This session is built around a simple idea: fewer steps, clearer focus. We’ll narrow the PLC process to two essential moves that keep attention on teaching and learning. The result is a more focused PLC that spends less time on process and more time on improving instruction.
Senior Administrator - PLC, Wake County Public Schools
Erin is a proud member of the Office of Professional Learning's PLC Team, dedicated to creating practical and impactful resources for professional learning communities. She joined Central Service in 2023 after 20 years of working in schools across North Carolina and New Hampshire... Read More →
Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am EDT Room 17
Student Support Services and Special Education are partnering together to launch work around Restorative Mindsets in school climates. This presentation will talk about the opportunity to begin work focused on creating a restorative school climate in their school. We will discuss training and coaching that may be available to schools but also how schools might create systems within their school to move to a restorative mindset. Learning Model Connection: See Me
Assistanat Superintendent Student Support Services, WCPSS
With over 30 years of service in education, Michele Woodson brings a wealth of leadership experience to the mission of student success. Her career path—spanning roles from classroom teacher and instructional coach to Principal, Chief Academic Officer, and now Assistant Superintendent—reflects... Read More →
Assistant Superintendent Special Education Services, Wake County Public Schools
Lisa Allred is a career educator with 40 years of experience with Special Education students. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Special Education from Mercer University, a Master of Education Degree in Learning Disabilities from Georgia Southern University, and an Educational Specialist... Read More →
Are you wondering how LETRS training translates into teaching and learning in your classrooms? This session will provide school leaders with a contextual understanding of how the concepts presented in staff LETRS training - the Science of Reading - show up in WCPSS curriculum and instructional practices. School leaders will leave with a renewed understanding of the essential elements of science-based reading instruction, and the aligned instructional components embedded within Letterland, EL, and more. Leaders will better understand the purpose of WCPSS resources such as sound walls and ALL Block flex resources, and be better able to coach teachers around the intentional use of these resources. Devices are recommended for this session.
Coordinating Teacher and Instructional Coach, Elementary Regional Achievement and Support: Region 2, WCPSS
Lara Randby has been supporting schools as part of the WCPSS Central Services Academics team since 2016. Her focus of support is literacy: district curriculum and priorities, as well as high yield instructional practices. Lara is an advocate for schools that receive Title I funds... Read More →
Wednesday July 22, 2026 11:15am - 12:15pm EDT Fuquay-Varina
This session will explore the results from an investigation conducted by Library Media Services and Data, Research, and Accountability into what and how practices and policies affect student engagement with the elementary school library as measured by outcomes such as if a student ever checks out a book and how many books they check out. Through this collaborative partnership and efforts by participating schools, discernable positive outcomes are identified for students across subgroups. As a result, school administrators will learn what action steps they can take to improve library outcomes as they impact students.
Director of Library Media Services, Digital Learning and Libraries
My WCPSS journey began in December 2008 when I started in the library at Holly Ridge Middle School. I opened the Holly Grove Middle School library in 2010 and have been part of the Library Media Services team since February 2015. I became the director in September 2019--just in time... Read More →
Director of Data Strategy and Analytics, Wake County Public School System
Elc Estrera, PhD, works in the Data, Research & Accountability Office of the 15th largest school district in the nation (and the largest in North Carolina). He works with district leaders to identify opportunities to leverage data--especially longitudinal administrative data--to make... Read More →
Just like the weave of a piece of cloth determines its strength and beauty, intertwined supports for our Beginning Teachers are essential to grow their efficacy and job satisfaction for retention. Hearing from four varied perspectives in the BT support process (Principal, BT Mentor Coordinator, Alternative Licensure BT, and SPED BT) will provide actionable ideas to apply to schools of all levels.
The Office of Security is implementing an updated mandatory district wide Emergency Standard Response Protocol. This change in procedure will be initiated at the over the summer.
This hands-on session bridges the gap between AI technology and proven pedagogy. Using John Hattie’s Visible Learning and Bloom’s Taxonomy as our guide, you will learn how to offload lower-level tasks to AI so students can focus on high-rigor, critical thinking.Together, we will explore how to rethink instruction adapt assessments to move beyond rote memorization and traditional essay writing effectively solve the common "writer’s block" hurdle. You will walk away with ready-to-implement ideas that include high impact teaching strategies targeting an effect size of over 0.4 on Hattie’s HITS scale and guide students to work in the top tiers of Bloom’s pyramid. To ensure responsible AI integration, this session will incorporate awareness of how and when to teach students to verify, edit, and ethically cite AI-generated content. We will also emphasize safety and ethics, including raising awareness of protecting student data (PII) and identifying bias in AI-generated outcomes.If you are curious about how to include AI in starting to empower "critical thinkers," this session provides the research-backed roadmap you need.
