2026 TETL Summer Conference

Pre-Registration Required

Too often, technology is seen as providing internet and devices. Most school district decisions impact or are impacted by technology. Often, technology leaders fixate on cabinet seats, but the real work is partnering with the larger organization. That work begins inside the technology department. We won’t be seen as partners until we act like partners. In this session we will explore ideas for growing a culture of service and empowering your team.
Additional Information 
While this is a presentation, there will be opportunities for participants to interact and discuss ideas presented. Leverage participant expertise is important where it exists, but the presentation does not require audience participation. This is work I have done in two large school districts of over 50,000 students.
Essential Skill
Leadership & Vision; Team Building & Staffing; Strategic Planning

Artificial intelligence is already in students’ hands—so what now? This session explores practical, school-ready protocols for acceptable AI use that support learning without sacrificing integrity. Participants will walk away with clear expectations, classroom strategies, and communication tools to guide responsible student use. Learn how to move beyond restriction toward intentional integration—where AI enhances thinking, not replaces it.


Essential Skill
Strategic Planning; Instructional Focus & Professional Development

K–12 IT leaders must modernize quickly while maintaining uptime, security, and compliance amid aging systems, limited staff, and rising cyber threats. This session shows how to unify IT operations and security, reduce risk without increasing headcount, and build scalable, cost-effective systems. Attendees will learn best practices for endpoint management, automation, and real-time visibility to improve response times, reduce tool sprawl, and maintain compliance across distributed school environments.
Additional Information 
I will be co-presenting this with representatives from NinjaOne.
Essential Skill
Information Technology; Strategic Planning; Business Management

Van ISD was faced with a unique challenge of providing a space for STEM learning on all of its campuses.  With classroom space being limited, the answer was to build a STEAM Bus. Come and see how the process unfolded from start to finish and see the finished project for yourself!
Additional Information 
A great session for anyone planning to pursue their own bus project or any other venture that may be viewed as too grandiose for a public school system.  We will talk about ways to build support for such projects amongst your stakeholders.
Essential Skill
Leadership & Vision; Strategic Planning; Instructional Focus & Professional Development; Team Building & Staffing

In the EdTech World Cup, "what counts" is the safety of our students and the integrity of our networks. How do you modernize a large campus security footprint without benching your existing infrastructure? This session explores the winning partnership between Lubbock-Cooper ISD and Hanwha Vision. We will break down a "Championship Game Plan" that prioritized fiscal responsibility by leveraging legacy hardware, while drafting elite features like NDAA-compliant cybersecurity, AI-driven analytics, and 360° SPED classroom monitoring. Learn how to maintain a low-impact network profile through intelligent bandwidth management and bridge the gap between IT and local law enforcement for a true community-wide victory.


Essential Skill
Strategic Planning; Data Privacy & Security

 Melissa McCalla - Pasadena ISD
Amanda Lanicek - Springtown ISD

In the EdTech World Cup, winning takes more than a star striker—it requires a strong defense, a visionary coach, and a clear path to goal. Whether you lead a three-person team in a rural district or a metro-sized operation, the early years define your legacy. Hear from two veteran captains—a Small-District United and a Metro FC—sharing winning tactics, costly fouls to avoid, and set plays for a championship tech department.

Additional Information 
Draft Workshop Structure and Content: 
Workshop Structure & ContentI. Pre-Match Strategy: The First 90 Days

• Building the Roster: Identifying "influencers" vs. "decision-makers" in your district.
• The Audit Kick-off: What to look for in your first tech audit (Security, Infrastructure, and Instruction).
• Small vs. Large:
  • Small District: Wearing multiple hats without losing your head.
  • Large District: Navigating the bureaucracy to find the "lever" of change.

II. Defensive Maneuvers: Cybersecurity & Policy

• Hardening the Net: Prioritizing the TETL/CoSN "Trusted Learning Environment" (TLE) framework early on.
• The "Yellow Card" Incidents: How to handle your first major outage or data breach with transparency and grit.

