Gateway AI in EDU Summit: Full Schedule

Welcome to the 2nd Gateway AI in EDU Summit!

You will be able to validate your attendance (Check-In to sessions) using your personal schedule.

8:30am EDT

Welcome & Keynote: Rethinking AI's Dystopian Future: Education's Role in Shaping the Narrative

Thursday July 23, 2026 8:30am - 9:45am EDT

In this opening keynote, Shawn McCusker challenges the dominant dystopian framing around AI and invites educators to step into their role as architects of a more intentional, human-centered AI future. Drawing on the Bill of Rights Institute's work at the intersection of civic understanding and critical thinking, this session reframes the conversation — from AI as threat to AI as a space where...
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Speakers

Shawn McCusker

Director of Teacher Programs, Bill of Rights Institute

Shawn McCusker is the Director of Teacher Programs at the Bill of Rights Institute, where he leads professional learning initiatives at the intersection of civic education, critical thinking, and inquiry-based instruction. At GAIL 2026, Shawn opens the day with the keynote — Rethinking... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 8:30am - 9:45am EDT
Auditorium 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Thought Leadership

9:55am EDT

AI Tutors: Hype vs. Reality

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT

Room 115

Can every child really get unlimited private tutoring, and does it really work? Yes and yes — but many products marketed as AI Tutors are really just chatbots, suffer from hallucinations, have unacceptable privacy issues, or are pedagogically ineffective. Participants work through an evergreen framework for evaluating AI Tutors across privacy, pedagogy, cultural responsiveness, and ELL...
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Speakers

Dr. Tim Novikoff

CEO, Super Teacher

SuperTeacher is a Innovation of the Gateway AI in EDU Summit 2026. SuperTeacher builds AI tutoring tools grounded in pedagogical rigor and privacy-first design — helping districts evaluate and deploy AI tutoring with confidence.

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT
Room 115 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Core Conversations

9:55am EDT

Student Voice Panel

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT

Library

Gateway Regional and consortium district students share authentic perspectives on learning with AI — what helps, what hinders, and what they wish educators understood. This facilitated panel prioritizes student voice and invites genuine dialogue between attendees and young people navigating AI-enabled classrooms every day.

Speakers

Jeff Pierro

Admin - Principal, Gateway Regional / The Gateway Group

Dr. Jeffrey Pierro serves as Assistant Superintendent for Gateway Regional, Westville, and National Park School Districts. He served as Principal of Gateway Regional High School for eleven years, where he led strategic improvements in school culture, instructional practice, and school... Read More →

Adrienne Evans

ELA Teacher, Gateway Regional High School

Adrienne Evans is a high school ELA teacher at Gateway Regional High School and a Gateway teacher-leader who is forever learning, and committed to providing meaningful student-centered learning in her classroom for students at all levels. .

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT
Library 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Core Conversations

9:55am EDT

AI Literacy Isn't Extra — It's Core

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT

Room 106

Don't have time to teach AI literacy? No problem. The fundamentals of AI are rich in core curricular content: patterns (math!), bias (science!), prompting (writing!). Participants are immersed in an interactive AI literacy lesson and leave with tools, strategies, and knowledge to embed AI literacy concepts into their specific standards — without adding to an already full plate.

Speakers

Lindy Hockenbary

K-12 EdTech Strategist, LindyHoc

Lindy Hockenbary, aka "LindyHoc," is the bridge between education and technology. Everything she does starts with one question: what's best for kids? That means helping educators think critically about technology, use it purposefully, and teach students to navigate it with confidence... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT
Room 106 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

9:55am EDT

Designing a Guided Learning Experience with SchoolAI

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT

Room 104

In this hands-on workshop, participants design one guided learning experience from start to finish using SchoolAI aligned to a real instructional goal. Educators will build, test, and refine an AI-supported activity. Leaders will gain insight into what effective, scalable classroom use looks like in practice. Participants leave with a finished, classroom-ready experience they can use with students...
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Speakers

Blasia Dunham

Educational Strategist, SchoolAI

SchoolAI is Speaker Sponsor of the Gateway AI in EDU Summit 2026. SchoolAI empowers educators to design guided, AI-supported learning experiences that keep student thinking — and teacher judgment — at the center.

