Events and Workshops

2019-20 Teacher's Choice

Teacher’s Choice is an opportunity for second year and beyond CREC teachers to identify and pursue learning experiences specifically tailored to the needs of your school and classroom. The Teacher’s Choice process reinforces CREC’s Core Values by providing time to engage in self-directed, collaborative learning in order to develop creative solutions to educational challenges to meet the needs of our students. Our hope is that as you work in partnership with your colleagues, you will see an immediate impact on your practice and your students’ learning. (Note: First year teachers and teachers new to CREC will be part of a New Teacher Cohort PLC on Teacher's Choice days. ASI and CLHS will work in designated teams for Teacher's Choice.)

ETS® ParaPro Assessment Testing

CREC is now a testing site for the ETS® ParaPro Assessment. ETS developed the ParaPro Assessment as a way to satisfy the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, which requires that Para educators serving in an instruction capacity: 1) Have an associate of arts degree. 2) Have completed two years of college. 3) Have demonstrated, through an academic assessment, the knowledge and ability to assist in the instruction of reading, writing, and mathematics.

Administrative Assistant Enrichment Training

In the workplace, professional communication skills are everything. The purpose of communication is to get your message across clearly to others, regardless of the situation. This workshop will focus on understanding the ways we communicate, including phone and email, in order to properly service our customers.

Early Childhood Council

Early Childhood educators (Pre-K) in CREC districts meet monthly to share best practices and engage in new thinking about instruction. Early Childhood educators are encouraged to attend these monthly meetings. Topics and speaker lists are developed by the group.

CSDE Communities of Practice at EdAdvance- Occupational Therapy - Session 1

This community of Practice will bring together Connecticut School occupational therapy practitioners to focus on Best Practices in a Workload Approach. Through collective critical inquiry and reflection, participants will intentionally learn, pool knowledge, and share resources to better our practice.

21st CCLC Middle and High School Meeting

The Connecticut State Department of Education and the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) are excited to announce the dates for the 2019-2020 21st Century Community Learning Center Middle and High School Meetings. 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) grantees who serve students in the middle and high school grades are provided with opportunities to attend three Middle and High School Meetings each year. These meetings have been created specifically for after school professionals to help them meet the identified needs of middle and high school students and families.Participants will network with peers to share practices and resources from the field. National, state and local resources to support the implementation of practices will also be provided. Eligible grantees are encouraged but not required to send appropriate staff to represent programs and disseminate information back to their programs.

CREC Coaches Council

Instructional Coaches in the CREC region are invited to attend bi-monthly council meetings to share best practices and engage in new thinking about coaching. Topics will be determined based on participant interests.

Annual CTE Conference: Today's Skills, Tomorrow's Careers

The annual Connecticut CTE Conference will focus on new initiatives as well as updates to all CTE areas.

Catalyzing Change in High School Mathematics; Initiating Critical Conversations

Mathematics education at the high school level is part of a complex system of policies, traditions, and societal expectations. This workshop will engage all individuals with a stake in high school mathematics in the critical conversations that must take place to bring about and give support to necessary changes. Participants of this workshop will take part in activities that will help facilitate the critical conversations around the following topics in high school mathematics: Essential Concepts, Tracking, Instructional Practices, and High School Mathematics Pathways. For maximum benefit, it is recommended that districts send a team of key stakeholders. Participants will leave the workshop with the action steps necessary to initiate a conversation around changes in high school mathematics.

CSDE Communities of Practice at EASTCONN - Occupational Therapy - Session 1

This community of Practice will bring together Connecticut School occupational therapy practitioners to focus on Best Practices in a Workload Approach. Through collective critical inquiry and reflection, participants will intentionally learn, pool knowledge, and share resources to better our practice.

ETS® ParaPro Assessment Testing

CREC is now a testing site for the ETS® ParaPro Assessment. ETS developed the ParaPro Assessment as a way to satisfy the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, which requires that Para educators serving in an instruction capacity: 1) Have an associate of arts degree. 2) Have completed two years of college. 3) Have demonstrated, through an academic assessment, the knowledge and ability to assist in the instruction of reading, writing, and mathematics.

CSDE Communities of Practice at ACES - Occupational Therapy - Session 1

This community of Practice will bring together Connecticut School occupational therapy practitioners to focus on Best Practices in a Workload Approach. Through collective critical inquiry and reflection, participants will intentionally learn, pool knowledge, and share resources to better our practice.

Assessment of Afterschool Program Practices Tool (APT) for 21st CCLC Programs

The Assessment of Afterschool Program Practices Tool (APT) was developed by the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) with 21st Century Community Learning Centers in mind! The APT provides a way for after school staff to access the quality of their services and use data to make program improvements. Quality after school programs produce positive outcomes in youth!

Incorporating Games and Game Mechanics without Losing Rigor

People like to play. Incorporating game mechanics into your class can improve student engagement and deepen student understanding. Participants in this workshop will learn the basics of game mechanics and specific strategies to incorporate games and gamification into your classroom.

Teaching Literacy to Students with Significant Disabilities: A Workshop Series

This 3-day workshop series will target special education teams to help them improve their literacy interventions for students with disabilities. Target audience is special education.

ETS® ParaPro Assessment Test Preparation Class

CREC is now offering 2-hour test preparation classes for individuals who need to take the ETS ParaPro Assessment. As an official testing site, we are committed to providing services that will help you prepare for, and ultimately pass the test.

Social and Emotional Learning Council

This council will focus on current trends, research and interventions related to Social and Emotional Learning. Members will be able to network with staff from other districts, have access to resources, and learn the most current developments in the area.

