PDC Member Districts - $155.00 Non PD Co-op Districts $200.00 (lunch included on site) Participants should bring a fully charged device to this session. In every organization, team, and relationship, the ability to navigate tough conversations defines the difference between dysfunction and growth. The goal of this Administrator Academy is to equip participants with the tools, mindset, and courage to turn difficult conversations into defining moments of clarity, connection, and progress. This is an interactive academy facilitated by a certified Jon Gordon Companies trainer, Dr. Kelly D.  Stewart, IASA 2014 Illinois Superintendent of the Year, which focuses on two things: 1. Having the Conversations to Get Better 2. Getting Better at Having the Conversations There is some pre-work that is required to be completed prior to the event date (more information will be sent out closer to the event date).  Registration closes Monday, August 31 at 10:00am. Cancellations must be made prior to August 31 at 10:00am or the amount is non-refundable. PD or AA credit is available - the application/dissemination must be completed and submitted prior to departure on September 4, 2026.

Jim Kestner will present his nationally recognized program in a high-energy session dedicated to helping teachers in their early career years address a wide range of classroom management issues. Teachers who attend will find strategies that lead students to make good choices, replacing controlling behaviors with strategies that lead students to monitor and take responsibility for their own behavior. Specifically, the session will address the following: * Arranging the environment to improve student engagement * Developing and implementing effective classroom policies * Addressing common challenging behaviors * Difference between controlling behaviors and building good decision-making skills * Translating the concept of consistency to a variety of students and settings * Establishing a character-building classroom culture * Teaching self-respect, self-discipline, and responsibility * Self-esteem vs. self-respect * Grading systems that encourage student effort and engagement * Assessing student behavior * Parent and administrator involvement * Keeping and maintaining good records Registration closes 4-5 days prior to the event date. Time will be given for lunch (on your own).

Peg Grafwallner, M.Ed., is an Instructional Coach/Reading Specialist in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with nearly 30 years of experience. As an English teacher, at-risk educator, instructional coach and reading specialist, she has taught advanced English and developing readers. Currently, Peg collaborates with teachers to seamlessly embed literacy (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) into their discipline without disrupting the integrity of the content.

When collaborating with educators, Peg models, coaches, and assists teachers in creating comprehensive literacy lessons meant to enhance skill-building. As the parent of a son who was labeled “gifted-and-talented” and a daughter who received special education services, Peg offers a unique educational lens that focuses on supporting students of all abilities in realizing their potential in the classroom and beyond.

Peg is a blogger, author, national, and international presenter whose topics include coaching, literacy, pedagogy, and inclusion. Her articles have appeared in Exceptional Parent, The Illinois Reading Journal, The Missouri Reader, The Wisconsin English Journal, and the WSRA Journal. She has written for several websites and blogs including: Edutopia, Cult of Pedagogy, Education Week’s Q&A with Larry Ferlazzo, and many more. She has also appeared on numerous podcasts including: Anchored in Education with Dr. E. Scott England, Class Tech Tips with Dr. Monica Burns, Cult of Pedagogy with Jen Gonzalez, and several others.

 Peg is the author of Lessons Learned from the Special Education Classroom: Creating Opportunities for All Students to Listen, Learn and Lead; Ready to Learn: The FRAME Model for Optimizing Student Success; Not Yet … And That’s Ok: How Productive Struggle Fosters Student Learning and most recently, Clearing the Path for Developing Learners: Essential Literacy Skills to Support Achievement in Every Content Area.

Peg received a bachelor’s degree in English from Cardinal Stritch University and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, a mentoring certification, and an alternative education certification from Marian College. In addition, she earned a reading specialist certification from UW-Milwaukee.

Peg Grafwallner was named one of the 20 best teacher bloggers in 2017 by KQED.

• Time will be given for lunch (on your own).

Who should attend? Instructional Coaches, Reading Specialists, RTI/MTSS Coordinators, Curriculum Directors, 4-12 General & Special Educators   Registration closes September 2, 2026 at 12:00pm.

PDC Member District $350.00, Non PDC Member $375.00 (lunch is included on site both days) To be eligible to attend, each participant (initial or retraining) must complete and submit ISBE-required pre-work at least 72 hours (September 4, 2026 3:00pm) before the training. Registrants will receive handouts and detailed instructions for the pre-work at least one week prior to the workshop.  Participants will need to bring a fully charged laptop to this academy.  Dr. Gary Kelly will be facilitating this session as attendees will synthesize the School Leader Paradigm to understand the personal intelligences, knowledge, and skills necessary for school leaders to effectively lead a learning organization.  Participants will evaluate the research base to communicate the impact that effective school leaders have on a learning organization; analyze the School Leader Evaluation Plan to discern how the process grows school leaders' personal intelligences and leadership skills that actualize school improvement and student growth goals; and critique Professional Practice and Student Growth Cycles of Inquiry to assess the approaches of each to a school's Problems of Practice. The Illinois Performance Evaluation Advisory Council (PEAC) selected the School Leader Evaluation Plan as the state’s new default principal and assistant principal evaluation plan beginning July 1, 2024. Developed by the Illinois Principals Association in collaboration with 13 other state principals’ associations from across the United States, the School Leader Evaluation Plan (based on the School Leader Paradigm) was developed to assist school districts with the implementation of a school leader evaluation system that is relevant and useful. While Illinois school districts have the opportunity to choose whether to adopt the School Leader Evaluation Plan to evaluate their principals and assistant principals, the state-required principal and assistant principal evaluator training has been rewritten and will focus on the School Leader Evaluation Plan. Starting on July 1, 2024, this two-day, in-person academy (AA#4050) will serve as the official training for educators seeking initial training qualification or retraining to be legally qualified to conduct evaluations of principals and assistant principals. The previous principal evaluator training (#2000, #1865, and #3000) will be discontinued as of June 30, 2024. Registration closes September 1 at 10:00am. Cancellations must be made on or before September 1 at 10:00am or the amount will be non-refundable.  

