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1. STI - 6733 - Financial Literacy for Educators: June 2026 Cohort 64

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12

Dates: 5/19/2026 to 6/23/2026

This course seeks to build content knowledge and share [free] resources that can help support the mission of integrating personal finance education into the Scarsdale experience. Teachers will acquire financial literacy skills for themselves and their students through courses on the Next Gen Personal Finance platform (NGPF.org).

This course includes:
(1) 2 STI Zoom sessions:
STI Zoom #1: Tuesday, May 19th at 7pm
STI Zoom #2: Tuesday, June 23rd at 7pm

(2) On-Demand courses take place between June 1st - June 19th
Choices for on-demand courses: Taxes or Insurance

To get started, you will need to:
1. Register for a teacher account on NGPF.org using your school email address.
2. Enroll in a course for Cohort #64 on the NGPF site. You can find the courses by selecting Teacher PD & Community, then Certification Courses.

Please let us know if you have any questions to help you get started. We look forward to having you join us!

2. ST@C - EOY Drive Clean up

Program: ST@C

Dates: 5/28/2026

New

Time to Clean up your Drive!

3. STI - 6735 - Financial Literacy for Educators: July 2026 Cohort 65

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12

Dates: 6/17/2026 to 7/28/2026

This course seeks to build content knowledge and share [free] resources that can help support the mission of integrating personal finance education into the Scarsdale experience. Teachers will acquire financial literacy skills for themselves and their students through courses on the Next Gen Personal Finance platform (NGPF.org).

This course includes:
(1) 2 STI Zoom sessions:
STI Zoom #1: Wednesday, June 17th at 7pm
STI Zoom #2: Tuesday, July 28th at 7pm

(2) On-Demand courses take place between July 6th - July 24th
Choices for on-demand courses: Banking & Budgeting, Cryptocurrency, Advanced Investing OR Behavioral Economics

To get started, you will need to:
1. Register for a teacher account on NGPF.org using your school email address.
2. Enroll in a course for Cohort #65 on the NGPF site. You can find the courses by selecting Teacher PD & Community, then Certification Courses.

Please let us know if you have any questions to help you get started. We look forward to having you join us!

4. STI - 6721 - Teacher as Reader: Summer

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K -12 (all)

Dates: 6/23/2026 to 8/18/2026

Wait List

The journey of the lifelong reader is a search for insight and understanding through reading, talking, and reflecting. By transforming reading into a community event through discussion groups, teachers learn differing perspectives on the same work and gain knowledge of literature, genre, and technique. The commitment to read widely and deeply is an important endeavor for teachers as they model the love of reading and the skills of reading and understanding for their students.

Participants will read assigned books and come prepared to discuss aspects of literary form such as character development, theme, plot and more. They will gain insight into the point of view by listening to their colleagues' responses to each book. Participants will enhance their own reading skills and learn techniques for leading discussion groups with students. The first session will include a short text discussion. Participants will read four other books over the course of the remaining sessions.

Teachers will read four books, answer questions about the books on a Google Slides notebook, and participate in discussions. The course will meet in person once in June, and the other meetings will be held over Zoom.

5. STI - 6693 - Positive Psychology for Educators

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12 (all)

Dates: 6/23/2026 to 8/7/2026

Participants will learn key constructs in positive psychology, which have direct application to student (and staff) well-being and achievement. In addition to examining the work of scholars such as Martin Seligman, Angela Duckworth, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and others, participants will engage in hands-on positive psychology activities in order to gain a better understanding of key techniques that could be used with students in the classroom. During the course, participants will engage in positive psychology exercises and have the opportunity to write reflective pieces on their experiences. In-class readings will review some key articles on positive psychology and positive education. All participants will be encouraged to share their ideas and perspectives and will have a choice for the final project including but not limited to a well thought-out reflection or lesson-plan applying the course material.

Participants will be expected to complete approximately twenty hours of independent learning and exercises over the course of the summer via exercises, readings, videos and other resources.

6. ST@C - Digital Fluency Committee

Program: ST@C

Dates: 6/25/2026

This ST@C is to review our experiences with multiple digital fluency platforms.

7. STI - 6727 - DIY Literacy: Expanding Our Thinking on the Literacy Tools We Use (Summer 2026)

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12 (all)

Dates: 6/29/2026 to 7/2/2026

The authors of DIY Literacy, Kate Roberts and Maggie Beatie Roberts, are proponents of the use of teacher-made tools in the classroom. They write, "Teaching tools create an impact on students' learning. They help students hold onto our teaching and become changed by the work in the classroom." DIY Literacy refers to making literacy tools instead of buying them. This allows teachers to create materials that are specific to their students' needs and learning goals.

In this course, teachers will have the opportunity to explore, research, and create literacy resources to enhance reading instruction. Teachers will explore DIY Literacy: Teaching Tools for Differentiation, Rigor, and Independence in depth and access Kate Roberts and Maggie Beatie Roberts through their video series. During the course, participants will have time to create their own literacy resources, including anchor charts, student bookmarks, shared reading text, and games. Through collaboration and discussion, teachers will add valuable resources to their reading instruction.

