Allegheny Intermediate Unit

Get Your Hands-On FUN and Meaningful Assessment (Secondary)
2025-02-11 08:30 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | Museum Lab, 6 Allegheny Square East, #suite 101, Pittsburgh, PA, 15212, United States
Discover how to capture real-time learning and transform assessments into interactive experiences at our hands-on workshop at MuseumLab.

Description
Students of all ages are excited by opportunities for hands-on learning and play, but what happens when the fun is over and it’s time to finish the project or assess how much students learned?
This workshop at MuseumLab starts by exploring the learning that is actually happening as students tinker, explore, and create regardless of the actual product created. We then dive into strategies for capturing that learning in real time, reducing or even eliminating the need for additional assessment. We close by looking at curriculum-based materials and assessments for older learners to explore strategies for transforming them into interactive experiences that reveal so much more than just right answers.
*Note: Complimentary parking information will be provided to registrants prior to the event.

Background | MuseumLab, created by the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, is a place where kids ages 10+ can have cutting-edge experiences that promote inquiry, creativity and independent thinking.
Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh has once again been voted as the #2 children’s museum in the nation by USA Today’s “10Best” Readers’ Choice Contest. This is the fifth year for our museum to be honored in the contest for our innovative and inclusive experiences that inspire kindness, joy, creativity and curiosity for all learners.

Who Should Attend | Secondary Educators and Administrators
Lunch will be provided.
Special Location | 6 Allegheny Square E Suite 101, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 (across from the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh)

Keys to Comprehension - ELA Grades 3-8*
2025-02-11 09:00 - 15:00 | PA
*This session is the final day of multi-day series that requires participants to attend all sessions to receive credit.
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Thinking Through the Pencil - ELA Grades 4-8*
2025-02-13 09:00 - 15:00 | PA
*This session is the last day of multi-day series that requires participants to attend all sessions to receive credit.
Learn more

LETRS VOLUME 2 COHORT
2025-02-13 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

Building Blocks for Safety – School and First Responder Relationships
2025-02-14 09:00 - 12:00 | PA
AIU Central Office
Safety and Security

Act 45 Course: Science of Reading for Administrators*
2025-02-14 09:00 - 12:30 | PA
*This session is part of multi-day series that requires participants to attend all sessions to receive credit.
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AIU-Operated Special Education Schools – No School – Presidents Day
2025-02-17 | PA
AIU-Operated Special Education Schools, Mon Valley, Pathfinder and Sunrise are closed today in observance of Presidents Day.

Promoting Instruction with PASA DLM Resources from the Dynamic Learning Maps
2025-02-17 08:30 - 15:00 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit Central Office, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
This training aims to provide educators who deliver the PASA-DLM and their administrators with a deeper dive into the Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM). The focus is on improving student outcomes through standards aligned instruction for students with significant cognitive disabilities. Participants will have the opportunity to explore multiple resources on the Dynamic Learning Maps website and find new strategies to support IEP development and/or instruction.

Virtual Paraprofessional Trainings
2025-02-17 08:30 - 15:00 | PA
The day will consist of two morning and two afternoon sessions developed specifically for paraprofessionals.

AIU-Operated Special Education Schools – No School
2025-02-18 | PA
AIU-Operated Special Education Schools, Mon Valley, Pathfinder and Sunrise are closed today. Professional Development for the Staff.

Navigating 504s Comprehensive Guidance for School Teams
2025-02-19 09:00 - 15:30 | PA
Join us for a focused professional development session to craft a streamlined Chapter 504 process. Tailored for school district teams which may include 504 administrators, coordinators, and other vested partners, this session covers legal history, eligibility, service agreements, LEA responsibilities, and current trends. Together, we’ll design an efficient process for conducting, evaluating, implementing, and progress monitoring 504 plans.

Let's Play Strategies for Child Centered Learning
2025-02-20 08:30 - 15:00 | PA
Play is self-chosen and self-directed; intrinsically motivated; guided by mental rules; imaginative; and conducted in an active, alert, but relatively non-stressed frame of mind. How neurodivergent students play may be different from their neurotypical peers, but it’s not wrong and does not need to be fixed.
This session will focus on how to find and nurture the strengths and interests of neurodivergent early learners, accept their play as valid by joining in, and use strategies such as modeling and social play chains to promote authentic connections and growth. We will explore Parten’s 6 stages of play and learn new ways to promote interaction and language across each stage. Participants will gain a better understanding of what it means to “follow the child’s lead” to ensure more positive and meaningful interactions.

Canva: Beyond the Basics
2025-02-20 08:30 - 15:30 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, USA, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Level-up your Canva game by learning about and practicing with some of its most useful features.

Description
Already love Canva and ready to level-up?
In this workshop, we will explore many of Canva’s seemingly limitless features, while also considering how they can enhance what we do in our schools.
You will have opportunities to apply what you learn as you create ready-to-use materials (with support on-hand!).

What to Bring | A laptop or tablet, if possible
Who Should Attend | Anyone comfortable with Canva’s most basic features, such as finding and using templates, “elements,” etc.
All are welcome! Please note that the context of the workshop will be focused on the field of education.
Lunch will be provided.

