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.

10:15am CDT

Looker Studio getting started with Data Visualization

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

Silver 2

Looker Studio is Google's free visualization tool, and it's a game-changer for anyone who leverages spreadsheets. It creates dynamic reports that use live data.
This means no more manually updating charts to get the latest insights! This is useful in all sorts of ways—from visualizing student data to keeping an eye on school improvement indicators or even tracking device checkouts.
This session will cover practical steps to collect and convert that data into a customized dashboard.

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 →

20260430 NETA Data Dashboards for Educators pdf

Thursday April 30, 2026 10:15am - 11:00am CDT
Silver 2

Concurrent Session

Company Tech Coordinators, Tech Integration Specialist
Audience Administrative Planning, Information Technology (IT), Staff Development, Math, reading
Subject All Levels
Area All, Advanced

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

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

1:00pm CDT

Wired for Success: Recabling 29 Buildings for the Digital Age

Thursday April 30, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm CDT

Silver 2

Discover how Millard Public Schools successfully re-cabled 29 buildings, implementing a new structure cabling standard. We'll cover the logistical hurdles of working while school was in session, managing phased packages, and executing smooth cutovers. Learn how we leveraged E-Rate Category 2 funding to offset costs and the essential lessons learned from project partnership with Morrissey Engineering and Commscope to ensure a successful ethernet evolution and foundation for the future.

Speakers

Lucas Bingham

Executive Director of Technology, Millard Public Schools

Joe Kuehl

Thursday April 30, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm CDT
Silver 2

Concurrent Session

Company Tech Coordinators
Audience Administrative Planning, Information Technology (IT), Leadership, Technical Issues
Subject All Levels
Area All

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

2:45pm CDT

Seconds to Chaos: Aftermath of a Breach and How to Stop the Next One

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

Silver 2

A breach doesn’t give you warning, it detonates. We’ll walk through a real cyber incident at a local school district and examine how a few minutes of disruption spiraled into days of operational headaches. Then we'll break down the core components of a cybersecurity incident response plan that every district should have in place. We’ll close with a clear look at how K-12 environments can gain visibility, control and the integrated defenses needed to contain and prevent cyber threats.

Speakers

Troy DeHaven

Director of Technology, Kearney Public Schools

David Reinert

Sales Engineer, Fortinet

Exhibitors

Fortinet- Stephanie Cavigliano

Fortinet

Stephanie Cavigliano

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

Exhibitor Session

Company Tech Coordinators, Tech Integration Specialist
Audience Cybersecurity, Information Technology (IT), Network Systems
Subject All Levels
Area All

3:45pm CDT

Tech Coordinator Birds of a Feather

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

Silver 2

Connect with colleagues who speak your language in our Birds of a Feather sessions. These facilitated meetups provide a dedicated space for specialists to share successes, brainstorm solutions to shared problems, and build a stronger professional network.
This session is your 'offline' forum to discuss infrastructure, privacy, and technical leadership. No sales pitches, no presentations—just a roundtable of experts sharing what works (and what doesn't) in the modern school environment. Build your network and walk away with practical solutions to your toughest technical hurdles. This attendee-driven session offers a rare chance to step back from the help desk and engage in a strategic dialogue with peers who understand the unique pressure of scaling technology in education

Speakers

Jason Gault

Thursday April 30, 2026 3:45pm - 4:30pm CDT
Silver 2

Birds of a feather

Company Tech Coordinators

7:15am CDT

Strong Security, Simple Sign-Ins: Student MFA with Clever

Friday May 1, 2026 7:15am - 8:00am CDT

Silver 2

Discover how Clever MFA makes student account security simple and effective across all grade levels. Learn strategies for rolling out MFA in K–12 settings, with age-appropriate options, clear communication, and minimal classroom disruption. Hear real examples of schools using Clever MFA to meet mandates, simplify sign-ins, and prevent account breaches.