III. Offensive Plays: Innovation & AI

• Scaling the Score: Implementing frameworks that work for 500 students or 50,000.
• The "VAR" (Video Assistant Referee) Approach: Using data visualization to prove the ROI of your tech spend to the School Board.

IV. The Post-Game: Longevity & Leadership

• Mental Fitness: Avoiding burnout in the "always-on" era of educational leadership.
• Mentorship: Leveraging the TETL/CoSN network to ensure you aren't coaching on an island.

Interactive Elements (Engagement)

• "The Penalty Shootout": A rapid-fire Q&A where attendees submit their "nightmare scenarios," and the presenters give a 30-second "pro-fix."
• "Draft Day" Networking: Grouping attendees by district size to share one "win" and one "worry" using a shared digital workspace.

Essential Skill
Leadership & Vision; Strategic Planning; Team Building & Staffing

What does the next generation of school communications look like? In this session, we’ll explore how AI and automation are transforming how K-12 manages safety, communication, and daily operations. We’ll also highlight how our integrated tools are shaping the future of connected and responsive schools.

EdTech has the power to transform teaching and learning—but only when it’s intentionally selected and strategically implemented. This session offers district leaders a practical roadmap for navigating the edtech lifecycle, from decision-making to long-term impact.


You’ll gain strategies to:
* select tools aligned to district priorities
* apply best practices for evaluation and implementation
* leverage customizable resources
* adapt confidently to an evolving edtech landscape


Move from edtech overload to intentional, effective integration! 
Participants will:

• Explore the impact of EdTech on teaching, learning, and operations, with a focus on trends and alignment to districts’ academic and organizational goals
• Identify key decision-making factors for selecting tools that align with district priorities, budgets, and instructional needs
• Apply evidence-based practices for professional learning, rollout, and continuous improvement
• Gain access to customizable, ready-to-use resources that can be implemented immediately
• Stay ahead of emerging trends to ensure flexibility and sustainability in an evolving EdTech landscape

Robb Knox - Prosper ISD

Lost and unaccounted devices can quickly create a significant budget drain for school districts.  This session reveals the true cost of device loss using real-world data and a live Device Loss Calculator.  Attendees will leave with practical strategies to improve visibility, reduce losses, and protect their technology investment—without increasing workload.


Essential Skill
Strategic Planning; Information Technology; Business Management

Melissa McCalla - Pasadena ISD
Stephen Barnwell - Schertz -Cibolo-Universal City ISD
Dwight Goodwin - Coppell ISD


In the fast-paced arena of Texas K-12 education, technology leaders must act as both head coaches and general managers. To "win" for our students, IT departments must move beyond simple troubleshooting and toward strategic leadership.
This panel brings together three veteran leaders from diverse Texas districts to share their championship playbooks. We will dive into the "triple threat" of modern IT leadership.
Additional Information 
"Triple Threat" of modern IT leadership:

• The Defensive Line: Implementing best practices for secure, scalable, and resilient IT infrastructure.
• The Scouting Report: Strategies for identifying and mentoring the next generation of EdTech leaders within your own team.
• The Unified Field: The technical and political maneuvers required to move a district toward a single, cohesive platform that reduces "app fatigue" and maximizes data integrity.

Learning ObjectivesBy the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify three high-impact IT best practices that can be implemented immediately to improve district stability.
2. Apply a framework for leadership development that helps technical staff transition into strategic management roles.
3. Evaluate the pros and cons of platform unification and develop a roadmap for vendor consolidation in their own districts.

Essential Skill
Strategic Planning; Leadership & Vision; Information Technology; Data Management

Feeling overwhelmed by the cybersecurity landscape? This session cuts through the noise to offer a prioritized launchpad of high-impact, low-effort actions to improve your district or school's cybersecurity. We will discuss a curated list of "quick wins" that will reduce your risk without requiring a massive budget. Walk away with a practical checklist to improve your cybersecurity "onion" and protect your learning environment using tools you likely already own.
Additional Information 
This session is designed to move beyond the 'paralysis by analysis' often found in school cybersecurity. By mapping 20 actionable 'quick wins' to the NIST framework, attendees will learn how to leverage existing tools and free services to build a robust defense-in-depth. We will specifically focus on the intersection of technical implementation and stakeholder management, providing a toolkit for presenting risk to school boards and managing the 'human' side of security policy changes.
Essential Skill
Data Privacy & Security; Information Technology

In a department often defined by ticket counts and infrastructure, our most powerful asset remains our people. Northside ISD’s technology department has moved beyond "broadcast mode" to leverage social media as a tool for celebrating staff, demystifying technical roles, and educating our community.


