MTSS Mini-Sessions: Building the Framework

This will be offered as a virtual mini-series for all IU11 teams participating in systemic supports, and any other IU11 schools interested. 

Goals: Support MTSS Teams in various stages of exploration to installation to implementation of MTSS across the IU11 catchment area with: 

• Conceptual and common understanding of MTSS as a prevention model
• Resources and support to establish and implement the infrastructure of an effective, functioning MTSS
• Moving toward the use of RTI methodology to identify specific learning disability (SLD)

Teams will have the opportunity to reflect upon their systems and establish and refine infrastructure to install and implement MTSS. 

All team members must register individually to receive Act 48 hours.  You must attend all sessions to receive full credit.  

August 16, 2024 11:00-12:00 - Overview of series, introduction to Response to Intervention (RTI) for SLD Determination Fidelity Tool, and action planning 

September 19, 2024 11:00-12:00 - PA Standards-Aligned, High-Quality Core Instruction 

October 17, 2024 11:00-12:00 - Universal Screening 

November 21, 2024 11:00-12:00  - Shared Ownership 

December 19, 2024 11:00-12:00 - Data-Based Decision Making 

January 16, 2025 2:00-3:00 - Responsiveness to Intervention 

February 20, 2025 11:00-12:00 - Family Engagement 

March 20, 2025 11:00-12:00 - RTI/SLD Eligibility Determination 

April 10, 2025 11:00-12:00 - Professional Learning 

May 15, 2025 11:00-12:00 - Series closing, plan to complete the fidelity tool with each building team, and develop an action plan for subsequent school year. 

Zoom link for all sessions:

https://paiu.zoom.us/j/92030955439?pwd=wVZ3NUGsPXlJVJyZemeOXsTU9bVKCo.1

This meeting is for Act 89 Staff and Principals only.

Tier #1 ENGINE of Central PA: Spring 3D STEELS Educator Community of Practice – Virtual

Instructor(s): Peney E. Wright, Jeff Remington 

Tier #1 Series Our goals are to begin conversations about the shift towards the new Pennsylvania Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Academic Science Standards (STEELS) that were fully adopted in June 2022. A series of ten interactive webinars will include an introduction to Phenomena-based science education, 3D teaching and learning, equity and inclusion, Science and Engineering Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, Disciplinary Core Ideas, Student Performance Expectations, PBL, Productive Student Discourse, Technology and Engineering Integration, 3D Assessments, and Reviewing and Critiquing for High Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM.) Sessions build upon knowledge, pedagogy and practices of the preceding ones. It is recommended that all are taken, in order, to develop a foundation for this shift in science education. 

Asynchronous work is required: pre-reading one STEM Teaching Tools Practice Brief, posted reflections regarding the readings, and applying what is learned to participants’ contexts. Participants may join virtually in-person, work completely asynchronously or attend as a hybrid mix. For a full list of sessions and dates, click on Spring 'SY 23-24 ENGINE 3-D STEELS Educator CoP
Series closes June 31, 2024. 

Recommended Prerequisite: read the National Research Council: A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts and Core Ideas (2012), free download

Date(s): Series: Tuesdays 1/7/25 – 5/13/25  

Number of Participant Activity 48 Hours: 35.0 

Location: Virtual 

Audience: Administrators K-12 educators, STEM teachers, library media specialists, special education educators

The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog 
Authors: Dr. Bruce Perry and Maia Szalavitz 
Facilitated by Betsy Cox 

In this classic work of developmental psychology, renowned psychiatrist and the coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestseller What Happened to You? reveals how trauma affects children—and outlines the path to recovery. How does trauma affect a child's mind—and how can that mind recover? Child psychiatrist Dr. Bruce D. Perry has helped children faced with unimaginable horror: genocide survivors, murder witnesses, kidnapped teenagers, and victims of family violence. In the classic The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog, Dr. Perry tells their stories of trauma and transformation and shares their lessons of courage, humanity, and hope. Deftly combining unforgettable case histories with his own compassionate, insightful strategies for rehabilitation, Perry explains what happens to children’s brains when they are exposed to extreme stress—and reveals the unexpected measures that can be taken to ease such pain and help them grow into healthy adults. Only when we understand the science of the mind and the power of love and nurturing can we hope to heal the spirit of even the most wounded child. 

