Back-to-School Summit
Elevate How You Teach, Assess & Inspire This Year
Ready to make this year your most impactful yet?
Join teachers, coaches, and district leaders from across North America for five expert-led sessions packed with practical strategies you can use right away — no fluff, no filler.
Whether you're brand new to SpacesEDU or looking to go deeper, this summit will help you:
✔ Build digital portfolios that actually prepare students for the future
✔ Make feedback and assessment more meaningful and manageable
✔ Empower even your youngest learners to take ownership of their learning
Our Presenters
Kristen Bledsoe
Director of Teaching & Learning at Carter County Schools
Kristen Bledsoe is the Director of Teaching and Learning (Secondary Instruction) for Carter County Schools, where she focuses on innovating student skill development. A 17-year veteran educator, she previously served as a high school ELA teacher, assistant principal, and principal. Kristen, who is currently pursuing her doctorate, enjoys true crime, reading, and traveling with her husband, Chris, and their children, Caitlyn and Ethan.
Élaine Lucas
Coordinator, K–12, Conscious Entrepreneurial Pedagogy at Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l'Est ontarien (CSDCEO)
Élaine Lucas is a leader in conscious entrepreneurial pedagogy, known for her workshops, conference contributions, and articles in Tradition d’excellence and École branchée. As a passionate educator, she welcomed local and international colleagues into her inquiry-based learning lab and helped develop classroom resources. Now Coordinator of Conscious Entrepreneurial Pedagogy at the CSDCEO, Élaine supports its implementation across schools. Her work is grounded in a deep belief in students’ potential and their capacity to lead, learn, and be heard.
Jeffrey Huffman
Mathematics Teacher at Carter County Schools
Jeffrey Huffman is a 38-year educator at Carter County Schools. He began his career teaching middle and high school mathematics before becoming a school counselor at West Carter High School. After retiring in 2017, he returned to West Carter to teach high school math and a new "Teaching and Learning" course. Huffman also coaches the high school cheerleading team, sponsors the Educators Rising group, and organizes local pageants. He enjoys spending time with his dog, Gypsy Rose.
Tatiana Ng
Education Services Manager at SpacesEDU
Tatiana is an Education Services Manager at SpacesEDU who supports educators – you may recognize her from your training sessions or as the voice behind our learning modules! Bilingual in English and French, she enjoys creating practical, customized training resources, streamlining workflows, and offering friendly, dependable support to teachers and teams in both languages.
Lisa Stephens
Partner Success Specialist at SpacesEDU
Lisa, Partner Success Specialist at SpacesEDU, specializes in onboarding independent schools and school districts, leading comprehensive training sessions, and developing custom resources to enhance customer success. She provides innovative solutions and actively contributes to platform improvements based on customer feedback.
Alex Bonnin
Partner Success Specialist at SpacesEDU
Alexandre Bonnin is a trilingual communication specialist with a background in journalism, education, and digital media. From France to New Zealand to Canada, he has taught, published newsletters and a book, and supported clients in three languages. Now at SpacesEDU, he connects French-speaking schools and districts across Canada to a platform that’s reshaping how learning is shared. His work is driven by a deep belief that communication can connect, empower, and inspire.
Samaer Gill
Partner Success Specialist at SpacesEDU
Samaer is an experienced educator and currently a Partner Success Specialist with SpacesEDU. Samaer leverages his background as an educator with the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board, along with experience in training and development, to excel at relationship building and strategic planning. As a Partner Success Specialist, Samaer specializes in onboarding school districts, supporting district goals and objectives, and enhancing customer success.
Schedule at a Glance
Launching Your First Class with SpacesEDU
Presenter: Tatiana Ng, SpacesEDU
Getting started with a new platform can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re juggling planning, communication, and documentation. This session is your shortcut. Whether you’re brand new to SpacesEDU or just need a refresher, we’ll walk you through how to confidently launch your first class. You’ll learn how to set up your learning environment, invite students and families, and start capturing meaningful learning moments right away. No guessing. No wasted time. Just a solid foundation for a more connected, personalized classroom.
