OVERVIEW:

NCI (Nonviolent Crisis Intervention) is a person-centered, trauma-informed approach that recognizes that all behavior is communication. It allows us to objectively analyze how and why a person is exhibiting distress behavior, identify the level of risk associated with the behavior, and use strategies that can be used to de-escalate a person in crisis and mitigate risk associated with distress behavior. This training fulfills the NYSED requirement for all school staff to be trained in de-escalation; "Updates to Behavioral Supports and Interventions in Schools” NYCRR §19.5, section D-5.

*Participants may choose to attend Day 1 (verbal de-escalation skills) and not Day 2; however, participation in Day 1 is required to participate in Day 2.

OUTCOMES:

- Analyze distress behavior & identify risk associated with it.

- Learn and practice verbal de-escalation skills

- Learn and practice strategies used to mitigate risk

This session, with identical content, will also be offered December 2, 2026.

OVERVIEW:

"If we want better outcomes for students, we have to improve the systems in which teaching and learning occur.”

- Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching

In this four-part series, we will collaboratively refine and strengthen integrated multi-tiered systems of support for the 2026-27 school year. Grounded in New York State's Portrait of a Graduate and NY Inspires framework as our shared compass, we will focus on deepening alignment across literacy and social-emotional health to ensure our systems are coherent, responsive, and centered on the outcomes we want for all learners.

Building on the MTSS-I for Leaders & Coordinators series, this experience elevates the work into strategic, multi-year planning. District and building leaders will work in partnership to translate vision into action-leveraging data, strengthening collaborative teams, and creating structures for consistent monitoring, reflection, and adjustment throughout the year.

*Note: This series is intended for district and school leadership and is offered in conjunction with the NY Inspires Regional Network series focused on implementing plans for Portrait of a Graduate success.

OUTCOMES: - Strengthen the effectiveness of district and building-level teams through clear roles, collaboration protocols, and shared ownership - Analyze multiple data sources to drive responsive, timely instructional and intervention decisions across tiers - Explore data visualizations that are actionable and incorporate into the assessment and monitoring components of local plans - Develop actionable, aligned MTSS-I plans that connect Portrait of a Graduate outcomes to daily practice - Establish accountability systems, including progress monitoring cycles and structured check-ins, to ensure sustained implementation and impact

OVERVIEW:

In this multi-day series, pre-k teachers will develop a master plan for ELA instruction for the 2026-27 school year, including planning for: setting up the classroom and school day, routines and procedures, assessments, targeted ELA instruction, and addressing other content areas. Social-Emotional Learning and behavior management will also be an academy goal. Teachers will identify essential learning outcomes for pre-k reading and writing, develop progress monitoring to ensure growth in the essential learning outcomes, and develop instructional plans to deliver targeted instruction throughout the year that focuses on the whole child including play-based learning and targeted oral language development. Participants will build their strategy toolkit to address outcomes and assessment.

OUTCOMES:

- Identify the skills that are critical to successful reading at the pre-k level

- Identify strategies that promote positive relationships and classroom community

- Explain how to support the transfer of critical skills into reading, writing, and math

- Identify evidence-based instructional strategies to support these skills

- Develop strategies to support the use of play as one of many appropriate teaching tools to help children work toward learning goals and meet developmental expectations.

- Create instructional plans based on your ongoing, formative data

OVERVIEW:

Across four full-day professional learning sessions, starting with a summer launch on July 28th, teachers of kindergarten through second grade will deepen their understanding of effective Tier 1 literacy practices that support and accelerate student growth.

Sessions will focus on:

- Setting up the classroom and school day with a focus on rules and procedures

- Promoting positive relationships & classroom community

- Literacy assessment to identify skill needs

- Essential skills and their pacing across the year

- Evidence based instructional practices in literacy & math

- Quick strategies for formative assessment to guide upcoming instruction

- High quality texts, and simple ways to incorporate them into the classroom to build academic language while having fun!

Participants will build their strategy toolkit to address essential skills and assessment, implement practices in their classrooms, and share with colleagues throughout the series.

It is recommended that participants register for and attend all sessions in the series. A make-up is offered for the 7/28/26 session. If you cannot attend the 7/28 session, a separate registration date of 10/14/26 will be coming soon in the fall catalog. Please register for the series and make up session if needed.

OUTCOMES:

- Identify the skills that are critical to successful language-building experiences (reading, speaking, listening, & writing) & math at different check-points during the year

- Explain and apply evidence-based tier 1 routines to support academic language building, decoding, fluency, oral language, writing, and comprehension

- Implement strategies to support the transfer of critical skills into reading, writing, and spoken language using rich text as mentors

- Explain and apply Tier 1 math routines to support engagement and mathematical discourse

- Create instructional plans based on your ongoing, formative data collection

OVERVIEW:

Join us for a series of strategic, collaborative discussions focused on implementing the shifts driven by the NY Inspires plan. We encourage district leadership teams to attend together to:

- Assess current district initiatives and programs that align with the NY Inspires plan

- Brainstorm opportunities, challenges, and next steps towards achieving the vision of NY Inspires

- Share promising practices and highlights from across our region and beyond

- Identify opportunities for regional collaboration and support

District teams will be provided a NY Inspires Implementation Review and Planning Guide template to guide their work.

*Note: This series is intended for district and school leadership and is offered in conjunction with the MTSS-I impact series focused on creating and revising district strategic plans for Portrait of a Graduate success.

OVERVIEW:

The foundation for New York's visionary Portrait of a Graduate is built in the earliest years of schooling-and the leadership moves we make in PreK-2 matter more than ever.

Join a community of fellow leaders who are passionate about supporting our youngest learners. This series offers practical strategies to help strengthen systems, sharpen decision-making, and elevate outcomes for students in grades PreK-2. Together we will focus on: literacy learning, attendance, and behavior and social-emotional development.

Across the series, we'll dig into assessment and data in ways that feel actionable and not overwhelming, alongside high-impact instructional and systems practices that make a difference. Along the way, we'll keep play and joy at the center-exploring how to intentionally design rich, engaging experiences that spark curiosity and a love of learning.

We kick things off in August with proactive strategies to set the tone for a successful school year for all learners. From there, each session will build your leadership toolkit with ready-to-use ideas, and will build in collaboration and time to plan for implementation.

Grounded in meaningful data but driven by purpose, this series is about more than analysis-it's about action. It's about building systems that respond effectively to what we see, while creating schools where our youngest learners thrive, feel known, and experience joy every day.

OUTCOMES:

- Describe assessment recommendations and integrate data-based decision making practices in your system

- Review the data at critical checkpoints and plan for "doubling down” where needed!

- Explain high-impact practices to support students' early literacy development, behavior and social emotional learning, family engagement, communication, and attendance

- Plan for supporting teachers and staff in implementing key actions to address attendance, behavior/social-emotional learning, and literacy

OVERVIEW:

This training was developed to promote the recommendation and implementation of quality special education services for all students with disabilities.

OUTCOMES:

The modules contained within this training are intended to provide CPSE and CSE chairpersons with a best practices approach to the CPSE/CSE process and their role as a chairperson that is consistent with State law and regulation.

Please Note:

Some sessions of the training will be held at BT BOCES Instructional Support Center and some sessions will be held at GST BOCES.

Please plan to bring your internet enabled device. You will receive numerous handouts prior to each module and may want to access those during the sessions.

The session originally scheduled for Thursday, September 10th at BT BOCES has been canceled. The session will instead be held on Thursday, September 24th at GST BOCES, Coopers Campus (please see the updated schedule below).

OVERVIEW:

In support of educators' implementation of the NYSED Literacy Briefs, this professional learning service has been revised and updated to equip K-5 educators with essential knowledge of the Science of Reading (SoR) to create language-rich interventions to build the literacy skills and confidence of all of our students. This series covers all literacy skills from foundational abilities to comprehension of grade-level texts. Participants will work with their own students' data and receive ongoing guidance on utilizing structured literacy approaches to target instruction for accelerated learning gains. Through practical strategies and continuous support, educators will enhance their teaching and help students achieve literacy proficiency.

This service comes with an administrative strand, Science of Reading for Building Leaders to support building and district leaders in the systems-level application of the SoR. Also, we will provide on-site check-ins with teachers and interested administrators to support classroom practices as well as literacy systems.

ADDITIONAL COST:Accelerating Students Literacy Growth [Service No. 551-211-020]. Districts exceeding their 2026-27 FRS purchases will be billed via an ARFS.

OUTCOMES:

- Explain how the brain reads, what makes reading difficult for some students, and how to identify early areas of literacy concern

- Explain foundational skill learning progressions of simpler to more complex skills and apply this knowledge to assessment and instructional design

- Describe ways to effectively and efficiently assess students to determine precise teaching points based on strengths and areas of need

- Apply high yield instructional strategies to address identified needs

- Create small group lesson plans designed to explicitly teach precise skills and to support transfer into text and writing

- Explain instructional approaches to ensure mastery of critical skills for end-of-grade level expectations

OVERVIEW:

This series provides newer teachers (in their 3nd year of teaching) with intensive professional development in evidence-based strategies around effective instructional design, student engagement, classroom management, feedback, questioning and many other pieces that make up "highly effective” teaching. Participants will receive and utilize feedback from a coach on strategies that meet students' needs in their classrooms. Throughout our time we will have both full group and district-specific learning experiences in order to better meet participants' needs.

OUTCOMES:

- Describe strategies for effective instruction which engages students in order to develop their content knowledge and development of skills. - Explain classroom management strategies which promote a welcoming and affirming environment. - Identify characteristics of successful feedback and describe strategies for delivering teacher to student feedback and student to student feedback. - Describe effective classroom questioning practices and identify specific strategies to build students' questioning skills.

