2010 Serc PD Book

www.ctserc.
org
SERC 40
Professional Development Catalog
Winter-Spring YEARS
2010
Tr
eas
u rin
gt
he
Pas t u re
t, C e le Fu
brati he
ng the P i l di ngt
resent, B u
State Education Resource Center

1969-2009
The information in
this catalog is
accurate as of
December 2009,
but activities are
subject to change.
Please refer to
www.ctserc.org
for updated information.
Administrative Office Hours PARKING IS LIMITED:
Monday through Friday Please Carpool If Possible
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Visitor parking spaces are reserved
Library Hours for short-term parking only, so park
in unmarked spaces when attending
Monday and Friday
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. a classroom or community room
activity.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
(September-June)
8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Saturday (September-May) VISITOR ENTRANCE:
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Please Take Note
Summer (July-August) All visitors to the classroom, the
Monday through Friday Library, or the Library community
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. room should access SERC from the
No Saturday Hours after: lobby entrance located at the back
May 8, 2010 of the building.
No Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

Evening Hours after:
June 24, 2010
The Library will close at noon on:
Directions:
June 14, 2010
From HARTFORD
Holiday & Other Closings I-91 South, Exit 21. Cross over Route 372 onto Industrial Park Road. SERC
January 2010 is the last building on the right (approximately 1-1/2 miles).
Friday, January 1, 2010
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010 From WATERBURY
Monday, January 18, 2010 I-84 East to Exit 27 (Route 691 East). Travel on Route 691 East to Exit 11
Friday, January 22, 2010
(I-91 North). Take I-91 North to Exit 21. Turn right onto Route 372 West.
February 2010 Pass under I-91 and turn left onto Industrial Park Road (by Mobil Station).
Friday, February 12, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010 SERC is the last building on the right (approximately 1-1/2 miles).
Monday, February 15, 2010
March 2010 From WILLIMANTIC
Saturday, March 6, 2010 Route 66 West across the Portland Bridge to Middletown. Take the ﬁrst left
April 2010 and go down the hill to Route 9. Turn left onto Route 9 North. Take Exit 19,
Friday, April 2, 2010
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Route 372 West. Turn left and follow Route 372 West until just beyond the
Monday, April 19, 2010 Crowne Plaza hotel. Pass under I-91 and turn left onto Industrial Park Road
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 (by Mobil Station). SERC is the last building on the right (approximately
May 2010 1-1/2 miles).
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
From NEW LONDON
July 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010 I-95 to Route 9 North. Take Route 9 North to Exit 20S (I-91 South). Take
I-91 South to Exit 21. Cross over Route 372 onto Industrial Park Road.
Published by: SERC is the last building on the right (approximately 1-1/2 miles).
Marianne Kirner, Ph.D.
Executive Director From NEW HAVEN
I-91 North, Exit 21. Turn right onto 372 West. Pass under I-91 and turn left
Publications and Data Systems Units
Jeremy Bond onto Industrial Park Road (by Mobil Station). SERC is the last building on
Communication & Publications Coordinator the right (approximately 1-1/2 miles).
Debbie Williams
Education Services Specialist
Jodylynn Talevi
Media/Technology Associate
Linda Zorovich SERC 25 Industrial Park Road Middletown, CT 06457-1516
Data Systems Administrator Phone (860) 632-1485 Fax (860) 632-8870 www.ctserc.org
Jasmine Zhao
Data Systems Developer
25 Industrial Park Road y Middletown, CT 06457-1516
Phone: (860) 632-1485 Fax: (860) 632-8870
Marianne Kirner, Ph.D., Executive Director

January 2010

To Our Colleagues and Partners:
Happy New Year! The staff of the State Education Resource Center (SERC) and the CT Parent
Information and Resource Center (CT PIRC) hope you had a productive and rewarding 2009 in your
schools and communities.
In early fall, we released our first Professional Development Catalog for the current school year, covering
SERC and CT PIRC activities scheduled from October 2009 through January 2010. You are now holding
the second installment of the catalog, which covers activities from January through June 2010. Please
look for some of the learning opportunities you might have missed, since many of them have new dates
and others are offered more than once. Also, don’t forget to visit www.ctserc.org and click on
“Professional Development” to find updated listings and to use our new online registration system.
SERC is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2009‐2010, and it has been eventful. We cosponsored the
Governor’s Summit on Dropout Prevention and launched the Y.E.S. for Diversity: Youth Empowerment
Summit, both of which received prominent media coverage. CT PIRC led the second annual Faith,
Families & Schools conference, strengthening critical partnerships with the goal of improving
educational outcomes for all of Connecticut’s students.
We look forward to assisting you with your professional development goals in 2010. Our conferences
will include a new springtime date for the Expanding Horizons Conference (see the last page) as well as
our Symposium on the Intersection of Race and Education (see p. 38). We will be adding new
conferences as well, so visit our “Conferences” page of our Web site for updates.
See you in 2010!

SERC
Professional Development CATALOG
Winter-Spring 2010
Marianne Kirner, Ph.D., Executive Director
Table of Contents
How to Use This Catalog 4
Submitting an Application Form 4
Information for Applicants 5
Frequently Asked Questions About Your SERC Member Number 7
SERC Professional Development Calendar 8
Activities for Individuals 13
Application for Individuals 41
Activities for Teams 43
Application for Teams 49
Reflective Team Process (RTP) Application 51
PBS Informational Session Announcement 53
LRE Public Forum Announcement 54
Upcoming Conferences 55
Introducing
SERC’s Second Catalog of
Professional Development Activities
for the 2009-10 School Year!
This publication covers activities scheduled from January - June 2010.
Information is subject to change, and new events are added throughout
the year, so please visit SERC’s Web site, www.ctserc.org, for updates.
HOW TO USE THIS CATALOG

The SERC Professional Development Calendar (p. 8) provides a list of offerings in an abbreviated format to help
users navigate quickly to activities.
The rest of the Catalog is divided into two sections: activities designed for individual participants and activities
designed for participant teams. Team activities are often intended for personnel who work in collaborative
settings within a district, school, agency, or program. All activity descriptions are organized in chronological
order by start date to enable educators and others to review and select offerings that match their busy schedules
and personal learning objectives. Each section has its own Workshop Application Form.
SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION FORM

It is now possible to register online for many of the activities in this catalog. Workshop descriptions indicate
which activities offer an online registration option, though participants may submit an application through the
mail or by fax for any activity they wish to attend. However, online applicants receive the maximum benefit of
open enrollment and rapid placement in the activity when space is available. Applications submitted by mail will
be processed as quickly as possible, and confirmation of enrollment will be sent by return mail and/or applicant
e-mail.
New this year, applicants may apply to one or more activities on the same Individual Applicant Application Form
by recording the 7-digit workshop activity code where indicated and noting “Yes” for online registration or “No”
for submission by mail/fax. Release time signature by a building administrator for educators may be required.
(See page 41 for the application form.)
District/school-based participant teams need to submit a Team Application Form and are required to obtain an
administrator’s signature authorizing release time/substitute coverage for team members. The 7-digit workshop
activity code must be indicated on the application form. (See page 49) for the application form.)
Please see the INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS section (p. 5) for detailed information regarding registration
options and payment of registration fees.
It is the policy of the State Education Resource Center (SERC) that no person shall be discriminated against or excluded
from participation in any SERC programs or activities on the basis of race, color, language, religion, age, marital or civil union
status, national origin, ancestry, sex/gender, intellectual disability, physical disability, political beliefs, or sexual orientation.
4
INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS
This section explains how to register for SERC professional development activities. If you have additional
questions or concerns, please call SERC at (860) 632-1485 to speak with a staff member. SERC Administrative
Offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Questions and/or need for assistance
regarding a specific activity may be directed to the Contact Person indicated on the activity description. Voice
mail is available.
Three Easy Ways to Register for an Activity

Options include: (1) registering online at www.ctserc.org; (2) mailing a completed Application Form to SERC
REGISTRATION, 25 Industrial Park Road, Middletown, CT 06457-1516; or (3) faxing a completed Application
Form to (860) 632-8870. Please see page 6 for FAQs about SERC Member numbers assigned to participants in
professional development activities. Include your SERC Member number when you apply to ensure prompt
processing of your application. (See pages 41 and 49 for the appropriate application form.)
After registering, but before the activity date, you will receive confirmation of enrollment with information about
the specific workshop, date(s), hours, and training site. Confirmation letters may be printed online at the time of
registration or will be forwarded by mail or e-mail to applicants who elect to send their application to SERC by
mail or fax. Registered participants will be sent notice of any changes to this information should they occur.
When appropriate, an educator will be asked to indicate whether arrangement for classroom release time is
being processed with the building administrator.
Selection for Participation

Registration is limited by the available number of seats. Applicants will be selected, based on criteria specified
in each listing, on a first-come, first-served basis until all seats are filled. Please note the advertised registration
closing date. Applications submitted late will be honored space permitting. Although the learning objectives of
an activity are designed for a particular audience, others are welcome to apply and will be accommodated as
space allows. Parents and family members are welcome to apply to activities designed for educators, and
individuals may apply to activities designed for teams. Students from Connecticut’s colleges and universities
also may apply.
Registration Fees/Refund Policy

Some activities require a registration fee to defray costs (see activity description). If registering for a fee activity
that is scheduled more than 30 days away, payment may not immediately be required; however, payment must
be received at least 30 days before the activity start date. If you register less than 30 days before the activity
start date, your registration must be accompanied by your payment or a purchase order. Make checks payable
to Rensselaer at Hartford. Please write your SERC Member number on all correspondence with SERC,
including checks and purchase orders.
You may successfully withdraw from an activity without charge up to ten days before the start of the activity.
Participants may send a substitute participant for that activity or transfer to another activity prior to the start date
of the activity. Registered participants who, without notice, fail to attend an activity are responsible for payment
of any outstanding registration fee. “No-shows” cannot transfer payment to another activity and will not receive
a refund.
Fee Waivers
Limited funds are available, if needed, to urban and priority districts, public charter schools, and families to waive
the registration fee required by some activities. To inquire about obtaining a fee waiver for a particular activity,
please contact SERC Staff (see activity description) prior to submitting an application form.
5
Stipend for Substitute Coverage
For some activities, limited funds are available to participants from urban and priority school districts for
reimbursement of the cost of substitute coverage. Please contact SERC staff (refer to the activity listing for the
specific individual) regarding availability of substitute coverage stipends for a particular activity. As applicable, a
Substitute Coverage Stipend Form may be obtained, upon request, at the registration table on the day of the
activity. This form must be completed by the participant, signed by an administrator, and returned to SERC
within thirty (30) days of the activity.
Cancellation of an Activity
SERC reserves the right to cancel any activity. If cancellation is necessary for administrative reasons,
applicants confirmed for participation will be notified as soon as possible prior to the activity start date, and, if
applicable, the registration fee will be returned or refunded.
Inclement Weather Advisory

In case of inclement weather, participants should listen or watch for SERC activity cancellation or delay
announcements over radio station WTIC AM 1080 and TV station WFSB Channel 3. An inclement weather
voice-mail update is available by calling extension 267 at (860) 632-1485 between 7:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. on
the morning of the activity. The recorded weather advisory will be updated for evening activities. Every
reasonable effort will be made to replicate the canceled activity to offer registered participants an opportunity to
attend a makeup session.
Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

SERC is an approved private provider of CEUs with the CT State Department of Education (Provider #348).
Educators interested in earning CEUs required for continuation of a professional educator certificate will receive
a copy of SERC Guidelines for Awarding CEUs upon confirmation of participation.
Select activities, as noted in the workshop description, offer specific CEUs to attendees who hold professional
educator certification endorsements in Early Childhood (N-3), Elementary, Middle Grades, and/or Secondary
(Academic) designed to meet the requirements of Public Act 99-211, which mandates 15 hours of training (or
1.5 CEUs) in the teaching of reading (Code 301-Literacy), training in the use of computers in the classroom
(Code 302-Technology), and training in the evaluation of teachers (Code 305-Supervision & Evaluation) over a
five-year period.
For information regarding the Connecticut Guidelines for the Issuance of Continuing Education Units Required
for Certification, visit www.state.ct.us/sde; select “Certification”; and then select “Continuing Education Units
(CEUs)” (under Professional Development).
Accommodation Policy – Special Needs

Upon prior sufficient notice, SERC will provide reasonable accommodations to participants with disabilities
and/or special needs pursuant to applicable laws. We request written notice at least 15 days prior to the start
date of the activity so that SERC can arrange for reasonable accommodations.
6
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ABOUT YOUR SERC MEMBER NUMBER
What is my SERC Member number?

At the time of initial enrollment in a SERC professional development activity, participants are assigned a SERC
Member number. This number remains on file indefinitely as part of your participant record. Membership in
SERC may be cancelled at any time and can be reactivated should you choose to apply to a future SERC
activity. All written and e-mail correspondence you receive from SERC will reference your assigned Member
number.
How is my SERC Member number used?

The Member number is used to enable SERC to maintain accurate database information such as your home
address, e-mail address, and telephone numbers. For educators interested in earning CEUs, the Member
number enables SERC to issue Continuing Education Certificates and maintain accurate CEU transcripts.
What if I do not have a SERC Member number?

Applicants new to SERC are automatically assigned a Member number at the time of initial enrollment in a
professional development activity. If you are registering for your first SERC activity, or if you do not remember
your Member number, the number may be left blank on the application form you mail or fax to SERC. You may
contact a SERC Staff member to request assignment of a SERC Member number to enable you to register
online. You will be asked to provide your home address and contact information. Educators will be asked to
provide information regarding their current job title and the name of the school or agency with which they are
associated.
What if I have more than one SERC Member number?

If you have more than one SERC Member number, please call or e-mail Linda Zorovich, SERC Data Systems
Administrator, at (860) 632-1485, ext. 229, zorovich@ctserc.org, to help us research the records and eliminate
the duplicate record(s) created in error. This will assure that your Member record is complete and accurate and
prevent unnecessary duplicate mailings. Educators who have more than one SERC Member number may be at
risk of receiving an incomplete transcript of CEUs needed for continuation of their SDE Professional Educator
Certificate.
What if I forget my SERC Member number?

If you are a past participant in a SERC activity, your Member number is available to you by calling or e-mailing a
SERC Staff member. You may submit an application to an activity by mail or fax and leave the Member number
blank. However, taking the time to obtain and verify your SERC Member number prior to submitting an
application form ensures you of accurate and faster processing of your application.
Why is my SERC Member number important to online registration for an activity?