Format: Zoom Meetings (Link will be shared via email on 11/1/2024) 
Audience: Any regular or special education teacher interested in a flexible way to earn Act 48 hours. Specials teachers are also welcome! 
How it works: 
● Check out the book from the library or purchase it. Begin reading and be sure to note anything that is “discussion worthy” as we will likely circle back to those areas in our meetings. This is a long and meaty book, so pace yourself. 
● The discussion outline will be emailed to you on November 1, 2024. There will be 4 live Zoom meetings that are required in order to receive your credit hours for this offering. Links will be provided in the forthcoming email. 
● Be prepared to participate in Zoom discussions as outlined from 3:00-4:00pm on the following dates: 
○ Thursday, January 9, 2025 
○ Thursday, February 6, 2025 
○ Thursday, March 6, 2025 
○ Thursday, April 3, 2025 
● You will receive 4 participation hours for each session that you attend, totaling 16 hours upon completion of the course. You will not receive hours for any dates that you do not join the live Zoom session. A certificate with your credit hours will be issued upon completion of the book study.

Instructor(s): Peney E. Wright

Description of Activity: 

Prerequisite: Implementing the STEELS Standards: Developing Science Leadership Teams

Tier #2 Session For established school district STEELS Leadership Teams who have completed the Implementing the STEELS Standards: Developing Science Leadership Teams professional learning. Continued support for the STEELS Rollout towards full implementation beginning in SY ‘25-26. Sessions will include school districts’ updates, collaboration and application of district planning resources. All team members encouraged to attend; special topics will be featured. 

Special Topics to include:

• STEM for All Learners
• 3-Dimensional Assessments
• Integrating STEELS at the Elementary Level and Secondary Level
• Technology and Engineering Standards Integration
• Shifting and/or Selecting High Quality Instructional Materials
• STEM/STEAM and Computer Science with STEELS
• Planning for T & E Learning and Integration K-12
   

Advanced Projects may include:

• Developing a cohesive unit Storyline
• HQIM Reviews or Shifting Deep Dive and Working Session
• Developing STEELS aligned formative and summative assessments
• Supporting Leading Elementary Teacher Superstars “SLEETS” for STEELS
• Team Planning: Ongoing Professional Learning for teachers, STEELS Curriculum Mapping, etc.
   

Alternate dates which also offer these opportunities are Special Topics A on 11/16/24, Special Topics B on 1/15/25, Special Topics C on 11/14/24 or 2/25/25 and STEELS: Planning for T & E Learning and Integration on 2/26/25. A STEELS Special Topics a’ la carte 4/3/25 will also include choice of STEELS modules.

January 22, 2025

9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

TIU 11 

Shared Waters: Turnkey Curriculum for 2nd – 5th Grades Environmental Literacy & Sustainability (EL & S) Education

Instructor(s): Peney E. Wright

Description of Activity: 

Shared Waters enriches education by integrating Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEE) into school curricula, providing resources for teachers and actionable learning for students. It aims to cultivate environmental literacy and sustainability, transforming students into knowledgeable advocates who can identify and solve local watershed issues. It provides a comprehensive curriculum, ready-to-use instructional materials, and professional development to foster the next generation of environmental stewards right from their classrooms.

What is a MWEE?

The Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) is a learner-centered framework that focuses on investigations into local environmental issues and leads to informed action. MWEEs are made up of multiple components that include learning both outdoors and in the classroom that are designed to increase environmental literacy by actively engaging students in building knowledge and meaning through hands-on experiences contribute to stronger, sustainable, and equitable communities.

Through turnkey classroom-tested curriculum, hands-on science kits, and professional development, the Shared Waters team assists administrators and teachers in seamlessly embedding standards-aligned environmental literacy and sustainability education into the district and school curriculum.

Pre-requisite:

Be enrolled or complete the MWEE 101 Online Course, 6-8 hours, Act 48 credit awarded

Become an EL & S MWEE TIU 11 Partner! Eligible for an EL& S mini grant up to $2,000.00 for your district’s program. 