8. STI - 6692 - Building STEAM Skills: Stained Glass: Summer 2026

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: All

Dates: 6/29/2026 to 7/2/2026

Participants will investigate the interdisciplinary relations between art, technology, history, and math through designing their own stained glass art piece. The first session will involve teachers doing readings and research on stained glass - how to make it and how it was used throughout history to convey messages and/or tell a story. Participants will then brainstorm designs they may want to create and begin mapping out their glass and colors. In the next 2 sessions, participants will cut and grind their glass to perfectly fit into their designs as well as begin wrapping each piece carefully in copper foil so that the solder will stick. In the last session, participants will begin soldering their pieces so the glass is fused together. Once this is completed, participants will then clean off their glass and frame their pieces.

There is a $35 materials fee for this course.

9. STI - 6695 - Future Forward Symposium

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K -12

Dates: 6/29/2026 to 6/30/2026

The 'Future Forward' symposium, a strategic initiative through the STI, CFII, and ST@C, aims to build a stronger, more cohesive educational community across our region. The symposium offers a unique opportunity for educators to come together to share provocations, experiences, and conversations to learn from one other. By providing a platform for professional rejuvenation and networking, we are enhancing individual educator experiences and strengthening our collective capacity to face future educational challenges. The conference will serve as a catalyst for positive change, inspiring educators to adopt innovative practices and maintain a healthy work-life balance, ultimately leading to more vibrant and effective learning environments.

Over one (or two) days, the symposium will provide teachers and leaders from districts across the region with the opportunity to learn from one another and to take actionable steps for the new school year. Day 1 of the symposium will be focused on "Inspire to Learn." Participants will hear a keynote address and have the choice of conference sessions across thematic strands. Throughout the day, participants will learn from colleagues in and outside of Scarsdale to build their knowledge base and center their focus for their project to work on the next day. Day 2 of the symposium will focus on "Inspire to Action" and consist of "unconference" sessions based on participant feedback and time to work on plans such as units of study, compiling digital tools for lessons/units, or leadership action steps for the upcoming school year. The symposium will culminate in a crowdsourced sharing of ideas from our collective work that will provide a lasting impact that will not only reinvigorate but also prepare us for the future!

10. STI - 6697 - Engaging Secondary Learners Through the 5E Instructional Model

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: Grades 6-12

Dates: 6/29/2026 to 7/2/2026

This course equips teachers with a research-based instructional framework that promotes active engagement, sense-making, and deeper learning for all students. The 5E Instructional Model is an inquiry-based teaching framework for structuring science (and STEM) lessons, comprising five phases: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate. This model, grounded in constructivist learning theory, supports students in building understanding through inquiry rather than passive reception of information, which is essential for improving learning outcomes across disciplines. Teachers will learn how to intentionally integrate the phases of the 5E model with standards such as NGSS to support disciplinary practices, conceptual understanding, and meaningful assessment.

As a result of this course, participants will be able to design and implement student-centered lessons or units that increase engagement, foster critical thinking, and support equitable access to learning. Ultimately, this course strengthens teacher practice and student learning by shifting instruction toward experiences that empower students to actively construct knowledge.

11. STI - 6698 - Creating Games/Hands-On Activities to Differentiate Instruction and Tier 1 Intervention

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-5

Dates: 6/29/2026 to 7/2/2026

Multi-Tiered System of Support(MTSS) is a framework for intervention that helps teachers identify students' academic, behavioral, and social-emotional strengths and challenges. Within this framework, teachers provide targeted support for struggling students. The use of games and hands-on activities is an effective strategy for targeting specific skills that struggling students need to master. Games provide the repetition and review often needed to learn in an enjoyable and fun way. Children are active learners; games engage them in learning and can be used as intervention within the MTSS framework.

This course offers teachers specific targeted skills that can be used in a Tier 1 intervention. Teachers will also examine their curricular areas in their grades to develop numerous and varied games to target particular learning problems. Participants should bring reference materials for the concept and skills they would like to individualize in their intervention.

There is a $30 Materials Fee for this course

12. STI - 6728 - One-Stop Google Express

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12 (all)

Dates: 6/29/2026 to 7/2/2026

Do you want to expedite and streamline your Google Life? Take a ride on Google Express and focus on one or more stops. In this 1, 2, or 3 credit workshop-style STI, you will have the time and the help to work on what you want!

The main stop is the One-Stop Google Doc Lesson Library, where you will curate your lessons and curriculum in a single doc for yourself (& colleagues)!

Next is the One-Stop Google Classroom with tips to help you organize assignments and resources for your students.

The last stop is the One-Stop Google Sites, where you can learn how to create a Google Site with resources for anyone (yourself, students, and parents).

All aboard!

This course will be divided into in-person learning and independent work outside the class.

13. STI - 6701 - Cultivating Resilience and Growth in Students and Educators

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12 (all)

Dates: 6/30/2026 to 8/4/2026

This course equips educators with the skills to foster resilience and promote growth in themselves and their students. Participants will explore the foundational principles of resilience, learning how to build emotional strength, adaptability, and a supportive classroom culture. The course also delves into the concept of post-traumatic growth, providing strategies and exercises to help individuals harness adversity as a catalyst for personal and professional development. By the end of the course, participants will be prepared to create an environment in which educators and students flourish by cultivating resilience and also supporting recovery from adversity through transformative processes.

