WABE 2025 Annual Conference: Full Schedule

1:45pm PDT

Amplifying Student Voices: Supporting Language, Culture, and Equity through Technology and Advocacy

Friday May 2, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT

Empowering student voice: This hands-on session explores raising awareness of indigenous languages and cultures, supporting multilingual learners, and leveraging technology to amplify diverse voices (through QR codes, screen recordings, creating websites). Learn practical strategies, share successes, and create your own tools to foster culturally responsive school environments.

Speakers

Beth Jimerson

Multilingual Learner Specialist, Burlington-Edison

Arie Werder

Middle school and High school CTE, Burlington-Edison School District

Friday May 2, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT
Evergreen C (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience ML Specialists, Teachers
Academic Range K-12

1:45pm PDT

Characteristics of Successful Dual Language Bilingual Education Programming

Friday May 2, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT

Evergreen B (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

This interactive session will provide an overview of DLBE programming essentials, as aligned with the Guiding Principles of Dual Language Education, 2018, in order to:
– Develop an understanding of the non-negotiable components of successful DLBE programs
– Understand the research behind effective DLBE programs
-- Engage in discussions around equity-systems and the support needed for program realization and sustainability.

Speakers

Loretta Booker

Project Coordinator, Dual Language Education of New Mexico

Loretta Booker has been a Project Coordinator with Dual Language Education of New Mexico, working with CLAVES® and Dual Language Bilingual Education (DLBE) Program Development since 2023. Before that time, she served within the Santa Fe Public School District for 18 years as a... Read More →

Friday May 2, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT
Evergreen B (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Teachers, Administrators, Coordinators, Instructional Coaches
Academic Range K-12

1:45pm PDT

Family Engagement: More than Just a Cultural Potluck

Friday May 2, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT

Cedar Ballroom (2nd Floor, Olympic Tower)

Family engagement in schools often feels overwhelming and superficial, leading to one-time events without lasting relationships. We advocate for a strengths-based approach, fostering long-term connections through a school-wide philosophy that listens to and builds relationships with families. Participants will share culturally responsive strategies, problem-solve, and leave with actionable strategies.

Speakers

Brittani Brown

MS Resource Teacher, Lake Washington School District

Jessie Rhee

MS Resource Teacher, Lake Washington School District

Kristen Tollefsen

Associate Principal, Rose Hill Middle School/LWSD

Danielle MacDonald

Counselor, Rose Hill Middle School

Friday May 2, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT
Cedar Ballroom (2nd Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Teachers, Administrators
Academic Range Secondary (6-12)

1:45pm PDT

Sharpen your Clause Knowledge

Friday May 2, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT

Evergreen I (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

The word ‘clause’ or ‘clauses’ is used over 300 times in the WIDA manual. What is a clause? What is the difference between subordinate, relative, embedded, infinitive, and gerund clauses? Come learn how to help students use these important language features to make meaning in their everyday and academic lives.

Speakers

JENNIFER GREEN

Professor, Western Washington University

Cory Mathieu

Assistant Professor, Western Washington University

Friday May 2, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT
Evergreen I (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Teachers
Academic Range Grade 4-12

1:45pm PDT

The Power of El Dictado in Bilingual Foundational Skills Instruction

Friday May 2, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT

Evergreen F (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

El Dictado has the power to accelerate the academic and linguistic growth of bilingual readers and writers. Discover the transformative power of El Dictado as a holistic approach to bilingual foundational skills. Students can experience explicit foundational skills instruction grounded in meaning while leveraging cross-linguistic transfer as they engage in the Dictado instructional routine. Join us to uncover how student dictados can serve as valuable formative assessment data, and leave feeling inspired to implement El Dictado K-5. Whether you're an experienced educator or new to bilingual instruction, this session offers insights and practical tools to elevate your teaching and enhance student success. Don't miss this opportunity to see El Dictado in action and revolutionize your foundational skills instruction!

