County Institute: Putting Our Best Foot Forward: Building on Shared and Diverse Experiences in the Art Classroom
2026-10-09 08:30 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | Shiloh Middle School
This free session will be held at Shiloh Middle School (art room) 1 Wildcat Cross Shiloh, IL 622269. In this learning session, art teachers will gather to share, discuss, and shamelessly steal one another’s best trade secrets in order to improve one another’s classroom practices. All participants will create their own needle felted artwork for part of the session, collaborate with art teachers from all grade levels in other schools, and take home ideas and tricks that can be utilized immediately in their own classrooms. Learning will be led by Dr. Jennifer Fisher, Associate Teaching Professor of Art Education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Registration closes October 5 at 10:00am.

Advanced Classroom Management
2026-10-19 08:30 - 15:00 | St. Clair County ROE
Jim Kestner will present his nationally recognized program in a high-energy session dedicated to helping experienced teachers 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:
* What teachers should know about teaching Generation Z
* Developing character-based discipline
* Addressing common challenging behaviors
* Difference between controlling behaviors and building good decision-making skills
* Consistency
* Developing and implementing effective classroom policies
* Establishing a character-building classroom environment
* 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

Registration closes 4-5 days prior to the event date – time will be given for lunch (on your own).

MasteryPrep’s Unofficial Teacher’s Guide to the ACT for Math and Science Teachers
2026-10-20 08:30 - 11:30 | St. Clair County ROE
This same session was presented virtually in January of 2026.
Gain a deeper understanding of the new Enhanced ACT through the lens of MasteryPrep’s Mastery Pyramid!
Math and Science teachers will explore how to make ACT prep a natural part of the classroom culture through micro-practices, subject-specific strategy lessons, and isolated skill review.
Subject-specific cohorts will collaborate to develop a Time, Test, and Content Mastery ACTion Plan for immediate classroom implementation.
Each participant will receive a copy of MasteryPrep’s Unofficial Teacher’s Guide to the ACT workbook and access to printable lesson plans and resources.

Registration closes September 28, 2026 at 10:00am to allow ample time to order and ship the manuals.

MasteryPrep’s Unofficial Teacher’s Guide to the ACT: A Closer Look at Math and Science Content Mastery
2026-10-20 12:00 - 15:00 | St. Clair County ROE
MasteryPrep’s Unofficial Teacher’s Guide to the ACT: a closer look at Math and Science Content Mastery
Educators who have participated in either the virtual (January 2026) or in-person (October 20, 2026 8:30am-11:30am) MasteryPrep Unofficial Teacher’s Guide to the ACT workshop are invited to take a closer look at Content Mastery in this afternoon PD session!
Math and Science teachers will walk in their students’ shoes with a mini test experience, learn how to analyze ACT questions by task and isolated skill, and discuss how and when strategies can be effective.
Cohorts will look closely at the tiered isolated skills of their subject area and decide which skills should be covered in the ACTion plan.
Time wil be reserved for individual and team planning with the available consultation of our MasteryPrep presenter.
Remember to bring your MasteryPrep’s Unofficial Teacher’s Guide to the ACT workbooks!

Registration closes September 28. 2026 at 10:00am in order to have ample time to order/ship the manuals.

MasteryPrep’s Unofficial Teacher’s Guide to the ACT for ELA Teachers
2026-10-21 08:30 - 11:30 | St. Clair County ROE
This same session was presented virtually in January of 2026. Gain a deeper understanding of the new Enhanced ACT through the lens of MasteryPrep’s Mastery Pyramid! ELA teachers will explore how to make ACT prep a natural part of the classroom culture through micro-practices, subject-specific strategy lessons, and isolated skill review. Subject-specific cohorts will collaborate to develop a Time, Test, and Content Mastery ACTion Plan for immediate classroom implementation.
Each participant will receive a copy of MasteryPrep’s Unofficial Teacher’s Guide to the ACT workbook and access to printable lesson plans and resources.

Registration closes 9.28.26 at 10:00am to give ample time for ordering/shipping the manuals.