Please Note Maximum CTLE of 22 hours will be awarded based on participation in the following:

- Three 6-hour Regional Sessions (max 18 hrs): August 6, January 20, May 28

- Four 1-hour Coaching Sessions (max 4 hrs): September 15 - October 3; November 3 - 21; January 26 - February 18; April 14 - May 1

Per person subscription to the New Teacher Institute, Service # 551.211.046, is required. Applicable billing will be initiated by BT BOCES if not included as part of your district's 2026-27 FRS.

OVERVIEW:

This series provides newer teachers (in their 2nd year of teaching) with intensive professional development in evidence-based strategies around effective instructional design, student engagement, classroom management, feedback, questioning and many other pieces that make up "highly effective” teaching. Participants will receive and utilize feedback from a coach on strategies that meet students' needs in their classrooms. Throughout our time we will have both full group and district-specific learning experiences in order to better meet participants' needs.

OUTCOMES:

- Describe strategies for effective instruction which engages students in order to develop their content knowledge and development of skills.

- Explain classroom management strategies which promote a welcoming and affirming environment.

- Identify characteristics of successful feedback and describe strategies for delivering teacher to student feedback and student to student feedback.

- Describe effective classroom questioning practices and identify specific strategies to build students' questioning skills.

Please Note Maximum CTLE of 29 hours will be awarded based on participation in the following:

- Three In- District Sessions (Up to 6 Hours) Weeks of Oct 13-22 and March 16-24

- Two 3-hour In-District 1/2 Day Sessions (max 6 hrs): Week of October 14 - 23; Week of March 17 - 26

- Five 1-hour Coaching Sessions (max 5 hrs): final Date June 11 2027

Per person subscription to the New Teacher Institute, Service # 551.211.045, is required. Applicable billing will be initiated by BT BOCES if not included as part of your district's 2026-27 FRS.

OVERVIEW:

This series provides new teachers (in their 1st year of teaching) with intensive professional development in evidence-based strategies around effective instructional design, classroom environment, student engagement, classroom management, explicit teaching and many other pieces that make up "highly effective” teaching. Participants will receive and utilize feedback from a coach on strategies that meet students' needs in their classrooms. Throughout our time we will have both full group and district-specific learning experiences in order to better meet participants' needs.

OUTCOMES:

- Describe key attributes of a welcoming classroom environment.

- Describe unique aspects of your new school culture and strategies for integrating into the school community.

- Identify evidence-based classroom management strategies and create a plan to apply them.

- Define explicit teaching and student engagement.

- Create lesson plans that include explicit teaching and incorporate various engagement strategies.

Please Note Maximum CTLE of 35 hours will be awarded based on participation in the following:

- Four 6-hour Regional Sessions (max 24 hrs): August 31, September 1, January 11, May 17

- Two 3-hour In-District 1/2 Day Sessions (max 6 hrs): Week of October 13 - 22; Week of March 16 - 24

- Five 1-hour Coaching Sessions (max 5 hrs): Final Date June 11, 2027

Per person subscription to the New Teacher Institute, Service # 551.211.045, is required. Applicable billing will be initiated by BT BOCES if not included as part of your district's 2026-27 FRS.

OVERVIEW:

This training is intended to develop the administrator's knowledge of SDI and how it should be designed and developed based on individual student need to address learning barriers. Administrators will be able to define SDI, recognize how to differentiate SDI from general education, identify what SDI looks like in the classroom setting, and gain necessary skills for supervision of implementation of SDI.

Participants Will Be Able to:

- Define SDI as described in Federal and New York State regulatory guidelines

- Differentiate SDI from general education instruction

- Identify what SDI looks like in the classroom in order to support the implementation of SDI in their building

- Gain skills for supervision of SDI implementation.

Case studies and activities will be used throughout the workshop so that participants can apply this knowledge to their work with teachers of students with disabilities.

The instructor will provide registrants with the Zoom link.

OVERVIEW:

This is a make-up session for those who weren't able to attend the August Acceleration session that took place on August 12th. Please note that you will need to be enrolled in the main series if you are attending this makeup session. The cost of the session will be included in main session.

OUTCOMES:

- Explain how the brain reads, what makes reading difficult for some students, and how to identify early areas of literacy concern

- Explain foundational skill learning progressions of simpler to more complex skills and apply this knowledge to assessment and instructional design

- Describe ways to effectively and efficiently assess students to determine precise teaching points based on strengths and areas of need

- Apply high yield instructional strategies to address identified needs

- Create small group lesson plans designed to explicitly teach precise skills and to support transfer into text and writing

- Explain instructional approaches to ensure mastery of critical skills for end-of-grade level expectations

OVERVIEW:

The School Psychologist Community of Practice meets regularly to share expertise and collaborate on ways to support students in elementary and secondary schools. The goal of the group is to improve the skills and knowledge of school psychologists through collaborative study, best-practice exchange, and professional dialogue.

OUTCOMES:

- Describe evidence-based strategies to meet student needs

- Explain the role of the School Psychologist as a member of a students' support team

- Identify practices that enhance students' skills related to NYSED Portrait of a Graduate attributes

- Other Learning Outcomes will be determined by the group

OVERVIEW:

This forum is designed for K-12 New York State science teacher leaders, department chairs, and science administrators to engage in collaborative dialogue around current NYSED Science and Portrait of a Graduate updates, regional science instructional needs and opportunities. Through professional collaboration and reflective discussion, educators will strengthen instructional leadership, share successful practices, and identify actionable steps to support high-quality science teaching and learning across districts.

OUTCOMES:

- Analyze current NYSED science and Portrait of a Graduate updates, instructional resources and opportunities to identify implications for science teaching, learning, and program development.

The Organization of Instructional Representatives (OIR) is an advisory group for Broome-Tioga BOCES School Curriculum Improvement and other services. All participating districts identify 1-2 district administrator representatives to serve in an advisory capacity and attend the monthly meetings.

CHAIRS: Shannon Koehler, Whitney Point; Sarah Miller, Harpursville

PLEASE NOTE:

- All meetings held at the BT BOCES ISC will also have a Zoom option available for those not able to attend in-person. Access information will be provided when the agenda is sent out.

OVERVIEW:

Are you ready for an epic adventure in education? Look no further! This pilot was designed for cross curricular school teams of teachers and building administrators looking to do things a little differently. The goal is to embrace the task of implementing Performance-Based Learning Assessments (PBLA) while receiving comprehensive support from the BT BOCES PLIC staff. Throughout the 2026-2027 school year, these teams will develop, implement, and reflect on PBLA experiences for their students. The program includes individual coaching, team coaching, and collaborative opportunities with other regional schools participating in the pilot, all aimed at enhancing insights into the PBLA implementation process.

OUTCOMES:

- Define the essential components of a successful Performance-Based Learning and Assessment (PBLA) classroom

- Create and implement authentic learning experiences for your students

- Reflect on the impact PBLA had on student learning and your professional practice

OVERVIEW:

Building Future-Focused Classrooms is a yearlong professional learning experience designed for tenured teachers who are ready to make meaningful, lasting shifts in their practice. Grounded in the principles of ASCD and ISTE Transformational Learning and aligned to the New York State Education Department Portrait of a Graduate, this experience moves beyond strategies and into deep instructional change that empowers teachers to design learning that is relevant, engaging, and future-focused.

Participants will learn within a supportive professional community that values collaboration, reflection, and growth. Through a series of interactive workshops, teachers will explore how to create learning environments that foster curiosity, student agency, authentic problem-solving, and interdisciplinary thinking. Personalized coaching cycles will provide space to apply new ideas directly to classroom practice, receive targeted feedback, and refine instructional approaches in real time. Ongoing reflective practices will help teachers examine the impact of their shifts on student learning and engagement.

By the end of the experience, teachers will not only have new tools and strategies, but a transformed lens for designing learning-one that intentionally cultivates the knowledge, skills, and dispositions students need to thrive in an ever-changing world.

OUTCOMES:

- Describe strategies to create equitable and meaningful learning experiences for all learners

- Identify methods for nurturing critical thinking, curiosity, and inclusivity

- Create a dynamic, student-centered learning environment

*The cost per participant is one SCI Day*

OVERVIEW:

This training is designed to allow district and building level administrators to gain a better understanding of the process related to discipline for students with disabilities, with a focus on DCIP as per the part 201 of the Commissioner's Regulations. This professional development supports the administrator's understanding of the regulatory requirements, as they relate to DCIP.

Participants Will:

- Have a deeper understanding regarding regulations and systems surrounding DCIP. Improving systems and practices within EOs will lead to improved outcomes for all students.

The instructor will provide registrants with the Zoom link.

OVERVIEW:

This professional learning opportunity is designed for any 6-12 educator who would like to better support students with reading and writing in their classroom! Grounded in the science of reading, the course focuses on practical evidence based strategies.

Participants will learn effective decoding techniques to help students master multisyllabic words to be used in content area classrooms (like continental and neolithic and isotope!) along with fluency-building routines to develop reading confidence and accuracy. The course highlights comprehension-building strategies to help readers effectively understand and engage with texts, while also focusing on explicit vocabulary instruction. Educators will explore appropriate assessment tools and methods for analyzing data, enabling them to make informed instructional decisions that meet their students' specific needs.

Each session will include practical strategies that can be easily implemented in both whole group and small group settings.

