Amanda Diercks & Sam Chlan
SPED Case Managers
High School & Middle School

Room A-103 | Grades PreK-12, Admin | Best Practices & SpEd
Understand the “why” behind challenging behavior through a trauma-informed lens. We will explore brain development and staff approaches that foster supportive communication. Understand directive strategies that de-escalate verbal tension while maintaining personal boundaries. Master the art of rational detachment to stay calm and consistent in times of crisis. This session includes Q&A and time to problem-solve for your specific students. Bring a student case study to help customize these strategies to your needs.

Buthe, Bahler, Brandt, & Wetschka
District Administrators
New Prague Area Schools

Room A-101 | Substitute Teachers | Best Practices & Skills for Success
If you are currently a substitute teacher or if you are just beginning to substitute teach this fall, please join us in a very interactive substitute teaching class. Do you have questions about the position and how things work? Well, you are in the right place with this class. There will be a panel of teachers and administrators who will help answer all of your questions and provide direction into the substitute position. From Human Resources, Curriculum, Technology, to Building Safety, any and all topics will be discussed to support you in your position.

Jenny Hartmann & Jamie Gibson
Third Grade Teacher & ADSIS Interventionist
Raven Stream Elementary

Room A-112 | Grades K-5 | Best Practices in Education
Rethink math fact fluency in this interactive 60-minute session focused on strategy, not speed. Teachers will explore how students build true fluency through accuracy, flexibility, and efficient thinking, rather than timed tests. You’ll experience hands-on games, learn powerful “derived fact” strategies, and walk away with practical ideas and ready-to-use resources to implement right away.

Ann Studer
Speech-Language Pathologist
Raven Stream Elementary

Room A-203 | Grades PreK-5 | Special Education & Re-licensure
Stop spending so much of your first week of school laminating, cutting, and sorting! This high-energy, hands-on workshop is designed to give you both ideas and the physical materials needed to start the school year with confidence. Educators will spend the session crafting classroom tools, visual supports, and organizational items. Whether you are creating calming corner tools, visual schedules for special education, and classroom management systems, you will walk away with ready-to-use materials, leaving you more time to focus on building relationships with your students.

Note: This session meets the PELSB "Accommodations & Modifications” re-licensure requirements.

Sarah Olson
Language Arts Teacher
Compass Learning Center

Room A-104 | Grades 6-12 | Re-licensure Requirement

Learn more about ways to engage and extend the learners in your classroom.

Note: This session meets the PELSB "Reading Preparation" re-licensure requirements.

James Holden
Cognitive Behavioral Therapist
Scott County Mental Health Center

Room TBD | Grades TBD | Re-licensure Requirement
This session will provide you with an overview of mental health risk factors and mental health symptoms you could see in an educational setting. This session will also include a general overview of more commonly occurring mental health conditions for students, as well as introduce specific strategies that could provide support to students during the school day.

Note: This session meets the PELSB “Early Onset Mental Illness” re-licensure requirements.

Cari Krenik
Lead Child Protection Investigator
Le Sueur County

Room A-102 | MS & HS Paraprofessionals | Skills for Success 
Mandated reporter training is a legal requirement for professionals working with children and families. This session will teach how to report, where to report, when to report, and what happens after reporting. It will also teach basic knowledge of what child maltreatment is and what to look for.

Amy Waldspurger & Katie Challberg
Special Services Director & Supervisor
New Prague Area Schools

Room A-202 | PreK-5 Paraprofessionals | Skills for Success
Enhance your support for students in inclusion and center-based settings. This workshop covers disability awareness, executive functioning, and proactive behavior management. Through hands-on case scenarios, you will practice applying academic supports and behavioral strategies. Gain confidence in meeting the diverse learning needs of all elementary students.

Samantha McDonald
Assessment & Information Systems Specialist
New Prague Area Schools

Room A-113 | Clerical Staff & Administrators | Skills for Success
Stuck on updating households and addresses? What's the best practice for entering name changes? How do I copy an ad hoc? Bring your Infinite Campus questions to this informal session!

Ryan Drazan
Special Education Teacher
New Prague Middle School

Room A-114 | Grades 2-12 & Admin | Instructional Technology & SpEd
Digital Accessibility Made Easy: Learn to leverage Google Classroom and assistive extensions to remove barriers to learning. This workshop provides hands-on exploration of Read & Write and other high-impact Chrome applications. Participants should bring a laptop to customize the provided templates and leave with a toolkit for immediate classroom application.

