Architects & Physicians: Why Specialization Matters

Presenter: Mammoth Sports Construction Director of Business Development Derik Budig, Director of Sports Design, AIA, LEED AP Matt Keys and VP of Construction Matt Hohn

Thursday, 10:30 to 11:20 a.m. in Rooms 6-7

General practitioners don’t want to perform knee surgery. In the same manner, a generalist architect may not always be the best choice for your school’s project. Especially when it comes to sports facilities. Learn how a sports design can be part of your campus’ master plan and create fiscal responsibility in large-scale projects.

What Effective Leaders do to Foster the Key Characteristics of Quality Schools

Presenters: Cognia Midwest Regional Vice President Betsy Deal and Midwest Regional Director Shannon Vogler

Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. in Room 1

Key characteristics of effective schooling exist to guide your improvement journey and impact student success. How can a leader set your school on track for quality? Cognia (formerly AdvancED) has a legacy of identifying, measuring, and evaluating quality in schools. Learn the key characteristics of quality schools; ways you can gather meaningful insight into your current reality; and supports available to building leaders to help navigate the journey of improvement and support growth for your educators.

Tic-Tac-Toe: The Game of K-12 Master Planning

Presenters: CO-OP Architecture Senior Planner Tom Oster and Principal Tom Hurlbert

Thursday, 11:30 to 12:20 p.m. in Room 1

CO-OP’s tic-tac-toe method is a tool used in the master planning process to diagram where efficiencies can be found and where expansion will work best given existing campus conditions. This tool helps school districts with limited resources solve immediate problems while also thinking long-term, ultimately making district leaders more effective planners and stewards of their communities. This session will discuss the method in more detail, leaving room for Q&A.

Your Cooperative Options

Presenter: Cooperative Purchasing Connection Program Representative Julia Dangerfield

Thursday, 11:30 to 12:20 p.m. in Room 5

Cooperative Purchasing Connection (CPC) is an award-winning procurement service with a team of public nonprofit employees who work with you to make the procurement process more efficient! CPC will discuss how to leverage purchasing agencies to access contracts from local and national vendors that have a South Dakota presence.  Join us to hear how you can identify compliant cooperatives, shop vendor goods and services online, and save your agency money.

Building Connections: Intersecting the Lines of Education and Architecture

Presenter: ICON Architectural Group Director of Community Engagement Kyle Kvamme and Educational Development Advocate Travis Jordan

Friday, 10:00 to 10:50 a.m. in Room 1

Explore the link between education and architecture in our breakout session. We’ll discuss the power of connections, selecting the right partners for educational planning, and navigating the complexities of K-12 facilities. Learn how collaboration and intentional design can transform learning environments. Join us to discover practical strategies for success in this dynamic intersection.

Gimme A Break: Sensory Breaks 101

Presenter: RAS Ergonomics and Loss Control Consultants Theresa Parish and Kelly Marshall

Friday, 10:00 to 10:50 a.m. in Room 5

Sensory processing is a significant aspect of normal brain function. It helps us understand the world around us and interpret behaviors. Understanding the role of the senses will help us better understand how to improve the overall performance of the nervous system. Sensory breaks are activities that can be used to provide input to improve the nervous system’s performance. Using sensory breaks strategically throughout the day can help prevent student behaviors before they require de-escalation.