Teacher Leader Forum
Thriving in Constant Change: Wellness, Wonder, and the Future of Teaching and Learning
Download the Event Program Guide:
Date: May 21, 2026
Time: 8:30 am to 3:00 pm
Location: SCSU, School of Business (10 Wintergreen Avenue, New Haven, CT)
Cost: $125 per person.
Hosted by the Teacher Leader Fellowship Academy, the 10th Annual Teacher Leader Forum invites teacher leaders, educators, and administrators to come together for an inspiring day of learning, connection, and collaboration. Formerly known as the Teacher Leader Fellowship Academy Institute, this one-day professional learning event continues its tradition of elevating teacher voice, advancing leadership, and fostering meaningful professional dialogue.
Join us in person on May 21, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. to connect with peers, exchange ideas, and explore innovative, research-informed strategies for navigating today’s rapidly evolving education landscape. Through engaging conversations and shared experiences, participants will gain inspiration and practical insights to strengthen teaching and learning while building a powerful network of educator leaders.
Teacher Leader Forum Registration
Highlights of Teacher Leader Forum
Keynote Speaker: Brian Betesh, 2026 CT State Teacher of the Year
Brian Betesh, the 2026 Connecticut Teacher of the Year, is a 19-year 6th-grade Social Studies teacher at Rogers Park Middle School in Danbury. Betesh has transformed his classroom into a student-centered hub where every child is empowered to shine. He co-founded a club (Park 21) to elevate school culture, co-created a project-based learning class, and launched a student-led podcast (Rogers That!) with over 150 episodes. Furthermore, he is deeply committed to designing student-centered spaces and acquiring resources to ensure an equitable learning experience for all his students.
Breakout Sessions:
- Leading Responsible Tech and AI Use in Schools
- These sessions explore ethical, developmentally appropriate, and human‑centered approaches to integrating technology and AI in classrooms—prioritizing critical thinking, professional expertise, and responsible use over automation.
- Beyond the Screen: Responsible AI Use Without Screen Overload - Presenter: Christopher Gold‑Thomas, East Windsor Public Schools
- From Answers to Thinking: Teaching Students to Evaluate AI and Designing Assessments that Matter - Presenter: Kate Avcollie, Plymouth Public Schools
- AI and Human Evaluation: Exploring Reliability, Values, and Ethical Assessment - Presenters: Anne Frosh & Sarah Bergers, Sacred Heart University
- The Knowledgeable Human in the Loop: Why Expertise Still Matters in AI‑Driven Classrooms - Presenter: Jess Gregory, Southern Connecticut State University
- These sessions explore ethical, developmentally appropriate, and human‑centered approaches to integrating technology and AI in classrooms—prioritizing critical thinking, professional expertise, and responsible use over automation.
- Championing for Neurodiverse and Multilingual Learners
- These sessions center equity and inclusion by elevating strategies that support neurodiverse and multilingual learners through accessible instruction, reflective practice, and a deeper understanding of students’ whole lived experiences.
- Amplify, Don’t Simplify: Supporting Multilingual Learners in Accessing Grade‑Level Text - Presenter: Jennifer Gold‑Thomas, West Hartford Public Schools
- Through a Parent’s Lens: Understanding the Whole Neurodivergent Student - Presenter: Lauren Tucker, Southern Connecticut State University
- Improving Our “Equity Lenses” Begins with Looking Within… - Presenter: Deirdra Preis, Sacred Heart University
- These sessions center equity and inclusion by elevating strategies that support neurodiverse and multilingual learners through accessible instruction, reflective practice, and a deeper understanding of students’ whole lived experiences.
- Cultivating Communities of Care and Connection
- These sessions highlight relationship‑driven practices that foster resilience, belonging, student voice, and meaningful connection—strengthening classroom and school communities for both educators and learners.
- Gratitude as a Micro‑Practice for Teacher Resilience: Research, Reflection, and Application - Presenter: Allyson Power, Ridgefield Public Schools
- Leveraging Relationships: High School Connection Strategies for Academic Success and Collaborative Co‑Teaching - Presenters: Mercedes McKelvie & Matthew Mainieri, New Haven Public Schools
- Improv‑e Critical Thinking, Creativity, and Connection in Your Classroom - Presenter: Jason Lussier, West Hartford Public Schools
- Embracing Student Voice Can Cultivate Connected Classroom Communities - Presenter: Kimberly Hellerich, Sacred Heart University
- These sessions highlight relationship‑driven practices that foster resilience, belonging, student voice, and meaningful connection—strengthening classroom and school communities for both educators and learners.
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Roundtable Discussions |
- Making Language Matter: Championing Multilingual Learners through Purposeful English Instruction (Presenter: Janet Forbes, Instructor, Bullard-Havens Technical High School)
- There is Power in a Union: The Role of Labor in Cultivating Communities of Care & Connection (Presenter: Leslie Blatteau, Social Studies Teacher, New Haven Public Schools)
- Teaching Executive Function Skills to Students with Autism through Project-Based Learning (Presenter: George Schott, Teacher Neurodivergent Students, Stamford Public Schools)
- Beyond the Brain Myths: Harnessing Cognitive Science for Inclusive Excellence (Presenter: Maureen Ruby, Professor, Sacred Heart University)
- AI in the Classroom: Building Efficacy for Decision-Making (Presenter: Ken Spero, President & Founder of SchoolSims)