Featured Webinar Series

Presenter: Heath Peine
Dates: February 13, 20, 27 and March 9
Time 3:45-5:15 p.m.
Registration Fee: $50/$100 (Level 1/Level 2).
No cost for AGSD, BSSD, LKSD, Nenana, NWABSD, YKSD.
Credit: One optional university credit is available for attending all webinars and participating in online assignments and discussions.
Registration opens in January.

Feedback is one of the most powerful influences on learning and achievement – if you get it right.  Dive deeper into this core message of the Visible Learning research and switch the conversation from the giver to the receiver of the feedback message.

The Visible Learning research tells us that one of the most important influences on student achievement is how leaders and teachers think about learning in their own role.  Through his research, Professor Hattie identified ten mindframes that should underpin every action in schools in order to maximize student success.  The fifth mindframe, “I give feedback and act on feedback given to me” has proven to have a very high effect size that has a strong influence on student learning.

The key question is, does feedback help someone understand what they don’t know, what they do know, and where they go? That’s when and why feedback is so powerful, but a lot of feedback doesn’t answer these questions—and doesn’t have the desired effect. In this 4-part webinar, we will explore the most effective types of feedback and how to give great feedback to your students, and elicit feedback from students to ensure one years growth over one years period of time in student learning, 

• Session 1:  Visible Learning Research and the Impact of Feedback
• Session 2:  Effective Feedback and Strategies
• Session 3:  Engaging Students and Peers in the Feedback Cycle
• Session 4:  Moving Learning forward as a Result of Feedback

Target Audience: K-12 Educators

Heath Peine has served as a teacher, instructional coach, and administrator at both the building and district levels. His leadership experience spans rural, suburban, and urban districts. In each role, providing professional learning and coaching have been crucial components behind the success of his students and teachers. As a district administrator, Heath led systemic improvements that resulted in a Kansas Challenge Award for closing the gap and decreasing disproportionality for economically disadvantaged students. Heath’s passion for supporting educators and students has extended beyond the scope of his district. These experiences include: partnering with the National Center for Systemic Improvement to provide webinars, resources, and conference presentations related to equity; serving in leadership positions for state and national professional associations; and working as an adjunct instructor teaching graduate courses in instruction, assessment, and classroom management.

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Presenter: Dr. Ruby Payne
Dates: February 8,15, 22 (Wednesdays)
Time: 3:45-5:15|
Registration Fee: $50/$100 (Level 1/Level 2). An e-book is included. No cost for LKSD, BSSD 
Credit:  One optional university credit is available for attending all webinars and participating in online assignments and discussions.
Target Audience: K-12 educators and administrators

This  series focuses on the science behind emotions.  Did you know that emotions are 200-5,000 times faster than thought?  Do you know what happens in the brain and the body that produces many of the emotion responses that you get from students?  Many of our current understandings of discipline are based upon a cognitive approach and ignore the science of emotions.  

• Session 1: Investigate the causes of the “in-your-face” explosion. Learn quick, practical strategies for helping individuals calm down and regulate their responses.
• Session 2: What motivates behavior?  Explore a strategy to change the motivation for behavior, and learn why discipline strategies work with some students and not others.  
• Session 3:  Learn how male and female brains process emotion differently, and better strategies for addressing and preventing violence.

Dr. Ruby Payne empowers educators and community leaders to address issues of poverty in classrooms, communities, businesses, hospitals, churches, and social services. In her two decades as a consultant on education and economic class, Ruby has published more than a dozen books and spoken extensively around the globe. Over her distinguished career, Ruby has worked as a teacher and principal, written K–12 curriculum in all subject areas, and assisted in strategic planning and staff development programs for multiple organizations. Ruby’s work aims to equip everyone she meets with the tools to write a future story full of hope.

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Presenter: Catherine Whitcher, M.Ed
Dates: March 23,30 and April 6
Time: 3:45-5:15
Registration Fee: $50/$100 (Level 1/Level 2)
No cost for LKSD, BSSD
Credit: One optional university credit is available for attending all webinars and participating in online assignments and discussions.
Book included: IEP Development Assessment Wheel™: Strategies and Solutions for Parents and Teachers to Build IEPs that Work in the Real World
Registration coming in January.

Join us for a Special Education Strategy three-part webinar series that will help you build IEPs that work in the real world to prepare every child for further education, employment, and independent living. 

Together, we will be addressing 8 key areas of IEP development,  including parent involvement, present levels, goals, accountability, supports (accommodations/modifications), services, placement, and collaboration. We’ll explore solutions to solve your most pressing problems from executing inclusion plans to tackling staff shortages, all while reducing conflict at the IEP table. 

Do you feel like another year is slipping by? Gain the leadership skills you need to make this school year a success and prepare for next year.  When you walk into your next IEP meeting, you’ll be ready to make the toughest decisions about placement, therapies, and IEP goals, side-by-side with your IEP team.

Session 1: Setting the Foundation for a Strong IEP – Learn to simplify Your IEP process.  You’ll be able to build compliant and meaningful IEPs with more confidence.

Session 2: Leveling Up Your Leadership – Learn how to implement accountability strategies, get creative when resources are lacking, and develop collaboration checkpoints.

