Join us for this fun, energizing, and interactive virtual training! Learn practical, kinesthetic strategies for boosting sight word recognition, reading fluency, decoding skills, and more. Gain ideas for increasing your students' focus, attention span, writing, and creativity! The training also includes ideas for virtual instruction and suggestions for parents. All participants will receive the Spelling Animals eBook.

Target Audience: PreK-3rd grade teachers, reading coaches, AIS reading teachers, special education teachers, and parents.

Please note: District approval is needed for in-service credit. (1 CTLE Hour)

In this six-hour session, participants will examine a multitude of ways to develop effective home-school partnerships with the families of our English learners. Initial activities work to increase familiarity with the diverse cultures of the community in order to identify their needs, create a more welcoming school environment, and develop culturally responsive, two-way communication. The culminating activity will be to create an engagement plan in accordance with the requirements in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) that targets specific academic outcomes for ELLs while strengthening the meaningful engagement of diverse families. While this training is ideal for school- or district-based teams, it is still relevant and useful for individual educators. (6 CTLE hours)

Please note: District approval is required for in-service credit.

Participants will examine the many facets of identifying English learners with special needs. Federal and New York's CR Part 154-3 regulations will form the foundation of this session. Participants will analyze a case study and apply concepts and tools acquired throughout the course. Enriching discussion will focus on the collaborative process of identifying ELs who have a disability. Many practical resources and tools will be provided for educators to utilize from throughout the collaborative process.

Please note: District approval is needed for in-service credit. (3 CTLE Hours)

Using the compelling stories of adolescence as a guide this online course will give you a snapshot look at the complex world of brain and mind. A "look inside” if you will of children battling eating disorders.

When students are comfortable thinking about their learning and engaging their metacognitive muscles, they will better appreciate the value of the work they are doing. This course is designed to help teachers create digital learning experiences that develop students' metacognitive and self-regulation skills. Encouraging students to "own” the conversation about their progress will provide opportunities to keep families in the loop and to ensure everyone is working together to support the learner. In this course, participants will explore strategies necessary to help students think about their learning, set goals, track their progress, communicate with their families, and reflect on their learning. These critical skills developed over time will foster student ownership and improve student achievement. A strong emphasis will be placed on infusing digital tools to help students build agency over their learning.

Each module includes resources, templates, and action items designed to encourage teachers to take what they are learning and create resources and lessons they can use with students immediately.

Please note: District approval is needed for in-service credit. The hours listed for asynchronous assignments are simply placeholders to reflect the hours of work in the course. (15 CTLE Hours)

This course is designed for school social workers, school psychologists, and school counselors, but is relevant for any school-based professional interested in learning more about available community based supports in Suffolk County. The course will provide an overview of current mental health and substance use supports accessible to our Suffolk County students, as well as how to access and leverage them for our K-12 students and families. The course will provide participants with an opportunity to share resources amongst one another. There will also be opportunities for anonymous case conferencing in which participants will be able to assist one another in problem solving for students in real-time.

Please note: District approval is needed for in-service credit. The hours listed for asynchronous assignments are simply placeholders to reflect the hours of work in the course. (15 CTLE Hours)

Teachers will learn how to use an iPad and Apple Pencil to create amazing hands-on, innovative, student lead classroom experiences. Using web 2.0 tools and apps designed for classrooms, teachers will learn how to create more interactive lessons involving things like easily taking pictures of student work to review or critique as a class and letting students pass around the iPad to write their answers, explain, and teach the class.

Only teachers from MESTRACT member schools may attend this course. Each teacher will be provided with an iPad and Apple Pencil to use during and after the course. Please arrange to pickup the iPad and Apple Pencil from the MESTRACT office prior to the start of the course.

A personal Google account is required to access the course materials in Google Classroom

Asynchronous dates listed below are simply placeholders. You may complete asynchronous work during hours that work best for you.

Please note: District approval is needed for in-service credit. (15 CTLE Hours)

The activities presented in this workshop will help teachers to support students as they make their way through challenging texts. Each week the participants will unpack different strategies for scaffolding English Language Arts tasks.

The content of this course will be delivered through synchronous course meetings and asynchronous assignments in Google Classroom. The hours listed for asynchronous assignments are simply placeholders to reflect the hours of work in the course. A personal Google account is required to access the course materials in Google Classroom.

Please note: District approval is needed for in-service credit. (15 CTLE Hours)

Whether it is the first day of school or the 100th Day celebration, instructional technology can be a vital tool in fostering dynamic classroom communities. This virtual workshop will help educators find opportunities for students to build community and engage with content through the thoughtful incorporation of instructional technology platforms that promote collaboration. Using the ISTE Standards as a framework, this workshop will explore how teachers can create a Classroom Tech Toolbox to empower their students as members of a community of connected learners. (3 CTLE hours)

Please note: District approval is required for in-service credit.

This seminar encourages discussions and provides a deeper awareness of the supports needed for LGBTQ students to thrive. We will review national statistics from GLSEN's 2017 National School Climate Survey, share resources, and tools for creating an inclusive school environment, and focus on how educators can create classrooms free of bullying and harassment for LGBTQ students.

