2026 TETL Summer Conference

 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

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

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