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT
Room 104 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

9:55am EDT

From Data to Action: AI-Powered RTI and Behavior Support in the Elementary Setting

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT

Room 302

This session explores how AI tools can strengthen tiered intervention systems at the elementary level — translating data into actionable next steps for both academic and behavioral support. Participants examine real examples from consortium classrooms and leave with practical frameworks for integrating AI into their RTI/MTSS cycle without losing the human relationship at the center.

Speakers

Caleigh Heenan

Dean of Students & RTI Coordinator, National Park Elementary / The Gateway Group

Caleigh Heenan is the Dean of Students and RTI Coordinator at National Park Elementary School, part of the Gateway Group shared services consortium. Her session — From Data to Action: AI-Powered RTI and Behavior Support in the Elementary Setting — draws directly from her work... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT
Room 302 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

9:55am EDT

Games, Movement, and Joy: Using AI to Reignite Engagement in the Phone-Free Classroom

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT

Health Rooms A/B

When the phones are away, the engagement challenge becomes real. This session from Gateway Regional teacher-leaders explores how AI can generate dynamic, movement-based, joyful learning experiences that don't require a screen in every student's hand. Participants leave with ready-to-use activities and a design process they can replicate across content areas.

Speakers

Kim Karwoski

Teacher, Gateway Regional School District

Kim Karwoski is a teacher at Gateway Regional High School and a Gateway teacher-leader committed to joyful, student-centered learning. Her session — Games, Movement, and Joy: Using AI to Reignite Engagement in the Phone-Free Classroom — explores how AI can become an invisible... Read More →

Dr. Suzanne Lynch

Special Education Teacher, Gateway Regional School District

Dr. Suzanne Lynch is a teacher at Gateway Regional High School and co-presenter of Games, Movement, and Joy: Using AI to Reignite Engagement in the Phone-Free Classroom. She and Kim Karwoski share practical, hands-on strategies for using AI as a behind-the-scenes planning partner... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT
Health Rooms A/B 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

9:55am EDT

M2 Play Lab — Coherent Schools: How AI Can Help Leaders Connect Curriculum, Teaching & Culture

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT

Room 105

True instructional transformation goes beyond alignment — it requires coherence. Participants explore the difference between organizational alignment and organizational coherence, reflect on their top values and the barriers to shared outcomes, and leave with an outline of their organization's 'Coherence Prompt.' Hands-on time with Swivl's M2 tool grounds the session in practice.

Speakers

Gerard Dawson

Product Manager, Swivl

Swivl is a Champion-tier sponsor of the Gateway AI in EDU Summit 2026. Swivl's M2 platform helps school and district leaders build organizational coherence — connecting curriculum, teaching, and culture to achieve shared outcomes.

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT
Room 105 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

9:55am EDT

Meeting IEP Goals Using AI: How We Leverage AI for Special Education Students

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT

Room 107

The session begins with a brief overview of the social-emotional and academic expectations shaping instruction in an out-of-district special education school. Attendees then use nine AI tools exactly as students do — each designed to meet specific IEP goals. Small groups analyze how each tool was designed, the simple language used to 'train' it, and how AI functions as a thought partner....
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Speakers

James Salvo

Instructional Coach, The Newmark School / Newmark High School

James Salvo is an Instructional Coach at The Newmark School, an out-of-district special education setting serving students from 1st grade through high school. His session — Meeting IEP Goals Using AI — gives participants a firsthand look at nine AI tools designed and deployed... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT
Room 107 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

9:55am EDT

Mission Before Platforms: Building Purposeful AI Fluency

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT

Room 103

Move beyond automated answers. Discover how to transform AI into a cognitive partner that deepens pedagogical reflection and challenges instructional assumptions. This session focuses on the 'back-and-forth' dialogue — moving educators from simple retrieval to productive struggle — ensuring professional judgment and mission remain at the heart of the machine.