• Attend the MWEE 101 Online Course
• Attend the 1-day Shared Waters Professional Learning
• Submit an implementation plan and share feedback about your program
   

Time(s): 8:30 am – 3:30 pm Audience: 2 nd – 5 th grades educators, STEM teachers, library media specialists, literacy coaches, special education educators, administrators, paraprofessionals

TUSCARORA INTERMEDIATE UNIT 11 SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCI

SAVE THE DATES 
2024-2025 
9:00am 
(end times vary from 1:00pm-3:00pm depending on topics. TaC will be available for consult whole day! ) 

*September 26, 2024 
*October 24, 2024 
December 5, 2024 
January 23, 2025 
February 27,2025 
April 24, 2025 

TIU 11 Curriculum Advisory Council

9:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Positive Behavior Training Southern Fulton Elementary Staff

PBIS Tier 1 Training, Southern Fulton Elementary Staff

8:30am-3pm each of the following dates:

Aug 9

Oct 22

Jan 28

Mar 19

May 7

Instructor Elizabeth Cox ecox@tiu11.org

TIU is readying to debut its new mobile makerspace. The Rover will be hitting the road chock full of advanced manufacturing technology, including a 3D printer, laser engraver, vinyl printer and cutter, a CNC router, and more.

Join us for a fun, hands-on sneak peak of our new equipment and activities, developed and co-facilitated by the Pittsburgh's Carnegie Science Center, to engage students of all ages in digital design and making.

Each session will be unique, so feel free to register for more than one session!

Act 48 credit is available by session, each session is 2.5 hours.

Safety-Care is a training program for staff working with children, adolescents, or adults who may exhibit challenging or dangerous behavior.  Participants in the course learn a wide variety of prevention skills so that they can each contribute to a physical and social environment that encourages behavior patterns that are positive and safe.  Please note that this is a re-certification training.   There will be a $7.00 charge for materials and processing. 1/2 hour lunch on your own. We need a minimum of 6 people in order to run the training. 

Outcomes

Participants will:

• be able to understand the writing criteria of open-ended questions.
• be able to understand and develop open-ended question rubrics based on the alignment to standards and Eligible Content.
• understand the scoring process and score of open-ended questions.
• be able to develop a writing process for writing open-ended questions.
• be able to incorporate the Standards of Mathematical Practices in student questioning techniques.

Training information

Audience: Grades 3-8 math and Algebra 1 teachers will be the focus, but all are welcome to attend.

When: February 4, 2025

Time: 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Where: TIU 11, McVeytown, PA

Cost: $20

Lunch will be provided.

Shared Waters: EL & S Turnkey Elementary Curriculum for STEELS Leaders 

Instructor(s): Peney E. Wright

Description of Activity:  Train-the-Trainer or LEA Leadership Professional Learning

Shared Waters enriches education by integrating Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEE) into school curricula, providing resources for teachers and actionable learning for students. It aims to cultivate environmental literacy and sustainability, transforming students into knowledgeable advocates who can identify and solve local watershed issues. It provides a comprehensive curriculum, ready-to-use instructional materials, and professional development to foster the next generation of environmental stewards right from their classrooms.

What is a MWEE?

The Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) is a learner-centered framework that focuses on investigations into local environmental issues and leads to informed action. MWEEs are made up of multiple components that include learning both outdoors and in the classroom that are designed to increase environmental literacy by actively engaging students in building knowledge and meaning through hands-on experiences contribute to stronger, sustainable, and equitable communities.

Through turnkey classroom-tested curriculum, hands-on science kits, and professional development, the Shared Waters team assists administrators and teachers in seamlessly embedding standards-aligned environmental literacy and sustainability education into the district and school curriculum.

Time(s): 8:30 am – 3:30 pm    Audience: IU STEM PoCs, Administrators, literacy coaches, Curriculum Coordinators, science chairs or district leaders, districtwide STEELS Leadership Team Members 

The Huntingdon/Fulton County Transition Coordinating Council is a group of like-minded individuals that wish to support students with disabilities that are of transition age (14-21), as they work towards life after high school. The goal of the group is to strengthen their knowledge in the area of transition through training, resource sharing, interagency collaboration, and networking. 

Target Audience: Huntingdon and Fulton County Special Education Teachers & Administrators, Outside Agencies/Providers, Local Business Owners, Guidance Counselors, School Social Workers, Parents, or Secondary Students

*These meetings will be held via Zoom. Virtual Meeting Link will be sent to participants upon registration

If you have any questions please contact:

Staci Young, TIU 11 Educational Consultant

syoung@tiu11.org

814-542-2501x1126

Tuesday, January 7, 2025 (location will be the main TIU building)
 

This meeting will be the second in a series of 3 SEL Networking events to be hosted this year. 

The topic to be covered this day:

• Executive Functioning: everything you need to know!

This event is free and open to all General Educators who support special education students, Emotional Support teachers and staff, Learning Support teachers and staff, Guidance Counselors, Social Workers, and any professional team member who works with students in need of enhanced social-emotional skills training! Feel free to share the link and encourage your colleagues to attend.

