Allegheny Intermediate Unit

Executive Function 101
2026-03-16 08:00 - 09:00, 2026-04-15 08:00 - 09:00 (America/New_York)
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.

Advanced Tiers Academy: Deepening Implementation at Tier 2 and 3
2026-03-19 08:30 - 15:30
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.

Supporting Struggling Students: Classroom Behavioral Interventions
2026-03-23 08:30 - 15:30
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.

25-26 Transition Council of Allegheny County (TCCAC) Meeting Series
2026-03-24 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.

Local Task Force 3 Meeting
2026-04-01 18:30 - 20:30 | https://www.aiu3.net/event/local-task-force-3-meeting-8/
Local Task Force 3 Meetings are VIRTUAL only.
Link to Online Meeting will be sent to Task Force members.

LETRS Volume 1
2026-04-09 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

Allegheny County Legislative Forum on Education
2026-04-09 19:00 - 20:30 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Please consider joining us at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit in person or online for our annual Allegheny County Legislative Forum on Education:
Who: A panel of Allegheny County state legislators, moderated by Ronald Cowell, founder and senior fellow, Education Policy Leadership Center
What: A discussion of issues affecting public education in Allegheny County and Pennsylvania, with questions submitted by an audience of educators, administrators, parents and other stakeholders
When: Thursday, April 9 at 7 p.m., program concludes by 8:30 p.m., followed by meet-and-greet opportunity with legislators
Where: AIU Central Office, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA 15120, and via Zoom

Workshop DLM: Plot the Path to Propel Progress
2026-04-10 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-08 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-06-12 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).

Emotional Support Teacher Training
2026-04-14 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.

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.

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)

LETRS Volume 2
2026-04-16 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

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!

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.

Girls in Gaming Summit (Student Opportunity!)
2026-05-04 10:00 - 13:30 | Entertainment Technology Center, 700 Technology Drive, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, United States
Bring your students to the Girls in Gaming Summit to meet women in gaming and discover diverse career paths.

Join us for the second Girls in Gaming Summit, an event designed to ignite and foster interest in video games, interactive entertainment, themed amusement, and other related professional pursuits.
During this unique summit, educators and their students will get the opportunity to hear from accomplished women as they share their journeys and insights. The summit’s speakers, mostly gamers themselves, play important roles in the gaming industry, and reflect the diversity of career options that exist in this field.
Don’t miss this chance to open new doors for your students and inspire the next generation of gaming innovators.

*Important Registration Notes:

Each school may bring up to about 10 students to attend this innovative summit. Only complete one registration per school. No specific student information will be required upon registration, just an estimated number of students attending; we will collect this closer to the event.
This event filled up quickly last year! Due to limited space, please only register if you fully expect to be able to attend (though we understand that things come up!).
If you attended last year, we kindly ask you to bring a different group of students so a greater number of individuals will ultimately be able to access this unique opportunity.

Background | Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center houses a graduate program designed to help students prepare for careers in interactive entertainment as it is applied across different fields. Through a curriculum that emphasizes leadership, communication, and innovation, the ETC seeks to turn talented students from myriad professional and academic backgrounds into creative professionals.
Who Should Attend | Middle and high school educators interested in encouraging girls to participate in gaming and to explore the diverse range of careers that exist in the industry. These educators should bring students who participate in gaming, are interested in participate in gaming, or may be well-suited for one of the many career opportunities in the gaming industry. This is a great event for girls to see women represented in the field.
Lunch will be provided.

Local Task Force 3 Meeting
2026-05-06 18:30 - 20:30 | https://www.aiu3.net/event/local-task-force-3-meeting-9/

Get Hyped About Hydroponics
2026-05-12 08:30 - 15:30 | 831 W North Ave, 831 West North Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15233, United States
Discover hydroponics for schools, including resources and related lessons (and enjoy a hydroponically grown salad bar for lunch).

Interested in learning about hydroponics and how it can fit in your school? This workshop will lead you through how hydroponics works, various types of systems, and STEELS-aligned lessons and projects that engage and excite students. Learn how to utilize the engineering design process with students to solve problems involving environmental literacy and sustainability and come ready to enjoy our own hydroponically grown salad bar for lunch!
**This workshop will take place at the Fluxspace Experience Center where participants will have an opportunity to interact with a Flex Farm hydroponics system.
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.
Who Should Attend | K-12 educators interested in learning about hydroponics
Lunch will be provided (featuring a salad bar with hydroponically-grown lettuce that we will harvest together!)
Special Location | Fluxspace is moving! By the time of this workshop, they will be located at 831 W. North Ave, Pittsburgh PA 15233. Free parking is available across the street from their new building.

Mon Valley School Graduation
2026-06-01 19:00 - 20:00 | Mon Valley School, 555 N Lewis Run Road, Jefferson Hills, PA, 15025, United States
Mon Valley School will host its graduation ceremony at 7:00 p.m.

Sunrise School Graduation
2026-06-02 19:00 - 20:00 | Sunrise School, 550 Aura Drive, Monroeville, PA, 15146, United States
Sunrise School will host its graduation ceremony at 7:00 p.m.

