Choose from the following concurrent sessions focusing on incorporating rigor in the classroom, breaking down barriers, aligning the work, and advocating for students. Stay tuned to this page for details and important updates to the concurrent sessions. Session numbers may not be sequential, as sessions are added or removed based on demand.
Our pre-conference and concurrent sessions are open to all, regardless of AVID experience! New to AVID? Look for sessions marked with the — these sessions are appropriate for those at the beginning of their AVID journey. While these are great for newcomers, all sessions are open to everyone based on their interests and goals.
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Presenters
Dr. Cassie Freeman
Dr. Aliber LozanoStep into the forefront of educational innovation with AVID! In this session, you’ll be among the first to explore the visionary tools and resources that are reshaping teaching, learning, and student success. Discover cutting-edge updates, including new resources, enhanced professional learning tools, and program quality advancements—all influenced by your invaluable feedback. This session is more than an exclusive preview; it’s an opportunity to collaborate and contribute to AVID’s transformative journey. Join us for this dynamic experience and be part of shaping the future of education. Don’t miss this chance to gain insider access to what’s next with AVID!
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 11:15 AM PST - 12:30 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor H
Presenters
Dot Arida
Heather SandsOver the last 20 years, Anne Arundel County Public Schools has tweaked its AVID certification process many times. In this session, participants will investigate how the latest iteration of a large AVID district’s certification process provides the opportunity for collective educator agency from district superintendents to each AVID educator and each AVID classroom. In a time when budgets are being scrutinized, we allow district leaders to understand impacts and be an educated voice in advocating for AVID. Grounded in the work of the AVID Site Team and utilizing the Continuous Improvement Cycle, our process allows each school’s principal and AVID Site Coordinator to learn from other schools to emulate best practices, address barriers, and create goals for growth. And for AVID District Directors, our process helps foster consistency across AVID sites, improving articulation from elementary to high school.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 12:45 PM PST - 2:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Regatta ABC
Are you a counselor at an AVID school, but don’t know much about AVID? This is the perfect session for you! In our AVID Counseling 101 session, we will cover the foundations of AVID and explore the AVID College and Career Readiness Framework, the AVID Elective class, the AVID Elective student, and the counselor’s role in supporting AVID at your site.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 3:45 PM PST - 5:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor D
AVID Counselors spend their first AVID Summer Institute learning their role in AVID. This session focuses on many issues counselors encounter after the first year. From master schedule issues to four-year plans, and even recruitment tips, this session will dive deeper into many of the roles where a counselor’s expertise comes into play. This interactive session will allow counselors to share ideas and network over these key issues. Finally, the session will look at one of the biggest challenges, paying for postsecondary education, by presenting some out-of-the-box ideas beyond just the usual scholarships and financial aid, and looking at loan forgiveness, tuition benefits in jobs, and more.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 8:15 AM PST - 9:30 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor B
Presenters
Robyn Cappalla
Sandi MiyaiWhat’s the winning formula behind an awesome AVID Showcase site? Teamwork, targeted coaching, and the right resources! In this session, we’ll share how our AVID Dream Team—district coaches, school leaders, and educators—teamed up to implement WICOR® strategies effectively while securing funding for academic support. With the right mix of collaboration, coaching, and strategic resources, teachers have boosted student engagement, critical thinking, and organization like never before. We’ll break down how personalized coaching and smart funding decisions make all the difference and give you practical takeaways to build your own AVID Dream Team. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to level up, you’ll leave with fresh ideas and a game plan for lasting success. Let’s make AVID shine—together!
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 9:40 AM PST - 10:55 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor B
You are invited to join this collaborative session designed for both new and experienced AVID Elective and Excel Elective teachers! Through engaging roundtable discussions, educators will connect, share challenges, celebrate successes, and explore actionable strategies to deepen the successful implementation of the AVID Elective and Excel Elective. This dynamic networking opportunity allows participants to choose discussion topics based on their unique needs and interests, with the flexibility to move between groups throughout the session to support their learning goals. The session will conclude with dedicated time for reflection and planning, empowering participants to identify key takeaways and develop actionable steps to apply their learning in their school or district. Whether you’re new to AVID or a seasoned educator, come collaborate, reflect, and leave inspired to enhance student success!
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 9:40 AM PST - 10:55 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado A
Build your district’s capacity to improve student learning outcomes using districtwide AVID by harnessing a powerful conceptual understanding of AVID as the “glue” that binds all other district initiatives together in alignment. Engage in strategies to empower leaders to name and model alignment for staff districtwide. Learn about the power of principal-led learning walks to excite the work and encourage system coherence.
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 2:10 PM PST - 3:25 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-America's Cup C/D
Presenters
Kelley Zulueta
Terri Verhaegen
Dr. Mike MozingoThis session will provide a brief overview of the National Demonstration School Revalidation process and opportunities to engage with other Demo School leaders to connect, learn, and share best practices. Discussions will focus on how Demo Sites break down barriers, insist on rigor, align the work, advocate for students, and demonstrate collective educator agency as a teaching and learning center.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 8:15 AM PST - 9:30 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado A
Presenters
Jessica Taylor
Elizabeth BrownAre you an AVID secondary educator or leader looking to leverage AVID strategies in an advisory class? Come learn from AVID’s Schoolwide Advisory Team how you can streamline the process of integrating AVID strategies into your advisory course and accelerate efforts to foster rigorous academic preparedness, agency, and opportunity knowledge in students schoolwide.
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 9:40 AM PST - 10:55 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Regatta ABC
What happens when AVID students take the lead in professional learning? This session showcases a powerful model wherein AVID student leaders design and deliver training that challenges bias, amplifies voice, and reimagines systems. Discover how AVID structures can grow student leadership, shift adult mindsets, and spark equity-driven change, and leave with practical strategies to harness AVID students as catalysts for lasting impact in your school community.
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 11:15 AM PST - 12:30 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor A
Presenters
Erica Berchtold
Samantha CosentinoHow can we support Student Agency? As AVID Elective teachers, we feel capable of supporting the AVID curriculum with WICOR® and for college and career readiness, but student agency is more challenging. Inspired by an AVID senior’s idea, we launched a five-high-school-district AVID Student Leadership Summit to strengthen student voices and deepen the understanding of AVID across our district. These yearly summits foster AVID pride, clarify its impact, and encourage students to shape its perception in their schools and our district. They also build a support network among students and staff. We will share our journey—how we started, what has worked—and provide a framework for other schools to create their own AVID Student Leadership Summit.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 2:20 PM PST - 3:35 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado B
Presenters
Jeffery Huerta
Dr. Cassie FreemanAVID’s unwavering commitment to research and evaluation fuels a constant cycle of innovation across our programs, products, and services. In this session, we’re unveiling brand-new findings from AVID’s latest studies on AVID Elementary and AVID Excel. Partnering with districts nationwide, we’re digging deep into what truly drives impact in classrooms, schools, and systems. We’re uncovering what works, what doesn’t, and—most importantly—how to translate those discoveries into stronger support for high-quality implementation. Join us to explore fresh evidence, real stories from the field, and actionable insights that will help ensure educators have the tools they need to boost student readiness and success at every level. This is AVID research in action—shaping the future, informed by the people who live it every day.