Through interactive sessions, reflective practices, videos, readings, and real-world applications, educators will gain practical tools to manage stress, overcome challenges, and inspire growth in their students and themselves. The course format involves both in-session learning and activities as well as rich experimentation with async resilience and growth-building practices. By the end of the course, participants will be prepared to create an environment in which educators and students flourish by cultivating resilience and supporting recovery from adversity through transformative processes.

An additional 18 hours of independent work will be required in addition to the Zoom sessions.

14. STI - 6702 - Chemistry of Wellness

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12 (all)

Dates: 7/1/2026 to 7/16/2026

This course blends chemistry, biology, environmental science, and geology (via sustainable sourcing and soil health for organic botanicals) to examine the science of wellness. Participants will study peer-reviewed phytochemistry of organic herbs-calendula, rosemary, chamomile, and tulsi-highlighting bioactive compounds (terpenes, polyphenols, flavonoids) that provide neuroprotection, support memory, focus, and cognitive function through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neurotransmitter pathways. Teachers will also investigate health risks from phthalates (endocrine disruptors linked to neurodevelopmental harm, lower IQ, ADHD) and PFAS "forever chemicals" (neuroinflammation, cognitive risks). In the lab, teachers will create natural, toxin-free body products (scrubs, oils, salves, lip balms) using organic ingredients to model safe, effective alternatives.They will model ready-to-use classroom strategies: interdisciplinary projects comparing commercial vs. homemade organics (via simple chemical/biological analysis), discussions on toxin persistence and sustainable sourcing, and student inquiries into biology/chemistry applications for health and environment. Teachers also learn to leverage the chemistry of scent in essential oils (e.g., lavender, peppermint, rosemary) for wellness-using volatile compounds to engage the olfactory-limbic system for relaxation, focus, and stress reduction through activities like diffusers or scented sachets. This equips students with critical thinking and evidence-based choices for personal and planetary health.

There is a $20 material fee for this course.

15. STI - 5000 - ST@C Workshop Series - 2026-2027

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: All

Dates: 7/1/2026

New

ST@C workshops explore aspects of innovation in education. In each ST@C workshop, teachers gain an overview of specific technological and pedagogical tools for the classroom while establishing a professional network for more in-depth study. Scarsdale teachers can choose stand-alone ST@C workshops to use toward STI credits. One STI credit is granted when a teacher has documented 12 hours of contact time in ST@C workshops and submits to the STI office an explanation of how new ideas from ST@C impacted teaching and learning in their classroom. Teachers must register for each individual ST@C workshop online and can offer to run a ST@C course by contacting the STI office. Teachers should only register for this course credit AFTER they have completed 12 hours of ST@C courses.

16. STI - 6000 - ST@C Workshop Series - 2026-2027

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: All

Dates: 7/1/2026

New

17. STI - 7000 - ST@C Workshop Series - 2026-2027

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: All

Dates: 7/1/2026

New

18. STI - 6700 - Teacher as Reader: Dollars & Sense

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: All

Dates: 7/1/2026 to 7/29/2026

This course equips teachers to integrate financial literacy into their classrooms through the lens of Morgan Housel's book The Psychology of Money. Using Housel's case studies and storytelling approach, educators will examine how mindset, risk perception, long-term thinking, and social comparison influence economic choices across diverse populations. Teachers will learn strategies to foster reflective discussions and interdisciplinary connections that make financial literacy personally meaningful to students. By centering psychology alongside economics, this program empowers educators to help students build not just financial knowledge, but financial wisdom.

An additional 4 hours of Reading and Padlet posts will be required outside of class meeting times.

19. STI - 6703 - Managing Emotions in Times of Stress and Uncertainty

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12 (all)

Dates: 7/1/2026 to 7/29/2026

This course will help teachers unpack how emotions can help and hinder attention, decision making, relationships, health, and performance. Teachers will explore how to recognize, understand, and accurately label emotions, manage their own emotions and help students manage theirs. Teachers will have the opportunity to describe the biases involved in identifying and managing emotions, as well as to reflect on the potential impact of your own biases on your interactions with others.Finally, teachers will be introduced to the concept of emotion co-regulation, as well as a five-step process to support students in moments of high stress.

Developed by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, materials for Managing Emotions in Times of Uncertainty & Stress will provide participants with the knowledge, skills, and strategies to understand and manage their emotions and those of their students. Presented in an asynchronous online fashion, teachers will complete the course at their own pace (over several weeks) under the direction of Dr. Elliot Cohen.

20. STI - 6709 - ELA Summer Institute - 2026

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-5

Dates: 7/6/2026 to 8/25/2026

Participants will engage in a multi-day Summer Institute facilitated by Mossflower literacy leaders, focused on the Reading and Writing Units of Study for grades K-5. Throughout the institute, teachers will explore unit architecture, instructional routines, mentor texts, conferring practices, and assessment tools that support student growth over time.

