February 13-14, 2025
Registration Is Now Open
Click here to register
Meeting ID: 841 5315 7399
Passcode: 576465
Meeting ID: 827 3712 9896
Passcode: 757061
The FIRE Foundation is pleased to present an education conference for principals, teachers, paraprofessionals and parents who are committed to building and strengthening K-12 inclusive learning opportunities in their Catholic schools. Please help us spread the news about this opportunity!
Thursday, February 12, 2025
4:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Additional Conference Information:
Title II-A may be used for registration and travel expenses.
There is not a designated conference hotel. Attendees are welcome to stay where they would like. There are several close by hotels in the Country Club Plaza area to consider.
8:00 AM
Registration
8:30 AM
Welcome & Prayer
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM – General Session
We Belong!
Presented by: Karen Gaffney
10:20 AM – 11:30 AM – General Session
From Struggling to Thriving: How AI is Revolutionizing Inclusion in PreK-12
Presented by: Sean J Smith, Ph.D and Michael Faggella-Luby, Ph.D
11:30 AM – Lunch
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
General Session
Wilting Flowers and Flourishing Souls
Presented by: Mark Bradford
1:15 PM – 2:30 PM
Early Afternoon Breakout Sessions
Breakout 1 | Town Square Room
Click, Teach, Include: AI Tools for Every Learner
Presented by: Sean J. Smith, Ph.D
Breakout 2 | Troost Room
Accommodating Students with Disabilities with Specially Designed Instruction
Presented by: Michael Faggella-Luby, Ph.D
Breakout 3 | Brush Creek Room
Catholic School Education Plans
Presented by: Mary Desmarais, M.Ed
Breakout 4 | Paseo Room
Opening the Doors of Tomorrow Today….How Inclusion Worked for Me!
Presented by: Karen Gaffney
2:45 PM – 4:00 PM
Afternoon Breakout Sessions
Breakout 1 | Town Square Room
Special Education and General Education: A Force to be Reckoned With
Presented by: Audrey Hihn and Amy Wantz
Breakout 2 | Troost Room
Supporting the Executive Functioning of Secondary Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms
Presented by: Amber B. Ray, Ph.D
Breakout 3 | Brush Creek Room
Catholic School Education Plans
Presented by: Mary Desmarais, M.Ed
Breakout 4 | Paseo Room
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Basics
Presented by: Elizabeth O’Brien Walter, Ed.D.
4:30 PM – 6:30 pm
BonFIRE
$40 per person
Location: Grand Street Cafe
4740 Grand Avenue | Kansas City, MO 64112
8:15 AM
Welcome & Prayer
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM – General Session
Engaging the Disengagement Dilemma
Presented by: Christie Bonfiglio, Ph.D
9:45 AM – 10:45 AM – General Session
MTSS in Action: Demystifying Tier 2 Interventions and Implementation
Presented by: Matt Braun, Ph.D, L/CCC-SLP
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM – General Session
Every Single Soul: The Case for Inclusionary Approaches in Catholic Schools
Presented by: Michael J. Boyle, Ph.D
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM Lunch
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM – General Session
College is Possible for Students with Intellectual Disabilities! The Urgent Call for Catholic Colleges to Say Yes!
Presented by: Beth & Patrick Foraker
1:45 PM – 3:00 PM
Early Afternoon Breakout Sessions
Breakout 1 | Town Square Room
The Journey of a Thousand Miles: Building Capacity to Educate Students with Disabilities
Presented by: Michael J. Boyle, Ph.D
Breakout 2 | Troost Room
The Nitty Gritty of Tier 2 Interventions
Presented by: Matt Braun, Ph.D, L/CCC-SLP
Breakout 3 | Brush Creek Room
Inclusion: Ready or Not, Here It Comes!
Presented by: Christie Bonfiglio, Ph.D
Breakout 4 | Paseo Room
We Are All in This Together: Building Positive Relationships with Your (Arch)Diocese and Catholic School Leadership
Presented by: Karen Kroh, Ed.D
3:15 PM – 4:30 PM
Afternoon Breakout Sessions
Breakout 1 | Town Square Room
MTSS Made Simple: Building Inclusive Support Systems for Every Student
Presented by: Linda Crosthwait, M.Ed
Breakout 2 | Troost Room
The Nitty Gritty of Tier 2 Interventions
Presented by: Matt Braun, Ph.D, L/CCC-SLP
Breakout 3 | Brush Creek Room
Promoting Student Success in a High-Ratio Setting
Presented by: Tyler Goevert
Breakout 4 | Paseo Room
The Growth Mindset: The Backdoor to Inclusion
Presented by: Beth & Patrick Foraker
*Agenda is subject to change.
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