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Spring 2024 Sessions
RISE Extension Series
Making Connections: Enhancing Program Function with Integrated Curriculum
with Josh Kaplan, Director of Randolph Schoool
Elevating the Conversation to Drive Instruction
with Dr. Noelle Beale, Regional Superintendent, Catholic Schools of Westchester
in the Archdiocese of NY
Strategies to Support Student Learning Gaps:
Multi-Age Classes and Creative Scheduling
with Patti Vitale, Head of School, Nicole Fatato and Sara Knaggs, Multi-age Classroom Teachers
from The Brown School
​
Did you miss RISE? If so, join us for a recap and extensions to deepen your understanding of these topics and turn ideas into practice! Our stellar RISE Leadership Conference school-based presenters will recap the first session for those who missed it or want a review and then we will extend that learning together.
Interactive Sessions for Teachers & School Leaders
Supporting Struggling Readers: Data, Lessons,
and Progress
with Rebecca Shea and
Literacy Specialist Guest Speaker
Assessment and Grading in Differentiated Classrooms: A Text-Based Discussion Series
with Dr. Diana Straut
Coaching Conversations with Student Work
at the Core
with Rebecca Shea
​
Standards-Based Learning Implementation Network
with Karen Martin
​
Art Teachers Network
with Dr. Diana Straut & Art Teachers across NYS
​
AI Tools Hands-On Workshop
with Rebecca Shea
SPRING PD AT A GLANCE
Join us this spring for a variety of professional development that focuses on teacher and leader collaborations, facilitating instructional conversations, equitable and differentiated assessment practices, supporting struggling readers, coaching while examining student work, designing multi-age classrooms, and standards-based learning implementation support. These offerings are available to teachers and leaders in religious and independent schools across NYS. See below for more information.
Integrated Curriculum: Leverage Teacher Collaboration & Solve Common Challenges
Learn how an integrated curriculum improves teacher collaboration,efficiency, retention, and instructional quality. This series will helpyou get started within your school’s current context, leveraging thepeople you already have to establish a workable plan toward a moreintegrated curriculum. Join us to explore practical implementationtips and ways to assess the impact of these changes.
Facilitated in collaboration with:
Josh Kaplan, Director of The Randolph School and
Rebecca Shea, Director of the Upstate PDRC
​
Dates:
January 23, 2024 ​
February 6, 2024 ​
February 27, 2024
Meets 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm each session
Elevating the Conversation to Drive Instruction
One key to improving student learning outcomes is to elevate the conversation between teachers and administrators or instructional coaches. This series will help leaders or coaches examine how to use data to focus conversations that help teachers align their practice with their instructional goals. Learn practical strategies from fellow principals and coaches who have implemented this framework and use it daily in their leadership practice.
Facilitated in collaboration with:
Dr. Noelle Beale, Regional Superintendent, Catholic Schools of Westchester in the Archdiocese of NY and
Rebecca Shea, Director of the Upstate PDRC
​
Dates:
January 24, 2024 ​
February 13, 2024
March 5, 2024
Meets 9:30 am - 10:30 am each session
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Strategies to Support Student Learning Gaps: Multi-Age Classes and Creative Scheduling
Growing gaps in student achievement have forced schools to re-evaluate the use of time and staff expertise. Join us for a four-part exploration of how The Brown School redesigned their schedule to bring teachers together in multi-age classrooms to provide increased support for students. Hear from the Head of School about the logistics of reimagining the school schedule and classroom configurations, and learn from the classroom teachers about collaborating to provide targeted instruction, build community, and increase students' progress toward grade-level outcomes.
