NETA 2026: Full Schedule

The NETA Board is excited to welcome you to a dynamic learning experience on April 30-May 1,2026, at the Younes Conference Center North in Kearney, Nebraska.

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11:15am CDT

Deployment Streamlined: New Updates for IT Leaders- Apple Education

Thursday April 30, 2026 11:15am - 12:00pm CDT

Silver 9

Apple is committed to supporting your vision for technology at scale. Join us to discuss the latest products and platform changes from Apple, including what’s new for Managed Apple accounts, new deployment options, and management features for macOS and iPadOS.

Speakers

Jeff Ochsner

System Engineer, Apple

Brent Sallee

Apple

Katie Morrow

Apple

Apple Education

Thursday April 30, 2026 11:15am - 12:00pm CDT
Silver 9

Concurrent Session

Company All Levels
Audience Information Technology (IT)
Area Intermediate

11:15am CDT

Inside LPS: A Snapshot of Our Accessibility Journey

Thursday April 30, 2026 11:15am - 12:00pm CDT

Bronze 2

This session offers an inside look at how Lincoln Public Schools is approaching accessibility and ADA-aligned digital practices. While not a full how-to, this presentation gives a concise overview of the structures, decisions, and strategies guiding LPS’s work. Perfect for attendees interested in real examples of district-level implementation of accessibility in digital content to meet Title II requirements.

Session Slides

Speakers

Emily Jacobs

Library Instructional Leader, Lincoln Public Schools

Thursday April 30, 2026 11:15am - 12:00pm CDT
Bronze 2

Concurrent Session

Company Library Media, Teaching & Learning
Audience Assistive Technology, Google Suite, Library Media, Staff Development
Subject All Levels
Area Intermediate

11:15am CDT

Lights, Camera, Action: Creating a School News Show with Canva

Thursday April 30, 2026 11:15am - 12:00pm CDT

Silver 10

Learn to guide students in creating a bi-weekly news show with Canva. This session covers planning, roles, and hands-on production, turning the yearbook into a dynamic media project. You'll get practical tips on using Canva's video tools to teach students real-world skills in journalism and digital media.

Speakers

Lise Wagner

Librarian, Elkhorn Middle School Library

Hi, I’m Lise Wagner! I’m currently the Librarian at Elkhorn Middle School. While I’m in my 4th year as a librarian, I’ve spent 20 years in the world of education. I love finding new ways to spark a love of reading and discovery in middle schoolers and collaborating with fellow educators to make the library the heart of the school... Read More →

Thursday April 30, 2026 11:15am - 12:00pm CDT
Silver 10

Concurrent Session

Company Library Media, Teaching & Learning
Audience Canva, Creation/Design Tools, Library Media, Middle Grades (6th-8th)
Subject Middle, Secondary
Area Intermediate

11:15am CDT

Vibe Coding for Tech Coordinators and Everyone Else Too!

Thursday April 30, 2026 11:15am - 12:00pm CDT

Silver 2

Vibe coding is a low-stress way to use AI-assisted coding tools to turn ideas into working solutions even if you don’t consider yourself a programmer. In this session, we’ll look at how tech coordinators (or anyone!) can use VS Code or other IDE software alongside LLM coding tools to build scripts, apps, or automations that solve real K–12 problems at the speed of AI.

Speakers

Jennifer Davis

Technology Integration Specialist, ESU 1

Jennifer has twenty-one years of experience as an educator and has taught biology, chemistry, physics, physical science, computer science, and undergraduate education courses. She is the Technology Integration Specialist and Teaching and Learning Specialist at ESU 1.

Jennifer comp... Read More →

The Daily Cube Vibe Coding for Everyone pdf

Thursday April 30, 2026 11:15am - 12:00pm CDT
Silver 2

Concurrent Session

Company Tech Coordinators
Audience Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science Information Technology
Subject All Levels
Area Advanced, Intermediate

2:00pm CDT

Map It, Don't Wing It: Making Cybersecurity Frameworks Work for Schools

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT

Silver 2

Schools face growing cybersecurity expectations across CIS Controls, NIST CSF v2, and more — with shrinking time and staff to address them. FrameworkMapper, built by a former Nebraska K-12 cybersecurity director, maps your existing tools across multiple frameworks simultaneously, turning weeks of spreadsheet work into minutes of actionable insight. See a live demo and leave with a practical path forward you can actually manage.
In referencing previously submitted presentation proposals, here is some additional information that may be useful:
What is the takeaway:
Attendees will know how to leverage multi-framework mapping to maximize limited resources, identify gaps in their cybersecurity posture without manually cross-referencing standards, and create a prioritized roadmap for strengthening their district's security program.