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 9:50 AM PST - 11:05 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Regatta ABC
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 9:40 AM PST - 10:55 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor E
How do you keep the level of implementation of AVID high and continue to progress schoolwide with staffing changes? Reinvigorate teachers who have long been a part of your AVID journey to help new teachers experience the possibility of AVID and how it supports them in their classrooms. At Lakeview Middle School, we empower teachers to authentically implement AVID in meaningful ways to ensure effective and deep integration of AVID Schoolwide. In this session, you’ll discover how we utilize the WICOR® framework to enhance collaboration, reflection, and celebration; align the work in all classrooms; uncover and showcase great things in classes through purposeful walk-throughs that build collective educator agency; and raise the level of rigor for all students through a robust model that fosters excitement and application of learning in accessible and relevant ways.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 9:50 AM PST - 11:05 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor H
Presenters
Jennifer Brierton
Lindsay LinoffAt Mesa High School, AVID field trips are transformative experiences that ignite curiosity, broaden perspectives, and inspire students to pursue their goals. From college visits to career exploration, these trips provide invaluable opportunities for real-world learning, and we ensure all students have access to these experiences with strategic planning and creative funding solutions. This session will guide participants through the process of planning impactful field trips, securing funding, and maximizing student engagement. Join us to learn practical strategies, explore successful examples, and leave equipped to create meaningful, memorable experiences for your own students. Let’s open doors of opportunity through AVID field trips!
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 3:45 PM PST - 5:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado B
Presenters
Kellie Goforth
Morgan HeymannIn this session, we’ll share how North County’s AVID and English Language Development (ELD) programs partnered to build teacher capacity, increase college and career readiness, and implement shared instructional strategies to support student success. Participants will explore ways to leverage partnerships between AVID and other school-based programs by identifying areas of growth, then determining how to provide systems and support that students and educators need to break down barriers. Together, we will explore the AVID and ELD partnership through success data, strategies implemented, and building teacher capacity to support English language learners schoolwide. When there is a problem and AVID is the solution, when there is a challenge and AVID is the support, then AVID is not “just one more thing.”
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 2:20 PM PST - 3:35 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor B
Presenters
Jaime Holladay
Eloisa SanchezJoin Capital High School leadership to discuss how to integrate college and career readiness programs and systems for schoolwide implementation. This session will focus on providing best practices for program integration through facilitated discussions and mini brainstorming opportunities to foster understanding and engagement while providing participants with tools and resources to take back to their respective school districts.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 9:40 AM PST - 10:55 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor H
Align the work in AVID Elementary through the AVID College and Career Readiness Framework. This session focuses on how we can utilize the Framework as a theory of action to support AVID implementation and align the variety of initiatives on campus, supporting the idea that everything we implement can be connected to the Framework and is viewed through an AVID lens. Participants will review the Framework, learn about an elementary school that has successfully aligned the work, and work collaboratively to make connections between their current practices and develop actionable steps they can take back to their campus to support implementation and further alignment.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 2:20 PM PST - 3:35 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor D
Since our adoption of AVID, Jefferson High School’s goal has been to increase access to rigorous courses and learning environments, utilize WICOR® strategies schoolwide, and support underrepresented students through AVID Elective courses. In this session, you’ll learn firsthand how our implementation of systems and strategies has progressed from the 2020–2021 school year through continuous improvement grounded in data collection and system alignment. We’ll provide access to our tools and protocols for accountability and walk you through prioritizing professional development aligned with WICOR, utilizing instructional rounding for continuous improvement, implementing and monitoring an adult learning framework, and employing the new AVID Secondary Implementation Tool to ensure accountability for schoolwide WICOR strategy implementation.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 8:15 AM PST - 9:30 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor H
Presenters
Denise Granucci
Katrina Wilson
Troy WithamJennafer Sepulveda
A cornerstone of Schoolwide AVID is breaking barriers—and that includes ensuring our students with disabilities are seen, supported, and challenged. In this session, you’ll discover how to launch and sustain an inclusive instructional model where special education and general education teachers collaborate to co-teach rigorous content. We’ll explore what authentic co-teaching looks like in practice, examine key implications for master scheduling, and share realistic timelines for roll-out. You’ll leave with strategies for continuous improvement and practical tools to drive student success. Throughout the session, we’ll tie everything back to AVID’s WICOR® methodology, showing how Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading come to life in a co-taught classroom. Join us to learn how to accelerate growth and insist on rigor—for all students.
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 3:45 PM PST - 5:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-America's Cup A/B
Presenters
Leticia Valencia
Rebekka KingThis session explores the transformative impact of AVID Emerge™ in supporting multilingual learners and fostering academic excellence. Led by an experienced educator and school leader who have successfully implemented this innovative program, participants will gain valuable insights into how AVID Emerge enhances language acquisition, promotes student engagement, and cultivates a collaborative learning environment. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to implement AVID Emerge on their campuses, equipping students with the skills and confidence needed for long-term success.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 2:20 PM PST - 3:35 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor C
Presenters
Steve Elia
Melissa GanasCome join us as we challenge traditional perceptions of long-term English learner success and provide practical strategies to accelerate achievement for middle school multilingual scholars. Together, we will experience how in AVID Excel®—a middle school elective for experienced multilingual scholars—we leverage the Foundations of Instruction and toolkit of specific scaffolds and routines to empower multilingual learners to achieve success beyond reclassification. This interactive presentation will explore how AVID Excel transforms instruction and unlocks the potential of all multilingual learners by celebrating their unique voices, accelerating language acquisition, and deepening academic success.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 9:50 AM PST - 11:05 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor B
Presenters
Dee Dee Melton
Dr. Joe KellyAVID is embedded in the DNA of McGavock High School, driving a culture of college and career readiness. This session will highlight how McGavock has expanded AVID through innovative approaches like the AVID Athletes class, cross-level collaboration with feeder schools to align AVID themes, and professional learning systems that unify instructional practices. Attendees will see how AVID supports achievement in Advanced Academics and seamlessly connects with the school’s Academy model to prepare students for life beyond graduation.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 2:20 PM PST - 3:35 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor H
Presenters
Melissa Womack
Alexia Alexopoulos
Students who want to do it all struggle to commit to AVID for multiple years and miss many of the benefits. Ridge Point High School recognized this barrier and built a schoolwide culture of celebration and support for all students that encourages AVID retention and campuswide student involvement. Learn how this school retains involved students by recruiting the right students from the start, building relational capacity where all students feel supported and welcome, recognizing student success through district and campus awards, and creating a master schedule that breaks down barriers for all students.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 12:45 PM PST - 2:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor G
Presenters
Elizabeth Brown
Bill ParkerIn this presentation, Richardson High School (RHS), an AVID Demonstration School, will share its nearly two-decade-long implementation journey with fidelity. The AVID Coordinator and assistant principal will highlight internal systems that have enhanced the AVID Elective and schoolwide AVID systems, impacting feeder campuses and district leadership. Participants will gain insights into successfully using the new AVID Weeks at a Glance materials and AVID Advisory, as well as how RHS fosters AVID scholars to become campus and community leaders. The session will cover initiatives such as student-led professional development, one-to-one cross-age mentoring, community service, elementary signing day, junior high shadow day, graduate elementary breakfast events, and district communication and celebration opportunities. Attendees will also learn about systems used to build buy-in from teachers across the campus and key district leadership, providing actionable strategies for their own schools and districts.
