Sign in at the registration desk and collect your resource bag for the event. The conference organizers (Dr. Lisa Ockerman, Vice President of Academics and Strategic Initiatives, Jessie Metzger, Director of Educational and Technology Design and Upper School Dean of Faculty Services, and Dr. Wendy Swanson, Director of Faculty Learning and Recruitment Coordinator) will provide a welcome presentation and overview of Day One events for the Innovation Institute.

In today’s rapidly evolving educational landscape, student engagement remains one of the greatest challenges and persistent barriers to learning. Traditional instructional methods are increasingly being met with disengagement, especially in a world saturated with digital distractions. "Engagement Elevated" explores how the intersection of immersive technology, such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), is revolutionizing the learning experience. These immersive tools allow educators to transport students beyond the classroom, offering hands-on learning opportunities in virtual worlds that foster curiosity and deep, meaningful engagement.

Immersive technologies provide learners with dynamic, interactive environments where abstract concepts become tangible, and theoretical lessons can be practiced and applied in real-world simulations. Whether stepping inside a virtual ancient city during a history lesson or conducting a chemistry experiment in a safe, controlled virtual lab, virtual reality can create multi-sensory learning experiences that appeal to diverse learning styles. These innovations make learning more engaging and improve retention, critical thinking, and collaboration - empowering students to take an active role in their education.

This presentation will explore how schools can implement these cutting-edge technologies to transform their classrooms and elevate student learning outcomes. By embracing immersive technology, educators can unlock new levels of engagement that promote student success, preparing learners for the complex, technology-driven world of tomorrow.

Adam Mangana

Chief Innovation Officer

OptimaED

Patrick Schuermann

Director of Strategy and Impact

OptimaED / Optima Independent

In this immersive session, participants will explore the fundamentals of creating 3D objects using external design software and incorporating them into virtual reality experiences. Attendees will learn essential tools and techniques for designing, sculpting, and manipulating 3D models and how to import and optimize these creations for use in VR. Whether you are a beginner or looking to enhance your expertise, this workshop will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to design 3D objects outside of VR, load them into headsets, and bring your ideas to life in virtual spaces.

Jordana Court '12

Computer Science and Technology Specialist

Pine Crest School

Kris Swanson

Upper School Computer Science and Technology Specialist

Pine Crest School

Fernanda Valdivia

Computer Science and Technology Specialist

Pine Crest School

In this session, participants will merge creativity and mechanics as they dive into the world of wind-up toys. Beginning with a hands-on deconstruction process, attendees will carefully dismantle these devices, gaining insight into their inner workings by examining their gears, springs, and the different motions they produce.

Once participants understand the mechanics behind the toys, they will engage in rebuilding. Participants will be challenged to consider integrating mechanical movements into their creations. This session encourages attendees to think critically about repurposing components, fostering an environment of problem-solving and innovation. 

(Repeated Session 6)

Braden Perry

Innovation Specialist

Pine Crest School

Vicki Spitalnick

Innovation Specialist

Pine Crest School

Are you curious about how to differentiate artificial intelligence for our younger learners? This session introduces the basics of artificial intelligence in Lower School and the privacy concerns that elementary students face. The presenters will lead a conversation on the ages and stages in which students understand fake vs. real when using chatbots. Participants will test Curipod, Flint, Brisk, and more during the session. The presenters will share lesson progression and resources needed to utilize the best parts of artificial intelligence in the lower grades.

Debra Jacoby

Computer Science and Technology Specialist

Pine Crest School

Stacey Eldridge

Lower School Teacher

Pine Crest School

Brittany Lawrence

Lower School Teacher

Pine Crest School

Dr. Debbie O’Brien

Lower School Teacher

Pine Crest School

Tracy Reese

Lower School Teacher

Pine Crest School

Andrea Walters

Lower School Teacher

Pine Crest School

Discover essential team-building skills with a focus on social entrepreneurship! In this hands-on session, we’ll explore practical ways to overcome the top ten challenges project teams face, such as low engagement, trust deficits, and working in silos, through the lens of social entrepreneurship. Social ventures often face unique hurdles, including transparency and scalable solutions. Participants will experience innovative problem-solving techniques and gain tools to cultivate a collaborative team dynamic crucial for sustainable, impact-driven projects.

During this session, participants will:

• Identify and tackle common team challenges to foster open communication and accountability.

• Develop strategies for resilience and adaptability.

• Build skills to strengthen team morale and alignment, which is crucial for impactful social ventures.

• Leave with actionable methods to support collaboration and overcome common project barriers.