Speakers

Carrie Nielsen

Technology Integration Specialist, Diocese of Lincoln Schools

I serve as a Technology Integration Specialist for the Diocese of Lincoln, where I’ve spent the past eight years supporting 30 schools as they navigate and make the most of classroom technology. Before stepping into this role, I spent 18 years in the classroom teaching PE, Computers... Read More →

Shane Whitford

Software Specialist, Diocese of Lincoln Schools

Shane is an IT and instructional technology professional with nearly two decades of experience supporting schools and educators. He has served as a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert and Master Trainer, as well as an Apple Learning Coach and Apple Learning Academy Specialist, with... Read More →

NETA 2026 Student MFA with Clever Presentation pdf

Friday May 1, 2026 7:15am - 8:00am CDT
Silver 2

Concurrent Session

Company Tech Coordinators, Tech Integration Specialist
Audience Cybersecurity, Information Technology (IT), Systems Admin
Subject All Levels
Area All

10:15am CDT

Traditional Cyber Defenses are Being Bypassed Every Day: How To Defend Accordingly

Friday May 1, 2026 10:15am - 11:00am CDT

Silver 2

Endpoint, Firewall, and Email security tools have long been the cornerstone of cybersecurity strategies. However, today’s attackers are more advanced than ever, developing techniques to bypass these solutions with alarming ease. For K-12 schools, this leaves critical blind spots in network defenses, exposing students, staff, and sensitive data to potential cyberattacks. Join Lumu to learn how cybercriminals exploit blind spots in educational institutions, why visibility beyond endpoints is crucial for detecting and mitigating threats, and practical steps to enhance your security strategy.

Speakers

Andy Boell

Cybersecurity Specialist, Midwest Cyber

2026 Traditional Cyber Defenses are Being Bypassed Every Day How To Defend Accordingly pptx

Friday May 1, 2026 10:15am - 11:00am CDT
Silver 2

Concurrent Session

Company Network Systems
Audience Cybersecurity
Area Intermediate
NEW FIELD 1 Firewall

11:15am CDT

Compare/Contrast Phishing Training Platforms

Friday May 1, 2026 11:15am - 12:00pm CDT

Silver 2

Come and learn about several options for cyber security training programs that include phishing tests. Several well known and some new options for school will be discussed. Overview of features, pricing, and phishing simulation deployment will be covered.Slideshow is here: Canva Link

Speakers

Darci Lindgren

Technology Coordinator, [email protected]

Hi, I’m Mrs Lindgren. I’ve been working at Holy Family since 2001, and really enjoy rebuilding computers for our students and faculty to use. Teaching internet safety is one of my passions.

Friday May 1, 2026 11:15am - 12:00pm CDT
Silver 2

Concurrent Session

Company Tech Coordinators
Audience Cybersecurity, Network Systems, Systems Admin
Subject All Levels
Area Advanced

1:00pm CDT

The last dance. Tips & tricks after 28 years of being a tech director.

Friday May 1, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm CDT

Silver 2

Learn some tips and tricks from 30+ years in the business as well as a Q&A along the way. Topics will range from planning, budgeting, hiring, saving time and money, trends, and possibly...how to keep your head above the water and survive in this business. This presentation will be like popcorn - It will pop here and there and all over the place and hopefully you will have something to take away.

Speakers

Noel Erskine

Technology Director, Norris School District 160

I am currently the technology coordinator for Norris School District. I also teach several technology classes for Doane University. I am passionate about working with educators to incorporate technology into the classroom. We are currently a Google Reference District and have been... Read More →

Friday May 1, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm CDT
Silver 2

Concurrent Session

Company Tech Coordinators
Audience Administrative Planning, Staff Development, Systems Admin, Technical Issues
Subject All Levels
Area All

10:15am CDT

11:15am CDT

1:00pm CDT

2:00pm CDT

2:45pm CDT

3:45pm CDT

7:15am CDT

10:15am CDT

11:15am CDT

1:00pm CDT

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