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.

2:00pm CDT

A Tech Toolkit for Secondary Math & CS

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

Central Hallway

Equip yourself and your students with powerful classroom tech! Come explore a rotating collection of smart tools designed for secondary Math and CS. I will share practical examples using Google Gems, NotebookLM, and other essential tech. See how to generate leveled practice, debug code, and create instant study materials. Walk away with a curated list of resources and tips you can use tomorrow. Presentation Slides

Speakers

Deann Nicolaus

Secondary Math and Computer Science Teacher, McCool Junction Public Schools

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

Show and Share Poster Session

Company Computer Science, Teaching & Learning
Audience Artificial Intelligence (AI), Computer Science, Math, STEM / STEAM
Subject Secondary
Area Novice

2:00pm CDT

AI as a Lab Partner: Real-World Data Inquiry in Middle School Science

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

Central Hallway

This session empowers 7th-grade science teachers to use AI tools for authentic inquiry projects. Learn practical, safe methods for integrating generative AI and machine learning into any science unit. We will focus on using AI to analyze real-world environmental data, run complex simulations, and foster critical thinking about data validity and bias. Leave with ready-to-use prompts and resources that align with NGSS standards and ISTE's Designer role.

Speakers

Arleigh Wilke

Seventh Grade Science Teacher, Norris Middle School

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

Show and Share Poster Session

Company Teaching & Learning, Tech Coordinators
Audience Artificial Intelligence (AI), Science, STEM / STEAM
Subject Middle
Area Novice

2:00pm CDT

Beyond the Textbook: Creating Custom Storybooks for Academics & SEL

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

Central Hallway

Move beyond dry resources! Learn to use Gemini to turn science facts, history, and personalized social stories into illustrated narrative adventures. We will share prompt engineering strategies that ensure accuracy and engagement. Ideal for elementary teachers integrating creativity into Science, Social Studies, and SEL.

Speakers

Angie Roby

Computer Science teacher K-2, Crete Elementary School

2026 Beyond the Textbook Google Slides pdf

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

Show and Share Poster Session

Company Computer Science, Elementary
Audience Artificial Intelligence (AI), Creation/Design Tools, Cross Curriculum, Social Emotional Learning
Subject All Levels
Area All

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

Don't Just Code It, Hold It: Physical Computing w/ Circuit Playground

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

Central Hallway

Coding concepts like "events" and "variables" can feel abstract on a screen. Make them tangible! Stop by this interactive Maker Playground to see how the Circuit Playground Express (used in Code.org CS Discoveries Unit 6a) bridges the gap between block code and the real world. You won’t just watch—you’ll press buttons, trigger lights, and see how easy it is to manage physical computing in a middle school classroom.

Speakers

Tiffany Lothrop

Middle School Computer Science Teacher, Crete Middle School, Crete Public Schools

I have taught mathematics for 16 years. Since 2012, I have taught technology and computer science.

Physical Computing with Circuit Playground Express & Code.org Resources NETA 2026 Google Docs pdf

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

Show and Share Poster Session

Company Computer Science
Audience Computer Science, Middle Grades (6th-8th), STEM / STEAM
Subject Middle
Area All

2:00pm CDT

Fixer to Facilitator: Gemini for Meaningful Writing Revision

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

Central Hallway

Tired of feedback students barely read? This session introduces a high-impact, low-prep strategy for transforming revision with Gemini Gems. Using four ready-to-use prompts—reverse outline, self-critique, evidence integration, and grammar & style—students pair their draft with the rubric and targeted skills. See how Gemini acts as a personalized writing coach grounded in your expectations and their own writing.

Speakers

Kaylen Rodrigues

8th ELA Teacher, York Public Schools

NETA pdf

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

Show and Share Poster Session

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

2:00pm CDT

Gemini for the Win: Reclaim Your Prep Period

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

Central Hallway

Stop drowning in administrative tasks! Discover actionable ways to use Google Gemini to automate the boring stuff. We will cover instant lesson differentiating, drafting parent emails in seconds, and generating rubric criteria. Leave this session with a cheat sheet of prompts that will literally save you hours next week. Perfect for Google Workspace users ready to work smarter, not harder.

Speakers

Molly Bartels

Teacher, Crete Public Schools

qrcode docs.google.com (2) png

The Reclaim Your Prep Prompt Library slide Google Slides pdf

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

Show and Share Poster Session

Company Teaching & Learning
Audience Artificial Intelligence (AI), Classroom Management, Google Suite, Staff Development
Subject All Levels
Area Novice

2:00pm CDT

K-12 Math Makeover: From Worksheet to AI Powered Reasoning

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

Central Hallway

Tired of grading every math problem? Learn a practical, plug-and-play framework for K-12 math educators. Combine Snorkl, Desmos and Google tools to transform static assignments into dynamic, differentiated tasks. Students will verbally justify their math reasoning, with AI delivering instant, targeted feedback. Walk away with a seamless workflow that lets you stop grading and start coaching!

Speakers

Paris TeBrink

Teacher, Norris School District

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

Show and Share Poster Session

Company Teaching & Learning
Audience Artificial Intelligence (AI), Assessment, Google Suite, Math
Subject Elementary, Middle, Secondary
Area Novice

2:00pm CDT

Level Up Learning: How I Tricked My Students into Loving Assessment

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

Central Hallway

Assessment doesn’t have to mean silence and tears. See how Blooket turned reluctant 3rd-grade learners into fluency masters. Go beyond “hosting a game” and explore stealth assessment tools that track growth in real time. Walk away with three ready-to-use strategies: Homework mode for centers, creating custom sets with Spreadsheet Import, and using reports to form small groups.

Speakers

Brittany Carroll

3rd Grade Teacher, Seward Public Schools

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

Show and Share Poster Session

Company Elementary
Audience Assessment, Intermediate Elementary (3rd-5th), Primary Elementary (Pre K-2nd)
Subject Elementary
Area Novice

2:00pm CDT

New way to teach vocabulary: Instant Sketchnoting with Gemini AI

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

Central Hallway

Students struggling with grasping vocabulary? Here is a quick way to create a fun visual representation for vocabulary for any subject. Create a Sketchnote visual using Gemini AI in a few simple steps. Provided the prompts, all you need to include is your vocabulary terms for Gemini to do the work for you.

Speakers

Drew Rodine

Middle School Math, Centennial Public

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

Show and Share Poster Session

Company Teaching & Learning

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

What can Canva code do for you?

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

Central Hallway

Most people have heard of Canva but did you know you can use it's built in AI interface to code and create a wide variety of tools that can be quickly implemented into your lessons with minimal time and effort.

Speakers

Coleman Gore

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

Show and Share Poster Session

Company Teaching & Learning

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

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