Welcome to HIVE 2025 in sunny Orlando! Swing by the Pavilion at Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace to grab your badge and get conference-ready. We’re so excited to learn, connect, and grow with you!
Fuel your morning with breakfast in the Citron Ballroom on the Convention Level of Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace. Grab a bite, sip something warm, and don’t forget to visit our amazing vendors throughout the day!
Let's kick off HIVE with OUR CommUNITY! Hear from Open Up Resources organization leaders, and engage in an amazing keynote from Principal Baruti Kafele.
Principal Baruti Kafele is an award-winning educator, speaker, and author known for inspiring school culture transformations and driving student success. With decades of experience, he has led turnaround efforts in urban schools and authored numerous books on leadership and student motivation. Principal Kafele will return to HIVE in 2025 to energize and empower attendees.
Chief Academics, Equity, & Social Justice Officer, Open Up Resources
Dr. Childs brings his vast experience in K–16 as an educator, speaker, author and thought leader to Open Up’s Sr. Leadership Team partnering to develop and drive forward key strategic initiatives of the organization in service of dismantling systemic racism in K–12 education... Read More →
Planning to the margins sounds like a great idea – until you are trying to do it with your own students! As more and more students with exceptional support needs (linguistically, behaviorally, socially, and academically) join general education classes, the need for UDL increases. Yet these varying needs can be taxing and exhausting for any educator, and the idea of executing UDL with a fixed curriculum can be especially daunting. In this session, participants will experience UDL in action while learning easy-to-implement strategies at various grade levels, subjects, and curriculum.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to: · Define Universal Design for Learning and name key components · Identify examples of UDL in action · Set goals for implementing more UDL in their own classes to support a range of learners
Join us for an inspiring session with HIVE's keynote speaker, Principal Baruti Kafele! Ask questions, gain insights, and engage in a dynamic conversation about leadership, education, and making an impact.
In "Do More with Less: 1:1 Coaching Hacks to Maximize Impact," you'll learn practical strategies for scaling coaching with minimal resources—no fancy tech required! This session will feature powerful "hacks," such as how to build a simple, yet effective "coach-match" process that pairs teachers with the right coaches, determine the ideal length of engagement (from short cycles to unlimited coaching), and document all work in 30-minute sessions using tools you already have. You’ll leave with actionable strategies and the confidence to level up your coaching impact and immediately implement what you've learned in your school or district.
Lunch is on us in the Citron Ballroom! Grab a meal and join—or start—an Affinity Group that speaks to you. It’s a great way to find your people, share stories, and build community at HIVE! Menu coming soon.
Language shapes how we think, teach, and engage with students. In this session, participants will explore the impact of words on learning environments, student identity, and equity. Through reflection and discussion, we will examine how intentional shifts in language can foster more inclusive, asset-based mindsets that empower educators and students. Walk away with practical strategies to reframe communication and create a more positive and supportive learning culture.
Teacher Leader in Residence Lead, Math, Open Up Resources
Cathy is a joyful educator with over 20 years of experience in elementary and middle school classrooms. Now serving as the Teacher Leader in Residence Lead for Math at Open Up Resources, she loves supporting educators and leaders through meaningful professional learning and coaching—always... Read More →
In "Do More with Less: 1:1 Coaching Hacks to Maximize Impact," you'll learn practical strategies for scaling coaching with minimal resources—no fancy tech required! This session will feature powerful "hacks," such as how to build a simple, yet effective "coach-match" process that pairs teachers with the right coaches, determine the ideal length of engagement (from short cycles to unlimited coaching), and document all work in 30-minute sessions using tools you already have. You’ll leave with actionable strategies and the confidence to level up your coaching impact and immediately implement what you've learned in your school or district.
Fuel your morning with breakfast in the Citron Ballroom on the Convention Level of Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace. Grab a bite, sip something warm, and don’t forget to visit our amazing vendors throughout the day!