Building Tier II/III Supports for Chronic Absenteeism

From the researchers at Safe and Civil Schools and the publisher of the Tough Kid Series, nationally recognized expert, Jessica Sprick, will be presenting on best practices for building tier II/III supports for chronic absenteeism. Jessica’s practical experience in the classroom and as an administrator drives her passion to help school personnel develop and implement effective behavioral and academic approaches. She is a co-author of Functional Behavior Assessment of Absenteeism & Truancy (FBAAT) and Absenteeism and Truancy: Interventions and Universal Procedures.

Library Media Specialists Council Meeting

CREC’s Library Media Specialists Council provides a unique opportunity for K-12 Library Media Specialists in the CREC region to come together to share best practices and engage in new thinking about digital literacy for the 21st century. Quarterly meetings will encourage input from participants regarding topics and speaker selections in order to best meet the needs of the council membership.

CSDE Communities of Practice at LEARN - Occupational Therapy - Session 1

This community of Practice will bring together Connecticut School occupational therapy practitioners to focus on Best Practices in a Workload Approach. Through collective critical inquiry and reflection, participants will intentionally learn, pool knowledge, and share resources to better our practice.

ETS® ParaPro Assessment Testing

CREC is now a testing site for the ETS® ParaPro Assessment. ETS developed the ParaPro Assessment as a way to satisfy the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, which requires that Para educators serving in an instruction capacity: 1) Have an associate of arts degree. 2) Have completed two years of college. 3) Have demonstrated, through an academic assessment, the knowledge and ability to assist in the instruction of reading, writing, and mathematics.

Language Arts Council Meeting

CREC’s Language Arts Council provides Language Arts teachers in the CREC region monthly opportunities to share best practices and engage in new thinking about literacy instruction. Kindergarten to grade 12 Language Arts educators including teachers, literacy coaches, literacy coordinators, directors and department heads are encouraged to attend the bi-monthly meetings. Input from participants regarding topic selections will be encouraged in order to best meet the needs of the council membership.

CSDE Communities of Practice at CES - Occupational Therapy - Session 1

This community of Practice will bring together Connecticut School occupational therapy practitioners to focus on Best Practices in a Workload Approach. Through collective critical inquiry and reflection, participants will intentionally learn, pool knowledge, and share resources to better our practice.

An Autism Behavior Toolkit for Teachers: Tips and Tricks that Work When Educating Elementary Students on the Autism Spectrum

In this half-day workshop, participants will learn strategies that they can incorporate into their classrooms immediately to support the academic and behavioral needs of students with ASD. The workshop is designed for general education and special education teachers that have students in their classrooms with ASD. We will cover strategies to support transitions, common behavior issues, sensory needs of students with ASD and much more. Participants will learn: sensory strategies to prevent common behaviors presented by students with ASD; strategies to support transitions in and out of the classroom for students with ASD; and proactive strategies to prevent challenging behaviors before they occur.

ETS® ParaPro Assessment Testing

CREC is now a testing site for the ETS® ParaPro Assessment. ETS developed the ParaPro Assessment as a way to satisfy the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, which requires that Para educators serving in an instruction capacity: 1) Have an associate of arts degree. 2) Have completed two years of college. 3) Have demonstrated, through an academic assessment, the knowledge and ability to assist in the instruction of reading, writing, and mathematics.

Social Studies Council Meeting

CREC region social studies teachers and district coordinators are invited to attend bi-monthly council meetings to share best practices, engage in new thinking about social studies instruction, and proactively respond to the instructional shifts demanded by the Connecticut Elementary and Secondary Social Studies Frameworks, Connecticut Core Standards, the SAT and Smarter Balanced Assessments. In addition, input from participants regarding additional topic selections will be encouraged in order to best meet the needs of the council membership.

Math Council

CREC’s Mathematics Council provides new thinking about mathematics instruction for K-12 math teachers, coaches, and district leaders in an open forum type setting. Agenda topics are determined by district participants in order to serve the group’s needs.

ETS® ParaPro Assessment Testing

CREC is now a testing site for the ETS® ParaPro Assessment. ETS developed the ParaPro Assessment as a way to satisfy the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, which requires that Para educators serving in an instruction capacity: 1) Have an associate of arts degree. 2) Have completed two years of college. 3) Have demonstrated, through an academic assessment, the knowledge and ability to assist in the instruction of reading, writing, and mathematics.

English Language Learners Council (Title III)

Council members and district coordinators are invited to attend bi-monthly consortium meetings to share best practices, emerging research on improving outcomes for EL students, and to proactively respond to the instructional shifts demanded by the Connecticut Common Core State Standards (CCSS), assessments, and the Connecticut English Language Proficiency (CELP) Standards. Members will engage in new thinking about instructional practices and collaborate to proactively respond to EL needs in their district.

STEM Council (NEW Council for 2019-2020)

STEM educators, coaches, and coordinators in CREC districts meet to share best practices, resources and new thinking around interdisciplinary instruction in science, technology, engineering and math. Discussions may include topics ranging from implementing NGSS, Math CCSS, and ISTE standards to creating effective Makerspaces. Topics and speaker lists are developed by the group.

Curriculum Council Meeting 1-8-2020

Bi-monthly scheduled meeting of Directors of Curriculum, Assistant Superintendents and Instructional Leaders

CSDE Communities of Practice at CREC - Occupational Therapy - Session 2

This community of Practice will bring together Connecticut School occupational therapy practitioners to focus on Best Practices in a Workload Approach. Through collective critical inquiry and reflection, participants will intentionally learn, pool knowledge, and share resources to better our practice.

ETS® ParaPro Assessment Testing

CREC is now a testing site for the ETS® ParaPro Assessment. ETS developed the ParaPro Assessment as a way to satisfy the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, which requires that Para educators serving in an instruction capacity: 1) Have an associate of arts degree. 2) Have completed two years of college. 3) Have demonstrated, through an academic assessment, the knowledge and ability to assist in the instruction of reading, writing, and mathematics.

