided lunch. The steps to register are provided below. 

*An early bird discount of $50 is available thru April 15th! 

Day-At-A-Glance
Here is the plan for Summer Literacy Institute 2025 (SLI25). Registration begins at 7:30 with coffee and a light breakfast served. While waiting for Dr. Christopher Emdin to kick off SLI25 with an inspiring keynote at 8:30, network by visiting our Partnership Fair. Two self-selected breakout sessions round out the morning. At 12:15, lunch is provided by Apple Spice. Finally, Kara Vandas leads our afternoon keynote from 1:15-2:15 on Learner Agency with one more self-selected breakout rounding out the day of learning. All sessions will be finished by 3:30. 

For content questions, please contact Rachel at Rachel.Daniels@escco.org. For purchase order questions, please contact Sam at Samantha.Finkel@escco.org.

Check out our breakout session options below by toggling "schedule" in the Next Steps-Schedule-Search bar.

Review the lunch options listed below so you are prepared to make your selection when registering.

Sandwich Options–All sandwiches are served with chips and a cookie:

Granny Apple Turkey | Honey Wheat Tangy sliced green apples, Havarti cheese, lettuce, and our famous apple cider vinaigrette dressing on top of our oven roasted turkey breast.

Trio Classic | 13-Grain A trio of thinly sliced meats including cured ham, roasted turkey, lean roast beef, with lettuce, Swiss cheese, and our signature sauce.

Vegetarian (V) | 13-Grain Mushrooms, cucumbers, vine-ripened tomatoes, sprouts, roasted red peppers, and avocados on lettuce with cheddar cheese and pesto mayonnaise. 

Grilled Chicken Club| 13-Grain Grilled chicken, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, bacon, green leaf lettuce, and our signature sauce. 


Salad Options–All salads are served with bread and cinnamon butter and a variety of dressings :

Strawberry Grilled Chicken 

Vidalia Grilled chicken breast, strawberries, and feta cheese make this a sweet and savory favorite.

Classic Cobb 

Grilled chicken with bacon, hard boiled egg, and bleu cheese crumbles on fresh salad greens.

Chef Salad 

Oven-roasted turkey, cured ham, and hard boiled egg with jack & cheddar cheese on crisp salad greens.

Apple Walnut | Poppy Seed 

Fresh apples, candied walnuts, crumbled bacon, and mozzarella cheese on a crisp bed of salad greens

Super Food | Raspberry Vinaigrette 

A super antioxidant mix of kale, baby spinach, and red cabbage, topped with dried cranberries, raspberries, almonds, and feta cheese.



Registration Process
Note: Due to Google and Apple’s App Store policies, tickets must be purchased through the Sched website and cannot be purchased through the Sched mobile app. Once registration is complete, you can use the mobile app to create and edit your conference schedule.

Step 1
At the end of these registration directions, you will find a "Reserve Tickets" button on the right side of this page. Click on that button. On the next screen, select your ticket, and you will be directed "to continue with ticket purchase, "Sign up or Log in."

If you do not have an existing Sched account, you will click on "Sign up" to create a free Sched account. If your school is a Google Workspace district, it is as easy as clicking “Sign in with Google.” Otherwise, you can create a Sched account with your work email address and a password.

Step 2
Once you are signed into Sched, you will be prompted to purchase your registration “ticket.” Because of how Sched works, individuals must have their own Sched account and register for the conference themselves.

Payment Details
Credit Cards
Credit Cards are processed by Stripe. This includes a non-refundable processing fee.

Purchase Orders
Purchase orders should be made payable to ESC of Central Ohio, 2080 Citygate Drive, Columbus OH 43219. We ask that the creator of the Purchase Order send a copy to Sam at Samantha.Finkel@escco.org before distributing the PO number to your attendees for registration.

Refunds and Cancellations
Cancellations received up to ten (10) business days prior to the date of the conference will receive a full refund, minus any credit card processing fees if applicable. Cancellations received less than 10 business days prior to the event will have an additional $50 administrative fee, on top of any credit card processing fees. Individuals who register and are "no shows" will pay the full registration.
Tuesday, June 10
 

8:30am EDT

WELCOME and Keynote: Reality Pedagogy and Capacities for Imaginative Teaching and Thinking
Tuesday June 10, 2025 8:30am - 9:45am EDT
Reality Pedagogy is built on the idea that teaching goes beyond simply delivering content. Research shows that even highly qualified professors often lack the tools to address the cultural divides that can undermine their effectiveness. This talk equips educators with strategies to bridge those divides while delivering academic content. Dr. Emdin will discuss the 7 C’s of Reality Pedagogy:
  1. Cogenerative Dialogues
  2. Coteaching
  3. Cosmopolitanism
  4. Context
  5. Content
  6. Competition
  7. Curation