Speakers

Rosemary Seitel

Consultant, New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association (NJPSA)

Rosemary Seitel is a consultant with the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association, where she supports school and district leaders in developing purposeful, mission-centered approaches to professional practice. Her session — Mission Before Platforms: Building Purposeful... Read More →

Janice Acebo

Teacher of Social Studies, Ramsey Board of Education

Janice Acebo is a Social Studies teacher in the Ramsey School District and a practitioner-researcher focused on inquiry-based instruction and purposeful AI integration in the secondary classroom. She co-presents with Rosemary Seitel in the Round 1 Leadership Strand session — Mission... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT
Room 103 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

9:55am EDT

Strategic Innovation in the AI Era: A K–12 Leadership Lens on CS & STEM

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT

Room 303

This workshop explores the changing landscape of AI and its impact on Computer Science and STEM in K–12 education — moving from early experimentation to strategic, sustainable innovation. Designed for district and school leaders, the session highlights policy considerations and implementation frameworks that support long-term success, with equity-centered practices embedded throughout.

Speakers

Sharon Fleming

Educational Program Specialist, New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE)

Sharon Fleming is an Educational Program Specialist at the New Jersey Department of Education, where she supports districts in building sustainable, equity-centered approaches to Computer Science and STEM integration. She co-presents the Round 1 CS Strand session — Strategic Innovation... Read More →

Rebekah Collipp

Computer Science Innovation Specialist, New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE)

Rebekah Collipp (she/they) is the Computer Science Innovation Specialist for the Office of Innovation at the New Jersey Department of Education. With over 16 years of teaching experience across diverse school settings and subjects, Rebekah brings a passion for interdisciplinary learning... Read More →

Mike Buttitta

STEM Innovation Specialist, New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE)

Mike Buttitta is an Educational Program Specialist at the NJDOE supporting districts in K–12 CS and STEM policy and implementation. He co-presents Strategic Innovation in the AI Era, bringing a policy and implementation framework lens to the session's focus on moving from early... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT
Room 303 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

9:55am EDT

The Scaffolding Shift: Using Metacognition to Move from AI to Autonomy

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT

Room 111

Spark student agency with AI. By applying frameworks like Design Thinking, Bloom's Taxonomy, and SAMR, this session moves beyond simple tool substitution toward transformative redefinition. Participants explore metacognitive strategies to ensure AI builds the cognitive muscle memory required for independent mastery — and leave with a template to intentionally 'fade' AI support over time.

Speakers

Jamie Burrows

Supervisor of Career and Technical Education, Atlantic County Institute of Technology

Jamie Burrows is Supervisor of Career and Technical Education at the Atlantic County Institute of Technology. She co-presents with Michele Lockhart in The Scaffolding Shift, bringing a CTE lens to the session's core argument: that AI should build cognitive muscle memory, not replace... Read More →

Michele Lockhart

Supervisor of Humanities, Atlantic County Institute of Technology

Michele Lockhart is Supervisor of Humanities at the Atlantic County Institute of Technology, where she leads curriculum, instruction, and professional learning across the humanities. Her session — The Scaffolding Shift: Using Metacognition to Move from AI to Autonomy — is grounded... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT
Room 111 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

9:55am EDT

AI in Education Isn't Really About AI

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT

Auditorium

For the last several years, conversations around AI in Education have accelerated because as an 'arrival technology,' students and staff have access to unprecedented tools and resources. However, the work around AI in Education isn't really about AI. It is about moving forward with a shared vision for student success grounded in prioritizing the science of learning, developing the skills that...
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Speakers

Dr. Tara Nattrass

Chief Innovation Strategist, Education, Lenovo

A career educator, Tara currently serves as Chief Innovation Strategist, Education at Lenovo, focusing on creating transformational learning experiences through innovative programs, professional learning, redefining teacher roles and responsibilities, and emerging technologies. Tara... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:55am - 11:00am EDT
Auditorium 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Thought Leadership

11:10am EDT

Pedagogy-First Approach to AI in Elementary School

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT

Room 302

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:Explain what a pedagogy-first approach to AI means, using BRIDGE (Build, Retrieve, Ideate, Direct, Guard, Examine) as shared language for the different modes of AI partnershipPractice judgment and discernment live - deciding when AI output is good enough to use in their classroom and when it isn'tWalk away with a usable AI-supported...
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Speakers

Everett Reiss

Learning Partnerships, Ed3

Everett leads learning partnerships for Ed3, a nonprofit on a mission to upskill 1 million educators on AI - not by teaching them efficiency hacks, but by grounding AI literacy in research-backed pedagogies like PBL, UDL, and SEL.

