SWBOCES School Library System

Center for Professional Learning & Curriculum Support - Upcoming Programs

• Oct 15 12:30 PM 03:30 PM

  SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY

  Early Learning (PK-3) Educators Network

  Register here.

  Our early learning network has a new look! We will meet in person at the Center for Professional Learning and visit host schools to engage in learning walks focused on Early Learning.

  Join us for collaborative learning experiences with colleagues who are dedicated to enhancing the educational experiences of Early Learners (PK-3) across all content areas. Together we will explore best practices, theories, and innovative approaches to early childhood education. Members of the group will engage in activities including sharing resources, analyzing current research, developing curriculum strategies, and reflecting on their teaching methods. We welcome teams of teachers, administrators, instructional coaches, early learning specialists, department chairs, and all who support Early Learning.

  Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support
• Oct 15 01:00 PM 07:00 PM

  SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY

  504 Chairperson Training

  Register here.

  Participants will learn to effectively facilitate 504 meetings by defining team roles, engaging parents in meaningful collaboration, and managing challenging conversations. Through practical strategies, participants will gain the skills to develop legally sound 504 Plans that align accommodations with student needs and ensure successful classroom implementation. They will explore methods for monitoring and reviewing 504 Plans, collaborating with educators to track progress, and making data-informed adjustments. Finally, participants will examine the intersection of 504 Plans with other school support systems, applying principles of cultural competence and equity to ensure fair and effective student access to accommodations.

  This professional learning is focused on the facilitation of 504 meetings and the implementation of 504 plans for those who serve as Chairpersons for 504 Committee Meetings.
  
  Professional learning will include the following areas:
  
  1. Legal Foundations and Compliance Overview of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
  2. Roles and Responsibilities
  3. 504 Plan Development
  4. Meeting Facilitation and Parent Engagement
  5. Monitoring and Review
  6. Intersection with Other School Supports
  7. Cultural Competence and Equity
  8. Resource Review

  Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support
• Oct 15 01:00 PM 06:30 PM

  SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY

  SLS- Discovery Education BTS Bootcamp

  Register here.

  Discovery Education continues to empower educators with resources, strategies and tools for creating quality lessons using multi-modal digital resources. For Back-to-School 2025-26, we are combining all that teachers and students love about the DE ecosystem with new content, including Career Connect and the AI Assessment Generator!

  Join us this Fall at Southern Westchester BOCES to learn about the best ways to utilize all that Discovery Education has to offer as well as exciting updated features, synchronous and asynchronous activities, assignment templates, background builder lessons and much more:

  *Ready-to-Use Activities & Video Quizzes
  *Supports for NYS Science Investigations
  *AI Assessment Generator *Career Connect
  *Core 4 Focus & Supplemental Supports
  *Spotlight on Strategies for All Subjects and Grade Levels RECOMMENDED 

  Lunch will be provided by Discovery Education.

  Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support
• Oct 15 07:15 PM 08:15 PM

  via Zoom

  Supporting Reading Proficiency & the Science of Reading Across Content Areas (Virtual Series)

  Register here.

  While students are often expected to comprehend complex texts in their middle and high school classes, even students who can name every word may not be reading actively or making sense of the texts they're given. How can we improve students' reading proficiency across content areas in secondary classrooms? How can we build skills connected to the components of "The Big 6” of the Science of Reading emphasized in New York State's Literacy Initiative? This virtual series will build educators' toolkits for integrating attention to vocabulary (coupled with phonemic awareness and phonics), fluency, comprehension, and oral language within content area instruction.

   

  Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support
• Oct 17 01:00 PM 07:00 PM

  SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY

  Growing Student Learning & Literacy in Secondary Classrooms Day 2: Engaging & Responsive Curriculum

  Register here.

  Participants can register for one or both sessions of this two-day series focused on attending to key elements of instruction (Day 1) and curriculum (Day 2) to support students' learning and improve their literacy skills in secondary classrooms. Educators are encouraged to attend in teams to plan collaboratively for launching 2025-26 with the greatest impact and will receive a 10% credit for attending with at least two other district colleagues.
  
  Day 2: Engaging & Responsive Curriculum: How can we adjust our curriculum to embody the Science of Learning and the Science of Reading to support students' success? How can our lessons, units, and materials support students' engagement and literacy skill development across content areas in secondary classrooms? This session will share frameworks for curriculum development to help students improve their skills as learners, thinkers, readers, and communicators. Participants will apply key concepts and use the curriculum frameworks to write or revise existing units for the upcoming school year.
  
