Assessments
| Developing Appropriate Assessments |  |
| Participants will learn to develop assessments based on five key characteristics of an assessment: clear purpose, clear targets, assessment design, effective communication, and student involvement. Participants will learn to match targets to different types of assessments, as well as, successfully develop a new assessment. | |
| Developing Assessment Capable Learners | |
| Participants will dive into the critical components and most effective types of self-assessment and how it can motivate students to higher levels of achievement. | |
| Illluminate - Using Forms in Illuminate | |
| Participants will learn how to utilize Illuminate DnA features as a way to communicate data through forms. Pre-requirement: Helpful for participants to be familiar with custom reports. | |
| Illuminate - Purposeful Action with Your Illuminate Data | |
| Participants will utilize pre-built Illuminate reports along with guiding questions to drive instructional action. Participants will select appropriate reports that best serve the needs of a Professional Learning Community and/or Collaborative Team. | |
| Illuminate DnA for Beginners | |
| This professional learning session will familiarize new users to Illuminate DnA. The session will support the participant by learning how to access the system, create assessments, and utilize reports. Participants should bring a curriculum to help create an assessment. | |
| Illuminate- DnA Key Contacts Meeting | |
| These regional meetings allow for district key contacts supporting Illuminate DnA to network, learn, and discuss the use of Illuminate DnA. | |
| Illuminate DnA with your Curriculum | |
| This professional learning session will demonstrate how to use Illuminate DnA with your curriculum. Participants will create Flexible Assessments aligned to their current curriculum. Participants should bring a curriculum of their choice. | |
| Illuminate DnA: Live Proctoring | |
| This professional learning will support participants in their understanding of the formative assessment process. Participants will become familiar with the connection of the formative assessment process and Illuminate DnA. | |
| Illuminate DnA: The New Item Bank | |
| This professional learning session will support users of Illuminate DnA in their creation of Item Bank Assessments and creating items for the Item Bank Assessment. | |
| Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Refresher Course | |
| Today's Assessment Systems | |
| Participants will learn the higher order, complex thinking skills that today's students need to be successful, and its implications for assessment, teaching, and learning. Utilizing the Assessment Literacy Standards, participants will align their teaching, learning, and assessment practices that currently exist, along with developing revisions in order to strengthen their practices. | |
| Understanding the Formative Assessment Process | |
| Participants will understand the formative assessment process and how it relates to the instructional cycle. While learning the components of formative assessment, participants will understand how they can enhance the learning process. | |
| Xello 101 | |
| An introduction and general overview of the Student Experience and their journey into self-knowledge, exploration, and planning. Then we’ll take a look at the educator platform to see tools, features and reports that will make tracking your students’ progress a breeze! | |
| Xello 201 | |
| A deeper dive into the Student Experience, their assessment results and determining fit, and timeline experiences. Then to the Educator Tools for designing reports that make sense for your district, reviewing the family portal and built-in college planning tools for every Junior and Senior. | |
Behavioral Support and School Climate
| Building Literacy Through an SEL Lens | |
| This professional learning opportunity invites participants to explore strategies to build students literacy skills while also making connections to essential social emotional skills. In addition, participants will learn how to encourage students to explore their own emotions and develop self-awareness and self-management skills, all while increasing their own reading comprehension skills. | |
| 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. | |
| Culturally Responsive Practices 101 | |
| Culturally Responsive Practices is an instructional strategy, mindset, and practice that cultivate classroom environments and implement teacher practices designed to improve the learning capacity of historically marginalized student identity groups and cultivate independent learning skills. This process creates space to allow all students to improve their learning skills, embrace their unique humanity, and access joy through instruction and community. | |
| Human Trafficking: Education and Prevention | |
| Human Trafficking can feel like an invisible problem. It often appears to us as something that happens to others or somewhere else. But the reality is that Human Trafficking is something that is an increasing problem in nearly every state in the U.S. In this workshop we will begin to explore the definition of Human Trafficking and how it impacts all of us. In addition, we will unpack strategies that can help combat this issue and understand why education is a powerful tool for prevention. | |
| Relationships Matter: Transforming School Climate One Student at a Time | |