Speakers
avatar for Dr. Christopher Emdin

Dr. Christopher Emdin

Maxine Greene Chair for Distinguished Contributions to Education and Professor of Science Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, Emdin Support Services
Dr. Christopher Emdin is the Maxine Greene Chair for Distinguished Contributions to Education and Professor of Science Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. He is also the  Director of Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship At the STEAM DREAM and Ideal Lab.He previously... Read More →
Tuesday June 10, 2025 8:30am - 9:45am EDT
  Keynote for ALL, General

10:00am EDT

Beyond the Project: Integrating Real-World Problems into Daily Instruction
Tuesday June 10, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Unlock deeper learning by embedding real-world problems into daily instruction. This session explores practical strategies for incorporating meaningful challenges into your curriculum, including developing driving questions and problem statements that connect content to context. Discover ways to make learning more relevant and impactful while staying aligned with required content.
Speakers
avatar for Rob Niedermeyer

Rob Niedermeyer

Middle School Technology and Engineering Teacher
With a background in problem-based learning and STEM education, Rob Niedermeyer is passionate about making learning meaningful through real-world problem-solving. Over the past 20 years, he has collaborated with teachers across all content areas and grade levels to develop engaging... Read More →
Tuesday June 10, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
  K-12, General

10:00am EDT

Getting to Know Your Columbus Metro Parks and Ohio Wildlife
Tuesday June 10, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Learn all about the resources and opportunities Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks can provide for your students. Get to know more about Ohio wildlife and meet some of our animal ambassadors!
Speakers
avatar for Claire Whillans

Claire Whillans

Naturalist, Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks
Hello! My name is Claire and I work as a naturalist for Highbanks Metro Park. I design and develop programs for the public, private groups, and school field trips. I also help maintain the nature center and take care of our 'ambassador animals'. I'm excited to share more about what... Read More →
Tuesday June 10, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
  K-12, STEM

11:15am EDT

Building Effective Text Sets for Secondary Classrooms
Tuesday June 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm EDT
In this interactive session, educators across all core subjects will examine the purpose of text sets and discuss strategies for selecting diverse, engaging texts--ranging from articles and primary sources to multimedia--that align with curriculum goals and student needs. Leave with the necessary understanding to create text sets that enhance comprehension, promote student engagement, and build cross-disciplinary connections.
Speakers
avatar for James Cutlip

James Cutlip

Regional Literacy Specialist, State Support Team, Region 11
James Cutlip-Savage recently joined State Support Team 11 as the Regional Literacy Specialist, bringing over two decades of experience in literacy instruction, teacher development, and data-driven decision-making. Previously, as the ELA Curriculum Specialist at the Madison-Champaign... Read More →
Tuesday June 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm EDT
  4-12, Literacy

11:15am EDT

Tackling Tough Texts in 6-12 STEM
Tuesday June 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm EDT
Whether it’s science textbooks, research reports, experimental results, scientific diagrams or popular journalism, STEM texts are critical for disciplinary and literacy learning. They are also loaded with hidden reading challenges. In this session we’ll unpack principles and share examples of knowledge-building text set design in STEM. Then, we’ll examine how to design scaffolding around the texts’ disciplinary concepts, knowledge demands, vocabulary, text structures, and language demands. Finally, we’ll discuss how to support adolescents who aren’t fluent word readers--even in STEM classes. You’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of how reading research can inform STEM literacy.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Dan Reynolds

Dr. Dan Reynolds

Senior Education Researcher, SRI
Tuesday June 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm EDT
  4-12, STEM

11:15am EDT

AI-Powered Accessibility
Tuesday June 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm EDT
Ready to revolutionize your classroom into a learning space where all students have tools to help them achieve? Let's harness the power of AI to meet diverse learner needs through the lens of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). We'll analyze how students access, engage with, and express learning. Then we'll discuss innovative AI tools like ChatGPT, Diffit, MagicSchool, Brisk, SchoolAI, Goblin Tools, Descript, and NotebookLM that empower every learner to succeed on their own terms. We'll explore cutting-edge solutions for transforming and translating text, creating personalized resources based on student interests, bridging gaps in prior knowledge, supporting executive functioning, and much more!
Speakers
avatar for Jake Miller

Jake Miller

Personalized Learning & EdTech Specialist
Jake has been a Personalized Learning Specialist since 2022. Before taking on that role, Jake spent 5 years as a technology integration specialist and 14 years teaching math, science, and STEM. Jake has also worked extensively in educational technology as a speaker, presenter, podcaster... Read More →
Tuesday June 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm EDT
  K-12, Ed Tech

