Author: Richard Gabriel

Date:     March 12, 2026    
Time:     9:00am – 3:00pm 
Type:     In-Person

Location: WRESA   
          200 Ridgefield Ct, Suite 206
          Asheville, NC 28806

Fee:      $45  WRESA Members  
          $70  Non-members

**NOTE: We have a No Refund policy for our WRESA courses. However, you
are welcome to send a colleague in your place. Contact LaDonna Sluder
at lsluder@wresa.org or 828-774-5681 (ext 102) if you need to change
the name of the person attending.

CEUs:     5 Contact Hours 
Limit:    45 Participants
Audience: 6-12 ELA and Content Teachers, and Instructional Coaches
What to Bring: Your own device

Description:

Focus on the connection between reading and writing, the cognitive skills required, and the implications for the secondary classroom.  Participants will learn effective instructional strategies for both analog and digital learning environments.

Presenter:  

Kendra Cameron-Jarvis is the Senior Literacy Specialist at NCCAT. With a career in education that began in 2004, Kendra has served in various roles including middle and high school ELA educator, Secondary Literacy Coach, and Instructional Technologist with Buncombe County Schools. She has also contributed to state-level initiatives with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, leading efforts such as the North Carolina Coaching Cohort and the AI Collaborative. Additionally, Kendra has shared her expertise as an adjunct professor in UNCA’s Education Department. Her extensive experience reflects a deep commitment to advancing literacy and educational practices.

***IMPORTANT NOTE: The Secondary Literacy Badge series focuses on a research-to-practice exploration of the foundational skills in literacy with a focus on secondary literacy.   You can earn an NCCAT Secondary Literacy Badge while deepening your own understanding of the building blocks of beginning reading.  This program is intended for teachers in grades 6-12 and is part of a 4-day badge series for secondary literacy.  Participants will learn effective instructional strategies for both analog and digital learning environments.  WRESA participants can take any number of the sessions; however, all four sessions must be completed to earn the NCCAT Literacy Badge.  Below are the dates and the topics of the four sessions of the Secondary Literacy Badge series:

1. Sept 25, 2025 –  An Overview of the Science of Reading for Secondary Teachers
2. Nov   6, 2025 –   Vocabulary for Secondary Teachers
3. Feb    5, 2026 –   Comprehension for Secondary Teachers
4. Mar  12, 2026 –   The Reading and Writing Connection for Secondary Teachers 

If you have additional questions, contact Jill Chambers at  jchambers@wresa.org  

If you are unsure whether your school system is a WRESA member, click  WRESA MEMBER List.    

REGISTER

Date:     November 6, 2025    
Time:     9:00am – 3:00pm 
Type:     In-Person

Location: WRESA   
          200 Ridgefield Ct, Suite 206
          Asheville, NC 28806

Fee:      $45  WRESA Members  
          $70  Non-members

**NOTE: We have a No Refund policy for our WRESA courses. However, you
are welcome to send a colleague in your place. Contact LaDonna Sluder
at lsluder@wresa.org or 828-774-5681 (ext 102) if you need to change
the name of the person attending.

CEUs:     5 Contact Hours 
Limit:    45 Participants
Audience: 6-12 ELA and Content Teachers, and Instructional Coaches
What to Bring: Your own device

Description:

Focus on how to accelerate vocabulary acquisition and knowledge gains in the secondary classroom using current research and best practices.  Participants will learn effective instructional strategies for both analog and digital learning environments. This program is intended for teachers in grades 6-12, and is a part of a 4-day badge series for secondary literacy. It can be taken as a part of the badge series or independently.    

Presenter:  

Kendra Cameron-Jarvis is the Senior Literacy Specialist at NCCAT. With a career in education that began in 2004, Kendra has served in various roles including middle and high school ELA educator, Secondary Literacy Coach, and Instructional Technologist with Buncombe County Schools. She has also contributed to state-level initiatives with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, leading efforts such as the North Carolina Coaching Cohort and the AI Collaborative. Additionally, Kendra has shared her expertise as an adjunct professor in UNCA’s Education Department. Her extensive experience reflects a deep commitment to advancing literacy and educational practices.

***IMPORTANT NOTE: The Secondary Literacy Badge series focuses on a research-to-practice exploration of the foundational skills in literacy with a focus on secondary literacy.   You can earn an NCCAT Secondary Literacy Badge while deepening your own understanding of the building blocks of beginning reading.  This program is intended for teachers in grades 6-12 and is part of a 4-day badge series for secondary literacy.  Participants will learn effective instructional strategies for both analog and digital learning environments.  WRESA participants can take any number of the sessions; however, all four sessions must be completed to earn the NCCAT Literacy Badge.  Below are the dates and the topics of the four sessions of the Secondary Literacy Badge series:

1. Sept 25, 2025 –  An Overview of the Science of Reading for Secondary Teachers
2. Nov   6, 2025 –   Vocabulary for Secondary Teachers
3. Feb    5, 2026 –   Comprehension for Secondary Teachers
4. Mar  12, 2026 –   The Reading and Writing Connection for Secondary Teachers 

If you have additional questions, contact Jill Chambers at  jchambers@wresa.org  

If you are unsure whether your school system is a WRESA member, click  WRESA MEMBER List.    