| Student relationships are a critical element of success. As teachers develop their strategies for managing student behavior, developing tools to build student relationships is an important aspect to consider. In this workshop, teachers will be given clear and explicit strategies to build student relationships. From simple things like greeting students at the door to building opportunities for classwide celebrations, teachers will have concrete tools to implement. | |
| Restorative Practices: Strategies & Implementation | |
| Designed for teachers and administrators alike, the facilitators will give educators the tools they need to begin to incorporate restorative practices into their work. In this session, educators will learn about tools that may be needed to begin to build restorative school environments and positively impact equitable school climate. | |
| SEL (Social/Emotional Learning) 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. | |
| Self-Care & Thriving Through Hard Times | |
| One thing that has become clear over recent years is that educators have become front-line and essential workers. Managing crises, working in ever-changing environments, and facing mounting stress, educators need to be aware of how they can ensure their strength and resilience. In this workshop we will examine WHY self-care is essential and practical strategies to begin the process of actually making self-care a reality in our lives. | |
| 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. | |
| Building a Network of Supports: Mental Health & Schools | |
| This professional development will help to provide answers to the question: "what do our students need during difficult times?" Keynote speaker Kirk Lowis will introduce the topic with tips and tools to help your K-12 students. Presenters from Family & Children Services, Gryphon Place, and ISK will provide an overview of their services as well as wisdom on loss, crisis, anxiety, depression, and transitions. The meeting will conclude with a panel discussion with our experts and a Q&A session. | |
Careers/College/Counseling
| Xello 101 | |
| An introduction and general overview of the Student Experience and their journey into self-knowledge, exploration, and planning. Then we’ll take a look at the educator platform to see tools, features and reports that will make tracking your students’ progress a breeze! | |
| Xello 201 | |
| A deeper dive into the Student Experience, their assessment results and determining fit, and timeline experiences. Then to the Educator Tools for designing reports that make sense for your district, reviewing the family portal and built-in college planning tools for every Junior and Senior. | |
Educational Technology
| Computer Science Fundamentals: Kindergarten-5th Grade Spring Session | |
| Computer Science Fundamentals is a Code.org curriculum designed for students in kindergarten through fifth grade (K-5). Each grade level units are between 12-20 lessons long that are built for flexible implementation. During the workshop, participants will learn from certified Code.org facilitators, participate in a model lesson, learn the management system, and dive into the lessons. Tina Tribu can be contacted at tina.tribu@kresa.org with any questions. | |
| Developing Appropriate Assessments | |
| Participants will learn to develop assessments based on five key characteristics of an assessment: clear purpose, clear targets, assessment design, effective communication, and student involvement. Participants will learn to match targets to different types of assessments, as well as, successfully develop a new assessment. | |
| Developing Assessment Capable Learners | |
| Participants will dive into the critical components and most effective types of self-assessment and how it can motivate students to higher levels of achievement. | |
| Illluminate - Using Forms in Illuminate | |
| Participants will learn how to utilize Illuminate DnA features as a way to communicate data through forms. Pre-requirement: Helpful for participants to be familiar with custom reports. | |
| Illuminate - Purposeful Action with Your Illuminate Data | |
| Participants will utilize pre-built Illuminate reports along with guiding questions to drive instructional action. Participants will select appropriate reports that best serve the needs of a Professional Learning Community and/or Collaborative Team. | |
| Illuminate DnA for Beginners | |
| This professional learning session will familiarize new users to Illuminate DnA. The session will support the participant by learning how to access the system, create assessments, and utilize reports. Participants should bring a curriculum to help create an assessment. | |
| Illuminate- DnA Key Contacts Meeting | |
| These regional meetings allow for district key contacts supporting Illuminate DnA to network, learn, and discuss the use of Illuminate DnA. | |
| Illuminate DnA with your Curriculum | |
| This professional learning session will demonstrate how to use Illuminate DnA with your curriculum. Participants will create Flexible Assessments aligned to their current curriculum. Participants should bring a curriculum of their choice. | |
| Illuminate DnA: Live Proctoring | |
| This professional learning will support participants in their understanding of the formative assessment process. Participants will become familiar with the connection of the formative assessment process and Illuminate DnA. | |
| Illuminate DnA: The New Item Bank | |
| This professional learning session will support users of Illuminate DnA in their creation of Item Bank Assessments and creating items for the Item Bank Assessment. | |
| Today's Assessment Systems | |