Speakers

Jordan Montalvo

Central Office Specialist, Highline Public Schools

Jordan Montalvo is a Dual Language specialist for Highline Public Schools. She serves as an advocate for bilingual education programming and liaison between schools and district level supports. Jordan is also a OCDE Project GLAD trainer, providing ongoing professional learning for... Read More →

Jessica Canul Diaz

Specialist, HIGHLINE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Lupe Mendoza

Kindergarten DL Teacher, Highline School District

Friday May 2, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT
Evergreen F (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Dual Language Classroom Teachers, Dual Language Leaders
Academic Range K-5

1:45pm PDT

The Science of Hope: Building Resilient Learners in Multilingual Classrooms

Friday May 2, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT

Evergreen G/H (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Hope is a cognitive process with a powerful impact on learning. This session explores the neuroscience behind Hope Theory and neuroplasticity, highlighting their role in multilingual students’ resilience and motivation. Through research and discussion, participants will examine how belonging, goal-setting, and agency foster hopeful, empowered learning environments.

Speakers

Sophia Monge

Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning, Bethel School District

I serve as the Assistant Director of Elementary Teaching and Learning in Bethel School District, where I design professional learning opportunities aligned with our district’s Strategic Plan. My work focuses on supporting teacher development, enhancing student achievement, and fostering... Read More →

Missy Widmann

Co-Founder, President, Neural Education

We knock down the barriers of stress, bias and emotional reactivity with powerful, practical and proven neural-informed learning practices so that all students can learn.

Friday May 2, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT
Evergreen G/H (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Administrators, Teachers, Coaches, Para Educators
Academic Range PreK-20

1:45pm PDT

Using the WIDA Key Language Uses to guide Interactions and Instruction in Elementary English Language Development Programs

Friday May 2, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT

Regency E-G (2nd Floor, Cascade Tower)

The presenter will review the WIDA K-5 Key Language Uses and break down the standards with examples, demonstrations, and interactive discussions for teachers to implement in their own work with K-5 Multilingual Learners. For example, using the format of Narrate, Argue, Explain, Inform to guide reading lesson plans, questioning strategies, and next steps for scaffolding writing. This presentation can apply to various K-5 Multilingual Learner Program models: Small-group/Pull-out, Push-in, Collaboration/Co-teaching

Speakers

Ben Hambleton

Teacher, Riverview School District

Friday May 2, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT
Regency E-G (2nd Floor, Cascade Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Teachers
Academic Range K-5

1:45pm PDT

Sponsored Session - Fueling Linguistic Brilliance: GLAD Strategies to Ignite Multilingual Learners’ Voices

Friday May 2, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT

Evergreen E (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

In this interactive session, educators will explore powerful GLAD strategies that ignite multilingual learners’ linguistic brilliance and amplify their academic voice. Participants will engage in strategy demonstrations to see how structured supports foster language development. Through collaborative discussions and practical modeling, they will gain tools to create a classroom environment where all students confidently use and expand their linguistic power. Educators will leave with ready-to-use strategies and a renewed perspective on leveraging students' multilingual assets for academic success.

Speakers

Tabitha Aragon

Be GLAD Certified Agency Trainer, Be GLAD

Jennifer Chaves

Be GLAD Certified Agency Trainer, Be GLAD

Friday May 2, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT
Evergreen E (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Sponsored Session

Audience Teachers
Academic Range K-12

3:00pm PDT

Developing an Action Plan for Serving Multilingual Learners Effectively

Friday May 2, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Evergreen G/H (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Ignite your school to support multilingual learners effectively by developing an action plan! In this session, we will unpack Washington’s Multilingual Learner Statewide Strategic Plan and Toolkit to promote asset-based mindsets, strengthen instructional practices, provide support for educators, and engage multilingual students and families. Explore using WIDA ACCESS data, surveys, and reflection to build students’ success!

Speakers

Virginia Morales

Assistant Director - Multilingual Education, Washington Office Of Superintendent Of Public Instruction

Virginia Morales is the Assistant Director of Multilingual Education at OSPI. Virginia has over 20 years of experience working with multilingual learners as an educator in California, Wisconsin, and Washington. Previously, Virginia was a Professional Learning Specialist with WIDA... Read More →

Kristin Percy Calaff

WABE OSPI Ex-Officio Member, OSPI

Dr. Kristin Percy Calaff is the Executive Director of Multilingual & Migrant Education for the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. She has over 30 years of experience as a dual language teacher, principal, district administrator, adjunct professor, and state... Read More →

Kadriye El-Atwani

OSPI

Friday May 2, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Evergreen G/H (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Teachers, Administrators
Academic Range K-12

3:00pm PDT

English Learners for a Transformed World (2nd Edition): A Guide for Collaborative Professional Learning

Friday May 2, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Evergreen F (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Our interactive, co-presented workshop offers the participants an opportunity to co-create pathways and tools that serve to ignite learners' linguistic power. Anchored to the new edition of the Collier & Thomas book, Educating English Learners for a Transformed World, we share applicable ways to grow collaboration practices in DLBE settings.

