Day at a Glance
Dwayne Matthews — International keynote speaker, future strategist, and author of HumanOS: The Critical Update.
Rural educators have always done more with less. While large systems hesitate, small regions — where teachers already personalize, improvise, and know every student by name — are the ones best positioned to shape what learning becomes in the age of accelerated environments.
AI has shifted the world from cognitive scarcity to cognitive abundance. Information is everywhere. What is rare is attention, agency, and orientation. Burnout, screen time pressure, and student mental health are symptoms of a world whose operating system has not been updated.
Using the HumanOS framework, Dwayne gives educators a practical vocabulary and classroom-ready shifts:
Every classroom holds stranded brilliance, and rural educators are uniquely positioned to unlock it at scale.
International keynote speaker, future strategist, and author of HumanOS: The Critical Update. XPRIZE Education Advisor. Has spoken to audiences from 54 countries at the United Nations and briefed the Canadian Prime Minister on the future of education.
A question-and-answer style session for those ready for a second dose of Dwayne Matthews. Go deeper on topics from the keynote and get specific questions answered.
Break-Out Sessions
Elementary teacher and creator of many handmade & personalized items, Brenna is the new supplier of SWTA merchandise. Visit the Busy Bee Creations table for samples, sizing, unlimited ideas, and to place your online order.
Gentle yoga combines poses with breathing exercises and restorative postures to stretch and strengthen the body, reduce stress, and calm the mind. Slower pace, extended time for meditation and relaxation. Modifications for all fitness levels. No experience required.
Food Connects Us All to Agriculture (K–8): An overview of AITC-SK elementary & middle years hands-on, cross-curricular programs and resources — free for teachers to order.
Food Connects Us All to Agriculture (9–12): An overview of AITC-SK middle years & high school programs and resources — free for teachers to order.
Two teachers, one classroom, endless possibilities. Dives into the magic of co-teaching — where collaboration meets creativity and student success gets a serious boost. Discover how sharing the load can double the impact (and maybe even the fun)!
Strategies about regulation from the SOAR Program at Westberry Elementary School — a specialized classroom focusing on regulation, social emotional learning, neuro-affirming practices, and trauma-informed approaches.
Mitchel shares his personal journey through the mental health system, highlighting roadblocks encountered while advocating for his own well-being. Through honest reflection, he explores the critical importance of self-advocacy — no one understands your mind and body better than you do.
With over 23 years in public education and multiple federal and provincial awards, Mitchel brings a unique non-clinical perspective grounded in real-life experience. Takeaways apply both personally and professionally.
Explores how AI is reshaping assessment in Grades 7–12. Practical strategies to design meaningful, student-centred assessments that leverage AI responsibly while preserving academic integrity and deeper thinking.
Hands-on STEAM resources developed with support from the Teachers Innovation and Support Fund. Practical tools, ready-to-use activities, and cross-curricular strategies that make science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics engaging and accessible.
A former teacher with extensive knowledge of the STF Benefits and Pension, Mike provides strategies to make the most of your money before and during retirement. Focus on tax efficiency, gaps in the current teacher retirement plan, and concepts for retiring comfortably while maintaining your current lifestyle.
Teachers have a right to a healthy and safe workplace, free of violence and harassment. Covers rights and responsibilities, trends in education, and the shared responsibility of a safe school environment.
A flexible, participant-driven session on Microsoft tools and AI. Terry and Doug guide the conversation based on your needs, questions, and interests.
Outdoor education benefits mental and physical health, increases environmental awareness, fosters social skills, and aids knowledge retention. A picture scavenger hunt explores K–9 outdoor packs covering math, science, social, FNMI connections, and ELA curricula.
Bonus: The scavenger hunt winner is entered to receive their own outdoor pack.
Come outside for a session on creating a spark — both figuratively and literally! Using the framework of fire-lighting, the session covers the benefits of outdoor learning across all ages — literacy, math, chemistry, physics, biology, and history — while trying your hand at creating fire using a variety of methods.
Step inside an immersive portable dome for a 10-minute journey through the stars. Designed for small groups (10–15 participants), this experience brings the solar system, constellations, and Indigenous sky stories to life through guided, interactive presentation. A unique blend of astronomy and Indigenous knowledge. No prior knowledge required.
A special session for members who planned to certify or re-certify for the 'Safe Contact' course. Running 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM.
ClassroomScreen — widgets for teachers: timers, group makers, interactive polls and more.
Twinkl — Canada teaching resources from preschool through Grade 8. Downloadable PowerPoints, worksheets, craft activities, and games covering mathematics, social studies, ELA, and more.
LessonPix — a platform for teachers, therapists, and parents to create customized learning materials.
Move your body to music with this high energy Zumba dance class! The instructors will be in full 80s gear — so why not you too?
Witness Gord Downie's urgent mission to share Chanie Wenjak's story — educating Canadians about the history of the residential school system and encouraging reconciliation. The film features behind-the-scenes footage, emotional rehearsals, and Downie's final performances of the Secret Path project.
Attending both sessions includes the full documentary, a follow-up discussion, and curricular resources. Legacy Schools is a free national initiative connecting students and educators to further reconciliation through awareness, education, and action.
Simply Satisfied Catering by Kelly Skappak
Your Choice of Homemade Soup
The "Three Sisters" are the main Indigenous crops — corn, beans, and squash — traditionally interplanted together, acting as a sustainable agricultural system where they mutually support each other's growth. Nutritionally balanced, and ecologically they enhance soil health and water retention without chemicals.
The bison was essential to Indigenous peoples in Canada — especially the Plains Nations such as the Cree, Blackfoot, Métis, and Sioux. It provided food, clothing, shelter, and tools. The bison symbolizes abundance, strength, and resilience. For centuries, bison sustained Indigenous food systems and shaped diets, ceremonies, and economies.
Wild rice, or manoomin ("the good berry"), is a sacred staple food deeply tied to Anishinaabe culture, spiritual identity, and Treaty 6 food sovereignty. Considered a gift from the Creator, manoomin is core to migration stories and ceremonies. Harvesting is a direct exercise of Indigenous sovereignty and food self-determination.