APS Rising Educator Summit 2026: Full Schedule

10:00am MDT

Musical Voices of the Hispanic Diaspora in the United States

Tuesday August 4, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Under the premise that when our Spanish students create, culture comes alive, this interactive workshop for SLA teachers presents dynamic and effective strategies, tested in SLA2, that place the student at the center of learning. By comparing two musical genres created or transformed by Hispanic communities in the United States, the workshop proposes an approach in which students research, analyze, and present content collaboratively. The session demonstrates how music can serve as a tool to explore identity, culture, and the experience of the Hispanic diaspora, while promoting critical thinking, oral communication, and cultural connection. Participants will gain practical and adaptable resources to design meaningful learning experiences that integrate cultural analysis and student production in their classrooms.

Speakers

Sonia Balasch

Teacher, APS

Sonia Balasch is an educator and scholar with more than two decades of teaching experience at both the secondary and university levels across the United States. She holds a Ph.D. in Hispanic Linguistics from the University of New Mexico and a bachelor's degree in Applied Mathematics... Read More →

Fabiola Pacheco

Bilingual Coordinator, APS

Tuesday August 4, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
70 Tewa 401 2nd St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102

☀️ High School (9-12), SOCIAL STUDIES

Session Type Workshop (50 min)
PD Focus Area Content Area PD (Curriculum & Bilingual/Dual Language)
Area WEST Building - Lower Level 1

11:00am MDT

From Schoolyard to System: 7th Grade Ecosystem Monitoring with BEMP

LIMITED

Tuesday August 4, 2026 11:00am - 12:20pm MDT

70 Tewa

Limited Capacity seats available

How can students use their school campus to investigate real environmental questions and connect their learning to larger ecosystems? In this interactive session, educators will explore a 7th Grade Campus Ecosystem Monitoring Project in collaboration with the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program (BEMP) and a field experience at Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge. Participants will engage in hands-on investigations using real ecosystem data, including water quality, biodiversity, and weather patterns, while practicing simple, repeatable monitoring protocols that can be implemented on any campus. Teachers will design student-centered investigations that connect classroom data collection to field-based learning, including studies of Rio Grande cottonwood decline. This session prioritizes 7th grade teams from Polk, Harrison, and Ernie Pyle Middle Schools as part of a pilot cohort, with additional schools welcome as the project expands.

Speakers

Amy Chase

Stem Implementation Coach, APS

As the Science Instructional Support Specialist for Albuquerque Public Schools I support teachers to support students to understand their world.

Charles Ciernia

Resource Teacher, APS

Hi, I'm Charlie Ciernia, a resource teacher supporting PreK-5 outdoor learning, nature journaling, and project-based learning. I'm one of the lead teachers for the Los Padillas Wildlife Sanctuary Signature Academic Field Experience, where students engage in hands-on, place-based... Read More →

Tuesday August 4, 2026 11:00am - 12:20pm MDT
70 Tewa 401 2nd St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102

🌞 Intermediate Grades (2-8)

Session Type Workshop (80 min)
PD Focus Area Instructional Strategies (MLSS/ELD/ Differentiation/Intervention/Accelerated Learning)
Area WEST Building - Lower Level 1

1:00pm MDT

From Observation to Investigation: Inquiry Through Outdoor Learning

LIMITED

Tuesday August 4, 2026 1:00pm - 2:20pm MDT

70 Tewa

Limited Capacity seats available

How do we move from “going outside” to meaningful student inquiry and problem-solving? This interactive session focuses on using outdoor learning to deepen thinking through questioning, investigation, and sensemaking. Participants will engage in a guided inquiry experience using real-world cultural and environmental phenomena, including examples from Petroglyph National Monument, co-facilitated with educator Ben Holt, and engineering-based wildlife conservation challenges inspired by Asombro Institute for Science Education. Teachers will explore strategies that support students in moving from noticing to wondering to investigations, and ultimately to designing solutions to real-world problems. Participants will leave with practical tools to design inquiry-driven and problem-based lessons that support critical thinking, student voice, and inclusive practices across content areas.

Speakers

Session Type Workshop (80 min)
PD Focus Area Instructional Strategies (MLSS/ELD/ Differentiation/Intervention/Accelerated Learning)
Area WEST Building - Lower Level 1

APS Rising Educator Summit 2026

10:00am MDT

Sonia Balasch

Fabiola Pacheco

11:00am MDT

Amy Chase

Charles Ciernia

1:00pm MDT

Charles Ciernia

Jennifer Wimberly

Steven Henley

Monie Corona

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