Tanya has been an educator with Wake County Public Schools since 2000 as a 4th grade teacher, science specialist, Instructional Technology Facilitator and now a Digital Learning Coordinator. She is a Google for Education Certified Trainer as well as an ISTE Certified Educator and... Read More →
With over two decades of experience in public education, I am passionate about navigating the intersection of pedagogy and technology. I spent 18 years in the elementary classroom and three years as a School Library Media Coordinator before stepping into my current role as a Digital... Read More →
Programs can offer a temporary boost in scores but can be followed by the implementation slump. Join us to learn about how a school culture built around understanding learners and led by teacher leaders has built a foundation for consistent improvement. You'll reflect on your school and identify current strengths that can leverage cultural change for your staff and students.
This session is designed for K-5 principals seeking to increase student reading outcomes and student growth. In this session, participants will clarify what sound reading instruction looks like within Kindergarten through 5th grade classrooms, then apply these look-fors to determine current state and future School Improvement goals. This session will make connections between current Science of Reading research and daily classroom practice in both Word Recognition and Language Comprehension. Participants will leave with the ability to recognize research-based literacy practices within their school and will have an increased capacity to lead literacy instructional change. Devices are suggested for this session.
Coordinating Teacher, ERASS Region 2, Wake County Public School System My name is Gioia (Joy-ah) Perry, and I am driven by the belief that every child deserves a high quality education. I also believe that literacy is the key to dismantling inequity. By leveraging the Science of Reading, we can establish a clear pathway to ensure each student graduate... Read More →
Coordinating Teacher, ERASS Region 2, Wake County Public School System
Laura Abraham is a proud product of public schools in NC. She has been employed by Wake County since 2012, serving as a classroom teacher (Kindergarten/2nd/4th grades) and Instructional Facilitator, before transitioning to her current role as Coordinating Teacher in the Elementary... Read More →
Thursday July 23, 2026 10:10am - 11:40am EDT Room 16
In this session, we introduce a K-12 Digital Literacy Progression framework. Built around ten essential questions and rooted in the NC Digital Learning Standards, this curriculum integrates curated expert materials with high-quality, custom-designed resources. While the curriculum is meant to be delivered by certified school librarians, the framework is engineered to serve as the foundation for district-wide alignment, providing the instructional scaffolding all staff need to support digital literacy. Session Outcomes Strategic Leadership: Learn how librarians across the district are already engaged in digital literacy instruction and how you might provide necessary support to position your librarians as instructional leaders. Instructional Excellence: Explore curriculum maps and sample lessons that demonstrate rigorous, standards-based instruction infused with high-impact instructional strategies.
Director of Library Media Services, Digital Learning and Libraries
My WCPSS journey began in December 2008 when I started in the library at Holly Ridge Middle School. I opened the Holly Grove Middle School library in 2010 and have been part of the Library Media Services team since February 2015. I became the director in September 2019--just in time... Read More →
Director of Digital Content and Instruction, WCPSS
I serve on the Digital Learning and Libraries team for WCPSS and work with the Digital Learning Coordinators to support all staff on the selection and integration of digital resources to meet instructional needs. I am actively involved in our AI policy development and training, implementing... Read More →
Senior Administrator Library Media Services, WCPSS
As an educator for almost 25 years, Kristel has experience with the wee ones to adult learners. She started her career as an elementary music teacher and an opera singer. Life and learning led her to two other passions, literacy and technology, the perfect mix for a teacher- librarian... Read More →
This session focuses on the strategic use of digital tools to maximize HIIS that support Lever 2 (Engage Me!) We will explore how tools can facilitate Global Collaboration (DLS.GC.7) and active participation, ensuring that technology serves as a catalyst for engagement rather than a distraction. Join us to learn how to lead teachers in knowing when and how to utilize technology in building-wide instructional goals.
Digital Learning Coordinator, Digital Learning and Libraries
Wanda Hanley is an innovative educational leader with over two decades of experience in Wake County Public Schools, specializing in transforming classrooms through strategic digital integration. As a Digital Learning Coordinator, she partners with school leaders and educators to build... Read More →
Kurt Hurelbrink is a Digital Learning Coordinator for the Wake County Public School System. He has over 20 years of experience in education. He received his Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Eastern Illinois University, a Master of Arts degree in Teaching and Leadership... Read More →
This professional development session is designed to equip principals and assistant principals with the knowledge and leadership strategies necessary to support effective implementation of the new North Carolina ELA standards for 2027-2028. During the 60-minute session, school leaders will explore the major instructional shifts within the standards and examine how rigorous literacy instruction should appear across grade levels.
I have been a public educator for almost 20 years. I started my teaching career in Pennsylvania as a 7th grade ELA teacher. After teaching middle school for 7 years, I began teaching high school English. When I moved to WCPSS, I served as an Intervention Coordinator and an Assisant... Read More →
Senior Administrator Elementary ELA, Wake County Public School System
Meghan Clark serves as Senior Administrator for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment with the Wake County Public School System, where she leads district initiatives focused on literacy, curriculum development, instructional excellence, and educator professional learning. With 24... Read More →
Thursday July 23, 2026 1:50pm - 2:50pm EDT Room 13