Pathfinder School Graduation
2026-06-03 10:00 - 11:00 | Pathfinder School, 50 Donati Road, Bethel Park, PA, 15102, United States
Pathfinder School will host its graduation ceremony at 10:00 a.m.

Local Task Force 3 Meeting
2026-06-03 18:30 - 20:30 | https://www.aiu3.net/event/local-task-force-3-meeting-10/

Science School Year Kickoff
2026-08-12 09:00 - 15:00 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit Central Office, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Start the school year in science off right by setting your classroom up for success with implementing PA STEELS standards

Are you thinking about how you might want to start the 2026-2027 school year in science to maximize your students’ sensemaking? How can you create a solid foundation for a classroom community that values figuring things out about our natural and engineered world and leverages crosscutting concepts and science & engineering practices along with core science ideas?
Spend the day with us to generate a workable plan for starting the school year in a way that will pay dividends by the time testing season rolls around.
WHEN: Wednesday, August 12, 2026 from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
WHERE: Allegheny Intermediate Unit in Homestead, PA
WHO: Any K-12 science teacher or administrator who has attended any of the science professional learning offerings from AIU MSC around PA STEELS. (This prerequisite is mentioned because we will assume particiaptants come with a working knowledge of phenomenon-based, three-dimensional, equitable science teaching. In other words, you are already working towards instruction aligned with PA STEELS standards.)

OpenSciEd User Group; 2026-2027 school year
2026-09-09 09:00 - 15:30 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit Central Office, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Is your district piloting or adopting OpenSciEd science instructional materials? This user group can provide a way to learn more & connect.

Welcome to the OpenSciEd User Group!
The Math & Science Collaborative (AIU MSC) is hosting a K-12 OpenSciEd (OSE) User Group during the 2026-2027 school year. This professional learning provides both new and experienced implementers of OpenSciEd at any grade level the opportunity to learn more about skillfully teaching with this high-quality set of science instructional materials. While OSE embodies our PA STEELS standards as well as the shifts called for by A Framework for K–12 Science Education (NRC, 2012), these changes in classroom practice can be a heavy lift! That is where the OSE User Group can help. We will delve into common questions and concerns raised by our local OSE-implementing school districts, and we will provide opportunities to connect with other OSE-implementors throughout the region.
Come and join our group for a professional learning experience full of learning, collaborating, and connecting that will benefit you, your colleagues, and your students!

WHO:
Any educators piloting (planning to pilot), implementing, or supporting implementation of OpenSciEd Instructional Materials at any grade level(s)
WHEN:
September 9, 2026
November 16, 2026
January 7, 2027
March 11, 2027
WHERE:
Allegheny Intermediate Unit (475 E. Waterfront Dr., Homestead, PA 15120)

The K-3 Reading Apprenticeship Model
2026-09-16 09:00 - 15:00 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit Central Office, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Option 1: $3,800 per participant (includes 1-on-1 support)
Option 2: $2,800 per participant (no 1-on-1 support)
Series Length: 12 modules
Delivery Mode: Face-to-Face – 12 in-person sessions at the AIU on scheduled dates listed below
Developed with the primary teacher in mind, the Reading Achievement Center’s K-3 Reading Apprenticeship Model consists of 12 intensive, comprehensive training in reading pedagogy, theory, research, and proven instructional practices; meets requirements for PDE Chapter 49 Structured Literacy.
Option 1 only: Individualized data-driven planning and coaching to support teachers with meaningful implementation of content and strategies from sessions; virtual informal observations with feedback.
Administrators may accompany their registered participants to any or all sessions at no cost.
2026-27 Meeting Dates:
September 16, 17; October 14, 15; November 17; December 8, 9; January 13; February 10; March 10; April 15; May 13

Text Dependent Analysis: Effective Instructional Practices - English Language Arts (Grades 4-8)
2026-09-16 09:00 - 15:00 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit Central Office, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
This Reading Achievement Center series focuses on effective teaching practices that help teachers help students overcome some of the biggest struggles with the text-dependent analysis portion of the PSSA, including instructional practices to support students with composing TDA on the online PSSA.
Price: $600 per person
2026-27 Meeting Dates:
September 16, October 20, December 9, January 28

Keys to Comprehension English Language Arts (Grades 3-8)
2026-09-23 09:00 - 15:00 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit Central Office, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Targeted for teachers in grades 3 to 8, this Reading Achievement Center series focuses on the literacy domain of reading comprehension. Participants learn instructional techniques to unlock reading comprehension, applicable to both literature and informational text.
Price: $600 per person
2026-27 Meeting Dates:
September 23, October 28, December 15, February 11

Text Dependent Analysis Part 2: Effective Instructional Practices - English Language Arts (Grades 4-8)
2026-09-24 09:00 - 15:00 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit Central Office, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
This three-module Reading Achievement Center series is open to participants who attended “TDA: Effective Instructional Practices” during a previous school year. In this series, participants will deepen their understanding of the reading, thinking, and writing processes necessary for TDA success.
Price: $450 per person
2026-27 Meeting Dates:
September 24, February 2, March 3