Whether your students are launching a startup or simply just working in teams, attendees will learn to overcome social and business challenges effectively—unlocking the potential for meaningful, lasting change.

Keri Kolettis

Vice President of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Pine Crest School

Mark Spitzig

Social Entrepreneurship Teacher

Pine Crest School

Step into the vibrant world of miniature lights with our hands-on workshop!  Adding a light (or two) into a project can be a quick and easy way to add interest to a project, plus teach about electricity and alternative ways to create circuits. LEDs last a long time, are cost-effective, and are safe for students of all ages. Inspired by the latest maker trends, attendees will work with flexible EL wire to light up a mini neon sign during the session! 

During this engaging workshop, participants will:

• Gain practical skills in wiring, shaping, and securing materials.

• Learn how to determine the power requirements for any lights you want to add to a project.

• Learn how to integrate this project into STEAM lessons, fostering creativity and hands-on student learning.

• Walk away with a custom mini neon sign and inspiration for future classroom projects.

Whether you’re a maker novice or an experienced DIY enthusiast, this workshop is designed to light up your creativity and give you the tools to illuminate your teaching space. Get ready to glow!

Ryan Keser

Upper School Innovation Specialist

Pine Crest School

Patricia Knight

Upper School Innovation Specialist

Pine Crest School

Mike Stringer

Upper School Innovation Specialist

Pine Crest School

Why is connecting to the curriculum important in teaching computational thinking and robotics? During this session, attendees will receive templates and charts to create hands-on lessons for elementary school students. Samples will include Intelino Smart Train, Pixel Art Sponge Cubes, Pixel Art Magnet Cubes, Sphero Indi, and more at our interactive testing table. Attendees will leave with the feeling that there are “doable” creative coding projects available at the elementary level. During this session, participants will receive a one-on-one consultation with experts on tool choices, time to play with various devices, and interact collaboratively with other educators. Participants will discuss learning goals for robotics at the elementary classroom level and be able to leave with takeaways they can use immediately when they get back to school.

Debra Jacoby

Computer Science and Technology Specialist

Pine Crest School

Afiha Waite

Computer Science and Technology Specialist

Pine Crest School

Amanda Dvorak

Computer Science and Technology Specialist

Pine Crest School

Join us for a dynamic session designed to inspire teachers with ideas for enhancing student learning. Participants will explore a diverse array of favorite maker space projects and activities that span multiple academic disciplines, catering to students from pre-kindergarten to 8th grade. Engage in hands-on experiences with exciting tools such as a wind tube, tornado box, and an Archimedes screw. Participants will also be able to build and take home their own bristle-bot, root viewer, and more. This session is perfect for educators looking to discover innovative approaches to enrich their curriculum.

Robert Bell

Innovation Specialist

Pine Crest School

Stephanie Jean-Phillipe

Middle School Math Teacher

Pine Crest School

Vicki Spitalnick

Innovation Specialist

Pine Crest School

Bethany Pedraza

Innovation Specialist

Pine Crest School

Braden Perry

Innovation Specialist

Pine Crest School

Discover the challenges and triumphs of implementing coding programs in schools and explore concrete tools for making coding tangible for students. This workshop highlights the importance of exposing students to coding early and the crucial role of creativity and building cross-curricular connections. Learn how teachers without a coding background can integrate coding into their curriculum, enhancing students' cognitive skills and preparing students for the future. Whether you are a seasoned coding professional or new to technology, this workshop will offer valuable insights and tools for making coding fun and approachable for all teachers and students. 

Myrielle Badio

Computer Science and Technology Specialist

Pine Crest School

Kelly Schuster-Paredes

Computer Science and Technology Specialist

Pine Crest School

Are you curious about some great ways to use unplugged crafts to teach computer science? This session introduces the basics of physical computing through inputs and outputs. During the session, participants will build paper robots, construct paper computers, handicraft inputs/outputs, and design a wheel cipher with Micro: bits to understand the interior of computers.  We will share lesson progression and resources needed for craft computing.

Debra Jacoby

Computer Science and Technology Specialist

Pine Crest School

Afiha Waite

Computer Science and Technology Specialist

Pine Crest School

Join us for an innovative maker-space session designed to explore the art and science of light box construction. This project enables students to express their learning in a visually compelling and memorable manner. Attendees will dive into hands-on activities that include using various cutting tools and assembling simple circuitry. As participants cut and layer materials, they will learn to manipulate light and shadow, crafting a scene that can tell a story or illustrate concepts from science, literature, history, or social studies. By the end of the session, attendees will have a striking lightbox to display in their classroom, serving as a centerpiece for discussion and inspiration.

