Author: Webster

Postponed: STEM Conference 2020

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“Over the Moon for STEM”

Date:           March 27, 2020  Postponed
Time:          9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Location:   NCCAT, Cullowhee NC
Registration: 8:15-9:00 a.m.
Keynote Speaker:  Victoria Pidgeon Andrews

Victoria Pidgeon Andrews, recently retired, served as NASA’s first Deputy Planetary Defense Officer at the NASA Planetary Defense Program office in Washington, D.C. “Planetary Defense” refers to detecting, tracking and characterizing space objects such as asteroids and comets that come close to Earth, and more recently, to developing approaches to prevent potential asteroid impacts from occurring. Ms. Andrews led the Nation’s intergovernmental policy, planning, and cooperation efforts for planetary defense. She holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of North Carolina and a master’s degree in science and technology policy from Virginia ‘Tech. She has worked on flight-system and instrument-development projects for NASA’s human exploration and Mars exploration programs. From 2005-2010 she was the Program Executive for the LCROSS mission, notable for confirming the presence of water ice on the Moon. After leading an asteroid utilization study for NASA in 2010, she became passionate about understanding, managing, and explaining the risk posed by near-Earth asteroids. Prior to retirement, Ms. Andrews co-chaired the NASA-FEMA Planetary Impact Emergency Response Working Group and served as Executive Secretary of the White House National Science and Technology Council’s Subcommittee on Space Weather, Security, and Hazards. Ms. Andrews is an avid fan of science fiction film and literature and possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of the genre.

Fun and informative break-out sessions:

“WHY THE MOON LOOKS LIKE IT DOES”-   BY OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER: VICTORIA P. ANDREWS

“DESTINATION SPACE: SATELLITE PROGRAM FOR  AEROSPACE-CENTERED EDUCATION”

“ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES: LUNARTICS & SUN, STARS, AND PLANETS…. OH MY!”

(INFLATABLE PLANETARIUM)

“SALAMANDER SURVIVAL ON SUNUP KNOB”

“DRONES IN EDUCATION”

“HOW STUDENTS FIND THEIR STEM PATH”

“BUILD A MICROSCOPE AND TAKE IT HOME”   (GRADES 2-6)

“HOW PEOPLE LEARN: A CONVERSATION EXPLORING THE SCIENCE OF LEARNING”

Contact: csellers@wresa.org for more info!

Register

Job Opportunity: WRESA Administrative Assistant

Posted on by Webster

Western Region Education Service Alliance Administrative Assistant

Position Summary:
We are seeking a highly organized, professional, and personable Office Coordinator to serve as the first point of contact for clients and visitors. This role is essential to the smooth day-to-day operations of the office, providing administrative support to staff, managing schedules, and ensuring effective communication across the organization. The ideal candidate thrives in a collaborative environment, demonstrates strong initiative, and is committed to delivering excellent service in a dynamic setting, with a preference for candidates familiar with K–12 education environments. This is a part-time position (24 hours per week) that requires scheduling flexibility and close collaboration with team members to determine specific workdays and organizational needs.

 

Qualifications:

  • Associate’s degree required
  • 3–5 years of experience in a professional office environment preferred

Performance Responsibilities:

  • Greet and assist clients in a professional and welcoming manner
  • Answer and direct incoming phone calls
  • Schedule appointments and coordinate meeting spaces
  • Maintain and update the office’s online calendar for staff
  • Assist staff with scheduled sessions as needed
  • Create and manage database registrations
  • Monitor and respond to emails in a timely manner
  • Sort and distribute incoming mail
  • Maintain accurate and up-to-date distribution lists
  • Perform additional duties as assigned

Skills and Attributes:

  • Friendly demeanor with a strong ability to interact positively with others
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Strong organizational and time-management abilities
  • Professional, dependable, and responsible
  • Self-motivated with strong initiative
  • Collaborative team player
  • Proficient in computer applications, including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Google Workspace
  • Adaptable and flexible in a dynamic work environment
  • Ability to operate standard office equipment (copiers, scanners, postage meters, etc.)
  • Familiarity with the K–12 education environment preferred

Terms of Employment:
Salary will be determined based on qualifications and experience. This is a 12-month, part-time position (24 hours per week), scheduled three days per week from 7:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. The start date is flexible. Benefits and additional compensation will be determined individually. The organization follows the North Carolina State Calendar for scheduling.