REGISTER

Date:     Sept 25, 2025    
Time:     9:00am – 3:00pm 
Type:     In-Person

Location: WRESA   
          200 Ridgefield Ct, Suite 206
          Asheville, NC 28806

Fee:      $45  WRESA Members  
          $70  Non-members

**NOTE: We have a No Refund policy for our WRESA courses. However, you
are welcome to send a colleague in your place. Contact LaDonna Sluder
at lsluder@wresa.org or 828-774-5681 (ext 102) if you need to change
the name of the person attending.

CEUs:     5 Contact Hours 
Limit:    45 Participants
Audience: 6-12 ELA and Content Teachers, and Instructional Coaches
What to Bring: Your own device

Description:

An overview of The Science of Reading and its relevancy and application in the secondary classroom.  Participants will learn effective instructional strategies for both analog and digital learning environments.  This program is intended for teachers in grades 6-12 and is part of a 4-day badge series for secondary literacy.  It can be taken as a part of the badge series or independently.   

Presenter:  

Kendra Cameron-Jarvis is the Senior Literacy Specialist at NCCAT. With a career in education that began in 2004, Kendra has served in various roles including middle and high school ELA educator, Secondary Literacy Coach, and Instructional Technologist with Buncombe County Schools. She has also contributed to state-level initiatives with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, leading efforts such as the North Carolina Coaching Cohort and the AI Collaborative. Additionally, Kendra has shared her expertise as an adjunct professor in UNCA’s Education Department. Her extensive experience reflects a deep commitment to advancing literacy and educational practices.

***IMPORTANT NOTE: The Secondary Literacy Badge series focuses on a research-to-practice exploration of the foundational skills in literacy with a focus on secondary literacy.   You can earn an NCCAT Secondary Literacy Badge while deepening your own understanding of the building blocks of beginning reading.  This program is intended for teachers in grades 6-12 and is part of a 4-day badge series for secondary literacy.  Participants will learn effective instructional strategies for both analog and digital learning environments.  WRESA participants can take any number of the sessions; however, all four sessions must be completed to earn the NCCAT Literacy Badge.  Below are the dates and the topics of the four sessions of the Secondary Literacy Badge series:

1. Sept 25, 2025 –  An Overview of the Science of Reading for Secondary Teachers
2. Nov   6, 2025 –   Vocabulary for Secondary Teachers
3. Feb    5, 2026 –   Comprehension for Secondary Teachers
4. Mar  12, 2026 –   The Reading and Writing Connection for Secondary Teachers 

If you have additional questions, contact Jill Chambers at  jchambers@wresa.org  

If you are unsure whether your school system is a WRESA member, click  WRESA MEMBER List.    

REGISTER

Date:     Sept 17, 2025       
Time:     9:00am – 3:00pm 
Type:     In-Person

Location: WRESA   
          200 Ridgefield Ct, Suite 206
          Asheville, NC 28806

Fee:      $45  WRESA Members  
          $70  Non-members

**NOTE: We have a No Refund policy for our WRESA courses. However, you
are welcome to send a colleague in your place. Contact LaDonna Sluder
at lsluder@wresa.org or 828-774-5681 (ext 102) if you need to change
the name of the person attending.

CEUs:     5 Contact Hours 
Limit:    45 Participants
Audience: 6-12 ELA and Content Teachers, Media Coordinators, and Instructional Coaches
What to Bring: Your own device

Description:

This workshop explores the exciting potential of artificial intelligence with practical skills and creative strategies for integrating AI into their literacy instruction.  Participants will discover how AI can transform reading, writing, and critical thinking.  

Presenter: 

Kendra Cameron-Jarvis is the Senior Literacy Specialist at NCCAT. With a career in education that began in 2004, Kendra has served in various roles including middle and high school ELA educator, Secondary Literacy Coach, and Instructional Technologist with Buncombe County Schools. She has also contributed to state-level initiatives with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, leading efforts such as the North Carolina Coaching Cohort and the AI Collaborative. Additionally, Kendra has shared her expertise as an adjunct professor in UNCA’s Education Department. Her extensive experience reflects a deep commitment to advancing literacy and educational practices.

If you have additional questions, contact Jill Chambers at  jchambers@wresa.org

If you are unsure whether your school system is a WRESA member, click  WRESA MEMBER List.    