  The full day session/s will be followed by optional Zoom sessions in the following months focused on classroom application.

  Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support
• Oct 20 01:00 PM 07:00 PM

  SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY

  Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® Key Points Refresher Recertification

  Register here.

  The Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® Key Points Refresher is designed to help improve your understanding of key program concepts, enhance your skills and provide strategies to apply the information to workplace realities. Only participants who have completed the Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Training in the last 12-18 months are eligible to participate in the Refresher Training. In addition, we are asking that individuals attend in pairs or trios so that they can perform the physical interventions with a partner. All participants must complete the physical interventions in order to receive certification.

  Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support
• Oct 21 12:30 PM 07:00 PM

  SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY

  2025-26 DEI Leaders' Action Network: Advancing Equity Through the NYSED Portrait of a Graduate

  Register here.

  Join a powerful network of school district teams committed to advancing equity, and access in ways that transform classrooms and communities. This year, we will ground our work in Liz Kleinrock's Start Here, Start Now and connect its practical strategies directly to the New York State Portrait of a Graduate.

  Over five full-day sessions, district teams will:

  1.Engage in deep professional learning on equity-centered leadership and culturally responsive-sustaining practices.

  2. Participate in guided book study discussions and collaborative activities that link Start Here, Start Now to Portrait of a Graduate attributes.

  3. Design and refine a district-specific DEI initiative anchored to one of the six Portrait attributes.

  4. Receive targeted support and coaching to move from concept to actionable implementation.

  5. Showcase their work and leave with a clear action plan for 2026-2027.

  By the end of the year, each team will have:

  -Selected a Portrait of a Graduate attribute to anchor their DEI work.
  -Designed and tested a district-specific initiative that advances equity and belonging in their school community.
  -Developed stakeholder engagement and sustainability strategies to ensure lasting impact.
  -Built strong cross-district connections to share resources, successes, and lessons learned.

  Each participating district is strongly encouraged to register as a team of at least two members and up to 5.

  Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support
• Oct 21 12:30 PM 03:30 PM

  SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY

  Integrating Social-Emotional Learning to Improve Student Achievement

  Register here.

  Even when educators believe in the value of social-emotional learning (SEL), SEL can feel like something "extra.” This session will ground educators in how SEL is integral to academic achievement (and success in the world at large). Then, we will explore strategies for embedding attention to social-emotional learning in academic instruction, and participants will apply their learning to plan for the 2025-26 school year.
  Participants will be able to:
  
  • Understand and articulate how social-emotional learning (SEL) is essential-not additional-to academic success and lifelong achievement, drawing connections to the New York State SEL Benchmarks, CASEL Core Competencies, and the New York State Portrait of a Graduate.
  
  • Identify and analyze how the integration of SEL within academic instruction supports student engagement, motivation, and achievement across content areas.
  
  • Explore and apply evidence-based strategies to embed SEL into instructional practices using tools such as the CASEL 3 Signature Practices and the CASEL Frame Coach Reflect framework.
  
  • Design actionable plans to integrate SEL intentionally into classroom instruction and school-wide practices for the 2025-26 school year, with a focus on sustainable impact and alignment with district and state priorities.
  
  • Reflect on current practices and identify opportunities to strengthen SEL integration at the classroom, school, and systems levels.
  
  

  Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support
• Oct 21 04:00 PM 07:00 PM

  SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY

  Launching the Seal of Civic Readiness

  Register here.

  New York State's Civic Readiness Initiative embodies what we value most about our students' learning and development - that they're prepared with the skills, knowledge, mindsets, and experiences to participate meaningfully in the communities they're a part of in their lives. Further, the Seal of Civic Readiness is both a graduation pathway and a reflection of attributes of the Portrait of a Graduate that aims to define our priorities for when our students complete high school.

  In this session, come learn about the components of the Civic Readiness Initiative and the Seal of Civic Readiness. Then, consider what's needed to offer the Seal of Civic Readiness in your high school. Participants will then be guided to apply these ideas to their own context and come away with clear next steps for launching the Seal of Civic Readiness.

  Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support
• Oct 22 04:00 PM 07:00 PM

  SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY

  SLS Council Meeting

  Register here.

