Professional Learning Opportunities

This full-day convening brings together the educators who have completed Muddy Boots training. Participants will reconvene to review, refine, and strengthen instructional materials developed for the Blue Green Connector field site and aligned to the new PA STEELS standards. Working in collaborative teams, teachers will engage in two rounds of structured peer review to elevate their draft lessons and learning experiences. With coaching support from an IU13 facilitator, participants will ensure strong alignment to PA STEELS standards while maximizing the rich learning opportunities available at the Marietta Avenue field station. By the end of the day, participants will finalize high-quality instructional resources that will be published on the Blue Green Connector and Lancaster County STEM Alliance websites-serving as model materials for educators across Pennsylvania seeking meaningful, standards-aligned field experiences. Participants will also be introduced to additional environmental literacy resources through PA DEP's Clean Water Academy, further expanding access to restored ecosystems and cutting-edge research for teachers and students throughout the region. This session offers a valuable opportunity to collaborate, network, and gain insight from peers while contributing to shared, high-impact educational resources. Participant Benefits: * $200 stipend per teacher (paid to school to support substitute costs) * Lunch provided both days * 6 Act 48 hours awarded upon completion

An immersive, three-day professional learning experience where educators explore stream restoration at the Blue Green Connector, design PA STEELS-aligned lessons, and collaborate to create high-quality outdoor learning resources for classroom and field use. Learning Objectives Participants will: Engage in hands-on field investigations connected to stream restoration and environmental research. Design and refine instructional materials aligned to PA STEELS standards using an authentic outdoor learning site. Collaborate with fellow educators to peer-review and strengthen lessons for classroom and field implementation. Contribute standards-aligned instructional resources to the Blue Green Connector website for regional educator access. Additional Information Open to 10 middle and high school educators in biology, earth science, environmental science, engineering, history, or STEM/STEAM fields. Days 1 & 2 - May 4 & 5, 2026: $450 stipend (paid to school for substitute costs) lunch provided, and 12 Act 48 hours. Day 3 - June 22, 2026: Optional paid summer collaboration day focused on lesson refinement and peer review alongside the October Muddy Boots cohort. Includes a $200 stipend paid directly to teachers and 6 additional Act 48 hours. 18 total Act 48 hours awarded upon completion of all three days.

Quarterly meetings will be held to review current information impacting school improvement initiatives, including: * Timely reminders regarding the submission of required documentation * A comprehensive overview of applicable requirements * Targeted technical assistance planning and collaboration among attendees Meetings will be held virtually at this link

In our effort to support students, we often add structure, templates, step-by-step guides, and organizational tools. But when does support clarify thinking-and when does it quietly reduce it? This workshop explores the purpose and impact of scaffolding in the mathematics classroom. We will examine the difference between scaffolding content and scaffolding executive functioning, identify signs of overscaffolding, and redesign a task to preserve cognitive demand while removing unnecessary barriers. The goal is not to remove support, but to use it with intention, so that scaffolds build independence rather than dependence. Cost: Fully funded by STEM SSOS

Explore the fundamentals of computational thinking in this engaging and self-paced asynchronous workshop. Designed for educators across all content areas, this workshop unpacks the importance of computational thinking as a critical 21st-century skill and provides practical strategies for beginning to integrate it into your teaching practice. Participants will: * Reflect on assumptions about computational thinking and its relevance. * Discover the core components of computational thinking * Understand why computational thinking is essential for students' success in both academic and real-world contexts * Learn how to intentionally incorporate computational thinking into their specific content area to develop computational thinkers in all classrooms. Time Commitment: Approximately 6 hours, self-paced Start Date: June 8, 2026 End Date: June 30, 2026 Cost: Fully funded by the STEM SSOS.

Precise mathematical language is not just about vocabulary-it is a tool for thinking, reasoning, and communicating mathematically. Research suggests classrooms where teachers consistently use and press for precise math vocabulary see stronger student learning gains, particularly when vocabulary is integrated with discussion, reasoning, and visual representations. This workshop explores how mathematical language supports conceptual understanding, discourse, and reasoning, aligned with the Standards for Mathematical Practice. Cost: Fully funded by STEM SSOS

This workshop explores the role of political parties in American democracy, with particular attention on partisan polarization in contemporary American politics. Among the questions to be examined are the following: Why do modern democracies have political parties and why does the United States have only two? What is the constitutional status of the parties (given that they are not mentioned in the Constitution)? How has the American party system changed over time? What function do parties play in our political system, both inside the government and outside it? What are the benefits, and disadvantages, of partisanship? Are there any advantages to stronger party organizations? Is there precedent for the polarization we're currently experiencing and, if so, how does polarization in the past compare to today's polarization? To what extent do closed primaries and partisan gerrymandering contribute to the problem? No Cost

This workshop is designed for administrators, principals, assistant principals, and instructional coaches, providing resources to demonstrate leadership, support educators, and promote student-centered learning. Participants will learn to use tools like walk-through forms, success criteria, action planning tools, and feedback forms to guide coaching conversations and enhance instructional practices. *Participants invited to attend by their district under an established contract are welcome to register at no additional cost (costs are already included in the established contract). For participants who want to attend a workshop outside of a previously established district contract, the cost is $79 for IU13 district participants and $99 for non-IU13 district participants.

We often hear that "gifted students will be fine on their own," but the reality is that high potential can remain hidden behind cultural differences, language barriers, or learning disabilities. We cannot refer what we don't recognize-and we can't recognize what students haven't had the opportunity to show. This session shifts the lens from "identifying giftedness" to "scouting for talent." We will move beyond traditional definitions to explore the nuances of asynchronous development and masking, specifically focusing on how giftedness manifests within often-overlooked subgroups, including Low-SES, BIPOC, 2E (Twice-Exceptional), and Multilingual Learners. Participants will engage in a collaborative deep dive into the characteristics of giftedness and the essential scaffolds needed to reveal student potential. The session culminates in a hands-on Design Time, where you will synthesize your learning to create a user-friendly Talent-Scouting Guide. This practical resource is designed for you to take back to your campus, empowering regular education teachers to see the brilliance in every learner and provide meaningful enrichment opportunities for all. Lunch on your own

This professional learning series prioritizes student-centered learning, starting with a focus on the station rotation learning model. Participants will gain hands-on experience and strategies for implementing personalized and individualized learning approaches through the three learning modalities: direct, small group instruction; focused independent work; and effective collaborative learning. In this 2-day workshop, attendees will engage in various instructional activities and strategies with direct applications in classrooms including active learning strategies and learner-centered techniques. *Participants who are invited to attend by their district under an established contract are welcome to register at no additional cost (costs are already included in the established contract). For participants who want to attend the 2 day series outside of a previously established district contract, the cost for IU13 Schools/Districts is $399 per a person and Non-IU13 Schools/Districts is $424 per a person.