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 Professional Development Insider 
Calendar of Trainings
November 14, 2011
The Professional Development Insider is a newsletter published by the Colorado League of Charter Schools that will keep you informed about a variety of upcoming professional development opportunities for charter school leaders, teachers, board members and more. If you have any questions or feedback about this newsletter, or to register for any of the events, please contact Sarah Pearman at spearman@coloradoleague.org.
Colorado Charter Schools Conference

18th Annual Colorado Charter Schools Conference 

"Lead. Innovate. Educate."

Hosted by the Colorado League of Charter Schools 

Date: February 23-24, 2012

Location: Omni-Interlocken Resort, Broomfield

Description: The Colorado Charter Schools Conference is an opportunity to connect with, and learn from, charter school colleagues, peers, and experts both nationally and from Colorado. The conference includes over 60 breakout sessions on essential topics related to charter school operations and programming as well as plenty of time to network with other participants and presenters.

Registration: Click here for more information and to register. Early bird rates end December 1.

Teacher Effectiveness

Common Formative Assessment  - Register Today!

Date: Tuesday, December 6 - Wednesday, December 7
Time:  9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location:  Colorado School Districts Self Insurance Pool, 6857 South Spruce Street, Centennial
Cost: League Members: $300 per person | Non-members: $400 per person. (Grant funds have been used to subsidize the cost of this training, which would normally cost $655/person.)
Audience:  School Leaders and Teachers
Description: Learn to use assessment for learning in a collaborative process that offers students descriptive feedback and multiple measures of success. Common Formative Assessments or interim assessments, allow teachers to collaboratively design grade-level and content area assessments in order to regularly evaluate student learning and to provide consistent data to inform instruction. Training contingent upon 15 attendees minimum.
Registration: Click here to register. Deadline: November 28.

 

Content provided by The Leadership and Learning Center, www.leadandlearn.com.

 

Engaging Classroom Assessments
Date:  Monday, January 23 - Tuesday, January 24

Time:  9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location: Colorado School Districts Self Insurance Pool, 6857 South Spruce Street, Centennial
Cost: League Members: $300 per person | Non-members: $400 per person. (Grant funds have been used to subsidize the cost of this training, which would normally cost $655/person.)
Audience: School Leaders and Teachers
Description: Use "Power" standards to develop meaningful performance assessments. This two-day seminar focuses on each participant's effective design, creation, and use of the performance assessments that are the foundation of powerful standards-based instructional and assessment tools.  Performance assessments are a powerful teaching and learning tool that make differentiated instruction and assessment possible. Performance assessments reach all learners including special education, gifted and talented, below grade-level readers, as well as English-language learners.  Training contingent upon 15 attendees minimum.
Registration: Click here to register. Deadline: January 18.
 
Content provided by The Leadership and Learning Center, www.leadandlearn.com.

 

Put Me in, Coach!

Hosted by Quantum Learning

Date: Thursday, January 26 - Friday, January 27

Time: 8:15 AM - 3:45 PM
Location: Pinnacle Charter School, 1001 W. 84th Avenue, Federal Heights
Cost: $320 per person | $300 per person for groups of five or more
Audience: School leaders, master teachers, content and instructional coaches
Description: Quantum Learning's dynamic Put Me In, Coach! enhances the observation and coaching skills of those in instructional coaching, mentoring and tutoring roles. A synthesis of best science-based coaching practices, this course provides theory models and skills for improving teacher effectiveness and student achievement. Put Me In Coach! combines proven strategies and models from a variety of disciplines. Click here for more information.
Registration: Click here to register.
Student Information Systems

2nd Annual Colorado PowerSchool User's Conference 

Presented by the Colorado League of Charter Schools

Date: Monday, January 30 - Tuesday, January 31
Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Location: Cherry Creek School Achievement Resource Center, 14188 E. Briarwood Ave., Centennial
Audience: Secretaries, registrars, counselors, principals, database administrators, data systems administrators
Cost: Early Bird - One Day Registration $100  | Two Day Registration $150
Early Bird Rates end December 6.
Description: Join PowerSchool users from all over the state for this one-of-a-kind user group event. Beginning, intermediate & advanced sessions will be offered and will also be configured by the PS user's role. Day one will focus on specific user roles (secretary/registers, counselors/principals) at the beginner and intermediate levels while day two will offer more advanced sessions for secretary/registers, counselors/principals, teachers/trainers and information system administers. Session line-up coming soon!
Registration: Click here to register.