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT
Room 302 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

11:10am EDT

Designing for Learning in the AI Era

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT

Health Rooms A/B

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming day-to-day instruction, but impact depends on learning design — not tools alone. This workshop supports district and school leaders in shifting from AI adoption to intentional, goal-first instructional design that keeps learning objectives, success criteria, and student thinking at the center. Participants apply conjecture mapping as a planning and...
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Speakers

Gilbert Gonzalez

Director of the Office of Innovation, New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE)

Gilbert Gonzalez is Director of the Office of Innovation at the New Jersey Department of Education, where he leads the state's work on learning design, responsible AI integration, and instructional systems change. His session — Designing for Learning in the AI Era — supports district... Read More →

Caitlin Jensen

Educational Program Specialist, New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE)

Caitlin Jensen is an Educational Program Specialist at the NJDOE focused on learning design and instructional innovation. She co-presents Designing for Learning in the AI Era alongside Gilbert Gonzalez, contributing practical conjecture mapping tools and frameworks that help leaders... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT
Health Rooms A/B 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Core Conversations

11:10am EDT

Inquiry in the Age of AI: Using BRI to Ground Student Thinking

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT

Library

The Bill of Rights Institute's inquiry frameworks offer a powerful counterweight to AI's tendency to short-circuit student thinking. This session explores how BRI tools and primary source protocols keep student reasoning at the center — even as AI tools become more prevalent in the classroom.

Speakers

Shawn McCusker

Director of Teacher Programs, Bill of Rights Institute

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT
Library 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Core Conversations

11:10am EDT

AI Governance Is Not a Policy Document

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT

Room 109

In trios, participants test a real district AI policy against an ordinary school day, then identify where it breaks. This interactive
exercise reveals the gap between what a policy says and what actually happens when a student or staff member hits the Enter key. Participants then will discuss how that gap can be addressed through a strategy built on visibility and enforcement.

Speakers

Caleb Vail

Founder, Tenet

Tenet is a Champion sponsor of the Gateway AI in EDU Summit 2026, focused on practical AI governance for schools. Tenet helps educators move from AI policy on paper to classroom governance that actually holds.

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT
Room 109 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

11:10am EDT

Creation Through Iteration: Using AI as a Thought Partner

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT

Room 303

Many educators view AI as either a threat or an impersonal solution. This session reframes that relationship entirely: What if you brought an existing lesson and used an LLM as a thought partner to refine it? Participants watch a live demonstration of iterative dialogue with an LLM, then practice directing their own conversation about a lesson from their classroom. The session models the critical,...
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Speakers

Dr. Vincent Du Beau

Music Teacher, Delsea Regional School District

Dr. Vincent Du Beau is a Music teacher at Delsea Regional School District and a practitioner committed to using AI as a genuine thought partner rather than a shortcut. He presents twice at GAIL 2026: co-facilitating the NotebookLM session with Lakishia Powell, and leading his own... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT
Room 303 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

11:10am EDT

From Legal Speak to Student Voice: Using AI to Make the Law Relatable

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT

Room 115

Participants explore how a real business law lesson used AI to transform dense legal terms and conditions into language high school students could actually understand and connect with. Attendees examine student work samples, attempt a condensed version of the activity, and discuss how a similar approach could be adapted for their own subject area. A replicable lesson framework, ready-to-use AI...
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Speakers

Gil Coble

Business Teacher, Gateway Regional High School

Gil Coble is a Business teacher at Gateway Regional High School and a Gateway teacher-leader who brings the real world into the classroom without losing rigor. His session — From Legal Speak to Student Voice: Using AI to Make the Law Relatable — walks participants through a real... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT
Room 115 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