Application Instructions:  Please contact jwebster@wresa.org or 828-774-5681 ext. 101 with any questions. If interested, please apply below.

Apply

Online Book Study: Using Your Own Informational Texts to Engage Students – Grades 6-12

Posted on by Webster

Date:  Begins March 18 and ends May 1, 2019

Registration Fee:  $45 (Purchase of book required)

 

 

This course will incorporate several literacy strategies for using informational text to increase reading proficiency that all 6-12 grade teachers can use to get every kid thinking. You will be implementing the strategies that are discussed in the book. The course will be based on Kyleene Beers and Robert Probst’s book Reading Nonfiction: Notice and Note Stances, Signposts and Strategies. You will be required to purchase the book before the class begins. This could fulfill the literacy requirement. You will be expected to use these strategies in your classrooms. If you have questions, please contact April Spencer at aspencer@wresa.org, 828.774.5681, ext. 20.  Contact Hours 20.

Register

Online Book Study: Practical Strategies for Elementary School Inclusion – Grades K-5 (By June Stride)

Posted on by Webster

DATE: March 7 – May 9, 2018

Registration Fee: $45 (Participants will need to purchase the book)

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: February 28, 2018

Welcome to an online book study for Practical Strategies for Elementary School Inclusion by June Stride. During the elementary years a student must learn to become a productive member of the classroom and plus acquire basic knowledge and skills. This is a difficult assignment for any student, but especially problematic for students with disabilities. The author of this book helps inclusion teachers learn how to establish a learning environment that will have a positive impact on all students. Participants will be required to respond to reflective questions at the end of each chapter. Due to the choice of methodology for completing the course, we will not have discussion board forums. Instead if you have a resource to share or a comment to make, I ask that you make it in the news forum. If you have questions, please contact Candie Sellers at csellers@wresa.org or 828.734.774.5681, ext. 26. Contact Hours: 20

                                     Register

Online Book Study: Bringing Words to Life – Grades K-12, (By Beck, McKeown, and Kucan)

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Date: January 15 – March 14, 2019

Registration Fee: $45 (Participants will need to purchase the book)

Welcome to the online book study for Bringing Words to Life, Second Edition by Beck, McKeown, and Kucan. You can approach this course either by reading the book in its entirety and then completing the activities associated with each chapter, or read a chapter and then complete the corresponding work.

This book will likely make you think about vocabulary instruction in a multitude of new and exciting ways. Regardless of what age or content you teach, you’ll gain a wealth of ideas for supporting students’ vocabulary learning. Please contact Candie Sellers if you have any questions at csellers@wresa.org or 828.774.568. Contact Hours: 20

                                    Register

Online Book Study: The Stem Shift: A Guide for School Leaders (By Ann Myers and Jill Berkowicz)

Posted on by Webster

DATE: February 5- April 13, 2018

REGISTRATION FEE: $45 (Participants will need to purchase the book)

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: February 2, 2018

 

This book is written for leaders (Administrators and Teacher Leaders) who want to make informed decisions about STEM.  Leaders who want to consider making a schoolwide or districtwide STEM shift will find stories from those who have successfully achieved this.  School leaders are offered experiences of colleagues at elementary, school, and high school levels who have been pioneers.  The authors hope to change minds and reveal the power of STEM as a simultaneous shift in the way educators work and in the way students learn. If you have questions, contact Candie Sellers at csellers@wresa.org or 828.774.5681, ext. 26.  Contact Hours: 20

                                              Register

Walking the Talk: Modeling and Explicitly Naming Best Practices

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Date:  April 17, 2018

Time:  9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Location:  Asheville Event Center

