Brian Buffington, EdTech Guru and Educator Innovator has created a self-paced online course for district and school leaders. The hands-on modules will help attendees become more efficient, effective, and safe with their use of Google Apps and other technology. Modules include Drive, Chrome, Gmail, Forms, Security & Privacy, and Engagement & Creativity. Brian shares some of his favorite engagement and creative tools that are perfect for K-12 leaders.

There will be an out of the HGRESA area fee of $50.

This is copied and pasted directly from the website: 

"This practice guide provides school educators and administrators with four evidence-based recommendations for reducing dropout rates in middle and high schools and improving high school graduation rates. Each recommendation provides specific, actionable strategies; examples of how to implement the recommended practices in schools; advice on how to overcome potential obstacles; and a description of the supporting evidence." After registering, participants will be emailed links to resources.

The Center for Assessment has created a series of modules addressing assessment. The modules address how to use classroom assessment to identify student learning gaps, strengths, and needs for instructional purposes. Upon registration, participants will receive links to the pre-recorded materials, module materials, and additional supporting materials.

This was copied and pasted directly from the website:  "When teachers adopt standards-based learning, students take ownership of their learning and achievement soars! Come join a conversation based on a book written specifically for K–12 teachers, A Teacher's Guide to Standards-Based Learning. This resource details a sequential approach for connecting curriculum, instruction, assessment methods, and feedback through standards-based education. Jan K. Hoegh, an author of the book and facilitator of each session, promises to provide practical advice, real-world examples, and answers to frequently asked questions about this relevant topic." Book information:  Product Code: BKL044, EKL036, ISBN: 9781943360253, Page Count: 176  (https://www.marzanoresources.com/teachers-guide-standards-based-learning.html)

This is copied and pasted directly from the website:  "Coaching makes great teachers! Tom Roy’s experience and insight makes coaches great. Teachers, coaches, and educators who use coaching programs will learn the elements of the Coaching Cycle to improve instruction. Each session will focus on a specific aspect of coaching that has been shown to improve learning; sessions include Change, the Cycle of events which assure change, Methods and Techniques, School and District models that work, Peer Coaching, and Leadership. Each session begins with a short presentation followed by plenty of time for questions and comments from participants."  Product Code: BKL038, ISBN: 9781943360154, Page Count: 144 (https://www.marzanoresources.com/books-videos/coaching-significant-sustained-change-classroom.html)

This is copied and pasted directly from the link:  "This video provides a brief overview of the science of reading and the different bodies of research that contribute to it." This is a brief 6 minute video that provides an overview for teachers and leaders.

 Mr. Mitch McGhee  presents strategies on how to deal with difficult fellow educators.  Following his practical advice, scenarios are discussed with reasons for certain reactions.

In this presentation, Dr. McGhee gives the legal requirements for procurement and vendor selection.  He explains the legal aspects involving school systems.

Dr. McGhee presents the details of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act and its impact upon those who work in an educational setting.  Since it is a federal law, there are severe implications for not following its guidelines.  Administrators, teachers, paraprofessionals, and secretaries need to know about F.E.R.P.A.

Teachers receive 36 micro-lessons in print, online, or both.   The content is specific to one of 5 areas:  professional responsibilities, learners and learning, learning environment, instructional effectiveness, and leadership.  Each lesson contains tips about key  topics like relationships, managing behavior, and teaching techniques.  Click here to view a sample lesson.

The Office of Federal Programs provides an overview of the logistics of Cross Functional Monitoring. Presenters share the monitoring document, program specific indicators, what evidence to provide, and the most common scenarios that may result in a recommendation or a finding from GaDOE.

The Office of Federal Programs will provide an overview of Cross Functional Monitoring for the Overarching Indicators. Presenters share the monitoring document, program specific indicators, what evidence to provide, and the most common scenarios that may result in a recommendation or a finding from GaDOE.

The Office of Federal Programs will provide an overview of Cross Functional Monitoring for Title I, Part A – Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged. Presenters share the monitoring document, program specific indicators, what evidence to provide, and the most common scenarios that may result in a recommendation or a finding from GaDOE.

The Federal Programs Division will provide an overview of Cross Functional Monitoring for Title V, Part B – Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP). Presenters share the monitoring document, program specific indicators, what evidence to provide, and the most common scenarios that may result in a recommendation or a finding from GaDOE.

GaDOE staff provide a recorded demonstration to show ESEA LEA federal programs directors how to navigate and complete Equitable Services for Private Schools (ES4PS) Invitations for 2023-2024 Services. Consultation must occur in the year prior to the start of services. In order to complete a robust consultation by June 15, GaDOE staff encourage LEAs to send invitations in Fall of the preceding year. ES4PS Access is granted by an LEA’s local technology security officer.

Cross Functional Monitoring for Title I, Part A and Part D – Neglected and Delinquent Children;  The Office of Federal Programs will provide an overview of Cross Functional Monitoring for Title I, Part A and Part D – Neglected and Delinquent Children Program. Presenters share the monitoring document, program specific indicators, what evidence to provide, and the most common scenarios that may result in a recommendation or a finding from GaDOE.