Rachel Szybnski
District Literacy Lead
New Prague Area Schools

Room A-101 | Grades K-5 Substitutes | Re-licensure
Ensure success in the classroom by understanding our two new core ELA programs. This session covers lesson structures for Arts and Letters and Functional Phonics & Morphology. We will walk through teacher manuals and online resource hubs. You will leave ready to teach lessons effectively in any K-5 classroom.

Note: This session meets the PELSB "Reading Preparation" re-licensure requirements.

Amy Waldspurger & Angie Pahl
Special Services Director & Coordinator
New Prague Area Schools

Room A-202 | Grades PreK-12 | Special Education
Due Process Success With SpEd Forms: Ensure your IEPs meet all requirements with confidence and clarity. We will cover best practices for documentation and demonstrate efficient workflows within SpEd Forms. Participants will receive templates and examples to simplify their workload. Please bring a fully charged laptop for hands-on practice.

Jen Mushitz & Kristi Root
Interventionist / Instructional Coaches
Falcon Ridge & Eagle View Elementary

Room A-203 | Grades K-2 | Best Practices in Education
Shift your literacy instruction from a word wall to a sound wall. You will learn the foundational "why" and "how" of this tool. It includes hands-on practice and provides the materials needed to set up your display. Feel free to bring a laptop.

James Holden
Cognitive Behavioral Therapist
Scott County Mental Health Center

Room A-115 | Grades PreK-12 & Admin | Skills for Success
This session is specific to how you manage your own self-care and wellness. Working in education and supporting a variety of students and their individual needs is a rewarding experience, and it can also be challenging at times. In education, we can experience not only the stress of our daily lives, but we also feel the stress that our students and families experience. It can be difficult to balance all of these stressors, and it makes self-care and wellness more essential. "You cannot give from an empty cup." This session will provide an opportunity for reflection, education, and strategies that you can apply right away.

Jim Cavanaugh
School Psychologist
New Prague Area Schools

Room A-104 | Grades PreK-12 & Admin | Re-licensure Requirement
Got a student who is difficult to work with? Frustrated with a particular group or class hour? Join us for tips to promote positive behaviors when working with difficult/disruptive students. This presentation will be a blend of strategies from various sources to aid the diverse types of disruptions we encounter!

Note: This session meets the PELSB "Positive Behavioral Intervention Strategies" re-licensure requirements.

Amanda Diercks & Sam Chlan
SPED Case Managers
High School & Middle School

Room A-103 | MS & HS Paraprofessionals | Skills for Success
Empower your professional practice by clarifying your role in resource rooms and general education settings. We explore strategies for classroom and behavior management, student accommodations and modifications with implementation, and taking initiative in a variety of settings. Gain confidence in managing classroom dynamics independently and building professional relationships with general education staff. This session prepares you for success in all settings. Please have your laptop and current work schedule ready for our collaborative activities.

Cari Krenik
Lead Child Protection Investigator
Le Sueur County

Room A-102 | PreK-5 Paraprofessionals | Skills for Success
Mandated reporter training is a legal requirement for professionals working with children and families. This session will teach how to report, where to report, when to report, and what happens after reporting. It will also teach basic knowledge of what child maltreatment is and what to look for.

Samantha McDonald
Assessment & Information Systems Specialist
New Prague Area Schools

Room A-113 | Clerical, Teachers, & Admin | Skills for Success
Go beyond the basics of Google Sheets and dig into amazing tools that will help you become more efficient with analyzing your data. If you want to know more about notifications, tagging, formulas, filtering, and formatting, this session is for you!

Terrye Wagner
Fifth Grade Teacher
Falcon Ridge Elementary

Room A-103 | Grades 3-8 | Instructional Technology & Best Practices
Level up your IXL skills by mastering the newest engagement and assessment tools. We will focus on fact fluency, quizzes, and using the Assessment Suite to prepare data-driven small groups. Participants will engage in hands-on practice to build leaderboards and assign skills. Please bring a fully charged laptop to the session.

Ryan Drazan
Special Education Teacher
New Prague Middle School

Room A-114 | Grades K-12 & Admin | SpEd & Best Practices
Special Education Essentials for Success. Gain clarity on your role in the special education process. This session covers the journey from qualification to implementation. We will examine IEP components and practice identifying effective accommodations. Join us for a hands-on mock IEP review to ensure you leave ready to support every student.