OUTCOMES:

- Describe the core components of the Science of Reading and their application to adolescent learners

- Assess and address the diverse literacy needs of adolescent learners

- Apply evidence-based strategies to your classroom to enhance decoding, fluency, reading comprehension, and vocabulary

- Develop culturally responsive teaching strategies to engage all students

OVERVIEW:

Participants will identify: The components and research that support self-determination instruction and the student-directed approach; Self-determination assessments available to assist in obtaining individualized information to build student skill; Considerations for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) students and families; Materials and resources available to foster and support self-determination skills in students; Next steps to begin increasing student involvement in the IEP process.

Participants Will:

- Utilize a student driven IEP process to allow students to demonstrate self-awareness, goal setting, problem solving, and self-advocacy

- Conduct age-appropriate transition assessments, including self-determination assessments for students to learn about themselves, set goals, solve problems, use information, make decisions, and to identify long-range goals

- Ensure all students, including those with significant disabilities, have a functional communication system to engage in choice making, problem-solving, goal setting, taking initiative to reach goals, and accepting consequences for one's actions

- Provide opportunities for students to develop self-awareness by engaging in honest and respectful discussions with students about their self-determination assessment responses

OVERVIEW:

** Session Attendance and Completion of all Online Assignments are MANDATORY for this 45-hour course.**

The course includes the basic philosophy and principles as integral parts of physical education and general education; State, local and national regulations and policies related to athletics; legal considerations; function and organization of leagues and athletic associations in New York State; personal standards for the responsibilities of the coach as an educational leader; public relations; general safety procedures; general principles of school budgets, records, purchasing and use of facilities.

This 45-hour course includes two parts:

- Eight (8) three-hour classroom sessions (24 hours)

- Seven (7) three-hour online sessions (21 hours)

Following the first session, all online coursework is expected to be completed before the start of the next scheduled class. See itemized course schedule below.

Cost: $450

Payment by personal check or money order should be made payable to BT BOCES and directed to Marissa Robinson BT BOCES 435 Glenwood Rd. Binghamton, NY 13905.

This monthly meeting for Elementary School principals is designed as an opportunity to learn together and network with colleagues from across the Broome-Tioga BOCES region. Principals' center meetings are open to principals and assistant principals from school districts that participate in the BT BOCES School Curriculum Improvement (SCI) service.

Division Co-Chairs: Jessica Bowerman (Susquehanna Valley); Mary Kay Ryan (Union-Endicott)

All meetings will be held over Microsoft Teams, and Teams access information will be communicated via the Elementary School Principals listserv in advance of each meeting.

Please note there will be no meeting in April.

OVERVIEW:

In this session, we will discuss the practices and strategies from Peter Liljedahl's book, Building Thinking Classrooms. Participants will experience and explore the 14 practices in this book, and collaborate in discussions on what action steps one could take in their classrooms to maximize student learning. Additionally, we will collaborate to brainstorm new strategies aimed at enhancing student learning.

OUTCOMES:

- Discuss the 14 practices outlined in this book

- Identify best practices in the book that foster student learning

- Create an action plan for strategies that can be implemented

OVERVIEW:

A Community of Practice is a group of professionals that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to meet the needs of all students. The goal of the group is to improve the skills and knowledge of educators through collaborative study, best-practice exchange, professional dialogue, and data analysis.

This group meets quarterly to share, discuss, learn and plan together to support the implementation of Life Space Crisis Intervention in our classrooms, programs, and buildings. Together we will explore various LSCI topics based on growth needs to help stretch and grow our practice/skill and the culture of LSCI in our learning environments.

OUTCOMES:

- Self evaluate their skills as an LSCI practitioner by reflecting on their practice.

- Integrate and apply a new strategy/learning effectively in real-time scenarios in responding to challenges.

- Generate outcomes for our future community of practice.

OVERVIEW:

This community of practice will inform regional teacher leaders of current best practices and trends in educational technology all while supporting state initiatives. These will also provide a time where teacher leaders can collaborate across the region to discuss and highlight what technology-based practices are occurring in their districts.

OUTCOMES:

- Examine current research around educational technology

- Identify current best practices and updates around educational technology that are occurring regionally, State-wide, and nationally

- Apply learned content to district context

*Please bring your own device*

OVERVIEW:

This session is intended to introduce participants to foundational elements of cultural responsiveness and explore the New York State Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework. In doing so, it is meant to facilitate connections between Cultural Responsiveness and meeting the needs of students with disabilities, while also providing an opportunity for critical reflection on the extent to which culturally responsive practices are present within their District or educational organization.

Participants Will:

- Explore foundational elements of culture and Culturally Responsive Education

- Reflect on personal culture & experiences

- Become familiar with the NYSED Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework

- Reflect on the ways practices & approaches outlined in the NYSED CRSE Framework are present within your Educational Organization(EO)

This PD will support the improvement of culturally responsive practices in the following areas: Tier one instruction and behavioral supports, family engagement practices, and centering student voice.

The instructor will provide registrants with the Zoom link.

This session, with identical content, will also be offered on December 8, 2026 in-person at GST BOCES.

OVERVIEW:

These quarterly sessions will be for technology teacher leader teams appointed by their district to work collaboratively towards planning district specific technology initiatives.

OUTCOMES:

- Identify current best technology practices that are occurring regionally, State-wide, and nationally

- Identify PL needs for the district and how to build targeted sessions

- Develop action plans relevant to district specific Technology Plans

OVERVIEW:

This community of practice for teachers of NYS Next Gen Algebra II provides participants with an opportunity to collaborate with other teachers from the region and explore best practices for math education. We will spend time engaging with state, regional and local data to drive our learning. We will also use resources and information from NYSED to guide our sessions including Portrait of a Graduate, Numeracy Briefs and NYS Next Gen Standard documents.

OUTCOMES:

- Engage with and analyze relevant data to inform instructional decisions and curriculum planning

- Explore and apply concepts from the NYS Numeracy Briefs to refine instruction in Algebra II

- Collaborate with peers to reflect on current mathematics teaching pedagogy and support continuous professional growth

- Discuss and identify high-leverage mathematical content and instructional strategies tailored to participant-driven topics

OVERVIEW:

A Community of Practice is a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students through the New York State Science Learning Standards. The goal of the group is to improve the skills and knowledge of educators through collaborative study, best-practice exchange, professional dialogue, data analysis and a focus on creating 3D learning experiences specific to Chemistry and Physics. Participants will collaborate to design the plan for each session in order to best meet their collective needs.

OUTCOMES:

- Identify trends, patterns, and gaps of learning through the use of the NYS assessment data to inform instructional decision making

- Create and share NYSP-12SLS aligned instructional materials, strategies, feedback and best practices

OVERVIEW:

Designed for grades 4-6 reading/special education teachers, this intensive series supports educators in implementing the REWARDS Intervention Program. REWARDS Stands for Reading Excellence: Word Attack and Rate Development Strategies and is a short-term, research-validated, specialized reading program designed for students in intermediate grade levels.

Throughout this series, teachers will learn how to support their students in gaining competency in decoding, fluency, and vocabulary through the application of explicit instruction and the gradual release of responsibility leading to independent strategy use. Included in this training is a teacher's edition manual, student workbooks, and access to online support resources.

This session is anchored in Science of Reading high-impact instructional practice: Phonological awareness, phonics, spelling and word study-skill building.

Students who would benefit from this intervention meet the following criteria:

-have word reading and fluency difficulties

-read above the third-grade level with a minimum of 60 words per minute

-have a regular time built into their schedules for the purpose of targeted reading intervention clustered with students of similar needs

*If students read below the 3.0 reading level or read fewer than 60 words per minute, they should not be placed in REWARDS.*

OUTCOMES:

- Describe and apply flexible strategies for teaching students how to decode grade-level multisyllabic words

- Apply strategies to increase students' silent reading rate (fluency)

- Apply strategies to increase students' knowledge of general academic and domain-specific vocabulary

Due to materials cost, there is an additional cost for this series

Cost is $360 per participant

BOCES will order and distribute materials at the training

OVERVIEW:

Designed for grades 7-12 reading/special education teachers, this intensive series supports educators in implementing the REWARDS Intervention Program. REWARDS Stands for Reading Excellence: Word Attack and Rate Development Strategies and is a short-term, research-validated, specialized reading program designed for students in middle/high school grade levels.

Throughout this series, teachers will learn how to support their students in gaining competency in decoding, fluency, and vocabulary through the application of explicit instruction and the gradual release of responsibility leading to independent strategy use. Included in this training is a teacher's edition manual, student workbooks, and access to online support resources.

This session is anchored in Science of Reading high-impact instructional practice: Phonological awareness, phonics, spelling and word study-skill building.

Students who would benefit from this intervention meet the following criteria:

-have word reading and fluency difficulties

-read above the third-grade level with a minimum of 60 words per minute

-have a regular time built into their schedules for the purpose of targeted reading intervention clustered with students of similar needs

*If students read below the 3.0 reading level or read fewer than 60 words per minute, they should not be placed in REWARDS.*

OUTCOMES:

- Describe and apply flexible strategies for teaching students how to decode grade-level multisyllabic words

- Apply strategies to increase students' silent reading rate (fluency)

- Apply strategies to increase students' knowledge of general academic and domain-specific vocabulary

Due to materials cost, there is an additional cost for this series

Cost is $360 per participant

BOCES will order and distribute materials at the training

OVERVIEW:

During this session, we will begin by exploring "Creating Welcoming and Affirming Learning Environments,” one of four high leverage principles identified in the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education (CRSE) Framework. When students feel like they belong at school, they have fewer absences, fewer disciplinary infractions, higher graduation rates, as well as increased engagement, self-esteem, and attitudes.