New & Developing Schools
Colorado Charter Starter Webinar Series
The Colorado League of Charter Schools announces a free webinar series for new charter school developers. These 90 minute webinars are designed for people who are in the process of developing a charter school application; however, anyone is welcome to attend. Webinar access instructions will be sent at least one week prior to each webinar.

 

Developing a Performance Management Strategy
Date: Thursday, November 17 | Time: 10:00 AM
Registration: (information/register)

 

Alignment of Curriculum, Assessment and Instruction
Date: December 15 | Time: 10:00 AM
Registration: (information/register)

 

Click here for a schedule of Colorado Charter Starter Webinars through May 2012.

 

Custom Performance Management Training for Boards

This training is customized in advance to best meet each school's individual needs. These trainings are delivered to individual school boards.

Cost:  $600. This training has been pre-approved by CDE and is automatically funded if included in Start Up and Implementation grants.

Description: This half-day training is available for charter school board members to learn more about their role in monitoring the academic program and results at the school. This is a customized training that will provide boards with tools and resources to assist in the role of appropriate oversight and evaluation. The focus of this session is on understanding student performance data, key questions board members should know how to answer, and how boards can establish sound practices in providing academic performance oversight and monitoring. Other topics typically included are key school performance expectations and measures as well as state and authorizer performance expectations and measures.

Registration: If you are interested in receiving this training, please contact Kelly Grable Chrisman at kchrisman@coloradoleague.org.
School Safety

Bully Prevention Institute 

Sponsored by The Colorado Department of Education, The Colorado Legacy Foundation, and The Colorado School SafetyResource Center

Dates/Locations (choose one):

Thursday, December 8 - CSU Pueblo

Wednesday, January 25 - Aurora Public Schools Conference Center

Time: 8:30AM-3:00PM

Cost: No cost to attend. Lunch is provided.

Registration: Please go to www.co.train.org. Set up a learner account and register for the Institute location and date using the course ID number: 1028332. You will need Internet Explorer to register through the CO Train System. If you have questions or need assistance with registration, please contact the Colorado School Safety Resource Center at 303-239-4435. Click here for additional information.

Customized School Improvement Planning Support
In order to best support schools in effectively using Colorado Growth Model data, the School Performance Framework, and the new Unified Improvement Planning template, the League is offering customized school improvement planning services and training. Support may include on-site training, data analysis, and facilitation of the improvement planning process, according to the criteria set forth by the Colorado Department of Education.  

Cost: Varies: On-site, Single School Training: Half day - $650; Full day - $1,000.  

Registration: Contact Tisha Bouwmeester at tbouwmeester@coloradoleague.org or 303-989-5355 for more information or to schedule a training.

Finance/Operations

Federal E-Rate Funding Made Easy!

Hosted by The FundEd Consulting Group
Date: Wednesday, November 16
Time: 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Location: Webinar
Cost: Free
Description: In 1997, Congress created the Universal Service Fund which is designed to provide federal funds for the modernization of network technology for all schools and libraries in the United States, today this program is commonly referred to as E-Rate. Virtually all Colorado charter schools are eligible for these funds annually - but nearly 80% do not even apply. During this webinar, participants will learn more about the E-Rate Program and products and services that are eligible for funding under the program. In addition, the E-Rate application timeline will be reviewed. Attendees will receive a Checklist of E-Rate Eligible Technologies and a Discount Calculation Sheet of Priority Funding Levels.
Registration:  Click here to register.  
This webinar is being provided by The FundEd Consulting Group, a participant in the Colorado League of Charter Schools' Vendor Marketplace.
 
Business Manager Network Meeting
Hosted by the CDE Schools of Choice Unit
Date: Friday, November 18
Time: 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Cost: $20
Meals Included: Breakfast and lunch
Location: Colorado Springs Early Colleges, 4435 N. Chestnut Street, Colorado Springs
Description: Charter schools receive the most current and practical, experience-based technical information on topics pertinent to the business management of charter schools. Demonstrated success and best practices are shared openly among participants. CDE assembles an agenda for each meeting based on requests from participants and relevance to the business environment.
Registration: Click here to register. Deadline: November 16. Please bring a personal check, business check or M.O. for registration cost. NO CASH. Those who RSVP and do not attend will be billed $20.