| Participants will learn the higher order, complex thinking skills that today's students need to be successful, and its implications for assessment, teaching, and learning. Utilizing the Assessment Literacy Standards, participants will align their teaching, learning, and assessment practices that currently exist, along with developing revisions in order to strengthen their practices. | |
| Understanding the Formative Assessment Process | |
| Participants will understand the formative assessment process and how it relates to the instructional cycle. While learning the components of formative assessment, participants will understand how they can enhance the learning process. | |
| Xello 101 | |
| An introduction and general overview of the Student Experience and their journey into self-knowledge, exploration, and planning. Then we’ll take a look at the educator platform to see tools, features and reports that will make tracking your students’ progress a breeze! | |
| Xello 201 | |
| A deeper dive into the Student Experience, their assessment results and determining fit, and timeline experiences. Then to the Educator Tools for designing reports that make sense for your district, reviewing the family portal and built-in college planning tools for every Junior and Senior. | |
English Language Arts
| Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Refresher Course | |
| Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Q&A's | |
| Upon completion of the KRA (Kindergarten Readiness Assessment) Refresher course, teachers are invited to participate in an online forum to discuss an implementation plan for KRA in their classroom. Time to ask and answer questions will be provided. | |
| Building Literacy Through An SEL Lens | |
| This professional learning opportunity invites participants to explore strategies to build students literacy skills while also making connections to essential social emotional skills. In addition, participants will learn how to encourage students to explore their own emotions and develop self-awareness and self-management skills, all while increasing their own reading comprehension skills. | |
Instructional Strategies
| New Teacher: New Job or New District: Now What? | |
| First time teacher or experienced teacher in a new district? This asynchronous and synchronous professional learning is designed to support your integration into your new role. From analyzing best practice instructional strategies and your evaluation tool you will develop, implement, and reflect on how these strategies impact student learning. | |
| Productive Discourse: A Key to Student Engagement | |
| 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. | |
| Xello 101 | |
| An introduction and general overview of the Student Experience and their journey into self-knowledge, exploration, and planning. Then we’ll take a look at the educator platform to see tools, features and reports that will make tracking your students’ progress a breeze! | |
| Xello 201 | |
| A deeper dive into the Student Experience, their assessment results and determining fit, and timeline experiences. Then to the Educator Tools for designing reports that make sense for your district, reviewing the family portal and built-in college planning tools for every Junior and Senior. | |
| Maximize Impact Through Instructional Coaching | |
| This professional learning opportunity will allow coaches to enhance their coaching skills, collaborate with others, and learn methods to support a virtual learning environment. This interactive training will take place virtually through three one-hour sessions. Instructional coaches will implement a coaching wellness check on their current practices to identify areas of success and well as identify areas to improve. | |
Leadership
| AVMR 1 Supervisor Course: A Book Study for Administrators | |
| Administrator participants will explore Teaching Number in the Classroom with 4-8 Year Olds (The Purple Book). Participants will learn the foundations of AVMR 1, and how to support their teachers as they implement assessment and intervention strategies. Each session will include reading, discussion, and a call to action between sessions. | |
| GKAIPN Leadership Meetings | |
| This cross-county regional network was formed as an avenue for communication and collaboration among principals/directors/administrators of programs similar to yours. It is very informal, free of charge, and the group defines the agenda and the focus for each meeting. Our goal is for each meeting to include some professional learning, some sharing of success stories or program overview, and time for networking and collaboration around topics that are relevant to the group. These are bi-monthly | |
| Illuminate- DnA Key Contacts Meeting | |
| These regional meetings allow for district key contacts supporting Illuminate DnA to network, learn, and discuss the use of Illuminate DnA. | |
| MiSchoolData for School Leaders | |
| Come on a guided tour of the recently updated MISchoolData site, with a spotlight on the K-12 resources for district and building analysis. Explore the 30,000 foot view of achievement and demographic data, menus and personas, new reports and features, user roles, and student level performance that guides administrative decision making. | |
| Principals of Southwest Michigan (SWMIPALS) | |
| Bi Monthly 3 hour meetings virtual meetings. This cross-county regional network was formed as an avenue for communication and collaboration among administrators in elementary and middle school programs. It is very informal, free of charge, and the group defines the agenda and the focus for each meeting. Our goal is for each meeting to include some professional learning, some sharing of success stories or program overview, and time for networking and collaboration around topics that are relevant. | |