Past participants in SERC professional development activities will use their Member number to create an online
user account. Member information is then verified and ensures the online user of accurate and faster
processing of applications. Online users can monitor the status of their workshop applications and print
confirmation of enrollment letters. To reconfirm or obtain a SERC Member number, contact a SERC Staff
member at (860) 632-1485 for assistance.
Is my SERC Member number and SERC Library card number the same?
No. A SERC Library card is issued to visitors to the SERC Library who wish to borrow materials. The number
on the Library card should not be confused with the SERC Member number assigned to participants in SERC
professional development activities.
7
SERC Professional Development Calendar
JANUARY 2010
Date Workshop Title Grade Level - Sponsoring Initiative
Thu 01/07/10 Addressing Challenging Behaviors for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Grades K-12
Related Disabilities
Activity Code 10-43-011 Team Application Focus on Autism Initiative
Thu 01/07/10 Beyond Diversity: A Foundation for De-Institutionalizing Racism & Improving Student Birth-21
Achievement - Session C
Activity Code 10-06-104 Initiative on Diversity in Education
Thu 01/07/10 Technology Tools for the CMT Skills Checklist Grades 3-8
Activity Code 10-28-003 Technology in Education Initiative
Sat 01/09/10 Explicit Teaching: A Model for the Older Dependent Reader Grades 4-8
Activity Code 10-45-017 Literacy Initiative
Wed 01/13/10 Closing the Literacy Gap in Middle and High Schools: Grades 6-12
A Research-Based, Schoolwide Literacy Approach for Administrators
Wed 01/13/10 Developing Standards-Based IEP Goals and Objectives for Students with Disabilities Grades 9-12
at the High-School Level
Activity Code 10-20-009 Team Application Transition Initiative
Wed 01/13/10 Effective Teaching Strategies (ETS) Basic Training Grades K-12
Activity Code 10-16-010 CT's Accountability for Learning Initiative
Wed 01/13/10 Multicultural Literature and Culturally Responsive Literacy Instruction Grades K-6
Wed 01/13/10 Technology Tools to Assist in the Writing Process for Students in Grades 3-6 Grades 3-6
Wed 01/13/10 What Every Connecticut Educator Should Know About Assessment Grades K-12
Accommodations for the CMT/CAPT-Session A
Activity Code 10-17-021 Assessment Initiative
Wed 01/13/10 What Every Connecticut Educator Should Know About Assessment Grades K-12
Accommodations for the CMT/CAPT-Session B
Thu 01/14/10 Trickery, Trolling, and Threats: Understanding and Addressing Cyberbullying PreK-Grade 12
8
JANUARY 2010
Thu 01/14/10 What Every Connecticut Educator Should Know About Assessment Grades K-12
Accommodations for the CMT/CAPT-Session C
Thu 01/14/10 What Every Connecticut Educator Should Know About Assessment Grades K-12
Accommodations for the CMT/CAPT-Session D
Fri 01/15/10 Making a Difference Through Co-teaching - Session B Grades K-12

Activity Code 10-12-009 Teaching & Learning Initiative
Fri 01/15/10 Technology Tools to Assist in the Writing Process for Students in Grades 5-8 Grades 5-8
Tue 01/19/10 Distinguishing Second Language Acquisition from Learning Disabilities PreK-Grade 12
Tue 01/26/10 Connecticut's Teachers of Students Who are Deaf and/or Hard of Hearing: A PreK-Grade 12
Discussion Group
Activity Code 10-38-010 Initiative on Visual and Hearing Impairments
Tue 01/26/10 Making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP): Preventative and Corrective Measures to Grades K-12
Improve Academic Achievement for Students with Disabilities
Activity Code 10-09-005 Team Application LRE/Inclusion Initiative
Tue 01/26/10 Reading and Writing in Grades 4-12: A Study Group for Improving Literacy Skills Grades 4-12
Wed 01/27/10 A Step by Step Approach for Inclusive Schools 2009-2010: Cadre 2 Grades K-12
Wed 01/27/10 NAEYC Accreditation Road Trip: An Overview of the New NAEYC Accreditation PreK, 3-5
System - Session C
Activity Code 10-46-137 Early Childhood Education Initiative
Thu 01/28/10 An Introduction to Working Collaboratively in Early Childhood Settings PreK, 3-5
Activity Code 10-46-117 Team Application Early Childhood Education Initiative
Fri 01/29/10 Vocabulary and Language Development for English Language Learners Grades K-8
9
FEBRUARY 2010
Tue 02/02/10 Progress Monitoring for Student Success Grades K-8
Activity Code 10-03-008 Team Application Early Intervention Project
Wed 02/03/10 Self-Advocacy Strategy: Enhancing Student Motivation and Self-Determination Grades 6-12
within the Transition Planning Process
Activity Code 10-20-010 Transition Initiative
Fri 02/05/10 Using the Hawaii Early Learning Profile to Creatively Meet the Needs of Students Birth-3
and Parents
Tue 02/09/10 Accessing the General Education Curriculum for Students with Significant Disabilities Grades K-8
Tue 02/09/10 Schools and Families: Better Together - Session B Grades K-8
Activity Code 10-47-018 CT Parent Information and Resource Center
Tue 02/09/10 Teaching 21st-Century Skills Grades 4-12

Wed 02/10/10 Beyond Diversity: A Foundation for De-Institutionalizing Racism & Improving Student Birth-21
Achievement - Session D
Fri 02/19/10 Everyday Strategies for Teaching Social-Emotional Skills PreK, 3-5
Wed 02/24/10 Influencing Behavioral Growth in Preschoolers: The "Big" Picture PreK, 3-5
Wed 02/24/10 Lee y Serás (Read and You Will Be) - Session B Grades K-3
Activity Code 10-47-008 CT Parent Information and Resource Center
Thu 02/25/10 Differentiating Instruction in Today's Elementary Classrooms: Embedding Critical Grades K-5
Literacy Skills Instruction Across the K-5 Curriculum
Thu 02/25/10 Transition Assessment and the IEP - Session B Grades 9-12
Activity Code 10-20-011 Transition Initiative
Fri 02/26/10 Technology Tools to Assist in the Writing Process for Students in Grades 9-12 Grades 9-12
10
MARCH 2010
Sat 03/06/10 Multi-Sensory Structured Language Instruction Grades K-2
Sat 03/13/10 Literacy In Action - Session B PreK, 3-5

Tue 03/16/10 Using Play to Enhance Communication with Young Children Birth-3
Activity Code 10-46-109 Team Application Early Childhood Education Initiative
Thu 03/18/10 Improving Early Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Infants and Toddlers Birth-3
Fri 03/19/10 Enhancing Social Communication for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Birth-3
Disorders
Fri 03/19/10 Touching the Spirit: How Successful Teachers Use Culture in Achieving Educational Grades K-3
Excellence
Wed 03/24/10 Educational Benefit Review Process and Transition: Two-Day Training with Johns Grades 6-12
Hopkins University
Activity Code 10-20-013 Team Application Transition Initiative
Wed 03/24/10 Scientific Research-Based Interventions (SRBI) Basic Training - Session A Grades K-12
Wed 03/31/10 EIP Case Partner Training: Building Collaborative Partnerships - Session B PreK-Grade 12
Activity Code 10-03-007 Early Intervention Project
APRIL 2010
Tue 04/06/10 Beyond the Basics of Co-teaching Grades K-12
Tue 04/06/10 Implementing Evidence-Based Practices in the Inclusive Classroom for Students Birth-21
with ASD
Activity Code 10-43-013 Focus on Autism Initiative
Wed 04/07/10 A Step By Step Approach for Inclusive Schools 2009-2010: Cadre 3 Grades K-12
Thu 04/08/10 Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: Examining Classroom Practice - Session B PreK-Grade 12
11
APRIL 2010
Thu 04/08/10 The Fundamentals of Writing Sentences Grades 3-12
Tue 04/27/10 A Sensory-Motor Approach to Feeding Therapy Birth-5

Wed 04/28/10 Scientific Research-Based Interventions (SRBI) Basic Training - Session B Grades K-12
Fri 04/30/10 Symposium on the Intersection of Race and Education Birth-21

MAY 2010
Wed 05/05/10 Differentiated Instruction in Mathematics for English Language Learners Grades K-6
Activity Code 10-21-006 Mathematical Literacy Initative
Fri 05/07/10 A Classroom of Difference - Session B Grades K-12

Fri 05/07/10 Best Practices in Early Childhood Education: Meeting the Needs of All Children PreK, 3-5
Tue 05/11/10 An Advanced Session for Experienced Co-teachers: Planning for Powerful Instruction Grades K-12
Thu 05/13/10 Instructional Strategies for Inclusion of Students with Visual Impairments in the Grades K-12
Science Curriculum
Activity Code 10-38-011 Initiative on Visual and Hearing Impairments
Sat 05/15/10 Exploring Nature with Infants and Toddlers to Support Language Development Birth-5
Thu 05/20/10 Cultural Competence and Courageous Practice: Bringing Equity Alive in the PreK-Grade 12
Classroom
JUNE 2010
Wed 06/09/10 Supporting the Needs of Diverse Families Birth-5
12
THIS SECTION CONTAINS
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
DESIGNED FOR INDIVIDUALS
ACTIVITIES DESIGNED FOR INDIVIDUALS

Before registering, please review the activity descriptions for information on grade
levels, suggested audience, and learning objectives. Be sure that the submitted
Individual Applicant Application Form is complete and, if needed, an
administrator’s release time signature is included. Certain activities indicate that
while a participant may register individually, team participation is encouraged.
Additional information about each activity and the application process may be
obtained by calling or e-mailing the advertised Contact Person.
Although applications for these workshops may be submitted by mail or fax, easy
Web registration for these activities is available at www.ctserc.org.
See page 41 for the application form.
13
Event Title Beyond Diversity: A Foundation for De‐Institutionalizing Racism & Improving Student Achievement ‐ Session C
Event Code: 10‐06‐104 Offered by: Initiative on Diversity in Education
# of Sessions:2 Registration: Fax, Mail or Online Contact Person:
CEUs: 1.4 Closing Date: 1/5/2010 Nicole Vitale
Fee: $175 per person Presenter(s): Terrlyn Curry‐Avery, Ph.D. Education Services Specialist
Audience: Birth‐21 Connecticut Regional Director, Pacific (860) 632‐1485 Ext 234
Teachers, Administrators, Support Personnel, Educational Group, CA Email vitale@ctserc.org
Families, Community Members, and SERC Consultants
Policymakers
Event Description:
“Beyond Diversity” is a powerful, personally transforming, two‐day seminar designed to help teachers, administrators, support personnel,
families, community members, and policymakers understand the impact of race on students’ learning and investigate the role that
institutionalized racism plays in academic achievement disparities.
Through “Beyond Diversity,” participants will begin to use Four Agreements and Six Conditions to engage in a reflective exploration of race and
racism and the influences of each upon the culture and climate of schools. The presenters will lead participants in facilitated activities designed to
examine the impact of race on schooling and student achievement.
Participants in this professional development activity will construct a personal action plan to deepen their understanding of racism, which
includes engaging other members of the learning community in dialogue about systemic racism; learn how race intersects with all aspects of
diversity such as ableism, gender, language, ethnicity, culture, and nationality, and how these all relate to educational failure; develop the
knowledge and requisite skills for initiating, engaging, sustaining, and deepening Courageous Conversations About Race; and explore strategies of
identifying and addressing policies and practices that negatively impact student ability to meet rigorous academic standards.
Sessions A and B of this activity were scheduled for the fall. Session C is scheduled for Jan. 7 and 8, and Section D is scheduled for Feb. 10 and
11. All sessions cover the same content.
Date Start Time End Time Location

01/07/10, Thursday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM ITBD/IIET, New Britain
01/08/10, Friday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM ITBD/IIET, New Britain
Event Title Technology Tools for the CMT Skills Checklist
Event Code: 10‐28‐003 Offered by: Technology in Education Initiative
CEUs: 0.7 Technology (302) Closing Date: 1/5/2010 Angel Davis
Fee: $50 per person Presenter(s): Carol Magliocco Education Services Specialist
Audience: Grades 3‐8 Assistive Technology Coordinator, (860) 632‐1485 Ext 293
General and Special Educators with basic EASTCONN, Hampton Email davis@ctserc.org
computer skills Amy Norton
Assistive Technology Specialist,
EASTCONN, Hampton
Event Description:
The CMT Skills Checklist is a working document designed for teachers to use throughout the school year to plan instruction, monitor student
progress, and document achievement for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
In this session, participants will examine how assistive technology tools may be used to assess students in an independent and objective
manner on the CMT Skills Checklist. Through hands‐on exploration, participants will examine software applications such as Clicker 5, Clicker Paint,
and Cloze Pro from Crick Software. Participants will learn how to use these programs to assess students who need support with reading and
writing as well as students who require alternate computer access, such as switch scanning.
In order to improve outcomes for students taking the CMT Skills Checklist in grades 3‐8, participants will explore various assistive technology
applications that may be used for assessment of these students; learn how to integrate these tools into the general education curriculum in order
to improve learning outcomes for students with significant cognitive disabilities; and examine options available for students who need alternative
methods of demonstrating the skills on the CMT Skills Checklist.

01/07/10, Thursday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM The NEAT Center at Oak Hill, Hartford
14
Event Title Explicit Teaching: A Model for the Older Dependent Reader
Event Code: 10‐45‐017 Offered by: Literacy Initiative
CEUs: 0.7 Literacy (301) Closing Date: 1/6/2010 Leticia Garcia Guerra
Fee: $75 per person Presenter(s): Margie Gillis, Ed.D. Education Services Specialist
Audience: Grades 4‐8 President, Literacy How, Westport (860) 632‐1485 Ext 233
General and Special Educators, Literacy Email guerra@ctserc.org
Specialists, Student Support Services
Professionals, Paraprofessionals, and
Curriculum Specialists/Coordinators
Event Description:
“Ensuring adequate ongoing literacy development for all students in the middle and high school years is a more challenging task than ensuring
excellent reading education in the primary grades, for two reasons: first, secondary school literacy skills are more complex, more embedded in
subject matter, and more multiply determined; second, adolescents are not as universally motivated to read better or as interested in school‐
based reading as kindergartners.” (Biancarosa & Snow, 2005)
In this session, participants will learn what is meant by comprehensive literacy instruction as it applies to older struggling readers. In doing so,
they will examine a model of intervention for older dependent students who need intensive, systematic, and explicit instruction in basic reading
skills. Both word recognition (decoding and fluency) and comprehension (text comprehension and vocabulary) will be addressed.
Participants in this professional development opportunity will review recent research regarding older dependent readers; link No Child Left
Behind (NCLB) legislation to classroom practice; gain an understanding of a reading intervention model for use in classrooms, grades 4‐8; and
develop strategies to improve reading instruction related to word recognition, vocabulary, and comprehension for grades 4‐8.