By the end of this training, participants will:

- Understand how a welcoming and affirming learning environment improves student outcomes

- Better understand their own identities and how those identities shape their relationships and experiences

- Develop strategies for creating a welcoming and affirming learning environment

The instructor will provide registrants with the Zoom link.

This session, with identical content, will also be offered January 21, 2027 via Zoom.

OVERVIEW:

Did you know that the Broome-Tioga BOCES School Library System purchases databases for you and your students to use? Join us as we review our lineup of databases for the 26-27 school year including; Kids Discover, News-O-Matic, Sooth.fyi, BrainPOP, FactCite, Sora, and more!

OUTCOMES:

- Explore the library databases to gain an understanding of their features, content, and search capabilities

- Curate a list of ways to integrate specific databases into their teaching and curriculum

- Discuss strategies for promoting the use of these databases among their students and colleagues

- Create a lesson featuring one of the library databases

Lunch will be provided

OVERVIEW:

A Community of Practice is a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students through the Next Generation Mathematics Learning Standards. The goal of the group is to improve the skills and knowledge of educators through collaborative study, best-practice exchange, professional dialogue, and data analysis.

OUTCOMES:

- Identify trends, patterns, and gaps of learning through the use of the NYS assessment data

- Create and share materials, strategies, and best practices to share with the group

- Identify and describe techniques for differentiating instruction for below and above grade-level students

- Design a plan for each session

OVERVIEW:

This training will introduce participants to the UFLI Foundations program for supporting elementary readers. We will overview the program, and get acquainted with the manual and the instructional routines and procedures. We'll also discuss both baseline and progress monitoring assessment. We'll conclude our work with facilitated work time in which participants will be able to access the digital materials and create some hard copy student materials for ready implementation.

Please note that participants should bring the UFLI manual, provided by their districts, with them. Other necessary materials will be provided at the workshop. If there are any concerns or questions about this, please contact the instructor at ktalbut@btboces.org

OUTCOMES:

- Explain the why behind the UFLI program's approach to teaching foundational skills

- Explain the structure of the UFLI lessons and the design for transfer of learning

- Practice instructional routines with UFLI materials

- Determine the assessment plan for starting the program with students and for progress monitoring

- Identify digital materials for use with students

- Create student materials for immediate implementation in September

Participants must bring their own copy of the UFLI manual.

OVERVIEW:

The NY Inspires Statewide Transformation Collaborative is a series of statewide meetings connecting BOCES, Big 5+3, school districts, networks, NYSED, and other partners around NY Inspires. These meetings will be planned by a statewide steering committee with BOCES representation and will supplement the work of the BT BOCES Regional Network. We encourage districts to bring smaller leadership teams to these meetings.

OVERVIEW:

A Community of Practice is a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students. The goal of the group is to improve the skills and knowledge of educators through collaborative study, best-practice exchange, professional dialogue, and data analysis. Educators in this group will share strategies and best practices for ENL education and continue to build a regional community. Participants will collaborate to design the plan for each session in order to best meet their collective needs.

OVERVIEW:

In support of educators' implementation of the NYSED Literacy Briefs, this professional learning service has been revised and updated for teachers who participated in Year 1. This strand of year 2 focuses on explicit and systematic writing instruction, and supporting oral language and vocabulary development, as teachers add to their toolkits with more evidence-based strategies.

Each participating teacher will have an opportunity for ongoing on-site support and/or customized planning/ professional learning as part of the service. Additionally, administrative professional learning opportunities are provided for leaders of schools and districts who have teachers participating in this service.

OUTCOMES:

- Identify precise teaching points to inform targeted skills instruction

- Describe the essential components of writing and implications for instruction Expand your toolkit of explicit instructional strategies to build students' academic language, including in the areas of: oral language, vocabulary, and writing in response to reading

- Explain how to use the gradual release model to support students to independence in writing

- Apply structured and explicit instructional approaches to build students' academic language

- Analyze and select texts to build students' academic language and comprehension

Districts must purchase Accelerating Students' Literacy Growth within the SCI service (additional cost per participant of $922) Service No: 551.211.021

OVERVIEW:

A Community of Practice is a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students. The goal of the group is to improve the skills and knowledge of educators through collaborative study, best-practice exchange, professional dialogue, and data analysis.

This year, the group will deepen its shared understanding of the IAAP by focusing on clear communication, consistent expectations, and regional coherence. Participating districts will work collaboratively to calibrate their processes, clarify requirements, and move toward a unified regional approach to IAAP implementation. A central focus will be continuing the Visual Arts Presention Day.

OVERVIEW:

Special educators join together in this Community of Practice to learn, share expertise, and work collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students with special needs. We will continue to build capacity around the High Leverage Practices (HLPs) as well as learn strategies that build students' skills in the Portrait of a Graduate attribute areas. Time will be included to discuss classroom scenarios and gain feedback from colleagues.

OUTCOMES:

- Explain high leverage practices for teaching students with special needs

- Identify strategies to support student skill growth

OVERVIEW:

This package supports school districts in reviewing their policies, practices, and procedures that may contribute to the disproportionality of ELLs in Special Education. Topics include the stages of language acquisition for the English Language Learner, indicators of a language learning based disability and the characteristics of students that may be confused or similar across both language acquisition differences and language learning disabilities.

OUTCOMES:

Participants should expect to gain increased understanding of the role language development, second language acquisition and language disabilities play in the academic life of their students. All these areas are explored in relationship to disproportionality, equitable educational opportunities and state and federal regulatory guidance.

Please have your laptop, tablet or other internet enabled device to ensure you are able to access materials during the session. If you require paper copies when attending in person please contact the presenter.

This monthly meeting for Middle School principals is designed as an opportunity to learn together and network with colleagues from across the Broome-Tioga BOCES region. Principals' center meetings are open to principals and assistant principals from school districts that participate in the BT BOCES School Curriculum Improvement (SCI) service.

Division Co-Chairs: Sean Swider (Owego-Apalachin); Trish Llaguno (Windsor)

All meetings will be held over Microsoft Teams, and Teams access information will be communicated via the Middle School Principals listserv in advance of each meeting.

OVERVIEW:

A Community of Practice is a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students. The goal of the group is to improve the skills and knowledge of educators through collaborative study, best-practice exchange, professional dialogue, and data analysis.This year the group will focus on educating and providing information about the IAAP. Participants will collectively develop regional resources and strategies to assist in the success of the IAAP and achievement of HSII Music Standards.

OVERVIEW:

Special educators who are teaching in a special class (or self-contained) will benefit from this community of practice where they can learn and grow with similar colleagues from around the region. Our group will focus on evidence-based practices for students with special needs through the lens of the self- contained environment. Join us to find ways to structure your space and schedule, proactively manage student behavior, and maintain rigorous expectations. Time will be included to discuss classroom scenarios and gain feedback from colleagues.

OUTCOMES:

- Explain high leverage practices for teaching students with special needs

- Identify strategies to support student skill growth

- Describe effective strategies to provide Specially Designed Instruction to meet students' individual goals while accessing grade-level content

OVERVIEW:

In this user group, educators using Eureka Math Squared will share best practices, and work collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students through the use of Eureka Math Squared. The goal of the group is to improve the skills and knowledge of educators with Eureka Math Squared through collaborative study, best-practice exchange, professional dialogue, and data analysis.

OUTCOMES:

- Create and share materials, strategies, and best practices with Eureka Math Squared

- Identify and describe best teaching and planning techniques to support teaching with Eureka Math Squared

Co-Chairs:

- Marissa Paulo, mpaulo@svsabers.org

- Sara Bomysoad, sbomysoa@uek12.org

NEED TO BE ADDED OR REMOVED FROM THE LISTSERV?

Additions and removals from the group's listserv should be directed to Andrea Sollitto at asollitto@btboces.org. Please be sure to include your name and email, and who you replaced at the district (when applicable).

This monthly meeting for High School principals is designed as an opportunity to learn together and network with colleagues from across the Broome-Tioga BOCES region. Principals' Center meetings are open to principals and assistant principals from school districts that participate in the BT BOCES School Curriculum Improvement (SCI) service.

Division Co-Chairs: Steven DiStefano (U-E); Dawn Young (Vestal)

All meetings will be held over Microsoft Teams, and Teams access information will be communicated via the High School Principals listserv in advance of each meeting.

OVERVIEW:

In this user group, educators using i-Ready Math Classroom as their tier 1 resource will share best practices, and work collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students through the use of i-Ready Math Classroom. The goal of the group is to improve the skills and knowledge of educators with i-Ready Math Classroom through collaborative study, best-practice exchange, professional dialogue, and data analysis.

OUTCOMES:

- Create and share materials, strategies, and best practices with i-Ready Math Classroom

- Identify and describe best teaching and planning techniques to support teaching with i-Ready Math Classroom

OVERVIEW:

A Community of Practice is a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students. The goal of the group is to improve the skills and knowledge of educators through collaborative study, best-practice exchange, and professional dialogue.Health Educators in this Community of Practice will continue the work around creating a skills based Health Curriculum as well as making connections to NYS Mental Health Standards, Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework and Computer Science/ Digital Fluency Standards as well as supporting Portrait of a Graduate.

OUTCOMES:

- Educators will collaboratively develop and refine a skills-based health curriculum aligned with evidence-based practices and student-centered pedagogy.

OVERVIEW:

Join a collaborative network of educators dedicated to advancing career-connected learning and Work-Based Learning (WBL) experiences for all students. This Community of Practice (CoP) serves as a dynamic hub for professionals to share high-quality resources, navigate the latest programmatic and policy updates from the NYSED, and collaboratively discuss regional best practices.

