April 28 PD: Full Schedule

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8:00am CDT

(REQUIRED) Connecting the Dots: Aligning Strategic Plans, School Improvement, Accreditation, Ci3T, and PLCs for Student Success

Monday April 28, 2025 8:00am - 11:15am CDT

Each Building will host their own meeting

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This session will help staff make sense of how the many pieces of school improvement fit together by introducing the updated KESA accreditation model and examining how it aligns with the TPS Strategic Plan, Ci3T, and PLCs. Participants will learn how these systems are designed to support one another and create a unified approach to school improvement, accountability, and student success. Through collaborative learning and discussion, staff will explore how their current efforts contribute to the bigger picture, identify ways to strengthen alignment within their own roles, and reflect on next steps to support student learning and college and career readiness across the building.

Speakers

Building administrator

Monday April 28, 2025 8:00am - 11:15am CDT
Each Building will host their own meeting

Pre-K, All Staff | Elementary, All Staff | Secondary, All Staff

Grade Level Pre-K, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Audience Classroom teachers, Special Education Teachers, Instructional Coaches, Principals
Subject All
Area Instructional Strategies

12:30pm CDT

(CHOICE) Brain Games

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT

TWHS, C301

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Description Coming......

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT
TWHS, C301 2001 SW Fairlawn Rd, Topeka, KS 66604

Pre-K, Classroom Teachers, Special Education Teachers, Paraprofessionals | Elementary, Classroom Teachers, Special Education Teachers, Paraprofessionals | Secondary, Classroom Teachers, Special Education Teachers, Paraprofessionals

Grade Level Pre-K, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Audience Teachers Paraprofessionals
Subject All
Area Social/Emotional Learning

12:30pm CDT

(CHOICE) FBI- Looking for the Signs: Human Trafficking LIMITED

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT

TWHS, C305

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In this training, FBI experts will equip educators with the knowledge to recognize the signs of human trafficking in students and understand how traffickers target vulnerable youth. Participants will learn strategies for prevention, intervention, and how to respond appropriately to protect and support at-risk students

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT
TWHS, C305 2001 SW Fairlawn Rd, Topeka, KS 66604

Grade Level Pre-K, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Audience Teachers Paraprofessionals
Subject All
Area Social/Emotional Learning

12:30pm CDT

(CHOICE) Guiding the Future: Big Brother & Big Sister Mentoring LIMITED

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT

TWHS, C302

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This session will explore the impact of mentoring programs like Big Brother & Big Sister, focusing on building positive relationships, fostering resilience, and supporting student growth. Participants will learn effective mentoring strategies, how to create meaningful connections, and ways to empower young minds through guidance and encouragement.

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT
TWHS, C302 2001 SW Fairlawn Rd, Topeka, KS 66604

Grade Level Pre-K, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Audience Teachers Paraprofessionals
Subject All
Area Social/Emotional Learning

12:30pm CDT

(CHOICE) Legislative Adocacy LIMITED

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT

Bishop, Pierce

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Speakers

Jim Edwards

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT
Bishop, Pierce 3601 SW 31st St., Topeka, KS 66614

Pre-K, All Staff | Elementary, All Staff | Secondary, All Staff

Grade Level Pre-K, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Audience PK-12
Subject All
Area Leadership

12:30pm CDT

(INVITATION ONLY) Focus Group, New Teachers LIMITED

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT

Bishop, Curtis

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Speakers

Bret Church

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT
Bishop, Curtis 3601 SW 31st St., Topeka, KS 66614

Pre-K, New Teachers, Teachers 0-3 years | Elementary, New Teachers, Teachers 0-3 years | Secondary, New Teachers, Teachers 0-3 years

Grade Level Pre-K, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Audience New Teachers, 0-3 years
Subject All
Area Developing & Supporting Leaders

12:30pm CDT

(INVITATION ONLY) Focus Group, Teachers, Years 4-7 LIMITED

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT

Bishop, McKinley

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Speakers

Luke Simmering

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT
Bishop, McKinley 3601 SW 31st St., Topeka, KS 66614

Pre-K, Teachers, 4-7 years | Elementary, Teachers, 4-7 years | Secondary, Teachers, 4-7 years

Grade Level Pre-K, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Audience Focus Group, Teachers, Years 4-7
Subject All
Area Developing & Supporting Leaders

12:30pm CDT

(CHOICE) CER as a Formative Assessment LIMITED

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT

Topeka West - C306

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Balanced Assessment
The Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) framework is a powerful way to help students think critically, write clearly, and support their ideas with evidence. This interactive session will explore how CER can be used across all subjects as a meaningful formative assessment tool. Through hands-on activities and collaboration, participants will gain practical strategies to scaffold CER for diverse learners and apply it to their own classrooms. Expect to leave with fresh ideas and ready-to-use techniques to strengthen student reasoning and communication in any content area.

