APS Rising Educator Summit 2026: Full Schedule

10:00am MDT

Be a Google Guru: 50 Google Workspace & AI Ideas Every Educator Should Know

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

Limited Capacity seats available

Brace yourself. Get ready for a fast-paced, idea-packed session full of creative and practical ways to make the most of Google Workspace tools like Docs, Slides, Forms, Sheets, Drive, Classroom, Sites, Chrome tools, and Google’s expanding AI capabilities. These are tools you and your students already use all the time, but this session reveals new possibilities, practical tips, and even a few hidden features that help bring those tools to life in meaningful and engaging ways. Expect a rapid-fire mix of quick demos, real classroom examples, and ready-to-use templates. You’ll see how Google tools and AI can enhance the lessons you’re already teaching while helping students create, collaborate, and demonstrate their learning in powerful ways. You’ll leave with practical ideas and ready-to-implement strategies you can start using right away.

Speakers

Tina Nunez

Resource Teacher, APS

Tina Nuñez is an Educational Technology & Instructional Resources Specialist with Albuquerque Public Schools, with over 20 years in education and 7+ years in EdTech. She designs and delivers professional learning for more than 6,000 educators, helping teachers bring AI, Google tools... Read More →

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

⭐ All Grades or Staff, DIGITAL TOOLS

Session Type Presentation/Tutorial Sessions (50 Min)
PD Focus Area Educational Technology (AI/Canva/Google)
Area WEST Building - Upper Level 3

11:00am MDT

The Science of Learning: From Engagement to Retention

LIMITED

Tuesday August 4, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am MDT

Kiva

Limited Capacity seats available

Bridge the gap between how the brain processes new information and how it stores it for the long term. Teachers will explore the "Big 3" biological foundations—neuroplasticity, the amygdala, and dopamine—before diving into high-leverage cognitive strategies like retrieval practice and dual coding. Participants will leave with a clear understanding of the "forgetting curve" and a toolkit of low-stakes, actionable activities to ensure student learning "sticks" beyond the classroom door.

Speakers

Elizabeth Rafi

Resource Teacher, APS

Tuesday August 4, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am MDT
Kiva 401 2nd St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102

⭐ All Grades or Staff

Session Type Presentation/Tutorial Sessions (50 Min)
PD Focus Area Student Engagement/Collaboration/Inclusive Practices
Area WEST Building - Lower Level 1

12:00pm MDT

The 6-Cursor Classroom: Rapid Co-Creation with Student Collaboration

LIMITED

Tuesday August 4, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm MDT

Kiva

Limited Capacity seats available

In this fast-paced, live-build session, discover how to transform traditional, solitary assignments into high-octane collaborative projects. Using Canva for Education, Kelly and a team of five students will take the stage to demonstrate how a single shared project can evolve from a blank canvas to a professional-grade video and digital portfolio in real-time. Witness the power of simultaneous collaboration: while one student scripts, another animates, a third curates b-roll, and others refine the aesthetic—all under the teacher’s real-time digital supervision. We will move beyond "group work" (where one person does all the typing) and into "synchronous production," where every student has a specialized role and a cursor on the screen.

Speakers

Kelly Mitchell

Resource Teacher, APS

Kelly Mitchell considers herself a life-long learner who is continually seeking new programs and apps to enhance student learning. Kelly is a passionate educator with 15 years teaching experience in elementary education and currently an EdTech Support Specialist.. In addition to teaching... Read More →

Tuesday August 4, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm MDT
Kiva 401 2nd St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102

⭐ All Grades or Staff

Session Type Presentation/Tutorial Sessions (50 Min)
PD Focus Area Student Engagement/Collaboration/Inclusive Practices
Area WEST Building - Upper Level 3

1:00pm MDT

Teaching Critical Thinking In The Age of AI.

LIMITED

Tuesday August 4, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm MDT

Kiva

Limited Capacity seats available

In an era where AI can generate answers instantly, students are losing the ability to think deeply, read critically, and express original ideas. This session introduces "Thinking Is Critical", a practical classroom framework built around the "Read Think Write Connect" model.

As a 26 year Albuquerque Public Schools humanities teacher, I share classroom tested strategies that are structured, differentiated and engaging. This approach has received very positive feedback from APS teachers for its clarity, flexibility, and impact on student engagement. "Thinking Is Critical" is lively, thought provoking and relevant.

Participants will leave with eight ready to use activities, complete slide decks, differentiated readings at three levels, and a clear roadmap for strengthening critical thinking across content areas. The focus is on practical tools that can be implemented immediately to help students think more deeply in an age when thinking matters more than ever.

Speakers

Michael Garcia

Teacher, APS

Twenty six years in the classroom has reinforced one lesson above all others: thinking is a skill that must be intentionally taught and practiced. My approach combines critical thinking, inquiry, and project based learning to help students become more curious, thoughtful, and independent... Read More →

Tuesday August 4, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm MDT
Kiva 401 2nd St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102

⭐ All Grades or Staff

Session Type Presentation/Tutorial Sessions (50 Min)
PD Focus Area Student Engagement/Collaboration/Inclusive Practices
Area WEST Building - Upper Level 3

2:00pm MDT

Pear Deck Learning: AI Teacher Tools

LIMITED

Tuesday August 4, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm MDT

Kiva

Limited Capacity seats available

Elevate your Pear Deck experience by harnessing the power of AI! In this session, we will explore the Pear Deck Learning suite. Since APS teachers already have Pro access to Pear Deck, we’ll dive straight into how these AI-driven tools integrate seamlessly to save you time and personalize instruction. You will learn how to generate engaging bell-ringers instantly with Pear Start, create gamified practice sets in Pear Practice, and use AI to draft standards-aligned evaluations in Pear Assessment. Leave this session with a toolkit of AI features that connect directly back to your favorite Pear Deck slides to foster an interactive, data-driven classroom.

Speakers

Alexa Firstbrook

Go Guardian

Tuesday August 4, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm MDT
Kiva 401 2nd St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102

⭐ All Grades or Staff, DIGITAL TOOLS

Session Type Presentation/Tutorial Sessions (50 Min)
PD Focus Area Partner Session
Area WEST Building - Upper Level 3

APS Rising Educator Summit 2026

10:00am MDT

Tina Nunez

11:00am MDT

Elizabeth Rafi

12:00pm MDT

Kelly Mitchell

1:00pm MDT

Michael Garcia

2:00pm MDT

Alexa Firstbrook

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