The Federal Programs Division will provide an overview of Cross Functional Monitoring for American Rescue Plan – Homeless Children and Youth Act (ARP-HCY) Program. Presenters share the monitoring document, program specific indicators, what evidence to provide, and the most common scenarios that may result in a recommendation or a finding from GaDOE.

Join the Office of Federal Programs as we provide an overview of Cross Functional Monitoring for Title I, Part A – Parent and Family Engagement. Presenters share the monitoring document, program specific indicators, what evidence to provide, and the most common scenarios that may result in a recommendation or a finding from GaDOE.

Join the Office of Federal Program as we provide an overview of Cross Functional Monitoring for Title I, Part A – Foster Care Program. Presenters share the monitoring document, program specific indicators, what evidence to provide, and the most common scenarios that may result in a recommendation or a finding from GaDOE.

Join the Title IV, Part A – Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) team as we provide an overview of Cross Functional Monitoring for Title IV, Part A. Presenters share the monitoring document, program specific indicators, what evidence to provide, and the most common scenarios that may result in a recommendation or a finding from GaDOE.

Join our GaDOE Title II, Part A staff as we provide technical assistance and timely program information and guidance. District coordinators are encouraged to attend regularly and will have an opportunity to ask questions and seek clarification on program expectations. Our September session provided a review of the coordinator’s calendar for July through October, allowability, and end of year close out procedures.

Join the Title II, Part A team as we provide an overview of Cross Functional Monitoring for Title II, Part A. Presenters share the monitoring document, program specific indicators, what evidence to provide, and the most common scenarios that may result in a recommendation or a finding from GaDOE.

Join the Federal Programs Division as we provide an overview of Cross Functional Monitoring for Title IX, Part A – McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program (MVP). Presenters share the monitoring document, program specific indicators, what evidence to provide, and the most common scenarios that may result in a recommendation or a finding from GaDOE.

Join the Federal Programs Division as we provide an overview of Cross Functional Monitoring for Title I, Part C – Education of Migratory Children. Presenters share the monitoring document, program specific indicators, what evidence to provide, and the most common scenarios that may result in a recommendation or a finding from GaDOE.

Join the Office of School and District Improvement as we provide an overview of Cross Functional Monitoring for School Improvement Title 1 Section 1003. Presenters share the monitoring document, program specific indicators, what evidence to provide, and the most common scenarios that may result in a recommendation or a finding from GaDOE

Join the Office of Policy, Flexibility, and External Affairs as we provide an overview of Cross Functional Monitoring for the Elementary & Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Grants. Presenters share the monitoring document, program-specific indicators, what evidence to provide, and the most common scenarios that may result in a recommendation or a finding from GaDOE.

Professional learning is vital to building instructional capacity. This session will cover various components for creating assessments and how to effectively administer to promote student success and engagement. In addition, outline how to use data to inform your instruction.

This session is designed to provide the participants with a diverse repertoire of instructional strategies that will engage adolescent students in a manner that promotes critical thinking, technology, and creativity. The presentation will be conducted in a three-tiered layered style. The first layer will consist of providing participants with research-based information about student engagement and motivation of adolescents. In the second layer, the participants will participate in hands-on activities directly related to the areas of technology, critical thinking. In the final layer, the participants will participate in a reflection that will allow them to synthesize the information they have learned and share best practices with their peers.

A Professional Learning Community (PLC) is essential for just about any successful workplace environment. It is a commitment to continuous improvement involving all stakeholders. This session will outline the characteristics and benefits of an effective learning community, and provide insight for improving an existing PLC.

Tired of feeling like you are constantly “fighting behaviors” in your classroom? This session will explore the functions of behavior, foundations for success, promoting positive behavior, and preventative positive instructional strategies to reduce problem behaviors in your classroom. Attendees will have a chance to reflect on strengths/weaknesses of classroom management and take away “quick wins” for behavior management in the classroom that can be utilized with every child, every day.

Teacher Clarity: Learning Targets & Success Criteria

Participants will review the components and importance of learning targets pulled from the language of the standard as an extension of the 5-step protocol for deconstructing the standard. Using this prior knowledge, we will build a deeper understanding and purpose for creating meaningful success criteria as a means of clarifying instruction for both the teacher and the learner.

Are your teachers assessing the learning at the end of the lesson? If so, this session will provide actions used to monitor student work, provide meaningful feedback, and implement assessment strategies geared toward checking for student understanding during the lesson.

Join the GaDOE Federal Programs Division as we provide an overview of Cross Functional Monitoring for Title III, Part A. Presenters will share the monitoring document, program specific indicators, what evidence to provide, and the most common scenarios that may result in a recommendation or a finding from GaDOE.

Join the Office of School and District Improvement as we provide an overview of Cross Functional Monitoring for School Improvement Title 1 Section 1003. Presenters share the monitoring document, program specific indicators, what evidence to provide, and the most common scenarios that may result in a recommendation or a finding from GaDOE.

