2026 Fall Professional Development Day

K-1 Writing about Reading Workshop with Yolanda

5:00-8:00pm (MST) with Yolanda Westerberg, Westerberg & Associates

This professional learning series is designed specifically for K–1 educators who want to strengthen their students’ ability to write about what they are reading. With a focus on early literacy development, this training supports teachers in building foundational skills that help young learners connect reading comprehension with written expression.

Educators will explore developmentally appropriate strategies that support students in retelling,
responding, and writing about texts through drawing, dictation, and early writing. Emphasis will be
placed on helping students generate ideas, use evidence from texts in age-appropriate ways, and
express their thinking clearly through pictures and simple sentences.

Click below to view full session description.

ASIST Suicide Prevention and Response Training

8:00am-4:00pm (MST) with Paula Olvera and Judy Trask, Lifeways

ASIST is a comprehensive, coordinated and integrated suicide intervention training that reflects current best-practice in suicide intervention. ASIST is the result of more than 25 years of research and development and is the most widely used suicide intervention program in the world. This is a two-day, 15-hour, interactive workshop. Learn how to recognize opportunities to help, assess risk of suicide, apply a suicide intervention model, and practice skills.

If I Could Teach Them Again: What Dyslexia Has Taught Me About Literacy- and the Difference an Educator Can Make

8:00-8:45am (MST) with Barbara Steinberg, PDX Reading

Before Barbara Steinberg began working with educators, she was an upper elementary and middle school teacher who cared deeply about her students—and didn't yet understand why some of her brightest, most capable learners struggled to read and write.

Today, she sees some of those students very differently.
In this personal, research-grounded keynote, Barbara uses dyslexia as a lens for exploring a much bigger question: What can reading difficulty teach us about how students learn—and about the difference knowledgeable educators can make? Timed with the beginning of Dyslexia Awareness Month, this keynote moves beyond awareness to understanding and action. Educators across grade levels, roles, and instructional settings will discover what dyslexia is (and isn't), why reading can be extraordinarily difficult for some students, how reading challenges can affect learning and behavior across the school day, and why effective instruction and appropriate access both
matter.

Most importantly, attendees will leave thinking differently about the students who struggle—and with a renewed understanding of their own capacity to change a student's trajectory.

ASIST Suicide Prevention and Response Training

8:00am-4:00pm (MST) with Paula Olvera and Judy Trask, Lifeways

ASIST is a comprehensive, coordinated and integrated suicide intervention training that reflects current best-practice in suicide intervention. ASIST is the result of more than 25 years of research and development and is the most widely used suicide intervention program in the world. This is a two-day, 15-hour, interactive workshop. Learn how to recognize opportunities to help, assess risk of suicide, apply a suicide intervention model, and practice skills.

6-12 Writing about Reading Workshop with Yolanda

8:30-11:30am (MST) with Yolanda Westerberg, Westerberg & Associates

This professional learning series is designed to support secondary educators in effectively preparing students for state assessments by embedding purposeful reading and writing practice throughout the entire school year. Rather than relying on short-term test prep, this training focuses on building sustainable instructional routines that deepen students’ skills in informative and argumentative reading and writing.

During the first session, educators will engage in targeted professional development that unpacks state assessment expectations, scoring criteria, and high-impact instructional strategies. Teachers will learn how to integrate assessment-aligned tasks into daily instruction, use scaffolds that support all learners, and design lessons that move students beyond surface-level responses to deeper analysis and evidence-based writing.

Click below to view full session description.

First Aid / CPR & Stop the Bleed

9:00am-12:00pm (MST) with EOCCR Staff & Kevin Purnell, Malheur ESD

This in-person session will provide CPR and First Aid certification / recertification through the Health & Safety Institute as well as the Stop the Bleed training.  

Section 504 Case Manager Training

9:00am-12:00pm (MST) with Miranda Peters, ODE

This session provides an overview of Section 504’s general provisions and implementing regulations for public schools. Participants will explore conducting effective Section 504 meetings, addressing school attendance and disability-related behavior, and understanding related state statutes and rules. 

