TEACHING FOR THE NEW YORK STATE PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE: CREATING INCLUSIVE PATHWAYS AND PROJECT-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Instructor: Heather Catron                           45 CTLE Hours; 3 in-service credits                                         Grades K-12 Educators

Dates (Start/End): July 1 - August 19, 2026       Time: Asynchronous                                                       Fee: $150            

Personal Google accounts will be required to access the course.

This course supports educators in designing equitable, innovative learning pathways aligned with the New York State Portrait of a Graduate. Participants will dive into flexible, student-centered graduation experiences that reflect students’ strengths, needs, and goals. 

Participants will examine project-based and performance-based learning models, focusing on creating meaningful assessments that build critical thinking, communication, and collaboration. 

Special attention will be given to supporting diverse learners, including English Language Learners and students with disabilities, through scaffolding, differentiation, and inclusive assessment design.

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify how the Portrait of a Graduate looks in your specific classroom.

• Explore multiple pathways to graduation

• Design engaging, standards-aligned lessons based on the competencies of POG

• Apply strategies to support diverse learners

• Create differentiated assessments

• Take your existing lessons and give them a ‘pathway makeover’ for better student engagement

• Build a portfolio for classroom use

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UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING

Instructor: Meghan Lavey                         45 CTLE hours, 3 inservice credits                   Grades K-12

Dates:  July 1 - August 19, 2026               Time:  Asynchronous                                                            Fee: $150                                                                

This 45-hour course explores Universal Design for Learning principles with a focus on creating engaging lessons that effectively reach visual, auditory, and hands-on learners. Participants will learn how to design differentiated lessons that provide multiple means of engagement, expression, and assessment.    

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to: 

• Explain the core principles of UDL and the application to the classroom.

• Identify visual, auditory and hands-on learning preferences and design instruction that addresses various learning styles. 

• Create lessons that provide multiple means of representation that are tailored to visual, auditory and hands-on learning.

• Develop engagement strategies that increase motivation and engagement for different learning preferences.

• Design flexible assessment options that allow students to demonstrate mastery in ways that align with their learning preferences.

• Build complete UDL aligned lesson plans that promote learning and engagement for all learning styles.

• Reflect on and evaluate their own teaching practices through UDL.

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LANGUAGE LIFT-OFF -WIDA ACCESS ASSESSMENT & INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES FOR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS 

Instructor:  Kathy Curran                             45 CTLE hrs; 3 Ins. Credits                                                      Grades K-12

Dates: July 1- August 26, 2026       Time: Asynchronous                                                             Fee: $150

The WIDA test (ACCESS for ELLS) is an annual English proficiency assessment for K-12 ELLs.  It measures proficiency in Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing to guide academic instruction.  

This asynchronous 45 hour course prepares educators to confidently understand, administer, and utilize the WIDA ACCESS assessment while strengthening instructional practices for multilingual learners. Participants will engage in independent learning, reflection, and collaborative discussion to deepen their understanding of language development and assessment.

Participants will learn the purpose and structure of the **WIDA ACCESS assessment, build confidence in administering the assessment, interpret student results and apply data to instruction.  Participants will learn to support multilingual learners across all language domains

and prepare students effectively for ACCESS.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Be familiar with the ACCESS assessment and its components

• Administer the assessment using best practices

• Analyze student scores and proficiency levels

• Use data to inform grouping, instruction, and language goals

• Design lessons that support language development

• Prepare students using targeted strategies and tools

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BETTER DAYS:  180 CREATIVE PRACTICES AND DAILY CONNECTIONS FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS: 

                                                                                        A Book Study

Instructor: Amy Koutsakos                      45 CTLE hours: 3 in-service credits                                             Grades K-12 all areas                                   Dates: July 6 - August 21, 2026            Time: Asynchronous                                             Fee:  $150                                           

Book Study: Better Days: 180 Creative Practices and Daily Connections for Teachers and Students 

By: Lisa J. Lucas

Amazon Link: 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416633480/ref=ewc_title_delete1smid=A2EBB3MNEIVNEP&psc=1    

Cultivate a classroom environment that serves as a sanctuary for calm, curiosity, and authentic connection. Better Days provides educators with 180 practical, research-based creative practices and daily connections designed to seamlessly integrate social-emotional learning, mindfulness, and healthy habits into the school day—without overwhelming your schedule.

This course utilizes evidence-based strategies and real-world classroom experience to empower you and your students to navigate daily challenges with presence, kindness, and resilience.