Every Attendee Will Receive a Folder Packed with Actionable Information. Don't Miss Out!

Speakers

Andy Boell

Cybersecurity Specialist, Midwest Cyber

Andy Boell is the owner of Midwest Cyber, LLC, a cybersecurity consultancy specializing in K-12 school districts, SLTT organizations, small defense contractors, and small businesses. He holds a CISSP, Certified CMMC Professional, CompTIA Security+, and CETL credentials, along with... Read More →

MapItDontWingIt pptx

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Silver 2

Mini Session

Company All LevelsTech Coordinators
Audience Information Technology (IT), Cybersecurity
Subject All Levels
Area Intermediate

2:00pm CDT

Build-Your-Own Tools: Simple AI Projects for the Classroom

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT

Central Hallway

In this session, see how easy it is to use AI to build small, custom classroom utilities, from enhanced warmups to interactive activities and games. I’ll showcase a few examples (including an upgraded sticky-note activity) and share beginner-friendly prompts, templates, and ideas you can adapt for any subject. Walk away with a toolkit of strategies to start building your own low-prep, high-impact classroom tools.

Speakers

Aaron Blersch

Math Instructor, Seward High School

NETA 2026 Show & Share pdf

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Central Hallway

Show and Share Poster Session

Company Higher Education, Teaching & Learning
Audience Artificial Intelligence (AI), Assistive Technology
Subject All Levels
Area Intermediate

2:00pm CDT

Canva Magic Media for Projects

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT

Central Hallway

Move students from consumers to creators! Learn to leverage Canva's Magic Media AI (Text-to-Image and Text-to-Graphic) to generate visually stunning projects and artifacts in any class. This session provides examples of: 8th Grade Reading students creating AI-illustrated storyboards and visual character studies, and High School Spanish students creating vocabulary guides, cultural posters, and differentiated learning task cards using AI-generated imagery.

Speakers

Megan Haag

8th Grad Reading/High School Spanish, Norris

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Central Hallway

Show and Share Poster Session

Company Teaching & Learning
Audience Artificial Intelligence (AI), Canva, Language Arts, World Languages
Subject Middle, Secondary
Area Intermediate

2:00pm CDT

Tech-Powered Tools for the English Classroom

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT

Central Hallway

Participants will leave with a ready-to-use toolkit of digital resources that can be immediately used in ELA instruction, along with practical strategies for improving student engagement, writing, and classroom efficiency. Accessible tools, such as First Five, Short Answer, We Will Write, Snorkl, SchoolAI, and NoRedInk will be highlighted.

Tech-Powered Tools for the English Classroom

Speakers

Bethany Neuhart

English Teacher, Shickley Public School

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Central Hallway

Show and Share Poster Session

Company Teaching & Learning
Audience Artificial Intelligence (AI), Language Arts, Middle Grades (6th-8th), Secondary (9th-12th)
Subject Middle, Secondary
Area Intermediate

2:00pm CDT

Unleashing Young Voices: The Cougar Talk Experience

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT

Central Hallway

Dive into the vibrant world of Sandy Creek Elementary's "The Cougar Talk," a dynamic morning show led by our spirited 5th graders. Discover how they kickstart each day with menus, birthday celebrations, and PBIS reminders. Fridays for "Fight Song Fridays" and the beloved "Highlights" wrap-up, where students showcase their creativity in wild outfits. Meet the young hosts, explore their process, and be inspired by their enthusiasm and teamwork. Don't miss this chance to see creativity in action!