Participants will engage in peer-to-peer learning, troubleshoot shared challenges, and gain actionable insights to strengthen industry partnerships, streamline student placements, and enhance career readiness frameworks within their schools. Whether you are an experienced WBL coordinator or an educator looking to expand career connections in your curriculum, this supportive space will equip you with the tools and network needed to foster meaningful student success.

OUTCOMES:

- Identify connections between career connected learning and the NYSED Portrait of a Graduate

- Describe strategies to increase student interest and involvement in career connected experiences, including Work Based Learning

- Identify areas for improving K-12 career connected learning continuum

OVERVIEW:

This group will work together to design and develop a regional Seal to designate students' proficiency in Work-Based Learning. Educators and administrators will join to review existing Seal frameworks, NYSED guidelines, and regional career connected learning opportunities in order to create a robust system for competency-based assessment in this area.

OUTCOMES:

- Analyze current NYSED and Regional Seal structures (Seal of Biliteracy, Seal of Civic Readiness, Regional Fine Arts Seal)

- Create a robust system for assessing student proficiency in Work-Based Learning which would lead to awarding a Seal

OVERVIEW:

This package of materials is designed to introduce educators to concepts of communication and culture that impact the ways educators and educational organizations (EOs) interact with families. Overall, the aim is to ensure that educators are mindful with how they communicate with parents, guardians, and families to ensure that educational sites are culturally responsive and welcoming.

Family Engagement, Communication, & Culture will help support full implementation of the systems that serve Students with Disabilities and all students by building sustainable relationships with parents and the larger student support community.

The instructor will provide registrants with the Zoom link.

This session, with identical content, will also be offered February 25, 2027 via Zoom.

OVERVIEW:

The Regional Conference Days series is designed for grades 6-12 ELA, Social Studies, and Science teachers seeking practical, research-based literacy strategies that can be immediately implemented in their classrooms.

Across two full-day professional learning sessions- October Conference Day (October 9), and March Conference Day (March 12)-teachers will deepen their understanding of effective Tier 1 literacy practices that support and accelerate student growth.

Participants will engage in hands-on learning focused on:

High-impact fluency routines that build accuracy, rate, and comprehension

Reading comprehension strategies such as Close Reading and question generation

Writing strategies that strengthen sentence construction and written responses

Vocabulary and morphology to support access to complex texts

Assessment-informed instruction, including data-driven decision-making and test preparation

Each session builds on the previous learning, allowing teachers to refine routines, analyze student data, and strengthen instruction throughout the year. Emphasis is placed on simple, repeatable classroom routines that support diverse learners and align across content areas.

Whether teachers are new to literacy instruction or looking to refine their Tier 1 practices, this regional professional learning opportunity provides practical tools, collaborative learning, and strategies that translate directly into improved classroom instruction and student outcomes.

OUTCOMES:

- Understand and apply high-impact Tier 1 literacy routines

- Develop proficiency in implementing evidence-based fluency strategies

- Strengthen reading comprehension instruction

- Integrate effective writing strategies into daily instruction

- Use assessment data to inform Tier 1 instruction

- Build instructional coherence across the school year

OVERVIEW:

This community of practice for teachers of NYS Next Gen Geometry provides participants with an opportunity to collaborate with other teachers from the region and explore best practices for math education. We will spend time engaging with state, regional and local data to drive our learning. We will also use resources and information from NYSED to guide our sessions including Portrait of a Graduate, Numeracy Briefs and NYS Next Gen Standard documents.

OUTCOMES:

- Engage with and analyze relevant data to inform instructional decisions and curriculum planning

- Explore and apply concepts from the NYS Numeracy Briefs to refine instruction in Geometry

- Collaborate with peers to reflect on current mathematics teaching pedagogy and support continuous professional growth

- Discuss and identify high-leverage mathematical content and instructional strategies tailored to participant-driven topics

OVERVIEW:

In this multi-day series, pre-k teachers will develop a master plan for ELA instruction for the 2026-27 school year, including planning for: setting up the classroom and school day, routines and procedures, assessments, targeted ELA instruction, and addressing other content areas. Social-Emotional Learning and behavior management will also be an academy goal. Teachers will identify essential learning outcomes for pre-k reading and writing, develop progress monitoring to ensure growth in the essential learning outcomes, and develop instructional plans to deliver targeted instruction throughout the year that focuses on the whole child including play-based learning and targeted oral language development. Participants will build their strategy toolkit to address outcomes and assessment.

OUTCOMES:

- Identify the skills that are critical to successful reading at the pre-k level

- Identify strategies that promote positive relationships and classroom community

- Explain how to support the transfer of critical skills into reading, writing, and math

- Identify evidence-based instructional strategies to support these skills

- Develop strategies to support the use of play as one of many appropriate teaching tools to help children work toward learning goals and meet developmental expectations.

- Create instructional plans based on your ongoing, formative data

OVERVIEW:

A Community of Practice is a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students through the Next Generation Mathematics Learning Standards. The goal of the group is to improve the skills and knowledge of educators through collaborative study, best-practice exchange, professional dialogue, and data analysis.

OUTCOMES:

- Identify trends, patterns, and gaps of learning through the use of the NYS assessment data

- Create and share materials, strategies, and best practices to share with the group

- Identify and describe techniques for differentiating instruction for below and above grade-level students

- Design a plan for each session

OVERVIEW:

A Community of Practice is a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students through the New York State Science Learning Standards. The goal of the group is to improve the skills and knowledge of educators through collaborative study, best-practice exchange, professional dialogue, data analysis and a focus on creating 3D learning experiences specific to Elementary Science. Participants will collaborate to design the plan for each session in order to best meet their collective needs.

OUTCOMES:

- Identify trends, patterns, and gaps of learning through the use of the NYS assessment data to inform instructional decision making

- Create and share NYSP-12SLS aligned instructional materials, strategies, feedback and best practices

OVERVIEW:

Across four full-day professional learning sessions, starting with a summer launch on July 28th, teachers of kindergarten through second grade will deepen their understanding of effective Tier 1 literacy practices that support and accelerate student growth.

Sessions will focus on:

- Setting up the classroom and school day with a focus on rules and procedures

- Promoting positive relationships & classroom community

- Literacy assessment to identify skill needs

- Essential skills and their pacing across the year

- Evidence based instructional practices in literacy & math

- Quick strategies for formative assessment to guide upcoming instruction

- High quality texts, and simple ways to incorporate them into the classroom to build academic language while having fun!

Participants will build their strategy toolkit to address essential skills and assessment, implement practices in their classrooms, and share with colleagues throughout the series.

It is recommended that participants register for and attend all sessions in the series. A make-up is offered for the 7/28/26 session. If you cannot attend the 7/28 session, a separate registration date of 10/14/26 will be coming soon in the fall catalog. Please register for the series and make up session if needed.

OUTCOMES:

- Identify the skills that are critical to successful language-building experiences (reading, speaking, listening, & writing) & math at different check-points during the year

- Explain and apply evidence-based tier 1 routines to support academic language building, decoding, fluency, oral language, writing, and comprehension

- Implement strategies to support the transfer of critical skills into reading, writing, and spoken language using rich text as mentors

- Explain and apply Tier 1 math routines to support engagement and mathematical discourse

- Create instructional plans based on your ongoing, formative data collection

OVERVIEW:

This training supports districts in training NEW evaluators in accordance with Education Law 3012-e. This session includes the following required elements of the training:

- the NYS Teaching Standards and their related elements and performance indicators;

- evidence-based observation techniques that are grounded in research, including controlling for evaluator bias;

- application and use of the district-selected rubrics for use in evaluations

Districts will need to print Word Connections Materials. (Teacher manual and student workbook.) As participants register, digital materials will be emailed. Participants will need materials prior to taking the asynchronous training.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

- Explain Word Connections' approach to teaching multisyllabic word reading

- Explain the structure of the Word Connections' lessons and the design for transfer of learning

- Practice instructional routines with Word Connections materials

- Identify digital materials for use with students

- Create student materials for immediate implementation

Participants will need copies of Word Connections materials prior to taking the training. Teacher manual:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/11EBK8ZP5JqVrOS9Rbhy3OBcMEwPyp-Vc/view?usp=sharing

Student manual:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KjtMfj4a8XvcV9-Brdv40965JMnhL4d3/view?usp=sharing

The Key Comprehension Routine is a structured approach to teaching thinking routines to support students' comprehension. It is designed for intermediate grade level students through high school and is helpful for all readers as they take on more sophisticated processing of content and texts in all disciplines. Participating teachers will add to their instructional toolkit from year 1 of this series, focused on language comprehension.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

- Explain the Key Comprehension Routine and essential elements of explicit comprehension instruction

- Explain the structure of Key Comprehension Routine's lessons and the design for transfer of learning to support: Critical Thinking, main idea skills, and text structure knowledge

- Practice the instructional routines with Key Comprehension Routine's materials to support student use of:

* Top Down Topic Webs

* Two-Column Notes

* Summary

* Question Generation

- Determine an approach for assessment and progress monitoring of comprehension

- Create student materials for immediate implementation

Books will be sent to participants' school buildings via BOCES Courier in early October

OVERVIEW:

Join this powerful and engaging experience designed to equip education professionals with the tools to understand, respond to, and transform the impact of trauma in school communities.

This training is more than information-it's an invitation to be part of a movement creating safer, more supportive learning environments for all.

