Molly Bernosky, Ed.S., M.Ed.

Director of Springer Diagnostic Center

Bernosky is the director of Springer Diagnostic Center, a pillar of Springer School and Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. A founding member of the team that established the Diagnostic Center in 2023, Bernosky provides strategic and clinical leadership for a multidisciplinary team conducting comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations for children and adolescents with ADHD, dyslexia, executive functioning challenges, and other learning differences. Bernosky also leads initiatives that expand access to services, including school-based screening programs, community literacy screenings, and partnerships with educational and healthcare organizations. Prior to joining Springer, she served as an assistant principal in large public school districts, overseeing and supporting special education programming, as well as a school psychologist.

 

KRYSTAL J. COMBS, M.ED.

Lead Fifth Grade Teacher, The Miami Valley School

Combs is a lead fifth-grade teacher at The Miami Valley School in Dayton, Ohio, with 17 years of experience teaching in independent schools in Los Angeles and Dayton. She holds a Master of Education with dual concentrations in curriculum design and teacher leadership from Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles. Throughout her career, Combs has been passionate about translating research on teaching and learning into meaningful, practical classroom experiences. Her approach combines academic rigor with a deep commitment to understanding the individual learner, creating classroom environments in which students are challenged, supported, and empowered to grow. Her professional interests include curriculum design, mathematics instruction, literacy, and the application of Mind, Brain, and Education research to everyday classroom practice.

 

Shannon Eastep, M.Ed.

Teaching Professor and Instructional Technology Coordinator in the College of Education, Northern Kentucky University

Eastep is a teaching professor and instructional technology coordinator in the College of Education at Northern Kentucky University. With 22 years of experience at NKU, she specializes in leveraging technology to enhance teaching and learning. Eastep teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on instructional technology and has been invited to speak at area K-12 schools and university workshops on practical strategies for utilizing AI and technology in the classroom. Shannon has received multiple awards at NKU for her contributions to teaching and technology, including the “Excellence in Online or Technology Enhanced Teaching Award” in 2018 and the “Michael C.C. Adams and Susan S. Adams Outstanding Non-Tenure Track Faculty Member Award” in 2024.

 

Jennifer Gibson, Ph.D.

Director, Associate Professor, School of Psychology, Xavier University

Dr. Gibson is a licensed clinical psychologist with interests and expertise in school-aged children, school-based mental health, and prevention and promotion interventions. Dr. Gibson earned her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Miami University after completing her predoctoral internship at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

 

Renée Goff, Psy.D.

Clinical Psychologist, PMH-C

Dr. Goff is a licensed clinical psychologist certified in perinatal mental health (PMH-C). She brings over a decade of clinical experience across diverse settings such as community mental health, school-based, inpatient, outpatient, residential, primary care, and OB-GYN. Dr. Goff’s work has been featured in such publications as The Bump, Parents Magazine, Self Magazine, Insider, Psych Central, and other outlets on various topics.

 

Steven C. Guy, Ph.D.

Pediatric Neuropsychologist, Dr. Steven C. Guy & Associates

Dr. Guy is a pediatric neuropsychologist in private practice in Columbus, Ohio, who works with children and adolescents with a wide variety of developmental and acquired conditions. He completed his undergraduate work at Judson College in Elgin, Illinois, and his graduate work at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Guy completed his internship at Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in neuropsychology at Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. He has worked in both inpatient and outpatient hospital settings as well as in private practice in the Baltimore/Washington DC area. Dr. Guy has completed research in the area of lead poisoning, the effects of chronic illness on family functioning, memory abilities, learning disabilities, and in the area of executive/regulatory functioning. He is also one of the coauthors of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF Parent, Teacher, and Self-report) and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function Second Edition (BRIEF-2). His current research interests include learning disabilities and ADHD, and he is continuing his research, developing methods designed to assist in the assessment and treatment of executive function.

 

Yvette R. Harris, Ph.D.

Professor of Psychology, Director of the Center for the Study and Support of Children and Families of the Incarcerated, Department of Psychology, Miami University (Oxford)

Dr. Harris is a professor of psychology at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She received her doctorate degree in psychology from the University of Florida with a specialization in cognitive development. Dr. Harris has spent more than 25 years focusing on exploring the environmental contributions impacting the cognitive development of preschool and school-aged adolescents. She has published four books, two of which focus specifically on African American children (“The African American Child Development and Challenges: 2nd edition”) and children of African origin. As a result of this scholarship, Dr. Harris has appeared twice on National Public Radio and other media programs and participated as a panelist discussing “African America Children and Bullying: What Parents Should Do, for the Black Caucus Annual Legislative Session.”

