What Works! in Rhode Island Using the Whole Child Approach to Education 

Learning First Alliance/Rhode Island Is Offering: "What Works! A Series of Professional Development Workshops Using The Whole Child Approach to Education". Each workshop will use best practices and will incorporate one of the five Whole Child tenets: Healthy, Safe, Supported, Engaged and Challenged. The workshops will be from February 2016 to May 2016. The workshops will usually run from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm. You may register for one or any number of workshops. There is no fee for this series, however, we will be providing light refreshments and would like to know how many will be attending each workshop. Also, you do not have to register for the later workshops at this time, but please do so at least one month before each scheduled workshop. As you will see, the workshops are spread throughout the State of Rhode Island.

February 25, 2016 - Healthy - Integrating Physical Activity Throughout the Before/After School Programs 

Presenters: Mary Parella – Director, Pawtucket COZ; Jordan Dunne, Project Coordinator, Carol While Physical Education

 Do you often have to redirect the students to stay on task?  Learn how the Pawtucket Child Opportunity Zone (COZ) is keeping students energized throughout the school day and into the after school time. This workshop will engage participants in short, simple physical activity breaks, allowing them to experience firsthand the ease of implementation and the refocusing effect of exercise. Participants will leave with new ideas regarding the infusion of physical activity in short bursts and in small spaces adaptable to any setting, the knowledge of the benefits to advocate for implementation in their own classroom and strategies for effectively managing behavior during and after the physical activity breaks.

This workshop will be held on Thursday, February 25, 2016 at Varieur School, 486 Pleasant Street in Pawtucket from 3:30 to 5:00 pm  

February 3, 2016 - Safe - Cyber-Security for Students    CANCELED

Presenter: Meghan Martinez – Cyber Terrorism Program Manager for the Rhode Island State Police Crimes Unit

This workshop will cover basic information to cyber security and Internet safety, common threats, and basic pitfalls. Examples will be used from real scenarios and investigations encountered by the Rhode Island State Police Computer Crimes Unit/Cyber Disruption Team. Additional opportunities for students/teachers to engage in this field will be detailed.

The workshop will be held on Wednesday, February 3, 2016 from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm at North Smithfield High School. 

February 23, 2016 - Safe - Bullying 101: Understanding & Preventing This Age Old Problem

Presenter: Susan A. Orban - LICSW, Washington County Coalition for Children

Largely viewed as an ugly part of childhood best ignored, bullying has been a problem for generations.  But in today’s digital age, the effects of bullying are exacerbated exponentially.  Bullying cannot and should not be ignored any longer.  Effective intervention and prevention strategies exist to combat bullying.  Learn what you can do as educators, coaches, and youth leaders to stop bullying and create a safe community for our children to thrive.

This workshop will be held on Tuesday, February 23, 2016 from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm at Davisville Middle School, North Kingstown, RI,

March 10, 2016 - Engaged - Building Partnerships and Programs to Support Whole Child Learning and the NGSS

Presenters: Sara Sweetman – Assistant Professor, URI, Director of GEMS-Net Guiding Education in Math and Science Network and  Kelly Shea, Teacher in Residence, URI/North Kingstown Public Schools.

Through purposeful and sustained partnerships, teachers and students get the benefit of shared resources and knowledge that they need to actualize the rigorous expectation set forth in the NGSS and CCSS.  Come learn about a growing partnership between K-8 schools, the University of Rhode Island Educators, Scientists, and Engineers, and many Rhode Island Informal Education Agencies.  Participants will engage in the learning cycle to consider how the phases of authentic learning support the goals of NGSS and CCSS and they will take away resources to make systemic changes that can result in school wide reform.

This workshop will be held on Thursday, March 10, 2016 from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm in Room 213 at the URI Providence Campus, 80 Washington Street, Providence, RI. 

March 24, 2016 - Engaged - Voyage into the Next Generation of Science Standards (K-4)

Presenter: Sandra Capelli  - RIFTHP NGSS trainer and a member of the AFT NGSS Feedback Team

Participants will examine the NGSS format and discover the shifts in student expectations. Connections to the Common Core State Standards will be addressed as well as 3 Dimensional Lesson Planning.  

