Teaching Learning Institute
audience: Pk2 - Grade 5 faculty and administrators
June 13, 2025
Holy Spirit Episcopal School
12535 Perthshire Rd
Houston, TX 77024
Dan St. Romain
Educational Consulting LLC
Keynote Speaker
9:00 am - 11:-45 am
Accentuate the Positive: Bringing Out the Best in Our Kids
When we look at the long-term goals we have for students in the school system, they go way beyond the isolated short-term goal of passing benchmarks and required tests. Research clearly indicates what youth need to be successful in school and beyond. This interactive session will feature this information and ways to encourage healthy development at all levels. Join us for a thought-provoking and informative session that will inspire you to make a positive difference in the lives of the students we serve.
About Dan: Dan is a national educational consultant who provides staff development and consultative services to educators K-12. Dan is passionate about helping individuals shift their perspective on behavior and understand the best ways to provide support given the challenges posed in today’s society. He regularly presents on topics impacting school climate, brain-based instruction, developmentally appropriate educational practices, and presentation skills.
Dan’s overwhelming strength is his skill as a presenter. Although his sessions are exceedingly interactive and engaging, his greatest asset lies in his ability to offer participants rich insight into the connectedness between educational practices and student behavior.
Rob Devlin
Executive Director, SAES
Keynote Speaker
12:30 pm - 1:00 pm
With a career spanning over thirty years serving Episcopal and independent college-preparatory PK-12 and PK-8 school communities, Rob has held positions including faculty member, coach, parent, Director of Technology, Department Chair, House Director, Head of Lower School, Assistant Head of School, Board Member, Head of School, and now, Executive Director of SAES.
Prior to his current role with SAES, Rob served as the Head of School for St. George Episcopal Day School, a highly regarded Episcopal School in San Antonio, Texas, serving over 500 students ages 4 through grade 8. Before coming to St. George, Rob served as the Head of Lower School and Assistant Head of School for St. Francis Episcopal Day School, a PK-8 Episcopal School in Houston serving almost 800 students. Prior to that, Rob was a Department Chair, House Director, and Coach for Saint Mary’s Hall, a PK-12 Independent Day and Boarding School serving approximately 900 students from San Antonio and around the world. Currently, Rob is in his third year as Executive Director of the Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools. SAES is a membership and accrediting organization that is dedicated to leading, nurturing, and unifying over 100 Episcopal schools across 6 states. Rob holds an undergraduate degree from Trinity University in San Antonio, and a Master’s Degree from Teacher’s College, Columbia University in New York City.
Agenda
8:00 am: Registration
8:30 am - 9:00 am: Opening Service/
Welcome & Introductions
9:00 am - 11:45 am: Dan St. Romain, Keynote Speaker
11:-45 am - 12:30 pm: Lunch
8:30 am - 9:00 am: Opening Service/
Welcome & Introductions
9:00 am - 11:45 am: Dan St. Romain, Keynote Speaker
11:-45 am - 12:30 pm: Lunch
12:30 pm - 1:00 pm - Rob Devlin, Keynote Speaker
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm - Breakout Session 1
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm - Breakout Session 2
3:00 pm - 3:15 pm - Wrap Up and Takeaways
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm - Breakout Session 1
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm - Breakout Session 2
3:00 pm - 3:15 pm - Wrap Up and Takeaways
Breakout Sessions
Participants will choose one presentation for breakout session i and 2:
Early Learning (Pk2-Kindergarten):
- Making Math Count
Are you interested in a hands-on, student-centered learning environment? This workshop aims to introduce foundational math skills to our youngest learners, all through play and everyday activities/experiences.
Presented by: Cheryl Jones and Wendy Eaves, All Saints' Episcopal School, Beaumont, TX
- Big Body Play
Big Body Play (BBP) is more than just movement—it’s a full-body learning experience! It helps children build strength, courage, creativity, and gross motor skills! In this session, participants will learn how BBP teaches gross motor skill development, social-emotional learning through movement, safe risk-taking in play, and strategies for incorporating active play in the classroom. This interactive and engaging approach simultaneously strengthens the mind, body, and social-emotional skills, making it vital to childhood development.
Presented by: Gina Bass, PE Teacher, All Saints' Episcopal School, Beaumont, TX
- The Write Classroom
This presentation emphasizes the importance of tailoring writing opportunities for children based on age-appropriate characteristics, individual differences, and their social and cultural contexts. By understanding developmental milestones, educators can create engaging activities that foster creativity and effective expression. Recognizing each child's unique strengths allows for personalized approaches that enhance writing skills within their zone of proximal development. The collaborative environment encourages communication, critical thinking, and empathy, enabling children to scaffold each other’s learning and embrace diverse perspectives. Ultimately, these strategies promote responsible decision-making and self-management, empowering children to express themselves confidently through writing.
Presented by: Hugo Basurto, St. Mark's Episcopal School, Houston, TX
Lower School (1st - 5th Grade):
- The Write Stuff: Project-Based Writing With Real World Purpose
Unlock the power of project-based learning to engage young writers in creative storytelling. In this session, we’ll explore how to develop memorable characters through play and incorporate dynamic dialogue to bring stories to life. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to inspire imagination and foster writing skills in their classroom.
Presented by: Courtney Breeding and Stephanie Hitchcock, St. Francis Episcopal School, Houston, TX
- STEAM-Powered Learning: Cross-Curricular Integration in Grades 1–3
Ignite curiosity and creativity in your early elementary classroom through the power of STEAM! We’ll explore how cross-curricular STEAM activities can deepen understanding, support diverse learners, and bring joyful, hands-on learning to life. Imagine building a seesaw that will balance an elephant during story time to bring a book to life or designing straw airplanes during social studies to connect communities. Join us and leave inspired to transform your classroom into a hub of innovation and inquiry!
Presented by: Joni McDonald, Holy Spirit Episcopal School, Houston, TX
- STEAM in the Upper Elementary Math Classroom Grade 4-5
Looking for ways to use STEAM projects as a springboard for lessons covering multiple math standards? Let us show you how to scaffold pattern recognition, data analysis, multi-step problem solving, and other skills for grades 4-5. Your students will enjoy connecting ideas as they collaborate to see mathematics at work in their activities.
Presented by: Andrea Clar, Holy Spirit Episcopal School, Houston, TX
Registration Fees
Member Schools: $285.00 per person (lunch included)
Non-Member Schools: $325.00 per person (lunch included)
Cancellation & Financial Policies: Cancellations received two weeks prior to the event will receive an 80% refund. After that time, replacement registrants are welcomed but no refunds are available.
Medial Release Policy: Attendance at, or participation in SAES meetings and other activities constitutes an agreement by the registrant to SAES's use and distribution (both now and in the future) of the registrant or attendee's image or voice in photographs, videos, electronic reproductions, and audio of such events and activities.