Category: Event Type

Date:     July 23, 2026
Time:     12:30pm – 3:00pm

Type:     In-Person

Location: Martin L. Nesbit Discovery Academy
          175 Bingham Road
          Asheville, NC 28806

Fee:      $45 per team - School Adminstrator/SRO Officer
                         + (optional 2 other staff) 

**NOTE: We have a No Refund policy for our WRESA courses. However, you
are welcome to send a colleague in your place. If you need to change the
name of the person attending, send an email to registrations@wresa.org
with the information of the person who will attend in your place.

CEUs:     2.5 Contact Hours
Limit:    100 Participants
Audience: School Administrators and SRO Teams (Also, Recommended
          for Assistant Principals)
What to bring?: Your own device

Description:
School safety is built on strong relationships, shared understanding, and a commitment to
working together. In this session, school administrators and School Resource Officers (SROs)
will explore strategies for building effective partnerships that foster trust, improve
communication, and create a unified approach to supporting students and staff. Through practical
examples and real-world experiences, participants will examine how strong administrator-SRO
relationships contribute to a positive school climate, proactive problem-solving, and a safer
school community for all.

Presenters:
Captain Stephanie Cantwell
Captain Stephanie Cantwell has more than 20 years of law enforcement experience, including 14
years with the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office. Throughout her career, she has served as a
Patrol Officer, Detective, Training Coordinator, and School Resource Officer.

Since joining the School Resource Officer Division in 2018, Captain Cantwell has advanced
through the ranks of Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Captain while building strong partnerships
between schools, law enforcement, students, and families. She has served on numerous school-
focused committees, including the School Safety Advisory Board, School Justice Partnership,
School Health Advisory Committee, Behavioral Threat Assessment Team, Juvenile Crime
Prevention Council, and Handle with Care.

A strong advocate for collaboration and relationship-building, Captain Cantwell has helped lead
school safety initiatives, coordinated multi-agency training exercises, and supported responses to
school-related incidents throughout Henderson County. In 2025, she was appointed to the
Henderson County Board of Education.

In addition to her law enforcement service, Captain Cantwell is an Adjunct Professor at Blue
Ridge Community College. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Technological
University and a master’s degree in Human Resource and Leadership Development from
Louisiana State University. Her experience in public safety, education, and leadership provides a
unique perspective on the vital partnership between schools, administrators, and School
Resource Officers.

Dr. Carl Taylor
Dr. Carl Taylor has 27 years of experience in public education and currently serves as the Chief
Administrative Officer for Henderson County Public Schools. Throughout his career, he has
served as a mathematics teacher, high school principal, and district leader, developing extensive
experience in school leadership, student services, operations, and school safety.

In his current role, Dr. Taylor oversees school safety, transportation, facilities, and district
operations while working closely with school administrators, School Resource Officers, and
community partners to support safe and effective learning environments.  He has served on
numerous district and community committees focused on student well-being, school safety, and
organizational leadership.  Throughout his career, Dr. Taylor has focused on creating systems and
partnerships that support both student success and school safety. He has helped
lead districtwide safety initiatives, crisis response planning, policy development, and
professional learning opportunities for school leaders. His work emphasizes proactive
communication, shared responsibility, and strong collaboration among educators, law
enforcement, students, and families.

If you have additional questions, contact Candie Sellers at csellers@wresa.org

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

REGISTER

Date:     January 13, 2027
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. If you need to change the
name of the person attending, send an email to registrations@wresa.org
with the information of the person who will attend in your place.

CEUs:      5 Contact Hours
Limit:    45 Participants
Audience: Grades 4-7 Educators, Coaches, and Administrators
What to bring?: Your own device

Description: 

This one-day workshop provides teachers with actionable methods for aiding elementary and intermediate learners (grades 4–7) across general and special education settings. The session focuses on overcoming hurdles that arise when heightened emotions disrupt a student’s ability to concentrate on academics. Attendees will investigate forward-thinking approaches, such as emotional regulation strategies, sequential problem-solving, visual aids, and executive function development, to empower students in balancing their school and home life.

Presenter:  

Serving the K-12 population of Buncombe County Schools in Asheville, North Carolina, Marlou DeVera brings over three decades of professional experience within educational environments. 

In her capacity as an autism and behavior specialist, she provides coaching and professional development for educators, focusing on proactive classroom programming and emotional regulation. Furthermore, she organizes and leads social skills groups for K-12 learners with diverse needs, partnering with therapists and special education and general education faculty.

Her extensive background includes previous roles as an exceptional children’s curriculum specialist and an intensive intervention teacher for middle school students on the spectrum. She also served as the director for a program facilitating the mainstreaming of K-12 students with high-functioning autism.

Marlou is recognized as a TEACCH Advanced Consultant through UNC-Chapel Hill and has completed clinical studies with Social Thinking in San Jose. She earned her Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of the Philippines.

