Premier Start 2025: Full Schedule

9:40am PDT

Strengthening Family Partnerships for High School Teachers

Monday August 4, 2025 9:40am - 10:25am PDT

Strong family partnerships are key to student success. In this session hosted by our Student and Family Services Department, you’ll learn practical strategies for fostering meaningful relationships with families, promoting positive attendance habits, and creating inclusive support systems for students experiencing homelessness or in foster care. Gain insights into district resources and learn how you can play a vital role in ensuring every student feels seen, supported, and set up for success.

Presenters

Holly Collins

Coordinator of Family and Student Services, Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District

Marbeya Ellis

Family Resource Center Manager, Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District

Antonio Gipson

Truancy Prevention Specialist, Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District

Monday August 4, 2025 9:40am - 10:25am PDT
Room 37

Breakout Session

Grade Level High School, High School Special Education

10:35am PDT

MTSS Foundations for High School Teachers

Monday August 4, 2025 10:35am - 11:20am PDT

Room 32

Join our district MTSS Coordinator Connie Huntington for an engaging overview of who we are as a district—our schools, our students, and the supports we provide to ensure every learner thrives. This session will introduce the MTSS framework, including how we use data to support student success, an introduction to our SST process, and interactive role-playing or problem-solving scenarios using our Behavior Intervention Toolbox. Come ready to collaborate, reflect, and prepare to meet students’ needs from day one.

Presenters

Connie Huntington

MTSS Coordinator, Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District

I'm a former classroom teacher, assistant principal, and principal in Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District who now serves as a Coordinator of Educational Services, supporting Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) across schools. I work alongside site and district leaders to strengthen... Read More →

Monday August 4, 2025 10:35am - 11:20am PDT
Room 32

Breakout Session

Grade Level High School, High School Special Education

12:10pm PDT

Navigating Human Resources for High School Teachers

Monday August 4, 2025 12:10pm - 12:55pm PDT

Room 31

Join us in exploring all things Human Resources:

What is salary credit and how do I advance on the salary schedule?
How can I use the Employee Portal?
Why is it important to communicate with my credential analyst?
How should I prepare for an absence?
What is the teacher evaluation timeline?

Presenters

Ken Whittemore

Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources, Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District

Monday August 4, 2025 12:10pm - 12:55pm PDT
Room 31

Breakout Session

Grade Level High School, High School Special Education

1:05pm PDT

FSUSD Board Policies for High School Teachers

Monday August 4, 2025 1:05pm - 1:50pm PDT

Room 30

The Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District has numerous board policies that impact teachers and their roles in the educational system, covering areas such as grading, interactions with students, and professional conduct. Teachers must be well-versed in these policies to create a conducive learning environment. Understanding and following these regulations not only ensures compliance but also fosters a structured and productive educational setting that supports student growth and achievement.

Presenters

Melissa Farrar

Director of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment, Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District

Monday August 4, 2025 1:05pm - 1:50pm PDT
Room 30

Breakout Session

Grade Level High School, High School Special Education

10:10am PDT

Grades 6-12 Classroom Tech Essentials for EXPERIENCED Teachers

Tuesday August 5, 2025 10:10am - 11:10am PDT

Room 31

Session Slides

Designed for teachers who already possess a strong foundation in classroom technology, this session presents exciting opportunities to enhance student engagement and foster inquiry-based learning. Discover the power of advanced tools like HyperDocs, Adobe Express, Genially, and AI technology such as ChatGPT, MagicSchool, Snorkl, among others, to facilitate collaboration and encourage critical thinking within your chosen subject area. Get ready to unlock a world of endless possibilities and ignite a passion for learning in your students!

