Allegheny Intermediate Unit

Workshop DLM: Plot the Path to Propel Progress
2026-06-12 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-08 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-10 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-03-13 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | PA
Drop in the second Friday of each month to workshop your IEP goals, lesson plans, and instructional strategies for students with significant cognitive disabilities. This workshop is your go-to space for hands-on support, where special education consultants guide you in aligning your instruction with grade-level standards, while leveraging the Essential Elements and Linkage Levels from the Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM).
Together, we can:
– Review assessment resources
– Summarize data
– Align Essential Elements to IEP goals
– Connect data to instruction
– Plan for inclusion
– Explore Instructional Strategies
Whether you’re new to DLM or refining your approach, this is the place to connect with fellow educators, get personalized advice, and develop strategies for navigating the complexities of teaching students with significant cognitive disabilities.
Please note this is an open forum to receive instructional and IEP development support, this is NOT about the PA Alternate State Assessment (PASA).

Youth Mental Health First Aid - 2026
2026-04-29 08:00 - 16:00 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, USA, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Overview

Learn to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among children and adolescents ages 12-18.

In this training, learn to identify:

Common signs and symptoms of mental health challenges in this age group, including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD).
Common signs and symptoms of substance use challenges.
How to interact with a child or adolescent in crisis.
How to connect the youth with help.
Expanded content on trauma, substance use, selfcare, and the impact of social media and bullying.

Course takes place in-person at the AIU Central Office, IMS Room. Breakfast and lunch will be included!
Follow the link to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/youth-mental-health-first-aid-2026-tickets-1983613462263?aff=oddtdtcreator
Contact sunshine.zuk@aiu3.net with any questions regarding this event.

PREPaRE Workshop 1 - Comprehensive School Safety Planning: Prevention Through Recovery
2026-04-27 08:00 - 16:00 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, USA, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Free to attend
Earn Act 48 Credit Hours with this event!
8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Presenters:

Dr. Aaron Skrbin, Director of Safety and Security
Nick Fratto M.S.ED, Special Education Supervisor/Special Projects Coordinator
Shannon Fagan, MS, Program Coordinator

Capacity: Up to 40 max
Overview: In this 1-day workshop, participants will learn how to establish and sustain comprehensive school safety efforts that attend to both physical and psychological safety. The workshop addresses critical components needed to develop, exercise, and evaluate safety and crisis teams and emergency operations plans (EOPs), including building vulnerability assessments. The model also integrates school personnel and community provider roles in providing school-based crisis preparedness and response activities. Additional topics addressed also include media/ social media, communication, reunification, students with special needs, culture, and memorials. After this workshop, participants will be better prepared to improve their school’s climate, student resilience, and crisis response capabilities of school personnel. This workshop makes a clear connection between ongoing crisis prevention, mitigation, protection, response, and recovery.
Target Audience: : Any school professional or community provider/agency who serves on the crisis team or is involved in establishing and promoting school safety, including the development of emergency operations plans (e.g., school/district administrators, school mental health professionals, school resource officers/security officers, teachers, pupil services support personnel, nurses, front office staff, transportation directors, before and after school activities coordinators, community providers); optimal for members of school/district/community crisis teams to attend together.
WS1 Learner Objectives: This workshop will help participants:

Reduce anxiety and fear associated with school safety planning.
Increase knowledge and confidence associated with emergency operations planning and multitiered crisis response.
Identify the importance of balanced, comprehensive approach to crisis preparedness to include the five mission areas.
Understand how the Incident Command System is used to respond to multiple emergencies.
Identify the key components of effective school EOPs.
Discuss guidelines for exercising and evaluating EOPs.

Register using the link below:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/prepare-workshop-1-2026-tickets-1983540039654?aff=oddtdtcreator
Please reach out to Sunshine Zuk at sunshine.zuk@aiu3.net if you have any questions regarding the event. We hope to see you there!

