The Who I Am Foundation is dedicated to empowering individuals to share their life stories through photos and personal notes. We focus on supporting those who face communication challenges due to special needs, Exceptional Student Education (ESE) barriers, dementia, Alzheimer’s, or non-verbal medical conditions. Our mission is to ensure that every person’s story can be seen, heard, and understood—regardless of their ability to speak it.
In this keynote, Jaime Suarez, the 2025 Florida Teacher of the Year, shares her personal and professional journey to highlight the profound influence teachers have on shaping lives. Through compelling storytelling and real classroom experiences, Suarez explores how educators can foster resilience, embrace productive struggle, and ultimately empower students to unlock their full potential. Her message centers on the transformative power of belief, connection, and perseverance in education.
Feeling overwhelmed by IEPs, 504 Plans, or gifted education requirements? You’re not alone—and you’re in the right place. This breakout session is designed specifically for Teachers, Guidance or any new staff who are new to supporting exceptional learners. In a judgment-free, supportive environment, we’ll break down the key components of ESE (Exceptional Student Education), 504 Plans, and Gifted programming. You’ll gain a foundational understanding of legal requirements, accommodations, and how to meet the diverse needs of your students. Best of all? You’ll walk away with practical tools, boosted confidence—and just enough knowledge to keep you out of “ESE jail.”
-Review self-study guides for implementing literacy interventions covering grades K-12, -Become familiar with the conclusions that may be drawn from research used to develop the guides, -Begin initial discussions for planning/reviewing literacy interventions in your district and/or school.
Explore practical strategies for integrating artificial intelligence into your daily workflow as an educator. From crafting compelling lesson plans using your existing Google Slides, constructing clear proficiency scales, generating rigorous assessment and EOC-style questions, to fostering dynamic weekly PLC plans based on pacing guides, this session equips you to use AI strategically and thoughtfully, mastering prompt engineering along the way.
The Who I Am Foundation is dedicated to empowering individuals to share their life stories through photos and personal notes. We focus on supporting those who face communication challenges due to special needs, Exceptional Student Education (ESE) barriers, dementia, Alzheimer’s, or non-verbal medical conditions. Our mission is to ensure that every person’s story can be seen, heard, and understood—regardless of their ability to speak it.
In this keynote, Jaime Suarez, the 2025 Florida Teacher of the Year, shares her personal and professional journey to highlight the profound influence teachers have on shaping lives. Through compelling storytelling and real classroom experiences, Suarez explores how educators can foster resilience, embrace productive struggle, and ultimately empower students to unlock their full potential. Her message centers on the transformative power of belief, connection, and perseverance in education.
This interactive session will provide an overview of the evidence-based recommendations for differentiating Tier 1 literacy instruction for all grade levels (K-12.) Participants will use a checklist based on how-to steps from a practice guide focused on differentiated literacy instruction and the Florida Department of Education's English Language Arts Practice Profile to discuss and chart out what differentiated literacy instruction could look like in at any grade level and many content areas.
