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OCCUE Techfest 2026

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Where pedagogy meets technology! 

Date: Saturday, February 7th, 2026

Time: 8:00 am – 3:30 pm

Location: Serrano Intermediate School, Lake Forest, California

What’s included: 

  • Lunch
  • T-shirt
  • Swag
  • Vendor conversations
  • Educator-led breakout sessions: Each session will address a problem of practice, with innovative strategies to improve teaching & learning
  • Keynote by Martin Cisnerso, Adobe Creative Educator

As a CALIE member, use Promo code CALIE26 to receive 50% off registration(You may also share this code with your not-yet CALIE friends! Sharing is caring!) Promo expires Monday, Jan. 26th, 11:59 p.m. 

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Featured Speakers

Featured Speakers

Opening Keynote:
Cultivating Curiosity and Creativity in the Age of AI

Dr. Mitch Resnick

LEGO Papert Professor of Learning Research at the MIT Media Lab, founder of Scratch, author of Lifelong Kindergarten, and innovative leader of Creative Learning
About Dr. Mitch Resnick:

For more than three decades at the MIT Media Lab, Mitch Resnick has designed technologies that invite young people to create with technology rather than just consume it. Scratch, which grew out of his Lifelong Kindergarten research group at MIT, has become one of the world’s largest creative communities for young people, where millions build and share their own stories, games, and animations.

His “Four P’s” of creative learning, projects, passion, peers, and play, give educators a framework for designing experiences that keep curiosity alive well beyond kindergarten. And his argument for the age of AI is simple: as machines take on more of the routine work, creativity becomes the capacity that matters most, for students and for the people who teach them.

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Closing keynote and more featured speakers, coming soon!

San Diego CUE 2025 Powered Learning Fair

October 11th, 2025 9:00 AM-4:00 PM

Liberty Station Conference Center
2600 Laning Road San Diego, CA 92106

Register for this event HERE.

Questions?  Please email us at: info@occue.org

Welcome to the San Diego CUE 2025 Powered Learning Fair! Join us for a day filled with innovative teaching strategies, technology integration, and networking opportunities. This in-person event will take place on Sat, Oct 11, 2025 at the Liberty Station Conference Center. Get ready to be inspired by engaging speakers, interactive workshops, and hands-on demonstrations. Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to enhance your teaching skills and connect with fellow educators. See you there!

Powered Learning Fair Schedule
Sessions will include presentations on topics such as:

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • EdTech
  • Social-Emotional Learning
  • Inclusion Strategies
  • Student Engagement
  • Teacher Efficiency

Pre-conference – Friday October 10th

  • Pre-Conference Lunch Roundtable Lunch – District Leaders (mkolk@sdcue.org)
  • Pre-Conference Dinner Roundtable Dinner – Superintendents (rpompilio@sdcue.org)
  • Adobe FREE Pre-Conference, 9-11 AM and 1-3 PM (mcisneros@adobe.com)

Conference – Saturday, October 11th:

  • 8:00 am – 9:00 am: Refreshments, Registration & Networking (dhinds@sdcue.org)
  • 9:00 AM Welcome and Special Introductions
  • 9:15 – 10:00 am – Opening Keynote with Tish Richmond
  • 10:00 am – 10:45 am Session 1
  • 11:00 am – 11:45 am Session 2
  • 11-12 On-Stage Presentations (15-minute lightning round presentations)
  • 12:00 pm – 12:25 pm Prizes and SDCUE Awards
  • 12:30 pm – Group picture (Main stage)
  • 12:00-1:00 pm Lunch
  • 1-2 pm On-Stage Presentations (15-minute lightning presentations)
  • 1:00 pm – 1:45 pm Session 3
  • 2:00 pm -2:45 pm Session 4
  • 3:00 – 3:45 pm Closing Keynote with Jeff Heil
  • 3:45 – 4:00 pm Prizes and Gift Baskets
  • 4:00 PM Closing and Special Announcements
  • 4:15 pm Hosted After Party at Oggi’s Pizza Patio (across the parking lot)

Thank You to Our Sponsors and Partners:

Aeries, BenQ, Learning Genie, Adobe, Wayground (Quizizz), Magic School, School AI, Snorkl, Curipod, M2 by Swivl, T-Mobile Education, CA Parks PORTS, StarQuiz, Crazy Simple Education, Common Sense Media, AI Parentology, and Point Loma Nazarene School of Education, and the California Student Media Festival.

