DTAL Conference 2026: Full Schedule

DTALcon 26 will be held at Green Run High School on Thursday, August 6, 2026. You can login to SCHED using your work Google Account ([email protected]). Once logged in, you can then select the sessions that you would like to attend. Registering for a session will hold your seat for that session. Waitlists are enabled, and you will be able to register for that session if a spot opens up.

To access the DTALcon 26 Google Site, click here - DTALcon 26.

9:00am EDT

Still Blending In: What the Latest Research Says About Heggerty and Phonemic Awareness

FULL

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:00am - 9:40am EDT

Room 234

Limited Capacity full
Adding this to your schedule will put you on the waitlist.

This session unpacks what the latest evidence based reading research tells us about phonemic awareness: what it is, what it isn't, who actually needs explicit practice, and when a tool like Heggerty is warranted versus when it isn't. Designed for teachers and specialists across grade levels, participants will leave with a clearer decision-making framework for matching phonemic awareness support to the students who need it most.

Presenters

Korrin Nash

Instructional Specialist, Department of Teaching and Learning

Robyn Cady

Early Literacy Coordinator, Department of Teaching and Learning

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:00am - 9:40am EDT
Room 234

40 minute Choice session

Audience District Coaches, Instructional Staff
Area Elementary K-2

9:50am EDT

Level Up Learning: From Data Fatigue to Engagement

LIMITED

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:50am - 10:30am EDT

Room 234

Limited Capacity seats available

Educators are facing a growing challenge: student apathy paired with “data fatigue,” where tracking progress feels more like a task than a celebration. What if that data could fuel motivation instead of drain it? Learn how to create a schoolwide “side game” to boost engagement across any VBCPS platform. With AI as your gamification co-pilot, real-time literacy and math progress become meaningful through Boss Battles, Power-Ups, and shared challenges students want to join. Built on existing tools, this culture-driven system promotes ownership, collaboration, and visible growth—making progress rewarding, social, and worth celebrating.

Presenters

Michael Wesely

Instructional Technology Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

With nearly three decades in education, Michael Wesely is an Instructional Technology Specialist who turns classrooms into creative playgrounds where curiosity and innovation thrive. A national presenter and Adobe Creative Educator Innovator, he empowers teachers to transform learning... Read More →

Heidi Rinehart-Richardson

Principal ES, Kempsville ES

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:50am - 10:30am EDT
Room 234

40 minute Choice session

Area Open to All

10:45am EDT

Breaking the Feedback Bottleneck with AI-Powered Workflows

LIMITED

Thursday August 6, 2026 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT

Room 234

Limited Capacity seats available

Educators are struggling with the staggering mental load of analyzing student writing, often resulting in a feedback bottleneck that stalls student growth. This session provides a systematic AI-powered ecosystem using VBCPS-approved tools (like Brisk and MagicSchool,) that allows teachers to reclaim their cognitive space and pivot to high-impact instruction. Participants will move beyond "tool-talk" to architect a live workflow that transforms raw student drafts into actionable "Glows and Grows" and class-wide anecdotal trends in seconds. You will leave with a concrete, automated feedback system that eliminates the burnout cycle and fuels personalized learning.

Presenters

Michael Wesely

Instructional Technology Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Beth Smith

Instructional Tech Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

My passion lies in leveraging AI to streamline teacher tasks, integrating technology to create engaging learning experiences for students, and fostering a love for coding and robotics. My diverse background as a classroom teacher and a Gifted Resource Teacher enriches my current role... Read More →

Thursday August 6, 2026 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Room 234

90 minute Choice session

Area Open to All

12:45pm EDT

Build and Blast: Launch Creative Projects in Minutes

LIMITED

Thursday August 6, 2026 12:45pm - 2:15pm EDT

Room 234

Limited Capacity seats available

Teachers don’t need more tools; they need a streamlined way to spark student creation without adding to their workload. This session provides a high-speed system using Adobe Express as a central hub for student-led media. Master the "Build-and-Blast" method to launch full-class projects in clicks, guide learners with built-in tutorials, and utilize modifiable templates to remove instructional guesswork. From podcasts and cinematic videos to digital newspapers, you will build a toolkit for rapid distribution. Walk away with a repeatable system that transforms everyday lessons into professional-grade creative experiences, ready for implementation tomorrow morning.

Presenters

Michael Wesely

Instructional Technology Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Thursday August 6, 2026 12:45pm - 2:15pm EDT
Room 234

90 minute Choice session

Area Open to All

2:30pm EDT

From Worksheets to Wow: Student Voice Through Video

LIMITED

Thursday August 6, 2026 2:30pm - 4:00pm EDT

Room 234

Limited Capacity seats available

Students rarely remember a worksheet, but they never forget what they create. What happens when your classroom shifts from “turn it in” to “press play”? If video projects have felt like a chaotic "multimedia mess," this session flips the script. We’ll dismantle the technical fear using WeVideo’s drag-and-drop simplicity and pre-built activity library. Stop being the tech-support bottleneck and start being the architect of creative momentum! You’ll leave with a repeatable system and real-time monitoring tools that transform everyday lessons into high-engagement experiences—eliminating teacher burnout and ensuring student voice leads without the management headache.

Presenters

Michael Wesely

Instructional Technology Specialist, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Thursday August 6, 2026 2:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Room 234

90 minute Choice session

Area Open to All

9:00am EDT

9:50am EDT

10:45am EDT

12:45pm EDT

2:30pm EDT

Get help with the event