Join the Office of Policy, Flexibility, and External Affairs as we provide an overview of Cross Functional Monitoring for the Elementary & Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Grants. Presenters share the monitoring document, program-specific indicators, what evidence to provide, and the most common scenarios that may result in a recommendation or a finding from GaDOE.

 FY23 Special Education for School-based Administrators Academy (SESBAA): Being the Instructional Leader for Special Education:  Participants will learn what being an instructional leader for special education entails including best practices for improving achievement for students with disabilities (SWD). How is SWD achievement in your building? What are you doing to be a change agent? What are you looking for on walk-throughs? How do you know students are learning? How do you know teachers are growing? How do Individual Education Plans (IEP), Specially Designed Instruction (SDI), High Leverage Practices (HLP), Assistive Technology (AT), accommodations and modifications impact instruction? After registering, participants will receive the link to the CODE session.

This webinar provides information about GaDOE’s Formative Instructional Practices Blended Model of Professional Learning (FIP). Key features include learning to use daily lesson-based assessments at the learning target level and teaching students to be partners in the learning process.

This is our Georgia Department of Education monthly technical assistance session. The Title II, Part A staff discuss the budget approval process along with data collection submissions. There is also a review of Title II, Part A budget attachments and finally the staff share a resource for leading stakeholder discussions on spending data which could also be used as a guide for other data discussions.

Do you have training designed for all staff performing all roles in your LEA? No worries… The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) has you covered. GaDOE is working collaboratively with McKinney-Vento.org to provide online professional development and trainings for McKinney-Vento liaisons and ALL district staff. An online platform is accessible to districts beginning August 24, 2022. This training teaches LEAs how to access training and monitor LEA personnel participation, all free of charge to LEAs for FY23! We encourage all liaisons and district staff to complete this training as it will enhance your knowledge of the McKinney-Vento program and it will assist the GaDOE team with establishing material for upcoming technical assistance.

In Novel Engineering, students use literature as a basis for a project to identify problems in the book, design solutions, and then build prototypes. This session guides participants through the execution and effective use of Novel Engineering projects across grade levels. Join Amy Rubin, Media and Education Technology Instructor in Fulton County Schools, for this informative presentation.

Check & Connect is an intervention used with K-12 students who show early warning signs of disengagement with school and who are at risk of dropping out. Mentoring is at the core of Check & Connect by building trusting relationships between the student, mentor, and family.

Understanding Assessment Series, Day 1

Participants consider the following guiding questions:
– What is the purpose of assessment?
– How do you ensure the assessment design matches the intended use of the assessment information?

This is a recording of the November 4, 2022, meeting.  It shows the new PL structure GaConnect and Alternative Schools.

We are excited to see everyone virtually at SDI’s monthly “All School Improvement” meeting, scheduled for Friday, November 4, from 9 – 10:30 a.m.  As with every monthly “All School Improvement” meeting, this is optional for our RESA partners, but we welcome and appreciate your participation. 

Numbers:  6 from HGRESA

Other:  60 (State level meeting) 

Previously trained hearing officers may received the updated information for this year.  It is required that anyone completing the course also complete a form affirming that completion.  Please contact Dr. Jimmy Stokes at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call him at  770-601-3798 if you have any questions.

This is copied directly from the website:  "This module overviews the effects of disruptive behaviors as well as important key concepts and foundational practices related to effective classroom behavior management, including cultural influences on behavior, the creation of positive climates and structured classrooms, and much more (est. completion time: 2 hours). Note: This resource replaces an earlier version of this module. Much of the information from that previous version can still be found in part two of the series." The CODE class includes the following:  Module Description, Challenge, Initial Thoughts, Perspectives and Resources, Wrap-Up, and an Assessment. Please make sure to review and study the pages in the Perspectives and Resources area. This is the main part of the course. There is a part 2 for the elementary grade levels and a part 2 for the middle and high school levels.

This is copied directly from the website:  "Developed specifically with primary and intermediate elementary teachers in mind (e.g., K-5th grade), this module reviews the major components of a classroom behavior management plan (including rules, procedures, and consequences) and guides users through the steps of creating their own classroom behavior management plan (est. completion time: 2 hours). The module is a companion to Classroom Behavior Management (Part 1): Key Concepts and Foundational Practices." The CODE class includes the following:  Module Description, Challenge, Initial Thoughts, Perspectives and Resources, Wrap-Up, and an Assessment. Please make sure to review and study the pages in the Perspectives and Resources area. This is the main part of the course. There is a part 2 for the elementary grade levels and a part 2 for the middle and high school levels.

This is copied directly from the website:

Developed specifically with middle and high school teachers in mind (e.g., 6th-12th grade), this module reviews the major components of a classroom behavior management plan (including rules, procedures, and consequences) and guides users through the steps of creating their own classroom behavior management plan (est. completion time: 2 hours). The module is a companion to Classroom Behavior Management (Part 1): Key Concepts and Foundational Practices.