11:10am EDT

Leading Inclusive AI Systems Change: A Systems-Based Approach

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT

Room 107

To move beyond reactive technology adoption, leadership must adopt a systems-based approach that integrates Assistive Technology and Universal Design for Learning into an inclusive educational ecosystem. This session provides a strategic roadmap for scaling innovation using the Knoster Model for Complex Change and the CITES framework— ensuring that AI adoption remains safe, sustainable, and...
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Speakers

Vanessa Lombardo

Director, Assistive Technology Center, AT Center, The College of New Jersey

Vanessa Lombardo is Director of the Assistive Technology Center at The College of New Jersey, where she supports school districts in building inclusive, sustainable approaches to technology integration. Her session — Leading Inclusive AI Systems Change — provides a strategic roadmap... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT
Room 107 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

11:10am EDT

M2 Play Lab — Coherent Schools: How AI Can Help Leaders Connect Curriculum, Teaching & Culture

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT

Room 105

Speakers

Gerard Dawson

Product Manager, Swivl

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT
Room 105 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

11:10am EDT

Restorative Practices & AI: Leverage AI to Build Classroom Community

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT

Room 111

Participants examine curriculum and lessons through a restorative lens — using AI to find opportunities to incorporate restorative language, questions, and practices in a low-risk and sustainable way. The session closes with each participant having a lesson they already use, into which they have incorporated restorative language. Practical, content-agnostic, and immediately deployable.

Speakers

Stephanie Clinise

High School English Teacher, Hatboro-Horsham School District

Stephanie Clinise is a High School English teacher in the Hatboro-Horsham School District with a deep commitment to restorative practices and human-centered classroom culture. Her session — Restorative Practices & AI: Leverage AI to Build Classroom Community — guides participants... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT
Room 111 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

11:10am EDT

STEAM & Project-Based Learning with SchoolAI

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT

Room 104

Participants use SchoolAI's Project-Based Learning Assistant to design one complete STEAM or project-based learning experience — from concept to implementation — without requiring students to touch a device. Teachers plan a real-world, curriculum-aligned activity using AI-powered scaffolding, while students engage with authentic materials, hands-on exploration, and genuine problem-solving.

Speakers

Blasia Dunham

Educational Strategist, SchoolAI

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT
Room 104 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

11:10am EDT

Tired of Student AI Slop? Solve It with the Assessment Puzzle

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT

Room 106

When AI makes it easy to skip the thinking, assessment has to do more work. The answer isn't one big fix — it's a puzzle with four pieces: AI literacy, clear guidance, prioritizing relationships, and redesign. Participants dig into each piece and leave with tools, templates, strategies, and toolkits they can use the next day.

Speakers

Lindy Hockenbary

K-12 EdTech Strategist, LindyHoc

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT
Room 106 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

11:10am EDT

Unfiltered: The 8 AI Realities Facing Teens

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT

Auditorium

Teen experiences today include constant interaction with artificial intelligence — from deepfakes to AI-driven relationships and emerging risks such as nudification and digital impersonation. Participants engage in large-group discussions exploring the 8 AI Realities Facing Teens and how these forces shape identity, thinking, and behavior. The session highlights the role of parents and educators...
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Speakers

Michael Edmondson

Associate Provost, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT)

Michael Edmondson, Ph.D. is Associate Provost for Continued Learning at New Jersey Institute of Technology, where he leads the Learning and Development Initiative (LDI), the university’s professional education and workforce development division. He also serves as a Co-Editor of... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 11:10am - 12:15pm EDT
Auditorium 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Thought Leadership

12:25pm EDT

Argossey: Know Your Students, Keep Your Teachers

Thursday July 23, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT

Health Room A

Link to Deck

Argossey is a teacher-facing AI platform that turns one-on-one student check-ins into stronger relationships, the factor 70 years of research links to achievement, engagement, and belonging. See how New Jersey districts can boost student outcomes and teacher retention with the Argossey System, from PD to leadership insights.