01/09/10, Saturday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM SERC Classroom, Middletown
Event Title Closing the Literacy Gap in Middle and High Schools: A Research‐Based, School‐wide Literacy Approach for Administrators
Fee: $75 per person Presenter(s): Michael Faggella‐Luby, Ph.D. Education Services Specialist
Audience: Grades 6‐12 Assistant Professor, Educational (860) 632‐1485 Ext 233
Administrators, Department Chairs, and Psychology, Univ. of Connecticut Email guerra@ctserc.org
Curriculum Coordinators
Event Description:
This session will focus on the critical need for closing the achievement gaps in secondary schools by addressing issues of adolescent literacy
through: (1) a brief overview of the research‐based components related to improving reading comprehension in adolescents; (2) introduction of a
school‐wide model for implementing a Scientific Research‐Based Intervention (SRBI) for all learners called the Content Literacy Continuum; (3)
review of a variety of research‐based practices across multiple levels of school‐wide service delivery; (4) presentation of four critical features of
implementation for school‐wide models; and (5) identification of links to resources for further information on research‐based practices.
Participants in this professional development activity will enhance their ability to identify the content and pedagogy necessary to improve
adolescent literacy and student outcomes; describe a school‐wide model for implementing SRBI practices at the secondary level; assess their own
implementation of school‐wide service delivery models; and draw upon further resources to make decisions about research‐based practices to
support learners in their schools.

01/13/10, Wednesday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM Crowne Plaza, Cromwell
15
Event Title Effective Teaching Strategies (ETS) Basic Training
Event Code: 10‐16‐010 Offered by: CT's Accountability for Learning Initiative
CEUs: 1.2 Closing Date: 1/7/2010 Lisa Scaife
Fee: $170 per person Presenter(s): Virginia Babcock Education Services Specialist
Audience: Grades K‐12 SERC Consultant (860) 632‐1485 Ext 282
Teachers, Administrators, and Instructional Email scaife@ctserc.org
Specialists Tracey Mayes
SERC Consultant
Event Description:
In order to maximize student learning opportunities, teachers must plan effective lessons that consider not only the concepts that students
must know, but also the specific instructional strategies that are most likely to improve student achievement across all content areas and grade
levels. Robert Marzano, utilizing meta‐analysis to analyze and summarize thousands of research studies, identified nine teaching and learning
strategies that improve student achievement. This hands‐on, interactive seminar will share specific strategies in each of the nine categories,
outlined in the book “Classroom Instruction that Works” (2001) by Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock. It also will cover the tenth
strategy—nonfiction writing—which Dr. Doug Reeves, founder of the Center for Performance Assessment (CPA), added in his own research.
This training is designed for classroom teachers and instructional specialists. Participants will have an opportunity to apply each of the
categories to current lessons or future units and plans and learn what other teachers are doing to achieve success in their classrooms.
Participants in this professional development activity will learn about the ten categories of effective teaching strategies; understand how to use
aspects of these strategies when planning lessons; learn about the application of the strategies specific to student needs; examine the most
effective way to write thorough lesson plans and deliver instruction with methods proven to improve student achievement; and identify
strategies and techniques that are more beneficial to certain learning situations and students in order to meet the needs of and improve
outcomes for all students.

01/13/10, Wednesday 8:30 AM 3:30 PM ITBD/IIET, New Britain
Event Title Multicultural Literature and Culturally Responsive Literacy Instruction
Fee: None Presenter(s): Ivelise Velazquez Education Services Specialist
Administrators, General and Special Educators, Email guerra@ctserc.org
Literacy Specialists, Paraprofessionals, and Janet N.Y. Zarchen
Related Services Professionals
SERC Consultant
Event Description:
Our society and its schools are becoming increasingly diverse in cultural, racial, ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic ways. In order to promote
respect and understanding among students, teachers often turn to multicultural literature as a tool of culturally responsive instruction. While
multicultural books, ethnic foods, and holidays are components of culturally responsive instruction, the definition needs to also include high
academic standards, a rigorous curriculum, and effective teaching. As Connecticut educators work to help culturally and linguistically diverse
students reach their full potential, it is important that educators understand the link between culturally responsive instruction and literacy
instruction.
Over the course of four evenings, the presenters will highlight the selection and use of muticultural books, and the participants will explore and
discuss the components of literacy instruction through the lens of culture and diversity. Participants will be encouraged to develop and try some
strategies, then discuss them with the group. During the intersessions, participants will have the opportunity to engage in online discussions to
deepen and extend their learning.
In order to improve student outcomes, participants in this professional development activity will explore a framework for selecting and
teaching multicultural literature; examine and critique multicultural literature; explore the elements of culturally responsive instruction; discuss
the qualities of a culturally responsive educator; and apply their new knowledge to their specific jobs in the schools.

01/13/10, Wednesday 4:30 PM 7:00 PM SERC Classroom, Middletown
16
Event Title Technology Tools to Assist in the Writing Process for Students in Grades 3‐6
General and Special Educators, EASTCONN, Hampton Email davis@ctserc.org
Paraprofessionals, and Related Services Amy Norton
Professionals
EASTCONN, Hampton
Event Description:
Many students struggle with the writing process due to attention, organizational, and processing difficulties. This workshop, customized for
particular grade levels*, explores the range of technology tools that assist students in brainstorming, researching, organizing, writing, and editing
their work. Particular emphasis will be placed on technology tools that address the needs of students, including students with disabilities, who
struggle with one or more aspects of the writing process. Inspiration®, SOLO, Kurzweil, and Read and Write Gold are among the software
applications that will be reviewed.
In order to improve outcomes for students in grades 3‐12, including students with disabilities, participants will gain an understanding of the
continuum of tools available in order to apply technology as an integral part of the learning environment; increase familiarity by engaging in
hands‐on exploration of many of these tools; and learn how to identify and use appropriate strategies to assist students in the classroom.
*This workshop is offered once for each of three grade level ranges (3‐6, 5‐8, and 9‐12) on Jan. 13, Jan. 15, and Feb. 26. Participants are asked
to choose the one that meets their needs.

01/13/10, Wednesday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM The NEAT Center at Oak Hill, Hartford
Event Title What Every Connecticut Educator Should Know About Assessment Accommodations for the CMT/CAPT‐Session A
Event Code: 10‐17‐021 Offered by: Assessment Initiative
CEUs: 0.4 Special Education (059) Closing Date: 1/5/2010 Angel Davis
Fee: None Presenter(s): Joe Amenta Education Services Specialist
Audience: Grades K‐12 Curriculum Coordinator, CSDE (860) 632‐1485 Ext 293
Administrators, including Special Education Email davis@ctserc.org
Directors and District Test & Curriculum Janet Stuck
Coordinators; General & Special Educators;
Education Consultant, CSDE Student
and Related Services Professionals
Assessment
Event Description:
High expectations for student learning are central to both the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA), requiring students to be assessed using grade‐level versions of the Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT), the Connecticut Academic
Performance Test (CAPT), or the CMT/CAPT Modified Assessment System (MAS). Accommodations can be provided, if necessary, for students
with disabilities, students identified under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). The
Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) has established accommodations that permit meaningful interpretations of students’
responses and scores on the CMT or CAPT.
This training will clarify who is eligible for accommodations and the steps required when making accommodation selections. The presenters will
describe acceptable types of accommodations, demonstrate Assistive Technology (AT) options, and cover logistical aspects of using
accommodations to ensure standardized test administration.
Participants in this professional development activity will review the legal and practical implications of providing accommodations; identify
accommodations allowed on the CMT/CAPT, including those requiring AT, and understand the rationale for their use; distinguish between
accommodations used for instruction vs. those used for assessment; develop a process to select appropriate accommodations and evaluate their
effectiveness; and offer suggestions for accommodations to be considered in future generations of the CMT and CAPT for both standard and
modified versions.
17
Event Title What Every Connecticut Educator Should Know About Assessment Accommodations for the CMT/CAPT‐Session B
Assessment
Event Description:
modified versions.
01/13/10, Wednesday 12:30 PM 4:00 PM Crowne Plaza, Cromwell
Event Title Trickery, Trolling, and Threats: Understanding and Addressing Cyberbullying
CEUs: 0.7 Technology (302) Closing Date: 1/8/2010 Nicole Vitale
Fee: $40 per person Presenter(s): Ivette Ruiz Education Services Specialist
Audience: PreK‐Grade 12 SERC Consultant (860) 632‐1485 Ext 234
Educators, Administrators, Community Email vitale@ctserc.org
Members, Families, and Members of Faith‐ ADL Trainers
based Organizations
Anti‐Defamation League, CT
Event Description:
For the current generation of teens, e‐mailing, instant messaging, text messaging, chatting, and blogging are vital means of self‐expression and
central parts of their social lives. There are increasing reports, however, that many youth are misusing online technologies to bully others.
“Trickery, Trolling, and Threats” is a full‐day training, created by the Anti‐Defamation League for middle and high school educators,
administrators, and student support services personnel, that increases awareness about the unique features and impact of cyberbullying,
provides strategies for educators to respond effectively to cyberbullying, and fosters an increased culture of safety among youth. The overall
goals of this program are to promote safety and inclusion in online forums as part of a broader strategy to create safe schools for all youth, and to
help create informed student populations who understand the importance of behaving responsibly and respectfully online and who are motivated
to challenge cyberbullying in their schools and communities.
Participants in this professional development activity will increase their understanding and awareness of cyberbullying; understand how
cyberbullying occurs and its unique features and impact; explore the connections between cyberbullying, bias‐motivated behavior, and online
hate activities; learn strategies for empowering students to respond to cyberbullying; increase their awareness about the legal and ethical
responsibilities for responding to cyberbullying; and be better prepared to foster an increased culture of electronic or “e” safety.

01/14/10, Thursday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM SERC Library Community Room, Middletown
18
Event Title What Every Connecticut Educator Should Know About Assessment Accommodations for the CMT/CAPT‐Session C
Assessment
Event Description:
modified versions.
01/14/10, Thursday 8:30 AM 12:00 PM Crowne Plaza, Cromwell
Event Title What Every Connecticut Educator Should Know About Assessment Accommodations for the CMT/CAPT‐Session D
Assessment
Event Description:
modified versions.
01/14/10, Thursday 12:30 PM 4:00 PM Crowne Plaza, Cromwell
19
Event Title Making a Difference Through Co‐teaching ‐ Session B
Event Code: 10‐12‐009 Offered by: Teaching & Learning Initiative
CEUs: 0.7 Closing Date: 1/4/2010 Rebecca Kisluk
Fee: $30 per person Presenter(s): Stefanie Carbone Education Services Specialist
Audience: Grades K‐12 and Other SERC Consultants (860) 632‐1485 Ext 289
General and Special Educators and/or Student Email kisluk@ctserc.org
Support Services Professionals are encouraged
to register as two‐person, co‐teaching teams
Event Description:
Today, educators are challenged to identify and utilize more meaningful and effective instructional options as general education classrooms
include more and more students of increasingly diverse backgrounds, learning styles, abilities, and disabilities. Co‐teaching holds great promise as
one approach to supporting students with diverse needs in general education settings. Through co‐teaching, educators form partnerships,
including teaching pairs comprised of general educators, special educators, student support professionals, ESL/ELL specialists, reading
consultants/specialists, and math consultants/specialists. These partners collaborate to provide a rich and differentiated learning opportunity and
a sense of belonging to every child. Their talents, experiences, and expertise, both shared and varied, make for powerful and dynamic approaches
to instruction.
Teams of participants in this professional development activity will identify six different co‐teaching arrangements; compare the advantages
and disadvantages of each co‐teaching arrangement; determine how co‐teaching can become an effective support for inclusive practices in
accommodating the needs of diverse learners and enhancing student learning in grades K‐12; and plan ways to integrate co‐teaching into their
instructional repertoire in order to improve student learning.
This workshop covers the same content as Session A, which was scheduled for November.

01/15/10, Friday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM SERC Classroom, Middletown
Professionals
EASTCONN, Hampton
Event Description:

01/15/10, Friday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM The NEAT Center at Oak Hill, Hartford
20
Event Title Distinguishing Second Language Acquisition from Learning Disabilities
Fee: $60 per person Presenter(s): Nancy Cloud, Ed.D. Education Services Specialist
Audience: PreK‐Grade 12 Professor, Department of Educational (860) 632‐1485 Ext 234
General Education, Special Education, and Studies, Rhode Island College Email vitale@ctserc.org
ESL/Bilingual Teachers, Program Coordinators,
Student Support Services Professionals, and
Curriculum Directors
Event Description:
Today’s schools are populated by culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) learners. Educators and specialists face many challenges in serving
these students appropriately. A good working knowledge of Second Language Acquisition stages and processes, cultural/ethnic differences, and
linguistic, cultural, and racial biases in the referral and assessment processes are necessary. This professional development activity is designed to
build an awareness that will support educators in appropriately serving and educating culturally and linguistically rich students. The focus of the
session is on strategies for reducing inappropriate referrals and over‐identification in Special Education of students from certain racial and ethnic
groups and English Language Learners.
Participants in this professional development activity will explore national, state, and local trends of under‐representation and over‐
representation of English Language Learners in particular categories of special education programs; examine the numerous factors of
consideration in the referral and assessment process for English Language Learners; and discuss the role of racial, cultural, and linguistic biases in
the instruction and assessment of English Language Learners.
There is also an opportunity for districts to receive technical assistance on these topics on Friday, May 14, 2010. There will be an additional fee
for the technical assistance, and two members from the district must have attended this session first. For more information, please contact Beth
Brunet, Consultant, SERC, at (860) 632‐1485, x 307, or brunet@ctserc.org.

01/19/10, Tuesday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM Crowne Plaza, Cromwell
Event Title Connecticut's Teachers of Students Who are Deaf and/or Hard of Hearing: A Discussion Group
Event Code: 10‐38‐010 Offered by: Initiative on Visual and Hearing Impairments
CEUs: 1 Closing Date: 1/12/2010 Karyn Champion‐Kamm
Fee: $75 per person Presenter(s): SERC Consultants Education Services Specialist
Audience: PreK‐Grade 12 (860) 632‐1485 Ext 225
Teachers of the Deaf and/or Hard of Hearing Email champion@ctserc.org
Karyn Champion‐Kamm
Education Services Specialist, SERC
Event Description:
How can teachers of the deaf work together to improve outcomes for students with hearing loss in preschool to grade 12? Do you have an
experience or area of strength to share with your colleagues? By coming together, and sharing thoughts and ideas, teachers of students who are
deaf/hard of hearing can identify better and more effective ways to provide a quality education for all students with hearing loss.
This discussion group, facilitated by SERC staff, will implement the action plan created by last year’s group and continue to focus on examining
the needs of teachers of the deaf across Connecticut. It will provide these educators with a forum to share areas of need and develop structures
of support, as well as next steps. Existing resources and research available to teachers of the deaf will be explored and discussed.
Participants in this professional development activity will share their experiences with students with hearing loss; identify needs and concerns
in providing effective education to students who are deaf/hard of hearing; and discuss and implement a plan of action to address needs, support
teachers, and improve student learning.