Lunch will be on your own.

For more information contact Betsy Cox at ecox@tiu11.org

The Mifflin/Juniata County Transition Coordinating Council is a group of like-minded individuals that wish to support students with disabilities that are of transition age (14-21), as they work towards life after high school. The goal of the group is to strengthen their knowledge in the area of transition through training, resource sharing, interagency collaboration, and networking. 

Target Audience: Mifflin and Juniata County Special Education Teachers & Administrators, Outside Agencies/Providers, Local Business Owners, Guidance Counselors, School Social Workers, Parents, or Secondary Students

*These meetings will be held via Zoom. Virtual Meeting Link will be sent to participants upon registration

If you have any questions please contact:

Staci Young, TIU 11 Educational Consultant

syoung@tiu11.org

814-542-2501x1126

Instructor(s): Peney E. Wright and Eric Yoder

Description of Activity: Join us for this interactive introductory session for OpenSciEd, a curriculum exemplar and leader in the field for Culturally Relevant, Phenomena-based, 3-Dimensional teaching and learning.

In support of the STEELS Standards full implementation next year, OpenSciEd offers essential teaching routines, protocols and strategies to meet qualitative, rigorous, high level instruction and learning for all students. Although you do not have to use the free OpenSciEd curriculum, exemplar units are available for middle school and high school. Elementary units have begun to be released, one per grade level K-5. More to come through 2026.

Creating classrooms with inspired educators & motivated learners.

OpenSciEd empowers educators to go beyond traditional science teaching methods by bringing together leading science researchers and educators to craft curriculum that is aligned to how students learn best and aligned with STEELS.

Decades of research make it clear that transformative professional learning is critical for elevating instruction to the next level. OpenSciEd’s robust, curriculum-based PL was developed alongside our instructional materials and field tested to ensure it is relevant and impactful. Teachers who attend our professional learning:

Build confidence in their ability to facilitate student learning that positions students to make sense of the world around them.

Deepen their content knowledge as they experience new ways of learning science together. 

Gain an in-depth understanding of OpenSciEd’s instructional approach that starts with students’ questions and moves to deep conceptual understanding.

Join a growing nationwide network of educators who are passionate about ensuring all kids can excel in science.

Title: Nurses Network

Date: 2/21/25

Time: 9 am - Noon

Location: Virtual - https://paiu.zoom.us/j/4476176265

Department: Curriculum

Act 48: Yes

Description: The Nurses Network is an opportunity for school nurses from around the region to come together to get some professional development and converse with other nurses on the biggest topics in our area.

Title: Compassion Resilience

Description: Compassion resilience will affect you differently depending on your history, identity, and social position in your organization. Still, there are practical steps you can take to further your compassion—for self and others—as well as increase your resiliency to the inevitable stressors inherent in meaningful work: This is compassion in action.
 

Guiding Questions:

• What is compassion resilience?
• What role does self-compassion play in resilience and, conversely, fatigue?
• How can knowing our values help us make quicker, more effective decisions?
• What does it mean to take compassionate action steps when managing conflict?
• Why do boundaries and reasonable expectations increase resilience?

Dates: February 21, 2025 OR March 28, 2025 (Seperate registration for each session)

Time: 10 am to 11 am

Location: Virtual - https://paiu.zoom.us/j/4476176265  (Link is the same for both sessions.)

Department: Curriculum

Act 48: Yes

PBIS core team members from MCJH and MCHS who have been on the team or are new to the team are welcome to attend this training. It will cover all the information in the Tier 1 training modules and support implementation with fidelity of the PBIS framework.

IEP Essentials Training

Intended Audience: Special Education teachers responsible for the development and 
implementation of IEP’s in grades K-12. 

During this in-person training, participants will learn about the 
special education evaluation process, compliance with special 
education timelines, the required elements for each section of 
the Individualized Education Program (IEP), as well as best 
practice considerations for preparing for and conducting an 
IEP meeting. 