Monday, Sept. 14, Sept. 21, Sept. 28 & Oct. 5 - 4:00-5:00 PM State standards require teachers at nearly all grade levels to ensure that students learn to write narratives, informational, and argumentative/opinion pieces.  The standards, however, don’t explain how to reach those goals. K-12 teachers and students need a roadmap, and that’s just what The Writing Revolution (TWR)—also known as The Hochman Method—provides.  This 2024 update to the 2017 original discusses deliberate practice of specific techniques (including some connections to grammar too).  The Writing Revolution’s method enables educators to teach writing skills and content simultaneously. There’s no separate writing class. Teachers of all subjects adapt the strategies and activities to preexisting curriculum and weave them into their content instruction.  Join Jennifer Jacknewitz, Belleville #118 Literacy Instructional Coach, who will facilitate virtual meetings to discuss what we have learned.   Who should attend?  General and special education teachers of all subjects and instructional coaches.  Participants must attend all 4 sessions and complete the required reflections and activities to earn the full 12 pd hours; partial pd hours will not be issued.  If you are not able to attend all 4 sessions, please do not register.  Attendees will have to purchase a copy of the book independently; however, the ROE will be raffling off several free copies. Registration closes September 4, 2026 at 10:00am unless it sells out (participants will be notified on this day if they have won a copy of the book; if attendees who receive the book do not successfully complete the requirements, the cost of the book must be reimbursed to the ROE.) Cancellations must be made no later than September 8, 2026 at 10:00am. The Google Meet link will be emailed prior to the first session; the reading schedule will be discussed then as well.

Join ISBE for an interactive professional learning workshop focused on moving beyond assessment scores to a deeper understanding of what student performance reveals about learning expectations and opportunities to learn. Rather than focusing solely on numerical results from the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) and Illinois Science Assessment (ISA), participants will explore how Illinois' Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) can help educators interpret assessment results in terms of the knowledge, skills, and practices students demonstrate at each performance level. Developed by Illinois educators and aligned to the Illinois Learning Standards, the PLDs can serve as a bridge between statewide assessment results and classroom instruction. Through guided activities and collaborative discussion, participants will examine how PLDs can be used alongside classroom assignments and tasks, local assessments, and other sources of student learning to build a more comprehensive understanding of student achievement and the instructional landscape that helped shape that achievement. The workshop will emphasize the role of summative assessment as one source of evidence within a coherent system of standards, curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Participants will learn how to interpret IAR and ISA results to reflect on the learning opportunities that students experienced, identify strengths and gaps in instructional systems, and consider how curriculum, instruction, and supports can be refined to better meet the needs of future students. To maximize impact, districts and schools are encouraged to send educators who are not only eager to learn but also well-positioned to share their learning with colleagues, helping build a common understanding of how PLDs can inform practice across classrooms. Teams are encouraged to bring a minimum of two years of IAR and ISA reports to support hands-on exploration and discussion. Participants will leave with practical strategies for using PLDs and assessment evidence to foster meaningful conversations about student learning, instructional improvement, and alignment to grade-level expectations. Multiple locations will be offered, but the materials presented will be the same across all sessions.  A light breakfast and lunch will be provided to attendees. Registration closes 4 days before the event. edCount Presenters: Dr. Melissa Fincher  &  Bill Herrera

Discover the 7 Commitments that great teams must make to build trust, foster connection, overcome adversity, and achieve extraordinary success. The 7 Commitments of a Great Team is an interactive program facilitated by Dr. Kelly D.  Stewart, IASA 2014 Illinois Superintendent of the Year,that gives leaders and teammates the tools they need to build a great team together. Participants will learn: 

• The secret to building unshakable trust.
• Why positive leadership is the competitive advantage. 
• The best way to hold your team accountable. 
• The formula for giving your best. 
• How to turn challenges and change into growth. 
• The mindset shift that leads to long-term success

Registration closes 4-5 days prior to the event date. Note: any/all leaders may attend this session, it is not limited to just building principals.

Ready to transform your classroom into an interactive learning adventure? This workshop, facilitated by Emily Flach, from the Illinois LTC, will explore the powerful impact of integrating game elements into your teaching. We'll demystify the difference between gamification (adding game-like elements to existing lessons, like points and badges) and game-based learning (using actual games as the core instructional tool, like simulations or role-playing). Discover how both approaches can boost student motivation, foster collaboration, and enhance learning outcomes across any subject area, K-12. We'll delve into the psychology behind these strategies and explore practical tools and platforms that can help you implement them effectively. Leave inspired and equipped with actionable strategies to introduce game-based principles into your daily lessons, making learning more fun and effective for everyone. Participants should bring a fully charged device to this session.   Registration closes 4-5 days prior to the event date.

Discover the 7 Commitments that great teams must make to build trust, foster connection, overcome adversity, and achieve extraordinary success. The 7 Commitments of a Great Team is an interactive program facilitated by Dr. Kelly D.  Stewart, IASA 2014 Illinois Superintendent of the Year,that gives leaders and teammates the tools they need to build a great team together. Participants will learn:

• The secret to building unshakable trust.
• Why positive leadership is the competitive advantage.
• The best way to hold your team accountable.
• The formula for giving your best.
• How to turn challenges and change into growth.
• The mindset shift that leads to long-term success

Registration closes 4-5 days prior to the event date. Note: any/all leaders may attend this session, it is not limited to just building administrators or directors.