01/26/10, Tuesday 4:30 PM 7:00 PM SERC Library Community Room, Middletown
21
Event Title Reading and Writing in Grades 4‐12: A Study Group for Improving Literacy Skills
Fee: $90 per person Presenter(s): Martha Bless Education Services Specialist
Audience: Grades 4‐12 SERC Consultant (860) 632‐1485 Ext 233
Specialists, Paraprofessionals, and Curriculum Janet N.Y. Zarchen
Specialists/Coordinators
SERC Consultant
Event Description:
This study group is designed as a follow‐up to Dr. Janet Allen's workshop on November 13th, although attendance at that session is not
required for acceptance into this study group. Over the course of four evenings, participants will study, discuss, and implement information
shared by Dr. Allen, both in her workshop and in her book "Yellow Brick Roads." Issues relating to differentiated instruction (DI), Scientific
Research‐Based Interventions (SRBI), and Tier I instruction will be addressed. During the intersessions, participants will have the opportunity to
engage in online discussions to deepen and extend their learning.
Participants in this professional development activity will explore instructional strategies to improve and support the reading and writing
achievement of their students; implement instructional strategies; debrief the successes and challenges of the implementation of instructional
strategies; develop a plan to monitor the levels of engagement of their students; and develop a plan to support the use of self‐monitoring and
metacognitive strategies.

01/26/10, Tuesday 4:30 PM 7:00 PM SERC Classroom, Middletown
Event Title NAEYC Accreditation Road Trip: An Overview of the New NAEYC Accreditation System ‐ Session C
Event Code: 10‐46‐137 Offered by: Early Childhood Education Initiative
CEUs: None Closing Date: 1/13/2010 Nattaneal Wilson
Fee: None Presenter(s): Deborah Flis Education Services Specialist
Audience: PreK, 3‐5 Director, Accreditation Facilitation (860) 632‐1485 Ext 268
Administrators and Preschool General and Project, CT Charts‐A‐Course Email wilson@ctserc.org
Special Educators from schools and
community‐based programs who are
interested in the NAEYC accreditation process
Event Description:
In 2006, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) launched its updated accreditation system. This workshop is
one of several offerings this year provided by the Connecticut Accreditation Facilitation Project (AFP) in an effort to support continuous quality
improvement through the NAEYC accreditation process. Educators seeking accreditation or re‐accreditation will find this workshop helpful to
their understanding of the new requirements of the system and the steps of the NAEYC accreditation process.
Participants in this professional development activity will learn about NAEYC’s new program standards and accreditation processes and
procedures; learn about new self‐study materials, steps, and requirements for successful accreditation; and learn about local and national
resources to support programs engaged in the NAEYC accreditation process.
This workshop covers the same content as Sessions A and B of the NAEYC Accreditation Road Trip workshops, which were scheduled for the fall.

01/27/10, Wednesday 1:30 PM 3:30 PM SERC Library Community Room, Middletown
22
Event Title Vocabulary and Language Development for English Language Learners
Fee: $80 per person Presenter(s): Maria Elena Argüelles, Ph.D. Education Services Specialist
Audience: Grades K‐8 Educational Consultant, Miami, FL (860) 632‐1485 Ext 233
General and Special Educators, ESL/ELL and Email guerra@ctserc.org
Literacy Specialists, Paraprofessionals,
Curriculum Specialists/Coordinators, and
Student Support Services Professionals
Event Description:
In its position statement on English Language Learners (ELLs), the Connecticut State Board of Education recognizes the importance of ensuring
that students acquire a level of English proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing that allows them to participate in the mainstream
academic program. In addition, these students are expected to master the same content and achieve the same levels of academic performance
as students whose first language is English.
As the ELL population in Connecticut increases, meeting the needs of these students can be a great challenge for many educators. Teachers
must ensure that while students are meeting their language objectives, they are also not falling behind their English language‐speaking peers in
content areas. This workshop will aid teachers in preparing students who are ELLs to develop the vocabulary and language skills that are essential
to their success in literacy. Dr. Maria Elena Argüelles will present strategies for creating a highly successful and inclusive learning environment for
all ELLs, especially during Tier I instruction.
Participants in this professional development activity will learn how to plan instruction for ELLs using knowledge of the stages of language
development, apply strategies for teaching vocabulary to ELLs, and use methods of developing academic language in ELLs.

Event Title Self‐Advocacy Strategy: Enhancing Student Motivation and Self‐Determination within the Transition Planning Process
Event Code: 10‐20‐010 Offered by: Transition Initiative
CEUs: 1 Special Education (059) Closing Date: 1/15/2010 Karyn Champion‐Kamm
Fee: $65 per person Presenter(s): Melissa Wrigley Education Services Specialist
Transition Specialists, General and Special Email champion@ctserc.org
Educators, Career Center Staff, Guidance Lucy Krause
Counselors, State and Local Agency
SIM Professional Developer
Representatives, and Family Members
Event Description:
The definition of self‐advocacy is the ability of an individual to effectively communicate, convey, negotiate, or assert one’s own interests,
desires, needs, and rights (University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning, 2003). By developing their self‐advocacy skills, students can
actively make decisions about their own transition services and life choices in the areas of education, training, employment, and/or independent
living.
Participants in this professional development activity will discover techniques to teach students how to effectively communicate their
education and transition strengths, areas to improve, and goals (both short‐term & long‐term), and investigate options that will assist students
with effectively and efficiently maintaining all of the transition materials and information developed.
All participants will receive the Self‐Advocacy Manual and CD program from the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning.

02/03/10, Wednesday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM SERC Classroom, Middletown
23
Event Title Using the Hawaii Early Learning Profile to Creatively Meet the Needs of Students and Parents
CEUs: 0.7 Closing Date: 1/20/2010 Nattaneal Wilson
Fee: $35 per person Presenter(s): Barbara Kuczen, Ph.D. Education Services Specialist
Audience: Birth‐3 Early Childhood Consultant (860) 632‐1485 Ext 268
Birth to Three Providers Email wilson@ctserc.org

Event Description:
This session will provide an overview of the Hawaii Early Learning Profile (HELP) as a means of identifying needs, tracking growth and
development, and determining individualized goals for children. A description of the HELP domains; a comprehensive compendium of skills, play‐
based activities and interventions; and intervention strategies for program or home use also will be reviewed.
Participants in this professional development activity will learn how the HELP can promote a multi‐disciplinary, integrated approach that
focuses on the whole child within the context of the family; techniques for using the HELP in conjunction with other exciting approaches such as
assistive technology, social stories, work sampling, video learning, and structured teaching; and methods for linking the HELP to Head Start
Positive Child Outcomes and state learner outcomes.

02/05/10, Friday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM SERC Library Community Room, Middletown
Event Title Schools and Families: Better Together ‐ Session B
Event Code: 10‐47‐018 Offered by: CT Parent Information and Resource Center
CEUs: 0.8 Closing Date: 1/19/2010 Bianca Irizarry
Fee: None Presenter(s): Veronica Marion Project Assistant
Audience: Grades K‐8 SERC Consultant/CT PIRC Coordinator (860) 632‐1485 Ext 216
General and Special Educators, Student Email irizarry@ctserc.org
Support Services Professionals, Faith‐based Barbara Slone
Organizations, and Community Members.
SERC Consultant/CT PIRC Coordinator
Participants are encouraged to attend as
teams.
Event Description:
Parents and other adult family members often are not aware of the opportunities that Title I of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) affords
them, so they cannot make informed educational decisions on behalf of their children. This full‐day training is designed to build the capacity of
community organization and agency leaders, faith community leaders, and public school personnel to conduct informational workshops for family
members whose children attend schools receiving Title I funds.
The session focuses on four essential components of NCLB: Parent Involvement, School Choice, Supplemental Educational Services (SES), and
School and District Report Cards. A team of presenters from the CT Parent Information and Resource Center (CT PIRC), CT Parent Teacher
Association (CT PTA), and the CT State Department of Education (CSDE) will provide and review relevant NCLB information, a wide variety of
valuable resources, and the logistical background for conducting a meaningful workshop for families.
Participants in this professional development activity will become familiar with the relevant provisions of NCLB; be expected to hold an
informational workshop for parents within three months of this training and receive a stipend for this work; be able to conduct a meaningful two‐
hour informational workshop for families on NCLB, focusing on the four essential components; and be able to provide families with a wide variety
of resources on NCLB.
This workshop covers the same content as Session A, which was scheduled for October 2009.

02/09/10, Tuesday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM SERC Library Community Room, Middletown
24
Event Title Teaching 21st‐Century Skills
CEUs: 0.7 Closing Date: 1/26/2010 Leticia Garcia Guerra
General and Special Educators and Email guerra@ctserc.org
Administrators, and Support Staff Stefanie Carbone
SERC Consultant
Event Description:
According to the Connecticut Plan for Secondary School Reform, “the old basics of reading, writing, and mathematics are still essential, but they
are no longer sufficient. Today’s students must learn to locate, analyze, interpret, and communicate information in a variety of media and
formats, and solve problems creatively and logically. Living and competing successfully in a global society and economy will require an
understanding of our interconnectedness, collaboration and leadership skills, habits of personal and social responsibility, and adaptability to
change.”
In order to prepare schools and communities for 21st‐Century learning, educators must consider ethical, logistical, and safety issues that affect
policy for students and staff. In this session, participants will explore the definition of “21st‐Century skills,” current research on best practices for
teaching these skills, and emerging technologies.
Participants in this professional development activity will discuss research that defines and promotes the teaching of 21st‐Century skills;
generate ideas about how emerging technologies will impact school policies regarding intellectual property rights and Internet safety and ethics in
a global society; and discover how emerging technologies can be used to increase students’ interest in reading and writing in the classroom.

02/09/10, Tuesday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM SERC Classroom, Middletown
Event Title Beyond Diversity: A Foundation for De‐Institutionalizing Racism & Improving Student Achievement ‐ Session D
Fee: $175 per person Presenter(s): Terrlyn Curry‐Avery, Ph.D. Education Services Specialist
Audience: Birth‐21 Connecticut Regional Director, Pacific (860) 632‐1485 Ext 234
Teachers, Administrators, Support Personnel, Educational Group, CA Email vitale@ctserc.org
Families, Community Members, and SERC Consultants
Policymakers
Event Description:
“Beyond Diversity” is a powerful, personally transforming, two‐day seminar designed to help teachers, administrators, support personnel,
families, community members, and policymakers understand the impact of race on students’ learning and investigate the role that
institutionalized racism plays in academic achievement disparities.
Through “Beyond Diversity,” participants will begin to use Four Agreements and Six Conditions to engage in a reflective exploration of race and
racism and the influences of each upon the culture and climate of schools. The presenters will lead participants in facilitated activities designed to
examine the impact of race on schooling and student achievement.
Participants in this professional development activity will construct a personal action plan to deepen their understanding of racism, which
includes engaging other members of the learning community in dialogue about systemic racism; learn how race intersects with all aspects of
diversity such as ableism, gender, language, ethnicity, culture, and nationality, and how these all relate to educational failure; develop the
knowledge and requisite skills for initiating, engaging, sustaining, and deepening Courageous Conversations About Race; and explore strategies of
identifying and addressing policies and practices that negatively impact student ability to meet rigorous academic standards.
Sessions A and B of this activity were scheduled for the fall. Session C is scheduled for Jan. 7 and 8, and Section D is scheduled for Feb. 10 and
11. All sessions cover the same content.

25
Event Title Everyday Strategies for Teaching Social‐Emotional Skills
CEUs: 0.7 Early Childhood Closing Date: 2/2/2010 Nattaneal Wilson
Fee: $45 per person Presenter(s): Elsa Jones Education Services Specialist
Audience: PreK, 3‐5 Child Development Specialist (860) 632‐1485 Ext 268
General and Special Education Early Childhood Email wilson@ctserc.org
Teachers and Support Personnel Anne Marie Davidson
SERC Consultant
Event Description:
Teachers who provide opportunities for children to develop their social and emotional skills begin to lay the foundation that is needed to
support a lifetime of learning. Under intentional teaching and reflective practice, children’s individual needs are identified, planned in the
curriculum, and monitored for progress. The presenters will discuss these core beliefs and share evidence‐based practices and strategies to
support social and emotional development that can be used in the classroom.
In this professional development opportunity, participants will increase their understanding of intentional teaching and reflective practice; gain
new teaching and learning strategies specific to children’s social and emotional development; and learn to plan and implement behavioral
strategies linked to the Connecticut Preschool Curriculum and Assessment Frameworks.

Event Title Influencing Behavioral Growth in Preschoolers: The "Big" Picture
Fee: $40 per person Presenter(s): Michael Weiss, Ph.D. Education Services Specialist
Audience: PreK, 3‐5 Developmental Psychologist, Giant (860) 632‐1485 Ext 268
General and Special Education Preschool Steps School, Fairfield, CT Email wilson@ctserc.org
Teachers, Assistants, Administrators, Support
Services Professionals, and Family Members
Event Description:
There are many elements that impact behavior and many points of view on how to systematically influence behavior and promote growth in
young children, including those with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This one‐day session will focus on how to achieve a true integration of
approaches and develop a behavior management system. The session will examine proactive and reactive strategies, along with defining
consequences, and discuss issues of “self regulation” and how they correlate with parenting/teaching styles. Participants will receive information
on functional behavior assessment and positive behavior support plans for young children with challenging behaviors, especially those children
with ASD.
As a result of this professional development activity, participants will know how to integrate multiple points of view in a coherent management
system; know how to apply their understanding of “self regulation” to support positive behavioral growth; and use newly acquired strategies for
understanding children’s behavior.

02/24/10, Wednesday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM Four Points Sheraton, Meriden
26
Event Title Lee y Serás (Read and You Will Be) ‐ Session B
Event Code: 10‐47‐008 Offered by: CT Parent Information and Resource Center
CEUs: 0.7 Literacy (301) Closing Date: 2/10/2010 Bianca Irizarry
Fee: None Presenter(s): Betsy LeBorious Project Assistant
Audience: Grades K‐3 Program Manager, Youth and Family (860) 632‐1485 Ext 216
General and Special Education Teachers, Faith‐ Development, CREC Email irizarry@ctserc.org
based Organization Leaders, Community Ivette Ruiz
Organization and Agency Staff, and
SERC Consultant
Policymakers
Event Description:
Lee y Serás ® (Read and You Will Be) is a national Latino early literacy initiative that engages families and community members as active
participants in the literacy development of their children. It provides research‐based, in‐culture, bilingual curricula and materials for families,
child care providers, and community leaders with the goal of creating long‐term attitudinal and behavioral changes in efforts to close the
educational achievement gap.
This one‐day workshop will prepare participants to conduct a six‐session series that empowers families and community members to foster the
early literacy skills essential to children’s literacy development. Participants will be provided with information about the literacy issues facing the
Latino community; an overview of the Lee y Serás initiative; practical advice on how to coordinate the Lee y Serás Family Conversation workshop
series; and step‐by‐step guidance for conducting the sessions.
In order to improve outcomes for Latino students in grades K‐3, participants will support Latino parents and family members as their children’s
first and most important teachers and role models; provide caregivers, educators, and other community members with resources and tools to
help create literacy‐rich environments for Latino children; and offer policymakers and business and community leaders information and tools to
understand and address the early literacy needs of their local community.
This workshop covers the same content as Session A, which was scheduled for December.