Sessions will include demonstrations, collaborative planning, analysis of student work, and opportunities to reflect on instructional decision-making. Teachers will examine how reading and writing units are designed to build skills progressively across grade levels and how instruction can be adapted to meet the diverse needs of learners. By the conclusion of the institute, participants will have developed a clearer understanding of how to implement Mossflower units with fidelity while remaining responsive to their students and classroom contexts.

21. STI - 6706 - Unboxing Reading and Writing for Elementary Teachers

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-5

Dates: 7/6/2026 to 7/9/2026

Teachers in grades K-5 will engage in an in-depth unboxing of the new reading units. Through collaborative study and planning, participants will explore the structure, pacing, and instructional goals of each unit, with a focus on how to implement toolkit strategies that support comprehension, independence, and student engagement. Teachers will analyze anchor texts, practice key teaching moves, and examine how the curriculum fosters student agency and a strong reading identity. Sessions will include opportunities for modeling, peer feedback, and classroom planning, allowing teachers to connect curriculum to student needs in real-time. With a balance of hands-on learning and reflective discussion, this course will serve as both a launchpad and a sustained support system as teachers implement the units across the year.

As a culminating project, participants will submit documentation that demonstrates how they implemented reading units of study toolkit strategies across the school year. This may include photos, student work samples, lesson plans, and a written reflection on the impact of these tools on student learning and engagement. Teachers are expected to complete assigned readings, implement unit components between sessions, and participate in collaborative planning and discussion. The final project will serve both as evidence of learning and as a shared resource to support continued growth and implementation across the district

22. STI - 6707 - Building STEAM Skills: Woodworking with Adirondack Chairs

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12 (all)

Dates: 7/6/2026 to 7/9/2026

Developing makers takes more than creativity, It takes comfort with many materials, tools, and processes. In this course, participants will build a full-size Adirondack chair while practicing the same kind of real-world problem solving that makes woodworking both challenging and rewarding. You'll work through the full build cycle: reading plans, measuring and marking accurately, choosing the right tool for each step, and adjusting when real materials behave differently than the drawing.

Participants will use the workshop space, tools, and routines our middle school students use each quarter in Technology. They will learn safe tool setup and handling, basic joinery and assembly methods, and finishing techniques, while building habits that support quality work, such as planning ahead, working efficiently, and checking for accuracy at every stage. By the end of the course, participants will leave with a completed chair, stronger hands-on skills, and a clearer understanding of how we teach making, design thinking, and craftsmanship in the middle school program.

There is a $275 material fee for this course.

23. STI - 6710 - Building STEAM Skills: Sicilian Ceramic Tile in the Home

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12 (all)

Dates: 7/6/2026 to 7/9/2026

Ceramic tile has deep historical roots in civilizations such as Mesopotamia, Islamic cultures, Spain, Italy, and Latin America, where it served both functional and decorative purposes, reflecting local materials, beliefs, and social values. By studying ceramic tile, specifically Sicilian tile, educators gain insight into how visual patterns, symbolism, and craftsmanship communicate cultural identity and historical context over time. The hands-on processes of designing, patterning, and glazing tiles reinforce problem-solving, geometry, chemistry, and fine motor skills, making the content adaptable to multiple grade levels and subject areas. These skills support project-based learning, cultural studies, and STEAM instruction, enabling teachers to create meaningful, standards-aligned lessons that foster creativity, cultural awareness, and historical understanding in diverse classroom settings.

Participants will make functional pieces of art integrating culturally relevant motifs, colors and designs. They will research and design a unique pattern that reflects their own familial identity and adapt it to their project. Using and learning about glazes and bisque tiles, they will draw and paint this design onto multiple tiles, which will then be assembled into a large tray. Additional matching tiles will also be made into coasters and trivets. This ceramic art is typical of decorative yet functional pottery, which has been used for thousands of years.

There is a $35 materials fee for this course.

24. STI - 6708 - Broadway Teachers Workshop 2026

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: All

Dates: 7/7/2026

The Broadway Teachers Workshop is designed to inspire both classroom teachers and directors of middle school, high school and college theater with new teaching methods, enhanced production skills and an exchange of ideas with peers and professional Broadway artists. Teachers will be introduced to four professional performances by attending pre-workshops with teaching artists who will lead them through the production process, from first script reading through finale. Historical references and broader social messages conveyed by each production will be examined. Teachers will also participate in master classes with Broadway performers, creative teams, and production staff, with peer sessions throughout. These networking opportunities will enable teachers to share professional resources with their students in a variety of contexts. Teachers will also have the option of selecting a specific workshop in theater production in either tech, music direction, choreography or directing. As a culminating assignment, teachers will prepare a unit or in-depth lesson that will incorporate elements of the workshop into classroom or school-wide performances.

Teachers should register directly with Broadway Teachers Workshop and pay the $899 (register before March 1,2026) or $949 (after March 1st) fee, which includes tickets to the performances. Each day is from approximately 9am-10pm. The sessions for 2026 are:
July 7-9
July 10-12
July 14-16
July 21-23
July 24-26

The shows are Schmigadoon, The Lost Boys, Two Strangers Carry a Cake across NY, and one TBA.