 

Kristy High, M.ED.

Children’s Book Author, Literacy Program Manager, and Senior Community Engagement Specialist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital

High is a passionate advocate for early childhood literacy, language development, and the power of books to shape a child’s future. As the literacy program manager at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, High manages the Imagination Library in Cincinnati and leads literacy initiatives that connect young children and families with books and meaningful opportunities to build language and early learning skills. With a career rooted in healthcare, education, and community engagement, High believes reading is more than a skill — it is a pathway to imagination, confidence, connection, and lifelong opportunity. She is committed to making literacy accessible to every child and helping families understand the critical role they play in supporting early brain and language development. High is also an award-winning children’s book author, creating engaging, health-focused stories that help children feel seen, understood, and empowered. Through her work as an educator, literacy advocate, speaker, and author, she inspires professionals and families to recognize the transformative power of reading from the very beginning.

 

Oksana Komarenko, D.A., M.M.

Interim Executive Director of Teaching Innovation, Ball State University

Dr. Komarenko is interim executive director for teaching innovation in the Division of Online and Strategic Learning at Ball State University. A researcher and educator with 20 years of experience across K–12 and higher education, her work focuses on performance psychology, emotion regulation, belonging, and evidence-based supports for learning under pressure. Her research on pre-performance rituals has been published in Psychology of Music, the International Journal of Music Education, and Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, and presented at national and international conferences. Dr. Komarenko has led professional development for educators in Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Canada, and the United States. Drawing on her background in music education, gifted education, teaching innovation, and performance, she translates research into practical strategies that help students access confidence, focus, and effective learning behaviors when the stakes feel high.

 

Kristen Laidlaw, M.Ed.

Intervention Specialist and Director of Learning Support, The Miami Valley School

Laidlaw is an experienced educator and learning support professional with a background in special education, early childhood education, and advocacy for individuals with learning disabilities. She began her career with Special Olympics International, where she worked to promote inclusion and advocate for individuals with disabilities. She later transitioned to teaching early childhood education, where she focused on early literacy and learning development. Laidlaw earned her Master of Education from Wright State University, specializing in learning disabilities and intervention. She currently serves as an intervention specialist for students in grades five through eight and as director of learning support at The Miami Valley School in Dayton, Ohio. Over the past several years, Laidlaw has developed a Foundations for Learning curriculum for students that draws on Mind, Brain, and Education research to help students understand how learning happens and incorporate effective strategies and tools to enhance their academic success. Through her teaching and leadership, she is committed to fostering student independence, building confidence, and empowering learners to understand and embrace their unique learning processes.

 

Kellina Lupas, Ph.D.

Clinical Director of the Center for ADHD, Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital

Dr. Lupas currently serves as the clinical director of the Center for ADHD in the Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology at Cincinnati Children’s. Her clinical work focuses on children and families, and includes diagnostic evaluations, group treatments, and family intervention. She also regularly collaborates with schools to provide professional development and consultation concerning ADHD.

 

Breanna Lynch & Kristen Brokamp

Occupational Therapists and Founders of Holding Space Collaborative

Lynch and Brokamp are two Cincinnati-based occupational therapists who founded Holding Space Collaborative. Together, they utilize principles of sensory integration throughout practice in early intervention, outpatient pediatrics, school services, and adult inpatient rehabilitation. In their partnership, Lynch and Brokamp continue to advocate for the inclusion of occupational therapy as part of the holistic treatment approach when addressing mental wellness throughout the lifespan.

 

Blair Munhofen, Ed.D.

Director of Upper School, The Miami Valley School

Dr. Munhofen is the director of Upper School at The Miami Valley School (MVS) in Dayton, Ohio. In his 17 years at MVS, he has also served as a history and English teacher, college counselor, and department chair. Dr. Munhofen leverages student survey data (HSSSE, Challenge Success, and Leaps) to gauge the student experience. With his team, he has worked to develop programs and policies that foster belonging and encourage engagement and agency. One of those programs is a course, “Learning to Learn,” designed to support ninth grade students transitioning to high school. Dr. Munhofen also leads the MVS AI Task Force chair.

 

Racheal Quinn, M.S.

Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, The Seven Hills School

Quinn is the director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at The Seven Hills School in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she leads schoolwide efforts to weave equity into curriculum, instruction, and school culture. With more than a decade in education, she began her career as a high school STEM teacher and later led teacher leadership development and DEI work at Teach For America. Quinn holds bachelor’s degrees in anthropology and biochemistry and master’s degrees in human resources and organization development, a blend of science and social insight that shapes her expertise in culturally responsive teaching, adult learning, and equity-centered coaching. A deeply collaborative leader, Quinn partners with faculty, families, and the many people who support children to build a school community where everyone belongs. Through her work, she helps educators understand how culture, identity, and belonging shape the way the brain learns, so that students, families, and faculty alike experience equity and belonging well beyond the classroom.

 

Gerardo Ramirez, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, Ball State University

Dr. Ramirez is an associate professor of educational psychology at Ball State University, where he teaches both undergraduate teacher education courses and advanced classes in our doctoral and master’s programs. His primary areas of research include emotion and math achievement. Dr. Ramirez is interested in understanding how students’ academic struggles, personal narratives, and sense-making processes shape math learning.

 

Brooke Richart, M.Ed., LPCC

Clinical Mental Health Counselor; Counseling with Brooke. Pediatric Associates

Richart spent the first decade of her career as a middle school teacher, specializing in teaching students with learning disabilities and ADHD. She earned her master’s in education from Hunter College in New York City and taught first in the Bronx and then in Cincinnati. In 2020, she transitioned from teaching to counseling and graduated from Xavier University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program two years later. Richart interned with a behavioral health team within a pediatrician’s office in Northern Kentucky and continues to work there. In 2025, she started a solo private practice in Cincinnati, Counseling with Brooke. She specializes in clients aged 10-25. She has previously presented on the importance of executive function at Springer School and Center’s Empowered Learner Conference. She is a licensed counselor in both Ohio and Kentucky, as well as a certified K-12 intervention specialist in Ohio, and an ADHD-Certified Clinical Services Provider.

 

Marisa Shubert, Ed.S.

Middle School Educator and Curriculum Coordinator, The Seven Hills School

Shubert is a Middle School educator and curriculum coordinator at The Seven Hills School in Cincinnati. She holds a B.S. in interdisciplinary neuroscience from Vanderbilt University and an Ed. S. in school psychology from Middle Tennessee State University. Shubert has spent the last 20 years of her career in a variety of roles in education. These include teaching science and study skills at the middle and high school levels and practicing as a school psychologist. Now, as a learning specialist, she focuses on executive functioning, learning differences, student well-being, and brain-based teaching practices, helping translate research into strategies students and teachers can use right away.

 

Joseph “Beau” Stephens, Ph.D.

Professor, School of Psychology, Xavier University

Dr. Stephens is a cognitive neuroscientist who earned his Ph.D. in psychology at Carnegie Mellon University, where he also completed the graduate training program in the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition. He also has a B.A. in Germanic studies from Indiana University. He grew up in southeastern Indiana and is a graduate of St. Xavier High School. Prior to returning to the Cincinnati area, Dr. Stephens was a faculty member for 16 years at North Carolina A&T State University, the nation’s largest historically Black University. Dr. Stephens’s research investigates cognitive and neural mechanisms that underlie auditory and visual perception, speech and language, memory, decision making, and cognitive aging. His research is highly collaborative and has been funded by grants from a variety of sources, including the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and Air Force Research Laboratory.

 

Karl William Stukenberg, Ph.D.

Professor, School of Psychology, Xavier University

Dr. Stukenberg has been a faculty member at Xavier for over 25 years. He trained as a clinical psychologist at The Ohio State University, with an Internship at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. His three years of post-doctoral training were in psychological assessment and treatment in tertiary care settings at the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas. Once at Xavier, he trained to become a psychoanalyst at the Cincinnati Psychoanalytic Institute. Dr. Stukenberg continues to have an interest in psychological assessment, having published on the MMPI and having taught graduate courses in intellectual assessment, personality assessment with “objective” instruments, and also with the Rorschach, and integrative personality assessment. He has also taught intervention courses and is currently teaching the graduate course in psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Dr. Stukenberg has taught general psychology, abnormal psychology, senior comprehensive review, and history and systems of psychology at the undergraduate level. He has also served the university as the director of psychological services and as the chair of the School of Psychology.

