Intended for any teachers looking for suggestions for their summer reading lists. Attendees will experience first hand the power of book talks and tastings and will be encouraged to partner with their school librarians to implement these activities to help kindle the joy of reading in our students.
This session is design to foster a deeper understanding of the critical importance of inclusion and the most effective strategies for successful implementation. The session is informed by real feedback from real teachers and addresses the real-life barriers to inclusion faced by educators in the classroom.
Participants will discover a variety of activities that integrate movement and music to improve focus, increase retention, support academic goals, foster social-emotional development, and address diverse learning styles to promote a positive classroom environment.
Transform student observations into meaningful action by leveraging local maps, history, and nature exploration. Learn strategies to guide students in analyzing their environment, making data-driven predictions, and connecting past to present. This cross-disciplinary approach empowers students to become curious investigators and innovative change-makers in their community
K-5 elementary teachers will explore how to incorporate Project Learning Tree (PLT) resources to enhance science instruction. PLT provides hands-on, interdisciplinary activities that connect students to nature and promote critical thinking about environmental topics. Teachers will engage in sample activities, learn strategies to adapt them for various grade levels, and explore how PLT aligns with science standards and integrates with other subjects. Participants will leave with practical tools and ideas to inspire curiosity, deepen understanding, and foster environmental stewardship in their classrooms.
This session will cover strategies for building relationships between colleagues who work with the same students, i.e. teacher to reading specialist, teacher to sped teacher, teacher to instructional aid, etc. in order to have effective instruction during push in.
Embroidery with thread- decorative form embellishes Sashiko with thread- strengthens Learn both forms of needlework. A calm and soothing activity for teachers and students.
The benefits of sashiko - from saving money on clothes and reducing demand for fast fashion to creating stronger connections to our garments and finding peace of mind.
You will learn basic decorative embroidery stitches and Sashiko patterns. The main purpose of Sashiko is a bit different from the other types of hand-stitching. It is to make the fabric stronger and instead of patching or connecting two fabrics so-called patchworking or tailoring. These repairs soon turned into patterns and made it more interesting and beautiful.
With classrooms full of digital natives we tend to take for granted the skills and knowledge that our students may not possess. This class will cover the following topics: Basic Computer Skills, Digital Communication, Cybersecurity, Media Literacy, Digital Citizenship, Research/Data Analysis, Problem-Solving and Creativity. You will leave with some practical ideas and activities that you can integrate into your classroom in order to build a strong foundation for your students.
This session is for English, history, science, and health teachers who are looking to effectively incorporate reading and writing across their curriculum. Teachers will practice with strategies that support cross-curricular connections and provide a common language for teachers and students across the content areas.
Social Studies teachers wanting information on using data and analytics to showcase narratives and foster discussion in the history classroom should attend.
This workshop digs deeper into what high quality math instruction looks like for all students and develops leaders' background knowledge in the components of effective math instruction.
Do you aspire to be a school administrator? Join division leadership for an engaging session focused on the essential skills and knowledge needed to succeed in educational leadership. This session will also provide a framework for professional growth and explore key areas of leadership. Individuals who have completed or are currently in an administrative degree program are encouraged to attend.
For all individuals that would like to learn new skills on how to communicate with parents/guardians that can be difficult in nature as well as having a difficult conversations with them.
Educators will enhance their behavior management and relationship building with students by becoming more knowledgeable about trauma and how it impacts students in school.
Join us for an engaging professional learning session designed exclusively for science teachers eager to enhance their students' grasp of science concepts and skills focused on graphing, A tools for differentiation, and gain more resources specific to Virginia Standards of Learning . In this session, we explore numerous online resources to seamlessly insert and align to your science curriculum and instruction to increase student engagement.
We often go through our day-to-day lives on autopilot, rarely reflecting on what habits we have formed, what truly makes us happy, who we are and who we want to be. To be the best teacher we can possibly be, we must form habits that allow us to be happy and healthy both in and out of the classroom. This session is designed to allow participants to reflect on where they are and to make small, and to some extent, necessary changes for a healthier and more balanced life.
Understanding the effect of trauma on a brain is a powerful step in teaching students who have experienced trauma. Discover areas that you may not have previously realized cause trauma, how the brain is effected, as well as actionable steps to reach and teach those students.
Do you ever wish that you could better communicate with your Spanish speaking students and families? This is the session for you! All Spanish knowledge and backgrounds are welcome!
Upper elementary and middle school teachers can immerse themselves in a “Wild†book club experience while generating book club ideas of their own (or take our curated one) to take back to their school.
Press play on AI! This training session empowers educators with the knowledge and tools to effectively integrate AI into their teaching practices, fostering a more engaging and personalized student learning experience. Explore popular AI tools and AI features built into products already used in your classroom.
