"Empowering every educator. Walking further together."

Paraprofessionals

Paraprofessionals 101 (Newbies)
Presenter:  Dr. Kennedi Strickland-Dixon
Date: August  17, 2026
Time: 12:30 - 3:30pm
Format: In Person at West40
Audience: Paraprofessionals
Description: A foundational training that blends special education basics with practical tools like active listening, collaboration, and self-care strategies to support student learning and professional growth.

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Paraprofessionals Supporting Independence (Veterans)
Presenter: Holly McCarthy
Date: August 17, 2026
Time: 12:30 - 3:30pm
Format: In Person at West40
Audience: Paraprofessionals
Description: Empower paraprofessionals to support students with neurodiverse behavioral and learning needs. Grounded in trauma-informed practices and ABA strategies, this session offers practical techniques for fostering independence and trust.

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Support Staff

Customer Service for Support Staff I: Customer Service and Why it Matters
Presenters: Grand Canyon University
Date: August 18, 2026
Time: 12:30 - 2:00pm
Format: Virtual
Audience:  School and District Support Staff including office personnel, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, paraprofessionals, custodians and more
Series Details: This is part of a series of sessions designed for support staff to focus on customer service. Subsequent sessions will be held at upcoming Empower ED dates. You do NOT need to attend every session.
Description: Every interaction contributes to a school’s culture and reputation. This session explores what great customer service looks like in education and how it supports positive relationships. Participants can reflect on communication habits, practice de-escalation techniques, and identify strategies to ensure that all visitors and families feel welcomed and valued. 

Key Focus Areas:

• Foundations of positive and consistent customer service

• Communication and empathy in everyday interactions

• Strategies for handling challenging conversations with professionalism

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Technology Integration

From Hype to Help: Making AI Work in Your Classroom
Presenter: Colleen Ross
Date: August 17, 2026
Time: 12:30 -  2:00pm
Format: In Person at West40
Audience: K-12 Classroom Teachers
Description: Whether you're already using AI with your students or still side-eyeing the whole thing, this session is for you. Over 90 minutes, we'll talk about what it means to be AI fluent, how to coach students toward using AI wisely, and how AI can take some work off your plate when it comes to planning and differentiation. Bring a laptop and leave with a stack of ideas you can use.

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Differentiation & Instruction

Cultivating Respectful and Affirming Environments Through the Lens of Danielson 2a

Presenter: Diane Schoenheider
Date: August 17, 2026
Time: 12:30 - 2:00pm
Format: In Person at West40
Audience: PreK–8 educators, instructional coaches, and instructional leaders
Description: What does a truly respectful and affirming classroom environment look like? In this interactive session, participants will explore Danielson 2a and reflect on how classroom interactions, beliefs, expectations, and responses shape student experience and classroom culture. Together, educators will consider how respect, belonging, and shared responsibility influence learning environments across grade levels and content areas.

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Beyond the Field Trip: Building Lasting Museum-Classroom Partnerships

Presenter: James Conley,  Instructional Coach (J. Sterling Morton High School 201)
Date: August 17, 2026
Time: 12:30 - 1:30pm
Format: Virtual
Audience: Instructional Coaches and Social Science Teachers
Description: Museums are untapped curriculum support and professional development partners for schools. In this session, we'll explore how do build meaningful, ongoing relationships with local cultural institutions to bring extraordinary resources directly to teachers and students.

Participants will explore how the 1st Division Museum's History Trunks bring primary source artifacts into history classrooms, how the Illinois Holocaust Museum's Virtual Reality Trunks create immersive, empathy-building experiences for students, and how the Chicago History Museum's educator resources support both curriculum development and teacher professional learning. Both classroom teachers and instructional coaches will leave with concrete strategies for identifying museum partners, accessing free and loan-based resources, and integrating cultural institution materials into meaningful instruction.