Speakers

Michael Rodriguez

Executive Director, Dual Language Education of New Mexico

Michael Rodríguez is the Executive Director of Dual Language Education of NM (DLeNM). For six years, he served as the organization's director of operations, heading up and expanding its Program Design and Leadership Development offerings while supporting schools, districts, and state... Read More →

Dr. Joan Lachance

UNC Charlotte

Friday May 2, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Evergreen F (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Dual Language Teachers, Coaches, Administrators
Academic Range K-12

3:00pm PDT

Innovating for All Learners

Friday May 2, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Evergreen C (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Imagine a school that serves students in elementary, middle and high schools, provides only push-in MLE services, implements a collaborative teaching model, and where language development is embedded in curriculum taught in every classroom. Welcome to Kent Laboratory Academy, a decidedly different school in Kent School District that Innovates for All Learners.
Come to our session to learn about our journey and how we provide services to our multilingual learners through ongoing professional development, PLC work, innovative MTSS process and our partnership with University of Washington, Tacoma. Participants will take away ideas and resources on how to build capacity for providing MLE services within their own staff (and not just MLE educators).

Speakers

Narine Balayan

MLE Teacher, Kent Laboratory Academy / Kent School District

Narine Balayan, M.Ed., is a School Success Coach at Kent Laboratory Academy in the Kent School District. With a strong commitment to student achievement and well-being, Narine brings her expertise in education to support and empower students on their academic journey.

Stephanie Knipp

Principal, Kent School District/Kent Laboratory Academy

Stephanie Knipp is the Principal of Kent Laboratory Academy in the Kent School District. A dedicated educational leader, Stephanie is committed to fostering a supportive and innovative learning environment that promotes student growth and academic excellence.

Laura Phillips

Principal/ Assistant Principal, Kent Laboratory Academy / Kent School District

Laura Phillips is the Assistant Principal at Kent Laboratory Academy in the Kent School District. With a passion for student development and academic success, Laura plays a key role in cultivating a positive school culture and supporting both students and staff.

Darice Johnson

Kent School Distirct

Darice Johnson is the Executive Director of Learning Improvement for the Kent School District. With a focus on advancing instructional practices and student outcomes, Darice leads strategic initiatives to support continuous learning and educational excellence across the district... Read More →

Friday May 2, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Evergreen C (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Teachers, Para Educators, Coaches, Interventionists, District Administrators, Administrators
Academic Range Grade 3-12

3:00pm PDT

Intentional Mentoring: Shifting the culture of how multilingual teachers are trained, supported and valued

Friday May 2, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Evergreen I (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

This session will explore strategies for comprehensive and intentional mentoring. Mentoring as collaboration amplifies the voices, experiences and linguistic superpowers of multilingual educators. This session will include hands on exploration of equity focused mentoring frameworks across all stages of professional growth to promote retention and healthy learning-based relationships.

Speakers

Richard Dunn

Partnership and Field Experiences Coordinator, Western Washington University, Renton

Richard Dunn, M.Ed., NBCT, teaches and is a Partnership and Field Experience Coordinator at the Western Washington University Woodring Multilingual Teaching Fellowship Program. He taught for 26 years in the Highline School District. He has supported early career teachers as a Peer... Read More →

Christie McLean

Woodring Bilingual Teaching Fellows Partnership and Field Experience Coordinator, Western Washington University

Friday May 2, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Evergreen I (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Multilingual Teachers, Pre-service teachers, MLE Coaches, Administrators, Teacher Certification Providers
Academic Range K-12

3:00pm PDT

Special Education Pre-Referral Process for Multilingual Learners

Friday May 2, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Regency A-D, (2nd Floor, Cascade Tower)

In this session, we will engage in decolonizing practices rooted in the active interruption of systems that have been harmful to students. We will share our district's current work along with recommendations on a pre-referral process for multilingual learners. The session includes a recommended process, information to gather, and suggested training for pre-referral/MTSS teams.