Educators will leave this course with practical, ready-to-use resources that cultivate presence and kindness, deepen self-awareness, and transform social-emotional engagement and well-being into a sustainable daily reality within the classroom environment.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify the 10 interconnected themes—including Attention and Intention, Mind Management, and Self-Care—to recognize which practices best fit your specific classroom needs and student populations.

• Analyze research-based strategies and your own classroom dynamics to understand how social-emotional learning supports both student well-being and educator resilience.

• Apply daily mindfulness and presence practices that take just minutes but create a meaningful, lasting impact on classroom culture and student connection.

• Implement 180 screen-free, hands-on activities that strengthen emotional awareness, encourage genuine reflection, and foster a warm, inviting learning environment.

• Develop your own "wise inner self" through reflective exercises and affirmations that deepen your capacity to lead with intention and authenticity.

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USING RETRIEVAL PRACTICES TO STRENGTHEN LEARNING 

Instructor: Christine Sanfratello                                     15 CTLE Hours; 1 Inservice credit                   Grades: K-12                                         

Dates:  July 27 - August 23, 2026                                     Time: Asynchronous                                           Fee:$50                                 

Retrieval practice- the act of bringing information to mind- is one of the most powerful, research-backed strategies for improving student learning and long-term retention. It’s simple, powerful, and backed by decades of research in cognitive science. In this 15-hour professional learning experience, you'll explore the "why" and the "how" of retrieval practice in a supportive, practical, and engaging way. Together, we’ll dive into what makes retrieval practice so effective for student understanding and application of all content areas, grade levels, and subjects. We will examine retrieval practices so that we understand the science behind how it works, the methodology that drives the intention, and easy strategies to effectively bring retrieval practices into your classroom to further support and enhance student learning.  

Participants must have a personal Google account to access the course and materials. 

Participants will:

• Examine Retrieval Practice to understand its value and importance to student understanding and application of content. 

•  Explore a variety of Retrieval Practice Strategies to implement in their classrooms. 

•  Reflect upon current practices to determine when, where, or how retrieval practices can be 

incorporated to support student learning.

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CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT REVISITED  

Instructor: Selina Durio                               15 CTLE  hrs / 1 inservice credit                                                Grades K-12  All Areas   

Dates: July 16- August 13, 2026                                                                                                       Fee: $50

Mandatory Synchronous Online Meetings: July 16th, August 13th

Time: 12 Noon to 1:30PM or 6:00 to 7:30 PM. 

This is a hybrid course.  Students must attend the 2 synchronous online sessions.  Sessions are offered at either noon or 6:00 pm on each date.   Three (3) hours of synchronous and twelve (12) hours of independent work constitute the 15 hours required for this 1-credit course.

What is classroom management, and how do you adapt it to your personal style?  This workshop explores not only the basics of good classroom management, but also shows how one size does not fit all! By the end of this course, you will construct your personal classroom management plan.

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to: 

Module 1: Identify what classroom management is and why we need a plan. 

Module 2: Identify the difference between Classroom Rules, Procedures, and Expectations.

Module 3: Identify how your physical classroom set-up influences your classroom management.

Module 4: Present a written Classroom Management Plan.

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THE INTERSECTION OF ADHD AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING:

TOOLS FOR MITIGATING THE BARRIERS

Instructor: Chelsea Shirreffs                      45 CTLE  hrs / 3 inservice credits                                                    Grades K-12 All Areas                            Dates: July 6 - August 16, 2026             Time: Hybrid*                                                                                 Fee: $150

*MANDATORY MEETINGS: Monday 7/6 from 7-8:30pm 

                                                         Monday  8/10 from 7-8:30pm 

According to the CDC, an estimated 7 million U.S. children between the ages of 3 and 17 had been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder at some point in their childhood. Our students with ADHD are struggling with executive functioning deficits that often lead to negative outcomes in the areas of learning, motivation, communication, and behavior. In our classrooms, these children are struggling with initiating tasks, maintaining focus, planning, organizing, putting forth effort, utilizing working memory, self-monitoring, and regulating emotions. 

This course will provide participants with an in-depth understanding of ADHD and executive functioning in children, with a special focus on the tools and strategies offered by Cindy Goldrich and Carly Wolf in their book, ADHD, Executive Function, & Behavior Challenges in the Classroom. Cindy Goldrich is a mental health counselor, parent coach, and teacher trainer that has been nationally recognized for her work in navigating the complex challenges of students with ADHD. Carly Wolf is a special educator and intervention specialist.

• Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to

• Understand Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and the impact that it has on school functioning.

• Understand the different aspects of executive functioning in children.

• Identify tools and strategies to mitigate the executive functioning deficits in students with ADHD

• Acknowledge the impact of teaching communication and goal-setting skills to students with ADHD.

• Make connections between the content of this course and their own students

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MOVING LEARNING FORWARD: INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR TEACHER CLARITY

Instructor: Kim Turri                         45 CTLE Hrs.; 3 inservice credits                            Grades K-12  All Areas

Dates: July 6 - August 17, 2026 Time:  Asynchronous                                       Fee: $150

This course is designed to support K–12 educators in developing clear, intentional instruction using the Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR) framework. Participants will explore how instructional strategies support learning across the four phases of GRR—focused instruction, guided instruction, collaborative learning, and independent learning—and how these phases work together to build student understanding, confidence, and independence.

Through readings, videos, discussions, strategy exploration, and reflection, educators will examine how to design lessons that respond to students' thinking and intentionally shift cognitive responsibility from the teacher to the learner.

Recommended Book: (Optional)

Instructional Strategies to Move Learning Forward: Tools That Support the Gradual Release of Responsibility. ASCD.Fisher, D., Frey, N., Barbee, K., & Ortega, S. (2023).

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand and explain the Gradual Release of Responsibility framework.

• Identify instructional strategies aligned to each phase of GRR.

• Design instruction that intentionally shifts responsibility to students.

• Reflect on instructional decision-making and student learning outcomes.

• Apply GRR-aligned strategies to lesson planning and classroom practice.

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READ THE ROOM

Instructor: Beth Read     45 CTLE hours/3 inservice credits                       Grades K-12

Dates: July 6 - August 17, 2026 Time: Asynchronous                                                              Fee: $150

Required Book: Read The Room by: Cavanaugh James

Teachers don’t just teach content. They teach humans. And every day, you walk into rooms filled with shifting emotions, unspoken needs, and complex social dynamics. This book study gives you the relational skills to navigate all of that with more confidence, clarity, and calm.  It is ideal for educators who want to elevate their relational intelligence, strengthen classroom culture, and lead with empathy, awareness, and presence. It’s not just professional development — it’s personal development that transforms the way teachers show up for their students and for each other.

Through weekly readings, reflective questions, and putting it all into practice, teachers will explore how to interpret group dynamics, respond to student needs with empathy, and cultivate a presence that positively influences the room. Each session includes open‑ended discussions that encourage personal storytelling, shared insight, and authentic connection among colleagues.

By the end of this course, teachers will walk away with:

• A deeper understanding of how to “read the room” with clarity and confidence

• Stronger relational habits that support classroom management and student engagement

• Practical strategies for building meaningful connections with students, families, and colleagues

• A personalized relational‑growth plan to sustain their practice long‑term

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THE EXCELLENT 11: A BOOK & FILM STUDY

Instructor:    Doug Read                           45  CTLEhrs.; 3 inservice credits                     Grades K-12

Dates: July 6 - August 20, 2026 Time: Asynchronous                                                           Fee: $150

The Excellent 11 presents Ron Clark’s comprehensive framework for cultivating the personal and professional qualities that define highly effective educators. Through eleven core traits—including enthusiasm, creativity, compassion, balance, humor and resilience—Clark illustrates how intentional modeling of these characteristics strengthens instructional practice, enhances classroom culture, and supports holistic student development. Grounded in real classroom experiences, the framework emphasizes the educator’s role in shaping environments where students feel motivated, supported, and empowered to excel. The Excellent 11 serves as a foundational text for educators seeking to elevate their practice through character-driven teaching and sustained professional reflection.

Film: The Ron Clark Story   Available free on youtube, Amazon Prime, as well as other streaming services.

Book: The Ron Clark Story (also known as The Triumph) is a 2006 American television film starring Matthew Perry.  The film is based on the educator Ron Clark. It follows the tale of an idealistic teacher who leaves his small hometown to teach in a New York City public school, where he faces trouble with the students.

Participants will:

• Reflect on how teachers’ beliefs, values, and emotional presence shape student experiences. 

• Strengthen relationships with students through empathy, humor, and consistent modeling of the Excellent 11 traits. 

• Reflect on personal teaching practices and identify opportunities to embed character education.