Presented by Aubrey Durkin of the SLD Support Project on May 14, 2024


Characteristics of students with dyscalculia of all grade levels will be discussed. The content in the presentation will center on assisting students who have not mastered foundational math skills. Brain science behind the research will be explored and explained. Best practices for students struggling in math will be highlighted.

Presented by Dr. Clavon Byrd on April 25, 2024

Let’s take a comprehensive look at effective family engagement strategies based on Mapp’s Dual Capacity Building Framework. Participants in this webinar will review philosophies and practical strategies aimed at enhancing relationships between families and schools where collaboration and trust are imperative, ultimately leading toward improved student outcomes. Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your approach to partnerships with your students’ families!

Presented by Andrew Marotta on April 18, 2024

Want to have better, stronger relationships with your stakeholders? Tired of getting/feeling ‘beat-up?’ Want to improve your public speaking and communication skills? Have people coming at you way too hard and not sure how to handle it and want some effective strategies? Feel like you are being too reactive instead of more proactive in your relationships? Come join Andrew Marotta and be part of the fun, interactive, and thought-provoking workshop The Partnership: Building better relationships through proactive and intentional actions.

Presented by Lindsey Hall and Sheila Greenwood on April 9, 2024

This webinar explores the whys and hows of having difficult conversations. The level of importance of this topic is very high because the consequences of avoiding tough conversations can have long-lasting and sometimes devastating effects on school districts. We will discuss how to start those conversations, develop open and honest communication patterns and provide a desired end-result of collegiality, teamwork and engagement.

Presented by Dr. Johnita Porter on April 2, 2024

Join this session to learn about The Virtual Educator Network (The VEN). The VEN is a virtual, interactive, and transformative experience for educators throughout the country. This research based model provides unparalleled support and offers an innovative PD experience to help educators thrive, ultimately ensuring a more restful and fulfilling professional journey, and successful outcomes for students.

Presented by Dr. Christopher Graves on March 28, 2024

Racial discrimination in schools in the U.S. has resulted in a disproportionate number of Black students receiving exclusionary and punitive consequences, in which they are more likely to end up part of the School-to-Prison Pipeline and less likely to graduate. In many situations, school leaders have found ways to both reduce the number of suspensions for their Black students and also the disparity in consequences between students of different racial backgrounds. This presentation will share themes that emerged from interviews with these successful school leaders, to be used as recommendations and reflections for consideration in your own school context.

Presented by Dr. Jack Singer on March 27, 2024.

During these difficult times, many educational professionals are struggling with a ton of unexpected stressors, such as unprecedented and unpredictable world events, trying to balance their work with their family’s needs, and dealing with the lingering new challenges in the classroom since the Pandemic. Burnout among educational professionals can easily rear its ugly head under these circumstances. In this career-saving webinar, Dr. Jack Singer will provide you with specific exercises for re-wiring your brain for maximum resilience and well-being.

Presented by Joyce Debrah on March 26, 2024

Applying MTSS to system-wide improvement is key to implementing sustainable practices in schools and school districts. Various stakeholders can use the MTSS framework, which is data-driven, to facilitate continuous improvement of systems and structures. Additionally, MTSS as a framework can determine professional learning as it relates to adults' and students' academic, behavioral, and social and emotional needs.

Presented by Andrew Marotta on March 11, 2024

Andrew Marotta is the leader of the Surviving & Thriving movement. Andrew is an energizing & impactful speaker, author, and school leader. He lives the words on his logo & strives to positively #IMPACT all he meets. A master storyteller, Andrew engages his audiences and fellow leaders with authentic and heartfelt stories, memorable props, and collaborative, fun, &, thought-provoking activities.
In High Performace Under Pressure, Andrew dives deep into powerful stories and experiences from his time as a Division One men’s college basketball official. He will take you through the ups and downs, successes and failures, and the journey of trying to be the best you can be under the spotlight and intense scrutiny.
Take-a-ways from the session are:
- How to be your best when it matters most.
- Next play--get the next one right.
- Empower: Be the mentor you wanted to have when you started.
- How to ‘make the right call’ in the toughest situations--and come out thriving.
- Our true job description: absorb chaos, create calm, and provide hope.