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 2:10 PM PST - 3:25 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado B
Presenters
Dr. Mike GarciaDr. Mike MozingoExplore AVID’s new Secondary Implementation Tool as a critical planning resource to strengthen the AVID Elective and drive schoolwide impact. In this interactive session, participants will engage in collaborative activities to build a deeper understanding of the tool’s purpose, examine key differences from the former Secondary Coaching and Certification Instrument, and explore how the tool better aligns with the AVID College and Career Readiness Framework. Participants will also examine the new features of the Secondary Implementation Tool, such as coaching questions and resources, a more user-friendly data entry platform, and key strategies to lead implementation with the Elective as the foundation for transformative schoolwide change.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 12:45 PM PST - 2:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor I
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 11:15 AM PST - 12:30 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado B
Presenters
Michelle Staal
Joann GardnerBuilding a successful school culture focuses on not only growing students but also supporting teachers in their work with students along the way. With intentional planning of relational capacity that supports the long-range instructional plan for the school, the schoolwide culture of learning is strengthened for all. Learn more about ways to align all the structures in a school to create the school culture students need to be successful.
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 3:45 PM PST - 5:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-America's Cup C/D
Presenters
Dr. Ricky Ramirez Are you ready to breathe life into your school‘s culture and create an environment where every student and staff member thrives? Join us for a dynamic and hands-on workshop that will not only teach you the principles of cultivating a positive school culture but will also ignite your passion as an educator! This immersive exercise will be a memorable and engaging way to reinforce key concepts. Join Rick as he brings the fun back to professional development in an unforgettable experience as we bring the concept of school culture to life with trash bags, air balloons, and water balloons!
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 2:10 PM PST - 3:25 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado D
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 3:45 PM PST - 5:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado D
Career and technical education (CTE) educators are tasked with preparing their students for the challenges of the 21st-century workplace through developing employability skills (sometimes referred to as soft skills or durable skills) like leadership, critical thinking, collaboration, problem solving, creativity, and determination. The AVID College and Career Readiness Framework elements of Rigorous Academic Preparedness, Student Agency, and Opportunity Knowledge are made real in classrooms through AVID’s Essential Skills. We will show how AVID and CTE mutually support the development of skills students need to succeed wherever they choose to go after high school. We will also share specific strategies we used to integrate AVID and CTE at Dan Dipert Technical Center in Texas. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with and learn from other AVID educators who teach CTE courses and advise CTE students.
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 11:15 AM PST - 12:30 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor D
Presenters
Greg Berger
Eric Dykes
Dr. Tim Bugno
This session invites educational leaders to explore how AVID Center is leading the way in integrating AVID with Career Technical Education efforts nationally. This session explores how AVID and CTE can enhance college and career readiness through strategic credential alignments, illustrating the connected educational and career pathways for students. Through collaborative exploration, participants will begin to align AVID Essential Skills and Standards with their state's CTE requirements, leveraging opportunities discovered in listening sessions with AVID school with strong CTE connections from across the country. Join us to share, learn, and amplify the connection between AVID and CTE, ultimately enhancing student success through shared opportunities and best practices from educational institutions nationwide.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 12:45 PM PST - 2:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor D
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 9:40 AM PST - 10:55 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-America's Cup A/B
Presenters
Hector Limon
Naomi FuentesHave you been swimming in AVID so long that you didn’t realize the waters got muddy? Join us as we explore how Odessa High School (OHS), an AVID National Demonstration School, is “clearing the waters” by reigniting clarity, purpose, and collective educator agency. Through intentional systems like the Mighty Broncho Binder for streamlined communication, common professional learning community periods for aligned collaboration, Broncho Shout-Outs to build a culture of recognition, and teacher-led Broncho University professional learning to grow from within, OHS has fostered trust, teamwork, and shared ownership. Walk away with actionable strategies to strengthen communication, empower your staff, and refocus your campus on what matters most.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 2:20 PM PST - 3:35 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-America's Cup A/B
Presenters
Ricardo Larios
Linda Beardsley
Stephanie HodgesJoin Stephens Middle School, a National Demonstration School, to explore high-leverage strategies for supporting, monitoring, and coaching staff through continuous improvement. Discover how fostering collective efficacy can deepen understanding of the “why” behind the work, driving meaningful progress for students. Learn to narrow focus, align competing interests, and build a sustainable school culture that thrives despite staff changes. We’ll share authentic, real-world practices that work for us, hoping to inspire and empower you!
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 9:40 AM PST - 10:55 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor G
Presenters
Dr. Roy Umana
Christy ThielLas Palmas Middle School, a Title I AVID National Demonstration School in Covina, CA, intentionally creates a culture that builds relationships, holds students to high standards, and celebrates success. Learn as we share systems, practices, and celebrations we have implemented inside and outside the classroom to build relational capacity, empower students, and activate agency in students and staff. Explore ways to celebrate students, promote their connections with each other, build positive student-teacher relationships, and strengthen relationships between staff members. Create your game plan to accelerate academic growth for all students by fostering meaningful connections and leveraging relationships for learning.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 2:20 PM PST - 3:35 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor G
Presenters
Theresa Ratti
Kirk ThomasAt Mesa High School, our mission is to bridge high school to college and career for all students, ensuring success beyond graduation. Through a strong school culture, Mesa High empowers students and staff alike, cultivating academic excellence, leadership, and lifelong learning. With over 126 years of history, we blend tradition with innovation to meet the diverse needs of our 3,300+ students at a Title I school. Throughout this journey, you will see firsthand how our students navigate the process of college exploration, actively engage in meaningful community involvement, and work toward becoming the well-rounded individuals we envision in our “portrait of a graduate.” You will walk away with professional development ideas on how to foster growth and collaboration among staff to build your AVID school.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 2:10 PM PST - 3:25 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-America's Cup A/B
Presenters
Kristine Pinel
Sandra Gonzalez
In this session, we’ll review their playbook of replicable organizational structures that ensure fidelity of AVID schoolwide practices and increase student and educator agency through a huddle structure. Participants will be guided through the four quarters of Leona Jackson School’s championship game plan that aligns the work, insists on rigor, and has led them to an AVID National Demonstration School victory.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 8:15 AM PST - 9:30 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor G
Presenters
Jessica Taylor
David AllenThe world needs more students who analyze problems like engineers, develop hypotheses like scientists, think analytically like mathematicians, recognize the power of individuals like historians, create like artists, and record their thinking like writers. Disciplinary literacy is a schoolwide approach to providing students with the tools and strategies for success in every content area to empower them to design their future. This session will explore the concept of disciplinary literacy, its importance, and how you can leverage it to increase engagement, foster critical thinking, and deepen understanding of content.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 9:50 AM PST - 11:05 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor C
Presenters
Jessica TaylorDavid AllenThe world needs more students who analyze problems like engineers, develop hypotheses like scientists, think analytically like mathematicians, recognize the power of individuals like historians, create like artists, and record their thinking like writers. Disciplinary literacy is a schoolwide approach to providing students with the tools and strategies for success in every content area to empower them to design their future. This session will explore the concept of disciplinary literacy, its importance, and how you can leverage it to increase engagement, foster critical thinking, and deepen understanding of content.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 2:20 PM PST - 3:35 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor I
Presenters
Jazmine Clarke
Kyle Hatfield
Jess Geidel
Dr. Cybele Leverett
Tracy BrownThis session invites you to delve into the transformative potential of GoSchoolBox within the educational sphere. We will share firsthand accounts from our AVID partners who have successfully utilized this technology to facilitate high-dosage tutoring, assist multilingual learners, and provide tiered support for students in English and math for high-stakes exams. Our internal team will further elucidate GoSchoolBox’s capabilities in championing student needs. This comprehensive exploration sheds light on how GoSchoolBox can revolutionize the educational landscape, offering a promising future for both educators and learners.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 12:45 PM PST - 2:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-America's Cup A/B
Presenters
Mikki MatautiaKelley ZuluetaThis session will create collaborative opportunities for AVID Elective teachers to share best practices to effectively use the revised Weeks at a Glance (WAG) to provide rigorous and engaging learning experiences, develop and enhance students’ skill needs, and reduce teacher lesson writing time. We‘ll navigate the WAG Term guides, discuss unit selection, and explore lesson content and alignment with AVID Elective Standards and Essential Skills. AVID Educators in Year 1 or 20+ will be invigorated with a new passion and understanding of how to use the WAG and make it their own. By insisting on rigor and advocating for our students, we can unlock their potential and prepare them for a successful future. Don’t forget to bring your device so we can explore and plan together!
