Get ready to refresh, refine, and remix your learning at Summer Inspire on May 27-28 from 8:30–4:00! This year, we’re building on what works, exploring new strategies, and amplifying the impact we have on students. Please bring a charged device to all sessions.
Please note: Our main location will be Shepton High School, but some sessions may be at the Plano ISD Sockwell Center.
Shepton High School: 5505 W Plano Pkwy, Plano, TX 75093
Sockwell Center: 6301 Chapel Hill Blvd, Plano, TX 75093
Some tips for navigating Sched:
Filter sessions by type using the menu bar on the right side of Sched (All Levels, Elementary, Secondary, Session Times).
Reserve your spot by clicking the circle icon next to the session name. Be sure to log in with your PISD credentials to secure your spot—sessions fill up fast!
There are 80-minute (earn 1.5 hours of credit), three-hour, and full day (earning 6 hours of credit) session options for each day. Participants are invited to attend as many as they wish each day.
All sessions qualify for 26-27 Trade Hours.
Have additional questions? Contact Kyle Fritsche at [email protected].
Sign up or log in to add sessions to your schedule and sync them to your phone or calendar.
Educators have multiple resources they are expected to internalize and implement with integrity. And classrooms are increasingly diverse places, full of students with a variety of strengths and needs. What if we could find better ways to incorporate that diversity into the lesson internalization process and remove barriers to achievement for ALL learners? Participants will: examine principles of universally designed instruction and how they connect with the instructional cycle, enhance the lesson internalization process to ensure that rigorous learning experiences meet the needs of ALL learners, explore options for engagement, representation, and expression that reduce barriers for diverse learners across content areas, and practice teaching strategies that support effective classroom behavior management. [Please note: This session is at the Sockwell Center.]
How can we promote engaging, dynamic, differentiated instruction with minimal teacher preparation and maximum results? With lead4ward’s low-prep/high-yield instructional resources! Move from teacher-centered instruction with passive, bored students to exciting, engaging instruction where students move, do the talking, comprehend content, correct mistakes, and deepen connections. Get ready to move, interact, and have lots of fun as we rehearse activities that engage students to learn academic vocabulary, analyze complex visuals, comprehend difficult text, and THINK! TALK! WRITE! You’ll be able to use the strategies we practice in the session with students the very next day! [Please note: This session is at the Sockwell Center.]
The training teaches your to use strategies aligned to each component of a math lesson demonstrate how educators can incorporate academic reading, writing, and conversations with a math-specific focus through student-led activities. Other topics include developing language-rich warm-ups, building background, and promoting differentiation with linguistic support. [Please note: This session is at the Sockwell Center.]
Elementary Science: Turn your word wall into a tool for real scientific thinking. Learn how interactive word walls can strengthen science talk, improve writing, and help grades 3–5 students make sense of complex vocabulary and concepts. Spend three high-energy, engaging hours with Dr. Julie Jackson—you’ll leave with practical strategies you can implement immediately.
(For K-2 Dual Language Teachers and Staff) Welcome to the "Perfectly Paired" approach to 50/50 instruction! This interactive workshop helps teachers explore the PISD Dual Language Allocation Plan, transforming a 50/50 split into a seamless educational experience. We will outline the Language of Instruction (LOI) for core subjects, giving teachers a clear understanding of the "who, what, and when" for their daily schedule. Participants will walk away with a toolkit of engaging strategies for Emergent Bilinguals, with a focus on scaffolds that foster confidence and academic success in both languages. Join us to discover how perfectly pairing your instruction can foster remarkable student growth! [Please note: This session is at the Sockwell Center.]
Laura Soto is a Language Acquisition Specialist that works for Multilingual Academic Services. She has been in education for 20 years and began her educational journey as a bilingual classroom teacher. Laura is passionate about language acquisition and creating fun learning opportunities... Read More →
Wednesday May 27, 2026 8:30am - 11:20am CDT Sockwell Center6301 Chapel Hill Blvd, Plano, TX 75093
Educators have multiple resources they are expected to internalize and implement with integrity. And classrooms are increasingly diverse places, full of students with a variety of strengths and needs. What if we could find better ways to incorporate that diversity into the lesson internalization process and remove barriers to achievement for ALL learners? Participants will: examine principles of universally designed instruction and how they connect with the instructional cycle, enhance the lesson internalization process to ensure that rigorous learning experiences meet the needs of ALL learners, explore options for engagement, representation, and expression that reduce barriers for diverse learners across content areas, and practice teaching strategies that support effective classroom behavior management. [Please note: This session is at the Sockwell Center.]