Speakers

Leslie Nelson

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT
Topeka West - C306 2001 SW Fairlawn Rd, Topeka, KS 66604

Secondary, Classroom Teachers, Special Education Teachers, Paraprofessionals

Grade Level 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Audience Teachers Paraprofessionals
Subject All
Area Instructional Strategies

12:30pm CDT

(CHOICE) Disciplinary Literacy: Tips and Tricks for Developing Students' Vocabularies LIMITED

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT

Topeka West D405

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Disciplinary Literacy: This session equips secondary educators with practical strategies for fostering robust vocabulary acquisition across all subject areas. Participants will explore discipline-specific lexical demands and learn to implement engaging, research-based techniques for vocabulary instruction. We will focus on integrating vocabulary development into existing curricula, ultimately enhancing student comprehension and academic success.

Speakers

Elissa Jones

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT
Topeka West D405 2001 SW Fairlawn Rd, Topeka, KS 66604

Secondary, Classroom Teachers, Special Education Teachers, Paraprofessionals

Grade Level 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Audience 6-12 Classroom Teachers
Subject All
Area Instructional Strategies

12:30pm CDT

(CHOICE) Growing Literacy Skills in All Classrooms LIMITED

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT

TWHS, S501

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Participants will unlock the power of literacy in a variety of contexts. We will explore the morphology of vocabulary, consider the types of skills students need to be literate in different subject areas, and choose texts with purpose for the content areas.

Speakers

Stacy Mitchell

Jerrett Strube

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT
TWHS, S501 2001 SW Fairlawn Rd, Topeka, KS 66604

Secondary, Classroom Teachers, Special Education Teachers, Paraprofessionals

Grade Level 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Audience Classroom Teachers, Special Education Teachers, Paraprofessionals
Subject All
Area Instructional Strategies

12:30pm CDT

Breaking the Lecture Cycle: Strategies to Boost Student Discussion and Collaboration LIMITED

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT

TWHS, B208

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In this interactive professional development session, teachers will explore common barriers that prevent the use of academic discussion and cooperative learning strategies in the classroom. Participants will engage in strategies they can take back and implement in their own classrooms—while collaboratively identifying solutions to these barriers.

Speakers

Dani Bergman

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT
TWHS, B208

Secondary, Classroom Teachers, Special Education Teachers, Paraprofessionals

Grade Level 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Audience 6-12 Classroom Teachers
Subject All
Area Instructional Strategies

12:30pm CDT

(CHOICE) Visible Learning

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 3:45pm CDT

Bishop, Garfield

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Speakers

Karen Flores

Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 3:45pm CDT
Bishop, Garfield 3601 SW 31st St., Topeka, KS 66614

Pre-K, All teachers | Elementary, All teachers | Secondary, All teachers

Grade Level Pre-K, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Audience All teachers
Subject All
Area Visible Learning

2:15pm CDT

(CHOICE) Higher-Order Questioning Make-it Take-it LIMITED

Monday April 28, 2025 2:15pm - 3:45pm CDT

FMS, Room J

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In this Make It, Take It session, you'll create Higher-Order Questioning Pull Sticks—a simple, interactive tool to encourage critical thinking and deeper
discussions in the classroom. Using these thought-provoking question stems, you can easily prompt students to engage in meaningful
conversations and analytical reasoning across subjects

Monday April 28, 2025 2:15pm - 3:45pm CDT
FMS, Room J 5257 SW 33rd St, Topeka, KS 66614

Elementary, Classroom Teachers, Special Education Teachers, Paraprofessionals

Grade Level 3, 4, 5
Audience Intermediate Teacers
Subject All
Area Visible Learning

2:15pm CDT

(CHOICE) Higher-Order Questioning Make-it Take-it LIMITED

Monday April 28, 2025 2:15pm - 3:45pm CDT

JES, Room H201

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Quality Instruction:
In this Make It, Take It session, you'll create Higher-Order Questioning Pull Sticks—a simple, interactive tool to encourage critical thinking and deeper
discussions in the classroom. Using these thought-provoking question stems, you can easily prompt students to engage in meaningful
conversations and analytical reasoning across subjects.

Speakers