11:15am EDT

Being a Person of Influence: Unlocking the Mystery of Influence in Order to have a Greater Impact
Tuesday June 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm EDT
Evidence suggests that one of our basic human desires is to be a person of influence. In addition, those supporting learning within a system are often motivated to find ways to have a greater, more meaningful sphere of influence to accelerate learning and change for others. 
During this session, learners will explore:
  • the role we can play in transforming everyday conversations to spark inspiration and
  • aspiration in others.
  • new and novel research on what makes a person of influence
  • how influence can vary from negative or harmful to empowering and life changing
  • walk away with doable practices and focus areas that will grow your influence with others.
Speakers
avatar for Kara Vandas

Kara Vandas

Author Consultant, The Core Collaborative
Kara Vandas is an educator with an enduring passion for empowering learners. She began her career in education at an alternative school for youth at-risk. Kara spent several more years in the classroom in public education as a middle and high school educator and then transitioned... Read More →
Tuesday June 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm EDT
  K-12, General

11:15am EDT

Empowering Learning through Design Thinking: Engaging Teachers and Students with Community Partnerships
Tuesday June 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm EDT
Empower and enhance your ability to inspire change and drive educational innovation through the integration of design thinking, design challenges and community partnerships in your classroom and school's learning landscape.

Key take aways:

-Understanding the fundamentals of design thinking and its application in educational settings.
-Strategies for building and sustaining fruitful partnerships with community stakeholders.
-Examples of successful projects that demonstrate the impact of community-involved learning.
-Tools and resources to help educators implement design thinking and community collaboration in their teaching practices.
Speakers
avatar for Sandy Guinto

Sandy Guinto

STEM Relationship Manager, Ohio STEM Learning Network (OSLN)
Sandy Guinto is a STEM Relationship Manager with Ohio STEM Learning Networks and a veteran teacher who spent over a decade teaching in a STEM designated school before joining Battelle. Sandy firmly believes that everyone can learn if given the right tools. Her work has been concentrated... Read More →
Tuesday June 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm EDT
  K-12, STEM

11:15am EDT

Reading Comprehension: What's REALLY Happening and How to Support Students Better
Tuesday June 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm EDT
This session will dive into the cognitive processes that are happening while we are attempting to comprehend a rigorous text to better understand why it is we talk so much about the “strands” of Language Comprehension. Next, we’ll discuss how we can support those processes in our students by introducing teaching strategies that will support all strands of the Language Comprehension part of The Reading Rope.
Speakers
avatar for Keith McCarroll

Keith McCarroll

Ohio Adolescent Literacy Specialist, Muskingum Valley ESC
Tuesday June 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm EDT
  K-12, Literacy

1:15pm EDT

Afternoon Keynote: Learner Agency: A Field Guide for Taking Flight
Tuesday June 10, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm EDT
When teachers and students share a clear understanding of what success looks like, the pace of learning is accelerated, motivation increases, and progress is visible. Join us to explore simple but powerful practices, paired with examples and models of success from classrooms. Walk away with ideas about student-friendly tools that promote deep learning, formative assessment, effective feedback as well as structures for supporting the work through leadership and coaching. 
• Explore practices related to establishing clarity in the classroom 
• Experience models of success and student-friendly learning tools
• Gain ideas and structures to empower learners and grow efficacy in teachers and students.
Speakers
avatar for Kara Vandas

Kara Vandas

Author Consultant, The Core Collaborative
Kara Vandas is an educator with an enduring passion for empowering learners. She began her career in education at an alternative school for youth at-risk. Kara spent several more years in the classroom in public education as a middle and high school educator and then transitioned... Read More →
Tuesday June 10, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm EDT
  Keynote for ALL, General

2:30pm EDT

Portable Innovation Labs: A Lab for Every Classroom
Tuesday June 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Come experience how Portable Innovation Labs (PILs) can bring hands-on, engaging learning to your classroom! These free, ready-to-use STEM labs come with materials, standards-aligned lessons, and support to help you integrate them into your curriculum with ease. In this interactive session, you’ll get to explore the labs, try out activities, and see firsthand how they can spark curiosity and deepen student learning. Whether you're looking for new ideas or just want to make STEM more accessible, you'll leave with practical tools to bring innovation to your students.
Speakers
avatar for Brianna Agomessou