How can we promote engaging, dynamic, differentiated instruction with minimal teacher preparation and maximum results? With lead4ward’s low-prep/high-yield instructional resources! Move from teacher-centered instruction with passive, bored students to exciting, engaging instruction where students move, do the talking, comprehend content, correct mistakes, and deepen connections. Get ready to move, interact, and have lots of fun as we rehearse activities that engage students to learn academic vocabulary, analyze complex visuals, comprehend difficult text, and THINK! TALK! WRITE! You’ll be able to use the strategies we practice in the session with students the very next day! [Please note: This session is at the Sockwell Center.]
The training teaches your to use strategies aligned to each component of a math lesson demonstrate how educators can incorporate academic reading, writing, and conversations with a math-specific focus through student-led activities. Other topics include developing language-rich warm-ups, building background, and promoting differentiation with linguistic support. [Please note: This session is at the Sockwell Center.]
(For 3-5 Dual Language Teachers and Staff) Welcome to the "Perfectly Paired" approach to 50/50 instruction! This interactive workshop helps teachers explore the PISD Dual Language Allocation Plan, transforming a 50/50 split into a seamless educational experience. We will outline the Language of Instruction (LOI) for core subjects, giving teachers a clear understanding of the "who, what, and when" for their daily schedule. Participants will walk away with a toolkit of engaging strategies for Emergent Bilinguals, with a focus on scaffolds that foster confidence and academic success in both languages. Join us to discover how perfectly pairing your instruction can foster remarkable student growth! [Please note: This session is at the Sockwell Center.]
Laura Soto is a Language Acquisition Specialist that works for Multilingual Academic Services. She has been in education for 20 years and began her educational journey as a bilingual classroom teacher. Laura is passionate about language acquisition and creating fun learning opportunities... Read More →
Wednesday May 27, 2026 1:00pm - 3:50pm CDT Sockwell Center6301 Chapel Hill Blvd, Plano, TX 75093
Elementary Science: IWW Level 2 - Take your interactive word walls to the next level. This session is designed for grades 3–5 science teachers who are ready to move beyond setup and into impact. Learn how to use word walls to drive deeper thinking, support complex science writing, and assess student understanding in real time. Explore strategies for increasing student ownership, connecting vocabulary to TEKS-based concepts, and embedding word walls into daily instruction—not just display. Spend three engaging, high-energy hours with Dr. Julie Jackson as you refine your practice, analyze student work, and leave with advanced, ready-to-implement strategies.
Do your students struggle with the vocabulary critical to content mastery? Experience powerful strategies to teach, reinforce and help students retain problematic vocabulary. Eliminate the assign, define and memorize approach to vocabulary as you experience a variety of tools and techniques to put Marzano’s theories to practical application for acquisition of vocabulary.[Please note: This session is at the Sockwell Center.]
Strong relationships and meaningful engagement are at the heart of a thriving classroom. In this session, we’ll explore how connection fuels motivation and how intentional engagement can re-energize students experiencing apathy or anxiety. Participants will walk away with practical strategies to build trust, foster a supportive classroom culture, and design learning experiences that keep students actively involved. Discover how small, purposeful moves can help students feel seen, supported, and ready to learn. [Please note: This session is at the Sockwell Center.]
(For elementary) This high-energy professional development session equips educators with practical, student-centered strategies that drive active learning and deep engagement. Participants will explore the essential components of an engaged classroom, gaining hands-on experience with techniques that get students actively involved in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The session focuses on increasing critical thinking, fostering student ownership of learning, and integrating higher-order thinking into daily instruction. Educators will leave with ready-to-use tools and strategies to create a language-rich, interactive environment where students thrive. This session provides an engaging and immersive learning experience, ensuring that teachers walk away with actionable strategies to transform instruction and maximize student success. [Please note: This session is at the Sockwell Center.]
(For elementary) Strengthen literacy skills by unlocking the powerful connection between reading and writing! This engaging professional development session provides educators with learner-centered, active strategies to enhance student comprehension, writing fluency, and content mastery. Participants will uncover how reading fuels better writing, and gather practical tools to lessen writing anxiety while building student confidence. Through hands-on experiences, educators will leave with a ready-to-use toolkit of dynamic strategies designed to boost engagement, deepen understanding, and empower students to thrive as both readers and writers. [Please note: This session is at the Sockwell Center.]