See the Strength: Understanding YouScience & Aptitude

9:00am-12:00pm (MST) with Chanel Maestas, YouScience

This interactive morning session will introduce administrators and staff to YouScience, the science of aptitude, and the value of understanding students through a strengths-based lens. Participants will explore what aptitude is, how it differs from interests and skills, and how YouScience can provide valuable insights to help educators better understand and support the students they serve. 

Click below to view full session description.

PE Playbook: Sharing Ideas that Work

9:00am-12:00pm (MST) with George Ellsworth, Adrian SD

Join fellow PE educators for a facilitated, hands-on collaborative designed to generate practical ideas you can take back to your students. Through activity sharing, problem-solving, discussion, and interactive idea exchanges, participants will explore engaging games and activities, classroom strategies, assessment ideas, and solutions to common PE challenges—while building a shared bank of resources and strategies. 

Orchestrating High-Engagement Secondary Math Classrooms 

9:00am-12:00pm (MST) with Dr. Adam Hanan and Dr. Bethany Greenwalt, BSU

Target Audience: 6–12 Grade Math Teachers Description: Participants will analyze and modify math tasks, design strategic questioning sequences, and practice live facilitation techniques that interweave NCTM's core discourse practices to foster high student engagement and productive struggle.

Making the Learning Stick: Fun, Practical, Purposeful Activities for Small Groups, Centers & Home- School Connections

9:00am-12:00pm (MST) with Barbara Steinberg, PDX Reading

Early literacy instruction doesn’t have to mean more worksheets—or more work for teachers. The best practice is engaging for students, manageable for educators, and intentionally connected to the skills we want students to master.

In this interactive, make-and-take session, educators will explore fun, practical, and purposeful ways to give students the practice they need to make learning explicit—and make it stick. We’ll look at activities you can use during teacher-led small groups, literacy centers, independent practice, and at home to strengthen the critical early literacy skills
students are learning in the classroom.

Synergy Essentials for School Office & Data Staff

9:00am-12:00pm (MST) with Rose Salomone, Malheur ESD & Jacoby Hernandez, Nyssa SD

This hands-on session will help school secretaries, office managers, and data staff navigate Synergy and make the most of its tools and features. Participants will explore basic navigation, new and updated features, and practical tools such as permission slips. The session will focus on tips and resources that can be applied to everyday school office and data tasks. 

Building Metalinguistic and Cross-Linguistic Awareness by Looking at the Levels of Language (Pre K-5)

9:00am-12:00pm (MST) with Shera Simpson, The Tandem Teachers

Strong biliteracy starts when students can step back and notice how language works. In this session we explore the levels of language, from sounds and words to sentences and whole texts, and how each level gives students a place to think about language and make comparisons across languages. Teachers leave with a clear sense of how to make metalinguistic and cross-linguistic connections in daily instruction.

Building a Caring Classroom/ Setting While Reducing Behaviors that Challenge Us

9:00am-12:00pm (MST) with Kelly Wilson, Marisco Institute for Early Learning

All children need and deserve early childhood environments and experiences that are nurturing, safe, predictable, and welcoming. This session will explore the Pyramid Model strategies that support social and emotional development for children, including strategies that build caring classrooms/settings and specific practices that reduce the behaviors that challenge us. In this interactive session, we will share an overview of five (5) key preventative practices that support all children and can be embedded into your daily activities in your classroom/setting. Participants will choose the strategies for a deeper dive. We will target the top three (3) strategies elevated by the participants. Additional resources will be provided for all strategies. 

Practical Strategies for Boosting Student Engagement

9:00am-12:00pm (MST) with John Spencer,  Spencer Education

Student engagement has always been challenging, but right now, many teachers are finding it harder than ever to get students to focus, participate, and stick with challenging work. In this workshop, we’ll use Schlechty’s Levels of Engagement to explore how we can increase both focus and commitment. We’ll examine practical ways to reduce cognitive load while designing for deeper learning through curiosity, problem-solving, collaboration, and self-direction. Participants will walk away with practical strategies for creating the conditions for deeper, more sustained engagement. 

