Professional Development Opportunities

We’re excited to welcome Teaching Strategies to Catherine Hershey Schools – New Danville for a series of hands-on, interactive professional learning experiences designed to strengthen everyday classroom practice and family partnerships. These sessions will support teachers at every stage with practical tools, real-time modeling, and intentional planning strategies aligned to high-quality early childhood instruction.

Intro to Creative Curriculum
February 10 | 6 Hours
An interactive introduction to The Creative Curriculum framework, including foundational teaching practices, interest areas, and how to use the curriculum to support whole-child development.

Getting Started with GOLD
February 24 | 6 Hours
Learn how to use GOLD for authentic observation, documentation, and assessment to guide intentional instruction and monitor child progress.

Language & Literacy
March 3 | 6 Hours
Explore research-based strategies for building strong early language, phonological awareness, storytelling, and emergent reading and writing skills.

Partnering with Families
March 4 | 6 Hours
Strengthen family engagement practices through meaningful communication, culturally responsive partnerships, and shared learning goals.

Responsive Planning & The First Six Weeks of School
March 10 | 6 Hours
Focus on intentional lesson planning, using data to guide instruction, and setting up strong classroom systems during the critical first six weeks.

Getting to Know ReadyRosie
March 17 | 6 Hours
Discover how ReadyRosie supports home-school connections through simple, research-based family activities and digital family engagement tools.

Mathematics in The Creative Curriculum
March 31 | 6 Hours
Dive into developmentally appropriate math instruction, including number sense, measurement, geometry, and meaningful math integration across the day.

We are excited to offer a two-day 3Rs (Relationships, Relevance, Rigor) training for our Scholastic Team at Catherine Hershey Schools – New Danville. This immersive learning experience is designed to help educators deepen their understanding of culturally informed pedagogy and apply it directly to classroom practice through a powerful instructional cycle: Book Work → You Work → Kid Work.

Day 1 | March 23 | Relationships & Relevance

Book Work
Build a strong foundation in culturally informed pedagogy through guided exploration of identity, implicit bias, culture, and belonging in early childhood settings.

You Work
Engage in reflection, discussion, and instructional planning to examine personal practice, classroom environments, and teaching strategies through a culturally responsive lens.

Kid Work
Apply learning directly to classroom practice by designing relationship-driven, culturally relevant learning experiences that elevate children’s voice, identity, and engagement.

Day 2 | March 24 | Rigor Through a Culturally Informed Lens

Book Work
Explore equity-centered instruction, developmentally appropriate rigor, and high expectations for all learners through culturally responsive teaching practices.

You Work
Strengthen lesson design, instructional strategies, and material selection to ensure rigor and relevance are intentionally embedded across the learning day.

Kid Work
Translate learning into classroom implementation by planning meaningful, rigorous learning experiences that are rooted in children’s cultures, strengths, and real-world connections.

We are excited to host a full-day Heggerty Phonemic Awareness training for our Scholastic Team at CHS–New Danville. This interactive session will deepen teachers’ understanding of phonological and phonemic awareness and provide clear, practical routines that can be implemented immediately during whole-group and small-group instruction.

Heggerty Phonemic Awareness: Implementation & Practice
April 21 | 6 Hours

• Build a shared understanding of phonological and phonemic awareness and why they matter for early reading success.
• Explore the structure and components of the Heggerty daily lessons, including warm-ups, rhyming, blending, segmenting, manipulating sounds, and letter naming.
• Learn how to model and scaffold skills using clear teacher language, motions, and pacing.
• Practice delivering lessons with fidelity while adapting supports for mixed-ability and multilingual learners.
• Discuss how to integrate Heggerty within the broader literacy block and align it with existing classroom practices and curriculum.

We are excited to offer a two-day Conscious Discipline: Adult First Model training for our Scholastic Team at Catherine Hershey Schools – New Danville. This experience focuses on building adult self-regulation, emotional intelligence, and relationship-centered practices as the foundation for creating safe, connected, and resilient classroom communities. The Adult First Model centers on the belief that adult responses shape children’s regulation, behavior, and sense of safety—making adult skill-building the starting point for lasting change.

Day 1 | May 12 | Part 1: Safety & Self-Regulation

• Understanding the brain state model and stress responses
• Recognizing personal triggers and emotional patterns
• Practicing self-regulation and composure strategies
• Creating predictable routines and environments that support children’s sense of safety

Day 2 | May 13 | Part 2: Connection, Problem-Solving & Empowerment

• Building authentic connection and positive relationships
• Strengthening communication and conflict resolution skills
• Using empowerment strategies to build child independence
• Shifting from behavior control to skill-building and problem-solving