Speakers

Jack Dayton

Sponsor / Presenter, Argossey

I'm a co-founder of Argossey and a teacher first. I spent seven years in high school classrooms teaching English and computer science, from inner-city Los Angeles to the Minnesota suburbs, and I came away convinced of one thing: nothing I planned mattered until my students believed... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT
Health Room A 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Vendor Spotlight

12:25pm EDT

Vendor Spotlight: Goblins

Thursday July 23, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT

Library

A focused 30-minute showcase from Goblins. Explore how this sponsor's tools and resources connect to the conference's four strands: Instructional Transformation, AI Ethics & Literacy, Promoting Human Thought, and Strategic Leadership.

Speakers

Jonathan Strout

Sponsor / Presenter, Goblins Math

Goblins is a proud Visionary-tier sponsor of the Gateway AI in EDU Summit 2026 — our highest sponsorship level.

Goblins drives measurable math growth for all students through interactive AI tutoring that builds confidence, expands access, and gives programs data without increasing staffing costs... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT
Library 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Vendor Spotlight

12:25pm EDT

Vendor Spotlight: LinkIt

Thursday July 23, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT

Cafeteria / Common Areas

A focused 30-minute showcase from LinkIt. Explore how this sponsor's tools and resources connect to the conference's four strands: Instructional Transformation, AI Ethics & Literacy, Promoting Human Thought, and Strategic Leadership.

Speakers

Tiffany Bradley

Sponsor / Presenter, LinkIt!

LinkIt is an Innovation sponsor of the Gateway AI in EDU Summit 2026, supporting educators with data and assessment tools that connect to instructional coherence and student outcomes.

Thursday July 23, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT
Cafeteria / Common Areas 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Vendor Spotlight

12:25pm EDT

Vendor Spotlight: Renaissance

Thursday July 23, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT

Room 115

A focused 30-minute showcase from Renaissance. Explore how this sponsor's tools and resources connect to the conference's four strands: Instructional Transformation, AI Ethics & Literacy, Promoting Human Thought, and Strategic Leadership.

Speakers

Chad Kinslow

Sponsor / Presenter, Renaissance

Renaissance is an Innovation sponsor of the Gateway AI in EDU Summit 2026. Renaissance's literacy and learning analytics tools support data-driven instruction and student growth across K–12 schools.

Thursday July 23, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT
Room 115 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Vendor Spotlight

12:25pm EDT

Vendor Spotlight: SuperTeacher

Thursday July 23, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT

Health Room B

A focused 30-minute showcase from SuperTeacher. Explore how this sponsor's tools and resources connect to the conference's four strands: Instructional Transformation, AI Ethics & Literacy, Promoting Human Thought, and Strategic Leadership.

Speakers

Dr. Tim Novikoff

CEO, Super Teacher

Thursday July 23, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT
Health Room B 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Vendor Spotlight

12:25pm EDT

Vendor Spotlight: Toddle

Thursday July 23, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT

Auditorium

A focused 30-minute showcase from Toddle. Explore how this sponsor's tools and resources connect to the conference's four strands: Instructional Transformation, AI Ethics & Literacy, Promoting Human Thought, and Strategic Leadership.

Speakers

Chris Merryman

Sponsor / Presenter, Toddle

Toddle is an Innovation-tier sponsor of the Gateway AI in EDU Summit 2026. Toddle's platform supports collaborative curriculum planning and learning documentation, helping educators make their instructional thinking visible and shared.

Brendan Lawler

Toddle Buddy, Toddle

Thursday July 23, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT
Auditorium 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Vendor Spotlight

1:00pm EDT

Lunch

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm EDT

Cafeteria / Common Areas

Catered lunch. Please note any dietary needs were collected at registration.

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm EDT
Cafeteria / Common Areas 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Break

1:55pm EDT

The Teacher's Most AI-Proof Skill Is Also the Oldest One

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT

Library

Link to Deck

As AI tools become more capable, the question isn't what AI can do — it's what only a teacher can do. This session anchors that question in learning science and relational trust research, examining the instructional moves, relational conditions, and design choices that remain irreplaceable. Participants explore a framework for intentional AI integration that protects — rather than erodes —...
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Speakers

Amy Mount

Director of Curriculum & Instruction, Gateway Regional School District / The Gateway Group

Dr. Amy Mount is the Director of Curriculum and Instruction for the Gateway Group, a shared services consortium serving five South Jersey school districts. She leads curriculum design, AI integration, grant development, professional learning, and literacy transformation across Gateway... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT
Library 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Core Conversations