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 2:20 PM PST - 3:35 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado A
Presenters
Jennie Bowers
Dr. Sacha BennettShantel Dixon
Join us for an interactive session linking the AVID College and Career Readiness Framework to the challenges and successes of multilingual scholars. Through a real-to-ideal gap analysis, we’ll explore ways to empower students as language architects by strengthening their ability to analyze, interpret, and communicate complex ideas. Experience engaging strategies that build reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills while supporting academic rigor. We’ll also dive into how AVID Emerge™ instructional routines enhance learning for multilingual scholars in grades preK–12. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain practical insights and tools to elevate student success!
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 12:45 PM PST - 2:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor B
Presenters
Danielle Knapp
Michelle Kay
In this session, we’ll explore the evolving role of the teacher in promoting student autonomy and empowerment within the classroom. By shifting away from traditional, teacher-centered methods, we’ll discuss strategies that encourage students to take ownership of their learning. Attendees will gain practical insights on how to create environments where they give students voice, choice, and agency to develop independent thinking and problem-solving. Through actionable strategies and real-world examples, this presentation will equip educators with the tools to rethink their approach and empower students to drive their own learning, leading to greater long-term success. Let’s explore how teachers can transition from being the “sage on the stage” to “guides on the side“ that facilitate growth, self-direction, and confidence.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 2:20 PM PST - 3:35 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor E
Presenters
Lacey Petterson
Manal Tafish
Brenda Encinas
Jacquelyn Morris
Imagine a school where students feel empowered and confident as leaders and role models. Our AVID Ambassador Program at John B. Wright guides elementary students to use student agency to inspire their peers and strengthen our schoolwide engagement and academic achievement. In this session, you will learn about our systems of utilizing an application and selection process, providing leadership opportunities, and increasing student learning outcomes. Our ambassadors model, promote, and celebrate WICOR® strategies to drive a culture of college and career readiness. We are shaping tomorrow’s leaders today by breaking down barriers and advocating for students, one confident student at a time!
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 9:40 AM PST - 10:55 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor C
Presenters
Sally Wagner
Barb Copeland
Saba Danford
With the focus of Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) on superior implementation, our dedicated AVID support team is ready to champion AVID at your site and throughout your district. Join us for an engaging session where you’ll learn how your Implementation Strategist, Executive Director, and Partner Engagement Manager stand ready to bolster your AVID implementation. Immerse yourself in practical strategies and real-world scenarios that will enhance your understanding of potential targeted interactions, and discover the additional site and district support that comes as a benefit of membership. We’re here to help you ensure that every student is college- and career-ready, and that your staff feels empowered as a collective educational force to make this a reality. Join us, and let’s work together to make a difference in the lives of our students.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 8:15 AM PST - 9:30 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado B
Presenters
Dr. Dorthery West
Bethany GlazebrookEmbark on an immersive journey into AVID® Weekly: Literacy Connections Schoolwide. This interactive session invites you to step into your students’ shoes, dive into lessons, and experience the transformative power of disciplinary literacy. Navigate the AVID Weekly site, engage in enlightening small-group discussions, and share insights about leveraging AVID’s curriculum resources. This collaborative approach fosters a vibrant learning community, extending to the exchange of ideas with fellow educators. Through engaging activities, you will explore disciplinary literacy and its application across various content areas. We’ll make connections to WICOR®, the AVID Focused Note-Taking Process, and the AVID Critical Reading and Writing Processes, equipping you with a toolkit of actionable ideas and strategies for your professional practice. Join us on this exciting expedition and revolutionize your approach to literacy education.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 9:50 AM PST - 11:05 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor D
Presenters
Dr. Dorthery WestBethany GlazebrookEmbark on an immersive journey into AVID® Elementary Weekly: Literacy Connections Schoolwide. This interactive session invites you to step into your students’ shoes, dive into lessons, and experience the transformative power of disciplinary literacy. Navigate the AVID Elementary Weekly site, engage in enlightening small-group discussions, and share insights about leveraging AVID’s curriculum resources. This collaborative approach fosters a vibrant learning community, extending to the exchange of ideas with fellow educators. Through engaging activities, you will explore disciplinary literacy and its application across various content areas. We‘ll make connections to WICOR®, the AVID Focused Note-Taking Process, and the AVID Critical Reading and Writing Processes, equipping you with a toolkit of actionable ideas and strategies for your professional practice. Join us on this exciting expedition and revolutionize your approach to literacy education.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 8:15 AM PST - 9:30 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor D
Presenters
Stacey Bush
Nick KempskiJoin us for a session on building educational partnerships, focusing on college connections and the AVID Elective. We’ll discuss strategies to establish and nurture these partnerships, highlighting the AVID Elective’s role in enhancing collaborations and enriching student experiences. Gain insights into the benefits and challenges of educational partnerships and share experiences with peers. Whether starting new partnerships or strengthening existing ones, this session will provide the knowledge and tools you need to succeed.