Robert Bell

Innovation Specialist

Pine Crest School

Braden Perry

Innovation Specialist

Pine Crest School

Immersive technology offers interactive and immersive three-dimensional environments that extend learning beyond the physical classroom to engage students in an unprecedentedly imaginable way. During this session, participants will discover how the cutting-edge technology of Virtual Reality (VR) can seamlessly integrate into various subject areas to enhance student learning and engagement. Attendees will hear about our successes and challenges when implementing VR integration school-wide. During the hands-on workshop, participants will:

• Explore the VR tools and platform.

• Discuss best practices for integrating VR into lesson plans.

• Learn real examples of VR applications used for an array of learning subjects.

Fernanda Valdivia

Computer Science and Technology Specialist

Pine Crest School

Kris Swanson

Upper School Computer Science and Technology Specialist

Pine Crest School

Participants will learn to use EarSketch to teach Python by integrating music creation into coding lessons. EarSketch enables students to compose music by writing Python code, helping them grasp concepts like loops and functions through an interactive, hands-on approach. Students receive immediate feedback by arranging beats and sounds, making coding more engaging and relatable. This session encourages educators to foster creativity in their students.

Myrielle Badio

Computer Science and Technology Specialist

Pine Crest School

Fine Arts

Pine Crest School

During this session, attendees will learn about Pine Crest’s Schools commitment to social entrepreneurship. In May 2024, Pine Crest proudly expanded the EDGE Wing - Entrepreneurship Dedicated to Global Engagement - reflecting our mission to foster entrepreneurial thinking with a strong emphasis on global collaboration and impact for our pre-kindergarten through grade twelve students. This innovative hub is designed to spark creativity and innovation through cutting-edge technology to promote global collaboration and engagement. The dynamic space embodies our commitment to process over product, empathy-driven engineering, and experiential learning while cultivating critical thinking, communication, creativity, and future-focused innovation. During this session, attendees will learn about Pine Crest School’s pre-kindergarten through grade twelve social entrepreneurship curriculum. They will learn best practices for fostering intentional communities and collaborative teams among adults, essential for building life-impacting student experiences and programming. Most importantly, participants will hear from students enrolled in the three-year Social Entrepreneurship Fellowship Program as they describe their paths toward creating positive social change.

Keri Koettis

Vice President of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Pine Crest School

Dr. Lisa Ockerman

Vice President of Academics and Strategic Initiatives

Pine Crest School

Mark Spitzig

Social Entrepreneurship Teacher

Pine Crest School

The conference organizers (Dr. Lisa Ockerman, Vice President of Academics and Strategic Initiatives, Mrs. Jessie Metzger, Director of Educational Design and Technology and Upper School Dean of Faculty Services, and Dr. Wendy Swanson, Director of Faculty Learning and Recruitment) will provide a welcome presentation and overview of Day 2 events for the Innovation Institute.

Jessie Metzger

Director of Educational Design and Technology and Upper School Dean of Faculty Services

Pine Crest School

Dr. Lisa Ockerman

Vice President of Academics and Strategic Initiatives

Pine Crest School

Dr. Wendy Swanson

Director of Faculty Learning and Recruitment

Pine Crest School

During this presentation, a panel of Pine Crest School’s Computer Science and Technology Specialists, facilitated by the Director of Educational Design and Technology, will share how we have been navigating the rapid changes in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and our newest initiative to create more immersive learning experiences for our students.

Jessie Metzger

Director of Educational Design and Technology and Upper School Dean of Faculty Services

Pine Crest School

In this session, participants will build several simple games in different styles using Makecode Arcade. In addition, attendees will transfer the games to small handheld devices so they can be played anywhere! Makecode Arcade is an online tool that allows users to create video games in the style of classic arcade and home console games. It uses Microsoft’s Makecode system, which is also used in programming Micro: bits and other microcontrollers. With numerous examples and tutorials, Makcode Arcade is accessible for teachers and students to get started with but has advanced capabilities built-in and the ability to add extensions and give it new features. Makecode can be programmed using a standard block-based system, Javascript, or Python.

Kris Swanson

Upper School Computer Science and Technology Specialist

Pine Crest School

Join us for a hands-on session featuring fun, easy engineering exercises using paper, scissors, and tape! These engaging activities promote teamwork, problem-solving, and collaboration, with the flexibility to be scaffolded for all grade levels and staff. Attendees will leave with practical strategies that are easy to implement and significantly impact student engagement and learning. No engineering experience is needed—just bring your creativity and a willingness to collaborate!