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From Sentences to Systems

Presenter: Sheila Daly,  Multilingual District Coach (Cicero 99)
Date: August 17, 2026
Time: 12:30 - 1:30pm
Format: Virtual
Audience: Teachers and Coaches
Description: Participants will explore how to design and scale writing frameworks that align to the science of learning while remaining adaptable to diverse classroom environments. We will peel back the curtain on sustainable teaching cycles, moving away from one-off professional development toward a model of continuous, evidence based support. This session will help bridge from "knowing" the Science of Learning to "implementing".

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Overview of the Illinois Comprehensive Numeracy Plan (IL-CNP)

Presenter: Dr. Anne Paonessa
Date: August 17, 2026
Time: 2:00 - 3:30pm
Format: Virtual
Audience: K-12 administrators, instructional coaches, math specialists/interventionists, and classroom teachers providing math instruction
Description: The Illinois Numeracy Plan offers an important opportunity for schools and districts to strengthen math instruction, build student confidence, and create more equitable math learning experiences. In this 90-minute virtual session, participants will explore the key ideas, priorities, and instructional shifts within the plan and consider what they mean for classroom practice, school leadership, and district support. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of the Illinois Numeracy Plan, reflection questions for their own context, and practical first steps for bringing the plan to life in schools and classrooms.

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Engage, Support, Create: Practical Systems for Specials Teachers

Presenter: Dr. LaVerne Coke Wright
Date: August 18, 2026
Time: 8:30 - 10:00am
Format: In Person at West40
Audience: Music, Art, PE, Library, STEM, World Language, and other specials/elective teachers (K–12)
Description: Specials teachers create some of the most joyful and engaging spaces in schools—but they also face unique challenges in building routines, accountability, and strong student relationships across large groups and rotating schedules. This interactive session is designed specifically for music, art, PE, and other specials/elective teachers who want practical systems that strengthen classroom culture while keeping creativity and connection at the center. Participants will explore strategies for creating consistent structures, supporting positive behavior, building relationships, and embedding SEL practices into daily instruction without losing the joy of their content area. Attendees will leave with ready-to-use tools for classroom management, student engagement, relationship building, and accountability systems that work across a variety of specials settings.

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How do people REALLY Learn?

Presenter: Mike Czerniawski
Date: August 17, 2026
Time: 10:00 - 11:30am
Format: In Person at West40
Audience: All Educators
Description: Want students to be college and career ready in the 21st century? Start by designing student experiences based on the science of how people actually learn. Thanks to recent research from multiple fields, we now know how to radically increase student learning. In this interactive session, learn about the four major principles that can transform teaching practice, using concrete examples. Then, ground what we explore in the reality of your schools. Throughout the session, generate ideas for curriculum, instruction, and assessment that will lead to significantly greater success for your students.

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Dyslexia in the Tier 1 Environment: A Look at the ISBE Dyslexia Guide

Presenter: Dr. Erika Lukasik
Date: August 18, 2026
Time: 10:00 - 11:30am
Format: Virtual
Audience: K-12 Classroom Teachers
Description: This session provides an overview of the Illinois Dyslexia Guide, including key characteristics of dyslexia and how it may present in students across grade levels. Participants will build foundational understanding of dyslexia, explore common signs educators may notice in the classroom, and examine the impact on reading, writing, and learning. The session will also introduce practical, research-based strategies teachers can begin using immediately within core classroom instruction to better support students with dyslexia and other literacy needs.

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Classroom Management for New Teachers

Presenter: Mallory Lawler + Holly McCarthy
Date: August 18, 2026
Time: 12:30 - 3:30pm
Format: In Person at West40
Audience: New Teachers
Description: This interactive session equips new teachers with practical classroom management strategies that build strong, supportive learning environments from day one. Mallory Lawler will share proactive Tier 1 classroom management practices through the lens of instructional coaching and general education supports, including routines, expectations, engagement, and relationship building. Holly McCarthy, BCBA, will help educators understand challenging behaviors from a function-based lens and adjust supports to meet students behavioral needs. 

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