CSDE Communities of Practice at EdAdvance- Occupational Therapy - Session 2

This community of Practice will bring together Connecticut School occupational therapy practitioners to focus on Best Practices in a Workload Approach. Through collective critical inquiry and reflection, participants will intentionally learn, pool knowledge, and share resources to better our practice.

CSDE Communities of Practice at EASTCONN - Occupational Therapy - Session 2

This community of Practice will bring together Connecticut School occupational therapy practitioners to focus on Best Practices in a Workload Approach. Through collective critical inquiry and reflection, participants will intentionally learn, pool knowledge, and share resources to better our practice.

ETS® ParaPro Assessment Testing

CREC is now a testing site for the ETS® ParaPro Assessment. ETS developed the ParaPro Assessment as a way to satisfy the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, which requires that Para educators serving in an instruction capacity: 1) Have an associate of arts degree. 2) Have completed two years of college. 3) Have demonstrated, through an academic assessment, the knowledge and ability to assist in the instruction of reading, writing, and mathematics.

NC3T Information Session

This free Professional Learning opportunity is open to high school teams desiring to implement a pathways approach in Career and Technical Education. Suggested team composition includes 1-2 CTE teachers, a building level leader, and a central office level leader.

Early Childhood Council

Early Childhood educators (Pre-K) in CREC districts meet monthly to share best practices and engage in new thinking about instruction. Early Childhood educators are encouraged to attend these monthly meetings. Topics and speaker lists are developed by the group.

CSDE Communities of Practice at CES - Occupational Therapy - Session 2

This community of Practice will bring together Connecticut School occupational therapy practitioners to focus on Best Practices in a Workload Approach. Through collective critical inquiry and reflection, participants will intentionally learn, pool knowledge, and share resources to better our practice.

CREC Coaches Council

Instructional Coaches in the CREC region are invited to attend bi-monthly council meetings to share best practices and engage in new thinking about coaching. Topics will be determined based on participant interests.

Instructional Coaching Institute

This workshop is geared towards Instructional Coaches who are in their first 2 years of coaching. The Coaching Institute will provide Instructional Coaches the opportunity to enhance their understanding of Coaching Cycles, provide strategies for relationship building, and learn the foundational skills for success as an Instructional Coach.

Science Council

CREC region science teachers and district coordinators are invited to attend monthly council meetings to share best practices, engage in new thinking about science education, and continue to proactively respond to the demands of the Next Generation Science Standards. In addition, input from participants regarding additional topic selections will be encouraged in order to best meet the needs of the council membership.

Yoga and Mindfulness in the Classroom: Trauma-Informed Tools to Support Social and Emotional Learning, Student Success and Positive Climate

Increasing numbers of students lack the skills of self-regulation, impulse control and focus which can negatively affect their behavior, ability to learn and overall well-being. These critical skills, essential to success at home, in school and throughout life, can be learned when taught in a developmentally appropriate, engaging way. Sharing yoga and mindfulness techniques, specifically designed for the time and space crunched classroom, is a convenient, engaging and effective way to promote these skills while cultivating a positive, peaceful productive classroom climate. This workshop is appropriate for PreK-12 classroom teachers, administrators, special educators, school counselors, school social workers, occupational therapists, SLPs, physical therapists, physical education teachers, health educators, and paraprofessionals. No prior yoga experience or mats are required! Price includes card deck, a $32 value.

CSDE Communities of Practice at LEARN - Occupational Therapy - Session 2

This community of Practice will bring together Connecticut School occupational therapy practitioners to focus on Best Practices in a Workload Approach. Through collective critical inquiry and reflection, participants will intentionally learn, pool knowledge, and share resources to better our practice.

ETS® ParaPro Assessment Testing

CREC is now a testing site for the ETS® ParaPro Assessment. ETS developed the ParaPro Assessment as a way to satisfy the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, which requires that Para educators serving in an instruction capacity: 1) Have an associate of arts degree. 2) Have completed two years of college. 3) Have demonstrated, through an academic assessment, the knowledge and ability to assist in the instruction of reading, writing, and mathematics.

CSDE Communities of Practice at ACES - Occupational Therapy - Session 2

This community of Practice will bring together Connecticut School occupational therapy practitioners to focus on Best Practices in a Workload Approach. Through collective critical inquiry and reflection, participants will intentionally learn, pool knowledge, and share resources to better our practice.

21st CCLC Middle and High School Meeting

The Connecticut State Department of Education and the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) are excited to announce the dates for the 2019-2020 21st Century Community Learning Center Middle and High School Meetings. 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) grantees who serve students in the middle and high school grades are provided with opportunities to attend three Middle and High School Meetings each year. These meetings have been created specifically for after school professionals to help them meet the identified needs of middle and high school students and families.Participants will network with peers to share practices and resources from the field. National, state and local resources to support the implementation of practices will also be provided. Eligible grantees are encouraged but not required to send appropriate staff to represent programs and disseminate information back to their programs.

Assistive Technology and Systematic Reading Instruction Overview: Incorporating Assistive Technology into Systematic, Explicit Instruction in Reading

Systematic reading instruction explicitly teaches basic reading skills in a way that is beneficial for all students. This type of instruction has been found to be especially beneficial for students who have difficulty learning sound/symbol association, decoding skills, reading accuracy and automaticity. Assistive technology allows students with more significant needs to participate in this type of instruction with greater independence and success.

Language Workshop: Fostering a Culture of Writing in the Montessori Classroom

Primary: Classifying the World through Language. Elementary: Writing Across the Curriculum. Optional social hour to follow.

