This session will assist teachers in providing strong tiered vocabulary instruction. The tiers of vocabulary will be reviewed and participants will receive a copy of Isabel Beck’s book, Bringing Words to Life. Opportunities for continued learning will be provided through Zoom book study.
Dyslexia: This professional development session provides an in-depth understanding of dyslexia, including its definition, characteristics, and impact on learning. Participants will explore the neurological basis of dyslexia, common misconceptions and early identification.
Participants may complete online LETRS modules during this session to meet LETRS training requirements. Participants must bring their laptops and earbuds or headphones to individually complete online modules in a study hall format.
Participants may complete online LETRS modules during this session to meet LETRS training requirements. Participants must bring their laptops and earbuds or headphones to individually complete online modules in a study hall format.
This session will go over different talk move and collaboration strategies that can be used in the classroom. These strategies can be implemented in the classroom to hold academic discussions.
This session will build knowledge of the Indigenous people of Kansas to align with the new KSDE Indigenous studies components of the new KSDE social studies standards. Participants will learn how to incorporate Indigenous concepts into quality social studies instruction at the intermediate level. Content will focus on teaching In‘zhúje‘waxóbe, the Red Rocks, and Indegenous people of North America.
Assessment In this session, we will explore the QPA, math screeners, and comprehension passages, examining their roles in diagnosing student learning needs. We’ll discuss how these tools provide valuable insights to guide targeted interventions and improve student outcomes.
Monday April 28, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT French Middle School5257 SW 33rd St, Topeka, KS 66614
School improvement is not a one-time initiative—it’s a continuous process that requires strong leadership, strategic vision, and collaborative effort. This session will equip educational leaders with the tools and strategies needed to drive meaningful and sustainable school improvement.
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
PLCS: You've collected the data—now what? This interactive session will empower educators to move beyond data collection and dive into meaningful analysis that drives action. Participants will explore practical strategies for using student data to guide collaborative conversations within the PLC process, identify root causes of learning gaps, and plan targeted instruction that meets diverse student needs. Whether you're new to PLCs or looking to deepen your team's impact, you'll leave with tools, protocols, and a clear roadmap for turning data into results.
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.
🤔 Ever feel stuck asking the same old questions in class? Shake things up and elevate your students’ thinking with Diffit.me, your new AI-powered questioning assistant! In this dynamic 90-minute session, you'll explore how to craft questions that spark deeper thinking, promote rigorous student discussions, and empower your learners to generate their own challenging questions. Using the High-Level Questioning Rubric as your roadmap, you'll learn practical strategies to move from basic recall to rich analysis, synthesis, and evaluation—all with just a few clicks! 💻✨
Get hands-on practice, collaborate with colleagues, and walk away confident to immediately enhance student engagement and classroom dialogue. Ready to transform your classroom questions from good to GREAT? 🚀
Curriculum Technology Specialist, Topeka Public Schools
Travis True is an accomplished professional with a strong foundation in instructional design and development, e-learning, and curriculum development. With a career that spans over 20 years and various roles, including Technology Integration Specialist/Instructional Designer at Topeka... Read More →
Nursing Services will discuss topics related to the new Cardiac Emergency Response Plan and other topics that need to be addressed in the break out sessions with their Roving RNs.
This session is for current members of the Washburn Literacy Blueprint cohort. Participants will continue to work through course content focused on structured literacy and quality instruction.
Quality Instruction This professional development provides Intensive Instructional Classroom (IIC) teachers Paraprofessionals throughout the district with an opportunity to collaborate on strategies and best practices in supporting their students with complex needs
Quality Instruction: This session explores the powerful connection between teacher expectations and student achievement. Participants will examine how their beliefs about students influence the depth and rigor of questions posed in the classroom. The session will highlight what makes a question high level, how questioning impacts student thinking and discussion, and practical strategies for designing and using questions that push learning forward. Participants will leave with a toolbox of strategies to enhance and refine their questioning practices to deepen learning in their classroom.
This session will focus on Fundamental 4-Quality Instruction- and will be a deep dive into the lingering effects of COVID-19 on student learning and well-being, social emotional development with a focus on how educators may support recovery through qualitySEL instruction. Participants will gain an understanding of updated/current data regarding the impacts on learning after COVID-19, including the impact on mental health, cognitive impairments associated with long-COVID, and related issues such as problems with attention, and sleep disorders. Additional concerns include declines in working memory, language expression, overall executive function, central nervous system problems, brain fog, medical fatigue, heart issues, and overall cognitive decline as indicated in IQ tests. Our teams will explore next steps for recovery.