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 3:45 PM PST - 5:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Regatta ABC
Presenters
Kirk Moyers
Hannah Bowman Hrasky
In this session, you will engage in conversations about current successes and barriers in tutor recruitment, connect with others about common obstacles to utilizing pre-service teachers as tutors, and collaborate to create solutions. Then, you’ll discover one school division’s approach to recruiting tutors by creating symbiotic relationships with college and university teacher preparation programs through partnerships for practicum classroom experiences. We guarantee you’ll walk away with strategies to improve tutor recruitment and retention, as well as approaches to establish strong connections with institutions of higher education.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 8:15 AM PST - 9:30 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-America's Cup A/B
Get ready to transform your phonics instruction and create student-centered learning experiences! Join us in this engaging session where you’ll discover how to WICORize your phonics lessons using powerful AVID strategies. We’ll start by reviewing Scarborough’s Reading Rope Model and connecting it to the AVID College and Career Readiness Framework. Participants will be immersed in a WICORized phonics lesson and walk away with practical tools to help students build strong literacy skills and take ownership of their learning. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to promote student agency and take your phonics instruction to the next level!
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 2:10 PM PST - 3:25 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor D
Presenters
Shantel Dixon
Across the country, AVID students are rewriting their stories and their futures. Join us for an inspiring conversation with AVID alumni who turned opportunity, challenge, and determination into lifelong success. In this session, alumni from diverse careers and backgrounds will reflect on the moments that shaped them, the mentors who guided them, and the skills that continue to anchor their personal and professional journeys. Whether you work directly with students or lead systems-level change, you’ll walk away with fresh insight, renewed purpose, and real stories to share with your AVID community.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 9:50 AM PST - 11:05 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado A
Presenters
Kristine GuidrySally Wagner
Spring Early College Academy is a U.S. News & World Report top early college high school. They have utilized AVID for several years to create a college-going culture and accelerate student skill sets so they are ready for the rigor of college coursework as early as the spring semester of ninth grade. Their commitment to AVID implementation is evident not only in the AVID Elective but also in the strategies used in classes throughout the campus. See how their commitment to preparing students for college and AVID has helped build a culture of student success and college readiness and earned them AVID National Demonstration School status.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 12:45 PM PST - 2:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor H
Presenters
Kerrale Prince
Tanya TaylorWhat happens when AVID isn’t just a program, but a partner in building systems that work? In this session, you’ll discover how a rural Florida district leveraged side-by-side coaching with an AVID Implementation Strategist to drive districtwide improvement, align strategic goals, and elevate student outcomes. This collaborative approach blended the AVID College and Career Readiness Framework with existing district initiatives, resulting in stronger instructional leadership, focused AVID Site Team implementation, and systems-level alignment. Walk away with actionable strategies, reflective tools, and insight into how AVID can support your district’s continuous improvement efforts—not just in classrooms, but across entire campuses. If you’re ready to move from compliance to coherence, this session is for you.
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 11:15 AM PST - 12:30 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Regatta ABC
Presenters
Kande McKay
Robin IlacRemember the calculator panic? The Google anxiety? History repeats as educators now face AI. In this interactive session, we’ll examine how technological shifts consistently trigger educational alarm, and how embracing rather than fearing them ultimately enhances learning. Drawing parallels between past tech transitions and today’s AI revolution, participants will discover practical strategies for designing AI-enhanced assignments that build critical thinking, effective prompting, and output evaluation skills. Rather than focusing on prevention, we’ll explore preparation, equipping students with the AI literacy they’ll need in college and careers. You’ll leave with Monday-ready activities, ideas for transforming traditional assignments, and a roadmap for addressing stakeholder concerns about AI in education.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 9:50 AM PST - 11:05 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor A
Presenters
David Lenti
Laura Rounds
Y’Desha AlsupDiscover how innovative, user-friendly, tech-powered fundraising can help afford greater opportunities for students and educators. This informative session will explore: Easy-to-use platforms like Donors Choose, Double Good, and more, Creative strategies for engaging your school community in fundraising, and Practical tips for staying compliant with district parameters while maximizing impact. Join us and walk away with fresh ideas, planning tools, application ideas, and the confidence to fund the future—one fundraiser at a time.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 12:45 PM PST - 2:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado B
Presenters
Jazmine ClarkeKyle HatfieldJess GeidelTracy BrownThis session provides an in-depth exploration of GoSchoolBox, focusing on its unique features that are being utilized by educators to cultivate a shared responsibility for student success. Discover how this cutting-edge tool enables educators to collaborate more effectively and efficiently, leading to enhanced student outcomes. Join us as we unravel the transformative potential of GoSchoolBox in fostering a more collaborative and outcome-driven educational environment.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 9:50 AM PST - 11:05 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-America's Cup A/B
Presenters
Barb Copeland
Dr. Jessika HearneAre we providing all students with what they need to be successful? The practices discussed and modeled in this session will help participants address the opportunity and expectation gaps that negatively affect so many young people. Helping all students to succeed is not about changing what you are doing as an educator, but changing how you are doing it—the delivery, the scaffolding, and the relationship building. The strategies shared in this session can be implemented immediately to increase the level of success, engagement, and rigor for all students. This session will help educators reflect on their practices, learn new ones, and ask the question “Does all mean all?” when it comes to meeting the needs of learners in their classrooms.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 12:45 PM PST - 2:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado D
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 2:20 PM PST - 3:35 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado D
Presenters
Jeffery Huerta
Tanya TaylorMeasuring and monitoring student and collective educator agency are critical to ensuring that all students and educators thrive in an environment that contributes to their success. This session will introduce these measures of agency as well as other “pulse surveys” that provide quick assessments for rapid feedback and action. When these measures are planned for and monitored in the context of the AVID College and Career Readiness Framework, we can realize opportunities to illustrate AVID’s impact and return on investment. In addition to hearing from AVID Center, you will learn how district leaders use these surveys to inform their work in schools and build engagement among students and educators.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 9:50 AM PST - 11:05 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Regatta ABC
Presenters
Kelsey Behringer
Lisa McGuin
Jessica TaylorPackback, AVID’s Instructional AI platform partner, helps educators bring the AVID philosophies to life through writing, inquiry, and reflection. For nearly a decade, Packback has been a trusted leader for responsible-use AI: grounded in research, pedagogy, and a deep commitment to student data privacy. In this session, AVID Elective teachers and school leaders will see how Packback strengthens students’ confidence, curiosity, and determination in the AVID while saving teachers time. Through real examples from AVID districts nationwide, attendees will learn how to access and begin using Packback for free in their elective courses to foster high expectations and elevate student success across every classroom.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 8:15 AM PST - 9:30 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Regatta ABC
Empower your students to step beyond rote memorization by engaging deeply in mathematics as they take ownership of their learning by articulating their thinking to make conjectures, connect to prior knowledge, and refine problem-solving approaches. In this session, you will engage in strategies to foster a culture of collaborative expression as you experience the power of learning through mathematical discourse, and walk away with resources to develop a roadmap to begin or strengthen your discourse journey.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 9:50 AM PST - 11:05 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor I
Empower your students to step beyond rote memorization by engaging deeply in mathematics as they take ownership of their learning by articulating their thinking to make conjectures, connect to prior knowledge, and refine problem-solving approaches. In this session, you will engage in strategies to foster a culture of collaborative expression as you experience the power of learning through mathematical discourse, and walk away with resources to develop a roadmap to begin or strengthen your discourse journey.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 3:45 PM PST - 5:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor I
In this session, you will explore how educators can leverage AI tools to design more rigorous, personalized, and engaging learning experiences. You’ll learn how AI supports higher-order thinking, differentiated instruction, and real-time feedback—empowering students to take ownership of their learning. Through practical examples and interactive demonstrations, you’ll discover how to integrate AI platforms, such as MagicSchool AI, to deepen student understanding, support inquiry-based instruction, and align tasks with rigorous standards. Whether teaching primary or secondary grades, this presentation offers actionable strategies to enhance academic challenge while saving valuable planning time. You’ll leave with resources and ideas ready for immediate classroom application, regardless of subject or grade level.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 2:10 PM PST - 3:25 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor E
Presenters
Tracy Brown
Tiffany SmithEmbark on an exploration of Socratic dialogue fused with advanced AI in this dynamic session. Together, we’ll engage in an AI-enhanced Socratic discussion, honing our inquiry questioning skills and broadening our perspectives. Here, AI isn’t just a tool, but a mentor guiding question crafting and encouraging expansive thinking, leading to an enriching, research-based Socratic Seminar. This unique approach demonstrates not only how pioneering technologies spark student inquiry but also how they ensure learning accountability. Join us to experience the future of education methodologies through AI-driven inquiry, discover and redefine technology integration in education, and prepare for inspiration and transformation.