Speakers

Julián Cortés

Director, Lake Washington School District

Friday May 2, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Regency A-D, (2nd Floor, Cascade Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Teachers, MTSS Staff, Administrators, ML Program Staff
Academic Range K-12

3:00pm PDT

Visual Supports: Tips & Tricks to Enhance Accessibility for Multilingual Learners

Friday May 2, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Evergreen E (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Join us for tips and tricks to be more intentional about including visual supports in your teaching! Learn how to sketch people and common icons, design charts, and locate the images you need to support vocabulary, plus get to know the research behind why visuals are so important for MLs.

Speakers

Lauren Monroe

Instructional Specialist, Highline Public Schools

Lauren Monroe is an instructional coach in a dual language elementary school in Highline Public Schools. She is a National Board Certified Teacher with over twenty years of experience in education serving a population of diverse learners. She completed a Master of Education of English... Read More →

Shawnda Fukano

Instructional Coach, Highline Public Schools

Shawnda Fukano is an OCDE Project GLAD trainer and a National Board Certified Teacher in English as a New Language. She has worked as an ELL classroom teacher, dual language coordinator, and instructional coach in Highline Public Schools for the past 19 years. She has a masters degree... Read More →

Friday May 2, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Evergreen E (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Teachers
Academic Range K-5

4:15pm PDT

Co-Teach: Sometimes Messy but Always Takes a Village

Friday May 2, 2025 4:15pm - 5:15pm PDT

Regency A-D, (2nd Floor, Cascade Tower)

Join our session to explore effective co-teaching strategies for ML student inclusion. Experience real-time modeling, discuss big-picture logistics, and collaborate in small groups to address planning and preparation. Administrators, counselors, and teachers must join together to create a supportive village for successful co-teaching.

Speakers

Brittani Brown

MS Resource Teacher, Lake Washington School District

Jessie Rhee

MS Resource Teacher, Lake Washington School District

Kristen Tollefsen

Associate Principal, Rose Hill Middle School/LWSD

Danielle MacDonald

Counselor, Rose Hill Middle School

Friday May 2, 2025 4:15pm - 5:15pm PDT
Regency A-D, (2nd Floor, Cascade Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Teachers, Administrators
Academic Range Secondary (6-12)

4:15pm PDT

Educamos de corazón a corazón: Sustaining Equitable Dual Language Programming to Support Student Learning & Belonging

Friday May 2, 2025 4:15pm - 5:15pm PDT

Evergreen B (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Dual language programs support both student academic outcomes, as well as increased student, staff, and family belonging. This session will delve into the Edmonds School District's dual language program, discussing its implementation, systems of support, and its impact on student achievement and cultural understanding.

Speakers

Nichole Rodriguez

Director of Multilingual Education, Edmonds School District 15

Nichole Rodriguez, Director of Multilingual Education in the Edmonds School District, advances academic language development for linguistically diverse students. Her expertise includes Dual Language programs, curriculum alignment, and data-driven instruction. She leads district-wide... Read More →

Erica Ramos

Dual Language Program Specialist, Edmonds School District

Erica is the Dual Language Program Specialist in the Edmonds School District. Prior to this role, she was a Dual Language teacher in the Woodburn Oregon school district. Currently, she supports the implementation and expansion of dual language in Edmonds through instructional coaching... Read More →

Friday May 2, 2025 4:15pm - 5:15pm PDT
Evergreen B (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Dual Language Teachers, Dual Language Leaders
Academic Range K-5

4:15pm PDT

How one school united to ignite students’ linguistic power: Every teacher a language teacher

Friday May 2, 2025 4:15pm - 5:15pm PDT

Evergreen F (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Join a principal, program director, language specialist, and ESD consultant to see how one school shaped ELD services by supporting classroom teachers to confidently take the instructional lead for language development. Leave with insight and resources to design your ELD system, leaning on informed decisions, professional learning, and ongoing collaboration.

Speakers

Dr. Jennifer Cowgill

Director of Multilingual Learning, ESD 123

Janae Bell

ELA Teacher, Finley Elementary School

Pam Kinne

Principal, Finley School District

I'm completing my 16th year as a principal and 30th in education.I started my teaching career in Grandview School District. I taught 3 years at the high school and 11 years at the middle school. My principalship has all been in Finley School District at Finley Elementary.