Presenters

Michelle Hays

History and Art Teacher, Matt Garcia Career and College Academy

I’m an educator with a passion for making learning more accessible and engaging for all students. With a Master of Education in Innovative Learning, I’ve focused on how emerging technologies—especially AI—can support teachers in transforming lessons to better meet student... Read More →

Tuesday August 5, 2025 10:10am - 11:10am PDT
Room 31

Breakout Session

Grade Level Middle School, High School

10:10am PDT

Grades 6-12 Classroom Tech Essentials for NEW Teachers

Tuesday August 5, 2025 10:10am - 11:10am PDT

Room 30

Session Slides

This session provides an essential introduction to the digital tools you’ll need to run a smooth secondary classroom. Learn how to launch Google Classroom, manage digital resources through Clever, and explore beginner-friendly tools to support instruction and communication with students and families.

Presenters

Lucero Angel

Teacher, Crystal Middle School

Tuesday August 5, 2025 10:10am - 11:10am PDT
Room 30

Breakout Session

Grade Level Middle School, High School

12:00pm PDT

High School ELA: Navigating Curriculum

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:00pm - 1:30pm PDT

Room 5

Session Slides

Learn how to navigate FSUSD curriculum guides, access resources via Clever, use assessment calendars, and start building your unit and year-long plans.

Presenters

Missy Kalamaras

Teacher, Fairfield High School

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:00pm - 1:30pm PDT
Room 5

Breakout Session

Grade Level High School, High School Special Education

12:00pm PDT

High School Science: Navigating Curriculum

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:00pm - 1:30pm PDT

Room 6

Session Slides

Learn how to navigate FSUSD curriculum guides, access resources via Clever, use assessment calendars, and start building your unit and year-long plans.

Presenters

Tamara Ward

Teacher, Rodriguez High School

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:00pm - 1:30pm PDT
Room 6

Breakout Session

Grade Level High School

12:00pm PDT

High School Social Science: Navigating Curriculum

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:00pm - 1:30pm PDT

Room 7

Session Slides

Learn how to navigate FSUSD curriculum guides, access resources via Clever, use assessment calendars, and start building your unit and year-long plans.

Presenters

Melissa Apostolos

Teacher, Fairfield High School

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:00pm - 1:30pm PDT
Room 7

Breakout Session

Grade Level High School

12:00pm PDT

Middle & High School Math: Navigating Curriculum

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:00pm - 1:30pm PDT

Room 8

Session Slides

Learn how to navigate FSUSD curriculum guides, access resources via Clever, use assessment calendars, and start building your unit and year-long plans.

Presenters

Jenn Roush

Assistant Director of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment, Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District

Jenn Roush is the Assistant Director of Curriculum and Instruction in Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District. Jenn oversees all instructional materials adoptions, school library programs, and curriculum implementation. She loves working with teachers to improve teaching practices... Read More →

Maria Williams

Teacher, Grange Middle School

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:00pm - 1:30pm PDT
Room 8

Breakout Session

Grade Level High School, High School Special Education, Middle School Special Education, Middle School

12:00pm PDT

Secondary PE: Navigating Curriculum

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:00pm - 1:30pm PDT

Room 32

Session Slides

Get familiar with pacing, sample lessons, and the UDL approach in Physical Education. Leave with ready-to-use strategies for planning inclusive, engaging instruction.

Presenters

Daniel Pitayo-Cuevas

Physical Education Teacher, Green Valley Middle School

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:00pm - 1:30pm PDT
Room 32

Breakout Session

Grade Level High School, Middle School

12:00pm PDT

World Languages: Navigating Curriculum

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:00pm - 1:30pm PDT

Gymnasium

Session Slides

Dive into subject-specific topics, curriculum, assessments, and instructional pacing for high school classrooms.

Presenters

David Belt

Teacher, Armijo High School

Tuesday August 5, 2025 12:00pm - 1:30pm PDT
Gymnasium

Breakout Session

Grade Level High School, Middle School

9:15am PDT

Secondary EXPERIENCED Teachers: First Day of School

Wednesday August 6, 2025 9:15am - 10:30am PDT

Library

Session Slides

Deepening first-day engagement through activities like syllabus scavenger hunts and student surveys; establishing agency and routines with Google Forms.

Presenters