MasteryPrep’s Unofficial Teacher’s Guide to the ACT: A Closer Look at English and Reading Content Mastery
2026-10-21 12:00 - 15:00 | St. Clair County ROE
Educators who have participated in either the virtual (January 2026)or in-person (October 21, 2026 8:30am-11:30am) MasteryPrep Unofficial Teacher’s Guide to the ACT workshop are invited to take a closer look at Content Mastery in this afternoon PD session!
ELA teachers will walk in their students’ shoes with a mini test experience, learn how to analyze ACT questions by task and isolated skill, and discuss how and when strategies can be effective. Cohorts will look closely at the tiered isolated skills of their subject area and decide which skills should be covered in the ACTion plan. Time will be reserved for individual and team planning with the available consultation of our MasteryPrep presenter.
Remember to bring your MasteryPrep’s Unofficial Teacher’s Guide to the ACT workbooks!

Registration closes 9.28.26 at 10:00am to provide ample time to order/ship the manuals.

AA # 1801 Evaluator Retraining: Gathering Evidence During Observations & Conferencing Using the Danielson Model
2026-10-22 08:30 - 15:00 | St. Clair County ROE
PD Co-op Member District $185.00, Non PD Co-op District $200.00 (lunch included on site) This course will allow participants to learn effective skills and strategies for using Charlotte Danielson’s Instructional Framework in an evaluation setting in order to more effectively: 1. Identify evidence at the component level during formal and informal observations; 2. Use evidence, with minimal bias, to effectively rate staff on the levels of performance for each component in domains 2 and 3; 3. Increase inter-rater reliability in all phases of the evaluation process; 4. Acquire strategies to support effective collaborative conferencing around formal and informal observations; and 5. Learn techniques, strategies, and protocols to use when conferencing with staff to promote improvement in instructional practice. Attendees will need to bring a fully charged device to this academy. The application/dissemination must be submitted prior to departure on 10.22.26. Registration closes Friday, October 16 at 10:00am. Cancellations must be made by Friday, October 16 at 10am or the amount is non-refundable.

A Deep Dive into Section 504: Developing a Defensible Plan
2026-10-22 08:30 - 15:00 | St. Clair County ROE
This session will take a deep dive into the identification, eligibility, and legal factors in maintaining compliance with Section 504 in the school environment. Critical issues and practices will be outlined as it pertains to avoiding discrimination and developing Section 504 Plans that are comprehensive and appropriate.
Dr. Sepiol has had a variety of careers in education, including serving as a special education teacher, building principal, assistant director in a special education cooperative, legal counsel for parents in special education matters, due process hearing officer, and legal counsel for school districts throughout the state of Illinois. Dr. Sepiol is a nationally recognized speaker on issues involving special education law, disability rights, and student issues. Dr. Sepiol has also served as an adjunct professor in various universities where she has focused her coursework on special education and the law. She earned her education degree and law degree from Loyola University and her doctoral degree in educational leadership from National Louis University. She is a member of the Illinois Bar Association and has served on the Illinois Council of School Attorney’s Committees on Special Education and the No Child Left Behind Act. Ms. Sepiol is the author of Section 504: A Legal Guide for Educators: Practical Applications for Essential Compliance (PESI, 2015), copies of this book will be raffled off in this session.

Registration closes October 16, at 10:00am.

Alleviating Anxiety in the Classroom
2026-10-27 08:30 - 15:00 | St. Clair County ROE
Anxiety is a major issue inside and outside the classroom. Join Dr. Brandy Hempen in examining different ways to address anxiousness and strategies that can be used to reduce and even prevent it from occurring in the first place. All grade levels and subject areas will benefit from this workshop because the strategies are open-ended and widespread in their use. Classroom management techniques are highlighted in a way to surely help your students better navigate difficult or uncomfortable situations with confidence.
Registration closes 4-5 days prior to the event date.

AI for Social Studies: Navigating Narratives & Building Citizens in Grades 5-12 (Virtual)
2026-10-27 13:00 - 15:30
This free virtual workshop, facilitated by Emily Flach of the Illinois LTC, is for Social Studies teachers ready to harness AI for critical inquiry and dynamic engagement. Get hands-on with AI to differentiate primary source analysis, generate diverse perspectives on complex events, create interactive “interviews” with historical figures, and simulate civic dilemmas and debates. Discover practical ways AI can deepen disciplinary concepts and inquiry skills by helping students identify issues, pose questions, and weigh evidence. Critically, we’ll address AI’s profound impact on media literacy, examining how it can both democratize information and inadvertently shape historical and civic narratives. You’ll gain strategies to empower students to critically evaluate AI-generated information, identify bias, promote academic integrity, and protect data, leaving you with actionable ideas to transform your classroom. A virtual link will be sent out prior to the event date. Registration closes 4-5 days prior to the event unless tickets are sold out.