Presented by Kierra Pickens on March 5, 2024

As culture plays a role in the way we navigate the world, interact with one other and foster innovation on a larger scale. This webinar will be focused on understanding the 4 dimensions of cultural intelligence (metacognitive, cognitive, motivational and behavioral). Individuals will be able to assess and discover areas for improving levels of CQ. Educators and leaders will learn ways to employ culturally competent strategies in the classroom and school system.

Join Alison Maley (IPA Legislative Director) and Arlin Peebles (ELN Director) to hear about the new changes coming to Illinois state-mandated training and how to use Ed Leaders Network (ELN) to simplify the process. With the passing of HB 3690 many of the required training has moved to a five-year cycle instead of annual and bi-annual. ELN will be able to offer all of these courses on-demand and have expiration dates set so that educators will receive email notifications when it is time to complete the training again. The best news is that ELN is free to public school educators in the state of Illinois so you can achieve all of this efficiency at no cost.

Presented by Dr. Tinaya York on February 27, 2024

The state of Illinois has a new comprehensive literacy plan. What does this mean for school leaders? This webinar is designed to give administrators the information they need to understand what is in the Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan and help them identify the key leadership moves they may need to make to lead the literacy work in their schools.

Presented by Dr. Tinaya York on February 20, 2024.

The state of Illinois has a new comprehensive literacy plan. What does this mean for school leaders? This webinar is designed to give administrators the information they need to understand what is in the Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan and help them identify the key leadership moves they may need to make to lead the literacy work in their schools.

Live webinar presented by Justin Baeder on February 13, 2024.

This webinar will explore how to schedule time for classroom visits and deal with interruptions when "blocking off time" isn't working out. We will look at the three roles for differentiated feedback conversations that change teacher practice. We will also examine how to maximize teachers' intrinsic motivation with evidence-driven, open-ended questions. I will share best practices and case studies for building a long-term habit of visiting classrooms 500 times a year. Finally, we will cover the walkthrough myths and misconceptions that hold leaders back from having the greatest possible impact.

Presented on February 6, 2024, by Andrea Jenkins.

Anonymous social media accounts, passive-aggressive texts, and hurtful comments. Bullying in the modern world is more complicated than ever- and can have a direct impact on student academic performance. But there's hope: 57% of bullying incidents stop within 10 seconds when another person speaks up, according to a recent study by Cyberbullying.org. In this session, we’ll explore ways to strengthen your school culture, student well-being, and academic success by helping students take a stance against the ever-evolving world of cyberbullying.

Presented by Andrew Marotta on January 24, 2024.

Want to be a better leader? Want to be a more effective school administrator? Looking for something fresh and different? New to administration? Experienced yet need a reboot? Meet Andrew Marotta!

In this webinar, Andrew will invigorate you, challenge you, and inspire you. He will share stories, tips, hacks, and experiences from his 20 years as a building leader. This high-energy, enthusiastic presentation will be interactive, reflective, and purposeful for you, to help you in your role as a school leader. No one promised you that the job would be easy; but Andrew will help you make it more manageable, fun, and rewarding.

In this transformative session, Andrew will focus on: the power of storytelling, having more energy & enthusiasm, providing meaningful feedback, and how to better take care of your own well-being, while doing your best to serve others. You will grow and connect through different interactive and engaging activities. Andrew will look to move your emotions & stir your soul in this powerful webinar.

Presented by Carolyn Strong on January 23, 2024.

At its inception in 2010, Ighodaro and Wiggins defined curriculum violence as, “the deliberate manipulation of academic programming which compromises the intellectual or psychological well-being of learners.” Over the years we have come to know that intent matters very little when gauging the impact that curriculum violence has on learners. In this webinar, we will unpack how curriculum violence serves to create additional harm to marginalized groups within what should be the safety and sanctity of classrooms.

Presented by Devon LaRosa and Jennifer Cheatham on November 28, 2023

In this talk we will explore Dr. Jen Cheatham's newest work on equity-focused entry planning and determine what intentional moves leaders can make to support their schools' respective equity journey; by moving from passive conversations to purposeful and intentional actions that lift up students, family, and the school community. The conversation will leave leaders with actionable next steps to continue and sustain their work.

Presented by Ann Reynolds on 11/14/23.

This webinar will provide additional techniques for managing a classroom. Some specific information will be shared in handling particularly difficult students and underperforming classes. Multiple techniques will be shared to restart or re-engage students and classes.