This session will focus on ways to help EL students cope with the current political climate and offer strategies for managing challenging behaviors while utilizing informal assessment methods to gauge students' learning and language needs on an ongoing basis.
Join us for a flexible, come-and-go professional development opportunity focused on Section 504 plans. This informal session is designed as a Q&A forum where counselors can bring their questions, clarify procedures, and explore practical scenarios related to 504 accommodations. A variety of helpful resources will be available to support your work, including quick reference guides, templates, and documentation tools you can take with you. Whether you're new to 504s or looking for a refresher, this is a great chance to connect, learn, and leave with ready-to-use materials.
Join us for a flexible, come-and-go professional development opportunity focused on Section 504 plans. This informal session is designed as a Q&A forum where counselors can bring their questions, clarify procedures, and explore practical scenarios related to 504 accommodations. A variety of helpful resources will be available to support your work, including quick reference guides, templates, and documentation tools you can take with you. Whether you're new to 504s or looking for a refresher, this is a great chance to connect, learn, and leave with ready-to-use materials.
Dyslexia: This professional development session will equip educators with practical strategies and accessible resources to effectively support students with dyslexia in the classroom. Participants will deepen their understanding of how dyslexia impacts learning and explore evidence-based approaches to enhance reading, writing, and overall academic achievement.
Quality Instruction Consistent instructional routines foster a structured yet flexible environment where students can engage deeply with content, think critically, and participate in meaningful discussions. In this session, we will explore high-impact routines and strategies that promote curiosity, student voice, and deeper learning across all content areas. You will leave with ready-to-use routines that enhance engagement and make learning more interactive and thought-provoking.
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 French Middle School5257 SW 33rd St, Topeka, KS 66614
Participants may complete online LETRS modules during this session to meet LETRS training requirements. Participants must bring their laptops and earbuds or headphones to individually complete online modules in a study hall format.
Participants may complete online LETRS modules during this session to meet LETRS training requirements. Participants must bring their laptops and earbuds or headphones to individually complete online modules in a study hall format.
The district will implement a Science of Reading rubric for the 2025-2026 school year, and we would like to gather feedback from educators. The rubric will be utilized as a walk-through tool and a self-reflection rubric. PARTICIPANTS WILL BE LIMITED TO 10 PEOPLE.
This session will go over different talk move and collaboration strategies that can be used in the classroom. These strategies can be implemented in the classroom to hold academic discussions.
Ci3T & Quality Instruction: In the ever-evolving landscape of education, resilience isn't just a nice-to-have — it's essential. This professional development session is designed for anyone seeking to strengthen their personal and professional resilience in the face of daily challenges. Through interactive discussions, reflective exercises, and evidence-based tools, participants will explore the impact of stress and trauma on adults, understand the science of regulation and co-regulation, and learn practical strategies to foster a culture of wellness, connection, and resilience. Participants will: -Gain a deeper understanding of the science behind adult resilience and emotional regulation -Explore tools for maintaining personal well-being and work-life balance -Learn techniques to build a resilient school culture and support colleagues -Engage in reflective practices to identify personal strengths and areas for growth
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
Ever feel like your students are lost in the fog when it comes to understanding lesson goals and expectations? Let's clear things up! Inspired by John Hattie's groundbreaking research, this hands-on session will show you how to transform confusing lessons into crystal-clear learning adventures using SchoolAI.com. You'll learn simple yet powerful strategies to craft precise learning intentions, develop student-friendly success criteria, and build interactive AI-powered resources that keep your students confidently on track. Leave the fog behind—it's time to get focused with SchoolAI!
Curriculum Technology Specialist, Topeka Public Schools
Travis True is an accomplished professional with a strong foundation in instructional design and development, e-learning, and curriculum development. With a career that spans over 20 years and various roles, including Technology Integration Specialist/Instructional Designer at Topeka... Read More →
PLCS: You've collected the data—now what? This interactive session will empower educators to move beyond data collection and dive into meaningful analysis that drives action. Participants will explore practical strategies for using student data to guide collaborative conversations within the PLC process, identify root causes of learning gaps, and plan targeted instruction that meets diverse student needs. Whether you're new to PLCs or looking to deepen your team's impact, you'll leave with tools, protocols, and a clear roadmap for turning data into results.
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.
This session will build knowledge of the Indigenous people of Kansas to align with the new KSDE Indigenous studies components of the new KSDE social studies standards. Participants will learn how to incorporate Indigenous concepts into quality social studies instruction at the intermediate level. Content will focus on teaching In‘zhúje‘waxóbe, the Red Rocks, and Indegenous people of North America.
This session will be for current Physical Education teachers PK-8 to get a chance to learn a new activity that combines 4 square and volley into one exciting activity!