 The CODE class includes the following:  Module Description, Challenge, Initial Thoughts, Perspectives and Resources, Wrap-Up, and an Assessment. Please make sure to review and study the pages in the Perspectives and Resources area. This is the main part of the course. There is a part 2 for the elementary grade levels and a part 2 for the middle and high school levels.

This is copied directly from the website:" This module outlines Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR), a strategy for helping students to improve their reading comprehension skills. In CSR, students work together in small groups to apply comprehension strategies as they read text from a content area, such as social studies or science (est. completion time: 1 hour)." The CODE class includes the following:  Module Description, Challenge, Initial Thoughts, Perspectives and Resources, Wrap-Up, and an Assessment. Please make sure to review and study the pages in the Perspectives and Resources area. This is the main part of the course. 

 This is copied directly from the website: "This module outlines the benefits of implementing PALS for Grades K–1, a peer tutoring strategy in which students work in pairs to strengthen their reading skills. Also included are step-by-step instructions for each of the PALS activities as well as printable PALS materials (est. completion time: 1 hour)."

 This is copied directly from the website: "This module outlines the benefits of implementing PALS for Grades 2-6, a peer tutoring strategy in which students work in pairs to strengthen their reading skills. Also included are step-by-step instructions for each of the PALS activities as well as printable PALS materials (est. completion time: 1 hour)."

This is copied directly from the website: "This module outlines the benefits of implementing PALS for High School, a peer tutoring strategy in which students work in pairs to strengthen their reading skills. Also included are step-by-step instructions for each of the PALS activities as well as printable PALS materials (est. completion time: 1 hour)."

This is copied directly from the website:  "Developed specifically with middle and high school students in mind, this module—the first in a two-part series—discusses challenging behavior in terms of the phases of the acting-out cycle and offers strategies and tips for responding to students in each phase (est. completion time: 2.5 hours). This resource was developed in collaboration with the Comprehensive, Integrated Three-Tiered Model of Prevention (Ci3T) Strategic Leadership Team and Vanderbilt University's Applied Behavior Analysis program (Department of Special Education)." The CODE class includes the following:  Module Description, Challenge, Initial Thoughts, Perspectives and Resources, Wrap-Up, and an Assessment. Please make sure to review and study the pages in the Perspectives and Resources area. This is the main part of the course. There is a part 2 for the elementary grade levels and a part 2 for the middle and high school levels.

This is copied directly from the website:  "The second in a two-part series, this module describes strategies that teachers can implement to prevent or address challenging behaviors (est. completion time: 2 hours). This resource was developed in collaboration with the Comprehensive, Integrated Three-Tiered Model of Prevention (Ci3T) Strategic Leadership Team.

* Note: Before you proceed, we recommend that you first work through the first module: Addressing Challenging Behaviors (Part 1, Secondary): Understanding the Acting-out Cycle ."  The CODE class includes the following:  Module Description, Challenge, Initial Thoughts, Perspectives and Resources, Wrap-Up, and an Assessment. Please make sure to review and study the pages in the Perspectives and Resources area. This is the main part of the course. There is a part 2 for the elementary grade levels and a part 2 for the middle and high school levels.

 This is copied directly from the website:  "Developed specifically with elementary school students in mind, this module—the first in a two-part series—discusses challenging behavior in terms of the phases of the acting-out cycle and offers strategies and tips for responding to students in each phase (est. completion time: 2.5 hours). This resource was developed in collaboration with the Comprehensive, Integrated Three-Tiered Model of Prevention (Ci3T) Strategic Leadership Team and Vanderbilt University's Applied Behavior Analysis program (Department of Special Education).

"  The CODE class includes the following:  Module Description, Challenge, Initial Thoughts, Perspectives and Resources, Wrap-Up, and an Assessment. Please make sure to review and study the pages in the Perspectives and Resources area. This is the main part of the course. There is a part 2 for the elementary grade levels and a part 2 for the middle and high school levels.

 This is copied directly from the website: "This module, a DEC-recommended resource, includes information on how to create developmentally appropriate behavior rules for early childhood classrooms so that they link to a given school's behavior expectations. The importance of communication with families about rules and expected behaviors is also stressed (est. completion time: 1.5 hours)."  The CODE class includes the following:  Module Description, Challenge, Initial Thoughts, Perspectives and Resources, Wrap-Up, and an Assessment. Please make sure to review and study the pages in the Perspectives and Resources area. This is the main part of the course. 

 This is copied directly from the website:  " This module, the first in a series of three, discusses the importance of identifying and selecting evidence-based practices (est. completion time: 1.5 hours). When you have completed the module, be sure to visit parts two and three." The CODE class includes the following:  Module Description, Challenge, Initial Thoughts, Perspectives and Resources, Wrap-Up, and an Assessment. Please make sure to review and study the pages in the Perspectives and Resources area. This is the main part of the course. 

This is copied directly from the website:  "This module, the second in a series of three, discusses implementing an evidence-based practice or program with fidelity (est. completion time: 1 hour). Before completing this module, consider visiting part one. When you have finished parts one and two, proceed to part three." The CODE class includes the following:  Module Description, Challenge, Initial Thoughts, Perspectives and Resources, Wrap-Up, and an Assessment. Please make sure to review and study the pages in the Perspectives and Resources area. This is the main part of the course. 