Amy McLaughlin

Programs Director, Finley School District - Kennewick, WA

Friday May 2, 2025 4:15pm - 5:15pm PDT
Evergreen F (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience District and School Leadership, EL Specialists, Teachers
Academic Range K-12

4:15pm PDT

Schoolwide WIDA Language Infusion: Collaborative Planning at the Elementary level

Friday May 2, 2025 4:15pm - 5:15pm PDT

Evergreen E (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Come learn how infusing language & content standards ignited teachers to collaborate and elevate language instruction at an elementary school. Expect to walk away with an understanding of this innovative model, and tools to implement a systemwide shift at any site. This session includes the voices of multiple stakeholders necessary to prioritize team collaboration, Tier 1 instruction, progress monitoring and expressive language growth!

Speakers

Kate Morin

Assistant Director of Multilingual Education, Mount Vernon School District

Cat D'Avignon

ML Specialist, Mount Vernon School District

Ashleigh Moe

Principal, Little Mountain Elementary

Megan Laney

Teacher, Mount Vernon School District

Friday May 2, 2025 4:15pm - 5:15pm PDT
Evergreen E (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Teachers, ML Specialists, Building Administrators
Academic Range K-5

4:15pm PDT

Teaching with Hope in mind to Latino communities, how to stay motivated, relevant and happy.

Friday May 2, 2025 4:15pm - 5:15pm PDT

Cedar Ballroom (2nd Floor, Olympic Tower)

Many teachers feel discouraged by their efforts with Latino communities in the U.S. My goal is to share my experiences to help educators understand the complexities of Latino students and inspire them to reconnect with their passion for supporting our multilingual learners so both can thrive in their classrooms.

Speakers

Alejandro Gutierrez Camacho

Multilingual Teacher, Rochester School District

My name is Alejandro Gutierrez Camacho. I have a Bachelor's in Administration from Mexico City, a bachelor's in teaching, and a Master's in English Language Learning from the United States. Currently, I am a Multilingual Teacher at Rochester School District. I have worked in the school... Read More →

Friday May 2, 2025 4:15pm - 5:15pm PDT
Cedar Ballroom (2nd Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Teachers
Academic Range K-8

4:15pm PDT

Translanguaging in Action: Strategies for Biliteracy and Beyond

Friday May 2, 2025 4:15pm - 5:15pm PDT

Regency E-G (2nd Floor, Cascade Tower)

In this engaging session, we’ll dive into the power of translanguaging as both a language practice and a pedagogy. Participants will explore its role in fostering biliteracy development through a framework that includes "Stance, Design, and Shift". You'll leave with practical strategies to enhance multilingual learners' ability to seamlessly navigate and thrive in both languages, empowering them to build on their linguistic strengths and achieve more profound, meaningful literacy. Whether new to translanguaging or looking to refine your approach, this session offers tools and insights to boost biliteracy and enrich classroom experiences.

Speakers

Yvonne Williams

Director of Multilingual Learner Educator Engagement, Wisconsin Center for Education Products and Services WCEPS

Yvonne Williams, Vice President of Educator Engagement at WCEPS, leads initiatives to empower educators and foster collaboration with Local Education Agencies (LEAs). With over 29 years of experience, she oversees a team of 35 coaches supporting schools nationwide in implementing... Read More →

Friday May 2, 2025 4:15pm - 5:15pm PDT
Regency E-G (2nd Floor, Cascade Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Teachers
Academic Range K-12

4:15pm PDT

Sponsored Session - Instrucción estructurada de la LECTOESCRITURA in the dual language classroom.

Friday May 2, 2025 4:15pm - 5:15pm PDT

Evergreen A (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Únase a nosotros para discutir métodos y estrategias que ayudan a desarrollar destrezas fundamentales para la LECTOESCRITURA a través de una instrucción explícita y sistemática, siguiendo una progresión de habilidades y conocimientos basados en la investigación, que son auténticos para el idioma español. También compartiremos nuestra experiencia en un entorno que sigue los lineamientos de los 3 pilares de la educación de lenguaje dual.