K-12 Administrator Breakaway: Navigating Life as a School Leader
2026-10-29 08:30 - 12:00 | St. Clair County ROE
In this administrator breakaway session, Chicago principal Jason Major leads a morning of reflection and practical learning for school and district leaders. Participants will explore ready-to-use reflective tools and strategies designed to help leaders pause, clarify priorities, and sustain a healthy leadership pace throughout the school year. This session has been described as…”exactly what I needed today.”
Targeted audience: Administrators, Department Chairs, Directors/Supervisors, anyone in a school leadership position.
Registration closes Friday, October 23 at 10:00am.

Effectively Managing Difficult Conversations in a Leadership Role
2026-11-05 08:30 - 10:30 | St. Clair County ROE
Effective communication is a cornerstone of effective leadership. This session will focus on helping administrators, and other leaders, create an effective, productive, and positive framework for engaging in difficult conversations. Whether it be in person, on the phone, or through email, specific strategies and real-life examples will be shared to help increase confidence and lower stress while most effectively engaging with colleagues, parents, students, and others. These practical strategies, shared by veteran administrator Rich Bickel, have been proven to foster effective communication, promote a positive school climate, and best of all can be implemented immediately.

Registration closes 4-5 days prior to the event date.

K-12 AP/Dean/Director Breakaway - Shaping Teachers’ Perspectives for Positive Classroom Management: Promoting a Culture That Builds Respect, Discipline, and Responsibility
2026-11-17 08:30 - 12:00 | St. Clair County ROE
Administrators face a variety of challenges related to classroom management, including not only student behavior, but also teacher consistency and support, diversity, parental involvement, technology, and more. Jim Kestner will bring his nationally recognized perspectives in this session titled: Shaping Teachers’ Perspectives for Positive Classroom Management: Promoting a Culture That Builds Respect, Discipline, and Responsibility. Jim will share strategies in this interactive session that are related to effective classroom management, student character, and school culture that encourages administrators and/or any leader to share challenges and solutions in a dynamic setting that focuses on perspectives that encourage teachers to support and adopt school-wide perspectives while retaining their own individual freedoms. The result is a school culture that encourages problem-solving, community, and consistency essential for students’ personal and academic development.
This session is not just for AP’s, Deans or Directors – we encourage behavior interventionists, social workers, etc or related support personnel who feels this session would be beneficial to attend!
Registration closes 4-5 days prior to the session.

Walking in Their Shoes: Navigating Parent Personalities with Confidence
2026-11-18 08:30 - 11:30 | St. Clair County ROE
Parent-teacher relationships can make or break the classroom experience. In this engaging session, we’ll examine common parent archetypes through a creative lens, helping educators better understand behaviors, motivations, and communication styles. Participants will leave with actionable tools to respond effectively, set boundaries, and foster collaboration—even in challenging situations.
Registration closes 4-5 days prior to the event date.

K-12 Social Worker Symposium: The Ethics of Self-Care
2026-11-19 08:30 - 11:30 | St. Clair County ROE
On June 1, 2021, substantive changes went into effect in NASW’s Code of Ethics regarding the imperative of self-care. As licensed social workers and mental health professionals, we have an ethical responsibility to engage in effective self-care, both professionally and personally.
This workshop, led by Amy Maus, MSW, LCSW of West County Psychological Associates, will review these changes in the Code of Ethics and explore various strategies of self-care that social workers and other helping professionals can utilize for themselves as well as employ with those we serve. Using the Wheel of Self-Care, we will discuss effective strategies for physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and professional self-care. Participants will be invited to share helpful resources and effective self-care strategies that they use personally and in their own practice settings.

CEU or pd hours are available. Registration for this session will close Friday, November 13 at 12:00pm.