This session introduces elementary teachers to the engaging and standards-aligned resources Ag in the Classroom offers. Participants will explore hands-on lessons, activities, and multimedia tools designed to connect students to agriculture while enhancing core content areas such as science and social studies. Teachers will learn how to incorporate these resources into their classrooms to promote critical thinking, problem-solving, and a deeper understanding of how agriculture impacts daily life. The session will include time for teachers to explore resources by grade level, plan for integration, and create meaningful connections for students.
Elementary school teachers who want to help support SPED/ELL should attend -help close gaps in achievement for SPED/ELL students in your classrooms -help students thrive in the general education classroom
Come have some fun with the Theatre Directors from BHS & RHS. Learn the basics and benefits of improvisation and ways it can be incorporated into the middle or high school classroom. "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." Neale Donald Walsch
Feeling overwhelmed by your first year? This session equips you with practical strategies for classroom management, creating a positive environment, and time management. Learn action planning for the semester, self-care tips, and how to build a supportive network. You've got this!
This professional learning session will equip educators with practical, research-based strategies to integrate literacy instruction into content area teaching, focusing on supporting English Language Learners (ELLs). Participants will explore the unique challenges faced by ELs, understand the importance of academic language development, and engage in activities that demonstrate how to implement high-impact literacy strategies across disciplines.
Art Therapy though Paint and Sip, Sharp Top Mountin! Teachers will get to experience what it is like to be back in the middle school art classroom. Teachers will experience a guided, step by step, painting of our beloved Sharp Top mountin. The painting will feature several different painting techniques including a variety of brushes and tool to achieve them. Getting lost in a painting, and letting go of the work related stresses is Art Therapy at it's finest!
This session will discuss the problems associated with fast fashion and its effects on our environment. Attendees will develop a plan where, instead of a textile heading to the landfill, will be upcycled, and re-used. This session allows attendees to gain knowledge about this growing problem and pass the information and activity along to their students.
This course will satisfy the Virginia Department of Education requirement for teacher relicensure. Heartsaver First Aid CPR/AED is an instructor led course that will teach participants critical skills needed to respond to and manage a medical emergency until more advanced services arrive. Skills covered in this course include basic first aid for common emergencies, choking relief in adults, children and infants and what to do for sudden cardiac arrest in adults, children and infants.
This session will introduce a variety of innovative PE games that will include skills taught in your traditional physical education classes. These games are designed to build on previously taught skills in class. These games include modifications of traditional games with a variety of skill sets.
Special and General Education teachers wanting an overview of what Special Education is and effective strategies for working with students with IEPs that can be implemented in any setting.
This session will instruct teachers on how to create systems at the start of the school year to prevent behavior including escalating consequences, procedures, and positive reinforcement, how to respond to challenging behavior within the classroom, and recognizing multicultural concerns.
With a growing population of English language learners, many teachers often wonder what strategies and scaffolds they can put in place to help their students succeed in the general education classroom. Join us as we share evidence-based practices that can easily be incorporated into your classroom right away.
This session is designed for middle school science curriculum teams to review and refine our division science curriculum collaboratively. Participants will evaluate pacing guides, adjust shared classroom experiences, fine-tune resources and assessments, and ensure alignment with state standards and division goals. Teachers will explore ways to enhance instructional practices, foster collaboration, and create meaningful learning experiences for students.
This session is designed for secondary teachers who want to include more hands-on learning in their classroom. We will discuss and practice a variety of activities that encourage student engagement.
We will share with you how to make some boring and sometimes difficult tasks easier and simpler. We will discuss programs such as OneNote, how to use Canvas Quizzes more effectively, and how we can still use paper material effectively without driving ourselves crazy.
This seminar introduces educators to the innovative principles outlined in Peter Liljedahl's Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics. Participants will explore practical strategies to foster student engagement, critical thinking, and collaborative problem-solving. The seminar blends hands-on experience with research-based insights into creating dynamic, student-centered learning environments. Attendees will learn about the 14 key strategies Liljedahl identifies to transform their classrooms and take away actionable steps for implementation.
Join us for an engaging professional learning session where you’ll experience the power of inquiry-based instruction firsthand! Using the Inquiry Design Model (IDM), you’ll step into the role of a student as you work through key components of an inquiry, including staging, unpacking compelling and supporting questions, analyzing sources, preparing for the summative task, and taking informed action.
You’ll leave this session with a strong understanding of how to read and use a teacher-facing inquiry blueprint to design engaging and meaningful social studies lessons. In addition to hands-on experience, you’ll gain access to a bank of ready-to-use inquiries to implement immediately in your classroom.
In this session, learn the practical steps to planning effective Specially Designed Instruction. These steps will include exploring how SDI is different from the general education curriculum, intentionally thought out, and rooted in teaching methods. This session will also provide usable tools that can be easily implemented in the classroom to improve SDI. This session is inspired by Dr. Anne M. Beninghof’s book, Specially Designed Instruction.