But how does a small team actually make it happen? Join this 50-minute interactive session to pull back the curtain on our content engine. We will share the "origin story" of how we started from scratch, the organizational systems we use to stay consistent, and our monthly delegation workflow that keeps the workload manageable for our department leaders. You’ll also learn how we leverage these social "wins" to build a monthly staff newsletter, ensuring our best stories reach every inbox. Whether you’re a team of one or ten, you’ll leave with a practical blueprint for turning daily operations into a compelling narrative that connects and celebrates.



Additional Information 
50-Minute Session OutlineI. The Origin Story: Moving Beyond the Help Desk (10 Minutes)

• The "Why": Why our department needed a "front door" and how social media serves as the first impression for parents and a culture-builder for staff.
• Starting from Scratch: How we identified our brand voice and selected the right platforms (Facebook for parents, Instagram for staff/visuals, X for quick updates) to reach our different audiences.
• Setting Expectations: The initial goals we set to ensure we were building a "social" mindset, not just a megaphone for announcements.

II. The Monthly Machine: Management & Delegation (15 Minutes)

• The 3-Person Workflow: Detailed breakdown of how roles are assigned within a small team to prevent burnout—from content capture to graphic design and final approval.
• Monthly Planning & Delegation: How we use a content calendar to map out the month ahead, ensuring a steady flow of diverse posts.
• Organization Tools: A look at the "scheduling for sanity" tools (like Hootsuite or Loomly) we use to manage bulk uploads and maintain a weekly posting cadence without daily stress.

III. Content Goldmines: Morale Boosters & Community Education (10 Minutes)

• Showcasing Our People: Practical ideas for staff spotlights, including Bitmoji "Guess Who" games, celebrating professional certifications, and "behind-the-scenes" looks at TSS and techs in action.
• Educating the Community: Using short-form video (Reels/TikTok) for "30-second explainers" on cybersecurity, safe device habits, and tech best practices that parents actually want to watch.

IV. The Newsletter Pipeline: Repurposing Social Wins (10 Minutes)

• Building the Monthly Newsletter: How we use our best-performing social posts as "cornerstone content" for the staff newsletter.
• The Efficiency Loop: Using Canva and Smore integrations to quickly pull social graphics into newsletter headers, saving hours of design time.
• Amplifying Impact: How the newsletter adds "depth" to social stories, allowing for longer interviews or detailed project updates that wouldn't fit in a caption.

V. Maintenance & Q&A (5 Minutes)

• Staying Consistent: Tips for auditing your presence and adjusting your strategy based on what the metrics tell you is actually working.
• Open Q&A: Troubleshooting common hurdles like image permissions, handling negative comments, and finding the time to "do it all".

Onboarding is more than teaching systems and procedures. It should establish culture, expectations, and a pathway for growth. This session introduces a practical model for developing teams through a “Growing In or Growing Out” culture. Employees are either growing within the organization or being supported professionally as they grow into their next opportunity. Join us as we share our Commitment to Excellence Framework, which defines the standards for service, teamwork, professionalism, communication, and continuous improvement.
Additional Information 
Geared towards mid-to-large school district leaders.
Essential Skill
Leadership & Vision; Team Building & Staffing

This session will explore how classroom instructional audio systems support student learning by ensuring every student can clearly hear instruction, regardless of where they are seated. Participants will learn how improving speech intelligibility increases student engagement, reduces teacher vocal strain, and creates more equitable learning environments for all students. The session will also highlight how emerging technologies such as real-time AI translation are transforming access for multilingual learners by delivering instruction instantly in their preferred language.