K-3 Reading Apprenticeship*
2025-02-20 09:00 - 15:00 | PA
*This is the ninth session of a 12-part series that requires participants to attend all 12 sessions to receive credit.
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Collaborative and Proactive Solutions to Student Behavior
2025-02-20 09:30 - 11:30 | PA
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS) is an evidence-based model of psychosocial treatment originated and developed by Dr. Ross Greene, and described in his books The Explosive Child, Lost at School, Raising Human Beings, and Lost & Found. This session will discuss application of his model across all three tiers of a PBIS framework. Resources and tools to implement the model will be shared in the session. Rather than focusing on kids’ concerning behaviors (and modifying them), CPS helps kids and adults solve the problems that are causing those behaviors. The problem solving is collaborative (not unilateral) and proactive (not reactive). Research has shown that the model is effective not only at solving problems and improving behavior but also at enhancing skills.

Lunch and Learn: Utilizing Spring Math as a Classwide Intervention in Math
2025-02-21 11:30 - 12:30 | PA
Spring Math is a comprehensive RtI system that includes screening, progress monitoring, class-wide and individual math intervention, and implementation and decision-making support. Assessments are generated within the tool when needed and Spring Math uses student data to customize class-wide and individual intervention plans for students. Spring Math assesses 130 skills in Grades K-8 and remedies gaps in learning for grades K-12. Both new and current users are welcome to attend.
Audience: Administrators, General Education teachers, Special Education teachers, Interventionists, and Coaches.

Classroom Management Structuring Your Learning Environment
2025-02-24 08:30 - 15:00 | PA
This professional development session offers comprehensive training on effective classroom management, focusing on evidence-based practices to reduce supervision issues. Participants will explore the six Evidenced-Based Practices of Classroom Management and learn practical strategies, tips, and procedures to design and implement an effective classroom management plan, fostering positive behavior modifications in students.

Board of Directors Meeting
2025-02-24 18:15 - 20:00 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit Central Office, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
2024-2025 AIU Board of Director Meeting Dates
All AIU board meetings begin at 6:15 p.m. in the McGuffey Room, with the exception of the November meeting, which begins at 5:30 p.m. All board executive sessions begin at 5 p.m. in the Rogers Room. There are no meetings in July or December. The board will meet on the following dates:
Monday, August 26, 2024
Monday, September 23, 2024
Monday, October 28, 2024
Monday, November 25, 2024
Monday, January 27, 2025
Monday, February 24, 2025
Monday, March 24, 2025
Monday, April 28, 2025
Monday, May 19, 2025
Monday, June 23, 2025

Integrating CS into ELA: A Tale of Two Literacies (Virtual)
2025-02-25 09:00 - 12:00 | PA
In this virtual workshop, learn how computational thinking is a natural fit in ELA instruction and can enhance your practice.

Description
This online professional development session offers a glimpse into a unique course developed in collaboration between University of Pittsburgh researchers and local area teachers, designed to help ELA educators integrate computational thinking (CT) into their classrooms. Participants will explore key concepts and activities from the course, discovering how CT can enhance critical thinking, student engagement, and core ELA skills like reading, writing, and analysis.
The session highlights practical strategies and activities while addressing equity and inclusion in technology use, ensuring innovative and accessible learning experiences. By the end, participants will have a clear understanding of the course’s offerings and actionable ideas to bring CT into their ELA classrooms.
*A link to join this virtual opportunity will be sent to participants prior to the event.
Background | Strength Across Schools is a regional collaboration to teach justice-focused computational thinking and computer science in middle School ELA Classrooms. It is a collaborative partnership between University of Pittsburgh researchers, districts, teachers, and regional educational organizations, with the goal to integrate computational thinking and computer science into ELA classrooms.
Who Should Attend | ELA teachers grades 5-9

Adolescent Literacy Institute - Middle & High School English & Reading*
2025-02-25 09:00 - 15:00 | PA
*This session is the final day of a multi-day series that requires participants to attend all sessions to receive credit.
Learn more

Comprehension, Close Reading, and Complex Text: Laying the Foundation K-2*
2025-02-25 09:00 - 15:00 | PA
*This session is part two of multi-day series that requires participants to attend all sessions to receive credit.
Learn more

Special Education Liaison Meeting
2025-02-26 08:30 - 12:00 | https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZjAzMzc2MDAtNzFjOC00ODc3LTg2NzUtZjY5NzYyOTUyOTQ0%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%222588d1e3-7ead-4e50-b518-c7ad84eca17b%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2297c0692d-3fcc-413f-88e2-fb2c33b67df0%22%7d
Special Education Liaison Meetings are Hybrid.
In-person meeting will be held at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit in the Rogers Room.
Link to Online Meeting can be found below.