Structured Literacy Series: Systematic Teaching of Basic Literacy Skills

Participants will learn systematic, structured methods for teaching decoding, encoding, oral and written expression to students with learning disorders and specific language disabilities. Participants will have the opportunity to apply new skills in practice simulations and receive implementation coaching by experts. Participants will receive the books Speech to Print: Language Essentials for Teachers by Louisa Moats Ph.D. and Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills by Beverly J. Wolf M.Ed. and Judith Birsh Ed.D. The series's curriculum is aligned with the International Dyslexia Association's Level 1 Dyslexia Specialist Standards.

ETS® ParaPro Assessment Testing

CREC is now a testing site for the ETS® ParaPro Assessment. ETS developed the ParaPro Assessment as a way to satisfy the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, which requires that Para educators serving in an instruction capacity: 1) Have an associate of arts degree. 2) Have completed two years of college. 3) Have demonstrated, through an academic assessment, the knowledge and ability to assist in the instruction of reading, writing, and mathematics.

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support and Restorative Practices

This workshop will describe the rationale for Restorative Practices in schools, identify and demonstrate a continuum of restorative practices and discuss a restorative approach as an alternative to traditional discipline practices.

Teaching Oral Language Development and Foundational Skills to English Learners

Participants in this professional learning experience will learn about the stages of second language acquisition and language proficiency levels in order to build capacity to make better instructional decisions about English learners (ELs) in their classrooms in oral language development and reading. Through interactive experiences, participants will see the importance of oral language development to build comprehension as reading proficiency and overall English proficiency develops in ELs.

“No, you can’t use Google Translate”: Teaching World Language in the 1:1 Classroom

Teaching World Language to ‘Digital Natives’ brings many challenges, Google Translate is just one of them. With the whole world at their fingertips, who can we guide students in their journey to master another language. Participants in this half-day session will learn strategies to make effective use of chromebooks/laptops in the 1:1 classroom to teach WL in a student-centered manner.

Social and Emotional Learning Council

This council will focus on current trends, research and interventions related to Social and Emotional Learning. Members will be able to network with staff from other districts, have access to resources, and learn the most current developments in the area.

Library Media Specialists Council Meeting

CREC’s Library Media Specialists Council provides a unique opportunity for K-12 Library Media Specialists in the CREC region to come together to share best practices and engage in new thinking about digital literacy for the 21st century. Quarterly meetings will encourage input from participants regarding topics and speaker selections in order to best meet the needs of the council membership.

Supporting English Learners through the SRBI Process

In this session, participants will learn how to support English learners (ELs) in the Scientifically Research-Based Intervention (SRBI) process and analyze pedagogical approaches to meet the needs of the diverse population of English learners in both Tier I instruction and tiered interventions. By examining student cases, district data, and effective strategies, participants will utilize their new learning to outline best practices and decisions through the lens of second language acquisition, CELP standards, and state and federal policies. Participants will increase their capacity to use data effectively, advocate for needs of specific ELs, and develop appropriate goals and a plan for supports and accommodations for ELs. Audience: Classroom teachers, instructional coaches, interventionists, TESOL/bilingual teachers, SRBI coordinators and team members, and administrators. Participants are encouraged to come in teams (e.g., secondary classroom teacher, coach/department chair, ESL teacher, and administrator).

The Blueprint: LRE/Inclusive Practices for Students with Significant Learning Disabilities

Participants will learn about various curriculum frameworks that can be readily used when developing challenging and appropriate instruction for students with significant disabilities.

ETS® ParaPro Assessment Testing

CREC is now a testing site for the ETS® ParaPro Assessment. ETS developed the ParaPro Assessment as a way to satisfy the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, which requires that Para educators serving in an instruction capacity: 1) Have an associate of arts degree. 2) Have completed two years of college. 3) Have demonstrated, through an academic assessment, the knowledge and ability to assist in the instruction of reading, writing, and mathematics.

Language Arts Council Meeting

CREC’s Language Arts Council provides Language Arts teachers in the CREC region monthly opportunities to share best practices and engage in new thinking about literacy instruction. Kindergarten to grade 12 Language Arts educators including teachers, literacy coaches, literacy coordinators, directors and department heads are encouraged to attend the bi-monthly meetings. Input from participants regarding topic selections will be encouraged in order to best meet the needs of the council membership.

Mindfulness Council

This FREE forum, open to anyone interested in integrating mindfulness and yoga into their work with youth, will provide an opportunity to share best practices, activities, expertise and valuable resources. Each session will feature a presentation on a specific topic relevant to integrating mindfulness and/or yoga, and will include time for personal practice support and self-care. Whether you work in a school, a behavioral health or medical setting, or are a parent looking to incorporate mindfulness at home, come join us as we create an open forum for learning and growth. Participant involvement and feedback is essential to the Council’s success.

ETS® ParaPro Assessment Testing

CREC is now a testing site for the ETS® ParaPro Assessment. ETS developed the ParaPro Assessment as a way to satisfy the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, which requires that Para educators serving in an instruction capacity: 1) Have an associate of arts degree. 2) Have completed two years of college. 3) Have demonstrated, through an academic assessment, the knowledge and ability to assist in the instruction of reading, writing, and mathematics.

AARC Open House Informational Session

Advanced Alternate Route to Certification Program for Special Education is an advanced program for certified teachers to earn a cross endorsement in Comprehensive Special Education (165). To qualify you must be a certified teacher in an approved area (e.g. elementary education, mathematics); have three years teaching experience (substitute experience will be considered); and have a desire to work with students with disabilities. Applications accepted November 1, 2019 through April 30, 2020.