Speakers

Krista Calderon

Technology Integration Specialist | Computer Science Teacher, Sandy Creek

I teach Computer Science, STEAM, Keyboarding, and High Ability Learner (HAL) classes, where students build critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and digital literacy skills through hands-on learning experiences. In addition to teaching, I sponsor Elementary Student Council... Read More →

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Central Hallway

Show and Share Poster Session

Company Elementary, Teaching & Learning
Audience Creation/Design Tools, Intermediate Elementary (3rd-5th), Leadership, Multimedia
Subject Early Childhood/Pre-Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle
Area Intermediate

2:00pm CDT

Work Smarter, Not Harder: Using ChatGPT to Streamline Your Teaching

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT

Central Hallway

Discover how ChatGPT can simplify your workload and elevate your instruction. We’ll explore real examples of how teachers can use AI to save time, boost creativity, support students, and streamline everyday classroom tasks. You will walk away with plug-and-play ideas that you can implement immediately—no tech background required, just curiosity!

Speakers

Nicole Zvolanek

6th grade English Teacher, Norris Middle School

Work Smarter, Not Harder Using ChatGPT to Streamline Your Teaching pdf

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Central Hallway

Show and Share Poster Session

Company Higher Education, Special Education
Audience Artificial Intelligence (AI), Assessment, Language Arts, Middle Grades (6th-8th)
Subject Middle
Area Intermediate

2:45pm CDT

Girls Who Code

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:45pm - 3:30pm CDT

Bronze 3

I am excited to share a program I am hosting called Girls Who Code, a club dedicated to introducing girls to coding skills and opportunities in STEM. Girls Who Code is a national organization working to close the gender gap in technology by providing free lessons, activities, and resources that make coding accessible and fun. By partnering with them, I am able to use a ready-made curriculum to bring meaningful coding experiences to students in our school.

Session Slides

Speakers

Kayla Kill

Special Education, LeMay Elementary

Michelle Boyce

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:45pm - 3:30pm CDT
Bronze 3

Concurrent Session

Company Elementary, Teaching & Learning
Audience Artificial Intelligence (AI), High Ability/Gifted, Intermediate Elementary (3rd-5th), STEM / STEAM
Subject Elementary
Area Intermediate

2:45pm CDT

Building Secure, Reliable AI-Ready Networks for Lean IT Teams

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:45pm - 3:30pm CDT

Silver 11

Today’s K-12 networks must support AI-driven learning and Zero Trust security without demanding an army of engineers. Join Arista Networks to see how Nebraska districts leverage industry-low CVEs and "hitless" upgrades to eliminate downtime and weekend maintenance. We’ll dive into how cloud-native NAC (AGNI) simplifies student onboarding and why a single-OS approach allows a small IT team to manage a district of 20,000+ students. The future of K-12 is invisible networking.

Sponsors

Kathy Higgins, Arista Networks

Bronze Level Sponsorship, Arista Networks

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:45pm - 3:30pm CDT
Silver 11

Exhibitor Session

Company Arista
Audience Information Technology (IT)
Area Intermediate, All

3:45pm CDT

Standards + Creative Tasks = Future-Ready

Thursday April 30, 2026 3:45pm - 4:30pm CDT

Silver 11

Project work doesn't have to require excessive time investments and extensive training. A simple shift in framing a task helps students go beyond a rote response to standards and learning goals to deep thinking and digital age communication.

Come explore and play with creative tasks like story adaptations, associative letter projects, wanted posters, fictitious interviews and more.
https://www.thecreativeeducator.com/2025/articles/creative-thinking-tasks

Speakers

Melinda Kolk

Editor, Creative Educator magazine

Melinda is the Editor of Creative Educator magazine. For the past 25 years, Melinda has led workshops at schools around the world and presentations at education conferences, such as CUE, ASCD and ISTE, on the topics of creativity, project-based learning, and open-ended technologies... Read More →

Thursday April 30, 2026 3:45pm - 4:30pm CDT
Silver 11

Concurrent Session

Company Elementary, Tech Integration Specialist
Audience Creation/Design Tools, Intermediate Elementary (3rd-5th), Multimedia, Primary Elementary (Pre K-2nd)
Subject All Levels
Area Intermediate

3:45pm CDT

Engaging students in and out of the classroom w/ Newline Signage Pro"

Thursday April 30, 2026 3:45pm - 4:30pm CDT

Bronze 2

Come see what Newline can do to help maximize student engagement, community involvement, and awareness using your existing displays. We will be exploring signage use, advancements in display technology, and new ways to break down language barriers in your classrooms.

Speakers