In this session we will help participants understand the alignment between learning targets, learning progressions, and formative assessments throughout lessons, and how these are used to check for understanding and to inform instruction design in future lessons. Simple tools such as Google Forms, exit tickets, polling, etc., will be discussed to assess students in virtual learning platforms, both asynchronously and synchronously.

While our non-public schools are often havens for students with learning differences or limiting conditions, finding the right relationship to special services can be confusing. This quick guide on Navigating IEPs and 504s in Non-Public Schools will help parents, teachers, and administrators better understand these processes. After the viewing, stay on for a Live Q+A where we will have a current special education teacher to help answer any questions you might have.

This is the second session of the Culturally Responsive Classrooms series, which is designed to follow the Kick-off session on January 11th. Participants will explore helping students to become independent learners, understanding culture in the classroom, how the brain works, and ways to become a culturally responsive practitioner. This session is followed by Part 2 on February 15th, and Part 3 on March 15th. (This session was previously scheduled for 1/18 but has been changed to 1/25.)

Do any of these statements describe your meetings? If so, this session is for you! ● Do your meetings lack organization and follow through? ● Does your team get stuck in admiring the problem? ● Do you leave feeling drained or unheard? The time we spend together as colleagues is more important and valuable now than ever before. All of us want our meetings to be productive and effective. But, did you know that having productive and effective meetings is only half of the formula for success? In this session, you will learn how to transform a team into a community of learners who are more connected, energized, and passionate about the work. We will discuss one method for conducting meetings that charge your battery and make the work more meaningful: the Restorative Circle process. The Restorative Circle process is an effective tool for strategic planning, as well as promoting social-emotional wellness. Our presenter and panelists will give you the tools to explore the Restorative Circle process for increasing voice, equity and collaboration in team meetings. Join us to learn how to take your work to a higher level!

Just what are restorative practices, and how does it relate to Morning Meeting and SEL? In this session, we will view the Restorative Practices Quick Guide (18 min.) together. The rest of the session will be devoted to answering your questions about restorative practices, making the shift to being a restorative school and how to bring a Tier 1 training to your school.

For many, formal observations have taken a back seat this year. Still, teachers need supportive feedback. In this session, leaders will be invited to explore ways to approach both formal and informal teacher observations and feedback through a co-created model of support. Participants will be encouraged to share what is working for them and ask for ideas where they are feeling stuck.

Beyond managing the mandates, protocols, and checklists, how can school leaders actually lead during times of uncertainty? How do you create the conditions to help teachers stay focused on what matters when things are in constant flux? Join us for a session that both looks at what leaders are doing in the current environment, and considers what leadership might look like in the post-COVID years. Participants will be encouraged to share what is working for them and ask for ideas where they are feeling stuck.

This is the third of a four-session Cultural Responsive Classrooms series. It is designed to follow the Kick-off session on January 11th and Part 1 on January 25th. During this session, participants will explore the foundational elements of: building learning partnerships, understanding trust generators, understanding how to be an ally as a teacher and develop alliances to help students build their independence, and building natural confidence in your students as learners. This is followed by the last session of the series, Part 3 on March 15th.

In this Part 1 of a three-part online series of Restorative Practices Training, participants will engage with the foundations and principles of the restorative approach to community-building and discipline. We will look at the philosophy and building blocks of restorative practices, as well as gain an understanding of the spectrum of practices. Participation in this Part 1: Developing a Restorative Mindset is a prerequisite for participation in the other segments that complete the series, Part 2: Community Building Circles, and Part 3: The Art of Circle Design. **Microcredential available for completion of the 3-part series.**

In this session, leaders will be invited to come together to dialogue and discuss strategic ways to support teachers instructionally during this time, in both virtual and hybrid teaching models. How are you leveraging the good work teachers are doing across grade levels? Participants will be encouraged to share what is working for them and ask for ideas where they are feeling stuck.

Do you find it difficult to handle conversations that go awry sometimes? Does your intention for these difficult conversations not match the outcome you desire for yourself and others? Are you not sure how or where to begin skillfully handling these situations differently? Difficult conversations can pose challenges to both our work as leaders and the trusting relationships we cultivate with others. We invite you to join us for a two-part series in learning more about how we can respond differently to difficult conversations. We will examine our past difficult conversations, identify our own natural responses, and learn strategies to navigate these conversations with heart while actually improving trust and integrity in our professional relationships. PART 1: We will learn our leadership style under pressure and understand how our natural response style impacts those we lead. Key questions and strategies will be shared that can be used when faced with difficult conversations to stay in dialogue and move toward safe and productive discussions

This session, the second in our 5-part series, helps teachers identify some first steps to begin flipping their virtual or face to face classroom. Participants will watch the pre-recorded 20 minute Quick Guide to Getting Started with Flipped Learning and then participate in a live 40 minute discussion session immediately following. Specialists from the Upstate PDRC -including an experienced teacher from an independent NYS school- will be available to answer your questions and help you identify some simple ways to flip your virtual, in- person, or hybrid classroom. This session is intended for teachers who have watched the Quick Guide to Flipped Learning Part 1 Overview, or who have some basic knowledge of flipped learning but are not sure how to begin implementing flipped practices.