Essential Skill
Instructional Focus & Professional Development; Information Technology; Leadership & Vision; Communication Systems

Matt Green - Lubbock Cooper ISD
Chris Hawkins - Secured Tech

Device initiatives don’t fail at purchase — they fail in management.
Join this TETL session to explore how districts can take control of the full device lifecycle, from deployment and protection to repair, parts management, secure retirement, and buyback recovery.
Learn how insurance-backed protection, structured repair workflows, certified data destruction, and coordinated lifecycle planning can reduce downtime, protect sensitive data, and return dollars back into your technology budget.
If you’re looking to extend value, reduce risk, and manage your device program with confidence — this session delivers the roadmap.


Essential Skill
Strategic Planning; Leadership & Vision

 Rose Garcia Northside ISD
Jacob Infante
Minerva Cooperwood 

Budget cuts? No problem! Discover the "Force Multiplier" blueprint that saved our district's tech support during a hiring freeze. Northside ISD’s two largest divisions, IT Support Services and Training & Development, fused their teams with radical transparency and next-level cross-training. We didn't just survive—we created a more cohesive, high-efficiency support experience for every teacher! Learn our exact strategies for unified ticketing, resource sharing, and communication that are now our new standard for excellence.
Additional Information 
The Challenge
In an era of increasing budget deficits and hiring freezes, school districts often face the impossible choice between scaling back services or risking staff burnout. At Northside ISD, we refused to accept these as our only two options. When traditional operations became unsustainable, we transformed our IT Support and Training & Development departments from siloed entities into a unified, cross-functional "Force Multiplier."
The Solution 
This session moves beyond the "what" of collaboration to dive into the "how" of evolving organizational strategy. By treating Communication as Infrastructure, we established a framework for radical transparency and synchronized team deployments. Attendees will explore the strategies we used to align departmental priorities and maintain classroom uptime during high-pressure windows, such as start-of-year distributions, despite significant staffing impacts.
The Participant Experience
 Designed for technology leaders and district stakeholders, this interactive session provides a practical toolkit for Collaborative Leadership. Participants will audit their own departmental structures to identify "redundant friction points" and service gaps. We will share an adaptable Support Blueprint that helps instructional staff assist with common technical hurdles while equipping technical staff to provide "just-in-time" classroom support—maximizing on-site efficiency without increasing headcount.
The Impact 
Attendees will walk away with a framework for shifting their departments from reactive troubleshooting to a proactive, sustainable standard of excellence. This session offers alternative supports for any district looking to maintain—and even improve—the customer experience in the face of budgetary unknowns.
Essential Skill
Leadership & Vision; Strategic Planning; Communication Systems; Team Building & Staffing

 Miranda Snider - Northside ISD

How do you lead a team that you don't see every day?  Do you have staff that work from various locations, making supervision and management challenging?  At Northside ISD, we have frontline tech staff that physically work at campuses, often reporting to a "local" campus administrator while executing "central" technology goals. This dual-report dynamic creates unique challenges for communication, culture, and professional growth.


This session explores a framework for "leading from a distance." We will examine strategies for navigating the partnership between the Technology Department and campus, establishing consistent communication loops, and providing meaningful professional development opportunities for staff who may feel isolated from the core IT team. Whether you are managing five campuses or one hundred, join us to discuss strategies for building a unified departmental culture that empowers decentralized staff to be effective campus liaisons.
Additional Information 
Learning Objectives

• Defining the Role: Establish a clear scope of work that balances campus-specific needs with district-wide technology standards.
• The Shared Leadership Model: Strategies for collaborating with campus administrators to ensure frontline staff are supported and utilized effectively.
• Remote Culture & Connection: Practical tactics for keeping off-site staff connected to the department to prevent "silos" and burnout.
• Flexible PD Tracks: How to design professional development that keeps decentralized teams skilled, engaged, and aligned with ever evolving district initiatives.

Essential Skill
Leadership & Vision; Instructional Focus & Professional Development; Team Building & Staffing