Allegheny Intermediate Unit

Getting It Right from the Start
2025-12-05 08:00 - 09:00, 2025-12-19 08:00 - 09:00 (America/New_York)
This practical and engaging, virtual series is designed to equip special education professionals with the tools and knowledge needed to develop compliant, student-centered transition components within transition age Individualized Education Plans (IEP). Participants will learn how to write clear, individualized transition grids and craft meaningful postsecondary Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFPs) with a primary focus on the PELs of Postsecondary transition. Participants will also enhance their knowledge of alignment with students’ goals, strengths, and needs. Through real-world examples, compliance guidance, and best practices, attendees will leave better prepared to ensure each student’s transition plan supports a successful path to adulthood—whether that includes postsecondary education, employment, or independent living. Perfect for new and veteran educators, case managers, and administrators committed to “getting it right from the start.”

EBP's in Mathematics: Assisting Elementary Students Struggling with Mathematics
2025-12-07 08:30 - 15:00
This practice guide provides evidence-based practices that can help teachers tailor their instructional approaches and/or their mathematics intervention programs to meet the needs of their students. https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/PracticeGuide/26

Build, Fly, Code, Compete: An Introduction to Drones
2025-12-09 08:30 - 15:30 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, USA, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Explore flight basics, block coding, and how to bring drones into your classroom.

Description
Introduce your students to exciting new opportunities in flight and coding! This hands-on workshop will begin with the assembly of a FTW Hopper drone. Once assembled, participants will learn basic flight terminology and safety before using a joystick, smartphone, or tablet to fly the drone. The remainder of the day will focus on an introduction to block coding to plan and execute a series of flights. Participants will also learn about the opportunity to borrow drones for classroom use.
What to Bring | A laptop or tablet, if possible.
Who Should Attend | General education teachers, special education teachers, assistive technology specialists, occupational therapists, and other STEAM-curious individuals!

Structured Literacy for Special Educators K-12
2025-12-11 08:30 - 15:00
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.

Grow Your Canva Skills with Portfolio Projects as Your Guide
2025-12-11 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 previous “Canva: Beyond the Basics” sessions.

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).

Workshop DLM: Plot the Path to Propel Progress
2025-12-12 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-01-09 08:00 - 17:00
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).

Executive Function 101
2025-12-16 08:00 - 09:00, 2026-01-09 08:00 - 09:00
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.

Emotional Support Teacher Training
2025-12-16 08:30 - 09:30
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.

Writing Across the Tiers: How to Provide Whole Class, Small Group, and Individual Supports
2025-12-16 08:30 - 15:30
Writing is one of the most complex subjects we teach in school. It requires students to combine their reading comprehension skills with their executive functioning and self-regulation skills. This session will provide participants with an overview of the science of writing along with evidence-based strategies that can be used at the tier 1 level. Participants will also learn about effective ways to assess students’ writing and support students who struggle with writing beyond tier 1 instruction.

Secondary MTSS Networking and PLC Meetings
2025-12-17 08:30 - 09:30, 2026-01-21 08:30 - 09:30
Join us for a year-long virtual professional development series focused on Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) at the secondary level. Designed for teachers, principals, counselors, interventionists, and all school personnel who work with students in grades 6–12, this monthly series explores how to effectively implement MTSS practices in middle and high school settings.
Each session will dive into a specific topic under the MTSS umbrella—from foundational understanding and data-driven decision-making to intervention scheduling and evidence-based academic supports. The series features a blend of instructional guidance, practical tools, and guest speakers from leading intervention programs such as VMath, TransMath, REWARDS, Third Quest, and PVAAS.
Whether you’re just getting started or looking to refine existing practices, these sessions will provide actionable strategies to support every student across all tiers.

LETRS Volume 2
2025-12-17 09:00 - 15:30
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

Elementary MTSS Networking and PLC Meetings
2025-12-17 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-01-21 10:00 - 11:00
Join us for a year-long virtual professional development series focused on Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) at the elementary level. Designed for teachers, principals, counselors, interventionists, and all school personnel who work with students in grades K-6, this monthly series explores how to effectively implement MTSS practices in elementary school settings.
Each session will dive into a specific topic under the MTSS umbrella—from foundational understanding and data-driven decision-making to intervention scheduling and evidence-based academic supports. The series features a blend of instructional guidance, practical tools, and guest speakers from leading intervention programs such as Spring Math, UFLI, and REWARDS.
Whether you’re just getting started or looking to refine existing practices, these sessions will provide actionable strategies to support every student across all tiers.

Utilizing Trauma Responsive Practices in the Classroom Setting
2025-12-18 08:30 - 15:30
This training series is designed for classroom practitioners to gain a deeper understanding on the prevalence and impact of trauma in the classroom as well as the greater school community. The session will focus on specific trauma responsive classroom practices that can be embedded within daily classroom routines.

LETRS Volume 1
2025-12-18 09:00 - 15:30
*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

Local Task Force 3 Meeting
2026-01-07 18:30 - 20:30 | https://www.aiu3.net/event/local-task-force-3-meeting-5/
Local Task Force 3 Meetings are VIRTUAL only.
Link to Online Meeting will be sent to Task Force members.

Comprehension, Close Reading, and Complex Text: Laying the Foundation K-2
2026-01-08 09:00 - 15:00 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, USA, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Price: $600 per participant, K-2 teachers
Series Length: 4 modules
Delivery Mode:
Option 1: Face-to-face – Four in-person sessions at the AIU on scheduled dates listed below.
Option 2: Fully online, asynchronous – Work at your own pace through four online course modules.
Transitioning students to the demands of the PA Core Standards is not a job just for teachers in the tested grades! Participants will learn a variety of techniques and how to implement comprehension concepts into everyday practice through close reading of complex text.