Session 3: Conflict Resolution – Learn 5 questions you need to ask when conflict arises, what to do when you can’t agree, and how to build trust on your IEP team.
Target Audience: K-12 educators and administrators

Catherine Whitcher, M.Ed has been solving Special Education struggles for schools and families for over 25 years. After watching her family navigate the system for her brother with Down syndrome, Catherine was motivated to create change. She earned several certifications in Special Education, spent time in the classroom, and became a positive voice of hope and collaboration for families and teachers in her community. She is the founder of the Master IEP Coach® Mentorship and Network, creator of the IEP Development Assessment Wheel™, host of the Special Education Inner Circle podcast, and is currently traveling nationwide working hands-on with teachers and parents to build IEPs in the real world. Her unique special education strategies and solutions have been implemented at thousands of IEP tables and she can’t wait to support you in leveling up your leadership on your IEP team.

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Presenter: Dr. Judy Elliott
Dates: February 14, March 7, April 4, May 2
Time: 3:45-5:15
Registration Fee: No cost for Alaskan Educators
Credit: One optional university credit is available for attending all webinars and participating in online assignments and discussions.
Registration coming in January.

Where are you now? Where do you want to be? By when?
In this series we will explore data-based decision making, and the systems and infrastructures necessary to build the capacity for sustainable Multiple Tiers of Systems of Supports (MTSS) implementation.
Our sessions will encompass:
Session 1 – Ensuring a common language and a common understanding of the six components of MTSS
Session 2 – The role of school-based leadership teams and changing mindsets
Session 3 – Data-based problem solving: moving from admiring data to data-driven decision making
Session 4 – Exploring Early Warning Systems and risk levels

Target Audience: K-12 Educators, School Leaders, MTSS Teams

Dr. Judy Elliott is the former Chief Academic Officer of the Los Angeles Unified School District where she was responsible for curriculum and instruction early childhood through adult education, professional development, innovation, accountability and assessment, and programs for all students including English language learners, students with disabilities, and gifted. Before that she was the Chief of Teaching and Learning in the Portland Oregon Public Schools. Dr. Elliott also was a Senior Researcher at the National Center on Educational Outcomes at the University of Minnesota. She started her career as a classroom teacher and then school psychologist. Judy continues to assist districts, national organizations, state departments of education in their efforts to update and realign curriculum frameworks, instruction, and assessment, and accountability that include all students.

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Thank you to our partners at the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development.
This program was developed, in part, with the assistance of ESSER 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.

with Jo Boaler and Cathy Williams
Dates: April 5,12,19 and 27
Time: 3:45-5:00
Learn how to engage all students through open, in-depth and connected content!
Big Ideas raise individual standards to a higher level so that students can learn mathematics as a meaningful subject of connected ideas. This approach has been shown by research to engage students and increase achievement and is the best approach for teaching heterogeneous groups of students. In this 4-part webinar series we explore the Big Ideas for these grade levels and how to use them to teach students in an engaging way, while covering all relevant mathematical standards. 

• Session 1: Number Sense in the Secondary Years
• Session 2: Visualizing Mathematics in the Secondary Years – part 1
• Session 3: Visualizing Mathematics in the Secondary Years – part 2
• Session 4: Algebraic Reasoning

Target Audience:  The webinar series focuses on Grades 6-10 but is appropriate for any secondary school teacher, leader or administrator.

Registration opens in January.

Dr Jo Boaler is the Nomellini & Olivier Professor of Education at Stanford University. Former roles have included being the Marie Curie Professor of Mathematics Education in England, and a maths teacher in London comprehensive schools. Her PhD won the national award for educational research in the UK. She is an elected fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (Great Britain), and a former president of the International Organization for Women and Mathematics Education (IOWME). She is the recipient of a National Science Foundation ‘Early Career Award’, the NCSM Kay Gilliland Equity Award (2014) and the CMC Walter Denham Mathematics Leadership award (2015). She is the author of eighteen books and numerous research articles. She is a White House presenter on women and girls. She co-founded www.youcubed.org to give teachers, parents and students the resources and ideas they need to inspire and excite students about mathematics. Her work has been published in the New York Times, TIME magazine, The Telegraph, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal and many other news outlets. Her latest book is: Limitless Mind: Learn, Lead & Live without Barriers, published by Harper Collins. She is currently co-leading a K-12 Data Science Initiative and was named as one of the 8 educators “changing the face of education” by the BBC.

Cathy Williams is the Co-Founder and the Executive Director of youcubed. Previously Cathy served as the Director of K-12 Mathematics in the Vista Unified School District where her professional development series earned a California State Golden Bell Award. The professional development in Vista Unified included a unique technology infused K-12 mathematics program that provided workshops for parents, teachers and administrators, and included talks and coaching by Jo Boaler. Cathy’s former roles have included a high school mathematics teacher, AVID coordinator, and mathematics department chair and district curriculum leader over an 18-year span before she became a curriculum and instruction administrator in 2003. Cathy served for seven years as the San Diego County Office of Education K-12 Mathematics Coordinator where her key projects included developing the book and professional development program, Math Language that Works and the online math teacher support program Getting Ready for Algebra. Her professional development series, Algebraic Reasoning Through Inquiry (ARTI) supported many district teachers in San Diego County. During her County Office time Cathy served as the lead coordinator for the first generation California State Early Assessment Program (EAP) professional development series.

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