OUTCOMES:

- Uncover the hidden effects of toxic stress on child development

- Examine the long-term impacts of complex trauma in youth and explore evidence-based strategies to foster healing and growth

- Learn how adult responses influence the Conflict Cycle-and develop proactive techniques to de-escalate and build positive behaviors

- Reflect on the realities of secondary stress and vicarious trauma in educators, while discovering personalized strategies to support resilience and well-being

REPEATS on 3/18/2027

OVERVIEW:

A Community of Practice is a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students through the New York State Science Learning Standards. The goal of the group is to improve the skills and knowledge of educators through collaborative study, best-practice exchange, professional dialogue, data analysis and a focus on creating 3D learning experiences specific to Life Sciences: Biology. Participants will collaborate to design the plan for each session in order to best meet their collective needs.

OUTCOMES:

- Identify trends, patterns, and gaps of learning through the use of the NYS assessment data to inform instructional decision making

- Create and share NYSP-12SLS aligned instructional materials, strategies, feedback and best practices

OVERVIEW:

This third year of the PBLA journey is designed for experienced cross-curricular school teams and building administrators who have already built, tested, and refined Performance-Based Learning Assessments. Now, the focus shifts from trying PBLA to mastering, scaling, and sustaining it.

During the 2026-2027 school year, teams will analyze evidence from prior PBLA work, refine assessment design for deeper student thinking, strengthen alignment to the NYS Portrait of a Graduate, and expand PBLA practices across classrooms. With continued support from BT BOCES PLIC staff, participants will engage in advanced team coaching, and rich collaboration with other veteran PBLA schools to troubleshoot challenges, share innovations, and codify best practices.

This year is about moving from implementation to ensuring PBLA becomes an embedded, sustainable part of how teaching, learning, and assessment happen in your school.

OUTCOMES:

- Define the essential components of a successful Performance-Based Learning and Assessment (PBLA) classroom

- Create and implement authentic learning experiences for your students

- Reflect on the impact PBLA had on student learning and your professional practice

OVERVIEW:

This training was developed to promote the recommendation and implementation of quality special education services for all students with disabilities.

OUTCOMES:

The modules contained within this training are intended to provide CPSE and CSE chairpersons with a best practices approach to the CPSE/CSE process and their role as a chairperson that is consistent with State law and regulation.

Please Note:

Some sessions of the training will be held at BT BOCES Instructional Support Center and some sessions will be held at GST BOCES.

Please plan to bring your internet enabled device. You will receive numerous handouts prior to each module and may want to access those during the sessions.

OVERVIEW:

This session supports special educators in understanding and effectively implementing the NYS Career Development and Occupational Studies (CDOS) pathway as part of a student's transition and graduation planning. Participants explore how CDOS learning standards connect to instruction, work-based learning, and employability skill development for students with disabilities.

Educators will examine the requirements for the CDOS Commencement Credential and CDOS Graduation Pathway, including career planning, work-based learning hours, employability profiles, and alignment to transition goals in an IEP. The session emphasizes practical strategies for embedding career exploration, authentic learning experiences, and community-based instruction into existing programming to support student readiness for postsecondary employment and independent living.

OUTCOMES:

- Explain the structure, requirements and purpose of the CDOS Commencement Credential and CDOS pathway for graduation

- Analyze the CDOS learning standards and their application in special education settings

- Design instruction and experiences that support work-based learning and employability skill development aligned to student IEP transition goals

- Develop practical systems for documenting student progress towards CDOS requirements, including career plans and employability profiles

OVERVIEW:

This is a community of practice for regional world language educators to discuss best practices for instruction and assessment.

OUTCOMES:

- Collaboratively create Check Point A and B exams

- Discuss data from Check Point A and B exams

OVERVIEW:

"Adaptive Schools is the grease that makes the PLC wheel turn.” ~ Rick DuFour

This seminar presents a productive, practical set of ideas and tools for developing collaborative groups in becoming effective and better equipped to resolve complex issues around student learning. The work of the Adaptive Schools Seminars is to develop the resources and capacities of the organization and of individuals to cohesively respond to the changing needs of students and society. This training not only explores what makes teams effective, but how to develop skills as facilitators and informed group members in informal and formal settings, in small and large groups. It takes participants beyond the idea of professional learning communities to the actual implementation. Adaptive Schools is the "how" of professional learning communities: how to behave in groups, how to lead them, and how to facilitate them for improved leading, teaching, and learning.

OUTCOMES:

- An increased capacity to initiate, develop and sustain high functioning groups

- New lenses for diagnosing the stages and phases of group development

- An expanded repertoire of practical facilitation tools

- Understandings of when and how to engage groups in dialogue and discussion, the limitations, forms and values of each

- Skills to move groups beyond consensus to common focus

- Ways to value and use dissension, argument and conflict

- Strategies for keeping group members on track, on topic, energized and resourceful

OVERVIEW:

A Community of Practice is a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students. The goal of the group is to improve the skills and knowledge of educators through collaborative study, best-practice exchange, professional dialogue, and data analysis.

How can elementary art and music classrooms become powerful spaces for developing the skills students need far beyond school? In this interactive session, elementary fine arts teachers will explore how everyday studio and performance experiences naturally cultivate the attributes of the NYS Portrait of a Graduate. Participants will identify where Creative Innovator, Critical Thinker, Effective Communicator, Global Citizen, and Reflective & Future-Focused skills already live within their practice-and learn simple, intentional strategies to make those skills visible, explicit, and assessable for students.

OVERVIEW:

In this Community of Practice, we will explore how an integrated Multi-Tier System of Support (MTSS-I) can strengthen efforts to meet the growing social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs of students, particularly focusing on LGBTQIA+ youth and families. The CoP will showcase NYSED's Framework for Safe, Supportive, and Affirming School Environments for Transgender and Gender Expansive Students.

MTSS-I serves as a guide for achieving integration and equity in schools. Discussions will cover relevant state laws and guidance, key vocabulary, strategies for integrating mental health support, engaging families and youth, and collaborating with community partners to support students. Experts and community partners will provide insights, address questions, and offer guidance on topics commonly encountered in schools. Facilitators and participants will work together to cultivate a supportive community tailored to the needs of regional staff and students.

OUTCOMES:

- Describe how key components and principles of MTSS-I support LGBTQIA+ youth and families

- Explain strategies and best practices to support all students and families

- Identify community partners and resources

- Choose strategies to utilize in your school/district

OVERVIEW:

A Community of Practice is a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students through the New York State Science Learning Standards. The goal of the group is to improve the skills and knowledge of educators through collaborative study, best-practice exchange, professional dialogue, data analysis and a focus on creating 3D learning experiences specific to Intermediate Science. Participants will collaborate to design the plan for each session in order to best meet their collective needs.

OUTCOMES:

- Identify trends, patterns, and gaps of learning through the use of the NYS assessment data to inform instructional decision making

- Create and share NYSP-12SLS aligned instructional materials, strategies, feedback and best practices

OVERVIEW:

This CPR/AED training for school staff teaches essential life saving skills, including how to perform CPR on adults, children, and infants, along with how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to help restore a normal heart rhythm during sudden cardiac arrest. When someone goes into sudden cardiac arrest, trained staff members become a very important link in restoring that person's heartbeat.  Having staff trained, allows life saving measures to begin at a moment's notice until professional help arrives, greatly increasing the chance of survival.  The course also covers emergency response and choking, enabling participants to recognize and respond quickly to various emergencies. This course is designed for school safety team members, equipping them with the confidence and skills needed to potentially save lives.

OVERVIEW:

This community of practice for teachers of NYS Next Gen Algebra I provides participants with an opportunity to collaborate with other teachers from the region and explore best practices for math education. We will spend time engaging with state, regional and local data to drive our learning. We will also use resources and information from NYSED to guide our sessions including Portrait of a Graduate, Numeracy Briefs and NYS Next Gen Standard documents.

OUTCOMES:

- Engage with and analyze relevant data to inform instructional decisions and curriculum planning

- Explore and apply concepts from the NYS Numeracy Briefs to refine instruction in Algebra I

- Collaborate with peers to reflect on current mathematics teaching pedagogy and support continuous professional growth

- Discuss and identify high-leverage mathematical content and instructional strategies tailored to participant-driven topics

OVERVIEW:

Do you have bright students who constantly forget homework or lose materials?

Why do some students forget the directions or shut down during multi-step tasks-even when they understand the content?

Could off-task behavior be a symptom of underlying executive function challenges?

Participants will define Executive Functioning and explore the brain science behind it and examine its role in the classroom setting as well as learn about, and plan to use, routines, strategies, and activities that will help students develop Executive Function Capacities to support their engagement in culturally responsive, equitable learning environments.

OUTCOMES:

- Define Executive Function and explore the brain science behind it.

- Explore what executive function challenges look, sound, and feel like, as well as examine their role in the classroom setting

- Explore strategies and activities that will help students develop Executive Function Capacities to facilitate goal setting and how this relates to high expectations for all students (SEL, CRSE, Portrait of a Graduate)

- Create a plan to incorporate at least one strategy in the classroom

REPEATS on 2/10/2027

OVERVIEW:

A Community of Practice is a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students. The goal of the group is to improve the skills and knowledge of educators through collaborative study, best-practice exchange, professional dialogue, and data analysis.

How can physical education prepare students with the skills needed for success after graduation? In these interactive sessions, physical education teachers will explore how everyday learning experiences naturally cultivate the attributes of the NYS Portrait of a Graduate. Participants will identify where Creative Innovator, Critical Thinker, Effective Communicator, Global Citizen, and Reflective & Future-Focused skills already live within their practice-and learn simple, intentional strategies to make those skills visible, explicit, and assessible for students.

