Interested in making a positive impact on student health and academic success in New Mexico?
You are invited to share your expertise at Head to Toe: a conference for people working to improve student health and academic success.
WHEN: November 3, 4, and 5, 2026
WHERE: Albuquerque Convention Center
Join a community of dedicated professionals committed to advancing excellence in k - 12 school health. In alignment with this year’s theme, Mapping the Way, Using Whole Child Health as our Compass, we invite you to present innovative ideas, strategies, and practices that support the well-being of the whole child. Submit your proposal and help lead the way forward.
CLICK HERE TO SESSION SUBMISSION FORM
Mapping the Way: Using Whole Child Health as Our Compass
In today’s complex educational and health environments, supporting children requires more than shared values or conceptual frameworks. It calls for a coordinated, whole child approach that guides daily practice, strengthens collaboration, informs systems-level decision-making, and drives meaningful, hands-on action within schools.
This year’s conference will focus on how whole child health—encompassing physical, mental, emotional, social, and environmental well-being—can serve as a practical compass, helping professionals translate vision into action and create measurable impact for students and families.
The Head to Toe Conference attracts over 600 school health professionals from across New Mexico and beyond. Attendees include school counselors, social workers, school nurses, school administrators, school-based health center staff, advisory team members, and other professionals dedicated to improving student health and academic success. Sessions should be designed for a multidisciplinary, practice-oriented audience working directly in school and school-connected settings.
We are seeking sessions that include practical, hands-on solutions as well as timely, researched-based presentations.
The 2026 Head to Toe Conference prioritizes presentations that bridge knowledge and implementation. All proposals must demonstrate direct relevance to school-based practice and clearly describe how content can be applied within the school setting.
Presenters are encouraged to address:
- What this work looks like in real school environments
- How strategies are implemented, adapted, and sustained
- Lessons learned, challenges encountered, and solutions developed
- How attendees can apply or adapt the approach in their own schools or communities
CLICK HERE TO SESSION SUBMISSION FORM
This year's submissions are completed through JotForm. If you need assistance or additional information, please email us at events@constellationnm.com
We welcome proposals that:
- Share actionable strategies, tools, or interventions supporting whole child health
- Highlight school-based or school-connected programs with demonstrated impact
- Demonstrate cross-disciplinary collaboration among education and health partners
- Address equity, access, and inclusion through practical, student-centered approaches
- Present case studies or lived-experience examples grounded in school or community settings
- Explore how policy and systems alignment support effective implementation at the school level
Presentations may be submitted as workshops, panels, lectures, interactive sessions, or poster presentations. Interactive and skill-building formats are strongly encouraged.
Whether you are implementing innovative practices in schools, strengthening collaborative systems, or translating research into action, your experience can help others map clear, achievable paths forward. Join us in shaping a shared compass—one that keeps the whole child at the center of everyday school practice.
Submission Deadline: April 3, 2026
Conference Dates: November 3 - 5, 2026
Conference Location: Albuquerque Convention Center
When developing your session, it is essential to engage the audience. These sessions are intended to be workshops, not lectures, and therefore must be interactive either through specific activities or other forms of audience engagement (e.g., group discussion/open discussion).
You can submit multiple applications.
Only complete session proposals will be considered.
1. Contact Information
Provide an email address you check often, as this will be the primary method of communication. Be prepared to provide contact information for any co-presenters as well.
2. Session Summary
Describe the content of your presentation and the types of learning activities in which participants will be engaged. Include tools, ideas, or strategies participants will take away to help them in their work, opportunities for interaction and reflection, and hands-on activities. This is for the review committee to clearly understand and review your session, so be comprehensive.
3. Session Title & Description
If your proposal is selected, this description will be included in marketing materials. Your description should be appealing while simultaneously giving readers a clear understanding of your presentation's focus. This description may be edited for style and consistency.
4. Biography
We request a brief description of presenter's background as it relates to the topic being presented.
5. CV/Resume
You will be expected to upload a resume or CV. We are required to have this on file to offer continuing education credits.
6. Session Objectives
We need three (3) learning objectives stated in measurable, operational and behavioral terms that clearly define the expected learner outcomes. Each outline should show the associated content presented to achieve the objective and teaching strategies utilized. NOTE: Attendees will evaluate your session on whether you have achieved these objectives, therefore it is important your objectives accurately reflect the session you provide.
7. Knowledge Checks
Please include five (5) true/false questions that can used to assess participant learning. (These are required for certain CEUs). The questions should be simple and straight forward; no trick questions.
8. Logistical Information
We ask questions about the appropriate audience for your presentation and if you have any special logistical needs. You will have the opportunity to update this information as the conference draws closer.
Session proposals will be selected based on their relevance to the field and target audience, engaging format, interactive design, and originality. Final selection decisions will be made by the conference planning committee and sent to the Primary Contact Person via email. Preference may be given to those who are providing actionable resources and real-time tools for school health professionals.
Reimbursements and Honorariums
Honorarium Policy: Session speakers are asked to serve on a voluntary basis. Speakers whose proposals are accepted will receive free conference registration.
Travel:
We are pleased to cover travel and lodging expenses for speakers traveling more than 60 miles one way to the Head To Toe Conference.
Air Travel
Air travel is covered at the economy rate, and must be booked least 3 weeks in advance. Baggage fees are covered, but seat upgrades are not included.
Driving
Mileage reimbursement is available at the current federal rate for trips over 60 miles (one way), not to exceed the equivalent cost of an economy airfare. Mileage may be submitted at the closing of the conference via the Reimbursement Request Form.
Lodging
We are pleased to cover one night of lodging for each day you are presenting. However, if your travel requirements mean you need an extra night of lodging, please contact us so we can review and coordinate with you. If you’d like to extend your stay beyond what is covered, you’re welcome to do so — simply let the hotel know when booking, and you can cover the additional nights at your own expense.
Meals and Expenses
Constellation Constellation offers reimbursement for Meals & Incidental Expenses (ME&I) based on current U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) rates for Albuquerque, NM. No receipts are required for these rates.
Please note: If your expenses exceed these rates or you wish to submit for reimbursement based on your home city and county rates, receipts will be required.
If you have any questions or need assistance with travel or accommodations, please contact us at events@constellationnm.com.
Room Setup: Audience size is anticipated to range from 20 to 150 participants per session, depending on attendee interest. Caps on sessions will be considered, but may impact acceptance status. Rooms will be set either classroom style or rounds. If you have a preference or special floor plan request, please include this in your application.
Audio Visual Equipment: The following equipment will be provided:
- Screen
- Projector
- Handheld microphone
- Laptop (These will NOT be Macs; if you must do your presentation on a Mac, be prepared with the appropriate cables (dongles).
As a presenter, you agree to uphold certain sensitivities and social consciousness to topics such as gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religion, politics, socio-economics and other issues that may be construed as offensive, divisive or polarizing. Sessions that address these social and cultural issues as they relate to service coordination and housing should be done respectfully and without personal agenda.