Jenny Hartmann
Third Grade Teacher
Raven Stream Elementary

Room A-112 | Grades K-8 | Best Practices
Looking for simple, effective strategies you can use right away? This session introduces the 7 Gems of Classroom Management, based on the work of Michael Grinder, along with connections to culturally and linguistically responsive teaching. You’ll learn practical, easy-to-implement techniques to:

• Gain student attention quickly
• Improve transitions and work time
• Reduce off-task behavior using nonverbal strategies
• Support all learners through clear, structured routines

Walk away with ready-to-use tools that help create a calm, focused, and equitable classroom.

Leah Wacek & Paula Juffer
District EL
New Prague Area Schools

Room A-115 | Grades PreK-12 & Admin | Re-licensure Requirement
This session introduces the basics of second language acquisition and second language learning. The participants will have the opportunity to be engaged in the process of analyzing myths about second language learning based on experience and linguistic research. Participants will also learn about a variety of factors that can interfere with a smooth transition into mainstream curriculum, as well as examine best practices in second language instruction.

Note: This session meets the PELSB “English Learners” re-licensure requirements.

Katie Challberg
Special Services Supervisor
New Prague Area Schools

Room A-104 | PreK-12 Paraprofessionals | Skills for Success
Join us for a session designed specifically for paraprofessionals. We will explore fundamental strategies to support students with autism across all grade levels. Participants will gain a toolkit of versatile techniques to enhance student engagement and promote a positive learning environment throughout the school day.

Amy Waldspurger & Amy Mittelstadt
Special Services Director & Coordinator
New Prague Area Schools

Room A-202 | PreK-12 Paraprofessionals | Skills for Success
Learn to balance support and independence using proven instructional strategies. We will examine current research and practice applying techniques to real-life examples. Paraprofessionals will leave with a clear understanding of prompt fading and tools to build student confidence.

Shawn Brandt
Director of Technology Services
New Prague Area Schools

Room A-113 | Clerical & Administrators | Skills for Success
Transform your administrative workflow in this interactive workshop. We will explore how Gemini and Canva can simplify district and school office responsibilities through hands-on practice. Participants will leave with practical strategies for immediate implementation. A fully charged laptop is required for this session.

Kellie Frey
Special Education Teacher
Falcon Ridge Elementary

Room A-102 | New Paraprofessionals | Skills for Success
Understand Minnesota's reading priorities and the science behind how the brain learns to read. We will dive into the reading brain and the theoretical frameworks that drive successful literacy outcomes. Paraprofessionals will learn the basic components of structured literacy, providing a roadmap for supporting effective reading instruction across all grade levels.

Kristi Root
Student and Staff Support Specialist
Eagle View Elementary

Room A-203 | Grades K-12 & Admin | SpEd & Best Practices
Experience five simulations focused on reading and writing that highlight the daily challenges students with dyslexia may face. This session is designed to build empathy and develop a shared understanding of student needs. It will also deepen your awareness of the cognitive and emotional impact of learning differences, helping you better support our school community. No preparation is needed; all materials will be provided.

Callie Den Hartog & Heather Vikla
MS Language Arts & HS German
New Prague Middle & High Schools

Room A-201 | Grades PreK-12 & Admin | Re-licensure Requirement
⭐ This is a 3-hour "Lunch & Learn" session from 12:00 - 3:00 pm.

In this session, you will:
1. Explore your own identity, belonging, and agency as a foundation for deeper learning about transformative SEL and cultural competency.
2. Understand the definitions of SEL, transformative SEL, and culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogy (CRSP).
3. Examine the five focal constructs of transformative SEL: identity, agency, belonging, collaborative problem-solving, and curiosity.
4. Examine practices to embody transformative SEL as part of your CRSP.
5. Practice and reflect on instruction incorporating SEL and CRSP.

Note: This session meets the PELSB “Cultural Competency” re-licensure requirements.

Jim Kongshaug
Third Grade Teacher
Eagle View Elementary

Room A-114 | Grades K-5 | Instructional Technology
Discover how Gemini streamlines K-5 planning and data organization. This session covers creating projects and worksheets in seconds. Participants will enjoy hands-on practice to explore AI capabilities. Please bring a fully charged laptop to maximize your learning and walk away with ready-to-use classroom materials.

Shawn Brandt
Director of Technology Services
New Prague Area Schools

Room A-113 | Grades 6-8 & Admin | Instructional Technology
Transform your workflow using Gemini, Brisk, and Magic School. Explore how AI integration increases productivity and enhances instruction through differentiation. Leave with practical ways to streamline planning and support student learning. Please bring a fully charged laptop for hands-on practice with these powerful tools.