REGISTER

Date:     October 29, 2025
Time:     8:30am-3:30pm

Location: Location (To Be Determined)

Fee:      $ 50 WRESA Members
          $100 Non-members

**NOTE: We have a No Refund policy for our WRESA courses. However, you
are welcome to send a colleague in your place. Contact LaDonna Sluder
at lsluder@wresa.org or 828-774-5681 (ext 102) if you need to change
the name of the person attending.

CEUs:     6 Contact Hours
Limit:    65 Participants
Audience: Teachers, Principals, Assistant Principals, and other Educational Leaders
What to Bring? Your own device 

Description: 

Building upon the foundational concepts introduced in RCD Day #1, RCD Day #2 dives deeper into the practical application of Responsibility-Centered Discipline (RCD) through scenario-based training and systemic solutions that support teachers, students, and administrators.

Key components of Day #2 include:

• Scenario Training
• Level Three: The Correction Process (Office Referrals)
• Addressing Level 2 & 3 Students
• RCD Implementation 

By the end of Day #2, participants will be equipped with actionable tools to reinforce responsibility-centered discipline, strengthen school-wide consistency, and improve student outcomes through proactive, solution-focused strategies.

Presenter: Larry Thompson, M.ED

Our presenter for the day is Larry Thompson. He is often called upon to deliver keynote presentations for state and national education conferences because of his knowledge, humor and passion for assisting today’s students. He has helped thousands of educators and schools break away from their traditional discipline models to a model that creates a responsible climate and responsible students. Larry has served in a wide variety of roles in education – from special education teacher to alternative and traditional high school principal. Larry understands that systems must be created that can be realistically implemented and sustained. 

For additional information/ questions contact Jill Chambers jchambers@wresa.org

REGISTER

Date:     September 23, 2025
Time:     8:30am-3:00pm

Location: Haywood County (TBD)

Fee:      Free

**NOTE: We have a No Refund policy for our WRESA courses. However, you
are welcome to send a colleague in your place. Contact LaDonna Sluder
at lsluder@wresa.org or 828-774-5681 (ext 102) if you need to change
the name of the person attending.

CEUs:     6 Contact Hours
Limit:    65 Participants
Audience: Teachers, Principals, Assistant Principals, and other Educational Leaders
What to Bring? Your own device 

Description:

Back for a third time due to its popularity, this session delves into the challenges of working with difficult students.  Working with demanding and disruptive students is not a new challenge for educators. However, there are current concerns being voiced regarding the changing nature and intensity of behaviors of these students. Some educators are reporting increases in selfish, manipulative, and hostile behaviors while others are noticing more students who are overly anxious and/or difficult to engage. Even well-season educators can sometimes have their “feathers ruffled” by certain students in certain situations. This seminar is designed to assist all educators with identifying and addressing these and other issues that affect the academic and behavioral progress of the students with whom they work. This power-packed seminar will provide you with up-to-date insights and strategies for reaching and helping those young people who seem to evoke the strongest feeling of frustration, hurt, and sometimes discouragement in professional educators. 

Presenter: Larry Thompson, M.ED

Our presenter for the day is Larry Thompson. He is often called upon to deliver keynote presentations for state and national education conferences because of his knowledge, humor and passion for assisting today’s students. He has helped thousands of educators and schools break away from their traditional discipline models to a model that creates a responsible climate and responsible students. Larry has served in a wide variety of roles in education – from special education teacher to alternative and traditional high school principal. Larry understands that systems must be created that can be realistically implemented and sustained. 

For additional information/ questions contact Jill Chambers jchambers@wresa.org

REGISTER

🌟 Join Us for the 2025 WRESA Summer Conference! 🌟
June 25-27, 2025 | Embassy Suites, Downtown Asheville, NC

Education leaders from across North Carolina, it’s time to rise to the challenge! The 2025 WRESA Summer Conference promises an inspiring and transformative experience for educators, administrators, and leaders committed to shaping the future of education. With the theme “Rising to the Challenge”, we’ll explore innovative strategies, tackle pressing issues, and cultivate leadership skills that drive meaningful change in our schools and communities.

Nestled in the vibrant heart of Asheville, this conference offers an unparalleled opportunity to connect, collaborate, and recharge in a stunning setting. Whether you’re looking for fresh ideas, hands-on workshops, or meaningful networking opportunities, the 2025 WRESA Summer Conference will equip you with the tools to meet today’s educational challenges head-on.

Don’t miss out on this essential event to elevate your impact and lead with purpose.

Embassy Suites and DoubleTree Hotel Room Reservation Information: The group rate for blocked rooms is $174. The codes will be in your registration confirmation email. Choose your dates and then click update for the conference rate.

Participant Registration Full

Superintendent Registration Full

Sponsorships FULL

AGENDA