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 9:40 AM PST - 10:55 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor A
Presenters
Christie Huseman
Jennifer HollowayHow do we move beyond compliance and into commitment by designing systems that empower AVID Site Coordinators and AVID Elective teachers to thrive? In this interactive session, discover how one team of AVID District Directors built intentional support structures that align the work, build collective leadership, and remove implementation barriers across secondary campuses. Through collaborative reflection and planning, you’ll connect with other district leaders to assess current practices, identify gaps, and design sustainable support systems tailored to your context. Walk away with ready-to-use tools, actionable ideas, and a bold vision for districtwide systems that elevate AVID educators and align with the AVID College and Career Readiness Framework.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 9:50 AM PST - 11:05 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-America's Cup C/D
This session enables AVID District Directors, principals, and site coordinators from across the country to network and have interactive conversations on knowledge-sharing and problem-solving around the implementation challenges of AVID Schoolwide and the AVID College and Career Readiness System.
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 3:45 PM PST - 5:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor A
S60 - Leading With Heart: How to Elevate Your AVID System Through Community, Connection, and Service
Presenters
Zachary Kost
Tana SukauskasAVID serves as more than just WICORized instruction within the AVID Elective classroom. When approached with intention, AVID becomes a dynamic space where learning transcends classrooms and the campus becomes a schoolwide system where collective educator agency thrives. Let’s learn from one high school as they share their journey of strengthening the AVID Elective through school mentorships, service learning, and community partnerships, and provide structures for elevating the experience into a schoolwide, sustainable model. Through a focused and deliberate belief in serving others, Bismarck High School has elevated student agency within its AVID Elective system and beyond, cultivating a culture of gratitude and leadership within the entire school community.
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 9:40 AM PST - 10:55 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado B
Presenters
Nick Kempski
Nicole StadlerDive into the new Weeks at a Glance (WAG) lessons and learn how one high school found ways to enhance them by incorporating the needs and culture of its student body. In this session, you will explore current lessons and take home ideas you can implement immediately to “up the rigor” of WAG. You’ll have time to share how you use your autonomy to enhance and make current WAG lessons your own, and walk away with innovative ideas to build upon AVID Elective lessons.
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 2:10 PM PST - 3:25 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Regatta ABC
All students deserve teachers with strong expertise in effective instructional practices, and all teachers thrive under educational leaders who prioritize professional learning, feedback, and accountability and create systems for sustained AVID implementation. In this session, you will explore how the AVID College and Career Readiness Framework promotes rigorous learning for both teachers and students while providing a structured approach for school and district leaders to align their work, gain insight into how connecting AVID goals with professional development and ongoing coaching and feedback enhances educator effectiveness, and learn how to leverage the AVID Site Team as a guiding coalition equipped with the commitment, skills, and leadership capacity to drive AVID implementation. Walk away with actionable strategies to strengthen AVID systems in your school or district and elevate student success!
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 12:45 PM PST - 2:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-America's Cup C/D
Presenters
Frank J. Armenta
Hillary LotzThe Tucson Unified School District summer experience promotes student agency through strategic integration with district digital learning platforms and local school resources, using AVID as the driver. Join us to discover how our universal summer learning experience leverages the AVID Advisory curriculum to engage students in the AVID Essential Skills by cultivating critical thinking and fostering student ownership. We’ll equip you with effective tools and strategies to build capacity and align the work in your own districtwide summer program that enhances your collective educator agency, ensures students a confident and successful transition to high school, and ultimately builds a strong school culture of college and career readiness for all.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 9:50 AM PST - 11:05 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor G
As we’ve all heard and likely said ourselves about the work of education, “There’s just never enough time.” Of all the resources school and district leaders manage and allocate, staff time for learning, planning, and collaborating is one of the most precious… and most limited. While we can’t manufacture time, we can ensure we leverage all the time at our disposal for maximum impact. This session will explore how staff time—from faculty meetings to professional development days to professional learning communities and everything in between—can be organized into a coherent, meaningful, and outcome-focused experience for educators that moves the work of schoolwide AVID forward. The planning process and corresponding resources investigated during the session can be used on any campus.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 8:15 AM PST - 9:30 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado D
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 9:50 AM PST - 11:05 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado D
Presenters
Jon Strandell
Katie Arthur
Catherine GillachThis session focuses on using WICOR® to assess and elevate the level of rigor in the classroom. In this session, you’ll discover practical strategies for leveraging WICOR skills—Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading—as a tool for walk-through data to measure rigor and evaluate classroom practices. You’ll leave with actionable insights and strategies to assess rigor effectively and implement techniques to raise the level of challenge and engagement in your classroom.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 8:15 AM PST - 9:30 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-America's Cup C/D
Presenters
Laurie Cadwell
Dr. Randy Maglinger
ISD AVID TeamImagine walking into a middle school where every student feels supported, empowered, and prepared to succeed—not just academically, but in all areas of their lives. Now, picture a system that makes that happen, from student-athletes balancing sports and studies to high-achieving scholars preparing for future leadership roles. This session will take you behind the scenes to explore the structures that make it possible. We’ll dive into four distinct AVID homerooms, each tailored to meet the unique needs of students, and show you how Independence School District’s support systems create a thriving environment where every student is set up for success. Whether you’re looking to improve academics, boost engagement, or foster personal growth, this session will provide you with practical insights and tools you can implement right away.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 8:15 AM PST - 9:30 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor I
As an instructional leader, do you insist educators make AVID instructional shifts yet struggle to develop meaningful professional learning that models student-centered learning, collaboration, and inquiry? Under the AVID College and Career Readiness Framework, educators must insist on rigor and align the work. As leaders, we must create professional learning experiences that model the instructional shifts we ask of educators. After this session, you’ll walk away with resources to define or redefine an instructional vision for your school and develop educator professional learning experiences that model the instructional shifts you desire to see in classrooms.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 9:50 AM PST - 11:05 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado B
Presenters
Ketra RobinsonRichard Hyde
This comprehensive session explores AVID Elementary and student assessments, focusing on data across key AVID WICOR® components, including Writing to Learn, advanced Collaboration, and higher-level Inquiry.We’ll guide you through the process of gathering and analyzing baseline data to demonstrate educational return on investment and how to use these results to inform instruction and optimize AVID implementation. This session, which blends investment optimization strategies with hands-on assessment techniques, is ideal for those who aim to leverage data for student success. You’ll gain valuable insight into enhancing the AVID Elementary learning experience by insisting on rigor and aligning work across grade levels.