Speakers

Alejandra Benítez

Pacific Learning Representative, Pacific Learning

Alejandra Benítez, a bilingual educator with 20 years of experience and a Master's in Curriculum and Instruction, specializes in biliteracy. As a former teacher, coach, and Biliteracy Specialist, she now consults for Pacific Learning, inspiring educators to help emergent bilinguals... Read More →

Rosa Palafox-Torres

Pacific Learning

With over 20 years in bilingual education, I’m passionate about supporting emergent bilingual students and the educators who serve them. As a former teacher, facilitator, and curriculum coordinator—now a dual language consultant—I help develop culturally relevant biliteracy... Read More →

Friday May 2, 2025 4:15pm - 5:15pm PDT
Evergreen A (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Sponsored Session

Audience Bilingual Teachers, Bilingual Specialists, Administrators
Academic Range K-4

8:00am PDT

From Scores to Success: Using the WIDA Language Charts for Classroom Assessment

Saturday May 3, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am PDT

Regency A-D, (2nd Floor, Cascade Tower)

Join us for an introduction to the new WIDA Grade-Level Cluster Interpretive and Expressive Language Charts. Learn to integrate digital tools to understand language proficiency, plan instruction, monitor progress, and collaborate with colleagues. Enhance your assessment practices for multilingual learners.

Speakers

Virginia Morales

Assistant Director - Multilingual Education, Washington Office Of Superintendent Of Public Instruction

Cheyen Herseth

Elementary Multilingual Learning TOSA, Issaquah School District

Saturday May 3, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
Regency A-D, (2nd Floor, Cascade Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Teachers
Academic Range K-12

8:00am PDT

Integrative ELD: One Strategy with Endless Possibilities

Saturday May 3, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am PDT

Cedar Ballroom (2nd Floor, Olympic Tower)

Empowering multilingual learners includes mastering sentence structure. This session introduces a dynamic strategy that integrates ELD, ELA, and content standards to teach sentence structure and parts of speech. Already familiar with the Sentence Patterning Chart? Discover fresh ways to expand its use and make language learning both effective and fun. Join us to unlock endless possibilities from one simple strategy to build and enhance the superpowers of your multilingual learners.

Speakers

Dr. Sara Martinez

Educational trainer, instructor & consultant, Next Steps with Project GLAD®

Saturday May 3, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
Cedar Ballroom (2nd Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Teachers
Academic Range K-5

8:00am PDT

Planificación de Objectos Lingüísticos con el Marco DALE WIDA

Saturday May 3, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am PDT

Evergreen I (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

En esta sesión, vamos a focalizarnos en la planificación de objetivos lingüísticos específicos usando el Marco de los estándares del desarrollo auténtico del lenguaje español de WIDA (Marco DALE) que le permiten a los estudiantes expandir su repertorio lingüístico y cultural y desarrollar un desarrollo metalingüístico de las diferencias y similitudes lingüísticas entre el español y el inglés.

Speakers

Dr. Patricia Venegas-Weber

Dual Language Program Supervisor, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)

Dr. Patricia Venega-Weber is a former ESL, Bilingual and Reading Specialist teacher with over 20 years of experience. She has a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, specializing in Bilingual Education. She has also worked as an English/Spanish... Read More →

Saturday May 3, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
Evergreen I (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Dual Language Teachers, Coaches, Administrators
Academic Range K-12

8:00am PDT

Transforming ML Learning with AI: Quick Strategies for Vocabulary, Background, and Oral Language

Saturday May 3, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am PDT

Evergreen E (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Discover how to use AI tools like ChatGPT to create quick, effective strategies for building background knowledge, enhancing vocabulary, and fostering oral language development in multilingual learners. This session provides practical, classroom-ready approaches tailored for tier 1 instruction, empowering educators to meet ML students’ unique needs.

Speakers

Bridget Clark

K-6 ML Instructional Coach, Eastmont School District

Bridget Clark is an ML instructional coach with a background as both a classroom and ML teacher. She specializes in aligning ML instruction with tier 1 practices by designing resources along a structured Support Continuum. Bridget is passionate about integrating technology, such as... Read More →

Saturday May 3, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
Evergreen E (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Teachers, ML Specialists
Academic Range K-5

8:00am PDT

Welcoming Newcomers: Thriving in K-12 Schools

Saturday May 3, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am PDT

Evergreen B (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Starting at a new school can be exciting and challenging, especially for newcomers adjusting to a new environment by fostering a sense of safety, belonging, and empowerment. This session is designed to support K-12 students as they navigate their academic and social journey, building meaningful connections and celebrating newcomers' unique identities. We’ll cover essential topics like understanding school expectations, accessing resources, building friendships, parent involvement, and embracing cultural diversity. This session will provide educators with instructional routines and resources to help newcomers feel safe, valued, connected to their school community.