LETRS Volume 2
2026-04-16 09:00 - 15:30 | PA
REGISTER NOW TO JOIN THE 2025-2026 LETRS VOLUME 2 COHORT*
*Completion of Volume 1 and 2 course meets PA Structured Literacy Chapter 49 requirements
*Volume 1 is a prerequisite for Volume 2 participation
Developed by renowned literacy experts Dr. Louisa Moats and Dr. Carol Tolman, LETRS® is a flexible literacy professional development solution for preK–12 educators. LETRS earned the International Dyslexia Association’s Accreditation and provides teachers with the skills they need to master the fundamentals of reading instruction—phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, writing, and language.
LETRS empowers teachers to understand the what, why, and how of scientifically based reading instruction
When:
Each session will run from 9am-3:30pm at the AIU Central Office
October 2, 2025 – Unit 5 The Mighty Word: Oral Language and Vocabulary (Sullivan)
December 17, 2025 – Unit 6 Digging for Meaning: Understanding Reading Comprehension (Rogers)
February 18, 2026- Unit 7 Text-Driven Comprehension Instruction (Sullivan)
April 16, 2026 – Unit 8 The Reading-Writing Connection (McGuffey)
Time Commitment:
Independent Reading: 28 hours
Online LETRS Platform: 12 hours
Synchronous and In-Person PD: 22 hours
Total of 62 Act 48 Hours Available
Registration:
1. Register on Frontline
2. Complete Google Form to select payment option: https://forms.gle/B3SRX4HLPHQ6UZnp9
Deadline September 25, 2025
Materials:
Cost: $400 per participant
Includes Volume 2 manual and one year of online access
Invoicing will be processed at first session

Design, Create, Innovate: Laser Cutting for an Enhanced STEAM Experience
2026-04-16 08:30 - 15:30 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, USA, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Enhance student-centered projects with laser cutting and engraving as you design—no experience needed!

Join us for a hands-on experience to learn how you can level up your projects with laser cutting and engraving! In this workshop, we will review the basics of laser cutting/engraving, provide an overview of design thinking and the importance of rough prototyping, and share examples of projects you can do with your students. You will get the full experience of designing, engraving, and cutting with various materials, start to finish, and will leave with your own custom-made project.
Topics covered in this workshop apply to most models of laser cutters. Don’t have a laser engraver at your school (yet)? This is the perfect opportunity to learn how it can enhance your STEAM, makerspace, or other content programming.
*No prior experience needed.
Background | The mission of Fluxspace is to help educators, schools, and organizations experience the future of learning environments and understand the innovative programs, products, experiences, and mindsets that should take place in them.
What to Bring | Please bring a laptop, if possible.
Who Should Attend | STEAM teachers, tech ed teachers (upper elementary, middle school, high school)

Executive Function 101
2026-04-15 08:00 - 09:00, 2026-03-16 08:00 - 09:00 | PA
Student success extends beyond academic skills as all children and youth require essential cognitive and behavioral skills to be prosperous at home, school and the community. Join this virtual, nine-part professional learning series focused on developing and integrating the two domains and 11 core skills of executive functioning in K–12 classrooms. Each session will spotlight one skill, offering a concise overview, classroom integration strategies, resource sharing, and collaborative discussion.

A LEGO Learning Lab - Serious Play with Brick Clubs and Spike Robotics
2026-04-14 08:30 - 14:30 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, USA, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Discover how LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®, Play Included’s Brick Clubs, and SPIKE™ Robotics spark STEM skills, collaboration, and curiosity.

Step into this LEGO Learning Lab—a hands-on, minds-on session exploring how LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®, Play Included’s Brick Clubs, and SPIKE™ Robotics can transform your classroom. Discover how structured play builds social-emotional skills, fosters collaboration, and ignites curiosity through STEM. Participants will engage in interactive activities, learn implementation strategies, and be provided information for how to get started with launching these programs in schools.
Background | The mission of the Matt’s Maker Space PD Division is to provide FREE professional development to all of Matt’s Maker Space educators and others in our communities who are interested in STEAM, design thinking and maker learning. The goal is to help establish foundational skills to new makers as well as offer refresh training opportunities to all adults who utilize maker spaces.
What to Bring | A laptop or tablet, if possible
Who Should Attend | Teachers, Administrators, Curriculum Directors, STEM teachers, etc.

Emotional Support Teacher Training
2026-04-14 08:30 - 09:30 | PA
Join us for a series of professional learning that centers on the development of teachers of students receiving emotional support. Teachers will begin with two days of training where they will establish beginning of the year rules and routines with a trauma-informed lens. Teachers will also learn how to use the Pennsylvania Career Ready Skills Continuum to center social emotional skill development in their daily teaching. Additionally, teachers will have the opportunity to participate in ongoing networking sessions throughout the year, which will focus on topics targeted at the core components of being an emotional support teacher.