Brianna Agomessou

Portable Innovation Labs Coordinator, Investigator of Intellect, The PAST Foundation
Brianna Agomessou is the Portable Innovation Labs Coordinator at the PAST Foundation, an educational nonprofit in Central Columbus. A graduate of The Ohio State University, she is passionate about STEM education and the power of hands-on, innovative learning. She advocates for experiential... Read More →
Tuesday June 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT

2:30pm EDT

Drone Discoveries
Tuesday June 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Learn from real classroom experience how to incorporate drones into your teaching! We’ll explore the opportunities and challenges of using drones with upper elementary and middle school students, as well as, give you the chance to try flying a drone yourself. Walk away with fresh ideas and resources for how to bring drones into your classroom.
Speakers
avatar for Claire Anthony

Claire Anthony

Science/STEM Specialist, ESCCO
Claire Anthony is the Science/ STEM specialist at the ESC of Central Ohio. She has spent a her career as a middle school teacher and leader at a STEM school and believes in STEM for all! 
Tuesday June 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
  4-12, STEM

2:30pm EDT

Comprehensible Input: Strategies for EL Students
Tuesday June 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
In this interactive session you will explore what comprehensible input is and instructional techniques that will allow EL students to access the language. Increasing comprehensible input helps students acquire language by exposing them to understandable messages in the target language.
Speakers
avatar for Alicia Dyer

Alicia Dyer

EL Specialist, ESCCO
Alicia has been in public education for 22 years, with 19 years of teaching experience in the classroom. She has specialized in English Language Development for the last 13 years. Alicia is passionate about equity in education and enjoys mentoring new teachers, coaching and providing... Read More →
Tuesday June 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
  K-12, EL

2:30pm EDT

Explore Authentic Learning Projects for Advanced Learners with NASA Educator Resources
Tuesday June 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Blast off into an out-of-this-world learning adventure! Ignite your students’ curiosity  for discovery with hands-on experiences that bridge critical thinking and real-world applications from NASA educator resources. We’ll explore how interdisciplinary projects fuel learning for advanced students while teaching valuable social and executive functioning skills —guiding all students as they design and construct their own rockets.  We will also explore other projects that spark their individual interests with a student centered approach. Get ready to launch their imaginations to infinity and beyond! 
Speakers
avatar for Carmen Tarbill

Carmen Tarbill

Gifted Consultant, Educational Service Center of Central Ohio
Aside from being a proud space geek, Carmen Tarbill is a gifted consultant for the ESC of Central Ohio. 
Tuesday June 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
  K-12, General

2:30pm EDT

Hands-on with Prompt Engineering
Tuesday June 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Learn how to effectively collaborate with an AI chatbot. We will walk you through several different scenarios and be there to support you as you explore the process further on your own. Please bring a device, there is no need to have an existing AI account for this session.



Speakers
avatar for BJ Thaman

BJ Thaman

Instructional Technology Coordinator, ESC of Central Ohio
BJ Thaman is an instructional technology coordinator at the ESC of Central Ohio. He has 25 years of ed-tech experience and is a CoSN Certified Education Technology Leader and an ISTE Certified Educator.
Tuesday June 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
  K-12, Ed Tech

2:30pm EDT

New and Notable Non-Fiction Books for K-12
Tuesday June 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Join Columbus Metropolitan Library Children's Librarian Kat Gilbert as she shares new and buzzworthy informational books for K-12. The librarian will give brief book summaries on a wide variety of topics.
Speakers
avatar for Kat Gilbert

Kat Gilbert

Librarian, Columbus Metropolitan Library
With a love of all things creative and a passion for "edu-taining" kids and teens, Kat has touched the lives of many young people in her role as Youth Services Librarian at the Main Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library. Kat earned her BFA from the Columbus College of Art and... Read More →
Tuesday June 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
  K-12, Humanities

2:30pm EDT

The Anatomy of a Mastery Moment
Tuesday June 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
What does it mean to have a mastery moment?  How do we foster motivation for change and growth in both students and educators? What enabling conditions must be in place? Have we considered how mastery moments can revolutionize learning in our schools? During this keynote, you will learn how redefining how we notice, share, and build on mastery moments can impact an entire system, build self and collective efficacy, and propel learners and educators into an upward spiral.  That upward spiral will impact all learners in the system, building the disposition toward learning and the desire for deeper learning.  We invite you to listen in and discover a missing link in empowering learners and educators.
Speakers
avatar for Kara Vandas

Kara Vandas

Author Consultant, The Core Collaborative
Kara Vandas is an educator with an enduring passion for empowering learners. She began her career in education at an alternative school for youth at-risk. Kara spent several more years in the classroom in public education as a middle and high school educator and then transitioned... Read More →
Tuesday June 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
  K-12, General
 
ESC Summer Learning Institute 2025
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