Special Education Liaisons-New Directors Meeting
2025-02-26 13:30 - 15:30 | https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_YWYwMTgzOTAtMWVhMy00N2UxLTgzZmQtNjA4ODMzNzlkMWVk%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%222588d1e3-7ead-4e50-b518-c7ad84eca17b%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%222128c0e9-b5e4-4a49-994a-5c684abd91b5%22%7d
The New Directors Meetings are a follow up to the morning’s Special Education Liaison Meeting to provide more detailed information and address topics that may be unfamiliar to liaisons new in their role.
Special Education Liaisons-New Directors Meeting are Hybrid.
In-person meeting will be held at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit in the Flexible Instruction Room.
Link to Online Meeting can be found below.

IES Practice Guide Foundational Skills to Support Reading for Understanding K-3
2025-02-27 08:30 - 15:00 | PA
This session will review the research and practical application of the four recommendations for teaching foundational reading skills to students in kindergarten through 3rd grade. Each recommendation includes implementation steps and solutions for common obstacles. The recommendations also summarize and rate supporting evidence. This guide is geared towards teachers, administrators, and other educators who want to improve their students’ foundational reading skills, and is a companion to the practice guide, Improving Reading Comprehension in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade. To preview the practice guide, visit https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/PracticeGuide/21

Building AI Tools to Personalize Learning and Simplify Tasks
2025-02-27 08:30 - 15:30 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, USA, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Learn to build AI tools to personalize learning more effectively and efficiently than ever. Also, learn to automate your own routine tasks.

Description
Learn how to build AI tools, like chatbots, that are safe 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!

What to Bring | Please bring a laptop or tablet, if possible
Who Should Attend | Educators interested in AI; no prior experience necessary.
Lunch will be provided.

STEM Educator and Innovator Role-Alike
2025-02-28 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 group for STEM/STEAM teachers to share ideas and build skills.

Description
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 multiple times during the school year. You are welcome to join us for one, some, or all sessions.
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.

Lunch and Learn: TransMath: Addressing Important Prerequisite Skills to Support Algebra Readiness
2025-02-28 11:30 - 12:30 | PA
TransMath® Third Edition is a comprehensive math intervention curriculum that targets middle and high school students who lack the foundational skills necessary for entry into algebra and/or who are two or more years below grade level in math. Using a dual-topic approach, TransMath improves math skills by emphasizing fewer topics in greater depth while accelerating students to more advanced math, from number sense to rational numbers, to understanding algebra.
Audience: Administrators, General Education teachers, Special Education teachers, Interventionists, and Coaches.

Direct Instruction Mathematics
2025-03-03 08:30 - 15:00 | PA
This training program helps teachers improve their math teaching skills using Direct Instruction (DI). Participants will learn the key ideas and strategies from the “Direct Instruction Mathematics” book. They will get practical experience and knowledge to effectively use DI in their classrooms. The course covers lesson planning, teaching methods, assessment techniques, and ways to support different student needs.The content in this series can be used for any learner, including those with higher support needs in autistic and life skills support settings to those students learning advanced mathematical concepts.

EBPs in Elementary Mathematics Evidence Based Practices to Assist Struggling Students
2025-03-04 08:30 - 15:00 | PA
Join us for a comprehensive year-long professional development series designed to equip educators with the knowledge and skills to support elementary students struggling with mathematics. Based on the evidence-based recommendations from the “Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Intervention in the Elementary Grades” IES practice guide by the What Works Clearinghouse, this series will provide practical strategies, hands-on activities, and collaborative learning opportunities to enhance mathematical instruction and intervention.

Learning to Vet Science Instructional Materials with NextGen TIME
2025-03-04 08:30 - 2025-03-05 15:30 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, USA, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Learn to evaluate science teaching materials claiming to be STEELS or NGSS-aligned using NextGen Tools for Instructional Materials Evaluatio

Learning to vet science instructional materials with NextGen Toolkit for Instructional Materials Evaluation (TIME):
Learn how to effectively evaluate and select science instructional materials for your classroom.
Who: Science Leadership Teams from school districts in and around Allegheny Intermediate Unit. It is strongly recommended that you and your team have previously engaged in the “Planning Strategically for Science Professional Learning” professional learning offering in June 2023, April, 2024 or September, 2024. (If this is not the case, please reach out to corinne.murawski@aiu3.net or kristen.rice@aiu3.net to discuss other appropriate preporatory professional learning for you and your team.)
When: March 4-5, 2025 from 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Where: Allegheny Intermediate Unit; 475 E. Waterfront Dr.; Homestead, PA 15120
Price: Free to science leadership teams from school districts who attended the Planning Strategically for Science Professional Learning in June 2023, April 2024, or September, 2024.
What: During this two-day professional learning offering, you and your district science leadership team will learn how to use three of the five tools in the NextGen Toolkit for Instructional Materials Evaluation (TIME) suite. More specifically, we will engage with the Prepare, Prescreen, and Paperscreen tools using an examplar unit.
Expect that by the conclusion of the two-day professional learning offering, you and your district colleagues will be equipped to use the NextGen TIME pre- and paperscreening tools to review and vet science instructional materials for their quality and alignment with PA STEELS to better decide which materials you will move forward into a pilot phase.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to improve your science curriculum!