02/24/10, Wednesday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM SERC Library Community Room, Middletown
Event Title Differentiating Instruction in Today's Elementary Classrooms: Embedding Critical Literacy Skills Instruction Across the K‐5 Curriculum
General and Special Educators. Participants Email kisluk@ctserc.org
are encouraged to apply as teams. Tracey Mayes
SERC Consultant
Event Description:
Today’s classrooms reflect the diversity of their district’s communities. To respond to this diversity, instruction must be effectively
differentiated to meet the range of needs of the many learners and the growing need for critical literacy skills. Differentiation involves matching
curriculum components to learners by knowing their learning style preferences, interests, prior knowledge, and learning rate. The critical student
differences that can be attended to are academic, social/emotional, and cognitive.
Participants in this professional development activity will define differentiated instruction; delineate goals and purposes for differentiation;
identify essential core content and connections to the Connecticut Curriculum Frameworks; develop structures for embedding literacy instruction
in a differentiated classroom for kindergarten‐grade 5; explore various techniques for managing student work in a differentiated classroom; use
assessment data to determine effective instructional groupings in order to improve student achievement in kindergarten‐grade 5; examine
teaching practices that allow for critical differences among students in kindergarten‐grade 5 to improve student achievement; and design a
differentiated unit of instruction to meet the needs of all students.

02/25/10, Thursday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM SERC Classroom, Middletown
27
Event Title Transition Assessment and the IEP ‐ Session B
CEUs: 1 Closing Date: 2/2/2010 Karyn Champion‐Kamm
Fee: $50 per person Presenter(s): Karen Stigliano Education Services Specialist
Transition Specialists, General and Special Email champion@ctserc.org
Educators, Administrators, Career Center Staff, Melissa Wrigley
Guidance Counselors, and State and Local
SERC Consultant
Agency Representatives
Event Description:
How can secondary educators assist students with the development of their Post‐School Outcome Goal Statements? This professional
development session offers participants the opportunity to enhance their knowledge of qualitative/quantitative Transition Assessments, which
are a foundational part of developing a meaningful Individualized Education Program (IEP).
The State Performance Plan (SPP) Indicator 13 addresses outcomes for youth, aged 16 and above, with an IEP that includes coordinated,
measurable, annual IEP goals and transition services that reasonably enable the student to meet postsecondary goals. This SPP indicator is set at
100% for every district and can be effectively attained and sustained only by developing realistic and measurable goals that stem directly from
transition assessments in the areas of employment, postsecondary education, training, and independent living.
Every participant will receive a copy of the “Transition Assessment Resource Manual” developed by the CT Transition Task Force and a copy of
“Informal Assessments for Transition” from Pro‐Ed Publishers. Participants will become familiar with transition assessments for use with all
students, including students with disabilities, English Language Learners, low‐level readers, and students with little to no reading ability.
Please Note: Participants will be reviewing IEPs to assess and discuss actual Post‐School Outcome Goal Statements, annual goals and
objectives, and their relevance to assessments completed. Participants should bring a copy of at least one student’s IEP with the name(s) removed.
This workshop covers the same content as Session A, which was scheduled for December.

02/25/10, Thursday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM CES, Trumbull
Professionals
EASTCONN, Hampton
Event Description:

02/26/10, Friday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM The NEAT Center at Oak Hill, Hartford
28
Event Title Multi‐Sensory Structured Language Instruction
Fee: $90 per person Presenter(s): Margie Gillis, Ed.D. Education Services Specialist
Audience: Grades K‐2 President, Literacy How, Westport (860) 632‐1485 Ext 233
Specialists, Student Support Services Mary Ellen Lavallette
Professionals, Paraprofessionals, and
Reading Specialist, Bloomfield Public
Curriculum Specialists/Coordinators
Schools
Event Description:
Some children who fail to make satisfactory progress in early reading need more intensive, systematic instruction for learning word‐solving
strategies through a multi‐sensory structured language (MSSL) approach combined with a comprehensive reading program. These strategies could
be used at different tiers in the Scientific Research‐Based Interventions (SRBI) framework, depending on how they are implemented.
This two‐day workshop will blend theoretical knowledge with classroom application of multi‐sensory structured language intervention models.
There are several well‐known, successful MSSL models. This workshop will present a synthesis of the principles on which these models are
based. The presenters will demonstrate how visual, auditory, and kinesthetic modalities are trained simultaneously, developing meaningful
associations among sounds, letters, and motor patterns.
Participants in this professional development activity will identify the theoretical background and the critical components of multi‐sensory
structured language teaching; review and compare models of multi‐sensory structured language teaching and observe demonstrations of K‐2
classroom lessons; delineate the connection between a multi‐sensory structured language intervention approach and a child’s total reading
program; and plan multi‐sensory structured language lessons for grades K‐2 that connect directly to current classroom situations.

Event Title Literacy In Action ‐ Session B
Fee: $45 per person Presenter(s): Ida Washington Education Services Specialist
Audience: PreK, 3‐5 Educational Consultant, Windsor (860) 632‐1485 Ext 268
Toddler, Preschool, Kindergarten, and Early Email wilson@ctserc.org
Childhood General and Special Educators and Paquita Sims
Child Care Providers
SERC Consultant
Event Description:
Literacy in Action© is a multicultural movement exploration that focuses on active physical engagement. The presenter, Ida Washington,
embeds pre‐literacy development in a fun‐filled way, especially tailored for ethnically, linguistically, and ability‐diverse children ages 2‐6.
This session explores the benefits of using activities that involve literacy, creative dance, drama, and movement with young children, including
children with special needs. Through active participation, participants will also plan activities to use in their own early childhood settings. The
morning portion of the session will focus on music and movement using a variety of instruments, props, and musical forms, while the afternoon
will focus on language and literacy development. Participants should wear comfortable clothing.
Participants in this professional development activity will explore creative movement expression experiences and early literacy development in
the early childhood classroom; engage in planning meaningful age‐appropriate activities; re‐connect with the value of play in the development of
language and literacy, creativity, and critical thinking skills; and learn how to incorporate Connecticut’s Preschool Curriculum Framework (1999)
into their classrooms in order to improve learning outcomes for young children.

29
Event Title Improving Early Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Infants and Toddlers
Fee: $50 per person Presenter(s): Amy Wetherby, Ph.D. Education Services Specialist
Audience: Birth‐3 Professor of Clinical Sciences, Florida (860) 632‐1485 Ext 268
Birth to Three Providers and Family Members State University Email wilson@ctserc.org

Event Description:
Early identification of young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) means early intervention. However, most children are not
diagnosed until at least 3 years of age. This workshop will describe research findings of the FIRST WORDS Project on red flags, which helps identify
ASD in infants and toddlers, as well as strategies for screening and early diagnosis to improve early identification. The workshop also will include
video vignettes to give participants an opportunity to identify specific areas of concern in social communication and repetitive behaviors in very
young children with ASD.
As a result of this session, participants will know the critical importance of early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders and early referral to an
intervention program; know specific warning signs, both the lack of typical behaviors and the presence of atypical behaviors, that distinguish
infants and toddlers with autism spectrum disorders from infants and toddlers with other developmental disorders; and be able to describe a 2‐
level process to improve screening and early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders.
This session may be taken in conjunction with the session “Enhancing Social Communication for Young Children with Autism Spectrum
Disorders” (optional; see next listing).

03/18/10, Thursday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM Four Points Sheraton, Meriden
Event Title Enhancing Social Communication for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Fee: $50 per person Presenter(s): Amy Wetherby, Ph.D. Education Services Specialist
Audience: Birth‐3 Professor of Clinical Sciences, Florida (860) 632‐1485 Ext 268
Birth to Three Providers, Preschool Special State University Email wilson@ctserc.org
Education Teachers, Assistants,
Administrators, Support Services Professionals,
and Family Members
Event Description:
Early intervention for young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) leads to improved developmental outcomes. In this workshop, Dr.
Amy Wetherby of Florida State University will provide an overview of early social communication characteristics of young children with ASD and a
framework for linking early indicators to meaningful intervention outcomes for these children. Dr. Wetherby also will present guidelines for
targeting these outcomes using empirically supported intervention strategies based on the recommendations of the National Research Council
(2001), as well as strategies for blending developmental approaches with evidence‐based practice in everyday activities in the natural
environment.
As a result of this professional development activity, participants will be able to list the core social communication deficits of toddlers with ASD;
understand the recommendations of the National Research Council regarding features of effective intervention programs for children with ASD;
describe evidence‐based intervention strategies to target initiation and generalization of social communication skills for young children with ASD;
and describe evidence‐based intervention strategies to promote active engagement and peer interaction in natural learning environments.
* Participants registering for this session must have attended “Improving Early Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Infants and
Toddlers” the previous day (see previous listing).

03/19/10, Friday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM Four Points Sheraton, Meriden
30
Event Title Touching the Spirit: How Successful Teachers Use Culture in Achieving Educational Excellence
CEUs: 0.7 Closing Date: 3/5/2010 Leticia Garcia Guerra
Fee: $90 per person Presenter(s): Augusta Mann Education Services Specialist
Audience: Grades K‐3 Education Consultant, Phoenix, AZ (860) 632‐1485 Ext 233
Preschool and Elementary Classroom Teachers, Email guerra@ctserc.org
Literacy Coaches, and Reading Teachers
Event Description:
Augusta Mann is recognized for her culturally centered, intensified, accelerated teaching models in literacy for students of color. Ms. Mann’s
workshops and classroom demonstration lessons focus on practical strategies to accelerate the learning of reading skills by students who need to
achieve multiple years of growth in a short time.
These sessions are interactive and lively and include many opportunities for questions and explanations specific to the needs of the
participants. In this session, which has the full title “Touching the Spirit: How Successful Teachers Use Culture in Achieving Educational Excellence
for Underperforming African American and Other Students,” Ms. Mann will define culturally relevant, culturally centered instruction and give
explicit examples of how educators put the philosophy into practice during literacy instruction. This information is particularly important in
Connecticut, where Scientific Research‐Based Interventions (SRBI), at the earliest levels of instruction, requires educators to apply a lens of equity
to provide services to linguistically and culturally diverse students in a manner that enhances opportunities for learning rather than exacerbates
deficits.
In order to improve student outcomes, participants will explore instructional strategies for phonics and vocabulary; view demonstrations of
methods to accelerate students’ reading skills; and discuss a framework for incorporating culture into instruction.

03/19/10, Friday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM Four Points Sheraton, Meriden
Event Title Scientific Research‐Based Interventions (SRBI) Basic Training ‐ Session A
Fee: $170 per person Presenter(s): Gerald Hairston Education Services Specialist
Teachers and Administrators from the same Email scaife@ctserc.org
school and/or district are encouraged to Michelle LeBrun‐Griffin
register as teams
SERC Consultant
Event Description:
Scientific Research‐Based Interventions (SRBI) is Connecticut’s Response to Intervention (RTI) Framework. Its key elements include a
continuum of support for students that is part of the general education system with increasing intensity and/or individualization across multiple
tiers, and a school‐wide or district‐wide comprehensive system of social‐emotional learning and behavioral supports. This two‐day training will
introduce participants to these and other key elements of SRBI and assist them in the systematic implementation and sustainability of this
framework.
In this professional development activity, school and district teams will describe the components of the SRBI framework; examine their current
practices to determine which SRBI components are implemented in their school and/or district and which need to be developed; and set goals for
the implementation of SRBI in their district or school.
Session A of this activity is scheduled for March 24 and 25, and Session B is scheduled for April 28 and 29. Both sessions cover the same
content.

03/24/10, Wednesday 8:30 AM 3:30 PM Four Points Sheraton, Meriden
03/25/10, Thursday 8:30 AM 3:30 PM Four Points Sheraton, Meriden
31
Event Title EIP Case Partner Training: Building Collaborative Partnerships ‐ Session B
Event Code: 10‐03‐007 Offered by: Early Intervention Project
CEUs: 1.5 Closing Date: 3/17/2010 Cortney Sharpe
Fee: $65 per person Presenter(s): Rochelle Abraitis Education Services Specialist
Audience: PreK‐Grade 12 External Consultant (860) 632‐1485 Ext 238
Administrators, General and Special Educators, Email sharpe@ctserc.org
Support Services Professionals, Leigh Jones‐Bamman
Paraprofessionals, and Parents
SERC Consultant
Event Description:
In an era of accountability, including the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA), it is essential to develop a collaborative and supportive climate in schools and between schools and families. Schools have found the
use of case partners to be a crucial feature in increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of an early intervention process. This type of collegial
support assists classroom teachers in improving the academic, behavioral, and social‐emotional learning of all students. Case partners can be
teachers (including general education, special education, and special area), student support services professionals, paraprofessionals, parents,
and/or administrators.
This two‐day session will address the essential skills that are needed to build a collaborative school culture and become an effective case
partner in the early intervention process. It will examine levels of support that can be provided in order to address a variety of needs, including
defining a focus area of improvement, gathering data, implementing interventions, and monitoring student progress.
Participants in this professional development activity will explore how case partners can streamline the early intervention process; develop
effective communication and collaboration skills, including active listening and reflective questioning; and enhance educational decisions to
improve student outcomes.

05/11/10, Tuesday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM ITBD/IIET, New Britain
Event Title Beyond the Basics of Co‐teaching
Fee: $30 per person Presenter(s): Stefanie Carbone Education Services Specialist
Support Services Professionals are encouraged Kathryn Weingartner
SERC Consultant
Event Description:
When supports and services are brought into the general education classroom, educators may find themselves in a co‐teaching partnership.
An important benefit of this partnership is a greater opportunity to provide high‐quality instruction that is matched to the needs of the students.
This session will focus on differentiated instruction (DI), Universal Design for Learning (UDL), the roles and responsibilities of co‐teachers regarding
Individualized Education Program (IEP) implementation, and instructional strategies that co‐teachers can use to motivate their students, increase
student participation, and promote student achievement.
This session is designed for experienced co‐teachers who are seeking to improve the effectiveness of their classroom instruction. Participation
by both co‐teaching team members is required.
Participants in this professional development activity will identify ways to combine their teaching strengths; determine how to adjust their
instruction to meet the varying readiness levels, learning preferences, and interests of their students; explore ways to provide supports for
learning that reduce barriers to the curriculum while maintaining high achievement standards for all; and plan ways to enhance and differentiate
the delivery of content to improve access and learning outcomes for all students.

32
Event Title Implementing Evidence‐Based Practices in the Inclusive Classroom for Students with ASD
Event Code: 10‐43‐013 Offered by: Focus on Autism Initiative
CEUs: 1.2 Closing Date: 3/23/2010 Karyn Champion‐Kamm
Fee: $100 per person Presenter(s): Brian Reichow, Ph.D. Education Services Specialist
Audience: Birth‐21 Post‐Doctorate Associate, Yale (860) 632‐1485 Ext 225
General and Special Educators, Administrators, University Child Study Center Email champion@ctserc.org
Paraprofessionals, and Integrated Student
Support Services Professionals
Event Description:
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) require educational practices to be
based on scientific evidence. With respect to the education of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), there is a dramatic need for the
identification and use of scientifically based effective practices. This workshop will share the effective and scientifically valid interventions and
treatments for students with ASD. Day 1 of the workshop provides an overview of research syntheses highlighting the advantages and
disadvantages of different practices. Day 2 focuses on participant‐selected evidence‐based practices, according to their needs.
Participants in this professional development activity will define scientific evidence as it pertains to the requirements set forth in federal
mandates such as NCLB and IDEA; apply the criteria of scientific quality to differentiate the quality of research; be able to identify the scientific
methods and evidence‐based practices for students with ASD; and learn how to implement selected evidence‐based practices in the classroom to
improve the outcomes for students with ASD.