(For secondary) This interactive professional development session empowers educators with strategic questioning techniques designed to deepen student understanding, foster inquiry, and enhance critical thinking. Participants will explore how to craft purposeful questions, encourage student-generated questions, and shift from content coverage to true comprehension. Through fast-paced, hands-on experiences, educators will analyze question types, refine questioning strategies, and practice techniques that promote higher-order thinking and meaningful student interactions. This session provides practical, immediately applicable methods to create a dynamic, inquiry-driven classroom environment where students take an active role in their learning. [Please note: This session is at the Sockwell Center.]
(For secondary) Maximize every minute of instruction while creating classrooms where students are actively engaged, thinking deeply, and collaborating across content areas. Through hands-on experiences, participants will engage in high-impact, student-centered strategies that promote active learning, strengthen academic discourse, and foster meaningful collaboration. Educators will explore the components of gradual release and learn how to effectively structure the lesson cycle to support student success from beginning to end. Participants will walk away with practical, ready-to-implement tools to ensure bell-to-bell instruction, increase student ownership, and elevate learning opportunities for all students. [Please note: This session is at the Sockwell Center.]
Do your students struggle with the vocabulary critical to content mastery? Experience powerful strategies to teach, reinforce and help students retain problematic vocabulary. Eliminate the assign, define and memorize approach to vocabulary as you experience a variety of tools and techniques to put Marzano’s theories to practical application for acquisition of vocabulary. [Please note: This session is at the Sockwell Center.]
Strong relationships and meaningful engagement are at the heart of a thriving classroom. In this session, we’ll explore how connection fuels motivation and how intentional engagement can re-energize students experiencing apathy or anxiety. Participants will walk away with practical strategies to build trust, foster a supportive classroom culture, and design learning experiences that keep students actively involved. Discover how small, purposeful moves can help students feel seen, supported, and ready to learn. [Please note: This session is at the Sockwell Center.]
Limited Capacityfull Adding this to your schedule will put you on the waitlist.
(For elementary) This interactive professional development session empowers educators with strategic questioning techniques designed to deepen student understanding, foster inquiry, and enhance critical thinking. Participants will explore how to craft purposeful questions, encourage student-generated questions, and shift from content coverage to true comprehension. Through fast-paced, hands-on experiences, educators will analyze question types, refine questioning strategies, and practice techniques that promote higher-order thinking and meaningful student interactions. This session provides practical, immediately applicable methods to create a dynamic, inquiry-driven classroom environment where students take an active role in their learning. [Please note: This session is at the Sockwell Center.]
(For elementary) Maximize every minute of instruction while creating classrooms where students are actively engaged, thinking deeply, and collaborating across content areas. Through hands-on experiences, participants will engage in high-impact, student-centered strategies that promote active learning, strengthen academic discourse, and foster meaningful collaboration. Educators will explore the components of gradual release and learn how to effectively structure the lesson cycle to support student success from beginning to end. Participants will walk away with practical, ready-to-implement tools to ensure bell-to-bell instruction, increase student ownership, and elevate learning opportunities for all students. [Please note: This session is at the Sockwell Center.]
(For secondary) This high-energy professional development session equips educators with practical, student-centered strategies that drive active learning and deep engagement. Participants will explore the essential components of an engaged classroom, gaining hands-on experience with techniques that get students actively involved in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The session focuses on increasing critical thinking, fostering student ownership of learning, and integrating higher-order thinking into daily instruction. Educators will leave with ready-to-use tools and strategies to create a language-rich, interactive environment where students thrive. This session provides an engaging and immersive learning experience, ensuring that teachers walk away with actionable strategies to transform instruction and maximize student success. [Please note: This session is at the Sockwell Center.]
(For secondary) Strengthen literacy skills by unlocking the powerful connection between reading and writing! This engaging professional development session provides educators with learner-centered, active strategies to enhance student comprehension, writing fluency, and content mastery. Participants will uncover how reading fuels better writing, and gather practical tools to lessen writing anxiety while building student confidence. Through hands-on experiences, educators will leave with a ready-to-use toolkit of dynamic strategies designed to boost engagement, deepen understanding, and empower students to thrive as both readers and writers. [Please note: This session is at the Sockwell Center.]
