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FSUSD Spark 2025
Audience: 6-12 clear filter
Thursday, August 7
 

8:30am PDT

Mastering Classroom Behaviors with the Intervention Toolbox (Grades 6-12) LIMITED
Thursday August 7, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am PDT
Room 319 (3rd Floor)
Respond to classroom disruptions with confidence using a toolbox of effective behavior interventions. In this interactive session, explore strategies to foster positive student behavior, minimize distractions, and build strong relationships. Walk away with practical techniques you can implement immediately to create a structured and supportive learning environment.
Speakers
avatar for Connie Huntington

Connie Huntington

MTSS Coordinator, Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District
I'm a former classroom teacher, assistant principal, and principal in Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District who now serves as a Coordinator of Educational Services, supporting Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) across schools. I work alongside site and district leaders to strengthen... Read More →
Thursday August 7, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am PDT
Room 319 (3rd Floor) 2490 Hilborn Road, Fairfield, CA, USA
  Interactive Workshop

9:45am PDT

Facilitating Small Group Presentations in Secondary (Grades 6-12) LIMITED
Thursday August 7, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am PDT
Room 324 (3rd Floor)
Participants will have an opportunity to participate in two forms of presentations- small group and partner based presentations. This demonstrates alternatives to whole-class presentations while still meeting speaking and listening standards.
Speakers
avatar for Luisa Latini

Luisa Latini

English Department Chair & CSEL, B Gale Wilson Middle School
Hello, my name is Luisa Latini and I am a proud B. Gale Wilson Wildcat!I have been teaching in FSUSD for seven years and have taught middle school History, English Language Arts, Academic Language Development and Art. I am currently the English Department Chair, CSEL, the National... Read More →
Thursday August 7, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am PDT
Room 324 (3rd Floor) 2490 Hilborn Road, Fairfield, CA, USA
  Demo Lesson

11:00am PDT

Getting Started with Academic Discourse (Grades 6-12) LIMITED
Thursday August 7, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Room 324 (3rd Floor)
Step Into the Rehearsal Room: Why Academic Discourse Matters

Imagine a stage performance—polished, precise, powerful.
But behind that final scene is a rehearsal room—where ideas are tested, voices are warmed up, and mistakes are not only expected… they’re essential.
In the classroom, academic discourse is that rehearsal room.
It’s where students practice thinking out loud, build on each other’s ideas, and grow their understanding through talk.
But just like a good rehearsal needs structure, so does student discussion.
In this session, we’ll explore how to establish clear routines and procedures that set the stage for productive, respectful, and authentic student talk—from day one.
Let’s get your classroom ready for the kind of thinking that can only happen when students have a chance to rehearse their ideas out loud.
Join us—and help your students build the confidence and skill they need to take center stage.

Speakers
avatar for Christina Geyer

Christina Geyer

Consulting Teacher, Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District
Christina Geyer is an experienced educator, instructional coach, and school leader with over a decade of service in diverse California school districts. She currently serves as a Consulting Teacher for Fairfield-Suisun Unified, where she mentors and coaches early-career educators... Read More →
Thursday August 7, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Room 324 (3rd Floor) 2490 Hilborn Road, Fairfield, CA, USA
  Interactive Workshop

1:00pm PDT

Lesson Planning for Engagement Using Google Slides (Grades 6-12) LIMITED
Thursday August 7, 2025 1:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Room 324 (3rd Floor)
Are you looking for ways to increase student engagement when planning lessons using Google Slides? Looking to see student effort in class as great as your own and also include more differentiation? If so, this you will walk away with many strategies to take your lesson planning up to that next level to ensure student engagement. 
Speakers
avatar for Melissa Apostolos

Melissa Apostolos

Teacher, Fairfield High School
Thursday August 7, 2025 1:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Room 324 (3rd Floor) 2490 Hilborn Road, Fairfield, CA, USA
  Design Lab
 
Friday, August 8
 

8:30am PDT

Writing Sprints: Low Stakes Writing at Its Best with Area 3 Writing Project (Grades 6-12) LIMITED
Friday August 8, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am PDT
Board Room
Writing sprints are used by authors all the time. Set a timer, and let the pen flow. How can we harness that method in the classroom? Join A3WP teacher leader Michelle Voelker as she shares quick and simple tricks that will get kids out of their own way and let their thinking flow onto the page. Come try a few and see how they can be used in your classroom tomorrow.
Speakers
avatar for Michelle Voelker

Michelle Voelker

Area 3 Writing Project
Michelle Voelker is an English teacher at a Title I school in Sacramento, CA. She is an A3WP teacher leader, providing workshops on literacy practices in the classroom. Before becoming a teacher, Michelle was an AmeriCorps member for a program that provided reading intervention on... Read More →
Friday August 8, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am PDT
Board Room 2490 Hilborn Road, Fairfield, CA, USA
  Interactive Workshop

8:30am PDT

Backwards Design- Lesson Planning for Student Success (Grades 6-12) LIMITED
Friday August 8, 2025 8:30am - 10:45am PDT
Room 324 (3rd Floor)
This session will focus on utilizing the Backward Design framework, an approach to lesson and unit planning that starts with defining the desired outcomes and then works backward to create a path to those goals. For instance, let’s say students are studying photosynthesis. Before the teacher plans any activities, they first determine what students should be able to demonstrate at the end of the unit. In this case, let’s imagine students will create a poster explaining the process of photosynthesis and its significance to ecosystems. With this goal in mind, the teacher can then design lessons and activities that will guide students toward successfully completing their poster.