25. STI - 6712 - AI Tools for the Busy Teacher

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12 (all)

Dates: 7/8/2026 to 7/9/2026

Participants will explore AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Notebook LM, Magic School, Diffit, School AI, Canva, Padlet, and more. These AI resources can be used to meet the personal learning needs of teachers and students. For instance, teachers will learn how to use these tools to manage tasks such as writing parent emails, adjusting reading levels of published text, generating decodable text, creating podcasts and quizzes from YouTube videos, and more. They will also learn how to create an AI coach that can provide students with curriculum support and feedback in between conferences with the classroom teacher.

26. STI - 6624 - Peru Field Study: Echoes of Ancient Civilization (2025-2026)

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12 (All)

Dates: 7/11/2026 to 7/15/2026

This fieldwork course offers participants an immersive exploration of the ancient Inca civilization. Participants will delve into the Inca social, economic, cultural, and political organization. This academic cultural immersion aims to bridge the past and present for a better understanding of our interconnectedness and the interdependence of the modern world. By exploring Cusco, Machu Picchu, and the Sacred Valley (Valle Sagrado), participants will develop and implement powerful lessons and meaningful projects aimed to enrich students' academic experiences.

Throughout this course, participants will engage in enriching activities. For example, they will explore Machu Picchu to examine ancient architecture and ancient building technologies. They will be immersed in Andean music featuring traditional instruments. They will hear speakers on the Inca Empire, clashes of civilizations, and the viceregal period. They will visit museums to examine traditional pottery, art, and paintings. They will visit indigenous communities to learn about their way of life and explore artisanal arts and crafts. They will enjoy mountain hikes to study the impact of high altitudes on heart rate and breathing, accompanied by insights into indigenous traditions such as the sacred coca leaf chewing used to mitigate altitude effects. They will also have meetings and dialogues with representatives from community leaders and local educational institutions to exchange experiences and insights. These experiences are designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of Peruvian culture. As a result of this course teachers will develop new skills that will allow them to be more aware and sensitive towards diversity while promoting inclusion in the classroom.

STI Fieldwork Fee: $253 (Subject to change depending on the number of participants)

27. STI - 6714 - Understanding by Design

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12 (all)

Dates: 7/13/2026 to 7/16/2026

Starting Today

Using the UBD framework, teachers will use backwards design to align their curriculum. Through the stages of the framework, teachers will learn about the importance of planning essentials questions, assessments, and daily lessons that work towards a common goal. Students should we able to apply and transfer skills by the end of a unit.

This course provides teachers with the opportunity to plan in-depth units based on the work of McTighe and Wiggins.

28. STI - 6713 - Research From Conception to Presentation with Dr. David Salomon

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12

Dates: 7/13/2026 to 7/15/2026

Starting Today

Students must be able to access and analyze information critically and learn how to integrate that information into their own research and creative activity. In this seminar, faculty will learn best practices for introducing research and dissemination into their courses, regardless of the grade level or discipline. Participants will focus on understanding research methods; employing ethical research practices; assessing, analyzing, and synthesizing information; and finally sharing that work. Teachers will leave with a myriad of research and creative techniques and approaches with an eye towards a variety of dissemination modalities including oral presentation, posters, a curated exhibit, performance, and a class journal or website.

29. STI - 6716 - Sewing and Embroidery as Mindfulness Practice and More

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12

Dates: 7/13/2026 to 7/16/2026

Wait ListStarting Today

Sewing and embroidery are fiber arts forms that can serve as a therapeutic practice while also promoting the development of fine motor skills. Creating hand-sewn projects can benefit our social-emotional health by allowing us to connect with others and release anxious thoughts as we mindfully stitch our worries away. Through this course, participants will learn beginner sewing skills, basic embroidery stitches, and experiment sewing with mixed-media materials (paper, beads, ribbon, etc) as they move through a variety of scaffolded projects that can be adapted to suit the needs of their own learners.

During this weekend workshop, participants will learn a variety of beginner sewing skills and embroidery techniques that they will combine to create their own hand-made fiber arts projects. Participants will look at the artwork of contemporary fiber artists and identify connections to their own content. Throughout the sessions, participants will brainstorm ways sewing and embroidery projects could be used, applied, modified and taught within their own classroom contexts. Participants will leave the course with numerous prototypes to display in their own classroom that could serve to introduce their own learners to this powerful medium.

There is a $35 materials fee for this course.

30. ST@C - Creating Social Stories for Diverse Learners

Program: ST@C

Dates: 7/15/2026

NewStarting Soon

In this workshop we will share samples of Social Stories that we have created for students. We will unpack important aspects of social stories to support students with Autism. We will generate various topics for social stories and then provide time to start building them on various platforms.

31. STI - 6736 - Financial Literacy for Educators: August 2026 Cohort 66

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12

Dates: 7/16/2026 to 8/18/2026

Starting Soon

This course seeks to build content knowledge and share [free] resources that can help support the mission of integrating personal finance education into the Scarsdale experience. Teachers will acquire financial literacy skills for themselves and their students through courses on the Next Gen Personal Finance platform (NGPF.org).