OVERVIEW:

This interdisciplinary professional learning course is designed for middle and high school educators seeking to strengthen students' academic literacy and deepen disciplinary inquiry across content areas. Grounded in the Reading Apprenticeship framework, the course invites teachers to engage as both readers and practitioners, exploring how to make the invisible processes of expert reading visible to students. Participants will learn and practice high-impact, inquiry-driven routines that foster critical thinking, purposeful talk, and collaborative meaning-making with complex texts. Emphasis is placed on supporting students' independence, confidence, and engagement as they navigate the unique literacy demands of different disciplines.

Through interactive sessions, participants will analyze classroom video, engage in professional reading, and collaborate with colleagues to design and refine instruction they can immediately apply. This synchronous online course includes nine two-hour sessions offered during the Fall 2026 semester and is open to any secondary educator committed to advancing students' comprehension and inquiry skills. By the end of the course, teachers will leave with a practical toolkit of evidence-based strategies to help all students read more deeply, think more critically, and participate more fully in disciplinary learning.

OUTCOMES:

- Apply the Reading Apprenticeship framework to support academic literacy across content areas, making expert reading processes visible

- Establish classroom routines and norms that promote collaboration and student voice in academic inquiry

- Teach metacognitive strategies to deepen comprehension of complex texts

- Address disciplinary literacy demands, including specific aspects of text complexity and rhetorical structures

- Design inquiry-based lessons that strengthen reading, thinking, and problem-solving

- Share with colleagues in a supportive environment

OVERVIEW:

This session supports educators in understanding how career-connected learning experiences serve as a powerful vehicle for developing the competencies emphasized in NY Inspires. Participants will explore the NY Inspires framework and Portrait of a Graduate competencies, examine why career-connected learning builds durable, future-ready skills, and consider how projects, industry professionals, mentors and real-world experiences can demonstrate authentic student readiness. The session reframes career-connected learning as an integral approach to instruction and assessment that brings rigor, relevance, and meaning to student learning.

Participants will leave with practical tools and concrete examples to support immediate application of career-connected learning within their instructional context. This includes a deeper understanding of the NY Inspires competencies, a framework for viewing existing lessons and assessments through a career-connected learning lens, and a redesigned task or learning experience that reflects real-world application and durable skill development. Educators will also articulate how projects and authentic experiences serve as evidence of student mastery, along with a clear next step for integrating career-connected learning more intentionally into their curriculum.

OUTCOMES:

- Explain the NY Inspires competencies and describe how they connect to the development of durable, future-ready skills through instruction and assessment

- Analyze career-connected learning experiences (projects, authentic tasks, and real-world experiences) to determine how they demonstrate student mastery of competencies

- Integrate an experience into an existing lesson, unit or assessment using a career-connected learning lens to increase relevance, rigor, and real-world application

- Develop a shared understanding of career-connected learning as an instructional approach

OVERVIEW:

Productive struggle is critical for deep, meaningful learning that cultivates agency, transfer, and resilience. Rooted in Portrait of a Graduate attributes, this session will explore ways to create a classroom culture that prioritizes process over speed and persistence through uncertainty. Participants will experience a variety of practical strategies that support students in grappling with challenging tasks, solving complex problems, and reflecting on learning processes.

OUTCOMES:

- Describe the benefits of productive struggle

- Explain strategies to create a classroom culture that supports and normalizes productive struggle

- Identify instructional strategies that support students in the zone of productive struggle

OVERVIEW:

The intervention approach developed by the UNC TEACCH Autism Program is called Structured TEACCHing (Mesibov, G.B., Shea, V. and Schopler, E. (2005) The TEACCH Approach to Autism Spectrum Disorders. Springer, New York.) Structured TEACCHing is an antecedent-based approach grounded in the understanding of the symptoms and learning styles of autistic individuals and the use of visual supports to provide meaning, promote independence, and capitalize on the individual's strengths and interests. The framework of Structured TEACCHing focuses on:

- Physical organization

- Individualized schedules

- Work/activity systems

- Materials structure and visual supports

Learning Outcomes:

- To support multi-disciplinary professionals in their implementation of Structured TEACCHing principles to enhance program effectiveness in their work settings

- To provide educators and clinicians with a professional certification that allows them to document their use of evidence-based practices. - To protect the fidelity, integrity and promote the quality of TEACCH intervention approaches. - To provide an opportunity for professionals interested in conducting their own training programs to receive an Advanced Consultant Certification.

OVERVIEW:

A Community of Practice is a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students. The goal of the group is to improve the skills and knowledge of educators through collaborative study, best-practice exchange, professional dialogue, and data analysis.

This Community is for Social Studies teachers. Educators in this group will share strategies and best practices for Social studies education and continue to build a regional community. Participants will collaborate to design the plan for each session in order to best meet their collective needs.

OUTCOMES:

- Create a tool-kit of shared resources

- Identify local history resources

- Make connections and collaborate on curriculum and instructional design with regional colleagues

OVERVIEW:

Powerful questions do more than check for understanding-they ignite curiosity, amplify student voice, and develop the communication and critical thinking skills at the heart of the New York State Portrait of a Graduate. In this engaging and interactive session, participants will explore high-impact questioning practices that move learning beyond simple answers and into meaningful dialogue. Educators will discover practical strategies and discussion protocols that encourage students to ask their own questions, engage in rich peer-to-peer conversations, and become active contributors to the learning process. Participants will leave with ready-to-use tools and a personalized action plan to cultivate classrooms where curiosity thrives, every voice matters, and students grow as confident communicators, collaborators, and critical thinkers.

OUTCOMES:

- Describe effective classroom questioning practices

- Identify specific strategies to build student questioning skills

- Use techniques and protocols to improve classroom discussion and to facilitate student to student interaction

- Develop an individual classroom action plan with respect to building your questioning skills and that of your students

OVERVIEW:

Research indicates that teaching is a complex intellectual activity and that teachers who think at higher levels produce students who are higher achieving, more cooperative, and better problem solvers. It is the invisible skills of teaching, the thinking processes that underlie instructional decisions, which produce superior instruction. Cognitive Coaching is a research-based model that capitalizes upon and enhances teachers' cognitive processes.

Cognitive Coaching℠ is a model that supports individuals and organizations in becoming self-directed, and in turn, become self-managing, self-monitoring and self-modifying. The results are stronger individuals within a team and better organizational teams overall.

Onsite coaching visits are included as part of the service.

OUTCOMES:

In the eight-day seminar, participants learn how to:

- develop trust and rapport

- develop an identity as a mediator of thinking

- utilize conversation structures for planning, reflecting and problem resolving

- develop teachers' autonomy and sense of community

- develop higher levels of efficacy, consciousness, craftsmanship, flexibility and interdependence

- apply four support functions: coaching, evaluating, consulting, collaborating

- utilize the coaching tools of pausing, paraphrasing, and posing questions

- distinguish among the five forms of feedback

- use data to mediate thinking

OVERVIEW:

Have you been wondering about Performance Based Learning Assessments (PBLA)? How can this work support state initiatives around the NYS Portrait of a Graduate? Join us for a full-day deep dive of learning about PBLA for the first time or refamiliarizing yourself with the elements that go into designing high quality learning experiences for your students.

OUTCOMES:

- Identify the attributes and characteristics of an effective performance based learning assessment

- Explain how PBLA can allow for a more authentic learning experience and enhance student engagement

- Create a PBLA experience

*Please bring your own device*

OVERVIEW:

During this session, we will begin by exploring "Creating Welcoming and Affirming Learning Environments,” one of four high leverage principles identified in the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education (CRSE) Framework. When students feel like they belong at school, they have fewer absences, fewer disciplinary infractions, higher graduation rates, as well as increased engagement, self-esteem, and attitudes. During the second half of the session this training package will provide an overview of challenging behaviors, the behavior pathway, and the function-based thinking process. Function-based thinking is a Tier 1 support that can be used for all students in combination with the principles of the CRSE Framework.

By the end of this training, participants will:

- Understand how a welcoming and affirming learning environment improves student outcomes

- Better understand their own identities and how those identities shape their relationships and experiences

- Develop strategies for creating a welcoming and affirming learning environment

- Describe challenging behaviors

- Understand the behavior pathway and use it to determine the function of behaviors

- Understand the function-based thinking process to prevent or extinguish unwanted behaviors by selecting intervention measures that meet the function of the behavior

This session, with identical content, will also be offered on January 12, 2027 at GST BOCES.

OVERVIEW:

Students become more independent learners when they understand where they are, recognize how they are growing, and think intentionally about where they want to go next. In this session, teachers will explore how to design learning experiences that develop reflective and future-focused learners aligned to the New York State Education Department Portrait of a Graduate. Participants will leave with practical strategies to build reflection, goal setting, self-assessment, feedback, and student ownership into everyday learning so students are better prepared to recognize their growth and take meaningful next steps.

OUTCOMES:

- Describe what it means to be reflective and future focused

- Explain why being reflective and future focused is important for NYS students

- Identify strategies to incorporate reflection and help students be future focused in the classroom

OVERVIEW:

These quarterly virtual meetings are part of the requirements for participants of the grant cohort and serve as check-ins and continued professional learning around initiatives implemented to help support the overarching purpose of Hello Ed! to provide equitable access to educationally integrated supports for English language learners (ELLs) and multilingual learners (MLLs).

These are invite-only for participating districts and teachers that attended the Hello Ed Summer Institute.

Joining information will be shared with participants before the session.