LETRS Volume 1
2026-04-09 09:00 - 15:30, 2026-02-19 09:00 - 15:30 | PA
*Completion of Volume 1 and 2 course meets PA Structured Literacy Chapter 49 requirements
Developed by renowned literacy experts Dr. Louisa Moats and Dr. Carol Tolman, LETRS® is a flexible literacy professional development solution for preK–12 educators. LETRS earned the International Dyslexia Association’s Accreditation and provides teachers with the skills they need to master the fundamentals of reading instruction—phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, writing, and language.
LETRS empowers teachers to understand the what, why, and how of scientifically based reading instruction

25-26 Transition Council of Allegheny County (TCCAC) Meeting Series
2026-03-24 08:30 - 14:30 | PA
Pennsylvania’s transition community has a rich history of helping youth and young adults successfully transition from school to adult life. Since 1990 PA’s Local Transition Coordinating Councils (LTCCs) have played an instrumental role in this process. With cross-stakeholder representation, the TCCAC will host 4 meetings during the 2025-2026 school year. The meeting series will be conducted as a full day, in-person experience to afford attendees time for professional development, networking, coordination, and resource development. Each session is designed to educate transition coordinators, educational professionals, parents, and agency providers to better coordinate, collaborate, problem solve, and support transition age youth with disabilities successfully navigate their pathway toward graduation. Please consider attending each council meeting to expand your professional network, enhance your knowledge and expertise, gather meaningful tools and resources and learn about upcoming events to assist you in your profession or community network.

Supporting Struggling Students: Classroom Behavioral Interventions
2026-03-23 08:30 - 15:30 | PA
Join us for a comprehensive professional development series designed to equip school personnel with effective strategies to support students who struggle in the classroom environment. This series, “Building a Better Classroom: Interventions to Support Struggling Students,” offers a blend of asynchronous and in-person learning to provide you with a thorough understanding of behavioral interventions.
Prerequisite:
To maximize the benefits of this training, it is recommended that participants attend a classroom management session prior to this series. A solid foundation in classroom management will enable you to effectively implement the advanced strategies discussed in this session.

Advanced Tiers Academy: Deepening Implementation at Tier 2 and 3
2026-03-19 08:30 - 15:30 | PA
This academy is designed for participants looking to strengthen and deepen their implementation of Tier 2 and Tier 3 social, emotional, and behavioral interventions. Participants will select two targeted interventions to explore in-depth through focused morning and afternoon sessions. Throughout the day, participants will enhance their intervention menus, improve progress monitoring systems, and ensure alignment with existing PBIS/MTSS frameworks. Whether you’re developing new interventions or refining existing ones, this academy offers a step-by-step roadmap for effective and sustainable intervention implementation.

Learn to Create with Canva (Canva Basics)
2026-03-11 08:30 - 15:30 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, USA, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Effortlessly create stunning materials to utilize in your work with Canva’s most basic features.

Description
By now, you’ve probably heard how much people love using Canva. Come find out what the buzz is all about!
Canva allows us to design beautiful media (think digital and hard copy flyers, signs, student activity sheets, presentations and more) with ease. Even your students will love creating with Canva.
Gain confidence as we work through Canva’s most essential features, step by step. You will leave with some re-designed and new materials ready to be used right away. Prepare to be inspired!
*Note: The content of this workshop will be very similar to past “Canva Basics” and “Canva for Beginners” workshops. This workshop is for all educators.
What to Bring | A laptop or tablet, if possible.
Who Should Attend | Anyone curious about Canva who has never used it or wants to be more comfortable with Canva’s most basic, fundamental features. All are welcome; please note the context of the workshop is geared toward educators.

Grow Your Canva Skills with Portfolio Projects as Your Guide
2026-03-05 08:30 - 15:30 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, USA, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Boost your Canva skills while learning creative ways to showcase student work.