Facilitated in collaboration with:
Patti Vitale, Head of School
Nicole Fatato & Sara Knaggs, Multi-age Classroom Teachers from The Brown School and
Dr. Diana Straut, Senior PD Specialist, Upstate PDRC
​
Dates:
February 15, 2024​​
March 6, 13, and 20, 2024 (on schedule)
Meets 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm each session
Supporting Struggling Readers: Data, Lessons, and Progress
Learn how to plan for successful and engaged reading instruction in your classroom with your current group of students. We will explore the science of reading and how to use certain facets to inform teaching through lesson design and delivery. Discuss and pose questions related to the issues you face in supporting your students who struggle to read. Turn the science of reading into practical instructional strategies to successfully reach all of your students!
Facilitated in Collaboration With:
Rebecca Shea, Director of Upstate PDRC
and Literacy Specialist Guest Speaker
​
Dates:
January 10, 2024 - Grades K-6
January 31 - Grades K-2
February 7 - Grades 3-6
February 28 - Grades K-6
Meets 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm each session
Assessment and Grading in Differentiated Classrooms
Are you moving to a more differentiated classroom and wondering how that might impact your grading practices? Join us to explore how to align assessment and grading in differentiated classrooms. Participants will read brief essays (5-10 pages) by various practitioners in the field, then come together to reflect on how to connect the ideas to their own classroom practice. This series is designed for teachers or leaders who are interested in rethinking their grading systems to make them more equitable and beneficial
for teachers, students, and their families.
Facilitated by: Dr. Diana Straut, Senior PD Specialist
​
Dates:
March 26, 2024
April 16, 2024
May 1, 2024
Meets 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm each session ​
Coaching Conversations with Student Work at the Core
Are you a coach or mentor for other teachers but need help facilitating meaningful discussions to support student learning through instructional practice? Come join us for a
plan-do-study-act series where participants will learn a protocol for examining student work (plan), implement it with one teacher (do), and come back to share what they learned about supporting teachers and ultimately student work (study & act). No experience with coaching teachers is required but participants will need to be able to work with one teacher for this PDSA cycle. This could be any colleague who is willing to partner with you to learn more about how to support both student learning and teacher practice.
Facilitated by: Rebecca Shea, Director of Upstate PDRC
​
Dates:
March 12, 2024
March 27, 2024
Meets 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm each session ​
Art Educator Network
The Art Educator Network provides a forum for art professionals in NYS religious and independent schools to connect and collaborate. Each session will focus on a current topic in art education, with time for
open-ended discussion and resource sharing.
Whether you are a seasoned art teacher or a new educator just starting out, the Art Educator Network is a valuable resource for advancing your classroom practice. Join us to connect with other art professionals, share ideas and resources, and stay up-to-date on the latest developments in art education.
Facilitated by: Dr. Diana Straut with Visual Arts Educators from across NYS
​
Dates:
February 8, 2024
March 14, 2024
April 18, 2024
May 16,2024
Meets 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm each session ​
Exploring AI
Hands-On Workshop
This hands-on workshop will offer teachers an opportunity to explore an AI tool together in a collaborative environment. Participants will have the chance to see practical examples of how AI tools can be used and will have dedicated time to explore an AI tool together. Join us as we explore, share insights, critiques, experiences, and best practices to effectively leverage AI in your daily work.
Participants will need to have access to a computer during the session for collaborative, hands-on engagement.
​
Facilitated by: Rebecca Shea
​
Date:
February 29, 2024
Meets 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm​
Standards-Based Learning
Workshop Series
Newly Added!
​
​
Session 1: March 7, 2024
Deconstruction of a Student Work Sample
Participants will use a student work sample from their classroom to unpack and analyze a Next Generation Learning Standard. With support, the work will be analyzed to find what level of learning was demonstrated based on the represented standard.
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Sessions 2 & 3: March 14 & 21, 2024
New Construction for an Aligned Standard & Future Activities
With support, participants will self-select a grade-level learning standard(s) to unpack and align to an instructional activity. This work will be designed to use with students in a future unit. The objective is for participants to finish the sessions with a standards-based aligned activity, including a leveled assessment tool.
Facilitated by: Karen Martin and Rebecca Shea
​
Dates: March 7, 14, 21
Meets 4:00 - 5:00 pm ​