This seminar was previously titled Creating Welcoming and Inclusive Environments for all Students.

Please note: District approval is needed for in-service credit. (3 CTLE hours)

Many students fail to develop multiplication fluency during third grade which hinders their math confidence in subsequent years. This interactive presentation offers kinesthetic strategies that develop multiplication fluency. Similar to learning to play a musical instrument or a sport, multiplication fluency requires repetition for most children. This presentation will provide simple steps and practical suggestions on how to infuse enjoyable movement into math practice to ensure that your students develop the fluency required by NYS Next Generation Standards (3.OA.7a) and other state standards! All participants will receive the Math & Movement Training Manual and Multiply With Me, Learning to Multiply Can Be Fun, Instructor Guide and Student Workbook ebooks and 6 skip counting banners.

Target Audience: 3rd-6th grade teachers, math coaches, AIS math teachers, special education teachers, and parents.

Please note: District approval is needed for in-service credit. (1 CTLE Hour)

No matter the content area, as teachers we are tasked with being on the front line of educating our youth to live in an ethnically and culturally diverse America. Educators have a responsibility to create a culturally inclusive classroom and provide a means for students to become more culturally and civically aware. In this course participants will learn approaches to teaching about cultural responsiveness and civic responsibility by discussing and learning strategies to create both a tolerant and accepting classroom. We will discuss how to navigate difficult conversations and engage students in lessons that will prepare them for their future beyond their K-12 education. Participants will explore NY State learning standards, create lesson plans and activities to facilitate culturally diverse and inclusive instruction.

The content of this course will be delivered through synchronous meetings via Zoom and asynchronous assignments in Google Classroom. A personal Google account is required to access course materials.

Please note: Asynchronous assignment dates and times are simply placeholders for the hours of work in the course. District approval is required for in-service credit. (15 CTLE hours)

Participants will bring active, fun learning alive by learning to incorporate very basic design challenges using everyday materials. Design challenges will focus on active learning, collaboration, creativity, persistence and incorporating literature and other areas of curriculum. In addition to design challenges, teachers will learn about various robots and CAD software. Teachers will have time to create and finish designs on their own during the 15-hour course.

Synchronous meetings will take place online via Google Meet (7.5 hrs). The additional hours will be met via asynchronous learning and design creation in a Google Classroom to be completed on your own time (7.5 hrs). A personal Google account is required to access the course materials.

Please note: Asynchronous meetings listed are simply placeholders for the course to show 15 hours total. District approval is needed for in-service credit. (15 CTLE Hours)

According to GLSEN's 2019 National School Climate Survey, 8 in 10 LGBTQ middle and high school students experience anti-LGBTQ verbal harassment, and over a third miss school for feeling unsafe or uncomfortable. This seminar brings awareness to the challenges LGBTQ students face and how educators can take pro-active steps to prevent or intervene when students are being discriminated against because they are LGBTQ.

District approval is needed for in-service credit. (3 CTLE hours)

This one-hour session provides numerous practical strategies to understand the power of the hundred number grid as a learning tool. Learn kinesthetic, fun, game-like activities that strengthen number sense, build math-confidence, and support state standards. All participants will receive the Math & Movement Training Manual ebook.

Target Audience: Educators and Parents of PreK-2nd grade students

Please note: District approval is needed for in-service credit. (1 CTLE Hour)

You must register to receive the Zoom link for this webinar. When registering, please use a personal email address to make sure you get the Zoom link to attend.

Teachers will learn how to use an iPad and Apple Pencil to create amazing hands-on, innovative, student lead classroom experiences. Participants are expected to already have the iPad and Apple Pencil to participate in this course. Using web 2.0 tools and apps designed for classrooms, teachers will learn how to create more interactive lessons involving things like easily taking pictures of student work to review or critique as a class and letting students pass around the iPad to write their answers, explain, and teach the class.

The content of this course will be delivered through synchronous meetings via Zoom (5 hrs) and asynchronous assignments in Google Classroom (10 hrs). A personal Google account is required to access course materials.

Please note: Asynchronous dates listed below are simply placeholders. You may complete asynchronous work during hours that work best for you. District approval is needed for in-service credit. (15 CTLE Hours)

This foundational seminar about Students with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE) will spend time exploring characteristics of the students to better serve their needs in the classroom. During this seminar, participants will learn how to design classroom environments and apply specific strategies that both honor students' backgrounds and support the intense needs of this population, including Ells, in order to foster success. This seminar also provides a strong knowledge base for future learning opportunities in SIFE literacy, differentiation, and culturally responsive instruction.

Please note: District approval is needed for in-service credit. (3 CTLE hours)

This seminar, designed for all educators who work with English language learners (ELLs), will address the multitude of trauma that many ELLs have experienced prior to and since their arrival to the US. Immigration, under the best of circumstances, involves separation, loss and challenges to one's identity. Many of our recently-arrived ELLs present with traumatic stressors most educators have not dealt with before. Participants will leave this seminar with strategies to help students who have experienced trauma, tools to support ELLs' social and emotional healing, growth and well-being, and ways to build trusting relationships with this fragile cohort.