This course includes:
(1) 2 STI Zoom sessions:
STI Zoom #1: Wednesday, July 8th at 7pm
STI Zoom #2: Tuesday, August 18th at 7pm

(2) On-Demand courses take place between July 27th - August 14th
Choices for on-demand courses: Career, Credit, Investing OR Psychology of Money

To get started, you will need to:
1. Register for a teacher account on NGPF.org using your school email address.
2. Enroll in a course for Cohort #66 on the NGPF site. You can find the courses by selecting Teacher PD & Community, then Certification Courses.

Please let us know if you have any questions to help you get started. We look forward to having you join us!

32. STI - 6718 - Building STEAM Skills: Photography

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12 (all)

Dates: 7/20/2026 to 7/23/2026

This course gives educators practical strategies to cultivate creativity and STEAM competencies in their classrooms through the art and science of photography. Participants will strengthen visual literacy, critical thinking, and communication skills while exploring how composition makes abstract concepts tangible and accessible for students. Emphasis is placed on perspective, storytelling, and design as tools for helping students interpret multiple viewpoints and express their own ideas with clarity and purpose.

Through hands-on projects, educators will learn to operate a Nikon DSLR camera in both automatic and manual modes, with focused study of the exposure triangle (aperture, shutter speed, and ISO) and the technical vocabulary essential to intentional image-making. Cameras will be provided, though participants may bring their own equipment. By integrating artistic creativity with scientific principles of light and measurement, the course models authentic STEAM learning. Participants will leave with completed projects and classroom-ready approaches that empower students to apply technical knowledge creatively and communicate meaning through visual media.

There is a $30 material fee for this course.

33. STI - 6738 - K-12 Integrated Unit Design - Edgemont (Summer 2026)

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12 Edgemont

Dates: 7/20/2026 to 7/23/2026

This course is a work session in which teachers will create new integrated units or upgrade current units of study to fit the 21st Century classroom. The goal is to facilitate changes in the way both content and skills are being delivered to enable students to become autonomous learners. It will also allow for teacher work time where they can evaluate ways in which they can increase their own productivity by using technology for communication and collaboration. Teachers will evaluate current technology use in their classroom and explore how to incorporate technology effectively into their teaching to promote student learning and increase engagement.

Participants will take current units of study or create new units where they will integrate different district technology. We will use our feedback protocol to create multiple iterations of their project using instructional feedback from the group.

Course Requirements:
Participants will take current units of study or create new units with usable work samples/instructional materials. They will also create a lesson or unit plan write up.

34. STI - 6719 - Let's Make Anchor Charts (Summer 2026)

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12 (all)

Dates: 7/20/2026 to 7/21/2026

In this course, educators design effective anchor charts as high-impact instructional tools that support student learning across content areas. Anchor charts serve as enduring visual references that reinforce key strategies, concepts, vocabulary, and processes, promoting student independence and retention. By strengthening teachers' capacity to create purposeful, standards-aligned visual supports, this course enhances classroom clarity, organization, and accessibility for diverse learners.

Teachers will design and produce anchor charts tailored to the units and curriculum they teach. Emphasis will be placed on visual design principles, clarity of language, and strategies for co-creating charts with students to deepen engagement and ownership. All materials-including chart paper, markers, and art supplies-will be provided, though participants may bring additional resources if desired. Educators will leave with ready-to-use anchor charts and practical techniques for integrating visual supports into daily instruction to strengthen comprehension and long-term learning.

35. STI - 6643 - India: Educational Innovations and Cultural Understandings- Field Study 2026

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12

Dates: 7/27/2026 to 8/7/2026

The growth of the Indian community in Scarsdale and Edgemont and the wider New York area further reflects these changes locally. This course will foster a greater understanding and appreciation of the rich history and culture of India as well as include an exploration of the Indian Education System through school visits and collaboration. Participants will be working with schools in Delhi, India to learn firsthand about the Indian Educational System. Guest speakers, historians, and instructors will offer their informed perspectives on India's rich history, culture, and the changes in India today. The course will help educators enrich their classrooms with a deeper understanding of Indian history, geography, and education as well as better understand the culture and background of one of our rapidly growing student groups in our schools.

This field study is a two-week opportunity for educators to experience India first-hand. It is designed to provide a broad historical and cultural understanding of India's past and present, and an in-depth understanding of selected topics of study through lectures, experiential opportunities, and site visits. Participants will work with the Prabhu Dayal Public School in New Delhi, India, and in addition to the sites in Delhi visit the cities of Agra and Jaipur. Topics include but are not limited to: --The Arts, Past and Present -- History, Geography and Culture of India- Indian Cuisine and Holidays-- Yoga and Meditation- Religions-- Indian Literature-- and Bollywood.

Course Prerequisites:
Participants must complete the STI lecture series
STI - 6641 - Global Networking: Focus on India 2/25/26 to 6/10/2026 and
STI - 6642 - OMG! Culture, Religion, and History of India, Weekend Immersion 6/5/26 to 6/6/26.