Presented by Andrea Jenkins on 11/9/23

From ChatGPT to Snapchat’s My AI, new artificial intelligence (AI) is making its way into our students' lives. And AI isn’t only changing students' experiences online, but it's revolutionizing the classroom experience too. Are you ready to learn how to use AI to take your classroom experience to the next level? Get ready for an interactive session where you'll learn practical ways to integrate AI tools, like ChatGPT and others, into your professional career for even greater success and ease.

Presented by Jordan Galerkin on 10/26/23

Looking to increase parent engagement at your school? Join Ed Leaders Network and Track it Forward for an informative webinar on ways to improve your parent engagement program and promote volunteerism among parents. This webinar will explore effective strategies to promote engagement using real-world examples and data.

In this webinar, you will learn:
- Top problems schools face when it comes to parent engagement
- Strategies to create a more engaging parent volunteer program
- How tools like Track it Forward can improve parent volunteer program efficiency

Presented by Lesley Rivers on 10/25/23

Social-emotional learning (SEL) provides youth with the skills they need to be healthy, happy humans. At this webinar, titled Youth and Self, attendees will understand the core SEL competencies and how they can create an environment that allow youth to understand, explore, and affirm their identities. We will hear from a panel of experts who work closely with diverse youth and will share strategies that help their youth understand their cultural, racial, and gender identities. Walk away with activities and ideas you can immediately incorporate into your classroom.

Presented by Barbara Marler on 10/3/23

This webinar is designed to orient participants to a framework that will help to modernize their EL program design. Participants will learn about an effective action plan to facilitate teamwork that is organized around three essential activities: discover, design, and deliver. Participants will also gain a greater appreciation of the importance of pairing legal parameters and evidence-based best practices to better meet unique and local needs. Finally, participants will examine practices that build consensus toward recommendations for change while staying mindful of perceptions and appearances from multiple vantage points.

Presented by Ben Sondergroth on September 21, 2023

As technology continues to reshape the educational landscape, this session delves into the transformative impact of AI within school environments, exploring its potential benefits, challenges, and the crucial task of developing comprehensive policies to ensure responsible and equitable AI integration. Discover how AI is revolutionizing teaching methods, personalizing learning experiences, streamlining administrative tasks, and shaping the future of education. Whether you're an educator, administrator, policymaker, or simply curious about the future of education, this webinar offers a unique opportunity to explore the dynamic synergy between AI and schools. Prepare to gain a deeper understanding of AI's potential to enhance education and equip the next generation for success in an increasingly interconnected world.

Presented by Melissa Hinshaw on 9/19/2023

This webinar will explore best assessment practices for advanced learners with a focus on achievement measures (benefits and limitations); measuring learning readiness (for programming and instruction) as well as growth (in programs and over time).

Presented by Gwen Badgerow on 9/12/23

Based on the work of mediation experts, experts in negotiation, and experts in conflict resolution, the techniques presented here are time-tested, simple, and familiar. Takeaways will include a teacher-friendly hand-out (easily printable for quick reference) in a table format. This table lists each clinically tested technique used by experts in the mediation field to de-escalate conflicts. In addition, alongside each technique are language samples to use as models when struggling to find the right words to use when emotions are running high combined with “do’s” vs.“don'ts” that can help or hurt the outcomes. Taken from 30 years of experience in education, high stakes decision making, IEP meetings, and policy discussions, Gwen draws from her background working with parents and educators to give relevant examples of the complex emotions we feel when stakes are high, perceptions and beliefs differ and difficult decisions must be made.

Presented on September 5, 2023 by Lindsey Hall and Sheila Greenwood

In this one-hour presentation, participants will learn about the definitions of trust, and gain an understanding of why and how high levels of trust are a vital component of a healthy and positive school that supports the thriving and resilience of employees as well as student learning and achievement. Participants will also consider the damage done in low-trust environments, including the physiological implications of the stress related to working in this type of environment. Finally, participants will be able to identify and hopefully put into practice, in their buildings and/or district, the leadership behaviors that build and engender trust.

Presented by Rachel Hanley and Ebony Wrenn

The presentation begins with data showing the strong impact of visuals on children’s perceptions and behaviors. All visuals a child is exposed to send a message to the child so classroom visuals should be chosen with intentionality. Further, classroom visuals should be seen as an opportunity to build inclusion and identity with students. The presentation then reviews best practices for the types of visuals teachers should include in their classrooms taking into account differences in factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, religion, body type, and abilities. The presentation ends with resources for teachers to increase diverse representation in their classroom content, as well as a personal call to action to 1) continuously increase their exposure to different types of people, and 2) keep an open mind to recognize and address their own biases.