 

Suzie White, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Education, University of Cincinnati

Dr. White is an assistant professor educator at the University of Cincinnati, where her work focuses on student well-being, thriving, and the neuroscience of social connection and belonging. She developed and teaches Happiness in Action, an evidence-based course integrating positive psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral science. Dr. White also presents to educators and school leaders on translating the science of connection into practical strategies for schools. She earned her Ph.D. from New York University and master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her work has been featured in TIME, Newsweek, Upworthy, and other media.

Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026

All sessions take place at The Seven Hills School, 5400 Red Bank Road, Cincinnati, OH 45227.

8 – 8:30 A.M.

Registration & Breakfast
The Schiff Center

8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

Keynote Speaker: Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa, Ph.D.
The Schiff Center

9:30 – 9:45 a.m.

Break

9:45 – 10:35 A.M.

Session 1

10:45 – 11:35 a.m.

Session 2

11:35 a.m. – 12:35 p.m.

Lunch

12:45 – 1:35 p.m.

Session 3

1:45 – 2:35 p.m.

Session 4 – Activation Groups

2:35 p.m.

End of Programming

Grade Level Key for sessions

To see which sessions are relevant for specific grade levels, please consult the key below.

● = Pre-kindergarten
● = Kindergarten through Grade 2
● = Grades 3 through 5
● = Grades 6 through 8
● = Grades 9 through 12

 

EXPERIENCE THE BRAIN: UNDERSTANDING COGNITIVE SKILLS THROUGH ASSESSMENT AND APPLICATION

Molly Bernosky, Ed.S., M.Ed., Director of Springer Diagnostic Center

Grade Levels: ● ● ● ● ● 
What does a cognitive assessment actually measure, and what does it look like in the classroom? This interactive session will take participants inside the cognitive domains commonly assessed in psychoeducational evaluations, providing hands-on experiences with sample assessment tasks and activities. Participants will explore their own cognitive strengths and weaknesses, connect assessment results to real-world school classroom behaviors. Through brief case studies and practical application, educators will leave with a clearer understanding of how cognitive assessment outcomes ‘show up’ in the K-12 classroom.

LISTENING TO THE BODY: SENSORY PROCESSING, INTEROCEPTION, AND LEARNING

Kristen Brokamp, OTR/L, and Breanna Lynch, Occupational Therapists and Founders of Holding Space Collaborative

Grade Levels: ● ● ● ● ● 
This interactive session will explore the connection between sensory processing and regulation for learning. Participants will learn how the brain processes sensory information, how internal body signals can influence regulation and readiness to learn, and how sensory needs can present differently across developmental levels.  Participants will learn to observe, hypothesize, and respond using practical classroom strategies. Participants will leave with an immediate and actionable system with easy-to-access visuals to support sensory needs without disruption, help students notice and communicate internal body signals, and determine when a classroom strategy may be appropriate and when collaboration with an occupational therapist or other professional may be warranted.

THE COURAGE TO FAIL

Renée Goff, Psy.D., Clinical psychologist, PMH-C *

Grade Levels: ● ● ● ● ● 
Fear of failure, perfectionism, and anxiety can quietly shape how students approach learning, which may lead to them avoiding risks, seeking reassurance, or shutting down when success feels uncertain. This session explores what’s happening beneath these behaviors and how educators can help students build greater tolerance for discomfort that comes with learning. Participants will leave with practical strategies and language they can use to encourage academic risk-taking and build more resilient learners.

*joining virtually

What Kids Want to Know About Their Own Brains and Why Teachers Should Know the Answers

Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa, Ph.D., Co-Founder of Conexiones; Harvard University Extension School Faculty; Author

Grade Levels: ● ● ● ● ● 
Great teachers will tell you that you can learn a lot about students by the questions they ask. This workshop will give an overview of the questions kids from 21 different countries asked about their brains, along with answers. What hidden talents do I have? Where does our inner voice come from? How many things can we think of at the same time? Where does the brain keep memories? Why are some people more creative than others? Each of these questions tells teachers a little story about how their students think which can be used to inform their practice and improve learning outcomes. The questions are grouped into two parts. Part one is how your brain makes you who you are (identity, structure, growth, function, emotions and feelings), and part two is about how to optimize its function (memory, attention, and executive functions, learning, excelling and roadblocks). Participants are invited to come with their own questions and compare them with the kids’; our research found that adults and children ask surprisingly similar questions! By the end of this session, participants should appreciate the Pedagogy of Listening and the use of student voice to drive research and curriculum. They should also be aware of the types of questions students have about their own brains and how educational practice must include and value more time to listen and answer these questions in order to reach a students’ maximum potential to learn and thrive.