Developing Conceptual Understanding of Fractions and Decimals for Grades 3-5

9:00am-12:00pm (MST) with Scott Curran,  Achievement Essentials

Through intentional instruction that focuses on conceptual understanding, evidence of learning, and problem solving in authentic real-world contexts, students will achieve at high levels both within and beyond elementary school. However it is common that teachers find fraction and decimal work can be particularly challenging for many students in grades 3-5. If students possess clarity related to vocabulary, possess deep understanding of the meaning of previously learned math operations, and see the connection between fractions and decimals, this content will become far more intuitive and accessible to all students.  

Click below to view full session description.

The 8 Minute Mile!

9:00am-12:00pm (MST) with Joel Williams, Retired Educator FHS

Pacing and the Pursuit of Purposeful and Positive Rehearsals in the Music Classroom

How do we make the most of every minute in the music classroom? The 8 Minute Mile! explores the connection between pacing, classroom management, and purposeful rehearsal to help music educators create more productive, positive, and engaging learning environments.

This session will take a practical look at why students are in the music classroom, how to keep them actively engaged, and how intentional pacing can transform a rehearsal. Joel will share strategies for classroom management, efficient transitions, student engagement, and the importance of “talking less and teaching more.” Participants will consider how small changes in the way we structure rehearsals, give directions, and use instructional time can lead to greater student ownership and more meaningful musical experiences.

Whether you are a new music teacher or a seasoned director looking for ways to sharpen your rehearsal practice, this session will provide practical ideas you can take back to your classroom immediately.

Beyond the Gap: Creating a Path from Access to Academic to Academic Excellence for Every Student

9:00am-12:00pm (MST) with Angela Allen, ODE

Pacing and the Pursuit of Purposeful and Positive Rehearsals in the Music Classroom

Participants will examine key barriers to closing opportunity, achievement, and excellence gaps through research-based instructional practices. Designed to elevate outcomes for all learners, this interactive session models practical strategies while offering dedicated space for discussion and reflection.

Key Topics Included:

• Mathematical practices and student agency

• "Different" vs. differentiated Depth of Knowledge (DOK)

• Formative assessment as an ongoing process

• Learning acceleration vs. grade retention

• Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)

Creating Safety & Connection: Supporting Children Impacted by Trauma

9:00am-12:00pm (MST) with Megan VanZelf & Melissa Wieland, CASA & Lifeways

Participants will will discuss how to support children through a trauma-informed lens. Topics will include trauma, attachment, ACEs and PCEs, building resilience and safety, and practical ways to respond and support children who disclose abuse or neglect. This will be an interactive class featuring discussion, case studies, and opportunities to apply trauma-informed strategies to real-world situations. 

Unlock Your Creativity with Canva

9:00am-12:00pm (MST) with Janice Wintermyer, Canva Education

In this session, participants will take a deep dive into Canva. We will engage in hands on activities and explore how you can use Canva to create teaching materials as well as for meaningful student projects. Through design practice, participants will gain a better understanding of how intuitive Canva is and will feel confident creating materials for the classroom. 

Click below to view full session description.

Traumatic Brain Injury Workshop

10:00-11:30am (MST) with Melaney Grenz, M.S, CCC-SLP, U of O 

Session description coming soon.

Improving IEP Quality- Training and Practical Application

9:00am-12:00pm (MST) with Sara Byrne, Malheur ESD

Join us for a focused, hands-on training designed for current Special Education Teachers and Administrators. We’ll review the key areas that continue to have the most findings in the Monitoring cycles. 

• Prior Written Notice

• Measurable Annual Goals

• Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP)

• Secondary Transition 

The end of the session will focus on Secondary Transition, with discussion around Agency Participation and Measurable Post-Secondary Goals, plus a helpful Transition Checklist you can take with you. During the session, you’ll have time to:

• Review sample IEPs 

• Practice improving sample IEP sections

• Practical Application on current IEP 

Click below to view full session description.

2-5 Writing about Reading Workshop with Yolanda

1:00-4:00pm (MST) with Yolanda Westerberg, Westerberg & Associates

Presented by Yolanda Westerberg, This professional learning series is designed to support elementary educators in effectively preparing students for state assessments by embedding purposeful reading and writing practice throughout the entire school year. Rather than relying on short-term test prep, this training focuses on building sustainable instructional routines that deepen students’ skills in informative and opinion reading and writing.

A key focus of this series is strengthening students’ ability to successfully respond to Short
Constructed Responses (SCR) and Extended Constructed Responses (ECR). Educators will learn how to scaffold student thinking, guide evidence-based responses, and build stamina for longer, more complex writing tasks.