K-12 Behavior Interventionist/Coach Roundtable
2026-11-19 13:00 - 15:30 | St. Clair County ROE
Join Michael Horton, M.S., BCBA, LBA-IL Southern Illinois Autism Coach from Illinois State University in this free roundtable. Mike will share information and a plethora of resources regarding the Autism Professional Learning and Universal Supports (A+) and Center for Intensive Behavioral Supports (CIBS) projects which are funded through the Illinois state Board of Education and housed at Illinois State University. During our time together, our team will provide background on why and how the projects came to be, offer an overview of the services and supports available through each project, and allow time for you to explore the resources.The Autism Professional Learning and Universal Supports (APLUS) project focuses on building educator capacity through professional development, coaching, and practical autism evidence-based tools. APLUS supports the implementation of evidence-based practices to improve educational outcomes for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) across Illinois.The Center for Intensive Behavioral Supports (CIBS) project provides targeted training and resources to help school teams reduce the use of restraint and time out. CIBS emphasizes proactive, evidence-based approaches to addressing challenging behaviors, with the goal of fostering safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environments for students with intensive behavioral needs.

Registration will close 4-5 days prior to the event date.

K-12 Administrator Breakaway
2026-12-01 08:30 - 11:30 | St. Clair County ROE
This breakaway we will have Emily Flach (Regional Educational Technology Coordinator from the Illinois Learning Technology Center) present a free session on “The Day the Internet Dies: Keep Your K-12 Building Running Amidst a Cyber Attack.” In an age where connectivity is vital, the possibility of a cyber attack crippling the internet infrastructure is a growing threat. This workshop provides essential strategies to maintain your building’s operations in the face of such an incident. What if your teachers have non-digital resources and textbooks? What if you’re hit by a cyber attack during state testing? Learn actionable steps to ensure the continuity of critical services like communication, instruction, and student safety during an internet outage caused by a cyber event. Participants will gain insights into offline communication protocols, data backup solutions, emergency power plans, and other best practices to safeguard operations and minimize downtime. Who should attend? Administrators in any capacity! Participants should bring a fully charged device to this session. After this session, we will debrief with IARSS, ISBE and local district updates.

Classroom Management Techniques
2027-01-28 08:30 - 15:00 | St. Clair County ROE
Effective classroom management is essential to creating an environment where students can thrive. In this workshop, Dr. Brandy Hempen shares practical strategies for strengthening K-8 classroom management, with a focus on everyday procedures, smooth transitions, purposeful instructional strategies, and proactive behavior support.
Registration closes 4-5 days prior to the event.

Reading Strategies and Resources to Increase Student Achievement
2027-02-02 08:30 - 15:00 | St. Clair County ROE
Join Dr. Brandy Hempen, in this virtual, self-paced workshop reviewing different strategies and resources to increase K-8 student achievement in reading. Real classroom videos, classroom discussions, and student examples are embedded throughout this workshop discussing the following topics: Increasing fluency and comprehension Incorporating ready-to-use reading resources Reaching struggling readers Differentiating reading lessons Implementing classroom management strategies Managing daily classroom procedures Setting classroom expectations Creating meaningful, standards-based assessments

Registration closes 4-5 days prior to the event date.

K-12 Principal Breakaway – Shaping Teachers’ Perspectives for Positive Classroom Management: Promoting a Culture That Builds Respect, Discipline, and Responsibility
2027-02-03 08:30 - 12:00 | St. Clair County ROE
Administrators face a variety of challenges related to classroom management, including not only student behavior, but also teacher consistency and support, diversity, parental involvement, technology, and more. Jim Kestner will bring his nationally recognized perspectives in this session titled: Shaping Teachers’ Perspectives for Positive Classroom Management: Promoting a Culture That Builds Respect, Discipline, and Responsibility. Jim will share strategies in this interactive session that are related to effective classroom management, student character, and school culture that encourages administrators and/or any leader to share challenges and solutions in a dynamic setting that focuses on perspectives that encourage teachers to support and adopt school-wide perspectives while retaining their own individual freedoms. The result is a school culture that encourages problem-solving, community, and consistency essential for students’ personal and academic development.
This session is not just for Principals – we encourage behavior interventionists, social workers, etc or related support personnel who feels this session would be beneficial to attend!
Registration closes 4-5 days prior to the session.