HELPING THEM SHOW WHAT THEY KNOW; UNDERSTANDING EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING

Stephen C. Guy, Ph.D., Pediatric Neuropsychologist, Dr. Steven C. Guy & Associates

Grade Levels: ● ● ● ● ● 
While often misunderstood, executive functioning is a critical component to success in a variety of settings (educational, extracurricular, social etc.). This presentation will provide a model to help understand the domain of executive functioning, and more importantly, be able to identify when and how a student is struggling in this area. Through greater understanding, we can target interventions to meet a student’s needs. Topics will include a discussion of the subdomains that make up executive functioning, its neurological basis, and the variety of developmental conditions that impact executive functioning (hint: it’s all of them).

RITUALIZED SUPPORTS FOR LEARNING UNDER PRESSURE

Oksana Komarenko, D.A., M.M., Interim Executive Director of Teaching Innovation, Ball State University

Grade Levels: ● ● ● ● ● 
Students of all ages encounter pressure, anxiety, and fear of failure, but many have not yet developed reliable strategies for managing those moments. This session explores how educators can explicitly teach evidence-based approaches to emotion regulation, focus, and task initiation. Participants will examine how ritualized behavior can support confidence, attention, and a sense of control, and will leave with practical ways to design age-appropriate supports for tests, presentations, performances, and other high-pressure learning situations.

HOW NEUROMYTHS CREATE OPPORTUNITIES IN TEACHER EDUCATION: BECOMING A LEARNING SCIENTIST

Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa, Ph.D., Co-Founder of Conexiones; Harvard University Extension School Faculty; Author

Grade Levels: ● ● ● ● ● 
Everything that humans learn can be described as a competency, and competencies are nothing more than the combination of knowledge (facts, concepts, methodologies, theories, theorists, activities), skills (how to apply knowledge) and attitudes (value systems and beliefs). Most professional development that teachers receive is based on knowledge, followed by skills acquisition, and with little focus on the attitudes needed to become a great teacher. The wrong attitudes are often peppered with biases about intelligence, how the brain functions, and how humans learn. As a consequence, neuromyths abound. This session will talk about the latest findings at the intersection of mind (psychology), brain (neuroscience), and education, and how modern teaching demands greater digital literacy of teachers to avoid neuromyths or false beliefs about how people’s brains learn. Are there such things as “learning styles”? Are some people more “right-brained” and others “left-brained”? Are their cognitive differences based on gender? Aren’t some people just born smart [dumb] and that’s their lot in life? The researcher-practitioner model, in which teachers learn how to identify quality information and then help their students do so, requires an additional skill set in which many teachers have not yet been trained. We will talk about strategies and basic steps needed to conduct great research as we dispel some of the myths plaguing teacher education and practice.

Ten Things Every Person Should Know About His or Her Own Brains

Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa, Ph.D., Co-Founder of Conexiones; Harvard University Extension School Faculty; Author

Grade Levels: ● ● ● ● ● 
The brain is the most complex organism in the universe and responsible for every thoughts and feeling. Yet, the average person knows very little about their own brains, how to care for them, and how to nurture them for optimal performance. In this workshop we will explain the fundamental neural mechanisms of ten aspects of the brain that influence everyone, every day: (1) Sleep, (2) Nutrition, (3) Physical Activity, (4) Stress and Anxiety, (5) Social Contagion, (6) Motivation, (7) Cognitive Load; (8) Human Potential (9) Human Variation; and (10) The importance of the saying, “Know thyself” related to one’s potential. We will then look at the risk and protective factors in participants’ lives that can influence their ability to live up to their own potentials. This workshop will examine these core concepts along with their accompanying neurological and psychological foundations. The objective is to help individuals understand their own personal risk and protective factors as they relate to each concept, to fill in gaps in personal knowledge, and to create a more efficient plan for optimizing the use of the most complex organ in the universe, the brain.

Study Smarter: What Learning Science Says Really Works

Marisa Shubert, Ed.S., Middle School Curriculum Coordinator & Learning Specialist, The Seven Hills School

Grade Levels: ● ● ● ● ● 
What helps learning last beyond tomorrow’s quiz? In this interactive session, participants will experience six strategies from cognitive science: retrieval practice, spaced practice, interleaving, elaboration, concrete examples, and dual coding. Teachers will learn how each strategy works, see examples across grade levels and subject areas, and redesign one of their own learning activities. Participants will leave with practical ways to help students remember and use what they learn.

