Assessments
| Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Training (KRA) |  |
| The Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) is a developmentally appropriate assessment tool designed to measure the readiness of incoming kindergarteners across four domains: Language and Literacy, Mathematics, Social Foundations and Physical Well-Being and Motor Development. It is a research-based, valid and reliable assessment. The goal of the assessment is to provide the teachers with relevant data to help them differentiate instruction and address learning gaps. | |
| Functional Behavior Assessment: Introduction & Going Deeper | |
| Students who exhibit consistent minor problem behaviors (10-15% of the school population) benefit from basic and less intrusive Functional Behavior Assessment procedures that may be conducted by someone other than an individual well-versed in behavioral principles. Practical FBA presents and applies the FBA technology for use by school personnel in a proactive manner. | |
| Writing Three-Dimensional Assessments in Science | |
| Participants in this two-day series will examine assessment items that are Michigan Science Standard aligned, and will learn how to write assessments that are aligned the 3-dimensional vision of the Michigan Science Standards. | |
| Getting to Know the PSAT/SAT | |
| As of Spring 2018, the PSAT will replace the M-STEP spring assessment in Math and ELA for Michigan's 8th grade students. Come to this one-day session to learn about the aim, structure, and focus of the PSAT to guide your instruction throughout this school year. | |
Behavioral Support and School Climate
| CHAMPS K-12 | |
| CHAMPS is a positive and proactive classroom management approach that provides teachers with tools to clearly structure each part of their day. Participants will learn how to define clear expectations for students and teach those at for each new routine. They are also provided tools to address motivation issues and chronic misbehavior. | |
| Coaching Classroom Management | |
| This workshop is designed to help those who support or lead teachers close the gap between the ideal of research-based practices and the actual implementation of positive classroom management. Administrators will learn guidelines for setting expectations and assisting teachers in meeting them and consultants will learn how they can use the skills they already have to assist teachers in a non-evaluative context. | |
| Functional Behavior Assessment: Introduction & Going Deeper | |
| Students who exhibit consistent minor problem behaviors (10-15% of the school population) benefit from basic and less intrusive Functional Behavior Assessment procedures that may be conducted by someone other than an individual well-versed in behavioral principles. Practical FBA presents and applies the FBA technology for use by school personnel in a proactive manner. Practical FBA is specifically designed for use with students that exhibit chronic problems that are not dangerous and have not be | |
| Mindfulness In The Classroom | |
| Toxic stress is something that many students face on a daily basis. The effects of this stress on their behavior and learning can be profound. Mindfulness is a practice that has been used in classrooms across the world to allow students to learn the skill of managing stress, calming their thoughts, and focusing their brains. This workshop is designed to give participants an introduction to mindfulness and how it can be used in the classroom. | |
| PBIS & SEL: Aligning Initiatives | |
| What would it look like to have a unified approach to schoolwide support that creates clear expectations for all students and teaches students Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) skills? This workshop focuses on taking the systematic approaches of Positive Behavior Supports and integrating SEL elements. Participants will understand how to structure schoolwide supports that involve SEL skills such as self-awareness, self management, and responsible decision making as well as others. | |
| Restorative Classrooms | |
| Traditional approaches to discipline may outdated or ineffective. Restorative Practices seeks to support teachers in finding new ways that to approach student behavior. All participants will learn to understand Basic Restorative Practices as well as Restorative Justice philosophy. In addition, they will learn to facilitate community building and classroom circles, and engage in informal restorative conversation with students. Designed for teachers and administrators alike, the facilitators will | |
| SEL in the Classroom | |
| Social and emotional learning (SEL) is an initiative that helps support a well-rounded education that teaches to the whole child. Teachers are working to help develop student skills such as self-awareness, self-management, and decision making. This workshop will help participants understand what it means to create classrooms and schools that focus on the development of the whole child using evidence-based programs and supportive environments. Participants will understand that incorporating SEL s | |
| The Behavior Code | |