This is copied directly from the website:  "This module, the third in a series of three, examines how to evaluate whether an evidence-based practice is effective for the young children or students with whom you are working (est. completion time: 2 hours). If you have not done so already, consider completing parts one and two before beginning this resource." The CODE class includes the following:  Module Description, Challenge, Initial Thoughts, Perspectives and Resources, Wrap-Up, and an Assessment. Please make sure to review and study the pages in the Perspectives and Resources area. This is the main part of the course. 

The following was copied and pasted directly from the GDOE website:  "Learn more about recent school safety updates in Georgia such as the Georgia Center for School Safety website, the revised School Safety Plan Guide and Template, Site Threat Access and Response (STAR) Audit, and Georgia’s new Behavioral Threat Assessment Teams." To report an issue with the event link, please email the event contact. Primary Contact: Jeff Hodges - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The following information was copied and pasted from the GDOE PL site:  "The Office of Whole Child Supports and guest speakers offer updated information on school safety and school safety plans. A representative from Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security discusses the need for current safety plans, drills and exercises, and cyber and social media safety. They share multiple resources and trainings that are available to improve the safety of schools." To report an issue with the event link, please email the event contact. Primary Contact: Jeff Hodges - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Secondary Contact: Cheryl Benefield - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

(Open Education Resources for Science Education PD) This was copied directly from the website:  "We are now posting open education resources for professional development! Our STEM Teaching Tools have been used to support extended professional development (PD) sessions. We are now posting open educational resource (OER) versions of those PD sessions. They include all of the resources that PD facilitators need to adapt and run the sessions—including slides, speaker notes, facilitator guides, and embedded resources. We are starting with PD focused on supporting 3D formative assessment. We will keep adding more over time."

"The NRC Framework for K-12 Science Education and the resulting Next Generation Science Standards include a signature focus on engaging all students in integrated three-dimensional science learning using inclusive instructional approaches. This new vision calls for new approaches to classroom assessment.

This open educational resource provides an introduction to formative assessment that supports equitable 3D instruction. It is designed to provide an introductory professional development session of 60-70 minutes for educators to help them learn about formative assessment and how it fits into the new vision. The module includes all of the resources that PD facilitators need to adapt and run the sessions—including slides, speaker notes, facilitator guides, and embedded resources.

The professional development module supports the following specific goals for educators: Explore how equity and social justice goals relate to the use of formative assessments; Develop a shared understanding of formative assessment purposes and processes; Learn how cognitive formative assessments and cultural formative assessments can build capacity for equitable 3D instruction; Learn about the kinds of professional learning resources available to support the development of 3D formative assessments." Always review materials extensively before using them to align with goals, grade level appropriateness, topics, etc.

 (Open Education Resources for Science Education PD) This was copied directly from the website:  "How is assessing three-dimensional science learning different than past assessments of science learning? How can we design assessment tasks that elicit the core ideas, practices, and crosscutting concepts in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) performance expectations?

There are very few existing examples of elementary and middle school assessments completely aligned to the NGSS. Instead, educators need to adapt their existing assessments.

This open educational resource provides an opportunity for educators to begin building or adapting three-dimensional formative assessments in a 60-70 minute professional development session. The module includes all of the resources that PD facilitators need to adapt and run the sessions—including slides, speaker notes, facilitator guide, and embedded resources.

The workshop aims to help participants identify assessment components that focus on individual practices, core ideas, or crosscutting concepts, and understand how, taken together, the components can support educators as they make inferences about students’ three-dimensional science learning. Through this workshop, participants will review tasks that aim for assessing performance expectations, discuss strengths of these tasks, and gain practice adapting them to better elicit three-dimensional science learning." Always review materials extensively before using them to align with goals, grade level appropriateness, topics, etc.

(Open Education Resources for Science Education PD) This was copied directly from the website:  "How can science instruction be meaningfully connected to the out-of-school lives of students? What role do students’ cultures play in science learning? How might teachers use formative assessments to root science learning in students’ cultural contexts, interests, and identities? This open educational resource is designed to help educators develop cultural formative assessments that build on students’ pre-existing interests, identities, and experiences.

This session highlights cultural dimensions of science learning and showcases a general instructional technique for formative assessment called “self-documentation”—where students collect information related to a particular theme in their everyday lives. It describes an example use case of a self-documentation activity and how it was incorporated into a culturally diverse classroom. The session also highlights different assessment approaches and guides educators in thinking about particular goals for incorporating cultural formative assessment into their own practice.

This resource is designed to be used as a 2 to 2.5 hour professional development session for educators. The module includes all of the resources that PD facilitators need to adapt and run the sessions—including slides, speaker notes, facilitator guide, embedded resources, and sample student work. It may be more useful for educators after they have already participated in the following professional development session: ACESSE A: Introduction to Formative Assessment to Support Equitable 3D Instruction.