Early Childhood Council

Early Childhood educators (Pre-K) in CREC districts meet monthly to share best practices and engage in new thinking about instruction. Early Childhood educators are encouraged to attend these monthly meetings. Topics and speaker lists are developed by the group.

Social Studies Council Meeting

CREC region social studies teachers and district coordinators are invited to attend bi-monthly council meetings to share best practices, engage in new thinking about social studies instruction, and proactively respond to the instructional shifts demanded by the Connecticut Elementary and Secondary Social Studies Frameworks, Connecticut Core Standards, the SAT and Smarter Balanced Assessments. In addition, input from participants regarding additional topic selections will be encouraged in order to best meet the needs of the council membership.

Math Council

CREC’s Mathematics Council provides new thinking about mathematics instruction for K-12 math teachers, coaches, and district leaders in an open forum type setting. Agenda topics are determined by district participants in order to serve the group’s needs.

ETS® ParaPro Assessment Testing

CREC is now a testing site for the ETS® ParaPro Assessment. ETS developed the ParaPro Assessment as a way to satisfy the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, which requires that Para educators serving in an instruction capacity: 1) Have an associate of arts degree. 2) Have completed two years of college. 3) Have demonstrated, through an academic assessment, the knowledge and ability to assist in the instruction of reading, writing, and mathematics.

Augmentative & Alternative Communication Council #2

Service Providers will share information to assist students with Augmentative & Alternate Communication needs. Members will be able to network with staff from other districts.Topic lists are developed by the group.

Assistive Technology for Students with Dyslexia - Elementary

Students with dyslexia require appropriate instructional accommodations that allow them to access and be successful in instruction in the general education curriculum. This workshop explores assistive technology options across a variety of platforms. Access link and instructions will be provided to registrants prior to the session.

ETS® ParaPro Assessment Testing

CREC is now a testing site for the ETS® ParaPro Assessment. ETS developed the ParaPro Assessment as a way to satisfy the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, which requires that Para educators serving in an instruction capacity: 1) Have an associate of arts degree. 2) Have completed two years of college. 3) Have demonstrated, through an academic assessment, the knowledge and ability to assist in the instruction of reading, writing, and mathematics.

NGSS and Universal Design for Learning - Making Instruction in the New Science Standards Meaningful and Achievable for Diverse Learners

The Next Generation Science Standards is a multi-state effort in the United States to create new education standards that are rich in content and practice, arranged in a coherent manner across disciplines and grades to provide all students an internationally bench marked science education. Three dimensional learning allows students to actively engage with the Practices and apply the Crosscutting Concepts to deepen their understanding of Core Ideas in order to explain phenomena and solve problems.The authors of the Next Generation Science Standards explicitly name Universal Design for Learning as a necessary tool for the creation of units that are meaningful, accessible and challenging for all students. Universal Design for Learning is a lens through which teachers can analyze curriculum goals, methods and materials to ensure that there are multiple pathways to success for all learners. This workshop will review the structure of the standards and the nature of science instruction with the NGSS.

SIM™ Teaching Self-Advocacy: Tier 2 and Tier 3 Interventions for Increasing Student Independence

These strategies help students prepare for and participate in education or transition planning conferences. Students learn to determine and list their perceived strengths, areas in which they need to improve or learn, education and transition goals, needed accommodations, and more. They then use steps of the strategy to share their lists during conferences, listen and respond to others, ask questions, and communicate their goals.

ETS® ParaPro Assessment Testing

CREC is now a testing site for the ETS® ParaPro Assessment. ETS developed the ParaPro Assessment as a way to satisfy the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, which requires that Para educators serving in an instruction capacity: 1) Have an associate of arts degree. 2) Have completed two years of college. 3) Have demonstrated, through an academic assessment, the knowledge and ability to assist in the instruction of reading, writing, and mathematics.

Early Childhood Special Education Referrals and Comprehensive Evaluations

Comprehensive and meaningful assessment in early childhood requires training and specialized experience in understanding family dynamics, culture, and child development. Also required is knowledge of assessment tools, techniques, and early childhood curricula to prevent detrimental decisions that results from misinterpretation of assessment data.

Assistive Technology and Systematic Reading Instruction - Application: Creating Lessons for Incorporating Assistive Technology into Systematic Reading Instruction

Systematic reading instruction explicitly teaches basic reading skills in a way that is beneficial for all students. Assistive technology allows students with more significant needs to participate in this type of instruction with greater independence and success. Systematic reading instruction has a structured, predictable lesson plan with specific procedures for teaching new concepts, sounds and syllable types. This workshop allows participants to create lessons and embed assitive technology tools into the lesson procedures and activities.

Understanding Children's Behavior

We will take a look at the developmental needs of the children in your class environment while addressing behaviors that may require implementing strategies not necessarily found in your album.Optional social hour to follow.

STEM Council (NEW Council for 2019-2020)

STEM educators, coaches, and coordinators in CREC districts meet to share best practices, resources and new thinking around interdisciplinary instruction in science, technology, engineering and math. Discussions may include topics ranging from implementing NGSS, Math CCSS, and ISTE standards to creating effective Makerspaces. Topics and speaker lists are developed by the group.

TEAM Initial Reviewer Training

This one day training is required for anyone serving on a district or regional review committee. Districts must select potential reviewers to attend the training to learn the criteria for a successful reflection paper. Participants are given multiple opportunities to read and review a range of papers to assist them in making informed decisions.

English Language Learners Council (Title III)

Council members and district coordinators are invited to attend bi-monthly consortium meetings to share best practices, emerging research on improving outcomes for EL students, and to proactively respond to the instructional shifts demanded by the Connecticut Common Core State Standards (CCSS), assessments, and the Connecticut English Language Proficiency (CELP) Standards. Members will engage in new thinking about instructional practices and collaborate to proactively respond to EL needs in their district.