Avery Danforth

Innovation Specialist

Pine Crest School

James Dycus

Innovation Specialist

Pine Crest School

This session will guide teachers through using the design thinking process to identify and solve educational problems with the assistance of artificial intelligence. Participants will define a specific problem, create detailed prompts, and develop new solutions using AI, resulting in a practical and innovative product. Participants will gain experience with various AI tools, such as FlintK12 and Brisk Teaching.

Kelly Shuster-Paredes

Middle School Computer Science and Technolgy Specialist

Pine Crest School

Myrielle Badio

Middle School Computer Science and Technolgy Specialist

In this engaging hands-on session, participants will learn to design and program a desktop readiness indicator light using Micro:bits and vibrant Neopixel ring lights. Participants will explore foundational coding techniques to effectively control the lights, discovering innovative ways to integrate these tools into classroom projects. By the end of the session, attendees will leave with a fully functional indicator light and the expertise to inspire creativity and technology-driven learning in their classrooms. Unlock the potential of tech-enhanced education and empower your students to shine!

Kris Swanson

Upper School Computer Science and Technology Specialist

Pine Crest School

Ready to take drones beyond play and into meaningful learning experiences? This hands-on workshop dives into how drones can be used across subjects to boost engagement and deepen understanding. We’ll start by getting familiar with flying drones, learning basic controls and safety, and then shift focus to connecting this technology with real classroom learning goals. Through guided coaching and collaborative brainstorming, you’ll explore how drones can illustrate physics principles, map historical or geographic data in social studies, calculate and analyze trajectories in math, and much more. This session is designed as a working experience, so come ready to fly and create—leaving with practical ideas and lesson plans that ground drone use in purposeful learning.

Kelly Shuster-Paredes

Middle School Computer Science and Technology Specialist

Pine Crest School

Pedro Uribe

Middle School Computer Science and Technology Specialist

Pine Crest School

In this dynamic session, participants will engage in a Design Thinking-focused, rapid prototyping activity that combines the power of AI-driven brainstorming with hands-on material manipulation. Attendees will use AI tools to generate and refine innovative ideas, then transition to physically creating prototypes with materials such as chipboards, model magic, or toothpicks. Participants will leave with practical skills in AI-powered innovation and tangible prototype creation, which are ideal for fostering creativity and problem-solving in any field.

Jordanna Court

Computer Science and Technology Specialist

Pine Crest School

Utilize robots in Lower School Science classrooms to enhance engagement, ignite meaningful conversations, and reinforce key ideas and concepts. This interactive session will provide you with hands-on time to explore ready-made lessons to incorporate robotics into several units within a lower school science curriculum. Explore lessons on blood flow through the heart, predator/prey relationships, planetary exploration, and the water cycle. By the end of the session, attendees will walk away with practical lessons and innovative teaching strategies that will make science come to life using a variety of robots!

Trish Borgen

Lower School Pre-K though Grade 3 Science Teacher

Pine Crest School

Amanda Dvorak

Computer Science and Technology Specialist

Pine Crest School

In this session, participants will merge creativity and mechanics as they dive into the world of wind-up toys. Beginning with a hands-on deconstruction process, attendees will carefully dismantle these devices, gaining insight into their inner workings by examining their gears, springs, and the different motions they produce.

Once participants understand the mechanics behind the toys, they will engage in rebuilding. Participants will be challenged to consider integrating mechanical movements into their creations. This session encourages attendees to think critically about repurposing components, fostering an environment of problem-solving and innovation. 

(Repeated Session 1)

Braden Perry

Innovation Specialist

Pine Crest School

Vicki Spitalnick

Innovation Specialist

Pine Crest School

Are you curious about the exciting world of Machine learning? The session will cover various topics, including image recognition, self-driving cars, drones, robots, and various computer applications that use Machine Learning to interact with their environment. During this session the presenter will share strategies, tools, and resources to introduce this complex topic in a way that is appropriate and accessible for Middle and Upper School students.

Pedro Uribe

Middle School Computer Science and Technology Specialist

Pine Crest School

Wrap up learning at the institute with an interactive reflection closing session. Attendees will reflect on their conference experience and make plans to take the learning back to their school communities. Learn how you and your colleagues can partner with Pine Crest neXt to support your school’s innovative initiatives with unique in-person professional development offerings, online learning, and consulting services. Make plans to continue learning with Pine Crest School as you think about “What’s neXt?”

Dr. Lisa Ockerman

Vice President of Academics and Strategic Initiatives

Pine Crest School

Dr. Wendy Swanson

Director of Faculty Learning and Recruitment Coordinator

Pine Crest School