NOTE: Thanks to our sponsors and partners we are able to offer promotional codes to participating school districts. Email president@sdcue.org to get a promo code for your district so you can carpool to the Liberty Conference Center in San Diego, Oct 11th!

Teaching in the Age of AI: Practical Strategies for the K–12 Classroom

November 19th, 2025 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Registration Cost: $20

Register for this event HERE.

Questions?  Please email us at: info@occue.org

Generative AI is transforming the way we teach, learn, and create. But how do we move beyond the hype and bring real, classroom-ready strategies to our students? Join us for an engaging virtual event designed specifically for K–12 educators. Together, we’ll explore practical ways to integrate generative AI into instruction, streamline planning and assessment, and spark deeper student engagement.

This interactive session will highlight tools, best practices, and classroom examples across grade levels and subject areas. Whether you’re brand new to AI or already experimenting with it, you’ll leave with concrete ideas you can implement right away—while also gaining insights into the ethical and responsible use of AI in schools.

Come ready to learn, collaborate, and imagine what’s possible when educators and students harness the power of AI together.

Featured Events

Featured Events

UDL-Con California at
Spring Forward 2027

CAST and CALIE are partnering to bring the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to the center of innovation in California education. Together, we are excited to launch two new UDL experiences at Spring Forward 2027. In 2027, you can expect:

  • Two dedicated UDL session rooms throughout the conference
  • Sessions led by CAST experts, district leaders, and classroom practitioners
  • Research-based strategies to remove barriers and design for learner variability
  • Practical tools that integrate UDL with instructional innovation and technology
  • A focus on building expert learners—purposeful, resourceful, and motivated

This collaboration brings CAST’s expertise in inclusive learning design into one of California’s largest gatherings of educators, system leaders, and edtech innovators.

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Housing

Travel and Housing Information

Spring Forward 2027 will take place at the Palm Springs Convention Center in Palm Springs, CA, surrounded by stunning desert landscapes! Attendees can explore downtown Palm Springs, just a short walk from the convention center, where they’ll find a mix of dining, shopping, and entertainment options.

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Key Dates

Conference: March 18–20, 2027, Palm Springs Convention Center

Conference rate available: check-in as early as March 14, check-out no later than March 21, 2027 (subject to hotel availability)

Hotel booking cutoff: most blocks close February 15, 2027. Dates vary by hotel, so check the cutoff listed with your hotel in the Conference Hotels table.

Hotel confirmation numbers: sent after your hotel’s cutoff date

Location

Palm Springs Convention Center

277 N Avenida Caballeros, Palm Springs, CA 92262

Conference Hotels

You will receive access to book your hotel room in your conference registration email. Most hotel blocks close February 15, 2027, and cutoff dates vary by hotel, so check the date listed with your hotel below.

Hilton Palm Springs

(0.4 miles from PSCC)
400 East Tahquitz Canyon Way
Palm Springs, CA 92262

Rate: $296.75 – CLOSES 2/18/27

All room rates are subject to 16.95% + $1.14 per night tax

Courtyard by Marriott 

(0.6 Miles from PSCC)
1300 Tahquitz Canyon Way
Palm Springs, CA 92262

Rate: $276 – CLOSES 2/15/27

All room rates are subject to 16.5% + $0.65 per night tax

Renaissance Palm Springs

(connect to the PSCC)
888 E Tahquitz Canyon Way
Palm Springs, CA 92262

Rate: $331 – CLOSES 2/15/27

All room rates are subject to 16.7% per night tax

Hyatt Palm Springs  

(0.6 Miles from PSCC)
285 N Palm Canyon Dr.
Palm Springs, CA 92262

Rate: $351.28 – CLOSES 2/15/27

All room rates are subject to 16.5% + $2.65 per night tax.