Click below to view full session description.

First Aid / CPR & Stop the Bleed

1:00-4:00pm (MST) with EOCCR Staff, Malheur ESD

This in-person session will provide CPR and First Aid certification / recertification through the Health & Safety Institute as well as Stop the Bleed training.  

Building Bridges through Traveling Anchor Charts &  (Pre K-5)

1:00-4:00pm (MST) with Shera Simpson, The Tandem Teachers

We will take a look at two strategies for making cross-linguistic connections: Linking Moments and Traveling Anchor Charts. This is a working session, so come with lesson plans or a unit you are teaching soon. You will find where to incorporate these strategies in your plans and build the anchor charts, prompts, and student tools that bring them to life. Participants will leave with materials to use right away with students. 

Section 504 Internal Audit Workshop

1:00-4:00pm (MST) with Miranda Peters, ODE

Participants are encouraged to bring their Section 504 procedural handbooks or guides, devices that allow them onto district data dashboards and/or student information systems, samples of 504 Plans, course catalogues, etc.

• What may be included in a district’s internal Section 504 audit 

• Using data to determine the effectiveness of Section 504 programs and processes

• Reviewing Section 504 procedural handbooks for compliance

• Action planning when Section 504 audits uncover areas for growth

Count Me In

1:00-4:00pm (MST) with Dr. Bethany Greenwalt and Dr. Adam Hanan, BSU

Experience how choral counting connects foundational ideas to middle school mathematics and get every student thinking. You’ll leave with practical ideas you can use on Monday…you can count on it. 

Organ Donation Education Made Easy: A Ready-to-Use Curriculum for Oregon Teachers

1:00-4:00pm (MST) with Sondra Tootell & Carolyn Williams, OHSU

Did you know organ, eye, and tissue donation education is required in Oregon high school health classes? Join Cascade Life Alliance to explore a free, ready-to-use curriculum designed to make teaching this important topic easy, engaging, and comfortable. You don’t need to be an expert—we’ll provide the tools, resources, and support you need to confidently bring the lesson into your classroom. 

Unlock Your Creativity with Canva

1:00-4:00pm (MST) with Janice Wintermyer,  Canva Education

In this session, participants will take a deep dive into Canva. We will engage in hands on activities and explore how you can use Canva to create teaching materials as well as for meaningful student projects. Through design practice, participants will gain a better understanding of how intuitive Canva is and will feel confident creating materials for the classroom. 

Click below to view full session description.

Building a Caring Classroom/Setting While Reducing Behaviors that Challenge Us

1:00-4:00pm (MST) with Kelly Wilson, Marisco Institute for Early Learning

All children need and deserve early childhood environments and experiences that are nurturing, safe, predictable, and welcoming. This session will explore the Pyramid Model strategies that support social and emotional development for children, including strategies that build caring classrooms/settings and specific practices that reduce the behaviors that challenge us. In this interactive session, we will share an overview of five (5) key preventative practices that support all children and can be embedded into your daily activities in your classroom/setting. Participants will choose the strategies for a deeper dive. We will target the top three (3) strategies elevated by the participants. Additional resources will be provided for all strategies. 

Start the Conversation: Turning YouScience Results Into Relationships & Impact

1:00-4:00pm (MST) with EOCCR Staff & Kevin Purnell, Malheur ESD

The afternoon session will provide administrators and staff with a deeper understanding of how to interpret and apply YouScience results. Participants will move beyond simply viewing data and explore how results can strengthen relationships, support more personalized conversations, and create meaningful connections between students, educators, families, careers, and future opportunities.

This session will also feature success stories and examples from schools that have successfully integrated YouScience into their student support, advising, career exploration, and career-connected learning efforts.

Click below to view full session description.

Bal-A-Vis-X - Building Focus, Coordination, and Connection Through Movement

1:00-4:00pm (MST) with Stacee Sanders, Fruitland SD

Bal-A-Vis-X is a series of simple, rhythmic movement exercises using beanbags and balls to develop balance, coordination, visual tracking, focus, and listening skills. Participants will experience activities that can be adapted for individual, partner, and group settings—no athletic ability required! The exercises encourage concentration, cooperation, self-challenge, and calm while giving students an engaging way to practice important skills through movement. Come ready to move, learn, and discover practical activities you can take back to your classroom. 