Nikki Sandberg
Occupational Therapist
Raven Stream / High School

Room A-103 | Grades PreK-12 | SpEd & Best Practices
Support student success by integrating OT-based strategies into your daily classroom routine. This session offers a hands-on look at executive functioning and how physical readiness impacts cognitive and behavioral performance. Participants will engage with sensory-informed tools to help students of all ages regulate and prepare for academic tasks.

Tessa Berge, Lynette Galchutt, & Jen Chromy
EC SpEd, EC Teacher, & EC Para
Early Childhood Education

Room A-115 | Preschool & Paraprofessionals | Early Learners
This professional development session will focus on social-emotional learning (SEL) and behavior management in early childhood settings, specifically for children ages 3–5. Participants will explore foundational SEL concepts, discuss practical behavior management strategies, and engage in scenario-based practice; the session is designed for general education teachers, special education teachers, and paraprofessionals working in early learning environments.

Aliina Peterson & Nikki Hachfeld
School Social Workers
New Prague Middle & High Schools

Room A-104 | Grades PreK-12 & Admin | Re-licensure Requirement
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth between the ages of 10 and 17. The Minnesota Legislature passed a law in 2016 requiring all teachers to take one hour of evidence-based suicide prevention training as part of renewing their teacher's license. Changes in teacher licensure in 2017 kept this requirement for all Tier IV and V licenses. Properly trained teachers can play an invaluable role in engaging youth with mental illnesses and reducing the risk of suicide. The purpose of the suicide prevention training will help staff better recognize the symptoms of mental distress, encourage meaningful conversation about suicide with their students, and know when it's time to refer the student for additional support. In addition to providing staff with evidence-based techniques to interact with their students, national and local mental health resources will be reviewed.

Note: This session meets the PELSB “Suicide Prevention” re-licensure requirements.

Lisa Wiener
Staff & Student Support Specialist
Raven Stream Elementary

Room A-102 | New Paraprofessionals | Skills for Success
The Power of Phonemic Awareness: Explore how oral language development impacts reading success. We will define phonemic awareness and dive deep into the phonemes of the English language. Participants will practice correct articulation and gain effective strategies to support students. Please bring a writing tool for this two-hour session.

Jim Kongshaug & Ali Jo Hentges
Third & Fifth Grade Teachers
Eagle View Elementary

Room A-114 | Grades K-8 | Instructional Technology
Transform your math instruction with Polypad virtual manipulatives. K-8 teachers will explore polygons, fraction pieces, and currency tools to enhance lessons. This 60 minute session includes hands-on practice for presenting concepts and student problem-solving. Please bring a computer to dive into this versatile web tool.

Krystal Mroz
School Psychologist
Early Childhood / Raven Stream

Room A-112 | Grades PreK-5 & Paras | Best Practices in Education
Join one of our school psychologists for a session focused on fostering a positive classroom environment. We will explore general strategies for individual student support and discuss developmental milestones. This overview provides foundational insights into classroom climate and behavior to support all learners in the preschool and elementary setting.

Karry Helgestad
Communications Teacher
New Prague Middle School

Room A-203 | Grades PreK-12 & Admin | Re-licensure Requirement
Explore the shift from play-based to phone-based childhoods using Jonathan Haidt’s research. We will examine why adolescent mental health changed in the 2010s. Participants will leave with four simple rules for schools and families to help restore a more humane, healthy childhood for every student.

Understanding the Great Rewiring: Why did teen anxiety and depression spike a decade ago? Join us to investigate the social and neurological impacts of a phone-based life. This session covers Haidt’s findings on social contagion and sleep deprivation while providing four concrete rules to help our K-12 students thrive in the real world.

Ending the Mental Health Epidemic: Review the data behind the current youth mental health crisis through the lens of The Anxious Generation. We will discuss the decline of independent play and the rise of social media. Teachers will learn four actionable norms to share with families and implement in schools to support student well-being.

Note: This session meets the PELSB “Early Onset Mental Illness” re-licensure requirements.

Jeremy Engebretson
Principal
Raven Stream Elementary

Room A-202 | Grades PreK-12 | Re-licensure Requirements
Active Learning for All: Transform your instruction using Total Participation Techniques from preschool through high school. This session covers movement, Hold-Ups, and TPT Wrap-Ups. We will specifically discuss how to provide accommodations and modifications within these strategies. Come ready to participate in hands-on examples of these high-engagement tools.

Note: This session meets the PELSB "Accommodations & Modifications” re-licensure requirements.

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