| This two-day series will provide the conceptual background for breaking the behavior code. Participants will leave with a systematic approach for deciphering causes and patterns of 4 types of difficult student challenges: Anxiety-Related; Oppositional, Withdrawn and Sexualized behavior. Participants will be able to match them with proven strategies that get students back on track. | |
| Trauma Informed Classrooms | |
| In our classrooms today, we have a unprecedented challenge in working with the impacts of trauma. This workshop is designed to not only address the question of How does trauma impact the brain, but also help educators understand What Now? Participants will understand what the characteristics of a Trauma Informed School are and how they can effectively bring practices into the classroom. The workshop will assist participants to self-reflection and stress management to allow them to respond to beh | |
Educational Technology
| Desmos: Increasing Student Engagement in Secondary Math | |
| You may have heard of Desmos, the free, online graphing calculator. You may not have heard about Desmos Activities and Lessons. Teachers can use Desmos to help students connect mathematical concepts to concrete, real-world contexts and visuals to help develop powerful mathematical concepts and to build procedural skills from these concepts. Come to this one-day series to build your own teacher account and learn how to find, select, and plan for Desmos Activities and Lessons. | |
| Illuminate DnA Introductory Training Series | |
| KRESA will be hosting a series of introductory trainings for Illuminate DnA. These trainings will allow staff to: create and import assessments for pre/post use in Illuminate, & develop plans in line with district data needs to support all content areas. **Please note: There are multiple sessions available. Sessions are sorted by date. You may register for multiple trainings** Prerequisites: Please have an overview of Illuminate DnA platform when attending sessions other than Lead Teacher | |
English Language Arts
| Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Training (KRA) | |
| The Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) is a developmentally appropriate assessment tool designed to measure the readiness of incoming kindergarteners across four domains: Language and Literacy, Mathematics, Social Foundations and Physical Well-Being and Motor Development. It is a research-based, valid and reliable assessment. The goal of the assessment is to provide the teachers with relevant data to help them differentiate instruction and address learning gaps. | |
| Empowering Educators to Implement Evidence-Based Reading Strategies (K-1) | |
| Learning to read is a complex and multifaceted process. This interactive session will break down the critical components of the reading process into instructional moves and provide time to connect the learning to your literacy block. Educators will review the key elements of explicit. systematic instruction and understand how to maximize their instructional minutes to create a classroom of readers. | |
| Enhancing Your Writing Curriculum with Evidence-Based Strategies Grades 2-5 | |
| The purpose of this interactive workshop is for educators to implement instructional routines and strategies aligned with scientific evidence to successfully impact student writing achievement within the foundational writing skills. Teachers will be actively engaged in lesson planning using the writing process to get students to write about what they have read. | |
| Enhancing Your Writing Curriculum with Evidence-Based Strategies Grades K-1 | |
| The purpose of this interactive workshop is for educators to implement instructional routines and strategies aligned with scientific evidence to successfully impact student writing achievement within the foundational writing skills. Teachers will be actively engaged in lesson planning using the writing process to get students to write about what they have read. | |
| Explicit Instruction in the Classroom | |
| The purpose of this workshop is to engage in learning around explicit instruction cemented in evidence-based research. With the goal of promoting achievement for all students, participants will explore the tools to implement explicit instruction in any grade level or content area. This workshop will identify the guidelines for identifying key concepts, skills, and routines to teach; designing and delivering effective lessons; and giving students opportunities to practice and master new material. | |
| Involving Teachers in the Walkthrough Process | |
| The purpose of this interactive workshop is to establish a school-wide process for embedding walkthroughs into the school culture to improve professional practices. The workshop will support the learners' understanding of teacher leadership in classroom walkthroughs , creating a culture that encourages walkthroughs, detailed components of walkthroughs, and strategies for getting teachers involved. Participants will create an implementation plan for embedding the walkthrough process for continuou | |
| Literacy Action Network | |
| The Literacy Action Network will support the implementation of county-wide process reviews. This network will lead the work around creating Implementation Rubrics to establish look-fors and creating implementation plans for the School-Wide Practices collaboratively with district leadership to impact student achievement across the county. | |
