Parents who work in education often carry two full-time roles: supporting students all day and caring for their own families at home. Over time, this constant giving creates a burnout loop: pushing through exhaustion, feeling guilty for being depleted, and continuing to overextend because it feels like the only option. In this session, participants will learn how to break that loop through three key shifts: awareness, interruption, and identity. Attendees will hear insights and real-world reflections from Erin Shook, a veteran educator and mom of four who has lived this cycle firsthand and supports other educator parents in creating more sustainable ways to work and live.   A virtual link will be shared with you prior to the event. Registration for this event closes Friday, November 6, 2026 at 4:00 p.m.

Christine Fine, an Employer Services Representative with IMRF, will facilitate this advisory roundtable designed to provide IMRF employers and members with information, resources, and an opportunity to ask questions about the IMRF retirement system and employer responsibilities. The session will include a review of Employer and Member Portal resources, with discussion of timely topics such as wage reporting issues, forms, invoices and reports, hiring retirees, member-driven forms, and the retirement process and protocols. Christine will also provide general guidance on Tier 1 and Tier 2 retirement information, post-retirement employment rules, and where members and employers can access additional IMRF resources and support. The roundtable will provide an opportunity for participants to ask questions, share common concerns, and gain a better understanding of IMRF processes and resources. Participants are encouraged to bring questions and topics for discussion. Registration closes November 9 at 10:00 a.m.

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.

 

Registration closes on 11/16 at 3:30 p.m.

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.

Who should attend? Curriculum Directors, Instructional Coaches, Interventionists, Administrators and/or anyone responsible for organizing professional development and/or School Improvement days/goals. Focus: Intentional planning and alignment of time and priorities Aligned Standards: 1 – Mission, Vision & Improvement | 6 – Professional Capacity Maximize the impact of every meeting and professional learning experience. This session introduces backward design as a leadership strategy to align School Improvement Plans, staff meetings, and professional development. Participants will learn how to start with outcomes and design structures that ensure time is purposeful, efficient, and directly connected to student learning goals. Participants Will:

• Design meetings and PD with clear outcomes
• Align SIP goals to daily practices
• Create efficient, focused agendas and learning experiences

Registration closes December 2, 2026 at 10:00am.

Monday, January 25th, February 1st, & February 8th - 4:00-5:00 PM (Virtually) Looking for lesson activities and strategies to incorporate into your science curriculum? The Science Teacher’s Toolbox offers hundreds of research-based, student-friendly ideas aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. Hands-on activities, technology tips, and differentiable topics will be examined, including lab experiments, analyzing data, incorporation of literacy techniques, and more. Join Jennifer Jacknewitz, Belleville #118 Instructional Coach, who will facilitate virtual meetings to discuss what we have learned over three weeks this winter. Who should attend? General and special education teachers of grades 4-8 who teach science. Participants must attend all 3 sessions and complete the required reflections and activities to earn the full 10 PD hours; partial PD hours will not be issued. If you cannot attend all 3 sessions, please do not register. Attendees must purchase a copy of the book independently; however, the ROE will raffle off some free copies to registrants at the close of registration. Registration closes on January 18, 2027. Cancellations must be made no later than 48 hours prior to the start of the study. The Google Meet link will be emailed prior to the first session; the reading schedule will be discussed then as well.

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.

Join us for another engaging K-12 RTI/MTSS Roundtable focused on collaboration, practical strategies, and meaningful discussion around current topics in education. Sara Lamb, MTSS Coordinator at Harmony-Emge Elementary School District, will kick off the session with a short demonstration of vertical boards before we transition into the day's discussion. Facilitators Erin Connolly and Charlene Heggemeir will guide another thought-provoking, collaborative conversation on a range of high-interest, relevant topics. Participants will also have an opportunity to collaborate with colleagues, share techniques, and exchange strategies that support student learning across instructional settings. Come ready to connect with colleagues, share ideas, and leave with practical takeaways to support your RTI/MTSS work! Registration for this event closes Feb. 1, 2027, at 3:00 p.m.

Care teams and problem-solving teams play an important role in identifying and supporting students who are experiencing academic, behavioral, or social-emotional difficulties—but without a clear process, meetings can easily become focused on discussing concerns rather than developing and evaluating solutions. Dr. Madison Fritsche of West County Psychological Associates will present this interactive session, where participants will learn a practical, data-driven framework for making care teams more effective and efficient. We will explore the purpose, structure, participants, and agenda of effective care teams; how to define student concerns using measurable data; and how to conduct root cause analysis to better understand why a student may be struggling. Participants will then work through the process of developing targeted interventions, assigning clear responsibilities, monitoring student progress, and using data to determine next steps. Throughout the session, we will also address strategies for increasing team efficiency, accountability, and follow-through so that care team meetings lead to meaningful action and improved student support. Intended Audience: School psychologists, school counselors, social workers, administrators, special education staff, teachers, interventionists, and other professionals who participate in student support or problem-solving teams. As always, CEUs are available.