Registration Fee:  $65

Registration Deadline:  April 10, 2018

 

In this fast-paced and engaging workshop, participants will gain an understanding of the New Art and Science of Teaching, a groundbreaking educational model based on over fifty years of research.  Since modeling is the most effective way to teach, participants will experience new ways to effectively model and explicitly name best practices including engagement strategies and strategies that appear in all types of lessons. Dr. Jeanie Iberlin, a Marzano Research Associate, with thirty-three years of educational experience has served twenty-one years as an administrator.  Jeanie has over ten years of experience as a trainer, where she ignites passion and enthusiasm in educators and administrators.  She presented at the NC Curriculum and Instruction Conference in September at NCCAT and this is a result of that presentation. For more information, contact April Spencer at aspencer@wresa.org, 828.7745681, ext. 20.  Contact Hours: 5

                                            Register

MORE Literacy and STEM

Posted on by Webster

Date:  March 6, 2019

Time:  9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Location: NCCAT, 276 NCCAT Drive, Cullowhee, NC 28723

Registration Fee: $65

During this session we continue to focus on how to maximize classroom time and student learning by integrating literacy and STEM. The day will be a combination of STEM learning experiences infused with literacy strategies.  The session will concentrate on lessons about adaptation, ecosystems, habitat conservation, natural selection, and animal behavior. Fiction and nonfiction texts are utilized during the workshop.  This workshop is recommended to be done in conjunction with Literacy and STEM (part 1) but can also be taken as a stand-alone workshop.  Contact hours: 5 

If you have questions about the workshop, contact Michelle Benigno (828-206-3014 / mtbenign@ncsu.edu). If you have questions about registration, contact LaDonna Sluder at WRESA (lsluder@wresa.edu). 

                                  Register

Teaching and Understanding Fake News and Media Literacy in the Secondary Classroom – Grades 6-12

Posted on by Webster

Date:  March 14, 2018

Time: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Location:  WRESA

Registration Fee:  $50

Registration Deadline:  March 7, 2018

LIMITED TO 22 PARTICIPANTS

We live in a media-saturated world and it is a big part of our students’ daily lives. Whether they are posting on social media, watching a YouTube video, playing a video game or reading a magazine, they are being influenced by the images they see and the ideas presented. This 6-12 workshop will focus on Media Literacy in the classroom. Participants will learn how to:

  • Teach students to ask the right questions and think critically to become wise consumers of media.
  • Guide students to deconstruct media using the Center for Media Literacy Framework
  • Practice real-life digital literacy skills such as how to read online, creating and share a YouTube video, and gauging the validity of a website.
  • Implement lessons in which students create media instead of consuming it.
  • Leave with ready-made lessons to use in your classroom tomorrow.

Come and join Kendra Cameron Jarvis, Buncombe County Schools Digital Learning Facilitator, for a workshop to learn how teachers can help students effectively filter media messages. We will be using technology, so bring your laptop. This class could count for content. For more information, contact Dr. April Spencer at aspencer@wresa.org, 828.774.5681. ext. 20. Contact Hours: 5

                                                                                                Register

Teaching Kids to Thrive – Grades K-12

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Date:  February 27, 2018

Time:  9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Location: Asheville Event Center

Registration Fee:   $70

The author of Fall Down 7 Times , Get up 8 , Debbie Silvers, has a new book that demonstrates how SEL instruction can be woven into all subject areas at every level of K-12 education. She will present what SEL friendly classrooms look like and will provide a wealth of strategies and tools for educators who want to teach beyond the standards. As Rick Wormeli says, “Educators are going to see factors at play in academic learning that they didn’t perceive before, and they will discover tools they never knew they had.”  Come spend the day with Debbie Silvers as she helps us boost many of the skills our students and our world requires most now. The fee includes lunch and her new book, Teaching Kids to Thrive. For more information, contact April at aspencer@wresa.org, 828.774.5681, ext. 20.   Contact Hours: 5

                                  Register