District approval is needed for in-service credit. (3 CTLE hours)

This 3-Week course is designed to help content area teachers support their English Language Learners (ELLs). Each week will highlight digital tools in a specific category: Translation Tools, Engagement Tools, & Literacy Tools. At the end of the course, participants will choose one tool to explore and create a lesson with.

Please note: District approval is needed for in-service credit. The hours listed for asynchronous assignments are simply placeholders to reflect the hours of work in the course. A personal Google account is needed to access course materials in Google Classroom. (15 CTLE Hours)

English language learners (ELLs) are the fastest growing student population in schools, and they must be considered when NYS ELA and Math Standards are being implemented. Geared for general education teachers, this seminar will help participants design effective content-area instruction while they explore research-based strategies, instructional guidelines and resources for helping ELLs succeed. (3 CTLE hours)

Please note: District approval is required for in-service credit.

This seminar, designed for elementary teachers, focuses on language acquisition and the challenges ELLs at different proficiency levels face in the mainstream classroom. Teachers will experience a variety of research-based strategies and modifications and learn how to apply them in lesson plans that foster the academic achievement of ELLs in their classes.

This seminar will provide 3 CTLE Hours upon completion. District approval is needed for in-service credit.

This one-hour session provides numerous practical strategies to understand the power of the hundred number grid as a learning tool. Learn kinesthetic, fun, game-like activities that strengthen number sense, build math-confidence, and support state standards. All participants will receive the Math & Movement Training Manual ebook.

Target Audience: Educators and Parents 3rd-6th grade students

Please note: District approval is needed for in-service credit. (1 CTLE Hour)

This workshop will provide an overview of the intersection of skills that cross the 38 AP courses and exams and will address the skills that are critical for college and career success. This workshop will help all high school teachers (both AP and non-AP) understand how to build skill development within and across the curriculum. The workshop will address baseline skills and provide participants with an understanding of how the skills increase in complexity and strategies to address those more complex skills. Specific topics include:

*Teaching for understanding and transfer.

*Applying critical reasoning and thinking processes.

*Importance of practice and formative assessments.

*Using AP resources to enhance instruction.

Please note: District approval is needed for in-service credit. (3 CTLE hours)

Transgender and nonbinary students have been a part of our classrooms for years. For many educators, the unique needs of these students raise challenging and confusing issues. This seminar introduces and explores strategies and resources from GLSEN. Educators will be able to draw upon best practices to meet the needs of all students and ultimately make classrooms saver, affirming and more inclusive for transgender and nonbinary students. (2.5 CTLE hours)

Please note: District approval is required for in-service credit.

Many research studies have shown that movement enhances learning. Incorporating movement throughout the day is beneficial for children and adults because exercise enhances circulation, brain function, focus and concentration. This virtual training is an application-based session offering practical suggestions on how to include movement-based learning activities throughout the day. We will lead participants through a variety of movements that can be shared with parents or students. All participants will receive the Math & Movement Training Manual ebook.

Target Audience: PreK-12 Educators, Social Workers and Administrators

Please note: District approval is needed for in-service credit. (1 CTLE Hour)

In this seminar the five high-leverage principles presented synthesize the work of leading scholars and educators and reflect basic practices that can improve teaching and learning for English learners across the content areas. Participants will examine evidence-based instructional strategies that can be incorporated into daily lesson plans and routines as well as determine effective ways to teach and assess both language and disciplinary content.

Please note: District approval is needed for in-service credit. (3 CTLE hours)

This is a three-hour seminar designed to support educators (teachers, TAs, aides, etc.) who work with students with autism. Participants will explore how the classroom and school environment can impact students with autism and strategies to make changes to provide a more supportive environment. Organizational, academic and self-management strategies will be shared through videos and activities. Come learn and develop your skills to help make your classroom a welcoming and supportive environment for students with autism. This three-hour training fulfills requirements for educators and administrators seeking CTLE hours. (3 CTLE hours)

Please note: This course cannot be claimed for training in the needs of students with autism pursuant to Sections 3004(4) and (5) of the Education Law and Subpart 57-3 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education

Please note: District approval is required for in-service credit.

This 6 hour session introduces a family friendly approach for families and educators to work together to improve academic outcomes for students. Our approach consists of 2 to 3 sessions led by grade level teachers to help family members better understand the New York State Standards and related foundational skills and learning activities the family can do at home. During the session, participants examine the essential elements of the FEPSS approach: Welcoming and Connecting, Grade-Level Information - NY State Standards and Foundational Skills, Family Friendly Data Sharing, Modeling and Practice of Tools and Activities, Goal setting - Individual and Class and Reflection for Action. Teachers' learn the importance of each element, how to facilitate the process, and as time permits, work across grade levels to begin planning to implement the approach their school. This model was informed by evidence and research on academic parent teacher teams.

District approval is needed for in-service credit. (6 CTLE hours)

How does language development affect learning? Through exposure to research literature and information on language acquisition theory, you will gain a deeper understanding of the intersection of language and learning. Educators will be guided to reflect on how language development affects instruction and learning in their own classrooms.

Please note: District approval is needed for in-service credit. (3 CTLE hours)