 

North Area Regional Meeting
Hosted by the Colorado Department of Education
Date: Tuesday, December 6
Time: 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Cost: Pay for your own lunch at restaurant
Location: Mimi's Cafe, 1450 Fall River Drive, Loveland
Description: Provides a venue for troubleshooting, networking, technical assistance, and discussion. Recognizing the geographic distribution of charter schools, CDE ensures the opportunity for online participation and webinar formats.
Registration:  Click here to register. Deadline: December 4.

 

Pikes Peak Leader Meeting
Hosted by the Colorado Department of Education
Date: Tuesday, December 6
Time: 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM
Cost: $10 (No shows will be billed!)
Location: Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning, 2510 N. Chestnut St., Colorado Springs
Description: Led by an experienced charter school administrator, these meetings focus on a text that varies from year to year, depending on the interests and needs of the group. Lunch provided. Please bring a personal check, business check or M.O. for registration cost. NO CASH.
Registration: Click here to register. Deadline: December 4.

 

Authorizer's Meeting
Hosted by the Colorado Department of Education
Date: Thursday, December 15
Time: 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Cost: No cost
Location: Brighton School District 27J, ESC, 18551 East 160th Avenue, Brighton
Description: Provides charter school authorizer training on the proposed quality standards, the charter application process, contracting, the charter renewal process, monitoring, oversight, charter replication, and charter school restart and turnaround models. Lunch provided. 
Registration: Click here to register. Deadline: December 13.
Governance/Board Training

Online Board Training Modules 

Fifteen Hours of Training (can be completed incrementally over time)
Cost: Free training resource
Description: This learning platform developed by the Colorado Department of Education's Schools of Choice Unit, the Colorado League of Charter Schools, and The Colorado Charter School Institute offers 30 learning modules that cover a comprehensive set of topics related to charter school governance and oversight. Board members can access these modules "on demand" -- progress during each online session is saved and the platform can be accessed at anytime. Once all of the modules are complete, a downloadable customized certificate is generated as evidence of completing the training series. These modules are a great precursor to the League's customized governance trainings designed for whole boards.
Registration: Participate online at your leisure at: www.boardtrainingmodules.org.

 

Customized Charter School Governance Training
The League's charter school governance training packages are designed to address key issues related to charter school governance, and to support effective leadership and organizational planning. The League can customize any of these packages to best meet the needs of an individual charter school. For more information, visit http://www.coloradoleague.org/membership-and-services/professional-services/index.php

 

2011 CASB Annual Convention
Hosted by the Colorado Association of School Boards
Date: Thursday, December 8 - Sunday, December 11
Location: The Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs
Description: More than 1,000 CASB members come from around Colorado to learn from prestigious keynote speakers and enlightening breakout sessions. Many board members also take this time to interact with each other and learn from one another's experiences.

Registration: Click here for more information and to register.

 

Board President's Council (Webinar)
Hosted by the Colorado Department of Education
Date: Friday, December 16
Time: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Location: Online
Description: Provides a venue for troubleshooting, networking, technical assistance, and discussion. Recognizing the geographic distribution of charter schools, CDE ensures the opportunity for online participation and webinar formats.

Registration:  Click here to register. Deadline: December 14.

Full Training Calendar
Click here to view the full community calendar which lists more upcoming League professional development opportunities.
Host a Training and Earn Free Registration
The League is looking for schools willing to host training sessions in Denver, North Metro, Colorado Springs and on the Western Slope. Hosting schools will receive two complimentary reservations to the trainings and can select a date that works best for them. Computer labs are not needed for some of the training sessions and ideally host schools would have space to accommodate 30-40 individuals. If you are interested in hosting, please contact Sarah Pearman  at spearman@coloradoleague.org or 303-989-5356, ext. 114.
Table of Contents
Colorado Charter Schools Conference
Teacher Effectiveness
Student Information Systems
New & Developing Schools
School Safety
Finance/Operations
Governance/Board Training
Full Training Calendar
Host a Training and Earn Free Registrations