If you have additional questions, contact Candie Sellers at  csellers@wresa.org

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

REGISTER

Date:     October 5, 2026  
Time:     8:30am – 3:30pm

Type:     In-Person

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

Fee:      Free

CEUs:      6 Contact Hours
Limit:    45 Participants
Audience: Designed for Administrators and coordinators who support co-teaching teams currently,
or will support teams in the future.
What to bring? Your own device

Description:

School administrators are provided an overview of the service delivery model of co-teaching, practical tools used to give substantial support to both the general and special educators implementing co-teaching in their schools. Administrators will discuss considerations for the selection of staff and students for co-teaching, planning for implementation, scheduling, the importance of collaborative planning, the six approaches utilized in the classroom that enhance universal design for learning, and evaluation of effective co-teaching implementation.

ADMINISTRATORS MUST ALSO JOIN THEIR TEACHER TEAMS ON October 6th from 2:30 until 3:30 for collaborative planning. 

Administrators without a team may sign up for this session to learn about this co-teaching model.

Presenter:  

Paige Bode has been an educator for 27 years and currently works as an IDEA Math Consultant for the Office of Exceptional Children at NC DPI where she serves the  Western and Northwestern regions.

Teri Queen has been an educator for 27 years as well and currently works as an IDEA Literacy Consultant for the Office of Exceptional Children at NC DPI where she serves the Western and Northwestern regions.    

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

If you have additional questions, contact Candie Sellers at  csellers@wresa.org

REGISTER

Date:     October 6, 2026  
Time:     8:30am – 3:30pm

Type:     In-Person

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

Fee:      Free

CEUs:      6 Contact Hours
Limit:    40 Participants
Audience: Designed for Co-Teacher Teams of Teachers:
(General Education Teacher + Exceptional Children Teacher Teams or potential teams) 

Description:

This professional learning supports best practice by providing teams of teachers (general and special educators) with the six approaches of co-teaching, their implementation and practical tools, can be utilized by teams implementing co-teaching as a service delivery model in their schools. The teams will gain knowledge of the essential elements of co-teaching: co-planning, co-instructing and co-assessing. The teams meet with their administrators the last hour of the day to collaborate.

The administrators who attend must have also attended Co-Teaching: Calling All Administrators on Oct. 5.

Presenter:  

Paige Bode has been an educator for 27 years and currently works as an IDEA Math Consultant for the Office of Exceptional Children at NC DPI where she serves the  Western and Northwestern regions.

Teri Queen has been an educator for 27 years as well and currently works as an IDEA Literacy Consultant for the Office of Exceptional Children at NC DPI where she serves the  Western and Northwestern regions.    

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

If you have additional questions, contact Candie Sellers at csellers@wresa.org

REGISTER

Date:     October 23, 2026
Time:     8:30am – 3:30pm

Type:     In-Person

Location: Holiday Inn Asheville Biltmore West
          435 Smokey Park Hwy
          Asheville, NC 28806
          
 Fee:     $175 WRESA Members
          $265 Non-members

**NOTE: We have a No Refund policy for our WRESA courses. However, you
are welcome to send a colleague in your place. If you need to change the
name of the person attending, send an email to registrations@wresa.org
with the information of the person who will attend in your place.

CEUs:      5 Contact Hours
Limit:   100 Participants
Audience: K-3 but could support schools with struggling 4th and 5th-grade students
What to bring?: Your own device

Description: 

Transform your reading instruction with Lindsay Kemeny, teacher and author of “7 Mighty Moves”! This workshop dives deep into the seven key moves that ensure reading success for all students.

Part 1: Cracking the Code

• Demystify phonemic awareness: Gain a clear understanding of this foundational skill and discover research-backed strategies for effective instruction, including scaffolds for struggling learners.
• Master explicit phonics: Learn how to make phonics engaging and ensure students develop a strong foundation in decoding skills.
• Unlock the power of decodable texts: Explore engaging routines and strategies for using decodable texts in whole-group and small-group settings.

Part 2: Building Fluency and Comprehension

• High-frequency words: Learn specific steps and strategies for teaching high-frequency words effectively.
• Gaining fluency: Move beyond traditional round-robin reading and discover effective methods for promoting meaningful fluency practice across all grade levels.
• Boosting vocabulary and comprehension: Explore how to leverage vocabulary instruction and background knowledge to enhance students’ understanding of text. Learn to incorporate writing strategies to improve students’ comprehension.

Throughout the workshop, Lindsay will share practical tips, engaging activities, and specific protocols to help you implement these “mighty moves” in your classroom. 

Exciting news!  The first 50 registrants will receive a free copy of 7 Mighty Moves courtesy of Scholastic.

Presenter:  

Lindsay Kemeny is an elementary school teacher, speaker, and author with a passion for literacy and applying research to practice. After her son was diagnosed with dyslexia and depression, she began her deep dive into effective literacy instruction for all children. She enjoys presenting locally and nationally, and co-hosting the Literacy Talks podcast. She is the author of the books, 7 Mighty Moves, 7 Mighty Moves Reading Resources, and Rock Your Literacy Block. She loves being in the classroom every day, teaching kids to read and write. 

If you have additional questions, contact Candie Sellers at csellers@wresa.org

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

REGISTER