| Regional State and Federal Grant Support Series | |
| The three-part series will provide district leaders with training and supports and technical assistance to align continuous improvement processes and structures with federal and state requirements; Technical assistance for the completion and alignment of: the Consolidated Application; Title One School Selection; Title One Comparability Report; Early Literacy Grants; 31(a) and (n) at-risk allocations; English Learner Supports, etc. | |
Mathematics
| AVMR 1 Refresher Course: A Book Study for Past Participants | |
| Participants will explore Teaching Number in the Classroom with 4-8 Year Olds (The Purple Book). Past AVMR 1 teachers will build upon course learning to deepen their understanding of the developmental models, assessment and instructional tasks, and learning trajectories. Each session will include reading, discussion, and a call to action between sessions. | |
| AVMR 1 Supervisor Course: A Book Study for Administrators | |
| Administrator participants will explore Teaching Number in the Classroom with 4-8 Year Olds (The Purple Book). Participants will learn the foundations of AVMR 1, and how to support their teachers as they implement assessment and intervention strategies. Each session will include reading, discussion, and a call to action between sessions. | |
| AVMR Fractions Refresher Course: A Book Study for Past Participants | |
| Participants will explore Developing Fractions Knowledge (the Orange Book) . Past AVMR Fractions participants will build upon course learning to re-engage with student mental actions, developmental models, assessment and instructional resources, and teaching progressions. Each session will include reading, discussion, and a call to action between sessions. | |
| Exploring Effective Mathematics Teaching Practices | |
| This session will give teachers the opportunity to explore the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice as well as the Effective Mathematics Teaching Practices that are outlined in the book Principles to Actions. We will also make connections between these concepts and how these can be applied to your current curriculum and classroom instruction. | |
| Formative Assessment in Mathematics | |
| This session will support participants with understanding the full scope of the formative assessment process: developing learning targets and succes criteria, eliciting evidence of student learning, interpreting the evidence, providing actionable feedback, and planning for instructional next steps. We will also explore formative assessment as an essential element of culturally responsive teaching. | |
| Ignite Mathematics Using Number Sense Routines | |
| This session will explore the concept of number sense and how the Standards for Mathematical Practice and the Effective Teaching Practices can be used to help students develop number sense. Teachers will leave with a repertoire of number sense routines to embed within their math block to ensure students have opportunities to enhance their conceptual understanding of numbers. | |
| Problem Solving in Mathematics: Teaching Strategies To Support Students' Mathematical Perseverance | |
| Students who develop proficiency in mathematical problem solving early are better preparedfor advanced mathematics and other complexproblem-solving tasks. This session will explore teaching practices that promote mathematical problem solving strategies and perseverance. | |
Professional Collaboration
| GKAIPN Leadership Meetings | |
| This cross-county regional network was formed as an avenue for communication and collaboration among principals/directors/administrators of programs similar to yours. It is very informal, free of charge, and the group defines the agenda and the focus for each meeting. Our goal is for each meeting to include some professional learning, some sharing of success stories or program overview, and time for networking and collaboration around topics that are relevant to the group. These are bi-monthly | |
| Illuminate- DnA Key Contacts Meeting | |
| These regional meetings allow for district key contacts supporting Illuminate DnA to network, learn, and discuss the use of Illuminate DnA. | |
| 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. | |
| Principals of Southwest Michigan (SWMIPALS) | |
| Bi Monthly 3 hour meetings virtual meetings. This cross-county regional network was formed as an avenue for communication and collaboration among administrators in elementary and middle school programs. It is very informal, free of charge, and the group defines the agenda and the focus for each meeting. Our goal is for each meeting to include some professional learning, some sharing of success stories or program overview, and time for networking and collaboration around topics that are relevant | |
| Regional State & Federal Grant Support Series | |
| The three-part series will provide district leaders with updates, training and supports to align continuous improvement processes and structures with federal and state requirements. | |
School Improvement
| MiSchoolData ~ The New School Year | |
| Designed to provide an overview of the back end administration for technical administrators of the MISchoolData portal. Explore user roles, administration, MILogin 3rd Party, and FERPA/HIPAA as it relates to creating and maintaining secure users. | |
| MiSchoolData ~ What is it all about | |
| Come on a guided tour of the recently redesigned MISchoolData portal. Navigation, functionality, reporting, access, and technical updates will be provided in this guided tour of the K-12 area of the portal based on the Educator Persona. | |