Curriculum Council Meeting 3-17-2020

Bi-monthly scheduled meeting of Directors of Curriculum, Assistant Superintendents and Instructional Leaders

Early Childhood Council

Early Childhood educators (Pre-K) in CREC districts meet monthly to share best practices and engage in new thinking about instruction. Early Childhood educators are encouraged to attend these monthly meetings. Topics and speaker lists are developed by the group.e group.

Science Council

CREC region science teachers and district coordinators are invited to attend monthly council meetings to share best practices, engage in new thinking about science education, and continue to proactively respond to the demands of the Next Generation Science Standards. In addition, input from participants regarding additional topic selections will be encouraged in order to best meet the needs of the council membership.

When ELs Struggle: Basic Strategies for General Education Teachers

This workshop will support general education educators who are working with or have a large ELL population at their school or district with assisting ELs with Basic Strategies through the lens of Second Language Acquisition. Teachers who attend this workshop may be teachers looking for ways to support ELL students in all content areas of the regular education classroom. The session will give educators various ways to build their “bag of tricks” while learning about how ELs learn and develop language.

21st CCLC - 2nd Networking Meeting

Professional Development for providers of after-school programs on various topics throughout the school year including State and Federal Laws, diverstiy, diagnostic and evaluation tools, etc.Note: Grantees are required to send at least two professional staff to Networking Meetings to represent programs and disseminate information back to staff at their programs.

CREC Coaches Council

Instructional Coaches in the CREC region are invited to attend bi-monthly council meetings to share best practices and engage in new thinking about coaching. Topics will be determined based on participant interests.

The Choices Approach: Teaching about Contested Historical Turning Points

In this workshop, participants will be introduced to Choices award winning resources and approach to teaching about contested issues. Teachers will be immersed in the Choices Units: The Civil War and the Meaning of Liberty (new in 2019) and Immigration and the US Policy Debate (updated in Fall of 2018). Both resources bring new and diverse voices and perspectives to the classroom. Both curriculums are provided and teachers will discuss ways to adapt these programs for their classroom.

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Booster Session - Tier I

Topics covered in this booster session are: Establishing universal behavior support systems; Building stakeholder buy–in; Data systems for decision-making; Preparation for implementation of Tier I systems; Ongoing monitoring of fidelity and progress; Implementing sustainable Tier I system.

School Structures to Support English Learner Writing Instruction

This full day workshop is divided into two sessions. The morning will focus on structural supports necessary to support the teaching of writing to English Learners. The intended audience for the morning is classroom teachers, EL teachers/tutors and building administrators. In the afternoon, classroom and EL teachers will learn several strategies to incorporate writing into the classroom and have the opportunity to work as a team to apply their new learning in their lesson plans.

All Students Are Motivated

All human behavior is motivated. Sometimes, however, what students are motivated to do, and what the teacher wants them to do are not in harmony. Participants in this workshop will learn some myths of motivation which are omnipresent in schools today and concrete strategies to use in order to differentiate motivational techniques for their students.

Addressing Young Children’s Behavioral and Social-Emotional Needs Through a Multi-Tiered System of Support

This one day workshop will provide participants with a framework for establishing a multi-tiered system of supports for social-emotional growth and early intervention for behavioral concerns within a larger overarching, developmentally appropriate system of prevention of challenging behaviors. This framework is easily implemented within curriculum and instruction that is aligned to Connecticut’s Early Learning Development Standards (ELDS) and can be monitored through use of Connecticut’s Documentation and Observation for Teaching System (DOTS).

Library Media Specialists Council Meeting

CREC’s Library Media Specialists Council provides a unique opportunity for K-12 Library Media Specialists in the CREC region to come together to share best practices and engage in new thinking about digital literacy for the 21st century. Quarterly meetings will encourage input from participants regarding topics and speaker selections in order to best meet the needs of the council membership.

Mindfulness Council

This FREE forum, open to anyone interested in integrating mindfulness and yoga into their work with youth, will provide an opportunity to share best practices, activities, expertise and valuable resources. Each session will feature a presentation on a specific topic relevant to integrating mindfulness and/or yoga, and will include time for personal practice support and self-care. Whether you work in a school, a behavioral health or medical setting, or are a parent looking to incorporate mindfulness at home, come join us as we create an open forum for learning and growth. Participant involvement and feedback is essential to the Council’s success.

Language Arts Council Meeting

CREC’s Language Arts Council provides Language Arts teachers in the CREC region monthly opportunities to share best practices and engage in new thinking about literacy instruction. Kindergarten to grade 12 Language Arts educators including teachers, literacy coaches, literacy coordinators, directors and department heads are encouraged to attend the bi-monthly meetings. Input from participants regarding topic selections will be encouraged in order to best meet the needs of the council membership.

TEAM District Facilitator Meeting - Spring, 2020

TEAM District Facilitator Meetings occur twice each school year and provide program updates. The mission of the TEAM Program is to promote excellence, equity, and high achievement for Connecticut students by engaging teachers in the purposeful exploration of professional practice through guided support and personal reflection.

21st CCLC Middle and High School Meeting

The Connecticut State Department of Education and the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) are excited to announce the dates for the 2019-2020 21st Century Community Learning Center Middle and High School Meetings. 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) grantees who serve students in the middle and high school grades are provided with opportunities to attend three Middle and High School Meetings each year. These meetings have been created specifically for after school professionals to help them meet the identified needs of middle and high school students and families.Participants will network with peers to share practices and resources from the field. National, state and local resources to support the implementation of practices will also be provided. Eligible grantees are encouraged but not required to send appropriate staff to represent programs and disseminate information back to their programs.