1:55pm EDT

Using NotebookLM to Modernize Learning, Leadership & Everything In Between

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT

Health Rooms A/B

Your district already has what it needs — handbooks, policies, training materials, curriculum documents, and institutional knowledge. This session shows how NotebookLM transforms resources you already have into a modern, interactive, on-demand knowledge system your staff and students will actually use. Participants get hands-on time to upload their own resources, build a working notebook, and...
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Speakers

Dr. Vincent Du Beau

Music Teacher, Delsea Regional School District

Lakishia Powell

Instructional Technology Coach, Delsea Regional School District

Lakishia Powell is an Instructional Technology Coach at Delsea Regional School District, where she helps educators transform existing resources into modern, dynamic learning experiences. Her session: Using NotebookLM to Modernize Learning, Leadership & Everything In Between, gives... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT
Health Rooms A/B 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Core Conversations

1:55pm EDT

AI Modes in Action: Protecting Thinking While Learning with AI

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT

Room 103

Participants learn a simple set of AI Modes and use them to work through a real instructional task. They analyze a sample AI conversation, identify where mode shifts happen, and apply the same process to their own work. Using a short pre-production plan, a live AI conversation, and reflection, participants create a classroom-ready artifact while making their thinking visible — and leave with a...
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Speakers

Vince Doud

Teacher / Consultant, Audubon Public School District / Doud Works

Vince Doud is a teacher in the Audubon Public School District and a consultant focused on designing AI-integrated learning experiences that protect student thinking and enhance teacher workfows. His session, AI Modes in Action: Protecting Thinking While Learning with AI, gives participants... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT
Room 103 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

1:55pm EDT

Beyond the 'Wow' Factor: AI for Elementary

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT

Room 302

This session moves beyond the 'wow factor' of AI and into the 'should we factor.' Since elementary educators are often short on time but high on heart, this PD focuses on practical frameworks and the human-in-the-loop philosophy. K–5 educators leave with a critical lens for evaluating AI tools and three immediately usable strategies for building responsible digital citizenship in young learners.

Speakers

Katie Serbeck

Technology Application Support Specialist, Dover Public Schools

Katie Serbeck is a Technology Application Support Specialist in Dover Public Schools, where she works directly with K–5 educators to build practical, developmentally appropriate AI literacy. Her session — Beyond the 'Wow' Factor: AI for Elementary — moves past novelty and into... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT
Room 302 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

1:55pm EDT

Exploring AI Integration with AAC — Applications & Ethics

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT

Room 107

Participants explore AI-powered advancements designed to make communication more efficient for Augmentative and Alternative Communication users. While these integrations have the potential to improve communication efficiency and bridge social barriers, what do they take away from personal authorship and identity? Participants hear from the perspectives of AAC users and explore current research on...
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Speakers

Madison Bronstein

Assistive Technology and Accessibility Specialist, Assistive Technology Center at TCNJ

Madison Bronstein is an Assistive Technology and Accessibility Specialist at The College of New Jersey's Assistive Technology Center, holding credentials as both a Speech-Language Pathologist (CCC-SLP) and Assistive Technology Professional (ATP). Her session — Exploring AI Integration... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT
Room 107 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

1:55pm EDT

Free for All: NJCTL's Computer Science Resources and the Push for Cybersecurity Education in New Jersey

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT

Room 303

NJCTL provides free, rigorous Computer Science curriculum for New Jersey educators — and this session makes the case for why cybersecurity education belongs in every K–12 school. Participants explore available resources, discuss the policy landscape, and leave with a clear path to implementing CS and cybersecurity content in their district.

Speakers

Ian Fallstich

Educator / CS Curriculum Specialist, NJCTL

The New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning (NJCTL) is a Champion sponsor and nonprofit committed to ensuring access doesn't determine opportunity in computer science education. NJCTL provides free, standards-aligned CS curriculum for New Jersey educators.