Using the Method of Loci to help students understand their own memory abilities

Joseph ‘Beau’ Stephens, Ph.D., Professor, School of Psychology, Xavier University

Grade Levels: ● ● ● ● ● 
The Method of Loci (or Memory Palace) is an ancient memorization technique combining multiple factors that modern psychology has shown to improve learning and memory, including elaborative encoding, spatial information, mental imagery, chunking, generation, self-relevance, and novelty. Despite its long history, many people are unfamiliar with this method or how to use it. In this interactive session, I will introduce the Method of Loci and briefly share some ways in which it is backed by the science of learning. Then, participants will practice the method for themselves, and discuss how teaching students to use this type of strategy can provide metacognitive insights on how their own brains work and how they can study more effectively.

BLIND SPOTS: IDENTITY, BIAS, AND THE LEARNING BRAIN

Racheal Quinn, M.S., Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, The Seven Hills School

Grade Levels: ● ● ● ● ● 
Our brains are built to make fast predictions, sorting people and experiences into categories so we can move through the world efficiently. But the schemas we rely on are not neutral. They are shaped by our experiences and socialization: the messages we absorb from family, media, and culture, starting in our earliest years. In schools, these mental shortcuts influence whom we call on, whose behavior we read as defiance, whose potential we notice, and which colleagues we trust to lead. Over time, those small moments shape opportunity and outcomes for students and adults alike. Grounded in years of equity work with educators, students, and families, this interactive session explores how identity and bias show up in the learning brain, including our own. Participants will explore their blind spots, look at familiar classroom moments through a new lens, and leave with practical strategies for interrupting bias and building more equitable school communities.

Growth Mindset: Fostering Agency in Young Learners

Yvette R. Harris, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Director of the Center for the Study and Support of Children and Families of the Incarcerated, Department of Psychology, Miami University (Oxford)

Grade Levels: ● ● 
The session will introduce participants to the basic tenets of growth mindset with a focus on strategies to engage young learners, and suggestions for creating a growth mindset classroom.

THE DEVELOPING BRAIN

Kristy High, M.Ed., Children’s Book Author, Literacy Program Manager, and Senior Community Engagement Specialist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital

Grade Levels: ● ●
How early brain development shapes learning, reading, and success in PreK – 2 classrooms

ADHD in the Classroom: Practical Strategies To Support Executive Function for Attention and Behavior

Kellina Lupas, Ph.D., Clinical Director of the Center for ADHD, Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital

Grade Levels: ● ● ●
This presentation reviews the neurobiological basis of ADHD, and relates this to executive function delays. These delays can be addressed through the use of classroom supports which provide better “inputs” for ADHD brains, allowing them to focus longer, finish more work, and engage in less disruptive behavior. The presentation will emphasize practical tools that can be implemented within the classroom immediately, to help support attention and behavior.

Scaffolding Executive Functioning for Elementary School Students (Gr. 1-5)

Jennifer Gibson, Ph.D., Director, Associate Professor, School of Psychology, Xavier University
Avital Sutin and Victoria White, Doctoral Students

Grade Levels: ● ●
Executive functioning (EF) is correlated with academic success, but a challenge for many elementary school students today. This session will describe the components of EF, factors that may interact with EF (e.g., mental health challenges), and how teachers and other school-based professionals can put in place scaffolds to accommodate EF challenges and support students in improving EF skills in the classroom. The talk will conclude with local resources available to support students with EF challenges.

RESPONDING TO STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM

Gerardo Ramirez, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, Ball State University

Grade Level: ●
Students experience frustration, disappointment, anxiety, and failure as part of everyday learning. How teachers respond in these moments can shape whether students feel understood, regulate their emotions, seek help, and remain engaged in learning. This session examines the difference between cognitive and emotional validation and how brief teacher responses can either support or undermine students’ motivation, emotion regulation, help seeking, and learning. Participants will examine what happens when teachers respond by correcting, minimizing, or solving a student’s emotional experience rather than first acknowledging and validating it. The session will provide practical strategies for responding to students who are frustrated, anxious, discouraged, or struggling. Participants will leave with a framework for distinguishing between validating a student’s feelings and agreeing with the student’s interpretation of a situation, along with concrete ways to respond that help students feel understood while continuing to move learning forward.