In this Part 2 of a three-part online series of Restorative Practices Training, participants will engage in the circle process and become familiar with a variety of formats and circle elements. Particular attention will be paid to hosting class circles online. Participation in Part 1: Developing a Restorative Mindset is a prerequisite for this this course, and both are prerequisites for participation in Part 3:The Art of Circle Design. **Microcredential available for completion of the 3-part series.**

This is the second session of a two-part series in learning more about how we can respond differently to difficult conversations. We will examine our past difficult conversations, identify our own natural responses, and learn strategies to navigate these conversations with heart while actually improving trust and integrity in our professional relationships. In this session we will be examining scenarios from our own leadership experiences that have challenged us; we will learn how to skillfully handle these situations differently. A planning tool will be provided to help support your practice in shifting your approach for future difficult conversations.

Just what is project-based learning, anyway? These days, we are hearing more and more about student-driven learning. Project-Based Learning is a way to bring content to your students in a meaningful and powerful way, emphasizing real-life application and problem solving, rather than rote memorization. Join us as we view this quick guide to PBL, and stay for a Live Q+A where you can bring your questions and implementation ideas.

This session, the third in our 5-part series, offers strategies for creating, finding and managing high quality content for flipped classrooms. Participants will watch the pre-recorded 20 minute Quick Guide to Curating and Creating High Quality Content for Flipped Learning and then participate in a live 40 minute discussion session immediately following. Specialists from the Upstate PDRC -including an experienced teacher from an independent NYS school- will be available to answer your questions about how to create or find intentional content that engages students prior to their classroom lessons. This session is intended for teachers who have watched the first two installments of this five part series or who have some basic experience with flipped learning and are looking for ways to enhance their ‘at home' or independent-space content offerings.

This is the last session of the four-session Cultural Responsive Classrooms series. It is designed to follow the Kick-off session and the sessions for Parts 1 and 2. During this session, participants will explore how teachers can build intellectual capacity and create culturally responsive communities of learning for students.

Flipped learning only occurs when students have classroom opportunities to explore and apply in the content that was assigned as 'homework.' This session, the fourth in our 5 part series, helps teachers identify ways to keep learners engaged as they move from the independent space to the group space in their virtual or face to face classroom. Participants in this session will watch the pre-recorded 20 minute Quick Guide to Keeping Learners Engaged in Flipped Learning and then participate in a live 40 minute discussion session immediately following. Specialists from the Upstate PDRC -including an experienced teacher from an independent NYS school- will be available to answer your questions and share experiences. This session is intended for teachers who have watched the first 3 Quick Guides to Flipped Learning or who have some experience with flipped learning and are looking for ways to elevate their classroom/group space activities.

In this Part 3 of a three-part online series of Restorative Practices Training, participants will learn how to design their own circles for a variety of purposes. Using the knowledge and skills gained in the prerequisite Parts 1 & 2 of the training series, participants will develop a circle to use in their own classrooms and have an opportunity to "workshop” their ideas with members of the training group. **Microcredential available for completion of the 3-part series.**

This session, the final in our 5 part series, offers strategies for gathering data about student learning during flipped classroom lessons and explores ways that teachers can create a learning culture within the flipped model. Participants will watch the pre-recorded 20 minute Quick Guide to Accountability and Assessment in Flipped Learning and then participate in a live 40 minute discussion session immediately following. Specialists from the Upstate PDRC -including an experienced teacher from an independent NYS school- will be available to answer your questions about assessment and feedback loops in flipped settings. This session is intended for teachers who have watched the first four installments of this five part series or who have some basic experience with flipped learning and are looking for ways to enhance their 'at home' or independent-space content offerings.

Wrong answers help students learn. What is the right amount of productive struggle? When our students are faced with problems they can't work out immediately, we can set them up for success by shifting some of our own teaching behaviors to encourage deeper learning. This Quick Guide will provide an overview of teaching habits that create the conditions for productive struggle--that is, the process of effortful learning, perseverance and flexible thinking. Let's watch the Quick Guide together and talk about it. Does it make sense, what can we specifically do as teachers?