This introductory session is designed for educators who are new to working with students identified as high ability or who want a stronger foundation in meeting their needs. Participants will explore what high ability is—and what it is not—by addressing common misconceptions and examining key characteristics of advanced learners. The session will also provide an overview of the Lawrence Township high ability identification process and elementary programming options, helping teachers better understand how students qualify and what services they receive. In addition, the session will highlight the often-overlooked affective needs of high-ability students, including perfectionism, intensity, and social-emotional differences, and how these may present differently in the classroom. Teachers will leave with a clearer understanding of these learners and practical strategies for differentiating up to provide appropriate challenge and support.
High-ability learners don’t need more work—they need deeper thinking. This session introduces elementary educators to Depth and Complexity icons as a practical tool for differentiating up and moving students toward higher levels of thinking. Participants will explore how to shift everyday tasks from basic understanding to analysis, evaluation, and creation by embedding simple, intentional prompts into existing lessons. Through examples and ready-to-use strategies, teachers will leave with concrete ways to elevate rigor, promote critical thinking, and better meet the needs of advanced learners—without adding more to their plate.
This session focuses on instructional planning and support for students who grade skip in math, with a specific emphasis on newly identified 2nd grade high ability students transitioning into 3rd grade high ability classrooms while bypassing 3rd grade math content. Participants will explore the academic and conceptual gaps that can occur when students accelerate in mathematics and examine strategies for maintaining rigor while ensuring foundational understanding is not lost. The session will address how to assess readiness, identify prerequisite gaps within grade-level content, and design instruction that bridges prior knowledge with accelerated expectations. Teachers will leave with practical approaches for scaffolding, compacting, and differentiating math instruction to support successful long-term outcomes for advanced learners in accelerated pathways.
This is a focused work session for high ability point people to collaboratively align Jacob’s Ladder passages with the CKLA curriculum in preparation for the 2026–27 school year. Participants will work directly with CKLA units to identify, select, and map appropriate Jacob’s Ladder texts and thinking tasks that extend comprehension and support deeper analytical thinking for high-ability learners. The goal of the session is to produce a coherent, usable alignment that can be implemented consistently across classrooms and grade levels. By the end of the session, teams will have completed initial alignment work and established clear next steps to finalize resources for classroom use in 2026–27.
This session provides a practical overview of special education designed specifically for general education teachers. Participants will explore the major disability categories, how students qualify for services, including the exclusionary factors that must be considered during evaluations. The presentation will also clarify the important role general educators play throughout the evaluation process. By the end of the session, teachers will have a clearer understanding of the referral and evaluation process and their role as a member of the multidisciplinary team.
This session will explore the term “high-leverage practice” which has been defined as “practices that are essential to effective teaching and fundamental to supporting student learning. The high-leverage practices (HLPs) are structured around four key domains: Collaboration, Data-Driven Planning, Instruction in Behavior and Academics, and Intensifying and Intervening as Needed. Within each domain are foundational pillars and integrated practices that emphasize inclusive teaching approaches. While HLPs were originally designed for special education teachers, HLPs are designed to support all educators in meeting the needs of every student, which is why this session will help to provide resources available for a range of roles involved in implementing these practices as well as strategies to begin introducing these practices within your classroom.
This session explores how grant-funded visual comprehension tools are used to support both general and special education learners in kindergarten classrooms at Amy Beverland Early Learning Center, with a focus on inclusive literacy practices that reduce barriers to language development and reading comprehension for students with diverse learning needs. Participants will learn how to design and implement adaptive comprehension books, story retelling visuals, sequencing supports, and vocabulary tools that increase access for students with disabilities, emerging language skills, and varied communication styles, while real classroom examples illustrate how these supports boost engagement, strengthen expressive language, and promote meaningful participation in CKLA-aligned instruction. The session will also highlight student outcomes and provide practical strategies for embedding reusable visual scaffolds into daily literacy routines, with an emphasis on creating equitable learning environments where all students—including those receiving special education services—can actively engage, communicate, and demonstrate understanding.
Case conferences and parent meetings often require educators and administrators to navigate complex, high-stakes conversations. In this session, participants will learn how to prepare for, engage in, and follow up on difficult discussions with families. With a focus on empathy, structure, and clarity, this session provides practical tools to help you stay grounded, professional, and effective, even in high-pressure situations.
This one-hour, hands-on professional development session explores how to empower every student to communicate and participate using multimodal language strategies. Teachers will learn the difference between analytical and gestalt language processors, practical ways to integrate visual, auditory, gestural, and digital tools—such as speech, writing, visuals, gestures, and media, as well as assistive technology—to foster inclusive communication and support diverse learners, including English Language Learners, students with disabilities, and those with varying learning styles. Through collaborative activities and real classroom examples, participants will discover ready-to-use strategies and resources that promote engagement, accessibility, and student voice across preK–12 classrooms, ensuring every student’s voice is heard and valued.
This one-hour interactive professional development session focuses on how elevating student voice can positively shape classroom behavior and culture. Teachers will explore practical strategies for incorporating student input, co-creating norms, reflecting on behavior, and engaging in restorative practices. By centering student perspectives, participants will learn how to gather authentic feedback, facilitate meaningful dialogue, and implement student-led solutions that foster respect, responsibility, and belonging while focusing on all types of language learners. Through real-world examples and collaborative activities, teachers will leave with tools to build responsive, inclusive classrooms that reduce behavior challenges, increase engagement, and ensure every student’s voice is heard and valued across preK–12 for general and special education settings.
