2/6 | 4:15-6:15 | IRONTON MEDIA CENTER

Take a look at what AI has to offer your classroom by exploring the many creative and time saving options available in Canva and Brisk Education. Come and create your own newsletters, presentations, and other unique resources using AI! 

Facilitator:  Matt DeFazio

1/15 | 4:00-5:00 | HIGH SCHOOL ROOM D125 & VIRTUAL (HYBRID FORMAT)

Join us for a hands-on workshop designed to help educators leverage Schoology's full potential to streamline classroom workflows and enhance student access to learning materials. This session will focus on practical strategies to structure Schoology efficiently for both daily and long-term planning. Participants will learn how to (1) automate content publishing: set up folders and materials to publish automatically on future dates, perfect for planning ahead or managing absent days seamlessly; (2) embed key resources directly in Schoology: integrate curriculum software including IXL, Carnegie, Big Ideas, etc. along with the school's bell schedule, to ensure essential tools are just a click away; (3) utilize Gamma for weekly agendas: offers an alternative to google slides that enhances accessibility and visual organization; (4) create student-friendly shortcuts: reduce the need for students to navigate multiple folders by setting up direct links and shortcuts, simplifying their learning journey.

Facilitator:  Angela Turczyn

1/13 | 4:00-6:00 | WORK WILL BE DONE IN A SCHOOLOGY GROUP

This academy will run in five parts, and if signed up participants will need to do all five parts. Two hours per session, for a total of 10 hours.

Participants will listen to episodes of the podcast “Sold a Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong” each session.

Summary of “Sold a Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong"

Ever wonder why our students read they way they do? Or even, how they were taught to read? This podcast is meant to shed light on whole language instruction and how we are moving forward from that movement both in Parkland and nationwide. 

There's an idea about how children learn to read that's held sway in schools for more than a generation — even though it was proven wrong by cognitive scientists decades ago. Teaching methods based on this idea can make it harder for children to learn how to read. In this podcast, host Emily Hanford investigates the influential authors who promote this idea and the company that sells their work. It's an exposé of how educators came to believe in something that isn't true and are now reckoning with the consequences — children harmed, money wasted, an education system upended.

·       (Jan.) Session 1: Episode 1 “The Problem” and Episode 2: “The Idea”

·       (Feb.) Session 2: Episode 3 “The Battle” and Episode 4 “The Superstar”

·       (Mar.) Session 3: Episode 5 “The Company” and Episode 6 “The Reckoning”

·       (Apr.) Session 4: Episodes 7 “Your Words” and Episode 8 “The Impact”  

·       (May) Session 5: Episode 9 “The Aftermath” and Episode 10 “The Details”

After listening to the podcasts, participants will be asked to reply to two open ended questions in a Schoology Group. Facilitators will provide several questions per session to choose from. Participants will also be asked to reply to at least two other respondents to open a dialogue.

Introduction to be session will be posted the first week of the month, with initial responses due by the 15th and comments/dialogue by the end of the month. 

Facilitators:  Candice Ottaviani & Robin Roberts

1/14 or 1/15 or 1/16 | 4:15-6:15 | FOGELSVILLE

As the vocal and general music teacher, we rarely have the opportunity to see each other's classrooms. We also are in the unique position of finding or creating our own materials and classroom visuals to teach our curriculum.  The Music teacher classroom crawl will give us the opportunity to see each other's classrooms (all 9 buildings) and take notes, ask questions, and gather inspiration from each other.  Many times, the visuals we present may give a new idea about how to teach various concepts we all teach.  This is for elementary vocal and general music teachers. 

Facilitator:  Jill Kemmerer

3/19 & 3/20 | 4:30-7:30 | TROXELL LIBRARY

This class is for those who have never attended a CPI class or for those whose certification has expired. This class teaches the basic CPI principles of crisis de-escalation and personal safety techniques. This class also certifies you for 12-18 months in nonviolent crisis intervention. 

PLEASE NOTE:  Participants will be expected to physically interact with others in the group. Precautions will be taken but you have to perform the measures in order to certify! YOU MUST ATTEND BOTH CLASSES ON BOTH DAYS!

Facilitator:  Alyssa Pagliaro

1/29 | 4:00-6:30 | TROXELL LIBRARY

Recertification in Non-Violent Crisis Prevention Intervention

This class is for those who have been training in CPI and whose certification is about to expire.  

Facilitator:  Michelle Strohl

2/26 | 4:00-5:00 | TROXELL LIBRARY (Blended Learning + Skill Session = 4 hours)

This course will prepare you to recognize and care for a variety of first aid, breathing, and cardiac emergencies involving adults, children and infants. This is a blended learning course including an online portion and an instructor-led classroom skill session. The online portion must be completed prior to attending the in-class portion and must be taken on a PC or tablet with a high speed Internet connection.  The Blended Learning Course will be emailed 1 week prior to the in-person skill session.  Allow approximately 3 hours to complete the online portion. Upon successful completion of this course you will receive a digital certificate for Adult First Aid/CPR/AED valid for two years.

Facilitators:  Kim McHenry & Kylee Lobb

2/11 | 4:00-5:00 | TROXELL LIBRARY (Blended Learning + Skill Session = 2 hours)

This class is for those who have been trained in CPR and whose certification is about to expire.  This is a blended learning course including an online portion and an instructor-led classroom skill session. The online portion must be completed prior to attending the in-class portion and must be taken on a PC or tablet with a high speed Internet connection.  The Blended Learning Course will be emailed 1 week prior to the in-person skill session. 

Facilitators:  Kim McHenry & Kylee Lobb