Speakers

Maria Ceja

Director of Multilingual Education, Sunnyside School District

Maria Ceja serves as the Director of the Multilingual Department in the Sunnyside School District. With over 24 years of experience in education, she has dedicated her career to supporting multilingual learners in a variety of instructional settings. Maria taught for 20 years and... Read More →

MEGAN ANDERSON REILLY

TOSA, YAKIMA SCHOOL DISTRICT

Megan Anderson Reilly is a multilingual specialist and a mentor for early career educators for Yakima School District. Megan has extensive teaching experience working with multilingual learners in a variety of instructional contexts. She is an advocate for equitable practices, programs... Read More →

Saturday May 3, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
Evergreen B (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Teachers, Instructional Coaches, Para Educators
Academic Range K-12

8:00am PDT

Sponsored Session - Unlocking the power of Biliteracy Trajectories with Renaissance Learning

Saturday May 3, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am PDT

Evergreen C (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

In this session we will be discussing how Renaissance uses an asset-based approach to student learning and provide educators with accurate data and resources to accelerate student learning for all.
Through our work in Biliteracy Trajectories educators can

Assess students’ literacy development in both Spanish and English
Inform instructional decisions in each language
Support bilingual students’ success
Empower students by providing an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge in both languages

Speakers

Dr. Carol Johnson

International Education Officer, Renaissance Learning

Carol Johnson is a bilingual educator and International Education Officer at Renaissance. She holds a PhD in Second Language Acquisition & Teaching, specializing in Applied Psycholinguistics—how people learn second languages.Her years spent teaching English as a second language... Read More →

Saturday May 3, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
Evergreen C (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Sponsored Session

Audience Teachers, Administrators
Academic Range K-12

8:00am PDT

Sponsored Session - Using Focus and Motivation Strategies to Increase Student Engagement and Problem-solving

Saturday May 3, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am PDT

Regency E-G (2nd Floor, Cascade Tower)

Come experience low-floor, high-ceiling tasks and other engaging activities in this session designed for both educators and learners. We’ll explore how to support K-5 students in doing the heavy lifting of mathematical thinking, talking, and problem-solving through increased engagement. Teachers will also have the chance to share their expertise and collaborate with other participants.

Speakers

Evelyn Chávez

Experienced dual language classroom teacher and a project coordinator, Dual Language Education of New Mexico

Evelyn Chávez is an experienced dual language classroom teacher and a project coordinatorcommitted to supporting teachers in meeting the needs of our language learners throughengaging lesson of high quality. She is a lead trainer with the math framework AchievementInspired Mathematics... Read More →

Saturday May 3, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
Regency E-G (2nd Floor, Cascade Tower)

Sponsored Session

Audience Teachers
Academic Range K-8

11:15am PDT

Moving students’ linguistic power forward one sentence at a time: Language objectives and sentence deconstruction

Saturday May 3, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm PDT

Evergreen E (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

How do your M/ELs tackle difficult sentences while reading and writing? How do they move their language forward at the sentence level? Pair a sentence deconstruction strategy with language objectives and PLDs to boost reading and writing proficiency. Leave with resources to easily implement this strategy across content areas.

Speakers

Dr. Jennifer Cowgill

Director of Multilingual Learning, ESD 123

Janae Bell

ELA Teacher, Finley Elementary School

Saturday May 3, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm PDT
Evergreen E (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience ML Specialists, Teachers
Academic Range K-12

11:15am PDT

Rolling out the WIDA Standards Framework with Coaching and Collaboration

Saturday May 3, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm PDT

Evergreen G/H (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Learn how to develop a successful implementation plan for rolling out the WIDA Standards! We’ll share how Quincy developed systems for coaching and co-planning to integrate language and content with the WIDA standards. This session will include strategic steps, real examples of collaborative planning, and ideas to use in your district.

Speakers

Danielle Fortner

QIA ML SPECIALIST, Quincy School District

Danielle Fortner: Danielle Fortner has taught for 10 years in the Quincy School District with experience in elementary education and language development. Currently, Danielle is a member of Eastside ML Teacher Leader Cohort to support implementing the WIDA Standards Framework.