To reserve your spot, send a check for $1000 made out to Scarsdale Teachers Institute today!
Direct any inquiries to mpalekar@scarsdaleschools.org

36. STI - 6696 - Farm Sanctuaries as a Resource

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12 (all)

Dates: 7/27/2026 to 7/28/2026

Factory farming, also called intensive animal agriculture, is the industrial system for raising large numbers of livestock (principally cattle, pigs and chickens) in extremely crowded, confined conditions to maximize profits at the expense of animal welfare, the environment, social justice and public health. The mechanized process minimizes costs, leads to pollution, disease and antibiotic resistance, in addition to causing immense suffering to animals. However, approaches to farming are changing and the growing number of farm sanctuaries worldwide are promoting a more compassionate food system. The mission of many farm sanctuaries is not only to provide rescued factory farmed animals with a safe haven to live out their lives, but to educate the public about the realities of animal agriculture which includes pollution to land, air and water, contributing to climate degradation, the oppression of workers from low-income communities of color and the abuse of antibiotics and growth hormones that puts humans at risk for disease and drug-resistant bacteria.

Teachers will collaborate and create lesson plans that connect to the mission of farm sanctuaries. They can focus on one of the many sub-topics relating to factory farming/agribusiness such as sustainability, public health, social justice relating to the oppression of workers, or animal welfare. They can also delve into other relevant themes focusing on social-emotional learning such as the notion of kindness, empathy and compassion as illustrated in the Scarsdale High School Profile of a Graduate: the compassionate leader. Given that some of the Scarsdale schools have gardens, exploring gardening for a garden to table diet is another potential focus.

37. STI - 6720 - Building Student Dispositions for Success: Navigating for a Lifetime of Learning and Thriving

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12 (all)

Dates: 7/27/2026 to 7/31/2026

In the classroom, successful students are those who either inherently possess or, through intentional instruction, develop a set of skills that serve as core determinants of academic growth and accomplishment. These abilities-including social-emotional skills, resiliency, adaptability, self-regulation, attention and high-level executive processes-are the essential foundation upon which all learning is built. This course empowers educators to bridge these established foundations with the rapidly shifting demands of a professional landscape increasingly defined by technological disruption and Artificial Intelligence. It is vital for professional development because it equips leaders in education with the tools to build the mental and skill-based scaffolding necessary for students to remain motivated and successful in an increasingly unpredictable future.

Participants will engage in a variety of learning experiences including interactive presentations, collaborative discussions, curated readings, and illustrative videos. To help educators translate theory into practice, sessions include hands-on exercises and design activities focused on enhancing student performance and fostering a school culture that values growth over static perfection. By the conclusion of the course, participants will have developed frameworks and tools to build the mental and skill-based scaffolding necessary for students to remain motivated, agile, and successful throughout a lifetime of learning and thriving.

Aside from the scheduled meeting times, there will be an additional 18 hours of asynchronous work to be completed.

38. STI - 6734 - Get Creative with Canva (Summer 2026)

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12 (All)

Dates: 7/27/2026 to 7/28/2026

Join us this summer to learn how to use Canva, the FREE, intuitive online design tool, to create engaging, visually appealing teaching materials that will capture your students' attention and enhance their learning experience. Whether you're looking to spice up your lesson plans, create interactive assignments, or design unique classroom resources, this class has got you covered!

Class Highlights:

* Introduction to Canva: Get familiar with Canva's user-friendly interface and discover the vast library of templates and design elements that make creating professional-quality designs a breeze.

* Designing with Students in Mind: Learn how to craft compelling presentations, interactive worksheets, and creative projects that cater to diverse learning styles and engage students more effectively.

* Hands-On Practice: Dive into Canva with guided activities, allowing you to apply what you've learned immediately. You'll have the opportunity to design your own teaching tools and receive feedback from other educators.

* Collaboration & Sharing: Explore Canva's collaboration features that make it easy to work with colleagues and students on projects, ensuring a more interactive and inclusive learning environment.

39. STI - 6725 - Building STEAM Skills: Jewelry Making

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12 (all)

Dates: 8/3/2026 to 8/6/2026

Wait List

Participants can use jewelry making in a classroom to engage students in creative expression, fine motor skill development, design thinking, and even cross-curricular learning by incorporating techniques like beading, wire wrapping, clay sculpting, and resin casting, allowing students to explore color, texture, and form while learning about geometry, history, culture, and even basic business concepts through designing and selling their creations.

Participants will explore the fundamentals of jewelry making, including sawing, piercing, filing, sanding, and surface enrichment while creating chains, pendants, earrings, necklaces, pins, bracelets, and rings. Using metals, paper, beads, stones, found objects, fibers, and recycled materials, participants will design and construct pieces of wearable art. Participants will also investigate jewelry as a craft and fine art and will discuss the cultural and historical significance of jewelry as adornment.

There is a $30 materials fee for this course.

40. STI - 6740 - K-12 Integrated Unit Design - Advanced - Edgemont (Summer 2026)

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12 Edgemont

Dates: 8/3/2026 to 8/6/2026

This course is a work session in which teachers will create new integrated units or upgrade current units of study to fit the 21st Century classroom. The goal is to facilitate changes in the way both content and skills are being delivered to enable students to become autonomous learners. It will also allow for teacher work time where they can evaluate ways in which they can increase their own productivity by using technology for communication and collaboration. Teachers will evaluate current technology use in their classroom and explore how to incorporate technology effectively into their teaching to promote student learning and increase engagement. Teachers should have taken K-12 Integrated Unit Design prior to taking this level.