Following this training, participants will be able to: 
● Identify the components of the special education evaluation and reevaluation 
process 
● Understand the required participants in an IEP team and how frequently the IEP 
team must meet 
● Describe the parent/guardian role as a member of the IEP team 
● Determine the sections of an IEP that must be considered when checking “yes” in 
special considerations 
● Summarize the required elements of the present levels of academic achievement 
and functional performance section of the IEP 
● Interpret the circumstances under which a student's progress toward current 
measurable annual goals should be included in the present levels of academic 
achievement and functional performance section of the IEP 
● Understand when secondary transition planning must occur for a student with a 
disability, the three areas of postsecondary planning, and how to develop 
postsecondary transition goals 
● Summarize appropriate state and local assessment accommodations as well as 
criteria for eligibility for alternate assessments 
● Develop measurable annual goal that are aligned with areas of need 
● Understand the purpose of progress reporting and requirements for sharing 
progress data with caregivers 
● Describe the requirements for ongoing data collection to determine if a student is 
eligible to receive extended school year services 
● Summarize the purpose of related services and provide examples of related 
services 
● Identify common components to inclusive educational practices 
● Tell the difference between accommodations and modifications 
● Understand the elements of the educational placement section of the IEP 
including the difference between regular education class and general education 
curriculum, amount/type of special education, and how to calculate amount of 
special education 
● Describe considerations to ensure family engagement at an IEP team meeting 
● Explain best practices for conducting an IEP team meeting 
*Act 48 hours will be awarded to all participants 
 

Instructor(s): Peney E. Wright 

Tier 3 Professional Learning. See prerequisites below.

Our goals are to shift our teaching to engage 21st Century students in rigorous science learning.  

Conceptual Shifts: 

•  K–12 Science Education Should Reflect the real-world interconnections in science
•  All practices and crosscutting concepts are used to teach all core ideas all year
•  Science concepts build coherently across K-12
•  The NGSS focus on deeper understanding and application of content
• Integration of science and engineering
•  Coordination with Common Core State and STEELS Standards

Description of Activity: 
Tier 3 Professional Learning. Please see prerequisites below. 

Must read: read the National Research Council: A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts and Core Ideas (2012), free download 

Session C includes participant choices of: 
Developing a cohesive unit Storyline

•  Transition your current science units or curriculum towards Phenomena-base, 3-Dimensional Teaching and Learning where students can clearly make connections between activities and lessons. See Next Generation Science Storylines for a preview. 
   

HQIM Reviews or Shifting Deep Dive and Working Session

• Explore recommended High-Quality Instruction Materials to assess their STEELS alignment and use in your district or classroom. Select and use HQIM to support aligning your current district curriculum and make recommendations to K-12 educators for the first year of STEELS implementation.
•  Resources include: OpenSciEd , Ambitious Science Teaching , Lessons and Units: Quality Examples of NGSS Design , American Museum of Natural History’s Five Tools and Processes for Translating )the NGSS) STEELS Into Instruction and Classroom Assessment 
   

Integrating T&E into Science Units with T& E / EL&S Bundling 

•  Technology and Engineering are advancing at exponential rates and permeate many aspects of our lives. All grade levels are expected to integrate the STEELS Technology and Engineering Standards. Use the technique of “bundling” the STEELS Standards to make your teaching more effective and time saving as well as planning for students to better understand the world around them.
•  Resources to support T&E integration: Engineering is Elementary (EiE)/ YES! (Youth Engineering Solutions)  and Engineering by Design (EbD)
•  Resources include: Science Assessment Task Screening Tools 
•  Page Keeley’s Uncovering Student Ideas in Science , Science Probe Formative Assessments 
   

Team Planning: Ongoing Professional Learning for teachers, STEELS Curriculum Mapping, etc. 

•  Develop or refine a STEELS district Mission Statement, plan for Act 80 and other professional learning days for teachers in your district, create a cohesive K-12 Curriculum Map for your district using A Framework for K- 12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts and Core Ideas, free download , to inform the grade 
  band progressions
•  Resources include: NGSS District Implementation Indicators , Guide to Implementing the Next Generation Science Standards, free download (and one copy per district) 
   

Supporting Leading Elementary Teacher Superstars “SLEETS” for STEELS: developing science and engineering content knowledge and pedagogy to apply to one lesson or unit 
 

Strongly recommended: read the National Research Council: A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts and Core Ideas (2012), free download 

Prerequisites: At least one of these: STEELS Experience for K-12 Educators, Implementing the STEELS Standards: Developing Science Leadership Teams, ENGINE 3-D STEELS Educator Virtual Community of Practice (CoP), either Ambitious Science Teaching Sessions 1-6 (three full days) or participate in the Ambitious Science Teaching Book Study Best to complete STEELS Special Topics A and B as they are foundations for the project work embedded in STEELS Special Topics C

Audience: 3-8 educators, library media specialists, special education educators