Saturday May 3, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm PDT
Evergreen G/H (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Teachers, Administrators
Academic Range K-12

11:15am PDT

Supporting Mathematical Sensemaking in Word Problems

Saturday May 3, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm PDT

Evergreen A (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

If you have seven pencils and I have 14 apples, how many chickens will fit on the roof? Mathematical word problems can feel nonsensical, especially for multilingual learners! Learners thrive when given appropriate language scaffolding rather than decontextualized or over-simplified problems. This workshop supports educators in identifying and implementing language supports to promote mathematical literacy and sensemaking.

Speakers

Dr. Beth Dillard

Associate Professor and Director Multilingual Education Community Programs, Western Washington University

Beth Dillard is Associate Professor and Director Multilingual Education Community Programs - Renton in the Woodring College of Education at Western Washington University. In addition to teaching courses in the Multilingual Education Program, she coordinates two Grow Your Own (GYO... Read More →

Saraswati Noel

Western Washington University

Saturday May 3, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm PDT
Evergreen A (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Teachers
Academic Range K-12

11:15am PDT

Translanguaging in Action – Fostering Meta-linguistic Awareness in Secondary Dual Language Classrooms

Saturday May 3, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm PDT

Evergreen I (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Translanguaging in secondary Dual Language classrooms is a controversial topic, due to the traditional practices of language separation. This workshop will share their district’s DL PD plan and implementation for fostering meta-linguistic awareness. Participants will reflect on their own bridging practices and gain practical ideas for translanguaging implementation.

Speakers

Dr. Fenglan Nancy Yi-Cline

Multilingual Education Program Specialist, Kent School District

Fenglan Nancy Yi-Cline, Ed.D. (易凤兰博士), is a first-generation immigrant teacher-educator of color who serves as the Multilingual Education Program Specialist in the Kent School District, Washington, and a teaching associate in the Multilingual Learners Endorsement Program... Read More →

Carolyn Hylander

Dual Language Instructional Coach, Kent School Distirct

Saturday May 3, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm PDT
Evergreen I (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Dual Language Teachers, Leaders, Coordinators, Administrators
Academic Range Secondary (6-12)

11:15am PDT

Unlocking the Potential of GLAD Strategies for Cross-Linguistic Analysis

Saturday May 3, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm PDT

Evergreen B (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Looking to incorporate more biliteracy in your instruction? Project GLAD© strategies offer a springboard for intentionally planned cross-linguistic opportunities. Participants will learn how to take GLAD strategies, intentionally select a language focus, and create moments for students to analyze and practice linguistic structures and uses within and between program languages.

Speakers

Anne Thapa

Dual Language Coach, Bellevue School District

Saturday May 3, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm PDT
Evergreen B (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Teachers, Support Staff
Academic Range K-8

11:15am PDT

Using AI to Integrate Reading, Language Development and Content Areas

Saturday May 3, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm PDT

Evergreen F (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

AI promises to make our jobs easier, but where do we begin? This session will introduce you to various AI tools which can enhance and integrate your language, reading, and content area instruction and demonstrate practical ways to use AI in creating engaging materials that meet students' diverse needs.

Speakers

Cynthia Kniffin

ML Teacher, Seattle Public Schools

Cynthia (M.Ed, Curriculum and Instruction) has been in education for over 20 years and has served as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, ML teacher, and instructional coach. She was the coordinator of the Dual Language program at an elementary school in the Highline School District... Read More →

Saturday May 3, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm PDT
Evergreen F (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Teachers, Reading Specialists, Principals
Academic Range K-8

11:15am PDT

¡Escritores Poderosos! Engaging Every Student in Writing Through Power Writing!

Saturday May 3, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm PDT

Evergreen C (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Supercharge your students’ writing with Power Writing: a dynamic 30-minute routine using unconventional prompts to spark creativity and critical thinking. Empower students to explore language, organize ideas, collaborate with others, and see themselves as writers. Foster and facilitate a community of writers at any grade level using Power Writing.

Speakers

Gustavo Macuil

Dual Language Support TOA, Ontario Montclair School District

As a Dual Immersion Site Support and EdTech Teacher on Assignment for Ontario Montclair School District, I am passionate about helping students thrive in multilingual programs such as dual immersion. In my 18 years of teaching, I have learned to foster a love for writing in all students... Read More →

Saturday May 3, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm PDT
Evergreen C (1st Floor, Olympic Tower)

Breakout Session

Audience Teachers, Administrators, Instructional Coaches
Academic Range K-8