Watch the RecordingPresenter: Tatiana Ng, SpacesEDU
Getting started with a new platform can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re juggling planning, communication, and documentation. This session is your shortcut. Whether you’re brand new to SpacesEDU or just need a refresher, we’ll walk you through how to confidently launch your first class. You’ll learn how to set up your learning environment, invite students and families, and start capturing meaningful learning moments right away. No guessing. No wasted time. Just a solid foundation for a more connected, personalized classroom.
Engaging Primary Learners with Confidence (Session in English)
Presenter: Élaine Lucas, Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l'Est ontarien (CSDCEO) and Alex Bonnin, SpacesEDU
Younger learners are capable of more than we often think, especially when they’re given the right tools and support. In this session, you’ll hear how educators from CSDCEO are empowering even Kindergarten students to take ownership of their learning. Learn how to streamline documentation, boost family engagement, and build learner independence from the very beginning. If you’ve ever wondered how to make digital portfolios work in early years, this is your roadmap.
Watch the RecordingPresenter: Élaine Lucas, Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l'Est ontarien (CSDCEO) and Alex Bonnin, SpacesEDU
Younger learners are capable of more than we often think, especially when they’re given the right tools and support. In this session, you’ll hear how educators from CSDCEO are empowering even Kindergarten students to take ownership of their learning. Learn how to streamline documentation, boost family engagement, and build learner independence from the very beginning. If you’ve ever wondered how to make digital portfolios work in early years, this is your roadmap.
Bringing Your Portrait of a Graduate to Life
Presenters: Kristen Bledsoe, Carter County Schools, Jeffrey Huffman, Carter County Schools, and Samaer Gill, SpacesEDU
You’ve defined your Portrait of a Graduate. But now what? In this session, we’ll show how Carter County Schools made their Portrait a living part of the learning experience — not just a poster on the wall. You’ll discover how portfolios and reflection-based practices can deepen student agency, strengthen teacher engagement, and connect learning to real-world readiness. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to reinvigorate your district’s vision, this session offers strategies that travel.
Watch the RecordingPresenters: Kristen Bledsoe, Carter County Schools, Jeffrey Huffman, Carter County Schools, and Samaer Gill, SpacesEDU
You’ve defined your Portrait of a Graduate. But now what? In this session, we’ll show how Carter County Schools made their Portrait a living part of the learning experience — not just a poster on the wall. You’ll discover how portfolios and reflection-based practices can deepen student agency, strengthen teacher engagement, and connect learning to real-world readiness. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to reinvigorate your district’s vision, this session offers strategies that travel.
Backwards Design Made Easy
Presenter: Tatiana Ng, SpacesEDU
Too often, assessment feels like a final judgment rather than a tool for learning. In this session, we’ll reframe assessment as a process that drives growth, not just grades. You’ll explore how backwards planning and better feedback loops can make assessment more intentional and student-centered, plus how SpacesEDU’s tools help you align goals with artifacts, promote reflection, and support meaningful learning from start to finish.
Watch the RecordingPresenter: Tatiana Ng, SpacesEDU
Too often, assessment feels like a final judgment rather than a tool for learning. In this session, we’ll reframe assessment as a process that drives growth, not just grades. You’ll explore how backwards planning and better feedback loops can make assessment more intentional and student-centered, plus how SpacesEDU’s tools help you align goals with artifacts, promote reflection, and support meaningful learning from start to finish.
Portfolios That Power Future Readiness
Presenter: Lisa Stephens, SpacesEDU
Today’s students need more than academic achievement — they need to communicate, reflect, self-assess, and adapt. In this session, we’ll explore how digital portfolios help students build these future-ready skills while creating a body of evidence they’re proud to share. You’ll see how portfolios support everything from classroom learning to skills-based hiring, and how they help students connect what they’re doing now to what comes next.
Watch the RecordingPresenter: Lisa Stephens, SpacesEDU
Today’s students need more than academic achievement — they need to communicate, reflect, self-assess, and adapt. In this session, we’ll explore how digital portfolios help students build these future-ready skills while creating a body of evidence they’re proud to share. You’ll see how portfolios support everything from classroom learning to skills-based hiring, and how they help students connect what they’re doing now to what comes next.