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT
Room 303 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

1:55pm EDT

Let AI Open a Door Into Challenging Texts

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT

Room 115

Participants are shown ways to use AI to modify challenging texts within curriculum at different levels — without losing the original intent and tone of the author. This session equips teachers to let AI handle the adaptation work so they can spend more time on planning, discussion, and the relationships that drive learning. Includes master prompts for ELL and Special Education classrooms.

Speakers

Amanda Warrington

History Teacher, Gateway Regional School District

Amanda Warrington is a History teacher at Gateway Regional High School and co-presenter of Let AI Open a Door Into Challenging Texts. Her session gives teachers concrete, immediately deployable strategies for using AI to modify complex texts without losing author voice or instructional... Read More →

Dustin Widener

Teacher, Gateway Regional School District

Dustin Widener is a teacher at Gateway Regional High School and co-presenter of Let AI Open a Door Into Challenging Texts. He and Amanda Warrington share practical AI prompting strategies for text modification across content areas, including master prompts for ELL and Special Education... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT
Room 115 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

1:55pm EDT

M2 Play Lab — Coherent Schools: How AI Can Help Leaders Connect Curriculum, Teaching & Culture

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT

Room 105

Speakers

Gerard Dawson

Product Manager, Swivl

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT
Room 105 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

1:55pm EDT

Model Lesson: Integrating AI Into Best Instructional Practices

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT

Room 106

Experience a model lesson that demonstrates how AI can enhance best instructional practices. Participants engage as learners — seeing firsthand how AI can be used as a learning tool without replacing the human element. The session closes with a replicable design framework for integrating AI into any classroom.

Speakers

Lindy Hockenbary

K-12 EdTech Strategist, LindyHoc

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT
Room 106 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

1:55pm EDT

SchoolAI Browser Extension Workshop

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT

Room 104

Participants learn to transform any webpage into a complete teaching and learning experience using the SchoolAI Browser Extension. The workshop covers selecting live web content, generating curriculum-aligned lesson plans, creating differentiated activities, reviewing student writing with AI-powered feedback tools, and building interactive learning Spaces. Participants leave with a full workflow:...
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Speakers

Blasia Dunham

Educational Strategist, SchoolAI

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT
Room 104 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

1:55pm EDT

The Diplomatic Leader: Using AI to Differentiate Professional Development

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT

Room 109

This session focuses on shifting administrative leadership from 'task-mastery' to 'diplomatic influence' by using AI to personalize staff growth. Activities include an AI Sandbox where leaders use prompts to generate differentiated VARK-style resources and a diplomatic coaching simulation to script difficult conversations with resistant staff. Participants leave empowered to use technology as a...
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Speakers

Tamara Ehrgood

Assistant Principal, Camden's Promise Charter School

Tamara Ehrgood is the Assistant Principal at Camden's Promise Charter School, where she leads adult learning and instructional leadership with a focus on trust, agency, and human-centered change. Her session — The Diplomatic Leader: Using AI to Differentiate Professional Development... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT
Room 109 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Purposeful Practice

1:55pm EDT

From AI Answers to I Am Thinking: Strategies That Promote Cognitive Engagement, Effort, and Understanding

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT

Auditorium

In an age of AI-enabled answers, how do educators get students to think, struggle, and learn? During this completely interactive session, attendees participate in instructional activities that elicit interest, effort, and involvement — while strengthening social skills and promoting deep understanding. The goal is to demonstrate how to design and facilitate learning experiences that elicit...
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Speakers

Dr. Tracey Severns

Educational Consultant, Teach4Results

Tracey Severns is an educational consultant and founder of Teach4Results, where she works with schools and districts to design learning experiences that elicit genuine cognitive engagement. Drawing on research from Making Thinking Visible and decades of classroom and coaching practice... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:55pm - 3:00pm EDT
Auditorium 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

Thought Leadership

3:00pm EDT

Closing Reflection & Send-Off

Thursday July 23, 2026 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

Cafeteria / Common Areas

Join the full GAIL community for a closing reflection that honors the day's learning, amplifies takeaways across all four strands, and sends educators back to their schools with clarity, connection, and renewed commitment to human-centered AI integration.

Thursday July 23, 2026 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Cafeteria / Common Areas 775 Tanyard Road, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097

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