Recent Advances in Understanding Word-Level Reading Problems: Assessment and Highly Effective Intervention

The presentation will focus on how children learn to read words and why some children struggle. Understanding the nature of word-level reading development and word-level reading problems will guide both assessment and intervention. Studies consistently show that the most commonly used intervention approaches provide limited benefits for weak readers. However, other studies have shown that some approaches can yield very large reading gains for such students, and these will be the focus of the presentation.

Aligning Social and Emotional Learning to Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

Social and emotional learning provides the structure and process for students to develop skills in understanding and managing emotions, setting goals, showing empathy, maintaining positive relationships and making responsible decisions. Participants will learn strategies and interventions to promote social and emotional learning based on standards.It will focus on Tier 1, 2 and 3 interventions.

When ELs Struggle: More Strategies

This is the second in a non-sequential series of instructional strategies. You do not have to have attended the first session to participate in this session. This workshop will support general education educators who are working with or have a large ELL population at their school or district with assisting ELs with Basic Strategies through the lens of Second Language Acquisition. Teachers who attend this workshop may be teachers looking for ways to support ELL students in all content areas of the regular education classroom. The session will give educators various ways to build their “bag of tricks” while learning about how ELs learn and develop language.

CSDE Communities of Practice at CREC - Occupational Therapy - Session 3

This community of Practice will bring together Connecticut School occupational therapy practitioners to focus on Best Practices in a Workload Approach. Through collective critical inquiry and reflection, participants will intentionally learn, pool knowledge, and share resources to better our practice.

Social Studies Council Meeting

CREC region social studies teachers and district coordinators are invited to attend bi-monthly council meetings to share best practices, engage in new thinking about social studies instruction, and proactively respond to the instructional shifts demanded by the Connecticut Elementary and Secondary Social Studies Frameworks, Connecticut Core Standards, the SAT and Smarter Balanced Assessments. In addition, input from participants regarding additional topic selections will be encouraged in order to best meet the needs of the council membership.

CSDE Communities of Practice at EdAdvance- Occupational Therapy - Session 3

This community of Practice will bring together Connecticut School occupational therapy practitioners to focus on Best Practices in a Workload Approach. Through collective critical inquiry and reflection, participants will intentionally learn, pool knowledge, and share resources to better our practice.

CSDE Communities of Practice at EASTCONN - Occupational Therapy - Session 3

This community of Practice will bring together Connecticut School occupational therapy practitioners to focus on Best Practices in a Workload Approach. Through collective critical inquiry and reflection, participants will intentionally learn, pool knowledge, and share resources to better our practice.

Early Childhood Council

Early Childhood educators (Pre-K) in CREC districts meet monthly to share best practices and engage in new thinking about instruction. Early Childhood educators are encouraged to attend these monthly meetings. Topics and speaker lists are developed by the group.

CSDE Communities of Practice at CES - Occupational Therapy - Session 3

This community of Practice will bring together Connecticut School occupational therapy practitioners to focus on Best Practices in a Workload Approach. Through collective critical inquiry and reflection, participants will intentionally learn, pool knowledge, and share resources to better our practice.

Assistive Technology for Students with Dyslexia - Secondary

Secondary students with dyslexia require appropriate instructional accommodations that allow them to access and be successful in instruction in the general education curriculum. This workshop explores assistive technology options across a variety of platforms. Access link and instructions will be provided to registrants prior to the session.

NGSS Curriculum Consortium H.S. Forensic Science Unit Writing (Spring 2020)

CREC’s Next Generation Science Curriculum Consortium provides a forum for teachers throughout Connecticut to share in the creativity of developing three-dimensional, NGSS-aligned curricula anchored in phenomena. During the initial course specific meeting, participants will be trained to develop story-lined curricula. The remaining consortium meeting dates will be facilitated curriculum and lesson development time. Any curricular documents generated will be reviewed, assessed using NGSS rubrics and tools, and edited prior to posting for classroom/district use. The participant’s district will be granted an access code to all of the grade specific curricular documents generated in the consortium. Science curricula will be integrated by the performance expectations set forth by the NGSS. PARTICIPANTS MUST ATTEND ALL DAYS OF THEIR CONSORTIUM SERIES.

Augmentative & Alternative Communication Council #3

Service Providers will share information to assist students with Augmentative & Alternate Communication needs. Members will be able to network with staff from other districts.Topic lists are developed by the group.

Charting the LifecCourse/Person Centered Planning

Charting the LifeCourse, a universally-designed person-centered planning framework, is a tool to assist individuals and families of all abilities and ages to develop a vision of a good life. Participants in this hands-on learning session will understand the importance of person-centered/futures planning, become familiar with the LifeCourse tools, and how to use them to support the development of the IEP and Transition Planning.

CSDE Communities of Practice at LEARN - Occupational Therapy - Session 3

This community of Practice will bring together Connecticut School occupational therapy practitioners to focus on Best Practices in a Workload Approach. Through collective critical inquiry and reflection, participants will intentionally learn, pool knowledge, and share resources to better our practice.

CSDE Communities of Practice at ACES - Occupational Therapy - Session 3

This community of Practice will bring together Connecticut School occupational therapy practitioners to focus on Best Practices in a Workload Approach. Through collective critical inquiry and reflection, participants will intentionally learn, pool knowledge, and share resources to better our practice.

Executive Function Skills

Executive function and self-regulation skills are the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully. The brain needs this skill set to filter distractions, prioritize tasks, set and achieve goals, and control impulses. These skills are crucial for learning and development. This workshop will describe each executive function and its connection to learning.