HOW TO TALK ABOUT EXECUTIVE FUNCTION SO KIDS WILL LISTEN & LISTEN SO KIDS WILL TALK ABOUT EXECUTIVE FUNCTION

Brooke Richart, M.Ed., LPCC, Clinical Mental Health Counselor; Counseling with Brooke, Pediatric Associates

Grade Level: ●
As educators, we know an understanding of executive function is critical for the success of all learners. But, how do we teach them about executive function in a way that is meaningful to them? How do we foster curiosity about their own mind? Essentially, how do we get them to care? In this session, participants will learn a wide variety of principles, strategies, and modalities for introducing, teaching, modeling, and reinforcing executive function skills for students in grades 3-5. This breakout session will center on methods for promoting student interest and buy-in for this important concept. Participants are welcome to bring specific challenges they have encountered or anticipate with introducing executive function to students.

Belonging First/Learning That Lasts

Krystal J. Combs, M.Ed., Lead Fifth Grade Teacher, The Miami Valley School

Grade Levels:  ● 
Learning begins with belonging — but creating a strong relationship between teacher and student is only part of the equation. How do we intentionally cultivate “inter-belonging”: a classroom culture in which students feel known, valued, supported, and connected to one another? In this practical, classroom-based session, explore two complimentary approached informed by MBE research: fostering peer-to-peer belonging and using spaced retreival to strengthen learning over time. Participants will see simple, repeatable Morning Meeting routines designed to build trust, empathy, curiosity, and inclusion among students, then explore how spaced retrieval can be embedded into the natural rhythm of the school day. Using mathematics instruction as a model, see how multiple, varied opportunities to retrieve, discuss, question, correct, and apply prior learning can help make learning more durable.

SUPPORTING STUDENTS’ TRANSITION TO MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL

Kristen Laidlaw, M.Ed., Intervention Specialist at The Miami Valley School, and Blair Munhofen, Ed.D., Director of Upper School at The Miami Valley School

Grade Levels: ● ● 
We all know that beginning middle and high school mark a “big” step in a student’s development. Of course, the transition to middle and high school means new (and more) responsibilities, and, for many of our students, this transition can be rocky and shake their confidence. To provide coordinated and structured support, all 6th and 9th grade students at The Miami Valley School are enrolled in a non-credit bearing course that focuses on executive function and learning strategies. Our goals are to equip students with an understanding of the neuroscience of learning (how our brains are structured and acquire knowledge and skills); learn about and practice researched-backed learning skills to achieve their goals in middle and upper school; provide students with structured time and guidance to complete work; and reinforce habits of engagement that will serve students in the years to come. Recently, courses have also added lessons related to responsible decision-making related to AI use. Ultimately, students will “learn how to learn.”

THE NEUROSCIENCE OF CONNECTION IN ADOLESCENCE

Suzie White, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Education, University of Cincinnati

Grade Levels: ● ● 
Students are constantly reading the social world around them, including how adults see them, how peers respond to them, and whether they feel like they belong. This session explores the neuroscience of social connection in grades 6–12 and what research tells us about social rejection, adolescent self-concept, teacher-student relationships, and peer connection. Participants will leave with practical strategies for helping students feel seen, valued, supported, and connected at school.

Keeping the Thinking in the Learning: Productive Student Use of AI

Shannon Eastep, M.ED. Teaching Professor and Instructional Technology Coordinator in the College of Education, Northern Kentucky University

Grade Levels: ● ● 
AI can help students learn, but it can also make it easy for them to bypass the very thinking that leads to learning. In this session, participants will examine current research on how students are using generative AI and explore practical ways to position AI as a learning partner rather than an answer generator. Attendees will leave with classroom-ready examples and sample prompts that use AI to support questioning, feedback, practice, planning, discussion, and critical thinking while keeping students actively engaged in the learning process.

NEUROPSYCHOANALYSIS: HOW WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE BRAIN INFLUENCES HOW WE TEACH OUR STUDENTS AND CONNECT WITH THEM IN THE CLASSROOM.

Karl William Stukenberg, Ph.D., Professor, School of Psychology, Xavier University

Grade Levels: ● 
Discussion about metacognition and how teachers can talk to their students about how their brains work, and therefore why they are going to teach the way they are. 15 minutes to present material, then the rest of the time will be used as a workshop to process how to teach in ways that maximize retention.