Event Title Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: Examining Classroom Practice ‐ Session B
Fee: $60 per person Presenter(s): Beth‐Ann Brunet Education Services Specialist
Audience: PreK‐Grade 12 SERC Consultant (860) 632‐1485 Ext 234
General, Special Education, ESL and Bilingual Email vitale@ctserc.org
Teachers, and Curriculum Directors Kc Nelson‐Oliveria
SERC Consultant
Event Description:
“Specifically, culturally relevant teaching is a pedagogy that empowers students intellectually, socially, emotionally, and politically by using
cultural referents to impart knowledge, skills, and attitudes. These cultural referents are not merely vehicles for bridging or explaining the
dominant culture; they are aspects of the curriculum in their own right.”
‐ Gloria Ladson‐Billings, “The Dreamkeepers” (1994)
This two‐day session is designed to increase the knowledge and skills of participants in developing the trust and culture that allows for
transformation of classrooms into culturally responsive learning communities. The first day will examine the intersection of race, education, and
the teacher’s own practices in the classroom. Teachers will use the information from Day 1 to reflect on their classroom practice and select
classroom activities, lessons, or materials for review during the second session. The second day will focus on examining classroom practices for
cultural responsiveness.
In order to improve student outcomes, participants will examine beliefs and practices connected to race and culture that impact students’
learning, including that of students with disabilities and English Language Learners; explore the elements of culturally responsive instruction;
discuss qualities of a culturally responsive educator; and apply their new knowledge to their classrooms/schools.

04/08/10, Thursday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM Rensselaer (RAH), Hartford
05/12/10, Wednesday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM Rensselaer (RAH), Hartford
33
Event Title The Fundamentals of Writing Sentences
CEUs: 0.7 Literacy (301) Closing Date: 3/25/2010 Rebecca Kisluk
Fee: $70 per person Presenter(s): Melissa Wrigley Education Services Specialist
General and Special Educators Email kisluk@ctserc.org
Lucy Krause
SIM Professional Developer
Event Description:
The Fundamentals of Sentence Writing* is a program for teaching the basic concepts and skills associated with writing simple sentences to
students in grades 3‐12. This program can be differentiated to meet the needs of all learners in both the general and special education
classrooms, including students with disabilities and students in gifted and talented programs.
Participants in this professional development activity will learn how to outline an instructional program for presenting many basic writing
concepts to students in grades 3‐12 in order to improve student learning; develop strategies to teach students to write a variety of complete
simple sentences; and incorporate these strategies into writing programs used across grades 3‐12 to enhance student achievement, including the
achievement of students with disabilities.
*These strategies are part of the Strategic Instruction Model from the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning.
Please Note: This session has been designed to fulfill requirements for P.A. 99‐211, which mandates 15 hours of training (or 1.5 CEUs) in the
teaching of reading for certain certification areas during a five‐year CEU cycle.

Event Title A Sensory‐Motor Approach to Feeding Therapy
Fee: $50 per person Presenter(s): Lori Overland Education Services Specialist
Audience: Birth‐5 CCC‐SLP, Alphabet Soup, Norwalk, CT (860) 632‐1485 Ext 268
Birth to Three and Preschool Special Education Email wilson@ctserc.org
Interventionists, Educators and Clinicians, and
Family Members
Event Description:
This session is an overview of a sensory‐motor approach to feeding. A three‐part oral‐motor program will be introduced, followed by a brief
discussion of medical, behavioral, and sensory‐motor issues that impact feeding. Participants in this one‐day activity will learn about the
development of the oral‐motor skills needed for feeding and intelligible speech production, as well as a foundation for planning and implementing
sensory diets. The focus of the afternoon will be a sampling of pre‐feeding exercises and specific feeding techniques, which may be used with
children of all ages.
As a result of this professional development activity, participants will expand their understanding of the normal development of motor skills
needed for feeding and speech production; identify the sensory systems that impact the oral phase of feeding; identify the components of a
sensory diet plan; and apply at least 10 new techniques to children with sensory‐motor feeding disorders.

04/27/10, Tuesday 8:30 AM 4:00 PM Four Points Sheraton, Meriden
34
Event Title Scientific Research‐Based Interventions (SRBI) Basic Training ‐ Session B
Fee: $170 per person Presenter(s): Gerald Hairston Education Services Specialist
Teachers and Administrators from the same Email scaife@ctserc.org
school and/or district are encouraged to Michelle LeBrun‐Griffin
register as teams
SERC Consultant
Event Description:
Scientific Research‐Based Interventions (SRBI) is Connecticut’s Response to Intervention (RTI) Framework. Its key elements include a
continuum of support for students that is part of the general education system with increasing intensity and/or individualization across multiple
tiers, and a school‐wide or district‐wide comprehensive system of social‐emotional learning and behavioral supports. This two‐day training will
introduce participants to these and other key elements of SRBI and assist them in the systematic implementation and sustainability of this
framework.
In this professional development activity, school and district teams will describe the components of the SRBI framework; examine their current
practices to determine which SRBI components are implemented in their school and/or district and which need to be developed; and set goals for
the implementation of SRBI in their district or school.
Session A of this activity is scheduled for March 24 and 25, and Session B is scheduled for April 28 and 29. Both sessions cover the same
content.

Event Title Symposium on the Intersection of Race and Education
CEUs: 0.7 Closing Date: 4/14/2010 Tyrese Bolden
Fee: $75 per person* Presenter(s): see www.ctserc.org Education Services Specialist
Audience: Birth‐21 for updated information (860) 632‐1485 Ext 210
Policymakers, Educators, Students, Community Email bolden@ctserc.org
Members/Leaders, and Families
Event Description:
The Symposium on the Intersection of Race and Education is designed to focus on the eradication of systemic disparities (e.g., philosophy,
policies, structures, and practices) that perpetuate the predictable racial achievement gaps that affect all students. This two‐day Symposium will
provide an opportunity for policymakers, educators, students, community leaders, and families to examine the intersection of race and student
achievement. Through courageous dialogues about the presence of institutionalized racism, participants will identify strategies for improving
outcomes for students, particularly Black and Hispanic/Latino students.
*The fee per day is $75. If attending both days, the fee is $125.

04/30/10, Friday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM Marriott, Farmington
05/01/10, Saturday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM Marriott, Farmington
35
Event Title Differentiated Instruction in Mathematics for English Language Learners
Event Code: 10‐21‐006 Offered by: Mathematical Literacy Initative
Fee: $50 per person Presenter(s): Herminio Planas Education Services Specialist
Audience: Grades K‐6 Mathematics Curriculum Specialist, (860) 632‐1485 Ext 289
Paraprofessionals, Curriculum Specialists, and Bridgeport Public Schools Email kisluk@ctserc.org
General Education, Special Education, Pedro Vazquez
Bilingual, and ESL Teachers
Mathematics Curriculum Specialist,
Bridgeport Public Schools
Event Description:
This session will include discussion of Scientific Research‐Based Interventions (SRBI) and Tier I decision making. It will provide participants with
specific strategies to meet the needs of a growing population of English Language Learners, including ELLs with disabilities. The session also will
provide explicit discussion about effective strategies that address language acquisition and a culturally relevant curriculum that targets ELLs.
Participants will learn how to make mathematics meaningful for ELLs in kindergarten to grade 6 by building on the real‐life experiences of these
students and helping them make connections to daily activities. They will learn to provide students with the necessary strategies to develop
language and mathematical concepts in order to acquire higher‐order thinking skills and mathematical competencies that will enhance their
academic success. The strategies identified will assist in facilitating student learning of mathematical literacy.
Participants in this professional development activity will engage in hands‐on activities to improve instruction and student learning in
mathematics for students who are English Language Learners in kindergarten to grade 6; identify strategies for enriching the oral and written
communication of English Language Learners, including ELLs with disabilities; and explore effective mathematics instruction for students who are
English Language Learners, as well as ELLs with disabilities, including ways to approach math problems and test‐taking strategies.

Event Title A Classroom of Difference ‐ Session B
Fee: $40 per person Presenter(s): Ivette Ruiz Education Services Specialist
Educators, Administrators, Community Email vitale@ctserc.org
Members, and Members of Faith‐based ADL Trainers
Organizations
Anti‐Defamation League, CT
Event Description:
As our nation becomes increasingly diverse, educators need skills, knowledge, and resources to nurture a school climate that fosters trust,
understanding, and respect; and to respond to bias and prejudice in the school community. SERC and the Anti‐Defamation League’s A WORLD OF
DIFFERENCE® Institute are offering this full‐day interactive training program to help educators produce inclusive classroom and school
environments where all students feel respected and challenged to succeed.
Participants in this professional development activity will develop an understanding of the range of personal characteristics included in the
term “diversity”; increase their ability to develop and support a school culture of inclusion and respect for all students; explore how diversity
impacts the way individuals interact with students and parents; learn skills and insights that will assist educators in improving the learning
opportunities for students from different backgrounds in order to ensure student achievement; begin to develop strategies to examine and
challenge bias in their own school or district; and develop next‐step strategies.
This workshop covers the same content as Session A, which was scheduled for the fall.

05/07/10, Friday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM SERC Library Community Room, Middletown
36
Event Title Best Practices in Early Childhood Education: Meeting the Needs of All Children
CEUs: None Closing Date: 4/21/2010 Nattaneal Wilson
Fee: $65 per person Presenter(s): Marilou Hyson Education Services Specialist
Audience: PreK, 3‐5 Senior Consultant, NAEYC (860) 632‐1485 Ext 268
Early Childhood General and Special Educators, Email wilson@ctserc.org
Paraprofessionals and Classroom Aides,
Related Services Personnel, Administrators,
and Educational Consultants
Event Description:
Early childhood education programs are challenged to coordinate universal program structures, policies, and systems to support the
development of young children, including those with disabilities and developmental delays. The individual needs of these children are met in
programs that support a whole‐child approach, taking into account the needs of families as well as effective program practices.
Is there a contradiction between best practices in “general” early childhood education and early childhood special education? The presenter
will share her expertise in coordinating knowledge of best practices in early childhood general education and early childhood special education
while building and sustaining an effective, accountable system for early childhood programs that serve all young children. The workshop will
encourage participants to consider new ideas to challenge and strengthen current practice.
Participants in this professional development activity will gain a practical understanding of the relationship between the Division of Early
Childhood (DEC) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and each organization’s position on best practices for
curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation and early intervention; explore the link between effective practices and positive outcomes for
children; discuss current issues related to curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation; and identify indicators of an effective curriculum.
All participants will receive the book “DEC Recommended Practices in Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education” (2007) and a
resource packet with additional literature.

05/07/10, Friday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM Crowne Plaza, Cromwell
Event Title An Advanced Session for Experienced Co‐teachers: Planning for Powerful Instruction
Fee: $30 per person Presenter(s): Virginia Babcock Education Services Specialist
Support Services Professionals are encouraged Stefanie Carbone
SERC Consultant
Event Description:
Mutual planning time can be hard to find. Many teams of co‐teachers fall into the trap of “one teach – one help.” This is not always the best
use of time and talent. By using a lesson‐planning routine, teams can become more productive in the limited time they have to plan. Shared
planning and appropriate division of labor will result in a more efficient and effective use of time.
This session, which is designed for experienced teams that have had co‐teaching training and are seeking to improve the effectiveness of
classroom instruction, covers a variety of planning organizers for co‐teaching. Each organizer addresses the curricular content to be covered, the
co‐teaching approach to be used, and the instructional materials to be prepared for the lesson. Teams will learn how to select an organizer based
on the needs of the students in their K‐12 classes, including students with disabilities. The session also will offer strategies for addressing content
that is challenging for some students and for modifying or adapting materials for students with special needs.
Participants in this professional development activity will explore creative ways to find more time to plan as effective co‐teaching partners;
compare methods for planning, differentiating, and organizing instructional content to meet the learning needs of students in their K‐12 classes;
use a variety of planning organizers; select and adapt a planning organizer to use as a co‐teaching team in order to facilitate student learning; and
discuss instructional strategies that enhance the delivery of content to improve achievement for all students, including those with disabilities.

37
Event Title Instructional Strategies for Inclusion of Students with Visual Impairments in the Science Curriculum
Event Code: 10‐38‐011 Offered by: Initiative on Visual and Hearing Impairments
Fee: $80 per person Presenter(s): Kate Fraser Education Services Specialist
Audience: Grades K‐12 Teacher, Perkins School for the Blind, (860) 632‐1485 Ext 225
Educators of the visually impaired Watertown, MA Email champion@ctserc.org
Noreen Grice
President, You Can Do Astronomy, LLC,
Boston, MA
Event Description:
This two‐day workshop has been developed by the Professional Development Committee of the Connecticut Bureau of Educational Services
and Perkins Training Center specifically for teachers of the visually impaired and other educators who support students with visual impairment in
regular education science classes. Trainers will be selected based on final content (for Earth Science and Space, Physical Sciences, and/or Life
Sciences) from the team of Perkins Training Center trainers with expertise in instructional strategies, modifications, accommodations, and
resources. This series will focus on current content standards, effective practice, and strategies to include visually impaired students in regular
education classrooms.
Participants in this professional development activity will increase their knowledge of current state standards for science education; strategies
for teaching science concepts to individuals with visual impairment; modifications and accommodations for effective practice in science
instruction for students with visual impairment; state and national resources to support effective practice in science education; and strategies for
paraprofessional personnel to support students in the classroom.

Event Title Exploring Nature with Infants and Toddlers to Support Language Development
Fee: $40 per person Presenter(s): Anne Marie Davidson Education Services Specialist
Audience: Birth‐5 SERC Consultant (860) 632‐1485 Ext 268
Families with infants and toddlers, Early Email wilson@ctserc.org
Childhood General and Special Educators, and Paquita Sims
Child Care Providers serving children ages 3‐5
SERC Consultant
Event Description:
Children are natural‐born scientists. Bringing nature to young children sets the stage for investigation and exploratory learning that is a natural
springboard to language development. Join us for this interactive, hands‐on morning of exploration of living things designed to support families
and teachers of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
During this professional development activity, participants will explore the infant‐toddler curriculum related to receptive and expressive
language development through the natural sciences, and develop and plan language‐based science activities that can be shared with families at
home.