The professional development module supports the following specific goals for educators: Learn how to promote equity and social justice as the focal point of NGSS implementation work by focusing on learning and teaching as an inherently cultural process; Develop a shared understanding of how cultural formative assessment can reveal the interests, experiences, and identities of students; Understand how and when to use different kinds of cultural formative assessment to guide instruction — and ‘overlap’ the curriculum with the lives of youth." Always review materials extensively before using them to align with goals, grade level appropriateness, topics, etc.

 (Open Education Resources for Science Education PD) This was copied directly from the website:  "As the educational vision in the NRC Framework for K-12 Science Education is being implemented, it is crucial to design assessment practices to be coherent with its 3D model of learning. This session provides a step-by-step process to support participants as they design a 3D assessment task. Along the way, they learn how to define 3D learning performances for specific lessons—and how to use a range of tools to support their assessment design work. A key goal of the session activity is to improve the connection of intended learning goals to assessment practices.

Participants build their 3D assessment design capacity by following a step-by-step process using supporting tools to design and workshop tasks—before piloting them in their classrooms. The approaches learned in this workshop can be used with any science curricula, at any grade level, and across all domains of science and engineering." Always review materials extensively before using them to align with goals, grade level appropriateness, topics, etc.

(Open Education Resources for Science Education PD) This was copied directly from the website:  "This pair of workshops is designed to introduce you to the process of selecting phenomena that can anchor an entire unit that supports students’ 3D science learning or that can serve as a basis for a multi-component assessment task. This resource can also be used by individuals wanting to refine their teaching practice around phenomena-based instruction. You may have heard a lot about phenomena, but you may also be wondering what exactly they are, and whether using phenomena is any different from how teachers teach today already.

This learning experience will help you: Explain to a peer the role of phenomena and design challenges in science teaching, with a particular focus on equity and justice; Generate working definitions of phenomena, design challenges, and disciplinary core ideas; Identify phenomena related to a bundle of three-dimensional standards; Experience how phenomena can be introduced at the start of a unit, in order to launch a student-driven series of questions.

With respect to the assessment process, this resource supports the task of clarifying learning goals and eliciting evidence of student learning. Specifically, analyzing standards helps to clarify learning goals. In assessment, scenarios present phenomena to students, and then specific prompts are designed to elicit student understanding of core ideas, practices and crosscutting concepts. Once written as a scenario for an assessment, teachers can use the resources introduced in ACESSE Resource B to design specific prompts for their assessments (SEP Task Formats Tool, CCC Prompts Tool). This resource complements Resource C, in that it provides some ways to integrate tools to connect science instruction meaningfully to students’ everyday lives and cultural practices. This workshop has multiple segments, and it is broken into two sessions that last roughly three hours each, which can be organized as a full-day session or across multiple days. " Always review materials extensively before using them to align with goals, grade level appropriateness, topics, etc.

(Open Education Resources for Science Education PD) This was copied directly from the website:  "Students bring a range of intellectual and cultural resources, which they have accumulated in their unique life experiences, into the classroom as they learn science. These resources can be considered different “facets” of student thinking. These resources may relate to their conceptual understanding of natural phenomena, their repertoires of practice when engaging in scientific activity, or their abilities to productively engage with school and classroom approaches to learning. Student’s facets of thinking can be leveraged to help students as they refine their understanding of science phenomena. This session introduces the facet-based approach, then engages participants in identifying facets in a batch of student work and in developing corresponding assessment rubrics, preparing them to use this approach in their own teaching.

This learning experience will help participants: Analyze cognitive formative assessment responses to surface the range of student thinking about science topics and concepts; Guide instruction based on that diversity of student ideas; Design and use classroom formative assessment tasks to support equitable 3D instruction. " Always review materials extensively before using them to align with goals, grade level appropriateness, topics, etc.

(Open Education Resources for Science Education PD) This was copied directly from the website:  "In this workshop, we will build our capacity to identify the range of intellectual resources students use as they make sense of phenomena. Every learner has the right to fully belong in their educational contexts. Instruction should welcome the diverse contributions they bring to sense-making. This resource can help support this goal by helping educators develop an asset-based stance towards the various contributions that students bring to making sense of phenomena. The resource starts by highlighting the rationale for culture-based approaches to pedagogy—and then focuses on how to identify and leverage the resources students use in moments of sensemaking. This learning experience will help participants: Explore equity dimensions of sense-making through the science and engineering practices; Learn to see different ways students contribute to making sense of phenomena—and connect to science; Better appreciate that navigating multiple ways of knowing is the basic human condition—not the exception for some students; Make a commitment to shape instruction to support diverse sense-making. " Always review materials extensively before using them to align with goals, grade level appropriateness, topics, etc.