This workshop will be held on Thursday, March 24, 2016 from 4:00 pm - 5:30 at the West Warwick Professional Development Room, West Warwick Administration Building, Second Floor, 10 Harris Avenue, West Warwick, RI.

 April 26, 2016 - Supported - Engaging Students in the After School Setting

Presenter: Katie Messier – Association Director of Youth Development and/or Operations Director of Providence YMCA Youth Services

Discover how the YMCA of Greater Providence provides academic enrichment opportunities during non-school hours for children. Our programs help students meet state and local student standards in core academic subjects such as reading and math, offer students a broad array of enrichment activities that complement their regular academic programs and offer literacy and other educational services to the families of participating children.

This workshop will be held on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm at the Pleasant Valley Elementary School, 50 Obadiah Brown Rd, Providence, RI.

April 27, 2016 - Supported - Supporting Students with Technology Tools for Digital Literacy

Presenter: Lisa Labbitt – Assistive Technology Specialist ATP, Director of the ATAP Children and Youth Resource Center

Digital Literacy is the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create and disseminate information. Digital literacy requires both cognitive and technical skills.   Using the SETT framework of Student, Environment, Task & Tool to increase reading and writing proficiency. This workshop shall include: State and Local resources for assistive technology, present examples of assistive technology use /video, and provide resources for further research and investigation.  

This workshop will be held on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 at the East Bay Education Collaborative Center in Bristol, RI from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm.

May 3, 2016 - Challenged - Social and Emotional Learning in a Dual Language Setting        CANCELED

Presenters: Katie Nerstheimer, M. Ed, Special Education Teacher & Sonya Gomes, SSW-MSW, School Social Worker, International Charter School (ICS)

The presenters will share successful practices, strategies and approaches to meet the social and emotional learning needs of diverse cultures and languages ICS serves in its 50/50 dual language setting. The CASEL competencies are explored parallel to the CCSS as they relate to culture, language and the promotion of positive pro-social behavior.

This workshop will be held on May 3, 2016 from 3:30 to 5:00 pm at the International Charter School, 334 Pleasant Street, Pawtucket, RI (Street parking is available.

May 5, 2016 - Challenged - The Challenged Child    CANCELED

Presenters: Julie-anne Zarrella – Principal, The Early Childhood Center, Johnston, RI; Former Assistant Principal for Teaching and Learning, Johnston Senior High School; STAR Coordinator for Johnston Public Schools, Dennis Morrell Principal, Nicholas Ferri Middle School, Johnston, RI [Ferri is in its second year as a 1:1 (Mac) program for grades 6, 7 and 8].

The goal of this workshop is to discuss options that educators have to use data more effectively.  The discussion will explain the process of implementing a universal screening tool to progress monitor students and ultimately improve student outcome performance. Ways in which to share data to impact instructional practices especially in the areas of personalized learning, strategies for intervention and acceleration, and successful progress monitoring opportunities will be highlighted. Lastly, a hands-on approach to navigating technology options as a management tool and creative ways of maximizing best practices will also be discussed as a group.   

This workshop will be on Thursday, May 5, 2016 from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm at Ferri Middle School, Library Media Center, Johnston, RI.

 

Register Now!

MISSION STATEMENT: LFA/RI is a partnership organization whose members believe that public school education is the basic right of every child in a democratic society, the bedrock of the American Dream and the best hope for American success in the 21st Century. These beliefs unite a unique and diverse group of educational partners speaking with a single voice to advocate for public schools.

LFA/RI PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS 2016

Association of RI Administrators in Special Education (ARAISE)

Center for School Improvement and Educational Policy at URI

RI Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals (RIFTHP)

National Education Association Rhode Island (NEARI)

Rhode Island ASCD (RIASCD)

Ri Middle Level Educators (RIMLE)

RI School Counselors Association (RISCA)

New England Secondary Schools Consortium (NESSC)

RI Association of College of Teacher Education (RIACTE)

RI Partnership of Community Schools