The session will begin with an overview of the Backward Design framework, followed by an opportunity for teachers to apply what they’ve learned by designing their own lesson plans.


Speakers
avatar for Lucero Angel

Lucero Angel

Teacher, Crystal Middle School
Friday August 8, 2025 8:30am - 10:45am PDT
Room 324 (3rd Floor) 2490 Hilborn Road, Fairfield, CA, USA
  Design Lab

9:45am PDT

Books on Books on Books!! Daily Reading, Book Tasting and Book Clubs in the Secondary Classroom (Grades 6-12) LIMITED
Friday August 8, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am PDT
Board Room
Want to increase the number of books students read in a year? Come join A3WP teacher leader Michelle Voelker as she walks participants through book tasting to get students started. Follow the tasting with book club units that build on the momentum of independent reading and watch kids flourish as they analyze novels, discuss their reading authentically, and transfer all their learning into various writing assignments.
Speakers
avatar for Michelle Voelker

Michelle Voelker

Area 3 Writing Project
Michelle Voelker is an English teacher at a Title I school in Sacramento, CA. She is an A3WP teacher leader, providing workshops on literacy practices in the classroom. Before becoming a teacher, Michelle was an AmeriCorps member for a program that provided reading intervention on... Read More →
Friday August 8, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am PDT
Board Room 2490 Hilborn Road, Fairfield, CA, USA
  Interactive Workshop

11:00am PDT

Leveling Up Your Academic Discourse (Grades 6-12) LIMITED
Friday August 8, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Room 324 (3rd Floor)
Beyond Rehearsal: Directing Discourse for Deeper Learning

Your students have learned their lines.
They’re showing up to the rehearsal room ready to speak.
But now, it’s time to direct the scene.
In this session, we’ll move beyond getting students talking—we’ll focus on getting them thinking deeper.
What kinds of questions push students beyond recall and into analysis, debate, and reflection?
How do we help students truly engage with one another’s thinking—and with the grade-level standards?
Just like a great director guides actors to uncover the story’s depth, we’ll explore how to guide students to uncover the meaning behind their content.
You’ve built the rehearsal space—now let’s shape the performance.
Join us for the next act of academic discourse.
Speakers
avatar for Christina Geyer

Christina Geyer

Consulting Teacher, Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District
Christina Geyer is an experienced educator, instructional coach, and school leader with over a decade of service in diverse California school districts. She currently serves as a Consulting Teacher for Fairfield-Suisun Unified, where she mentors and coaches early-career educators... Read More →
Friday August 8, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Room 324 (3rd Floor) 2490 Hilborn Road, Fairfield, CA, USA
  Interactive Workshop

11:00am PDT

Social Stories - Building Empathy through Writing (Grades 6-12) LIMITED
Friday August 8, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Board Room
Are you looking for authentic audiences for your students’ writing? Look no further than the social story. A3WP teacher leader Michelle Voelker demonstrates a technique she uses with her students to write social stories for others where they not only build their writing skills, but their empathy as well. Come learn how this very short story can hone students’ writing craft, and help them cultivate compassion.
Speakers
avatar for Michelle Voelker

Michelle Voelker

Area 3 Writing Project
Michelle Voelker is an English teacher at a Title I school in Sacramento, CA. She is an A3WP teacher leader, providing workshops on literacy practices in the classroom. Before becoming a teacher, Michelle was an AmeriCorps member for a program that provided reading intervention on... Read More →
Friday August 8, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Board Room 2490 Hilborn Road, Fairfield, CA, USA
  Interactive Workshop

1:00pm PDT

Calm Classroom (Grades 6-12) LIMITED
Friday August 8, 2025 1:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Room 324 (3rd Floor)
Create an action plan for cultivating a calm classroom, starting on Day One. 
Speakers
avatar for Kristin Warsaw

Kristin Warsaw

Coordinator, New Teacher Academy, Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District
About Kristin
Friday August 8, 2025 1:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Room 324 (3rd Floor) 2490 Hilborn Road, Fairfield, CA, USA
  Design Lab

1:00pm PDT

Daily Writing Routines that Pack a Punch with Area 3 Writing Project (Grades 6-12) LIMITED
Friday August 8, 2025 1:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Board Room
Need a way to build writing fluency with students? Join A3WP teacher leader Michelle Voelker to learn how a 10 minute per day writing routine will help students not only build writing fluency, but gets them thinking critically about everything from craft, to current events, and more. Daily themes help students know what to expect and track their growth as the year progresses. During this design lab, participants will create their own 10 minute writing routines that can be implemented in their own classrooms.
Speakers
avatar for Michelle Voelker

Michelle Voelker

Area 3 Writing Project
Michelle Voelker is an English teacher at a Title I school in Sacramento, CA. She is an A3WP teacher leader, providing workshops on literacy practices in the classroom. Before becoming a teacher, Michelle was an AmeriCorps member for a program that provided reading intervention on... Read More →
Friday August 8, 2025 1:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Board Room 2490 Hilborn Road, Fairfield, CA, USA
  Design Lab
 
FSUSD Spark 2025
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