Events and Workshops

MTCNE Alumni Webinar Series

ONGOING REGISTRATION - "The Keys to Reading: A Deep Dive Into Phonological Awareness and the Sounds of English" Webinar. Why is it that some children struggle to read and what can we do about it? For many children, the missing link to total reading is the awareness of sounds in our language. In this presentation Justin Chapian will take a close look at why phonemic awareness is so important, how it is different from phonics, and practical suggestions for instruction in the Montessori classroom. We will touch on how Montessori’s approach of writing before reading aligns with the science of reading and we will then take a deep dive into the sounds of our language and the connection between the children’s spelling and their awareness of sound. NOTE: The scheduled time and date are for registration purposes only. Once payment is received, you will receive a link to the pre-recorded webinar that will be active for one week. Accepting credit cards only.

TEAM Module 5

Module 5 will introduce beginning teachers to the Code of Professional Responsibility for Educators and is designed to educate and raise awareness about the multitude of ethical and professional dilemmas faced by educators today. The focus of Module 5 is to raise a level of awareness about the Code of Professional Responsibilities and to discuss your professional obligations and the potential consequences of misconduct. This is a TEAM training and is unpaid.

6 HR ANNUAL V ENDORSEMENT TRAINING

CREC Transportation is offering a 2 day Zoom class, for those looking to acquire their 6 hr R-360 form to renew their V endorsement on their CT license or to remain qualified by attending the annual 6 HR V Endorsement Training on the CT DMV required topics. Completing the class will result in a R-360 form for "V endorsement renewal only" and a CST-3 form for the employer/employee driver qualification file. MUST ATTEND BOTH DAYS, of the 2 day zoom class, 3 hrs each day. THIS CLASS IS NOT FOR DRIVERS WHO NEED THE 10 HR TRAINING TO ACQUIRE THE V ENDORSEMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME.

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.

Mindfulness Council

The April 22 Mindfulness Council will feature Amy Saltzman, M.D., holistic physician, mindfulness coach, and author. In addition to sharing mindfulness skills that can be beneficial to everyone (mental focus, physical awareness, and emotional resilience), Dr. Saltzman will focus on the integration of mindfulness by athletes and coaches. This includes how to deal with plateaus and setbacks, creating a positive and collaborative team culture, and how to make wise, healthy, compassionate choices when faced with challenges, temptations, and risks. There is no charge for this event. 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.

Augmentative & Alternative Communication Council (AAC) Focus

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. No cost to attend.

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. No cost to attend this event.

Equity Council

CREC's Equity Council provides educators in the CREC region quarterly opportunities to share policies, practices, and procedures to move toward an equitable system of education. The Council will review strategies that eliminate the predictability of outcomes for students who are racially, linguistically, economically diverse, who identify as LGBTQ, and who receive special education services. The group will review successful examples of districts from across the country that are identifying gaps in opportunities and intentionally dismantling the barriers that exist in their systems. No cost to attend event.

Social Emotional Learning Council Meeting

The council will focus on current trends, research and interventions related to Social and Emotional Learning. Members will have the opportunity to network with staff from other districts, have access to resources, and learn the most current developments in the area. No cost to attend.

Educator Self-Care: You Can't Take Care of Them Until You Take Care of You

Are you consumed with all of balls you need to juggle as an educator? Creating engaging lesson plans, grading projects, papers, homework, and scheduling calls with administrators, peers, students, parents, and/or caregivers so that you can clearly communicate with everyone involved in your students’ education while at the same time teaching your students all day can be very difficult. With all of this, it is understandable that educators feel overwhelmed, scattered, and sometimes lost. We are really good at considering the well-being of others, but not as good when it comes to considering our own well-being. All of this leads to teacher burn-out. Self-care is critical and involves taking responsibility for yourself to ensure you enjoy a healthy work/life balance. You must take care of you so that you are ready and able to take care of all of the other constant demands in your life including your students.

CREC Magnet Schools May 5, 2021 District-wide PD Day - ELEMENTARY

Elementary schedule:11:30-12:50 - Curriculum and Instruction: Introduction to Illustrative Math12:50-1:00 - Break1:00-2:20 - Decriminalizing Behaviors2:20-2:25 - Survey

CREC Magnet Schools May 5, 2021 District-wide PD Day - SECONDARY

Secondary schedule:11:30-12:50 - Decriminalizing Behaviors12:50-1:00 - Break1:00-2:20 - Instruction2:20-2:25 - Survey

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 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. No cost to attend.

English Language Learners Council (Title III)

English Language Learner district coordinators in the CREC region are invited to attend 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. No cost to attend.

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. No cost to attend this event.

MTCNE Alumni Webinar Series

Veronica Burbano will discuss the concept of resilience and how is fostered in the Montessori environment. She will answer the following questions:• What is resilience?• What are the characteristics of a resilient individual?• How does the Montessori Environment support the development of a resilient individual?

CTE: The UN-Conference

Join us for this two-day conference focused on improving your CTE programs. On 5/19/21, we will offer an overview of the NC3T Pathways Initiative. For the past year, the National Center for College and Career Transitions (NC3T) has been working together with SDE to help interested schools design and implement College and Career Pathways. Twenty-three schools are currently in various stages of development. In this session, you will hear from three high schools participating in the initiative. Enfield, East Haven, and Tourtellotte High Schools will discuss their journey towards Pathways and their plans for moving forward. On 5/26/21, Hans Meeder, President of the National Center for College and Career Readiness, will lead a practical, hands –on workshop that will help districts to plan specific strategies for improvement. You will have access to planning templates and suggested strategies. The CT Science Center will share information about teacher internships on Day 2, 5/26/21. Your registration will allow you access to both days. A ZOOM link will be sent to all registrants a few days prior to the event.

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. No cost to attend this event.

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.

Assistive Technology (AT) Focus for access to the curriculum

In this Community of Practice (CoP) we will discuss the use of assistive technology in CT schools and how to determine when educational technology can be used and when there is a need for enhanced Assistive Technology supports. The CoP model will allow district staff to share ideas around various topics related to assistive technology. No cost to attend.

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. No cost to attend this workshop.

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.

Illustrative Mathematics High School Curriculum Overview

In this virtual workshop, we will take an initial dive into the Illustrative Mathematics High School Curriculum. First, we will discuss the philosophy and instructional shifts behind the Illustrative Mathematics Curriculum and Problem-Based Learning. Then we will breakdown the structure of lessons and assessments and the purpose of each component. We will explain the importance of math content routines and math language routines and how these practices support effective implementation, observation, and collaborative planning. We will also explore the resources available in the curriculum to support teachers, students, and families and how to use these resources the most effectively.

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.

Teach and Learn with Illustrative Mathematics 6-8

Illustrative Mathematics (IM) is a problem-based core mathematics curriculum that develops students' mathematical thinking skills through questioning, discussion, and real-world contexts and connections. During this two-day virtual event, teachers will take part in synchronous and asynchronous activities and be guided through the IM 6-8 curricula by an IM Certified facilitator. Following the training participants will understand: The structure of an IM lesson. Available assessment resources and their purposes. How to establish instructional routines How to support English Language Learners and students with disabilities. The 5 Practices for Orchestrating Mathematical Discussion How to organize and plan for Unit 1 Techniques for setting classroom norms that support problem-based learning.

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.

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.