Grant Goals:

1: Enhance English Language Acquisition for ELLs and MLLsGoal

2: Improve Subject Matter ComprehensionGoal

3: Professional Development for EducatorsGoal

4: Integration of NYSED Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards

OVERVIEW:

Leaders in restorative practices contribute to the functioning structures that support relationship building, conflict resolution, and positive school climate. Participants will explore implementation strategies that foster restorative conversations, community-building circles, peer mediation, classroom meetings, and proactive approaches to managing conflict. Through the evaluation of staff training, student and community involvement, and data collection and analysis, participants will gain skills to build a more connected, restorative school community.

OUTCOMES:

- Explain key restorative practice strategies

- Describe roles and responsibilities in leading restorative practices

- Identify and evaluate systems that support restorative practices

- Design a plan to integrate restorative practices aligned with existing structures and initiatives

OVERVIEW:

State-mandated quarterly meeting of representatives from each of the component school districts.

OUTCOMES:

- Participate in collegial, collaborative discussions regarding standards and curriculum

- Identify regional School Library System priorities and school library professional learning needs

- Advise on the activities of the School Library System and evaluate School Library System provided resources and programs

- Discuss updates to and trends in the field of school librarianship, including state and national updates

OVERVIEW:

A Community of Practice is a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students. The goal of the group is to improve the skills and knowledge of educators through collaborative study, best-practice exchange, and professional dialogue.

The School Librarian Community of Practice meets regularly to share expertise and collaborate on improving teaching and learning in elementary and secondary library instruction. In 24-25, this group will focus on Media Literacy and alignment between the Information Fluency Continuum, the new CS/DF standards, and content-area practices. Librarians will leave with strategies to develop strong school library lessons and programs, explore and share resources, and engage in collaborative conversations with their regional peers.

OVERVIEW:

This training is intended to provide general education administrators an overview of special education and their role in supporting its implementation.

Session 1: Foundations, Law & the Intervention-to-Referral Pathway

Session 2: The IEP, Placement/LRE, SDI & Pathways to Graduation

Session 3: Dually-Identified ELLs & Discipline of Students with Disabilities

Participants Will:

- Become familiar with Federal and State laws, regulations, and policies establishing the special education process

- Identify intervention frameworks and instructional supports that impact the special education eligibility process

- Understand their responsibilities in the Committee of Preschool Special Education (CPSE)/Committee on Special Education (CSE), and Individualized Education Program (IEP) processes

- Learn about Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), specially designed instruction (SDI), classroom observations, and diploma and credential options for students with disabilities

- Identify specific considerations for English language learners (ELLs) with or suspected of having disabilities

- Describe discipline considerations for students with disabilities

The instructor will provide registrants with the Zoom link.

This 3-part series, with identical content, will also be offered during winter 2027 (Jan 28, Feb 25, and Mar 25 3:30-5:30pm) over Zoom.

OVERVIEW:

LSCI empowers educators and school staff with trauma‑informed tools to turn behavioral crises into powerful teaching moments. Learn practical strategies to support students with chronic self‑defeating behaviors while improving problem‑solving skills, emotional regulation, and self‑esteem-benefiting both students and staff.

OUTCOMES:

- Identify & define the 3 Main Structures of LSCI.

- Analyze the Conflict Cycle and gain insight into how our reactions impact student behavior.

- Practice & apply reclaiming interventions for working with students who exhibit self defeating patterns of behavior.

- Develop a plan for implementing and supporting your practice.

**There is a $175 cost for participants for supplies needed for the course.**

OVERVIEW:

The Community of Practice (CoP) brings together educators from Agriculture, Technology, Business, Family and Consumer Sciences, Work-Based Learning, the Trades, and Career and Technical Education. Through regular collaboration, participants share expertise, resources, and innovative practices to design, authentic, student-centered learning experiences.

Grounded in the New York State Portrait of a Graduate competencies, this CoP aims to equip teachers with strategies that foster both essential skill development, deep content knowledge and career-connected learning - preparing students for graduation, careers, and lifelong success.

Participants will play an active role in co-designing each session to ensure the learning is responsive to their shared goals and evolving instructional needs.

OUTCOMES:

- Develop and refine lesson plans and instructional practices to promote authentic real-world learning experiences within and across disciplines

- Actively share resources, tools, and best practices within and across disciplines to strengthen instructional capacity and support diverse learner needs

- Co-design session agendas and activities to ensure the professional learning community remains responsive to their collective goals and instructional challenges

OVERVIEW:

A Community of Practice is a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students through the New York State Science Learning Standards. The goal of the group is to improve the skills and knowledge of educators through collaborative study, best-practice exchange, professional dialogue, data analysis and a focus on creating 3D learning experiences specific to Earth & Space Science. Participants will collaborate to design the plan for each session in order to best meet their collective needs.

OUTCOMES:

- Identify trends, patterns, and gaps of learning through the use of the NYS assessment data to inform instructional decision making

- Create and share NYSP-12SLS aligned instructional materials, strategies, feedback and best practices

OVERVIEW:

Schools strive to be welcoming, affirming spaces for everyone-and awareness is a key part of that work. Microaggressions and harmful language, often unintentional, can affect students, staff, and the overall school climate.

Facilitators will work to create a safe, supportive space for all participants to learn about microaggressions and harmful language, explore their impact, and practice practical strategies for addressing them in school settings. Together, we'll build skills that strengthen inclusive, respectful learning communities. Let's learn together!

OUTCOMES:

- Develop awareness surrounding the prevalence of microaggressions

- Explore the impact of microaggressions on individuals from vulnerable and marginalized communities

- Define harmful language and understand the historical context behind it

- Learn strategies to mitigate and address microaggressions and harmful language in the school setting

OVERVIEW:

Participants will be provided with the regulatory references and practical applications of Quality IEP development to create functional, informative documents. Opportunities for group activities and Q & A will be provided, as well as specific scenarios.

OUTCOMES:

- Participants can expect clear references for the regulatory guidelines presented by the state and federal guidance. Practical application of guidance in the form of specific habits to develop for successful, clear and functional IEP development. Focus includes descriptive present levels, appropriate considerations for testing accommodations, service provision and considerations for measurable goals.

A one-hour lunch break will be provided each day.

Participants should plan to have an internet enabled device to access electronic handouts. When attending in person, please contact the presenter if paper copies are required.

Participants should bring 1-2 fully redacted IEPs for activities and to generate questions.

OVERVIEW:

Designed for PreK-12th grade educators who would like more information on positive behavior support- classroom management strategies including: 1) arranging the physical environment, 2) defining, teaching, and acknowledging expectations and rules, 3) defining and teaching classroom procedures and routines, 4) active supervision, 5) behavior specific praise, 6) response strategies for inappropriate behavior, 7) class-wide group contingencies, and 8) multiple opportunities to respond.

Participants Will:

- Understand the importance of building relationships with students to improve classroom management practices

- Learn foundational behavioral theory and practices to support effective classroom management

- Explain evidence-based classroom management practices and identify when to use them

- Develop a classroom management action plan that applies the practices presented in this training

The instructors will provide registrants with the Zoom link.

This is a two-part series and attendance at both sessions is highly encouraged.

There will be a one-hour lunch break during each session.

OVERVIEW:

Join us for this full-day session of thinking about how teachers can successfully provide opportunities for students to be more collaborative through Performance Based Learning Assessments. We will explore various structures that can be implemented through single collaborative learning opportunities, co-use learning, and multi student projects that will allow for increased student collaboration. Participants will leave with a PBLA plan which can be used in their classroom right away.

OUTCOMES:

- Identify essential elements of student engagement and successful student collaboration

- Explain strategies to incorporate student collaboration which augment the PBLA experience

- Describe ways to assess students while working collaboratively on a performance assessment

- Create a plan for a performance based learning assessment which incorporates student collaboration

*Please bring your own device*

OVERVIEW:

This full-day workshop will prepare teachers to set up and facilitate the required NYSED Physical Science: Chemistry Investigations. The Investigations are locally administered curriculum-embedded performance-based tasks that are one of the multiple components of the assessment strategy for the Physical Science: Chemistry Regents examination. Teachers will practice the hands-on scientific and engineering experiences within each of the following NYSED Science Investigations:

- Structures and Properties of Matter: The Fast and the Fragrant - Evaporation and Intermolecular Forces

- Structures and Properties of Matter: Bend and Stretch - Structure and Function of Designed Materials

- Chemical Reactions: Just a Drop - Properties of Acids and Bases

Teachers will engage in dialogue on best practices for preparation of embedded knowledge and skills in the performance expectations, scoring, NYSED required secure evidence storage protocols and strategies for successful completion for all students.

OUTCOMES:

- Analyze NYSP-12SLS (HS) Science & Engineering Practices and Performance Expectations for each investigation

- Identify required materials, safe preparation strategies, instructional routines, procedures for scoring and secure evidence storage protocols for each investigation

*Please bring your own protective eyewear and paper copies of each investigation. Be sure to bring teacher directions, student directions and both student answer packets for each investigation.

OVERVIEW:

When students ask, "Is this for a grade?” what are they really telling us? What happens when everything is graded? And what happens when it's not? This session tackles the tension between grading and motivation to engage in learning experiences. Educators will explore the impact of grading on student motivation and consider how to shift from compliance-driven behaviors to authentic engagement within your current grading system.

Impactful grading practices will do more than reward task completion, they will create students who are reflective, self-directed, and future-focused. They can inspire students to ask "What will I learn?” instead of "Is this graded?”

OUTCOMES:

- Describe the purpose of your grading system and what the system communicated to students.

- Identify strategies to leverage your grading system to increase student motivation.

- Create a plan to enhance your grading system for your desired student impact.

Please note that the session dates have been rescheduled from August 27-28.