  The School Library Council is responsible for developing and approving the Plan of Service; is responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Plan of Service; recommends for approval the annual budget prior to submission to the District Superintendent for his signature; and supports the activities of the School Library System, through service on a committee. 

  Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support
• Oct 22 04:00 PM 07:00 PM

  SLS Communication Coordinators Meeting

  Register here.

  Quarterly meetings for SLS Communication Coordinators as mandated in NY State Education Law 90.18. Communication Coordinators are informed on topics such as New York State Education Department updates, technology, and Information Fluency Skills. Professional development is provided on current issues with the expectation that it is shared with other school librarians in district.

  Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support
• Oct 23 12:30 PM 07:00 PM

  SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY

  Science Investigation (Biology). Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems: For the Birds -Designing Solutions

  Register here.

  This one-day session focuses on Science Investigation (Biology). Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems: For the Birds -Designing Solutions. This Investigation is a hands-on laboratory experience that prepares teachers to ready students for the new Biology Regents Examination. (This is 3 of 3 Science Investigations: Biology).

  Participants in this one-day session will:

  - experience this Investigation both as a teacher and student.

  - simulate the collision between a bird in flight with a glass window.

  - collaborate to design, evaluate, and refine a window screen that could be used to reduce the force of this impact and bird mortality.

  - construct a data table(s) that will be used to organize the data collected.

  - evaluate the results of this simulation and determine the effectiveness of the solution.

  - refine the solution to further optimize its effectiveness.

  - deepen their understanding of NYSED's expectations for the new Regents' exam in Life Science: Biology.

  Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support
• Oct 23 Oct 24 01:00 PM 07:00 PM

  SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY

  2nd Annual Literacy Symposium: Research in Practice

  Register here.

  Our 2nd Annual Literacy Symposium: Research in Practice is designed for educators, instructional leaders, and literacy advocates committed to equity and excellence in literacy instruction. This year's symposium brings together nationally recognized literacy experts and passionate educators like you to explore research-based practices grounded in the Science of Reading. Together, we'll deepen our understanding of literacy instruction-and how to apply it across the curriculum in systematic and explicit ways that meet the needs of all learners. Through engaging learning sessions, hands-on workshops, and collaborative planning time, you'll leave with actionable tools and strategies to drive real change in your classroom or school.
  
  Sessions led by literacy experts from:
  - LEXIA
  - The Writing Revolution
  - PAF
  - Generation Ready
  - iReady Curriculum Associates

  LUNCH will be provided and all attendees will be entered into a raffle for a seat in our 25-26 Science of Reading study group

  Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support
• Oct 27 Oct 29 12:30 PM 07:00 PM

  SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY

  Restorative Practices Educator Training for RECOVS Mental Health Grant Consortium

  Register here.

  Please note that this training is limited to personnel from districts who are part of SWBOCES's RECOVS Mental Health Grant Consortium.

  Lori DeCarlo of Restorative Edge Consulting will lead this interactive series to provide training to educators in the use of restorative practices designed to support social-emotional learning and mental health.
  The training will focus on restorative practices as a trauma-informed approach for creating a culture of belonging, safety, and inclusion

  • Responsive restorative practices, including Affective Communication/Non-Violent Communication, Tier 2 Whole Group Responsive Circles, and Tier 2 Restorative Circles to respond to specific incidents of harm.
  Restorative Discipline: how to embed restorative practices into discipline, including:
  ---Creating a restorative classroom as an alternative to out of school suspension,
  ---Exploring how to use a restorative intervention known as the 5 Step Plan,
  ---Learning how to facilitate a Tier 3 Restorative Conferences for serious disciplinary incidents,
  ---Learning how to facilitate a Welcome Back & Re-Entry Circle for students returning from an out of school suspension.

  A highly engaging Restorative Pedagogy will be utilized for the delivery of in-person instruction.

  Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support
• Oct 28 12:00 PM 04:00 PM

  SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY

  SLS- The Power of Immersion Learning: A Workshop for Leaders

  Register here.

  In this interactive workshop, led by Finnish educator Petteri Elo, discover the power of immersion and phenomenon- based learning and the impacts they make on students. Walk away with an understanding of how Finland has led the way in educational innovation and how to implement similar pedagogy in your schools. About Petteri: Finnish Educator Petteri Elo has an extensive career in teaching, training, and curriculum development. He turns his innovative and experimental practices with his students into engaging and thought- provoking training concepts for educators worldwide. 

  Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support
• Oct 29 01:00 PM 02:00 PM

  via Zoom

  SLS- OverDrive/ Sora User Group (VIRTUAL)

  Register here.

  Join fellow librarians and instructional leaders for a dynamic OverDrive/Sora User Group session focused on maximizing the impact of your district's digital collection. Whether you're a seasoned Sora user or just getting started, this session will provide a space to share best practices, explores new features, and troubleshoot challenges together. Participants will engage in collaborative discussions around collection development, equitable access, student engagement strategies, and integrating Sora into instruction. Bring your questions, your wins, and your ideas as we learn from each other and strengthen our collective digital literacy efforts. ideal for school librarians, tech integrators, and curriculum leaders looking to elevate their Sora usage and make digital reading more accessible and impactful for all students. 

  Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support
• Oct 29 07:15 PM 08:15 PM

  via Zoom

  Supporting Reading Proficiency & the Science of Reading Across Content Areas (Virtual Series)

  Register here.

  While students are often expected to comprehend complex texts in their middle and high school classes, even students who can name every word may not be reading actively or making sense of the texts they're given. How can we improve students' reading proficiency across content areas in secondary classrooms? How can we build skills connected to the components of "The Big 6” of the Science of Reading emphasized in New York State's Literacy Initiative? This virtual series will build educators' toolkits for integrating attention to vocabulary (coupled with phonemic awareness and phonics), fluency, comprehension, and oral language within content area instruction.

   

  Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support
• Oct 30 12:30 PM 07:00 PM

  SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY

  RECOVS Restorative Practices Implementation/Action Planning Workshop

  Register here.

  Please note that this training is limited to leaders from districts who are part of SWBOCES's RECOVS Mental Health Grant Consortium.
  
  Lori DeCarlo of Restorative Edge Consulting will lead this interactive training, which is essential for leaders who are bringing restorative practices to their schools/districts - to understand key principles of restorative practices and conditions for systemic implementation designed to support social-emotional learning and mental health.

  This facilitated workshop utilizes the Implementation Science Framework to create a doable Action Plan for Implementing Restorative Practices for Systemic, Whole School Change

  Objectives:

  • Understand the four stages of implementation science as it applies to systemic implementation of restorative practices.
  • Learn what the research has identified as common "mis-implementation" errors and how to avoiding these pitfalls.
  • Explore evidence based practices that support sustainable implementation of restorative practices.
  • Conduct a self-assessment of current practices to establish a baseline and identify up to 5 priorities for action.
  • Learn about high impact activities for early implementation.
  • Plan for Professional Learning sessions at the building level. Write explicit action plans utilizing a template.
  • Develop key messaging to support the roll-out & enhance buy-in.

  Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support
• Oct 30 01:00 PM 04:00 PM

  SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY

  The IDEA Exchange (Inspired by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)

  Register here.

  Special education leadership comes with unique challenges, requiring collaboration, innovation, and a deep commitment to equity and inclusion. The I.D.E.A. Exchange is responsively designed for special education leaders to engage in open, guided discussions on the most pressing topics in the field. Each session will center around a key theme-ranging from MTSS integration to family partnerships-while allowing participants to share experiences, problem-solve, and build a network of support. Whether you're a director, coordinator, or instructional leader, this space will empower you with fresh insights, practical strategies, and a collaborative professional community.

  Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support
• Oct 30 01:00 PM 07:00 PM

  SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY

  Teaching About Enslavement & Resistance in the Context of Local Westchester History

  Register here.
  

  This session will introduce participants to Our Local History's Enslavement & Resistance unit, as we explore how we can effectively teach about the complexities of enslavement and resistance, while embracing inquiry-based learning, emphasizing our local Westchester context, and adopting an asset-based educational approach.

  The content supports the study of local communities, the transatlantic slave trade, and 18th/early 19th century United States history. The session integrates culturally responsive teaching practices and social-emotional learning (SEL), allowing educators to analyze best practices for fostering a safe and empowering classroom environment, while analyzing primary sources and engaging in the New York State Social Studies Practices. The full day session will be followed by optional Zoom sessions in the following months focused on classroom application.

   

  Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support