ECN Hot Topic – Working Effectively as Partners with Your Teammates and Administrative Colleagues

From 3:45 to 5:15 PM online via Zoom on April 10, 2025, instructional coaches and other interested educators will come together to discuss successes and challenges in navigating partnerships, a current hot topic among instructional coaches. The first portion of this session will include a presentation with details and updates regarding how to strengthen the relationships, and the second portion of the session will allow participants to share strategies and solutions and talk about changes that can be made in the context of their own schools and school districts.

ECN Hot Topic – Recruitment: Inviting Teachers to Engage with Coaches

From 3:45 to 5:15 PM online via Zoom on February 27, 2025, instructional coaches and other interested educators will come together to discuss how to engage teachers in the coaching process, a current hot topic among instructional coaches. The first portion of this session will include a presentation with details and updates regarding effective strategies for recruiting teachers to engage and work with you as a coach, and the second portion of the session will allow participants to share strategies and solutions and talk about how to recruit teachers more effectively in the context of their own schools and school districts.

ECN Coaching Book Study – Data Rules

Data Rules is a recently released book by Jim Knight and Michael Faggella-Luby that supports instructional leaders with explicit strategies for using data effectively and to improve student learning and foster ongoing school improvement. In this book study, ECN Coordinators Alison Gordon and Sharon Sheehan will lead participants through a series of discussions around the book as work through its reading together.

Sessions will be held online via Zoom from 3.45 to 4.45 PM on February 19, March 5, and April 16, 2025. While registration for the full book study is only $60, discounts for groups are also available!

ECN Coaching Book Study – Data Rules

Data Rules is a recently released book by Jim Knight and Michael Faggella-Luby that supports instructional leaders with explicit strategies for using data effectively and to improve student learning and foster ongoing school improvement. In this book study, ECN Coordinators Alison Gordon and Sharon Sheehan will lead participants through a series of discussions around the book as work through its reading together.

Sessions will be held online via Zoom from 3.45 to 4.45 PM on February 19, March 5, and April 16, 2025. While registration for the full book study is only $60, discounts for groups are also available!

ECN Coaching Book Study – Data Rules

Data Rules is a recently released book by Jim Knight and Michael Faggella-Luby that supports instructional leaders with explicit strategies for using data effectively and to improve student learning and foster ongoing school improvement. In this book study, ECN Coordinators Alison Gordon and Sharon Sheehan will lead participants through a series of discussions around the book as work through its reading together.

Sessions will be held online via Zoom from 3.45 to 4.45 PM on February 19, March 5, and April 16, 2025. While registration for the full book study is only $60, discounts for groups are also available!

ECN adds free Coaching Conversations

This year, the Educational Coaching Network (ECN) is adding another feature (for free!) to this year’s Foundations of Instructional Coaching and Advanced Coaching Workshops — Coaching Conversations.

The purpose of the Coaching Conversations is to give participants the opportunity to discuss and process the content with ECN facilitators. ECN participants are invited to bring their thoughts, questions, and ideas to Zoom, along with your lunch, for engaging conversation. These sessions, from noon to 1 PM, are free and included for all ECN participants! There are specific Coaching Conversations scheduled for both the Foundations of Instructional Coaching Institute and for the Advanced Coaching and Leadership Workshops. This is a new, additional value-add for participants and school districts as part of the Educational Coaching Network.

Team-Based Challenges Writing Workshop

This session offers educators the opportunity to learn about Team-Based Challenges. This workshop-style format will lead educators through the process of creating a Team-Based Challenge as required for the College and Career Pathway Endorsement. Educators will learn about how to incorporate strategies to collaborate with expert industry partners for their Challenge, plan for student assessment, and action steps on how to implement the Challenge in the classroom.

Free Administrator Academy Workshops to Kick-Off 2022-2023

As part of our Career ConneCTEd Illinois professional learning efforts, we are excited to host three online, half-day workshops at the beginning of August. Participants in these workshops can earn Professional Development Hours (PDHs) or Administrator Academy credit. Registration is free, and will close 48 hours prior to each workshop. A Zoom link and other information about each workshop will be sent to participants 48 hours ahead of each workshop. Each workshop will take place from 9 AM until noon. 

• August 3 – Social and Emotional Learning Leads to College and Career Readiness – Register 
• August 4 – PaCE Framework Overview – Register 
• August 5 – Illinois Career Pathways Overview – Register 

CTE Professional Learning Opportunities – 2022-2023

We are pleased to announce the initial ISBE CTE Professional Development calendar for the 2022-2023 school year. This calendar is considered an initial calendar because we are already adding additional events to it. We are also excited to share that there is no cost to participate in any of the events being run solely by ISBE and the NIU Illinois CTE Project. 

All sessions are open free of charge to all Illinois educators, including teachers, clinicians, counselors, and administrators from Early Childhood through twelfth grade settings as well as postsecondary educators. For example, Administrator Academy workshops are not only open to school administrators, but to all educators. Participants who complete workshops will earn Illinois Professional Development Hours or, when applicable based on the workshop and one’s position, Administrator Academy credit. 

Check out the full (and growing!) ISBE CTE Professional Development calendar – Registration links are continually being added over the coming weeks. 