(Open Education Resources for Science Education PD) This was copied directly from the website:  "In this workshop, we will build our capacity to identify a variety of meaningful phenomena of different types that connect to specific science and engineering learning standards. We will first explore what makes a phenomenon compelling to students and how we can ensure this happens in our classrooms. Then, we will focus on different classes of phenomena, and how using them can promote goals for equity. This resource can also be used by individuals wanting to learn how to allow students to take meaningful action to solve problems associated with real-world phenomena related to science and engineering. Participants will explore different classes of meaningful phenomena (using the framework of Suárez & Bell, 2019): Everyday phenomena, which all students will be able to experience in class or have experienced outside of class; Contemporary scientific phenomena, which relate to current science, most often science that is in the news today because it is unsettled or sparks controversy; Societally relevant phenomena, which relate to science-technology intersections, connects to care and concern and enables students to see connections to social and socio-ecological justice; and Culturally relevant phenomena, which are grounded in the worlds of specific communities in culturally significant ways and allows students to draw on ways of knowing from families and cultural communities. " Always review materials extensively before using them to align with goals, grade level appropriateness, topics, etc.

 The following was copied and pasted directly from the website, "The administrator’s role in supporting co-teaching is crucial. This session will demonstrate the practices administrators must use to support effective co-teaching teams in their district/school. Participants will be able to utilize resources for scheduling co-teaching, state reasons why co-planning is crucial to successful co-teaching, and utilize general supervision tools for supervising evidence-based co-teaching practices in their district/schools." To report an issue with the event link, please email the event contact. Primary Contact: Susan `Brozovic - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Secondary Contact: Ann Cross - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; As always, participants should review extensively before using. (1 hour)

This was copied and pasted directly from the GDOE weblink:  "Explicit instruction is a high leverage practice that has evidence to support student success, especially with struggling learners. This session will discuss the process of implementing explicit instruction at the secondary level, and offer resources and tools to support implementation. Learning Targets: To define explicit instruction. To model I do, We do, You do, strategy of explicit instruction for a high school lesson. To locate resources and tools that support high leverage practices and explicit instruction." After registering, participants will receive the link to the video.

This was copied and pasted directly from the GDOE weblink:  "The premise of PBIS is that continual teaching, combined with acknowledgement or feedback of positive student behavior will reduce unnecessary discipline and promote a climate of greater productivity, safety, and learning. This session will provide an understanding of PBIS in Georgia and describe the correlation between school climate and implementing the PBIS framework with fidelity. The goal is to provide districts with examples of innovative approaches that focus on the PBIS framework and its implementation in Georgia." After registering, participants will receive the link to the video.

This Just-In-Time Webinar will equip State Evaluation contacts and Super Users on ways to manage all accounts in the TLSD Platform. We will review important Beginning of the Year TKES and LKES information during the webinar, including the NEW unique identifier for TLSD Platform accounts.

 This was copied and pasted directly from Mrs. Candler's website:  "How do you motivate students to believe in themselves and to become lifelong learners? In the first part of this two-part webinar, I shared strategies for teaching kids about multiple intelligence theory so they can recognize their own unique talents and skills. During the second session, I shared strategies for fostering a growth mindset and explored how to use both frameworks together."

There are resources such as videos, links, articles, etc. that can be explored to help participants learn about federal student privacy laws and rights.

This was copied directly from the website: "This webinar is part of the 2023-2024 ESOL Directors’ Munch and Learn webinar series. Topics include Office for Civil Rights considerations, English learner identification procedures, and professional learning opportunities. To report an issue with the event link, please email the event contact."

Primary Contact: Margaret Baker - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 Mr. Curts addresses generative AI, Uses for AI in education, and addressing AI misuse. This is a very informative video and the resources are amazing.

This is copied directly from a GDOE email. "The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) and the Georgia Association of Curriculum and Instructional Supervisors (GACIS) are proud to offer professional learning opportunities and networking for new curriculum leaders. This program is designed for those who have been in their position for three years or less and are looking to expand their knowledge and skills in curriculum development and instructional supervision. Participants will have the opportunity to collaborate with other new leaders in the field, learn from experienced curriculum leaders, and gain valuable insights into best practices in curriculum and instruction. Join Dr. April Aldridge and Dr. Claire Buck for this exciting opportunity to enhance your professional development and make meaningful connections with your peers.  (Aug. 30, Sept. 27, Sept. 28, Sept. 29, Oct. 25, Jan. 31, Feb. 26, Feb. 27, April 17, May 15) Some of the events are Face to Face and some are virtual. You must register with GDOE. This registration is an awareness registration, and it lets us know who from the HGRESA area is attending. The registration link will be emailed to you in an email confirmation. Always check your SPAM folder if you do not immediately receive the information. You can always re-register using another email address.

This is copied directly from a GDOE email. "The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) and the Georgia Association of Curriculum and Instructional Supervisors (GACIS) are proud to offer professional learning opportunities and networking for new curriculum leaders. This program is designed for those who have been in their position for three years or less and are looking to expand their knowledge and skills in curriculum development and instructional supervision. Participants will have the opportunity to collaborate with other new leaders in the field, learn from experienced curriculum leaders, and gain valuable insights into best practices in curriculum and instruction. Join Dr. April Aldridge and Dr. Claire Buck for this exciting opportunity to enhance your professional development and make meaningful connections with your peers.  (Aug. 30, Sept. 27, Sept. 28, Sept. 29, Oct. 25, Jan. 31, Feb. 26, Feb. 27, April 17, May 15) Some of the events are Face to Face and some are virtual. You must register with GDOE. This registration is an awareness registration, and it lets us know who from the HGRESA area is attending. The registration link will be emailed to you in an email confirmation. Always check your SPAM folder if you do not immediately receive the information. You can always re-register using another email address.

