Alaska Staff Development Network

Working Together To Make Schools Better

Home Featured big left

Home Featured big left

2024 MTSS/RTI

Three engaging options – Choose one or attend all three!

  • MTSS Virtual Conference for Small & Rural Schools
    Saturday, January 20 – Online
  • Trauma Engaged MTSS Preconference
    Friday, January 26 – Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center, 600 W 7th Ave, Anchorage, AK
  • MTSS Effective Instruction Conference
    Saturday, January 27 and Sunday, January 28 – Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center, 600 W 7th Ave, Anchorage, AK, with Virtual Options

Register early to save your spot and lock in early pricing. Any educator in a school district that is an ASDN Level 1 member receives a $200 per person discount.

Registration coming soon. Please leave your email contact if you want to be notified when registration is open.

Registration is Open!

Small & Rural Schools MTSS Virtual Conference, January 20

Keynote: Anita Archer

Join us to explore two critical areas: multi-tiered system of supports and the science of reading as practiced in multi-grade classrooms and small schools. Learn tools to address the academic and behavioral challenges faced by rural educators that can be immediately applied in your classroom.

Trauma Engaged MTSS Pre-conference, January 26

Keynotes: Dr. Linda Chamberlain, Doug Modig
Alaskan experts in trauma-informed education will share research, evidence-based strategies, and practical techniques to help you understand and respond to students affected by trauma. 

MTSS Effective Instruction Conference: Meeting Students Where They Are, January 27-28

Meet us in Anchorage to explore strategies to enhance multi-tiered systems of support and effective instruction in our schools. This conference aims to equip you with the knowledge, strategies, and resources to effectively meet the diverse academic, behavioral, and social emotional needs of your students. 

Keynote Speakers

Dr. John Hattie is a researcher in education and author of Visible Learning, an international best-seller that resulted in a series of books synthesizing 20 years of research about what works best for learning in schools. His research interests include performance indicators, models of measurement and evaluation of teaching and learning. His work aims to shift the focus from what teachers are teaching to what students are learning. 

Princess Lucaj, is producer, writer and actress. She is the creative producer of Molly of Denali, the award-winning children’s show set in Alaska, featuring an Alaska Native lead character.  Princess leads a team of Alaska Native writers and advisors to ensure that the show authentically portrays the life of an Alaska Native girl growing up in Alaska, and works to integrate indigenous knowledge into the series. 

Dr. Julie Stern is a four-time, bestselling author with two decades experience facilitating adult learning. She supports educators and parents with tools to empower young people to make sense of complexity and become pattern seekers. The pace of change and complexity of our world today requires that we teach young people how to recognize patterns and transfer their learning so that they can use their knowledge and skills in authentic and creative ways.

Home Featured big left

The Alaska School Leadership Academy (ASLA)

This unique program is designed to provide early career principals with a collegial cohort that is engaged in networking, skill building and mutual support across the state.

K-12 principals new to the profession or to Alaska are invited annually in the summer/fall to apply to participate in the Alaska School Leadership Academy.

Why Join?

  • Foster or build a culture in your school community with a focus on student learning.
  • Find support with an Alaska-based, seasoned principal who will serve as your professional mentor.
  • Connect to a network of new principals across the state.
  • Participate in ongoing professional learning that is focused on the dispositions and tools early career principals need.
  • Learn strategies to communicate effectively with your staff and navigate difficult conversations.
  • Explore how to use school data for continuous improvement.

The 2019-2020 application period has closed.

Program Design

As a participant in the program you will have face-to-face and online opportunities to work with trained facilitators, mentors and other principals. This program goes deeper than traditional sit-and-get professional development because it: 

1) is job embedded — activities and planning are immediately applicable to your individual school, 
2) Sets aside time you need for reflection and planning, 
3) connects you to a diverse group of principals and districts, and 
4) is based on the latest research, delivered by school leaders with years of experience working in Alaska.

Participants can expect to spend about 3 hours per month in program activities except for the months of October, January and May, when the cohort meets in person. The program will also provide a number of optional no-cost college credit opportunities.

PERSONALIZED MENTORING

Each cohort member will be paired with and Alaska-based, seasoned principal who will serve as your professional mentor. Required interactions twice per month will focus on themes of leadership and problems of practice (minimum one hour per month total time commitment).

FACE TO FACE MEETINGS

Program participants are required to take part in three face-to-face meetings throughout the year. Gary Whiteley and Lexie Domaradzki will lead these professional learning opportunities in 2019-2020.

Alaska Principals Conference: October, Anchorage.

RTI MTSS Effective Instruction – January, Anchorage

Alaska School Leadership Institute (ASLI) – May, Anchorage

BLENDED LEARNING

Topical Webinars Participants will have 3 or more webinar opportunities throughout the year on topics such as leadership, K-12 advocacy and data driven instructional leadership.

Book Study and Ongoing Discussion Group in AkPLN (Alaska Professional Learning Network): Participants will participate in monthly facilitated discussions on the book Dispositions of Leadership using the AkPLN Network.

2019-2020 Program Calendar

View the 2018-2019 ASLA Program EvaluationDownload

Please contact ASLA program director Sam Jordan with any questions

Thank you to our partner organizations. The Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals, Alaska Association of Elementary School Principals, The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development, the University of Alaska College of Education, and Anchorage School District.



This program was developed with the assistance of Supporting Effective Instruction, Title II, Part A federal funds from the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development, awarded to the Alaska Council of School Administrators. However, this program does not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education & Early Development, nor endorsement by the Federal Government.
 

Home Featured big left

2022 Alaska School Leadership Institute (ASLI)

Preparing for the Fall Forecast
May 25-27, 2022
Downtown Hilton Hotel, Anchorage
14th Annual Alaska School Leadership Conference
Designed for Rural and Small School Leadership Teams

After two years online, the 14th Alaska School Leadership Institute will be back in-person again! Gather a team together to get inspired, and to gain a head start on organizing for fall. Reflect on what worked this year and learn from other education leaders.

We are delighted to welcome back Dr. John Hattie for another virtual keynote address and Q & A this year. 

Jimmy Casas will facilitate the conference over the first two days, and work with us on how to manage difficult situations in schools with dignity and respect. Sarah Johnson will address systemic trauma and how to get back the necessary time to work on things that matter most, Janelle Vanasse will share tools and strategies to support schools in becoming more culturally responsive in college readiness practices, and Tammy Van Wyhe will bring educators up to date on leading literacy improvement efforts next year.

ASLI is designed for leadership teams from rural and small schools, but school teams from anywhere in Alaska can participate. There will be large and small group sessions, time to learn with colleagues in our same role from other districts, plus dedicated time to work together as a school or district team.

Registration>>

Hotel: Conference participants are encouraged to book rooms ASAP at the Downtown Hilton. The room block is available until April 23, 2022. Information on the group rate is on the conference registration form.