38
Event Title Cultural Competence and Courageous Practice: Bringing Equity Alive in the Classroom
Fee: $200 per person Presenter(s): Gary Howard Education Services Specialist
Audience: PreK‐Grade 12 President, REACH Center for (860) 632‐1485 Ext 234
General Education, Special Education, ESL and Multicultural Education, Arlington, WA Email vitale@ctserc.org
Bilingual Teachers, and Curriculum Directors
Event Description:
This session was developed in response to growing requests from teachers and administrators for support in meeting the needs of increasingly
diverse students. The two‐day session is designed to increase the knowledge and skills of the participants in developing the trust and culture that
allows for systemic transformation of schools into culturally responsive learning communities. Nationally known presenter Gary Howard will lead
participants through a series of exercises and activities that will examine the intersection of race, education, and the classroom practices of the
teacher.
In order to improve student outcomes, participants will continue to deepen the work of personal growth toward cultural competence for
teachers, support staff, and educational leaders; expand approaches and analysis of classroom activities to multiple dimensions of difference,
including race, that affect educational outcomes; deepen their understanding of issues of privilege, power, and social justice in a way that
increases their passion for equity without intensifying the rhetoric of shame and blame; and acquire a comprehensive set of practical tools for
classroom implementation using the “7 Principles for Culturally Responsive Teaching” (Shade, Kelly and Oberg, 1997).

05/21/10, Friday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM Crowne Plaza, Cromwell
Event Title Supporting the Needs of Diverse Families
Fee: $40 per person Presenter(s): Paquita Sims Education Services Specialist
Early Childhood Teachers and Administrators Email wilson@ctserc.org
Anne Marie Davidson
SERC Consultant
Event Description:
Families that are active in their child’s education from the beginning improve that student’s future school success, and strong programs are
those that have successful, supportive relationships with the families they represent. This session promotes understanding and valuing diversity
in family makeup, culture, and traditions.
During this professional development activity, participants will discuss culturally relevant practices in building relationships with diverse
families; develop meaningful program processes for supporting diverse children and families; and use tools to acknowledge and maintain positive
family roles.

39

40
INDIVIDUAL APPLICANT APPLICATION FORM
2009‐2010 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES

Have you been a past participant in SERC professional development activities? Yes No
NAME SERC MEMBER # (IF KNOWN)
Home Phone Preferred E‐mail
Home Address
City State Zip Code

FOR EDUCATORS: School / Program / Agency Work Phone
School District / Town Position / Role
Grade Level or Early Childhood Age Range Birth‐3 3‐5
If you are interested in earning CEUs, please provide the last four digits of your SSN:
Release time authorization: Administrator’s Signature
(IF REQUIRED)

ONLINE WORKSHOP ACTIVITY CODE DATE TITLE FEE
Y/N # # # # # # #

Enclosed Check # Purchase Order # TOTAL AMOUNT DUE: $

Applicants who choose to register online should indicate YES next to the activity code and use this form to
submit payment or purchase order information. Please provide your online USER NAME:
If a disability accommodation is needed for workshop participation, please specify:
INSTRUCTIONS: Please return the completed Application Form to SERC REGISTRATION, 25 Industrial Park Road,
Middletown, CT 06457‐1516. Participants will be selected on a first‐come, first‐served basis up to full workshop
capacity and/or the registration closing date. Participants will receive written confirmation of enrollment from
SERC. If registering within 30 days of the date of the activity, applicants must submit payment with the
Application Form. Make checks payable to Rensselaer at Hartford.

STATE EDUCATION RESOURCE CENTER, 25 Industrial Park Road, Middletown, CT 06457‐1516
Phone (860) 632‐1485 – Fax (860) 632‐8870 – www.ctserc.org

41

42
ACTIVITIES DESIGNED FOR TEAM PARTICIPATION
THIS SECTION CONTAINS
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
DESIGNED FOR TEAM PARTICIPATION
Before registering, please review the activity description for information on who
should apply for these programs and for district and/or school-based team
requirements. Before submitting the Team Application Form, be sure it meets the
advertised criteria for the size and makeup of each team. The workshop
description will provide information on registration fees as applicable.
Additional information about the activity and the application process may be
obtained by calling or e-mailing the advertised Contact Person.
Web registration for these programs is not available. Team applications should
be submitted by mail or fax only.
See page 49 for the application form.
43
Event Title Addressing Challenging Behaviors for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Related Disabilities
Event Code: 10‐43‐011 Offered by: Focus on Autism Initiative
# of Sessions:2 Registration: Fax or Mail Contact Person:
Fee: $100 per person Presenter(s): Christa Jachym, BCBA Education Services Specialist
Audience: Grades K‐12 Educational Consultant, Benhaven (860) 632‐1485 Ext 225
Teams, composed of a maximum of five Learning Network, Wallingford Email champion@ctserc.org
members, including Special and General
Educators, Administrators, and Student
Support Services Professionals
Event Description:
Effective behavior support of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other disabilities requires highly individualized practices that
address several elements: social understanding and interactions, pragmatic communication, managing anxiety, preferences for sameness and
rules, and ritualistic behaviors. This session will examine the elements of a positive behavior support program to influence these students’ ability
to learn and function in the school environment.
On Day 1 of this workshop, participants will examine the principles of behavior and the use of hypothesis and data to design specific
interventions. Participants will learn how to complete an environmental assessment for a student by examining how physical environment, social
setting, scheduling, and other factors impact behavior. Between Days 1 and 2, participants will collect data and complete an environmental
assessment. Day 2 is intended to support participants in the creation of a positive behavior support plan for the student based on the information
collected through the environmental assessment.
Participants in this professional development activity will be able to evaluate the communicative intent behind specific behaviors of children
with autism; assess environmental conditions relating to specific behavior; conduct a functional behavior assessment and create a positive
behavior support plan for a student with autism or related disability; and align functional behavior assessments (FBAs) and behavior intervention
plans (BIPs) to the Individualized Education Program (IEP) to improve student access, participation, and progress in the general education
curriculum.
Event Title Developing Standards‐Based IEP Goals and Objectives for Students with Disabilities at the High‐School Level
CEUs: 1.5 Special Education (059) Closing Date: 1/8/2010 Karyn Champion‐Kamm
Fee: $150 per team Presenter(s): Karen Stigliano Education Services Specialist
Teams of 2‐4 Transition Specialists, General Email champion@ctserc.org
and Special Educators, Co‐teachers, and Melissa Wrigley
Guidance and Career Counselors. There is a
SERC Consultant
prerequisite: see below for more information.*
Event Description:
This professional development activity is designed to address the question, “What does transition look like in general education?” The
Individualized Education Program (IEP) needs to focus on transition planning and services on or before a student’s 16th birthday.
This training will offer approaches to increasing general education collaboration in writing IEPs. In addition, the session will demonstrate how
the development of the IEP Goals and Objectives will enhance the development of the SOP (Summary of Performance).
Participants in this professional development activity will assess the physical, educational, and socio‐educational demands of the general
education classrooms; determine a student’s instructional needs and staffing supports, as necessary, in the general education setting; investigate
the CT Frameworks to embed transition requirements into the curriculum standards; and help students improve their academic and functional
performance by bringing everyday life experiences into the classroom.
*At least one member of the participating team must have participated in “Transition Assessment and the IEP,” which was last scheduled for
Dec. 2. (The next session is scheduled for Feb. 25; see separate listing in the section for individual activities.) All teams are requested to bring a
lesson plan used in one of the core academic areas, a student IEP that was developed as a result of participating in “Transition Assessment and
the IEP,” and a student SOP, with the name removed to protect the student’s privacy.

44
Event Title Making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP): Preventative and Corrective Measures to Improve Academic Achievement
for Students with Disabilities
Event Code: 10‐09‐005 Offered by: LRE/Inclusion Initiative
CEUs: 0.7 Special Education (059) Closing Date: 1/15/2010 Nikki Hendry
Fee: $300 per team Presenter(s): Donnah Rochester Education Services Specialist
Teams of Building Administrators and General Email hendry@ctserc.org
and Special Educators Kathryn Weingartner
SERC Consultant
Event Description:
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) mandates one accountability system that applies the same standards to all students in a state. NCLB
requires schools to ensure that various subgroups, including students with disabilities, make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). An AYP Status Data
Report is generated for schools and indicates whether AYP targets are met for the entire school and disaggregated subgroups.
In an effort to help districts address the challenge of making AYP, the Connecticut State Department of Education, in collaboration with SERC, is
providing an opportunity for these schools to reflect on current practices, share ideas, and collaboratively solve problems to improve the
academic achievement of students with disabilities.
Each school team in this professional development activity will examine the philosophies, policies, structures, school culture, and practices that
support and hinder academic achievement for students with disabilities; analyze school data to identify a target group of students; identify
strategies to assist students with disabilities in meeting CMT/CAPT goals; and create an action plan to include coordination of professional
development participation, data review, and collaborative planning time.
*This activity is Session A, rescheduled from October 13, 2009.

Event Title A Step by Step Approach for Inclusive Schools 2009‐2010: Cadre 2
CEUs: 1.7 Closing Date: 1/15/2010 Nikki Hendry
Fee: $500 per team Presenter(s): Donna Merritt, Ph.D., CCC Education Services Specialist
Teams, consisting of 4‐5 members, must Email hendry@ctserc.org
include a Principal, General and Special Karen Stigliano
Educator, and at least one Student Support
SERC Consultant
Services Professional
Event Description:
A Step by Step Approach for Inclusive Schools is a comprehensive three‐day program to expand the capacity of school staff to implement an
inclusive system, meet several of Connecticut’s State Performance Plan Indicators, and make continuous improvement in addressing the P.J. v.
STATE of CONNECTICUT, BOARD OF EDUCATION Settlement Agreement goals. The program was developed by Stetson and Associates, Inc., a
Houston‐based educational consulting firm.
Since building inclusive education systems necessitates leadership and successful collaboration between general and special education,
participating school teams should consist of the following members: a principal, a general education teacher, a special education teacher, and at
least one student support services professional. Schools may expand their team membership to seven (7) participants if they choose to include
school or district‐level leaders. School principals are required to attend all three days with their school‐based teams.
Participants in this professional development activity will improve outcomes for students with disabilities by developing systems‐based
strategies that ensure access, participation, and progress in general education; utilize an objective student‐centered process in making
collaborative decisions about types and levels of specialized support; and be prepared to build the capacity of their colleagues in implementing a
system of responsible inclusive practices in their respective schools.

45
Event Title An Introduction to Working Collaboratively in Early Childhood Settings
Fee: $40 per person Presenter(s): Nancy Hines Education Services Specialist
Audience: PreK, 3‐5 Teacher, Naylor School, Hartford (860) 632‐1485 Ext 268
Teams of 2‐4 Preschool Early Childhood Email wilson@ctserc.org
General and Special Educators and Child Care Kathleen Piquette
Providers
Early Childhood Consultant
Event Description:
In the eyes of young children, all of the adults in the classroom are “teachers.” For this reason, it is imperative that these adults collaborate, as
each brings different perspectives and observations to their work. In order to improve outcomes for all children, including children with special
needs, each of these adults must contribute to the planning process, conduct child observations, and refine learning opportunities.
This workshop will examine collaborative teaching methods in order to improve the quality of early childhood programs as determined by the
accreditation criteria of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and guidelines from Connecticut’s Preschool
Curriculum Framework (1999). Team participation is encouraged to make use of the planning opportunities offered throughout the workshop.
To improve student outcomes, participants in this professional development activity will learn how to build collaborative partnerships for
planning and implementation of learning opportunities in early childhood programs that will meet the needs of all young children, including
children with disabilities; to identify how collaborative teaching can help in providing quality early childhood programs by addressing all domains
of development; to plan methods for collecting data and assess a child's current level of performance with regard to specific objectives in each of
the domains of development; to delineate six approaches to collaborative teaching and explore methods for lesson planning with collaborative
partners; and to use the intentional teaching cycle based on the Preschool Curriculum Framework (1999) and the Preschool Assessment
Framework (2005) to inform collaborative teaching decisions.

Event Title Progress Monitoring for Student Success
Event Code: 10‐03‐008 Offered by: Early Intervention Project
CEUs: 1.5 Closing Date: 1/19/2010 Cortney Sharpe
Fee: $65 per person Presenter(s): SERC Consultants Education Services Specialist
Audience: Grades K‐8 (860) 632‐1485 Ext 238
Administrators, General and Special Educators, Email sharpe@ctserc.org
Support Services Professionals, and Families
Event Description:
This training will assist participants with the art and science of progress monitoring. Through the utilization of a case study, participating school‐
based teams will leave with a better understanding of the key features of an effective monitoring system, including how to utilize data to inform
instruction, document effectiveness of intervention(s), and measure response to intervention(s) based on level and rate of student progress over
time. Communicating with families, illuminating potential areas for bias in the decision‐making process, and determining the effectiveness of an
Individualized Education Program (IEP) for students receiving special education supports and services will also be discussed. School‐based teams
will be asked to bring an anonymous case study of a student who is struggling academically or behaviorally, including supporting data and
documentation.
Participants in this professional development activity will use a workshop approach to review assessment results (beyond mastery
measurements) to identify patterns in student performance; identify the focus area for improvement/intervention; examine baseline and conduct
gap analysis; establish quantifiable, achievable, grade‐level targets and determine interval goals; identify the level and rate of student progress;
learn how to visually organize data to facilitate analysis and interpretation; and monitor the effectiveness of interventions in order to ensure
student success.

46
Event Title Accessing the General Education Curriculum for Students with Significant Disabilities
Fee: $200 per team Presenter(s): Kathryn Weingartner Education Services Specialist
General and Special Education Teachers and Email hendry@ctserc.org
Administrators, Paraprofessionals, and Support Smita Worah
Services Personnel, in Teams of 2
SERC Consultant
Event Description:
For children with significant disabilities to maximize their success in general education, curricular modifications may be necessary to help
ensure access and active participation. Educators will learn how to balance functional skill development (e.g. tying shoes or using the bathroom)
with the demands of the general education curriculum through strategic use of modifications, collaboration, and careful planning. Other topics to
be addressed include effective use of paraprofessionals, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), lesson planning, and assistive technology (AT). This
professional development opportunity involves a commitment to developing, implementing, and sustaining responsible inclusive practices for a
student with significant disabilities.
Teams of participants in this professional development opportunity will be able to analyze an individual student’s characteristics using a
strengths‐based approach; identify the setting demands of the general education classroom and potential barriers for active participation of
students with disabilities; use goals and objectives of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to provide guidance for daily lesson planning;
collaboratively design and implement responsible inclusive instruction in the general education classroom using modifications to improve student
outcomes; and determine how to align IEPs with the general education curriculum.

Event Title Using Play to Enhance Communication with Young Children
Fee: $30 per person Presenter(s): Anne Marie Davidson Education Services Specialist
Teams of 4‐5 Early Intervention Teachers and Email wilson@ctserc.org
Related Services Professionals Smita Worah
SERC Consultant
Event Description:
Play and communication are important, interrelated aspects of early childhood development. The purpose of this session is to provide
participants with the strategies to enhance play and develop communication skills for young children with developmental disabilities through the
use of adapted toys and materials. In addition, an ecological assessment of the play session will be introduced as the means to determine a
child’s level of engagement in play activities.
Participants also will be provided strategies to use during play to increase children’s communication skills. Time will be spent introducing off‐
the‐shelf toys and methods of adapting them to enhance their accessibility to cater to the needs of a variety of children with developmental
disabilities. At the completion of the full‐day session, participants will leave with an adapted toy.
Participants in this professional development activity will learn about the significance of play and its relationship to communication; strategies
to enhance the play and communications skills of young children; and how to make an adapted toy.