Presented by Nikki Michalak on May 16, 2023.

The Autism Professional Learning and Universal Supports (A+) project at Illinois State University assists the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) in addressing the significant behavior needs of children and youth with Autism Spectrum (ASD) and related behavior and communication disorders. Participants will learn about the background leading to the development of the project. Online resources are available to support students with autism will be presented, as well as intensive resources provided for identified programs.

Presented by Nikki Gillani on May 2, 2023

Community partnerships are an integral part of the success of an out-of-school time (OST) program as they offer additional infrastructure as well as expertise in program implementation. School districts, now more than ever, have an opportunity to engage their communities in efforts to expand opportunities for youth in the OST space. This training will present (i) the benefits of utilizing partnerships to create sustainable opportunities in afterschool; (ii) how to identify the right type of partnership; (iii) a tutorial on how to build a strong, healthy community partnership; (iv) methods to increase the longevity of established partnerships; and (v) provide resources to encourage independent execution of this framework.

Presented by Matt Vosberg on April 27, 2023

Leadership requires change management. Whether it’s intentional or not, leaders will spend most of their time managing change. It could be driven by state mandates, board elections, or local community issues. Successfully managing change is what will separate a great leader from a mediocre or underperforming leader. If navigated properly, it can create a win-win environment. Unfortunately, that is rarely the case. School leaders get thrust into the change process and often do more damage than good. All improvement requires change, but not all change is an improvement. What happens when change initiatives go wrong? Outcomes don’t improve as intended, staff members become frustrated, leaders are weakened, and the culture of cynicism begins to develop making future change initiatives that much more difficult. “This too shall pass” becomes the motto of the day and now even the most promising initiatives will struggle to gain traction.

Presented by Kasey Brown and Susan Stanton of ACTNow

Families play a crucial and unique role in a child’s academic, social-emotional, and behavioral development and the establishment of effective family engagement strategies ensures that families have the skills and resources necessary to support and advocate for their children. The evaluation of these family engagement strategies, programming, and efforts is necessary to continuously improve and expand upon these practices. During this training, we work to understand the varying types of family engagement data, collection methods, and the components of a successful family engagement system. Participants are provided with the opportunity to develop an ‘Action Plan’ that includes action items and potential methods of delivery for their respective organizations' family engagement system.

Presented by Matt Thomann on 4/11/23

Educators face numerous, daily obstacles, from curriculum changes to challenging students to even more challenging parents. These constantly growing obstacles can cause educators to lose focus on what they can control and can cause them to forget the impact they still have on the next generation. In this webinar learn to change that momentum as you learn some basic mental tools from a former educator turned coach. Participants will better understand their daily focus and will learn to adjust in a way that leads to more mental toughness and more fulfillment.

Presented by Nikki Gillani on April 4, 2023

Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an unprecedented amount of support for afterschool and out-of-school time (OST) presented by the federal government. This presentation was developed in an effort to inform LEAs and affected parties of the availability ESSER funding, as well as provide guidance on how to use funding sustainably, particularly through partnering with local community-based organizations. During this training, we will explore the benefits of OST programming for youth and caretakers, barriers to engaging in OST programming, and how to utilize ESSER dollars to develop solutions and mitigate barriers. Finally, participants will be provided with peer examples of successful program implementation and additional resources to guide efforts.

Presented by Gina Fulton on March 28, 2023

Educators all have the same goal—to help students make the maximum possible academic gains in a positive and respectful environment that promotes success and nurtures their desire to learn. In this series of six webinars, the participants will gain valuable knowledge from the research and work of Dr. Anita Archer and Dr. Charles Hughes on Explicit Instruction. Explicit instruction is a structured, systematic, and effective methodology for teaching academic skills. It is considered an unambiguous and direct approach that includes instructional design and delivery procedures. The majority of information will be shared by one of Dr. Archer’s trainees, Gina Fulton. This fifth webinar of six is titled How Explicit Instruction Addresses Intrinsic and Extraneous Cognitive Load.

Presented by Ann Reynolds on March 21, 2023

Ideas to make simple changes to entice students to group cooperation and increase ease for the instructor. Flexible ideas to utilize regardless of the subject being taught.