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 11:15 AM PST - 12:30 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor C
Presenters
Brett Bowers
Pam LeibringAny school leader who has attended a local Principal Collaborative over the past 2 years is invited to this interactive session. Converge with principals from around the country to learn from one another, discuss high-leverage leadership practices around AVID, and share stories of success to build inspiration and motivation. You can expect plenty of time to talk with colleagues and gather ideas to deepen AVID’s impact on your campus.
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 2:10 PM PST - 3:25 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor A
Presenters
Jaime Regan
Derek Nelson
Karin SwaineyThis professional learning session is for educators committed to fostering high expectations and deeper learning for all students. Through intentional professional learning, you will explore research-based strategies to enhance instructional rigor, promote critical thinking, and ensure equitable access to challenging content. By leveraging the AVID Critical Reading Process and the AVID Focused Note-Taking Process insights of early adopters, this session will empower you to implement and scale effective practices that drive student outcomes.
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 11:15 AM PST - 12:30 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor I
Presenters
Karina SearleNatalie Nieubuurt
Explore the principles behind effective districtwide AVID Elective and AVID Excel Elective systems for recruitment, selection, and scholar support. Learn to leverage feeder family networks, district funding, and data-driven strategies to recruit and select scholars. Ensure enacted support plans break down barriers and promote long-term success for all scholars. Examine an AVID exiting process, emphasizing accountability, student voice, and stakeholder collaboration.
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 11:15 AM PST - 12:30 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-America's Cup C/D
Presenters
Jessica AveryIn the face of growing teacher attrition, schools must prioritize not just recruitment but also retention. This session explores how the AVID framework cultivates strong, supported educators through collaborative culture, professional learning, and intentional leadership development. We will examine the root causes of teacher turnover and engage in interactive strategies that illustrate how AVID structures—such as AVID Site Teams, WICOR® strategies, and mentorship pathways—empower teachers and foster long-term commitment. Through real-world examples and reflective activities, you’ll leave with practical tools to strengthen teacher voice, build leadership capacity, and create a culture where educators can grow, lead, and stay. This session is ideal for AVID Site Coordinators, school leaders, and instructional coaches seeking to sustain teacher talent through purposeful practice.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 12:45 PM PST - 2:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor E
Presenters
Jay Rudel
Amy GuyauxIn this session, you will immerse yourself in seven easy and innovative inquiry-infused strategies that promise to elevate rigor and engagement in your classroom. These strategies are not only simple to implement but also require minimal preparation, making them accessible to teachers of all experience levels. Join us to discover practical techniques that immediately enhance student learning and engagement. Don’t miss this opportunity to infuse your classroom with inquiry-based strategies that amplify rigor, collaboration, student engagement, and relational capacity!
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 3:45 PM PST - 5:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor E
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 8:15 AM PST - 9:30 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor E
Presenters
Jennie BowersDr. Sacha BennettLet’s maximize collaboration among multilingual learners! In this session, you will experience instructional routines and strategies that foster active participation across all language domains, reflect on current practices, and identify shifts in design and delivery to enhance language development. Walk away with high-leverage strategies and an action plan to enhance collaboration. This session is a must for educators seeking to amplify student voice and agency in a multilingual setting.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 8:15 AM PST - 9:30 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Regatta ABC
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 11:15 AM PST - 12:30 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor B
Presenters
Dr. Chena Cayton
Malissa LaneThis session equips educators and school leaders with strategies to enhance student achievement through the four AVID Schoolwide Domains: Instruction, Systems, Leadership, and Culture. In this session, you’ll create a “flight plan” outlining ways to refine school structures, strengthen instructional rigor, and build a supportive culture. You will explore how these elements drive academic excellence and holistic growth by integrating targeted strategies, cohesive systems, and visionary leadership. Emphasizing rigor from Freshman Academy to Advanced Placement, this session provides real-world examples, interactive discussions, and data-driven insights. You’ll gain practical tools and leave with a customized plan to foster student success. Through shared accountability and sustainable progress, this session ensures every student has the opportunity to rise, take flight, and reach new heights.
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 9:40 AM PST - 10:55 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor D
Presenters
Dr. Ashley CallahanKande McKayDon’t hit pause on digital innovation! Join our high-energy Tool Time Challenge, where four tech champions battle to showcase game-changing collaborative platforms that amplify student voices and engagement. We’ll drop the beat with lightning demos, tackle real-world classroom challenges, and remix traditional pedagogy with digital flair. Audience members become active players, voting for solutions that harmonize best with their teaching style. From seamless group orchestration to feedback that resonates, these digital maestros will reveal their greatest hits, sharing power tips that transform classroom collaboration from solo acts to symphony. Come ready to play, participate, and walk away with a mixtape of practical strategies that will have your students tuned in and turned on to learning.This session is a hit track in the ‘Digital Content Tools’ album at AVID National Conference. Like popular songs in a playlist, each session in this series, held in a dedicated room, adds a unique rhythm to the theme—the exploration of digital tools in education. Our session will resonate with practical strategies and insights, contributing to the diverse mix of this knowledge playlist. This series promises to tune your skills, enabling you to navigate your digital landscape like a chart-topping hit. Don’t miss this compilation of learning, offering a harmonious exploration of digital content tools.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 8:15 AM PST - 9:30 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor A
Presenters
Evan Skloot
Bari SnyderLindsay Linoff
Duane Sheppard
Langston EvansWith uncertainty surrounding federal funds and fluctuating budgets, finding ways to fund AVID can be challenging. Join us in an engaging and informative session, including insights from former U.S. Department of Education-turned-AVID staff, where we discuss how to develop a roadmap to procure and sustain funding for AVID products and services. You will also hear real-life examples of how districts built a successful strategy for funding AVID.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 12:45 PM PST - 2:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado A
Presenters
Clarissa BennettStrategic leadership in education involves setting clear goals, fostering a culture of adult growth mindset, making data-driven decisions, and insisting on rigor to facilitate the continuous improvement of educator practices to elicit student success. When educators possess agency, they feel empowered to innovate and tailor teaching to meet students’ needs. Together, strategic leadership and educator agency create an environment conducive to student success by promoting effective instruction, supporting personalized learning, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Join us to increase your understanding of the connections between teacher working conditions and student success as you learn AVID implementation strategies, engage in reflection, and create action plans.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 12:45 PM PST - 2:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor C
Presenters
Steve EliaDr. Cybele LeverettRoadtrip Nation captures empowering stories that give students the tools and confidence to find a career that matters to them. Join us for a deep dive into the AVID and Roadtrip Nation partnership and discover how the combination of Roadtrip Nation stories and AVID WICOR® strategies empowers students to uncover what drives them and use that passion to define their path to college and career. Come experience how this partnership develops opportunity knowledge and accelerates college and career readiness for all students.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 2:20 PM PST - 3:35 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Regatta ABC
Edison High School in Stockton, California, is proud to be an AVID National Demonstration School, recognized for our commitment to sustaining AVID as a schoolwide system year after year. In this session, we will share the intentional structures and strategies that allow us to maintain AVID’s impact across all content areas and grade levels, and you’ll explore how we systematically onboard new teachers, how we design and deliver relevant, high-impact professional development, and how we intentionally build relational capacity with students. Our use of the Continuous Improvement Cycle is central to our success and driven by our AVID Site Team goals. Whether you are new to AVID or working to strengthen your site’s implementation, this session will offer replicable systems and practical ideas to help your campus thrive.