47
Event Title Educational Benefit Review Process and Transition: Two‐Day Training with Johns Hopkins University
CEUs: 2 Special Education (059) Closing Date: 3/9/2010 Karyn Champion‐Kamm
Fee: $300 per team Presenter(s): Karen Stigliano Education Services Specialist
Teams comprised of General and Special Email champion@ctserc.org
Educators, a Transition Specialist, Tammy Devlin
Administrator, Integrated Student Support
Project Manager/Instructor, Johns
Services Professional, AT Professional, and
Hopkins University/CTE
Paraprofessional
Event Description:
The Educational Benefit Review Process improves instruction for students with special needs by examining the alignment of present level of
performance, Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals and objectives, and the supports and services provided within a single IEP across a
three‐year period. The Student Compass: Class Profile Matrix (CPM) is a practical tool developed at Johns Hopkins University to help general and
special educators organize and electronically share the identified accommodations that are specified within the IEP.
This two‐day, hands‐on facilitated workshop will utilize a case study approach, providing participants with a collaborative decision‐making
process that ensures student access, participation, and progress in the general education curriculum, classroom, and activities. Use of the
Transition Assessment Resource Manual and CPM Resource Guide will be highlighted and embedded into the training.
Participants in this professional development activity will determine if the design of a student’s IEP was reasonably calculated to confer
educational benefit as decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE HENDRICK HUDSON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT V.
ROWLEY; use assessments to establish and monitor the progress of IEP goals and objectives in order to address the specific needs of a student
that impact access, participation, and progress in the general education high school curriculum, community, workplace, and home; and identify a
continuum of accommodations that may be appropriate for students in the general education classroom, the work world, and the community.
*Participants will need to bring a three‐year cycle of IEPs and supporting documents on a specific student (with name omitted).

03/24/10, Wednesday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM Rensselaer (RAH), Hartford
03/25/10, Thursday 9:00 AM 3:30 PM Rensselaer (RAH), Hartford
Event Title A Step By Step Approach for Inclusive Schools 2009‐2010: Cadre 3
Fee: $500 per team Presenter(s): Donna Merritt, Ph.D., CCC Education Services Specialist
Audience: SERC Consultant (860) 632‐1485 Ext 255
Teams, consisting of 4‐5 members, must Email hendry@ctserc.org
include a Principal, General and Special Karen Stigliano
Educator, and at least one Student Support
SERC Consultant
Services Professional
Event Description:
A Step by Step Approach for Inclusive Schools is a comprehensive three‐day program to expand the capacity of school staff to implement an
inclusive system, meet several of Connecticut’s State Performance Plan Indicators, and make continuous improvement in addressing the P.J. v.
STATE of CONNECTICUT, BOARD OF EDUCATION Settlement Agreement goals. The program was developed by Stetson and Associates, Inc., a
Houston‐based educational consulting firm.
Since building inclusive education systems necessitates leadership and successful collaboration between general and special education,
participating school teams should consist of the following members: a principal, a general education teacher, a special education teacher, and at
least one student support services professional. Schools may expand their team membership to seven (7) participants if they choose to include
school or district‐level leaders. School principals are required to attend all three days with their school‐based teams.
Participants in this professional development activity will improve outcomes for students with disabilities by developing systems‐based
strategies that ensure access, participation, and progress in general education; utilize an objective student‐centered process in making
collaborative decisions about types and levels of specialized support; and be prepared to build the capacity of their colleagues in implementing a
system of responsible inclusive practices in their respective schools.

48
TEAM APPLICATION FORM
2009‐2010 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
School District/Town Phone
Team Liaison/Contact Person E‐mail
(IF REQUIRED)
TEAM MEMBER 1:
School / Program / Agency Work Phone
Position / Role Grade Level
Home Address
City State Zip Code
TEAM MEMBER 2:
Home Address
City State Zip Code

WORKSHOP ACTIVITY CODE TITLE UNITS FEE

# # # # # # #

Enclosed Check # Purchase Order # TOTAL DUE: $

INSTRUCTIONS: Please return completed Team Application Form to SERC REGISTRATION, 25 Industrial Park
Road, Middletown, CT 06457‐1516. Teams meeting the advertised criteria will be selected on a first‐come, first‐
served basis up to full workshop capacity and/or the registration closing date. The designated team liaison will
be responsible for communication among team members. Team members will receive written confirmation of
enrollment from SERC. Payment of registration fees should accompany the Application Form unless purchase
order information is provided. Make checks payable to Rensselaer at Hartford.

STATE EDUCATION RESOURCE CENTER, 25 Industrial Park Road, Middletown, CT 06457‐1516
Phone (860) 632‐1485 – Fax (860) 632‐8870 – www.ctserc.org
WORKSHOP TEAM APPLICATION FORM
ADDITIONAL MEMBERS
School District / Town Phone
Team Liaison/Contact Person E‐mail
(IF REQUIRED)
TEAM MEMBER 3:
Home Address
City State Zip Code
TEAM MEMBER 4:
Home Address
City State Zip Code
TEAM MEMBER 5:
Home Address
City State Zip Code
50
Reflective Team Process (RTP)
A Facilitated Dialogue to Support
and Enhance the Effectiveness of Teacher
Support/Intervention Teams
Scientific Research-Based Interventions (SRBI) is Connecticut’s framework for improving education for all students. Through SERC’s Reflective
Team Process (RTP), teacher support/intervention teams discuss the crucial role of prevention and early intervention in SRBI, assess the
functionality and effectiveness of their current team practices, and create a plan for enhancing their early intervention process (EIP). This
conversation leads to more efficient and effective collaborative decision making to improve instruction, intervention planning, progress
monitoring, and student learning.
The RTP also can help teacher support/intervention teams foster the heightened engagement necessary to establish collective responsibility for
student achievement through collaboration with the entire school community, including families. Through the analysis of various forms of data
and information, educators will be better able to define the needs of the school’s current and future learning community. By using reflective
inquiry, teams will enhance their teamwork, organization, and response to students’ academic and behavioral needs.
As a result of the RTP experience, teams will be able to gauge the effectiveness of their current early intervention process and how to build
toward its potential, understand what it will take to enhance or change their process, and be able to plan how to achieve the ideal structure.
Participants will:
• utilize reflective practice to examine and evaluate institutional philosophies, policies, and structures that
affect improved student outcomes;
• explore implementation of a continuum of student support and assessment methods for monitoring students’
response to interventions;
• examine integrity and effectiveness of personal attitudes, practices, and instructional style as well as the
team’s intervention plans designed to create conditions of success for students; and
• develop a strategic plan for next steps based on analysis of reflections in order to continue the enhancement
of early intervention practices designed to support positive student outcomes.
Please note:
A school-based team of 6-12 faculty members selected to represent the school’s early intervention process, including the building administrator,
must commit to a full day (e.g., 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.) for this on-site professional development activity with SERC Consultants. District level
administrators are encouraged to participate.
There is a $500 fee for this technical assistance, payable upon confirmation of the on-site activity date.
To request an RTP…
Building or district-level administrators must complete and return this application. Fax to (860) 632-8870 or mail to SERC, EIP, 25 Industrial Park Road,
Middletown, CT 06457-1516. Schools interested in participating will be contacted by e-mail to select a mutually convenient date.
Contact Name E-mail
Title/Position School Phone
District School Name
School Address State/Zip
Please state reason for interest in the Reflective Team Process (RTP):
Administrator’s Signature E-mail
Please check one of the following: EIP Team (year trained ) SAT Team CST Team Grade-Level Team
51

52
Is your school or district interested in
Positive Behavior Support?
Support
What: Informational session for school principals and district superintendents

interested in implementing Positive Behavior Support
Who: Required for all new districts that wish to apply to the 2010-2011 Year 1 Cohort
Presented by: Julia Case, Kristina Jones, Tarold (Terry) Miller,
and Michelle Weaver, SERC Consultants
When: Friday, February 5, 2010
How: For updated information, or to RSVP, please contact

Gretchen Yelmini at yelmini@ctserc.org or (860) 632-1485, ext. 281
Approximately 30 districts and more than 125 Connecticut

schools are now seeing the benefits of
Positive Behavior Support.
We hope you will, too!
Positive Behavior Support (PBS) involves a proactive, comprehensive, and systemic

About PBS continuum of support designed to provide opportunities to all students, including students
with disabilities and second language learners, to achieve social, behavioral, and
learning success. This is accomplished by examining the factors that impact behavior as well as the relationships
between environment and behavior.
PBS is not a program or a curriculum but rather a systems approach to enhance the capacity of schools and districts to
adopt and sustain the use of evidence-based practices for all students. A major advance in school-wide discipline is the
emphasis on school-wide systems of support that include proactive strategies for defining, teaching, and supporting
appropriate student behaviors to create positive school environments. Instead of using a patchwork of individual
behavioral management plans, a continuum of positive behavior support for all students within a school is implemented in
areas including the classroom and non-classroom settings (such as hallways and restrooms). PBS also works to improve
the overall school climate, decrease reactive management, maximize academic achievement for all students, integrate
academic and behavioral initiatives, and address the specific needs of students with severe emotional and behavioral
concerns (Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, 2008).
For more information about PBS, please visit our Web site:
http://www.ctserc.org/pbs
53
An Open Invitation
to Parents, Families, Teachers….
The Connecticut State Department of Education,

Bureau of Special Education welcomes you to
A Facilitated Discussion about

Students with Disabilities in the
Least Restrictive Environment
Join educational consultants for a facilitated discussion on current issues/concerns for

students with disabilities in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).
Location: Capitol Region Education Council (CREC)

Coltsville Building
34 Sequassen Street, Hartford
Date: Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Time: 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Participants are encouraged to attend for the duration of the session, but are welcome to
attend anytime during these hours. There is no pre-registration necessary. Participant
responses will be recorded, collected, and used for data purposes by CSDE.
For special needs or accommodations, please contact:

Nikki Hendry, Education Services Specialist at SERC, at (860) 632-1485, ext. 255, or hendry@ctserc.org.
For more information about the forum, please contact: Rhonda Kempton, Education Consultant,
CT State Department of Education, at (860) 713-6924.
54
Save the Dates!
Leadership Forums
February: Connecting Literacy, Brain Research, and Child
Development in Alignment with Intervention and Assessment
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
March: Current Legal Issues
Session A: Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Session B: Thursday, March 25, 2010
8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Program content and registration information will be mailed to Directors of Special Education / Pupil
Services prior to the February and March Leadership Forums. If you have questions regarding registration,
or if you wish to receive program materials and you are not a special education director, please contact
Yolanta Garcia, Project Assistant, (860) 632-1485, ext. 264 or garcia@ctserc.org.
Together We Will
Conference brochures will
be available soon and will
Friday, April 9, 2010
be mailed to those who

have previously attended
this annual event. Other
interested individuals may
request a brochure by calling
Tyrese Bolden, Education
Services Specialist, at SERC,
(860) 632-1485, ext. 210 or
by visiting our Web site at
www.ctserc.org.
www.ctserc.org 55
The 12th Annual Conference on Educating Students
RESCHEDULED with Disabilities in General Education Classrooms
NEW DATE!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Crowne Plaza, Cromwell, CT
Followed by a conversation with

Keith Jones Dan Habib
President Filmmaker in Residence
SoulTouchin’ Experiences University of New Hampshire (UNH)
Somerville, Massachusetts Institute on Disability (IOD)
Want to learn more?

Go to www.ctserc.org to
download the brochure and to register.
Please contact Heather Penfield, Education Services Specialist at SERC, at (860) 632-1485, ext. 263, if you need assistance.
56
Top eleven reasons to visit the SERC Library
25 Industrial Park Road, Middletown, CT
Serving Connecticut’s education community for 40 years

Equity, excellence, education
Resources for educators, preservice educators, support services personnel, and families
Continuously adding to our resources
Located centrally in Connecticut

Individualized attention and research assistance
Blog at http://serclibrary.blogspot.com
Renew and reserve online with our new Library automation system
Acquisitions posted on our Web site monthly at www.ctserc.org/library
Ready to serve you six days a week with extended evening & Saturday hours
Yes, membership is still free!
Come see the new technological tools available to you!
Create lists of your favorite resources and manage your account on your
individual homepage via our new patron interface,
http://serc-verso.auto-graphics.com/iluminar/home.asp.
Check out the SERC Library blog at http://serclibrary.blogspot.com
Library/Circulation: (860) 632-1485, Ext. 235

Fax: (860) 632-0438
NON-PROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
MIDDLETOWN, CT
PERMIT # 332
• Special Education Resource Center Change Service Requested
• Early Childhood Resource Center
CT Parent Information and Resource Center
25 Industrial Park Road
Middletown, CT 06457-1516
www.ctserc.org

2010 Serc PD Book

Încărcat de

Informații document

Descriere originală:

Titlu original

Drepturi de autor

Formate disponibile

Partajați acest document

Partajați sau inserați document

Opțiuni de partajare

Vi se pare util acest document?

Este necorespunzător acest conținut?

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

2010 Serc PD Book

Încărcat de

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

www.ctserc.

State Education Resource Center

No Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

How to Use This Catalog 4

Submitting an Application Form 4

Information for Applicants 5

Frequently Asked Questions About Your SERC Member Number 7

SERC Professional Development Calendar 8

Activities for Individuals 13

Application for Individuals 41

Activities for Teams 43

Application for Teams 49

Reflective Team Process (RTP) Application 51

PBS Informational Session Announcement 53

LRE Public Forum Announcement 54

HOW TO USE THIS CATALOG

SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION FORM

Three Easy Ways to Register for an Activity

Selection for Participation

Registration Fees/Refund Policy

Inclement Weather Advisory

Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

Accommodation Policy – Special Needs

What is my SERC Member number?

How is my SERC Member number used?

What if I do not have a SERC Member number?

What if I have more than one SERC Member number?

What if I forget my SERC Member number?

Why is my SERC Member number important to online registration for an activity?

Fri 01/15/10 Making a Difference Through Co-teaching - Session B Grades K-12

Tue 02/09/10 Teaching 21st-Century Skills Grades 4-12

Sat 03/13/10 Literacy In Action - Session B PreK, 3-5

Tue 04/27/10 A Sensory-Motor Approach to Feeding Therapy Birth-5

Fri 04/30/10 Symposium on the Intersection of Race and Education Birth-21

Fri 05/07/10 A Classroom of Difference - Session B Grades K-12

ACTIVITIES DESIGNED FOR INDIVIDUALS

See page 41 for the application form.

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Date Start Time End Time Location

Enclosed Check # Purchase Order # TOTAL AMOUNT DUE: $

Enclosed Check # Purchase Order # TOTAL DUE: $