Early Literacy: Key Leadership Levers for HQIM Implementation & ODE pdates

1:00-4:00pm (MST) with Angelica Cruz, ODE

This session will provide school and district leaders with key leadership levers for supporting effective implementation of High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) in early literacy. Participants will also receive updates from ODE on literacy supports, including CBPL Summits and the ESD pilot, as well as the Early Literacy Success School District Grant updates, followed by an opportunity for Q&A.  

TAG Essentials: What if We've Been Thinking about TAG All Wrong?

1:00-4:00pm (MST) with Angela Allen, ODE

Participants will explore key aspects of Talented and Gifted (TAG) education, focusing on identification processes using local norms and typical classroom profiles of intellectually gifted versus academically talented students. The session will cover Oregon TAG statutes and rules, dispel common myths and misconceptions, historical (mis)practices, and guide educators on aligning identification methods with current district instructional services.

Key Topics Included:

• TAG identification using local norms

• Intellectually gifted vs. academically talented characteristics

• Oregon statutes and regulatory requirements for TAG services

• Common myths and misconceptions in TAG education

• Aligning student identification with targeted district services.  

Synergy for Teachers: Tips, Tools & New Features

1:00-4:00pm (MST) with Rose Salomone, Malheur ESD & Jacoby Hernande, Nyssa SD

This hands-on session will help K–12 teachers navigate Synergy and make the most of both familiar tools and new features. Participants will work directly in Synergy to explore Teacher View, seating charts, student information, and gradebook features. The focus will be on practical tools and tips teachers can use in their day-to-day work. 

Empowered Assessment

1:00-4:00pm (MST) with John Spencer, Spencer Education

Assessment isn’t merely something we give and take. It’s also something we do. In this interactive workshop, we’ll explore practical strategies for peer and self-assessment that help students develop metacognition and make their learning visible. We’ll examine protocols for reflection, feedback, goal-setting, and revision that are both feasible and customizable. Along the way, participants will think critically about the best times to use each strategy. You’ll leave with a flexible toolkit of assessment practices that empower students to own more of the process. This session is open to all K-12 educators. 

Developing Understanding of Place Value and Procedural Fluency for K-2 Students

1:00-4:00pm (MST) with Scot Curran, Achievement Essentials

Developing a deep understanding of place value and how to utilize this knowledge when problem-solving is a critical component of math instruction for all elementary educators. The alignment of representations and strategies across grade levels allows students to apply and extend their knowledge throughout their elementary experience, but only if we make this a priority ourselves. This session focuses upon analyzing the progression of math learning across grades K-2, while considering the implications of the three components of procedural fluency in order to develop thoughtful problem solvers rather than just answer finders in elementary math. 

McKinney-Vento: When Home Isn't Always Stable, School Will Be

1:00-4:00pm (MST) with Lexi Morales, ODE

Students navigating housing instability face significant barriers to educational access, school stability, and academic success. This session will provide an overview of the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, including the rights of children and youth and the responsibilities of school districts in ensuring immediate enrollment, school stability, transportation, and access to educational opportunities.

Participants will also explore promising practices that foster belonging, reduce barriers, strengthen cross-system collaboration, and improve outcomes for students and families experiencing housing instability. Through real-world examples and practical strategies, attendees will leave with tools to strengthen identification, support, and educational success for eligible students.

Click below to view full session description.

Building a Caring Classroom/Setting While Reducing Behaviors that Challenge Us

8:00-11:00am (MST) with Kelly Wilson, Marisco Institute for Early Learning

All children need and deserve early childhood environments and experiences that are nurturing, safe, predictable, and welcoming. This session will explore the Pyramid Model strategies that support social and emotional development for children, including strategies that build caring classrooms/settings and specific practices that reduce the behaviors that challenge us. In this interactive session, we will share an overview of five (5) key preventative practices that support all children and can be embedded into your daily activities in your classroom/setting. Participants will choose the strategies for a deeper dive. We will target the top three (3) strategies elevated by the participants. Additional resources will be provided for all strategies.