Thompson

(1.2 Miles from PSCC)
414 N Palm Canyon Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92262

Rate: $430 plus $25.00 resort fee – CLOSES 2/15/27

All room rates are subject to 16.7% + $4.66 per night tax.

Saguaro Palm Springs 

(2.5 Miles from PSCC)
1800 E Palm Canyon Dr.
Palm Springs, CA 92264

Rate: $371 – CLOSES 3/2/27

All room rates are subject to 16.7% + $3.18 per night tax

Doubletree by Hilton Resort Palm Springs

(5.3 miles from PSCC)
67-967 Vista Chino
Cathedral City, CA 92234

Rate: $335.40 – CLOSES 2/15/27

All room rates are subject to 15% + $2.25 per night tax

Riviera Resort & Spa Palm Springs

(1.7 Miles from PSCC)
1600 North Indian Canyon Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92262

Rate: $339.64 – CLOSES 2/15/27

All room rates are subject to 16.7% $3.34 per night tax.

The Rowan

(.6 miles from PSCC)
100 W Tahquitz Canyon Way
Palm Springs, CA 92262

Rate: $449 – CLOSES 2/15/27

All room rates are subject to 16.7% + $4.93 per night tax.

Homewood Suites

(5.5 Miles from PSCC)
67711 30th Ave
Cathedral City, CA 92234

Rate: $270 – CLOSES 2/15/27

All room rates are subject to 15.2% per night tax.

Housing FAQs

Payment

When will I be charged for my reservation?

A credit card is required to confirm your reservation. The full balance is charged by the hotel at check-out.

Can I pay by check?

Yes. You can send a check for one night’s deposit or for full payment. Make it payable to Orchid Events and mail it to:

Orchid Events – Spring Forward 2027 Housing

6905 S 1300 E #220

Cottonwood Heights, UT 84047

Checks must be received no later than January 28, 2027. Orchid does not verify that your check covers all hotel charges; that is the responsibility of the attendee and their school or district. If the check doesn’t cover the full amount, you’ll pay the remaining balance at the hotel.

How do I change the card on file?

Before your hotel’s cutoff date, contact Orchid Events at help@orchid.events or 888-287-7454. After cutoff, work directly with your hotel. If you won’t be traveling with the card you booked with, ask your hotel for a credit card authorization form at least two weeks before you arrive.

Will the hotel need a card at check-in?

Yes. Most hotels ask for a card or cash deposit for incidentals at check-in, even when your district is paying for the room.

Changes and cancellations

How do I change my reservation?

Before your hotel’s cutoff date, contact Orchid at help@orchid.events or 888-287-7454, or use the link in your Orchid confirmation email. After cutoff, your reservation moves to the hotel, so contact the hotel directly. There is no fee to make changes to your reservation, such as name changes or date adjustments.

How do I cancel my reservation?

Before your hotel’s cutoff date, cancel through Orchid at help@orchid.events or 888-287-7454. After cutoff, contact the hotel directly. Cancellation fees are billed to the credit card on file at the time you cancel:

  • Through January 28, 2027: $100 cancellation fee
  • On or after January 29, 2027: one night’s room and tax

If you don’t arrive on your scheduled arrival date, the hotel will charge a no-show fee of one night’s room and tax and cancel your reservation. If you check out before your scheduled departure date, the hotel may charge an early departure fee, which varies by hotel.

If I cancel my conference registration, does my hotel cancel too?

No. Your registration and hotel reservation are separate, so you’ll need to cancel each one. Registration cancellations follow CALIE’s conference policy.

Getting there and getting around

Which airport should I fly into?

Palm Springs International (PSP) is the closest, about 2 miles from the convention center and under 10 minutes by car. Airports with more flight options are farther out: Ontario (ONT) is about 75 miles, John Wayne in Orange County (SNA) about 90 miles, and Los Angeles (LAX) about 110 miles, each roughly a 1.5 to 2.5 hour drive depending on traffic.