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 2:10 PM PST - 3:25 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor H
Blended learning isn’t just for secondary students; it’s also a game-changer in the elementary AVID classroom. In this interactive session, we’ll explore each component of WICOR® through a blended learning lens, highlighting easy-to-use, free, or low-cost digital tools that boost engagement and deepen academic skills. From using Book Creator to strengthen writing through oral language, to sparking curiosity with AI-enhanced inquiry tasks, you’ll leave with practical strategies that are ready to plug into your instruction tomorrow. Whether you’re just dipping your toe into tech or ready to level up, this session will give you a toolbox full of ideas—and the confidence to use them. Let’s blend it, AVID-style!
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 12:45 PM PST - 2:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor A
Presenters
Melissa Klein
Mike GobelThis session explores the 10-2-2 teaching format, a powerful structure to enhance student engagement and inquiry through WICOR® (Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading). You will learn how to implement 10 minutes of instruction followed by 2 minutes of student processing and 2 minutes of sharing, ensuring active participation. The session will demonstrate how this format can be adapted to increase the level of inquiry and rigor. Additionally, we’ll highlight how you can use the 10-2-2 format to define and measure student engagement and rigor. You’ll leave with practical strategies to apply in your schools and classrooms, fostering a more interactive and challenging learning environment.
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 2:10 PM PST - 3:25 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor I
Join us to explore how principals shape student success through the AVID College and Career Readiness Framework, and learn how school leaders align systems, instruction, leadership, and culture to foster educator agency and ensure grade-level mastery for all students. In this session, you’ll discover strategies to integrate AVID with teacher evaluations and support, including ongoing professional development, job-embedded instructional coaching, AVID walkthroughs, and peer observations. You’ll gain insight into designing multi-tiered systems of support that require high-quality instruction and provide targeted interventions, and walk away with actionable strategies to enhance teaching effectiveness and drive lasting student achievement.
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 9:40 AM PST - 10:55 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-America's Cup C/D
Presenters
Dr. Ashley CallahanTiffany SmithTransform your classroom into an immersive learning environment through digital escape rooms that foster critical thinking, collaboration, and student agency—key components of the AVID College and Career Readiness Framework. This session explores how escape room activities create authentic opportunities for students to build essential skills while navigating rigorous academic content. You’ll experience a sample digital escape room, learn how to design your own using Genial.ly and AI-powered tools, and discover how these experiences support AVID’s goals of developing students’ confidence to learn, self-management skills, and ability to overcome setbacks. Walk away with practical resources, design templates, and implementation strategies that align with AVID’s focus on rigorous instruction and developing the agency and skills students need for life and career success.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 2:20 PM PST - 3:35 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor A
Presenters
Gina Gamnis
Kassie McMillanNaomi FuentesJaime Regan
Emylee Cabrera
Stephanie Mixson
Lisa McguinJoin us for an inspiring series of sessions where members from the first cohort of AVID Certified Educators will share their transformative experiences. Discover how these educators have shaped their daily instructional practices and observed remarkable student outcomes. We’ll introduce you to the AVID Foundations of Instruction and then delve into how AVID Certified Educators applied each component, leading to improved student engagement and positive outcomes. Learn how planning and application of the Foundations of Instruction can transform your instructional practices. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and data-driven evidence from experienced educators.This session is formatted for two time slots back-to-back.
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 2:10 PM PST - 3:25 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor G
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 3:45 PM PST - 5:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor G
Presenters
Natalie Meiggs
Dr. Jim Smith
Laura WilleyThe Virginia Beach City Public Schools AVID District Leadership Team will share their journey in developing, implementing, and monitoring a Districtwide AVID strategic plan. This session will highlight how intentional actions by district leaders foster a culture of continuous improvement, strengthening AVID Schoolwide implementation, and you’ll explore how strategic district-level systems directly impact classroom instruction and enhance student success.
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 2:20 PM PST - 3:35 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-America's Cup C/D
S88 - Tutorial Boot Camp: How to Coach Your Students to Higher Rigor and Help Them Value the Process
Presenters
Crystal Medina
Lindsey HartlineDiscover the pivotal role of the AVID Tutorial Process in shaping students’ college and career readiness! With AVID students devoting 40% of their time to tutorials, it is critical to create engaging, meaningful, and rigorous experiences. In this session, you’ll uncover strategies to move students from compliance to commitment, ensuring they are prepared and eager to participate actively in tutorials that drive academic excellence and readiness.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 3:45 PM PST - 5:00 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado A
Presenters
Danielle ReyesDr. Cybele LeverettThe AVID Tutorial Process is a rigorous problem-solving routine with its own set of problems to resolve: How do I get students to ask authentic questions? What supports will improve tutorial implementation? Why do we spend so much time on this process? By engaging in a Carousel Brainstorm activity and using their collective educator agency, you will determine your Points of Confusion around tutorials and apply resources to address those concerns, ending the session with a clearer understanding of the “why” behind the 10 steps and a renewed commitment to refining your tutorials.
Date: Thursday Dec 11, 2025: 2:10 PM PST - 3:25 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado A
In this session, we’ll dive into how AVID Professional Learning Modules (APLMs) can supercharge your professional development and boost student success. Discover innovative strategies to seamlessly integrate APLMs into educational frameworks, paving the way for college and career readiness. Join us, and we’ll equip you with the tools to effectively implement APLMs and empower students to thrive in their future endeavors.
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 11:15 AM PST - 12:30 PM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-4th Level-Coronado A
How can we ensure that all students have access to high-quality learning experiences? This session explores how AVID’s WICOR® (Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading) strategies serve as powerful tools for fostering rigor in the classroom. You’ll engage in practical applications of WICOR that promote student agency, critical thinking, and deeper learning, and walk away with actionable strategies to create barrier-breaking instruction and rigorous learning environments that empower all students to succeed.
Appropriate for participants at the beginning of their AVID journey
Date: Friday Dec 12, 2025: 9:50 AM PST - 11:05 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor E
Presenters
Diana LarsenVeronica Cole-Yeo
Get excited to plan the best professional development your campus has ever seen! WICOR® Carnival is a student-led process that will transform how your staff implements WICOR strategies. In this session, you will learn the steps to guide your students to lead this professional development and the logistics to make this a fun and unforgettable experience. Students will teach your teachers how to love WICOR with WICOR Carnival!
Date: Saturday Dec 13, 2025: 9:40 AM PST - 10:55 AM PST
Location: Grand Hyatt-2nd Level-Harbor I