All materials are included
Administrators may accompany their registered participants to any or all sessions at no cost

2025-26 Meeting Dates:
January 8, February 11, March 19, April 15
Register for in-person course
Register for asynchronous online course

PREPaRE Workshop 1 - Comprehensive School Safety Planning: Prevention Through Recovery
2026-01-09 08:00 - 16:00 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit Central Office, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
PREPaRE Workshop – Comprehensive School Safety Planning: Prevention Through Recovery
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

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.

Inclusive PBIS: Including Students with Significant Disabilities in Tier 1
2026-01-12 08:00 - 17:00
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is grounded in a strong body of research demonstrating its effectiveness in promoting positive engagement for all students. Additionally, growing evidence supports the benefits of school-wide PBIS for students with significant cognitive disabilities. So how can schools ensure that students with significant cognitive disabilities are meaningfully included in their PBIS framework? This session explores the core elements of school-wide PBIS and offers practical strategies for making each component accessible and inclusive for all learners.

Supporting Secondary Readers: Strategies for Teaching Reading at the Secondary Level
2026-01-13 08:00 - 15:00
Achievement assessments continue to show that students struggle to read and comprehend texts proficiently at the secondary level. In this session, participants will learn about the science behind secondary literacy development and how to translate the evidence base into their classrooms. Participants will also learn about intervention structures and supports that can benefit struggling secondary readers.

Explore the STEAM Lending Library
2026-01-13 08:30 - 15:30 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, USA, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Districts served by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit are invited to borrow and receive training on transformED STEM Lending Library items.

Want to try something new and hands-on in your classes? STEAM concepts can be infused in any content area.
Receive interactive training to build your confidence and skills with items in our lending library before borrowing these items to use with your students for a period of time. We will also discuss best practices and lesson ideas for meaningful, curriculum-aligned implementation.
If you are familiar with some of our items but would like to learn about others, please attend! (Browse our collection.)
*Note: Receiving training is not required in order to borrow items. View the website to learn more.
Background | The AIU STEAM Lending Library is made possible with support from the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation and Wesco.
What to Bring | A laptop and/or tablet
Who Should Attend | Teachers K-12 whose districts are served by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit and who are interested in exploring items in the AIU STEAM Lending Library. No prior experience needed.

English Language Arts Symposium
2026-01-13 09:00 - 15:00 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, USA, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
2025-26 Topic: Tips for Shifting to Online PSSA

The English Language Arts (ELA) Symposium is the Reading Achievement Center’s annual workshop addressing a critical need for strengthening teacher practice that improves student achievement.
Price: Free

ELA Symposium (Grades 3-5)

Date: November 10, 2025
Register

ELA Symposium (Grades 6-8)

Date: January 13, 2026
Register

PREPaRE Workshop 2 - Mental Health Crisis Interventions: Responding to Acute Traumatic Stressors in School
2026-01-15 08:00 - 2026-01-16 16:00 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit Central Office, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
PREPaRE Workshop 2 – Mental Health Crisis Interventions: Responding to an Acute Traumatic Stressor in Schools
Note: This is a two day event, taking place on Jan. 15 & 16 from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. You MUST attend both days of the workshop to achieve credit.
Free to attend
Earn Act 48 Credit Hours with this event!
Presenters:

Nick Fratto M.S.ED, Special Education Supervisor/Special Projects Coordinator
Shannon Fagan, MS, Program Coordinator

Overview: In this 2-day workshop, participants will develop the knowledge and skill required to provide immediate mental health crisis interventions to the students, staff, and school community members who have been simultaneously exposed to an acute traumatic stressor. The knowledge and skills developed within this session also help to build a bridge to the psychotherapeutic and trauma-informed mental health response sometimes required to address challenges associated with trauma exposure.
Target Audience: School-employed mental health professionals (school psychologists, counselors, social workers, and nurses), community mental health providers who support schools, as well as administrators and other support staff who should understand the types of interventions and supports necessary to effectively meet short- and long-term student, staff, and parent needs.
WS2 Learner Objectives: This workshop will help participants acquire increased knowledge, skills, and confidence to:

Provide school mental health crisis interventions.
Identify variables that help to estimate the number of individuals traumatized by a crisis.
Recognize the differences between common crisis reactions and mental illness.
Identify the elements of school crisis preparedness specified by the PREPaRE acronym.
Recognize risk factors that predict psychological trauma.
Identify the warning signs that indicate psychological trauma.
Place PREPaRE mental health crisis interventions on a multitiered continuum ranging from least to most restrictive.
Match degree of psychological trauma risk to the appropriate school crisis interventions.

Contact Hours: 13 hours of in-person training + completion of pretest, posttest, and evaluation. Provides 13 hours of NASP[1] approved CPD.

25-26 Transition Council of Allegheny County (TCCAC) Meeting Series
2026-01-21 08:30 - 14:30
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.

Fostering Social Emotional Learning
2026-01-21 08:30 - 15:30
In this training series, participants will learn how to cultivate a supportive learning environment through Social Emotional Learning (SEL). Participants will explore strategies to empower students with the tools they need to develop agency, foster a sense of belonging, forge meaningful connections, and promote 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.

Check-In /Check-Out: Daily Support for Positive Change
2026-01-22 08:30 - 15:30
Check-In/Check-Out (CICO) is a Tier II, evidence-based, behavioral intervention designed to support students by providing more frequent instruction regarding expected behavior, increasing structured contact between students and adults in school, providing a formal mechanism for students to receive feedback on their behavior and increasing opportunities for reinforcement contingent on expected behavior. This session will provide SWPBIS teams the necessary knowledge and skills to implement multiple variations of CICO within their buildings.