| Secondary Content Area Reading & Writing Strategies | |
| This professional learning opportunity will focus on strengthening the participants literacy knowledge. Participants will dig into the research, recommendations, and best practice strategies for providing content area reading instruction. | |
| Strengthening Reading Instruction with the Essential Instructional Practices Grades 2-3 | |
| This professional learning opportunity invites participants to dig into the ten Essential Literacy Practices as they consider the research behind student motivation and engagement and small group instruction. In addition, participants will learn explicit instructional routines to support the implementation of the essential practices needed to impact student outcomes. | |
| Strengthening Reading Instruction with the Essential Instructional Practices Grades 4-5 | |
| This professional learning opportunity invites participants to dig into the ten Essential Literacy Practices as they consider the research behind student motivation and engagement and small group instruction. In addition, participants will learn explicit instructional routines to support the implementation of the essential practices needed to impact student outcomes. | |
| Utilizing Strategies to Support Comprehension Grades 2-5 | |
| This professional learning opportunity will allow participants to unpack the CCSS to determine which transferable strategies should be explicitly taught to enhance comprehension. Participants will also connect their learning to the Essential Practices that emphasize comprehension and complex texts. Participants will leave with tools such as anchor charts, bookmarks, and graphic organizers for practical use in the classroom. | |
Instructional Strategies
| PBL 101 | |
| PBL 101 is Buck Institute of Education’s foundational workshop based on their model of Gold Standard PBL. Participants will come away with the knowledge and skills needed to design, assess, and manage a rigorous, standards-based project. The workshop models the project process. Facilitated by one of BIE’s expert National Faculty, PBL 101 is a balanced blend of direct instruction, video analysis, hands-on work, resource sharing, and peer collaboration and feedback. | |
| Maximize Impact Through Instructional Coaching | |
| Calling all coaches! Unite for a new perspective on coaching led by the Kalamazoo RESA coaching staff, Deborah Boersma (Literacy) and Mary Burke (Science). Participants will build their capacity and maximize their impact by developing a structure for their coaching process. They will have the opportunity to create an instructional staircase to drive the coaching process. | |
| Productive Talk-A Key to Engagement in the Classroom | |
| Talking is integral to human learning. How can we routinely support students in “sense-making” talk to help them work through their understanding. In this professional development course teachers in all content areas will develop a plan for creating a culture of productive talk in their classroom. They will learn about the four goals surrounding productive talk and plan for how they will facilitate productive talk and how to engage students in productive talk. | |
Leadership
| Developing a “Growth Mindset” Culture with Instructional Best Practices | |
| This 3 part series will center around the principal's role in the development of building systems to identify and support instructional best practices, instill a growth mindset with your staff, and embrace a collective philosophy of continuous improvement. | |
| Greater Kalamazoo Alternative & Innovative Programs Network | |
| We invite you to join a cross-county network of administrators from Kalamazoo and surrounding counties to participate in networking, engage in relevant professional learning, and gain insight and awareness of other programming and resources available to you. This FREE participant-directed professional development opportunity includes area administrators of innovative and alternative programs, and all are welcome to attend! | |
| Guided School Improvement: Practical Planning for Effective Implementation | |
| This three-part series will provide participants the opportunity to develop and review strategies, tools and resources to enhance their school improvement processes. Sessions will provide updates on federal and state guidance and requirements; and engage school teams in data analysis, research investigation and collaborative action planning to support the continuous improvement process (These are 1/2 day sessions). | |
| Involving Teachers in the Walkthrough Process | |
| The purpose of this interactive workshop is to establish a school-wide process for embedding walkthroughs into the school culture to improve professional practices. The workshop will support the learners' understanding of teacher leadership in classroom walkthroughs , creating a culture that encourages walkthroughs, detailed components of walkthroughs, and strategies for getting teachers involved. Participants will create an implementation plan for embedding the walkthrough process for continuou | |