Take your Canva skills to the next level! In this interactive session, you’ll learn how to support students in crafting dynamic, multi-media portfolios that capture and showcase their learning over time.
Along the way, you’ll build confidence with intermediate Canva features. Whether or not you plan to use portfolios in your classroom, you’ll leave with practical design skills and creative ideas to elevate student work.

*Note: Many of the Canva features highlighted are the same as those shown in “Canva: Beyond the Basics” sessions from 2023-2024 and 2024-2025.

What to Bring | A laptop or tablet
Who Should Attend | Educators looking to advance their Canva skills and potentially have students use Canva to create multi-media portfolios of their learning.
For success in this workshop, you should already have familiarity with the basic features of Canva, such as accessing your account, using templates, and adding text and elements (like images/shapes).

AT Making - Solder, Switches, & Stuffing
2026-03-05 08:30 - 15:30 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, USA, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Learn how to solder, and create fun, accessible tech projects that adapt toys and empower all students!

Are you looking for projects that your school’s STEAM program or club can use to develop and hone basic making skills? Are you curious about additional, real-life applications for the tools and skills your students are learning? Are you wondering how toys can be hacked to make them more accessible to children with physical disabilities?
This hands-on workshop will introduce participants to assistive technology making skills to create usable access products. Participants will learn basic soldering to join wire segments and assemble electrical components for use in a variety of assistive technology applications. Those skills – along with some 3D-printed parts – will be applied to create a mechanical switch that could be used by an individual with physical disabilities. Each participant will also make a battery interrupter and switch-adapt an electronic toy that can be used with the scratch-built switch. Participants are encouraged to bring a reusable shopping bag to carry completed projects home at the end of the day.
Background | The AIU is a proud contributor to the 412 Ability Tech Ecosystem
What to Bring | A reusable shopping bag to carry completed projects home
Who Should Attend | General education teachers, special education teachers, assistive technology specialists, occupational therapists, and other accessibility-minded individuals (Beginners are welcome – no previous making experience is required)

Structured Literacy for Special Educators K-12
2026-03-05 08:30 - 15:00 | PA
This comprehensive professional development series is designed specifically for special education teachers to deepen their knowledge and instructional practices in literacy. Participants will explore the Science of Reading and Structured Literacy frameworks, equipping them with the tools and strategies necessary to support students with dyslexia and other reading disabilities. Meets Chapter 49 requirements.
Content will include:
Foundations of the Science of Reading -Understand the interdisciplinary research behind how the brain learns to read and the implications for classroom instruction.
Principles of Structured Literacy -Learn the essential components of explicit, systematic, and cumulative instruction, including phonology, sound-symbol association, syllable instruction, morphology, syntax, and semantics.
Understanding Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities- Identify characteristics of dyslexia and other reading difficulties, debunk common myths, and explore the neurobiological basis of these disabilities.
Assessment and Data-Driven Instruction – Gain hands-on experience with screening tools, diagnostic assessments, and progress monitoring measures to inform instruction and intervention planning.
Intervention Design and Implementation – Apply knowledge of reading science to deliver effective, individualized interventions and accommodations tailored to diverse learners.

STEM Educator & Innovator Role-Alike
2026-03-04 08:30 - 15:30 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, USA, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Join our role-alike day for STEM/STEAM teachers to share ideas and build skills.

This role-alike group is designed for STEM/STEAM teachers and coordinators to build skills and gain new ideas. Hear how others are integrating everything from maker education to coding and beyond. This group will meet twice during the school year. You are welcome to join us for one or both sessions. (Content will be different each time.)
Background | What is a role-alike? Role-alike events bring together educators from around the region holding a similar position or role.
What to Bring | A laptop or tablet, if possible
Who Should Attend | Both experienced STEAM educators and those newer to STEAM education are encouraged to attend.
Lunch will be provided.

Innovation in World Language: Teacher Convening
2026-03-03 08:30 - 15:30 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, USA, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
A unique opportunity for world language teachers to learn about innovative teaching practices and to connect with one another

Join us for this day of connecting and learning together.
A portion of this day will be dedicated to exploring innovative teaching practices, many tech-based, that can enhance instruction in the world language classroom.
The other portion of the day will be dedicated to learning through connecting with each other in meaningful ways and building community among world language teachers in the region who are interested in educational technology and innovative teaching practices.
Note: Content in this session will largely be different from content that was shared in the Tech/World Language-focused workshops that were offered in 2024 and 2025. We hope you will join us for this exciting opportunity!