This was copied directly from the website:  "AdLit 101 is designed to help you get up to speed on recent research and policy developments, to give you some practical advice on infusing reading and writing skills into your instruction, and to point you towards a wide range of resources."

This was copied directly from the website:  "Organizations like the American Library Association, the National Book Award, and We Need Diverse Books present awards annually or biennially to the very best in children's, middle-grade, and YA books. Browse the awards listed to discover inspiring books for young readers." As always, materials should be reviewed for alignment with age, topics, grades, standards, etc.

This is copied directly from the GDOE website:  "School and district leaders will review effective collaboration and coaching strategies for improvement. Attendees will identify the key essentials of effective coaching to improve outcomes for students, understand how to provide feedback with meaningful dialogue using evidence-based techniques, and review research findings on the benefits of effective coaching."

This is copied directly from the GDOE website:  " In this session, school and district leaders receive an overview of the key roles, responsibilities, and purposes of effective instructional coaches and understand how to build teacher capacity by providing evidence-based instructional coaching techniques.  "

This is copied directly from the GDOE website:  "Facilitators from the Office of School and District Improvement review how to implement, monitor, and support interventions at the school and district levels."

 This is copied directly from the GDOE website:  " School and district leaders will review how to implement continuous progress monitoring of students’ outcomes.  "

This is copied directly from the GDOE website:  "Join the Office of School and District Effectiveness to review effective program evaluation strategies and how to measure the impact of school- and district-level initiatives on student achievement to make informed decisions."

This is copied directly from the GDOE website:  " School and district leaders will review how to conduct and use classroom observations to monitor progress."

This is copied directly from the GDOE website:  "In this session, school and district leaders receive an overview of the School-Based Continuous Improvement Team (CIT) for newly identified schools, outline the roles and responsibilities of the team, and guidance on how to leverage the continuous improvement team process to reach school improvement goals."

This is copied directly from the GDOE website:  "School and district leaders will receive an overview of the leadership team audit process and how that data can be used at the district level to direct differentiated support for individual schools."

This is copied directly from the GDOE website:  "School and district leaders receive an overview of the collaborative planning audit process and how that data can be used at the district level to direct differentiated support for individual schools."

This is copied directly from the GDOE website:  "School and district leaders receive an overview of the school and district improvement planning process through the lens of short-term action plans (STAPs) and the district plan of support (DPS)."

This is copied directly from the GDOE website:  "School and district leaders will discuss how to analyze Georgia Milestones data and determine how to use it at the school and district level to differentiate support."

This is copied directly from the GDOE website:  "School and district leaders will receive an overview of the Georgia School Assessment of Performance on Systems (GSAPS) and discuss how to use target actions to inform school improvement plans."

There will be an out of the HGRESA area fee of $50.

Simbli staff will assist DCS district leaders with entering data into the electronic platform

This is copied directly from a GDOE email. "The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) and the Georgia Association of Curriculum and Instructional Supervisors (GACIS) are proud to offer professional learning opportunities and networking for new curriculum leaders. This program is designed for those who have been in their position for three years or less and are looking to expand their knowledge and skills in curriculum development and instructional supervision. Participants will have the opportunity to collaborate with other new leaders in the field, learn from experienced curriculum leaders, and gain valuable insights into best practices in curriculum and instruction. Join Dr. April Aldridge and Dr. Claire Buck for this exciting opportunity to enhance your professional development and make meaningful connections with your peers.  (Aug. 30, Sept. 27, Sept. 28, Sept. 29, Oct. 25, Jan. 31, Feb. 26, Feb. 27, April 17, May 15) Some of the events are Face to Face and some are virtual. You must register with GDOE. This registration is an awareness registration, and it lets us know who from the HGRESA area is attending. The registration link will be emailed to you in an email confirmation. Always check your SPAM folder if you do not immediately receive the information. You can always re-register using another email address.

 GDOE School Climate Regional Leaders will meet with HGRESA contacts to provide updates.

 Independent Contractor, Dr. Derek Cone, met with
two 5th Grade Teachers, one 6th Grade Teacher, and one 8th Grade
Teacher to provide feedback from observations in March and April.
The IC discussed different areas for teaching strategies, depth of
knowledge, questioning techniques, and student engagement.

The GaDOE- HGRESA liaison group Social Studies CheerLEADERS and Champions will meet to discuss needs of social studies teachers and research ways to supply those needs. 

This program is in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Education and Heart of Georgia RESA.  This cohort serves as liaisons with GDOE and HGRESA to investigate needs for science teachers, research to supply those needs, and to support each other's efforts.

This will be the monthly meeting of the Heart of Georgia RESA Board of Control. 

Ms. Davis will meet with interested persons to discuss what Code.com can offer school districts.