Allegheny Intermediate Unit

STEM Educator & Innovator Role-Alike
2025-11-17 08:30 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | 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.

AI for Absolute Beginners
2025-11-18 08:30 - 15:30 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, USA, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Discover AI basics in this supportive, judgment-free, education-focused workshop.

Do you hear about AI everywhere, but you’re not quite sure what it actually is? You will leave this workshop with a basic understanding of what AI is and will have opportunities, through guided exploration, to try some well-known tools. The implications of AI on teaching and learning will also be discussed in this judgment-free workshop.
What to Bring | Please bring a laptop or tablet, if possible.
Who Should Attend | Teachers and Administrators who are brand-new to AI.

25-26 Transition Council of Allegheny County (TCCAC) Meeting Series
2025-11-19 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.

Executive Function 101
2025-11-20 08:00 - 09:00, 2025-12-16 08:00 - 09:00, 2026-01-09 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.

Check and Connect: Building Connection Through Mentoring at Tier 2 & 3
2025-11-20 08:30 - 15:30 | PA
Check & Connect is an intervention used with K-12 students who show warning signs of disengagement with school and who are at risk of dropping out. At the core of Check & Connect is a trusting relationship between the student and a caring, trained mentor who both advocates for and challenges the student to keep education salient. Students are referred to Check & Connect when they show warning signs of disengaging from school, such as poor attendance, behavioral issues, and/or low grades.

Getting It Right from the Start
2025-11-21 08:00 - 09:00, 2025-12-05 08:00 - 09:00, 2025-12-19 08:00 - 09:00 | PA
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.”

Moving Beyond Indicator 13: Advancing Student Centered Transition
2025-12-02 08:00 - 14:30 | PA
This two-part series guides school district teams in developing a comprehensive, research-based transition system that strengthens programming, services, and compliance. Attendees will explore sustainable frameworks, leverage transition data for informed planning, and engage in district-centered action steps. Emphasis will be placed on building collaborative partnerships with community stakeholders and applying best practices to enhance and sustain high-quality transition outcomes.This series is ideal for school district teams involved in secondary transition planning, programming, and services. Teams should include a combination of special education administrators, transition coordinators, secondary educators, school counselors, vocational rehabilitation counselors, related service providers, and work-based learning coordinators. Participation by individuals who oversee compliance and data analysis, as well as those who foster community partnerships, will ensure a well-rounded and effective transition system development.

Utilizing Trauma Responsive Practices in the Classroom Setting
2025-12-02 09:00 - 11:00, 2025-12-18 08:30 - 15:30 | PA
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.

Local Task Force 3 Meeting
2025-12-03 18:30 - 20:30 | https://www.aiu3.net/event/local-task-force-3-meeting-4/
Local Task Force 3 Meetings are VIRTUAL only.
Link to Online Meeting will be sent to Task Force members.

Ten AI Tools to Transform Your Teaching
2025-12-04 08:30 - 15:30 | Allegheny Intermediate Unit, East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, USA, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA, 15120, United States
Explore the top 10 AI tools for education: see them in action and unlock new ways to elevate your teaching!

It feels like new AI tools for education are popping up each day. Which tools are worth your while?
Let us take out the guesswork as we highlight 10 powerful AI-based tools that will enhance your practice as an educator. You will have the opportunity to explore each and to discover inspiring use cases that relate to the work you do.
What to Bring | A laptop or tablet, if possible
Who Should Attend | Educators interested in leveraging AI in their practice

EBP's in Mathematics: Assisting Elementary Students Struggling with Mathematics
2025-12-07 08:30 - 15:00 | PA
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 | 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.

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 | 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).

Emotional Support Teacher Training
2025-12-16 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.

Writing Across the Tiers: How to Provide Whole Class, Small Group, and Individual Supports
2025-12-16 08:30 - 15:30 | PA
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.

LETRS Volume 2
2025-12-17 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

LETRS Volume 1
2025-12-18 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

Local Task Force 3 Meeting
2026-01-07 18:30 - 20:30 | https://www.aiu3.net/event/local-task-force-3-meeting-5/

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 | PA
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 | PA
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.