What to Bring | A laptop or tablet, if possible
Who Should Attend | World Language Teachers, K-12
Lunch will be provided.

Producing Accessible Digital Docs, Decks, & Videos: ADA Title II
2026-03-02 08:30 - 15:30 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, USA, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Create accessible digital materials that meet new ADA rules.

The only thing better than designing your own digital materials is designing your own ACCESSIBLE digital materials! A rule ensuring the accessibility of digital materials under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act was issued by the US Department of Justice in April, 2024. As recipients of state and federal funds, public schools and intermediate units are required to ensure accessibility of materials that are created and shared digitally. This session will introduce the requirements and provide hands-on guidance in producing accessible documents in Word and Google, slide decks in PowerPoint and Slides, and YouTube videos.
What to Bring | A laptop or tablet, if possible
Who Should Attend | Administrators, teachers, administrative staff, and any individual creating materials that will be shared with others

Cultivating Community: Fostering Agency, Belonging, and Connection
2026-03-02 08:30 - 15:30 | PA
?In this training session, participants will learn how to cultivate a supportive learning environment through Social Emotional Learning (SEL). Participants will explore strategies to empower students by developing agency, fostering a sense of belonging, forging meaningful connections, and promoting equity within educational settings. Participants will gain practical insights and resources to effectively integrate SEL practices into daily classroom routines, enhancing both academic achievement and overall well-being.

Strong Structure, Strong Engagement: Enhance your Learning Environment through Classroom Management
2026-03-02 08:30 - 15:30, 2026-02-23 08:30 - 15:30 | PA
This professional development series provides in-depth training on effective classroom management, grounded in evidence-based practices that help reduce challenges and promote positive student behavior. Participants will explore the six key evidence-based practices of classroom management and gain practical strategies, tools, and procedures to design and implement a classroom management plan that supports a structured, engaging, and well-managed learning environment.

Customizing AI Tools to Personalize Learning & Simplify Tasks
2026-02-26 08:30 - 15:30 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, USA, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Create powerful AI tools to transform your classroom by personalizing learning and automating routine tasks–it’s easier than you think!

Learn how to build AI tools, like chatbots, that are safe for students and customized to your classroom. Learning gets more efficient as we harness AI to personalize learning for students and automate our own routine tasks.
No experience is necessary–you will be amazed by what you can create in one day of learning! Step-by-step instructions and plenty of time to explore will be provided so you can implement what you create with confidence.
What to Bring | Please bring a laptop or tablet, if possible
Who Should Attend | Educators interested in AI; no prior experience necessary.

AI Meets Hands-On Learning: Interactive Creations for Any K-12 Classroom
2026-02-25 08:30 - 15:30 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, USA, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Bring AI to life in the K-12 classroom with interactive projects that respond to sound, sight, and movement.

Description
AI isn’t just for experts–and it’s easier than you think to bring it into your classroom through fun, physical projects. In this session, we’ll explore how to bring AI to life as students train their own models and design interactive creations that respond to sound, sight, or movement.
Learn how to teach your elementary students to use Google Teachable Machine to identify signs to control the Intelino train. Learn how teach your middle school students to train an AI model to identify images and program a Finch or Hummingbird robot to respond accordingly. Learn how to teach your high school students to use the movements of a Microbit to send messages to other microbits to control the motors of a Strawbees robotic creation.
No advanced coding required—just creativity, curiosity, and a few easy-to-use tools!
(*Note: Many of the tools featured are available for loan to AIU member schools through the AIU STEAM Lending Library.)
Background | The mission of Fluxspace is to help educators, schools, and organizations experience the future of learning environments and understand the innovative programs, products, experiences, and mindsets that should take place in them.
What to Bring | A laptop or tablet, if possible
Who Should Attend | K-12 teachers (CS, STEM/STEAM, Elementary Grade-Level/Science)

Support Students with Dyslexia: Interventions & Accommodations
2026-02-23 08:30 - 15:00 | PA
Participants will examine the characteristics of dyslexia and instructional practices to support learners including a multisensory, structured literacy approach. Time will be devoted to exploring accommodations that provide access to grade-level content for reading and writing.