Yoga and Mindfulness in the Classroom: Trauma-Informed Tools to Support Social and Emotional Learning, Student Success and Positive Climate

Increasing numbers of students lack the skills of self-regulation, impulse control and focus which can negatively affect their behavior, ability to learn and overall well-being. These critical skills, essential to success at home, in school and throughout life, can be learned when taught in a developmentally appropriate, engaging way. Sharing yoga and mindfulness techniques, specifically designed for the time and space crunched classroom, is a convenient, engaging and effective way to promote these skills while cultivating a positive, peaceful productive classroom climate. This workshop is appropriate for PreK-12 classroom teachers, administrators, special educators, school counselors, school social workers, occupational therapists, SLPs, physical therapists, physical education teachers, health educators, and paraprofessionals. No prior yoga experience or mats are required! Price includes card deck, a $32 value.

STEM Council (NEW Council for 2019-2020)

STEM educators, coaches, and coordinators in CREC districts meet to share best practices, resources and new thinking around interdisciplinary instruction in science, technology, engineering and math. Discussions may include topics ranging from implementing NGSS, Math CCSS, and ISTE standards to creating effective Makerspaces. Topics and speaker lists are developed by the group.

NGSS Unit Bundle Assessment Development Series (Physics): Recommended for high school teachers and coaches using the CREC NGSS curriculum.

Assessment of the three dimensions of the Next Generation Science Standards is a critical component of implementation. As a part of the consortium's work, we will be offering assessment development sessions. These sessions will help districts develop a process of assessment to measure student progress towards the NGSS performance expectations. While the current units contain activities and summative work related to anchor phenomenon, data collection relative to each performance expectation is not present. This cohort of participants will develop an assessment process, including teacher rubrics and sample tasks, to assess student achievement in relation to the three dimensions of the NGSS. NOTE: This workshop series is ONLY available to districts using CREC’s NGSS unit bundles, and the same person must attend both days.

ETS® ParaPro Assessment Testing

CREC is now a testing site for the ETS® ParaPro Assessment. ETS developed the ParaPro Assessment as a way to satisfy the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, which requires that Para educators serving in an instruction capacity: 1) Have an associate of arts degree. 2) Have completed two years of college. 3) Have demonstrated, through an academic assessment, the knowledge and ability to assist in the instruction of reading, writing, and mathematics.

21st CCLC - Networking/Showcase Meeting

Professional Development for providers of after-school programs on various topics throughout the school year including State and Federal Laws, diverstiy, diagnostic and evaluation tools, etc.Note: Grantees are required to send at least two professional staff to Networking Meetings to represent programs and disseminate information back to staff at their programs.

Curriculum Council Meeting 5-8-2020

Bi-monthly scheduled meeting of Directors of Curriculum, Assistant Superintendents and Instructional Leaders

Wilson Reading Training

This workshop provides an overview of the Wilson Reading System.

RESC Alliance Foundational Skills for Evaluators of Teachers

The RESC Alliance Foundational Skills for Evaluators of Teachers training is designed to concentrate on the evaluator’s capacity to observe and analyze teacher performance and practice inherent in the CT Common Core of Teaching (CCT) and to provide supportive, high quality feedback to teachers. The primary focus of this training is on written feedback that focuses on areas of strengths and areas of growth explicitly connected to the rubric and observable classroom practices/evidence. The training is designed to link written feedback to verbal feedback and coaching strategies. This supports not only the evaluator’s ability to organize written feedback but consider how this feedback creates a platform for formal conferences that are instructionally focused, dialogic, and student-centered.Training includes both formative reviews of practice along with a final demonstration of proficiency. Participants take part in one formal and one informal video-based observation during the three-day training. Participants will receive feedback about their own practice that will help to codify key skills and prepare them to connect teacher practice to student learning.

Early Childhood Council

Early Childhood educators (Pre-K) in CREC districts meet monthly to share best practices and engage in new thinking about instruction. Early Childhood educators are encouraged to attend these monthly meetings. Topics and speaker lists are developed by the group.

English Language Learners Council (Title III)

Council members and district coordinators are invited to attend bi-monthly consortium meetings to share best practices, emerging research on improving outcomes for EL students, and to proactively respond to the instructional shifts demanded by the Connecticut Common Core State Standards (CCSS), assessments, and the Connecticut English Language Proficiency (CELP) Standards. Members will engage in new thinking about instructional practices and collaborate to proactively respond to EL needs in their district.

Science Council

CREC region science teachers and district coordinators are invited to attend monthly council meetings to share best practices, engage in new thinking about science education, and continue to proactively respond to the demands of the Next Generation Science Standards. In addition, input from participants regarding additional topic selections will be encouraged in order to best meet the needs of the council membership.

CREC Coaches Council

Instructional Coaches in the CREC region are invited to attend bi-monthly council meetings to share best practices and engage in new thinking about coaching. Topics will be determined based on participant interests.

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support and Restorative Practices

This workshop will describe the rationale for Restorative Practices in schools, identify and demonstrate a continuum of restorative practices and discuss a restorative approach as an alternative to traditional discipline practices.

Math Council

CREC’s Mathematics Council provides new thinking about mathematics instruction for K-12 math teachers, coaches, and district leaders in an open forum type setting. Agenda topics are determined by district participants in order to serve the group’s needs.

TEAM Mentor Initial Support Training (2-Day training)

This 2-day training for prospective mentors and cooperating teachers is available for individuals selected by the district ( or volunteered) to serve in one of these roles. Following the two in-person sessions, there will be an additional time for follow up offered either online or in person for more in-depth work on the modules or the process chosen by your districts. The training prepares participants to lead beginning teachers through the TEAM module process and a successful completion of the five mentoring modules. In addition, participants are prepared to support a student teacher while developing effective coaching strategies to assist both beginning and student teachers. Participants must attend all sessions. At the end of the training, participants qualify to work with either a new teacher or a student teacher. Participants must bring their own food/beverage.