| Literacy Action Network | |
| The Literacy Action Network will support the implementation of county-wide process reviews. This network will lead the work around creating Implementation Rubrics to establish look-fors and creating implementation plans for the School-Wide Practices collaboratively with district leadership to impact student achievement across the county. | |
| Maximizing Student Engagement by Embracing Data-Based Culture | |
| We looked at our data... now what? This session will include support around one of the foundational elements of a Multi- Tiered System of Support: effective data meetings. Learn how to increase student engagement and the effectiveness of interventions and support structures through the use of data dialogues and data protocols, triangulation of data to complete the picture, and the development of processes and systems that create and sustain student engagement, momentum, and (ultimately!) student | |
| Principals of Southwest Michigan | |
| We invite you to connect with over 40 elementary and middle school principals in the KRESA area as we create a network that will enhance the experience our students and teachers receive in our region’s schools. | |
| Providing Instructional Leadership in Science Education | |
| The MSS call for a change in instruction for Science educators. In this workshop administrators analyze 3-Dimensional Science instruction and identify what strategies need to be built into their Science programs to support student growth. Through the use of video administrators will look at best practice instruction and utilize tools to provide feedback around 3-Dimensional Science instruction. | |
| The Administrators' Role In Science Education I | |
| Administrators attending this workshop will take away an understanding of the NGSS 3-Dimensional Design and how it is connected to the Michigan Science Standards, as well as process a plan for assisting and supporting their educators as they implement this new vision for Science education through their actions, policies and resources. | |
| You Landed the Job.. Now What? | |
| You landed the job... but what now? This 3 part series will outline important steps and actions that a first year administrator should consider when building the foundation for a positive school culture, sound instructional leadership, a data-based culture and strong relationships with stakeholders. | |
Mathematics
| Desmos: Increasing Student Engagement & Understanding in Secondary Mathematics with Technology | |
| You may have heard of Desmos, the free, online graphing calculator. You may not have heard about Desmos Activities and Lessons. Teachers can use Desmos to help students connect mathematical concepts to concrete, real-world contexts and visuals to help develop powerful mathematical concepts and to build procedural skills from these concepts. Come to this one-day series to build your own teacher account and learn how to find, select, and plan for Desmos Activities and Lessons to help bring your se | |
| Eureka Math - New User Training | |
| This two-day session focuses on supporting new users of the Eureka Math program. Day one will include on a general overview of the curricular materials and a guided walkthrough of a module. Day two focuses on solving Application Problems and develop a better understanding of Fluency Practice. You will extensively practice solving application problems with math drawings and tape diagrams completing problems specific to each grade level. Fluency practice is an energetic, substantial, and sustained | |
| Getting to Know the PSAT/SAT | |
| As of Spring 2018, the PSAT will replace the M-STEP spring assessment in Math and ELA for Michigan's 8th grade students. Come to this one-day session to learn about the aim, structure, and focus of the PSAT to guide your instruction throughout this school year. | |
| How to Engage Students in Solving Word Problems | |
| Do your students struggle with word problems? We will discuss a routine for supporting ALL students access to mathematics by supporting students' reading and problem solving strategies. We will analyze the types of tasks that are most useful for engaging students in mathematical thinking as well as where to find high-quality tasks. You will experience the routine as a student, analyze the routine components, and plan for implementation of the routine with your content focus. In the second sessio | |
| Mathematical Routines to Cultivate Engagement & Understanding | |
| Do your secondary students struggle with mental math? Are you wondering how to engage ALL students in mathematical discourse? This series will focus on the use of the Contemplate Then Calculate mathematical routine to increase student engagement, develop student's understanding of mathematical structure, and establish a community of powerful doers of mathematics.We will explore how this particular routine can be adapted to meet the learning needs of your students as well as how to engage ALL stu | |
School Improvement
| Developing a “Growth Mindset” Culture with Instructional Best Practices | |