Participants will take current units of study or create new units where they will integrate different district technology. We will use our feedback protocol to create multiple iterations of their project using instructional feedback from the group. Teachers will learn new techniques from the previous course to add higher level technology and PBL projects into their units.

Participants will take current units of study or create new units with usable work samples/instructional materials. They will also create a lesson or unit plan write up.

41. STI - 6730- Studying Skillful Teacher (Summer 2026)

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12 Teachers and Administrators

Dates: 8/3/2026 to 10/24/2026

The Studying Skillful Teaching program builds teachers' capacity - the knowledge and skills as well as the courage and conviction - to promote students' motivation, learning, and increased achievement. It is based on the belief that teaching is a process of decision-making; and that skillful teachers never stop learning through experimentation, data analysis, study, and collegial sharing about what works best for their students. This course will focus on the art of teaching -- continuously expanding one's repertoire and skillfully matching which tool or strategy best fits a given situation.

This course will focus on building teacher skills such as communicating their belief in students' capabilities, motivating and engaging students, demonstrating cultural proficiency, planning engaging lessons, making concepts and skills accessible, and continuously assessing student understanding. It will also include a range of activities beyond interactive classroom behaviors, such as analyzing data, designing reteaching, involving families, and being a good colleague and team member. Participants will engage in discussion over case studies from other schools and will be asked to reflect on techniques used in their classrooms. The course takes place over three months and is designed to balance in-class learning and reflection with out-of-class application.

42. STI - 6722 - Museums as Resources: Raising Awareness, Building Community, Inspiring Social Change

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-12 (all)

Dates: 8/17/2026 to 8/20/2026

Drawing on landmark exhibitions at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Whitney Museum of American Art, educators will examine how music, dance, and visual art intersect to raise awareness, build community, and inspire social change. Featured exhibitions include Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll, The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism, and Edges of Ailey, alongside study of the Met's renowned Musical Instruments collection.

Participants will analyze multimedia exhibition content-artworks, instruments, audio archives, and performance documentation-to design interdisciplinary lessons connecting Social Studies, Language Arts, and the Arts for K1/412 classrooms. Faculty in art history, music, dance, and performance will model strategies for integrating live and recorded performance into various K-12 curricula. Educators will develop museum-based lesson plans that position the arts as catalysts for civic engagement and cultural understanding.

43. STI - 6731 - Intro to Responsive Classroom - An Integrated Scarsdale Approach

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-5, but open to all faculty who are interested in learning more about SEL

Dates: 8/17/2026 to 8/20/2026

The Responsive Classroom approach provides prime evidence that social and emotional teaching strategies, when well constructed, lead to improved classroom behavior and academic growth. Students learn best when their classrooms are places where they feel safe, challenged, and joyful - places that free them to learn.

Independent research has found that a focus on social and emotional learning is associated with higher academic achievement, improved teacher-student interactions, and higher-quality instruction.

In four engaging and interactive days, teachers will live and learn about the practices and strategies of the Responsive Classroom approach. You will walk away with a better understanding of what your students experience as learners and how to integrate this approach into specific areas of instruction.

Teachers will:
--Engage in energizers and interactive learning structures that can be used with students
--Experience an Academic Choice lesson that can be adapted for any grade level
--Plan Interactive Modeling, role-play, and Guided Discovery lessons to use with students
--Map out their learning space to include elements of classroom organization
--Create detailed plans for implementation of Responsive Classroom practices and integrate this approach into the Scarsdale curriculum and classroom

This class is geared towards K-5, though open to all faculty who are interested in learning more about SEL.

44. STI - 6729 - Nuts and Bolts of Classroom Environments and Libraries (Summer 2026)

Program: Scarsdale Teachers Institute

Audience: K-5

Dates: 8/24/2026 to 8/25/2026

Wait List

One of the most important pathways to helping our students grow into lifelong readers is to ensure that students have books they can read with accuracy, fluency, and comprehension and that they have books that challenge them yet are within reach. Creating a classroom environment and library to support students when they are developing their reading identity behaviors, and habits of mind, will maximize engagement, independence, and reading development.

In this intensive 12-hour course, participants will delve into the fundamentals of establishing and maintaining a classroom library that both aligns with curriculum goals and nurtures a diverse range of reading identities. Throughout the sessions, educators will gain insights from the pedagogy and groundbreaking research of leading literacy experts such as Pat and Jim Cunningham, Freddy Hiebert, David Pearson, and Nell Duke. These insights will inform the hands-on workshops where participants learn to evaluate student reading needs, curate a varied collection of texts, and strategically organize books to maximize student engagement and access. The course will also cover the integration of decodable and leveled books, techniques for incorporating high-interest and culturally affirming texts, and the establishment of effective reading routines. Collaborative activities will guide participants in creating sample library layouts, devising book rotation schedules, and designing interactive reading activities that promote student independence and enjoyment. Additionally, teachers will collaborate to create actionable classroom projects like personalized reading challenges or student-led book reviews, equipped with new strategies to enhance their literacy instruction and seamlessly integrate these practices into their existing curricula.

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