| MiSchoolData Dives for School Improvement Teams | |
| This session will focus on the connections between the MISchoolData and MICIP, and the features, functionality, and connections between and among data for continuous improvement. | |
| MiSchoolData Exploring the School Index, AER, and Accountability | |
| This session will examine annual reporting and review of School Index, Annual Education Report, and Accountability within MISchoolData. | |
| MiSchoolData for School Leaders | |
| Come on a guided tour of the recently updated MISchoolData site, with a spotlight on the K-12 resources for district and building analysis. Explore the 30,000 foot view of achievement and demographic data, menus and personas, new reports and features, user roles, and student level performance that guides administrative decision making. | |
| MiSchoolData Open Office Hours | |
| Drop on in to learn a little more about MiSchoolData and/or ask the questions that arise while you are using MiSchoolData. Learning topics will vary each session and take place the first 10 minutes of each session followed by open question time. | |
| Principals of Southwest Michigan (SWMIPALS) | |
| Bi Monthly 3 hour meetings virtual meetings. This cross-county regional network was formed as an avenue for communication and collaboration among administrators in elementary and middle school programs. It is very informal, free of charge, and the group defines the agenda and the focus for each meeting. Our goal is for each meeting to include some professional learning, some sharing of success stories or program overview, and time for networking and collaboration around topics that are relevant | |
| Regional State and Federal Grant Support Series | |
| The three-part series will provide district leaders with updates, training and supports to align continuous improvement processes and structures with federal and state requirements; | |
| Xello 101 | |
| An introduction and general overview of the Student Experience and their journey into self-knowledge, exploration, and planning. Then we’ll take a look at the educator platform to see tools, features and reports that will make tracking your students’ progress a breeze! | |
| Xello 201 | |
| A deeper dive into the Student Experience, their assessment results and determining fit, and timeline experiences. Then to the Educator Tools for designing reports that make sense for your district, reviewing the family portal and built-in college planning tools for every Junior and Senior. | |
Science
| Implementing the Science and Engineering Practices | |
| The Science and Engineering Practices are one dimension to the new three dimensional view of Science instruction. In this professional learning dig into the practices and tools that support their implementation into the classroom. | |
| Leveraging Phenomena to Increase Engagement | |
| Phenomena is the why of Science! This pd will have participants digging into the key features of anchoring and support phenomena. They will then create a plan for how to use phenomena with other best practice instructional strategies to increase student engagement and understanding in Science . | |
| Reading, Writing, and Thinking Like a Scientist~ The Integration of Science and ELA | |
| 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. | |
| Using Phenomenon in Science to Integrate the Disciplinary Literacy Essentials | |
| Phenomena~ the why of Science! This professional learning session will have participants digging into the key features of anchoring phenomena. Participants will experience how a great phenomenon can support the use of the Literacy Essentials in figuring out Science. | |
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. | |
STEM
| Computer Science Fundamentals: K-5th Grades Spring Series | |
| Computer Science Fundamentals is a Code.org curriculum designed for students in kindergarten through fifth grade (K-5). Each grade level units are between 12-20 lessons long that are built for flexible implementation. During the workshop, participants will learn from certified Code.org facilitators, participate in a model lesson, learn the management system, and dive into the lessons. Tina Tribu can be contacted at tina.tribu@kresa.org with any questions. | |
| Formative Assessment in Project Based Learning (MiSTEM Sponsored) | |
| Strategies for formative assessment in project based learning. | |
| GLSI Place Based Education Institute (MiSTEM Sponsored) | |
| GLSI will train teachers in place based education and how to implement into a classroom. | |
| PLTW with a PBL Twist (MiSTEM Sponsored) | |
| PLTW teachers will expand their curriculum to include project based learning components. There will be business/industry professionals connections made there. | |
| Project Based Learning and Productive Struggle (MiSTEM Sponsored) | |
| Strategies for allowing students to struggle without giving up. | |
| SW MiSTEM PBL Network | |
| New to PBL teachers will build a network with each other and gain strategies and resources from facilitator. | |
| Virtual Becoming a Next Gen Science Teacher (V-BNGST) (MiSTEM Sponsored) | |
| Since COVID-19 and the shift to remote learning, NGSX has designed a fully virtual professional learning pathway – Virtual Becoming a Next Gen Science Teacher (V-BNGST). This pathway prepares teachers to bring NGSS into their classrooms (remote, hybrid, or face-to-face), and engage their students in robust sensemaking emphasizing the practices of modeling, argument, and explanation. This pathway centers on equity and agency for students and teachers. | |