| This 3 part series will center around the principal's role in the development of building systems to identify and support instructional best practices, instill a growth mindset with your staff, and embrace a collective philosophy of continuous improvement. | |
| Greater Kalamazoo Alternative & Innovative Programs Network | |
| We invite you to join a cross-county network of administrators from Kalamazoo and surrounding counties to participate in networking, engage in relevant professional learning, and gain insight and awareness of other programming and resources available to you. This FREE participant-directed professional development opportunity includes area administrators of innovative and alternative programs, and all are welcome to attend! | |
| Guided School Improvement: Practical Planning for Effective Implementation | |
| This three-part series will provide participants the opportunity to develop and review strategies, tools and resources to enhance their school improvement processes. Sessions will provide updates on federal and state guidance and requirements; and engage school teams in data analysis, research investigation and collaborative action planning to support the continuous improvement process (These are 1/2 day sessions). | |
| Maximizing Student Engagement by Embracing Data-Based Culture | |
| We looked at our data... now what? This session will include support around one of the foundational elements of a Multi- Tiered System of Support: effective data meetings. Learn how to increase student engagement and the effectiveness of interventions and support structures through the use of data dialogues and data protocols, triangulation of data to complete the picture, and the development of processes and systems that create and sustain student engagement, momentum, and (ultimately!) student | |
| Principals of Southwest Michigan | |
| We invite you to connect with over 40 elementary and middle school principals in the KRESA area as we create a network that will enhance the experience our students and teachers receive in our region’s schools. | |
| You Landed the Job.. Now What? | |
| You landed the job... but what now? This 3 part series will outline important steps and actions that a first year administrator should consider when building the foundation for a positive school culture, sound instructional leadership, a data-based culture and strong relationships with stakeholders. | |
Science
| NGSX: The Next Generation Science Exemplar- A Learning System for Science Instruction | |
| What will Science instruction look like for teachers and students under the new Michigan Science Standards (which are based upon the NGSS)? Teachers will learn about and develop models, and engage in evidence based argumentation and explanation, and explore classroom video cases, all designed to help students build their understanding and explanations of natural phenomena. | |
| Embedding Literacy Strategies in Science | |
| Participants will engage in the Science and Engineering Practices and Crosscutting Concepts while incorporating literacy strategies to support critical thinking and evidence based writing. During this workshop, participants will make connections with the Essential Instructional Practices in Literacy. A personalized instructional plan will be developed during this session for teachers to take back into their classrooms. | |
| Leading the Charge in Science Education | |
| This series is designed for Science Leaders in their building/district. In this PD you will be digging into the skills it takes to lead change in your position. Analyzing what would be beneficial to supporting your school improvement goals and crafting an implementation and data analysis plan would be created. | |
| Providing Instructional Leadership in Science Education | |
| The MSS call for a change in instruction for Science educators. In this workshop administrators analyze 3-Dimensional Science instruction and identify what strategies need to be built into their Science programs to support student growth. Through the use of video administrators will look at best practice instruction and utilize tools to provide feedback around 3-Dimensional Science instruction. | |
| The Administrators Role in Science Education I | |
| Administrators attending this workshop will take away an understanding of the NGSS 3-Dimensional Design and how it is connected to the Michigan Science Standards, as well as process a plan for assisting and supporting their educators as they implement this new vision for Science education through their actions, policies and resources. | |
| Writing Three-Dimensional Assessments in Science | |
| Participants in this two-day series will examine assessment items that are Michigan Science Standard aligned, and will learn how to write assessments that are aligned the 3-dimensional vision of the Michigan Science Standards. | |
Special Education
| Assistive Technology Workshop | |
| Update your AT Tool Box! This workshop, hosted by the Kalamazoo County-Wide Assistive Technology Team, is designed to help special education professionals gather knowledge about the latest AT strategies and tools for the classroom. Participants in this one-day workshop will learn about AT in the IEP, SETT Framework, the SNAP Media lending library, the AT proposal process, and classroom tools. | |
