2025 Summer Institute Keynotes
2025 BEST/VTmtss Summer Institute
Keynotes
Start off your days at the Summer Institute with words of inspiration, equity, and compassion from this year’s speakers.
Data Informed Instruction in Tiered Systems to Meet Students’ Multiple Needs: Creating Positive, Productive, and Joyful Learning Environments
In this keynote, we discuss how to engage in data-informed instruction to meet students’ academic, behavioral, and social and emotional well-being learning needs within tiered systems of support. We begin by describing Comprehensive, Integrated, Three-tiered (Ci3T) models of prevention, focusing on practical methods for detecting and supporting students with internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Then, we discuss how to use screening data and other data collected as part regular school practices to (a) inform instruction at Tier 1, (b) empower teachers with low-intensity support to maximize engagement and limit disruption, and (c) connect students with Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions. We focus on data-informed instruction for students, and data-informed professional learning for adults, with an emphasis on teacher well-being.
Bio: Kathleen Lynne Lane is a Roy A. Roberts Distinguished Professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Kansas and Associate Vice Chancellor for Research. She has served as a general and special educator, and behavior specialist. Dr. Lane’s research interests focus on designing, implementing, and evaluating Comprehensive, Integrated, Three-tiered (Ci3T) models of prevention in preK-12 schools to (a) prevent the development of learning, behavior, and social and emotional well-being challenges and (b) respond to existing instances, with an emphasis on systematic screening. She is the co-editor of Remedial and Special Education and principal investigator on the following grants funded by the Institute of Education Sciences: Project Enhance (Network) and Project Engage (Pandemic Impact). Dr. Lane has co-authored or edited 15 books and published 250 refereed journal articles and 58 book chapters.
Inclusive Education Today: Working Together to Understand What it is and Why it Matters
In this keynote, we will look at how the goals of inclusion have continued to shift and evolve as we learn more about diversity, identity, well-being, and joy. Participants’ passion will be reignited as they reflect on their own contexts and possibilities for next steps, advocacy, and action.
Bio: Based in British Columbia, Canada, Dr. Shelley Moore is a highly sought-after inclusive education researcher, teacher, consultant and storyteller. She has worked with school districts and community organizations around the world. Her research explores how to support teachers to design for all learners in grade-level academic classrooms that include students with intellectual disabilities using strength-based and responsive approaches. Shelley completed her undergraduate degree in Special Education at the University of Alberta, her Masters at Simon Fraser University, and her Ph.D. at the University of British Columbia.
Connection Before Content: Playfulness, Engagement, and Gratitude
In this session, we will reflect on why connection, engagement, joy, play, and gratitude are vital. We will learn how connection and play help students (and adults!) regulate and prepare to learn. We will end with an exploration of gratitude and affirmation.
Bio: Howard Moody has been leading workshops for over 35 years with an emphasis on play, connection, and engagement. Howard has been a faculty member at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies for over 21 years and he is the co-founder of The Adventure Game Theater, an extraordinary improvisational learning process for teens that has been featured on PBS and NPR. Howard is the Staff Coordinator of Retribes two Rites of Passage summer teen camps, The Adventure Game theater and Inner Journeys, in Underhill VT. Howard has also recently self-published The Heart of Play Games Manual, Over 200 Activities for Connection and Joy, which focuses on bringing Social Emotional Learning and Mindfulness into the practice of leading games.