Illinois Career Connections Conference

Join the Illinois P-20 Network at the 2022 Illinois Career Connections Conference. Learn more at: http://ilcareerconnections.org/

Illinois 60-by-25 Network Annual Conference

Join the Illinois P-20 Network at this year’s Illinois 60-by-25 Network Annual Conference. Learn more: https://www.60by25.org/2022-conference/

MPC Series – PaCE Framework

This event is part of our partnership with Midwest Principals’ Center (MPC). This event is free to Midwest Principals’ Center members (both individuals and those that work for MPC partner districts). Those who are not MPC members can also attend this event for a fee.

In this 90-minute online workshop, participants will learn about the PaCE Framework and the role of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission in support the implementation of the PaCE Framework.

MPC Series – An Overview of the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act

This event is part of our partnership with Midwest Principals’ Center (MPC). This event is free to Midwest Principals’ Center members (both individuals and those that work for MPC partner districts). Those who are not MPC members can also attend this event for a fee.

In this 90-minute online workshop, participants will learn about the Illinois Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act.

MPC Series – Competency-Based Education

This event is part of our partnership with Midwest Principals’ Center (MPC). This event is free to Midwest Principals’ Center members (both individuals and those that work for MPC partner districts). Those who are not MPC members can also attend this event for a fee.

In this 90-minute online workshop, participants will learn about Competency-Based Education, which is included as part of the Illinois Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (PWR) Act. Competency-Based Education is one key to helping school districts unlock more success and learning for each student as it focuses on a shift from seat time and letter grades to personalization and a mastery of concepts and skills.

College and Career Readiness–Jason Klein–Competency-based Education

MPC Series – Career Pathway Endorsements

This event is part of our partnership with Midwest Principals’ Center (MPC). This event is free to Midwest Principals’ Center members (both individuals and those that work for MPC partner districts). Those who are not MPC members can also attend this event for a fee.

In this 90-minute online workshop, participants will learn about the Career Pathway Endorsements and how we can restructure schools and learning to ensure that students are mastering competencies that are in-demand in the workplace and necessary for success in a community.

College and Career Readiness–Jason Klein–Career Pathways Endorsements

Administrator Academy – Illinois Career Pathways

Online Administrator Academy from 9 AM until noon that provides a full Administrator Academy credit to participants. This workshop is open to educators at all levels, including both administrators and educators who are not in administrative roles.

In this workshop, participants will learn about the Illinois Career Pathways and the Illinois Career Pathway Endorsements. Participants will understand these broadly in the context of the Illinois Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (PWR) Act, and participants will dive deeply into learning about the Technical Competencies and the Cross-Sector Essential Employability Competencies; Work-Based Learning; and the connections between implementing the Career Pathways and how schools can shift more instruction to providing students with Authentic Learning opportunities.

Administrator Academy #3749 – College and Career Pathways

Administrator Academy – Illinois Career Pathways

Online Administrator Academy from 9 AM until noon that provides a full Administrator Academy credit to participants. This workshop is open to educators at all levels, including both administrators and educators who are not in administrative roles.

In this workshop, participants will learn about the Illinois Career Pathways and the Illinois Career Pathway Endorsements. Participants will understand these broadly in the context of the Illinois Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (PWR) Act, and participants will dive deeply into learning about the Technical Competencies and the Cross-Sector Essential Employability Competencies; Work-Based Learning; and the connections between implementing the Career Pathways and how schools can shift more instruction to providing students with Authentic Learning opportunities.

Administrator Academy #3749 – College and Career Pathways

Administrator Academy – PaCE Framework Overview

Online Administrator Academy from 9 AM until noon that provides a full Administrator Academy credit to participants. This workshop is open to educators at all levels, including both administrators and educators who are not in administrative roles.

In this workshop, participants will learn about the Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Framework and consider how best to implement it in their own school districts through an engaging change process that includes all stakeholders.

Administrator Academy – Social and Emotional Learning Leads to Career & College Readiness

Online Administrator Academy from 9 AM until noon that provides a full Administrator Academy credit to participants. This workshop is open to educators at all levels, including both administrators and educators who are not in administrative roles.

In this workshop, participants will explore the Illinois State Board of Education’s Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Standards along with the Cross-Sector Essential Employability Competencies (Essential Skills) from the Illinois Career Pathways/Career Pathway Endorsements work. Educators will consider the connections between these learning outcomes, the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (PWR) Act, and the principles of authentic learning.

Administrator Academies – 2021-2022

We are pleased to announce dates and topics for our half-day, online Administrator Academies that will be offered during the 2021-2022 school year. These sessions are not only open to school administrators but also to teachers, counselors, postsecondary faculty and leaders, and anyone else who is interested in learning more. 

• October 29 – Career Pathways & Social and Emotional Learning 
• December 8 – PaCE Framework Overview 
• February 16 – Illinois Career Pathways 
• June 7 – Illinois Career Pathways 

Each workshop runs from 9 AM until noon, online via Zoom, and earns participants full Administrator Academy credit. Registration is only $124 per person. Additionally, when a school district registers 4 or more participants for a single workshop, we also offer 2 hours of free follow-up professional time that can be used for strategic planning with district leaders, for the facilitation of professional learning with teachers and administrators, or even for presentations to the school board and/or families. 

Additional Administrator Academies Coming…
Not only are we offering the Administrator Academies listed above, but we are currently in the process of developing new Administrator Academies, and we look forward to sharing more information on those this fall. 

Customized, Local Administrator Academies
Finally, any of these Administrator Academies can be delivered locally and customized to meet the needs of your Regional Office of Education, Education for Employment (EFE) region, school district, or other group. For more information, contact us at p20network@niu.edu.