Category: Uncategorized

Date:  October 8, 2026
Time:  9:00am – 12:00pm

Type: In-Person

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

 Fee:     $25 WRESA Members
          $40 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 Richard Gabriel at
rgabriel@wresa.org if you need to change the name of the person attending.

CEUs: 3 Contact Hours
Limit: 45 Participants
Audience: K-3 Teachers, Administrators and Coaches
What to bring?: your own device

Description: 

Join us for a transformative session focused on the lower strands of the Reading Rope: word recognition. Participants will unpack the essential components of phonological awareness, decoding, and sight recognition of familiar words—key building blocks for developing proficient readers. Explore how the science of reading informs effective, evidence-based instruction in word recognition.

Gain practical insights into refining instructional approaches to strengthen student performance in nonsense word fluency, phoneme segmentation fluency, and oral reading fluency for our youngest learners. Participants will also take a deep dive into each DIBELS subtest by grade level and leave with a clear, actionable plan to move the needle on student outcomes.

Presenter:  

Cynthia Hutchins is a District Title I Literacy Coach with over 15 years of experience in education, specializing in structured literacy and the science of reading. She has served as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, and reading specialist in Buncombe County Schools, where she now leads district wide literacy initiatives across 27 Title I schools. Cynthia is passionate about ensuring all students have access to effective, evidence-based reading instruction and works closely with educators to implement high-impact practices, analyze data, and improve student outcomes. She also designs and facilitates professional development, including Fundations and LETRS-aligned training, and has partnered with nationally recognized literacy experts to support teacher growth and student achievement.  

If you have additional questions, contact Candie Sellers at csellers@wresa.org3

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

REGISTER

Date:     June 16, 2026
Time:     9:00am – 3:00pm 
Type:     In-Person

Location: Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Ext. Center
          455 Research Drive
          Mills River, NC 28759

Fee:      Free, and receive lunch and classroom materials/supplies to use
          in the future  

**NOTE: We have a No Refund policy for our WRESA courses. However, you
are welcome to send a colleague in your place. Contact Richard Gabriel
at rgabriel@wresa.org if you need to change the name of the person
attending.

CEUs:     5 Contact Hours 
Limit:    24 Participants
Audience: K-12 Teachers

Description: The Mountain Horticultural Crops  Research and Extension Center is a 397-acre campus located just outside of Asheville and hosts a wide range of plant breeding programs. The Center has played a significant part in field research and numerous scientific achievements, including the release of new varieties. Research is conducted on tomatoes, apples, ornamental landscaping crops, vegetables, peaches, biofuel crops, corn, soybeans, and even hops. The agricultural research projects continue to change to reflect the needs of our society and to address new challenges within the agricultural community of Western North Carolina.

This one-day workshop will provide teachers with visits to and interactions in the Research Station fields with faculty and graduate students involved in research on different plant varieties. The morning will be filled with discussions, site visits, and activities exploring the research happening at the Center. The afternoon will be spent in the classroom doing investigations related to the research, and includes resources to take with you so you can implement them in your classroom.  Following the workshop will be a tour of Sierra Nevada and a discussion of the research’s impact on the local economy.

If you have additional questions, contact Michelle Taylor at mtbenign@ncsu.edu 

REGISTER

Date:     June 17, 2026
Time:     9:00am – 3:00pm 
Type:     In-Person

Location: Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Ext. Center
          455 Research Drive
          Mills River, NC 28759

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 Richard Gabriel
at rgabriel@wresa.org if you need to change the name of the person
attending.

CEUs:     5 Contact Hours 
Limit:    40 Participants
Audience: 6-12 classroom teachers, STEM educators and instructional coaches,
          Curriculum specialists, and Administrators interested in 
          sustainability and STEM integration

What to Bring: Your own device

Summary:

Discover how buildings, homes, and everyday systems can bring energy efficiency concepts to life for grades 6–12 students. Educators will engage in hands-on investigations, tour a LEED-certified building, and leave with practical, standards-aligned Switch Classroom lessons ready for the classroom.

Description:

Is your school or district looking for engaging, hands-on ways to teach energy concepts while meeting 6-12 science standards? Join us for a full-day professional learning workshop focused on energy efficiency, building science, and real-world STEM applications using Switch Classroom lessons and investigations.

Participants will explore the science of energy efficiency through interactive instruction, a tour of a LEED-certified building, and classroom-ready investigations that can be adapted for middle and high school learners. This turnkey experience connects science standards to authentic, place-based learning and provides practical ideas educators can take back to their classrooms.

Workshop Agenda (Tentative):

• 9:00 – 11:00am

Introduction to Energy Efficiency & the Science Behind It

• 11:00am – 1:30pm

Tour of a LEED-certified building, followed by lunch

(Participants will drive themselves; the tour will occur immediately before lunch.)