How do I get from the airport to my hotel?

From PSP you can take a rideshare (Uber and Lyft pick up at the south end of the terminal), a taxi (some offer a flat $25 fare from the airport), or a rental car (Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, National, and others are on site). A few conference hotels run airport shuttles, including the DoubleTree, Renaissance, and the Rowan, so check with your hotel when you book.

Is there parking at the convention center, and what does it cost?

Yes. The convention center has on-site lots at the Caballeros and Andreas entrances for about $10 per day plus a small fee, paid by card or mobile pay (no cash). You can re-enter the same day on one payment, but overnight parking isn’t allowed, so if you’re driving and staying over, check your hotel’s own parking.

Do I need a car once I’m there?

Probably not if you’re at one of the closer conference hotels. Downtown Palm Springs is walkable and most block hotels are a short distance from the convention center (see the Conference Hotels table). Rideshare is easy to get, and SunLine runs local buses. A car is more useful if you’re staying farther out, such as the DoubleTree or Homewood Suites in Cathedral City, or if you plan to explore the valley.

Booking your room

Which hotels are in the block, and what are the rates?

See the Conference Hotels table on this page for every CALIE-block hotel, its nightly rate, distance to the Palm Springs Convention Center, address, and booking cutoff date.

How do I book, and do I need to be registered first?

Yes, register for Spring Forward first. Your registration confirmation email includes the housing link, and all conference hotel reservations are made through that link with Orchid Events, our official housing partner.

When do I need to book by?

Most hotel blocks close February 15, 2027, but cutoff dates vary by hotel, so check the date listed with your hotel in the Conference Hotels table.

Who should I contact about changes to my reservation?

Before your hotel’s cutoff date, contact Orchid Events at help@orchid.events or 888-287-7454. After cutoff, your reservation transfers to the hotel, so contact the hotel directly. Hotels are still processing reservations during the first week after cutoff, so there may be a short delay before the hotel can help with your reservation.

Can I arrive before or stay after the conference?

Yes. The conference rate is available for check-in as early as March 14 and check-out no later than March 21, 2027, subject to hotel availability. Add the extra nights when you book.

The hotel I want shows no rooms. What can I do?

If a hotel still has some nights available, sold-out nights may be waitlisted. A hotel that is sold out entirely will not have a waitlist, so please book another hotel in the CALIE block.

Can I choose my room type?

Room types are subject to each hotel’s policy. You can note a request when you book, but requests are not guaranteed.

I need an accessible room.

Book early and tell Orchid about your needs when you reserve, or contact Orchid directly at help@orchid.events or 888-287-7454.

Where can I find my confirmation number?

Orchid sends a confirmation of your reservation details via email. If you don’t see it, check your spam folder, then contact Orchid at help@orchid.events or 888-287-7454.
Hotel confirmation numbers are sent after your hotel’s cutoff date, once the hotels have had a chance to process reservations.

I’m booking rooms for a district team.

If you’re booking 2 or more rooms, contact Orchid at help@orchid.events or 888-287-7454 for support.

Someone contacted me offering a discounted room. Is that legitimate?

No. Orchid Events is CALIE’s only official housing partner, and the conference rate is available only through the housing link in your registration email. Companies not affiliated with CALIE sometimes call or email attendees offering discounted hotel rooms or claiming to handle conference housing. These offers don’t come from CALIE, and they usually aim to collect a payment, login credentials, or other personal information. Don’t share your card or personal details. If you’re unsure whether a message is legitimate, contact Orchid at help@orchid.events or email info@joincalie.org.

Still have questions?

For hotel and booking questions, please contact Orchid Events.

Telephone: Toll-free (US): 888-287-7454 / International: +1-801-505-5268

Agents available 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time, Monday through Friday,

Email: help@orchid.events

For conference questions, email info@joincalie.org.

Register Now