This session explores expanding our understanding of student learning, moving beyond the traditional classroom to embrace the rich learning environments within our schools and communities. We begin by recognizing that children thrive when connected to their communities, fostering connectivity, positive development, and essential life skills. Every adult in a school, from nutrition staff to bus drivers, plays a vital role in a student's life, often serving as mentors and coaches. Deep partnerships with students, families, community leaders, and other stakeholders are crucial for achieving our shared educational goals. This requires a broader vision of the school community, one that embraces the various adults within and surrounding our schools.
Participants will explore strategies for expanding the concept of student educators in helping to create optimal learning environments. These strategies are critical for creating strong instructional communities that fully wraparound students and build upon their assets and connections. We will also explore how to provide non-instructional staff with relevant professional development and support. Learning opportunities on topics like student development and strategies for connecting to students can equip these individuals to support students effectively, bridging the gap between classroom learning and the broader school experience. This approach reinforces that everyone contributes to student growth.
Lunch is on us in the Citron Ballroom! Grab a meal and join—or start—an Affinity Group that speaks to you. It’s a great way to find your people, share stories, and build community at HIVE! Menu coming soon.
If you work with multilingual learners or in dual-language schools, esta sesión es para tí! Together, we will define translanguaging and learn how it differs from traditional language practices and beliefs. We’ll share and experience specific strategies for translanguaging that can be used across K–8 ELA and mathematics content, and with any curriculum, to support multilinguals and honor their native languages.
Professional Learning Manager, Math, Open Up Resources
Ally is a former K–8 mathematics teacher & instructional coach and served in multilingual classrooms in Denver and Aurora, CO. She used Open Up Resources 6–8 Math curriculum, teaching in some settings in both Spanish and English. Ally has also supported schools and communities... Read More →
Fuel your morning with breakfast in the Citron Ballroom on the Convention Level of Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace. Grab a bite, sip something warm, and don’t forget to visit our amazing vendors throughout the day!
Hamish Brewer is a globally recognized, energetic leader and speaker known as the “Relentless, Tattooed Skateboarding Principal.” Originally from New Zealand, Brewer built his reputation on transforming K-12 schools and inspiring communities with his bold message to “Be Relentless.”
As an award-winning principal at both the elementary and secondary levels, he has led schools to national recognition and turnaround success. Brewer’s story has reached millions through national media and the Freethink docuseries Relentless, and he’s the best-selling author of Relentless: Disrupting the Educational Norm.
Chief Academics, Equity, & Social Justice Officer, Open Up Resources
Dr. Childs brings his vast experience in K–16 as an educator, speaker, author and thought leader to Open Up’s Sr. Leadership Team partnering to develop and drive forward key strategic initiatives of the organization in service of dismantling systemic racism in K–12 education... Read More →
Join us for the grand finale of HIVE 2025! Let’s celebrate the journey we’ve had, the knowledge gained, and the connections made within OUR CommUNITY. Enjoy giveaways, reflections, and exciting news about what’s next. Don’t miss the conference wrap-up as we look ahead to the school year!
Chief Academics, Equity, & Social Justice Officer, Open Up Resources
Dr. Childs brings his vast experience in K–16 as an educator, speaker, author and thought leader to Open Up’s Sr. Leadership Team partnering to develop and drive forward key strategic initiatives of the organization in service of dismantling systemic racism in K–12 education... Read More →
Managing Director Academics, Equity, & Social Justice, Open Up Resources
Brooke Powers is currently the Managing Director of Academics, Equity, & Social Justice at Open Up Resources. As a former middle school math teacher, she champions the idea that every student can excel with access to engaging, grade-level mathematics that incorporates student identities... Read More →
Lunch is on us in the Citron Ballroom! Grab a meal and join—or start—an Affinity Group that speaks to you. It’s a great way to find your people, share stories, and build community at HIVE! Menu coming soon.