• 1:30 – 3:00pm

Hands-on Energy Efficiency Projects & Investigations:

• • Innovative Building Design Research Project
  • Family Energy Awareness Challenge / Home Electricity Audit
  • Investigating Passive Solar Heating Lab

If you have additional questions, contact Michelle Taylor at mtbenign@ncsu.edu or Ruthann McComb at mccombr@gmail.com

REGISTER

 

Date:     November 5, 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 Richard Gabriel 
at rgabriel@wresa.org if you need to change the name of the person
attending.

CEUs:     5 Contact Hours 
Limit:    25 Participants
Audience: Teachers and Math Coaches, Grades 6 - Math 1
Bring:    Your Own Charged Device

Description:

This session will focus on conceptual teaching and learning in the middle-grade mathematics classroom. Join us as we examine the concrete-representational-abstract (CRA) model and delve into work with manipulatives such as Hands-on Equations and Algebra Tiles. This program is intended for math teachers in grades 6- Math 1.

Presenter: Emily Myers – Senior Math Specialist NCCAT

***IMPORTANT NOTE: Join us as we explore strategies that allow all students to thrive and grow into successful mathematicians who ask questions, engage in math discourse, and think critically. This program is intended for teachers in grades 6 through Math I and is part of a 4-day NCCAT badge series for secondary math. WRESA participants can take any number of the sessions; however, all four sessions must be completed to earn the NCCAT Math Badge. Below are the dates and the topics of the four sessions of the Secondary Math Badge series:

1. Sept 30, 2026 – Core Math Instruction Models and Practices
2. Nov   5,  2026 – Hands-On Math Learning for Middle Grades
3. Feb  4,   2027  – Facilitating Number Sense Routines
4. Mar 11,  2027 – Authentic Problem-Solving in Middle Grades

You must sign up and pay the fee for each session individually.

If you have additional questions, contact April Spencer at aspencer@wresa.org

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

REGISTER

Date:     September 30, 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 Richard Gabriel 
at rgabriel@wresa.org if you need to change the name of the person
attending.

CEUs:     5 Contact Hours 
Limit:    25 Participants
Audience: Teachers and Math Coaches, Grades 6 - Math 1
Bring:    Your Own Charged Device

Description:

This session will focus on core instructional models and practices that provide access and equity to all students while honoring their strengths and maximizing their potential. Join us as we examine the five practices of mathematical discourse as an instructional practice that allows students to author their knowledge. This program is intended for math teachers in grades 6- Math 1.

Presenter:  Emily Myers – Senior Math Specialist NCCAT

***IMPORTANT NOTE:   Join us as we explore strategies that allow all students to thrive and grow into successful mathematicians who ask questions, engage in math discourse, and think critically.  This program is intended for teachers in grades 6 through Math I  and is part of a 4-day NCCAT badge series for secondary math.  WRESA participants can take any number of the sessions; however, all four sessions must be completed to earn the NCCAT Math Badge.  Below are the dates and the topics of the four sessions of the Secondary Math Badge series:

1. Sept 30, 2026 –  Core Math Instruction Models and Practices
2. Nov   5,  2026  –  Hands-On Math Learning for Middle Grades
3. Feb    4, 2027  –   Facilitating Number Sense Routines
4. Mar  11, 2027  – Authentic Problem-Solving in Middle Grades

You must sign up and pay the fee for each session individually.

If you have additional questions, contact April Spencer at aspencer@wresa.org

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

REGISTER

 

Date:     April 30, 2026       
Time:     9:00am – 3:00pm 
Type:     In-Person

Location: Haywood County Schools Conference Center
          112 Virginia Ave
          Waynesville, NC 28786

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 
Audience: K-12 PE teachers (Dress to move! We will be in a classroom 
          and in the gym practicing)
Limit:    75 

Description:

Get ready to move in this interactive, high-energy workshop designed for Physical Education teachers! We’ll begin by unpacking the new PE standards and what they mean for daily practice, then shift into the science and purpose behind what you do: how movement shapes the brain, supports learning, and fuels student well-being. Together, we’ll explore the neuroscience of movement to better understand your powerful role in students’ focus, motivation, and emotional regulation. You’ll have the chance to share ideas with fellow educators and walk away with ready-to-use activities for your next class. Come ready to move, reflect, and leave inspired by the essential impact PE has on the mind, body, and heart of every learner. 

Presenter: The instructor will be Dr. Natalie Boone from Mars Hill University.  Dr. Natalie Boone, Assistant Professor of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation at Mars Hill University, was named the 2021 University Teacher of the Year by the Physical Education Association of NCSHAPE. The award recognizes members for leadership, meritorious service, and active organizational involvement. Dr. Boone teaches at MHU, advises education students, and supervises student teachers. She leads workshops for physical education teachers through NC SHAPE, WRESA, and NCCAT and has served on NC SHAPE and WRESA boards.

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