Category: Uncategorized

Date:     September 22, 2026, October 13, November 3, January 12, 2027, and March 9, 2027  
Time:     11:30am – 3:00pm

Type:     In-Person

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

Fee:      FREE with lunch included

CEUs:     3.5 Contact Hours per session or 1.75 for the entire 5 sessions
Limit:    45 Participants
Audience: Superintendents, Finance Officers & HR Directors
What to bring?: Your own device

Description:
WRESA, in partnership with NCASBO, is providing  a structured, professional development series
for superintendents, finance officers, and human resource directors across the Western Carolina
Region.
This series will strengthen financial leadership capacity, improve transparency, and ensure
accountability in the management of public school funds. Training to be led by teams consisting of
one superintendent and one finance officer – a pairing that reflects the essential collaboration
required for effective financial management in school districts.

OUTCOMES –  Participants will:
• Leave each session with at least one ready to use tool
• Strengthen collaboration
• Increase operational efficiency
• Improve compliance readiness
• Understand the fiscal cycle
• Build a regional network of peers

Session 1: September 22, 2026 – Laying the Foundation
• NC Public School Fiscal Control Act/Fund Accounting/Chart of Accounts
• Financial Reporting Requirements
• Current Year Allotments
• Continuing Budget Resolutions & Budget Adoption
• Position Control & Staffing Alignment

Session 2:  October 13, 2026 – Building & Communicating the Budget
• Presenting Budgets to Boards of Ed. & Stakeholders
• Working on Budgets with Central Office Directors & Principals
• Annual External Audit & Preparing for Annual Audit Presentation
• Spending Projections for Current Year
• State & Federal Allotments for Special Populations
• Cash Management Requirements
• Investment of Idle Funds

Session 3: November 3, 2026 – Operational Controls & Assets
• Purchasing & Compliance – Board Approval Requirements
• Fixed Asset Tracking
• Property Disposal Rules
• Internal Controls & Risk Management
• Long Term Planning for Declining Enrollment

Session 4: January 12, 2027 – Preparing for the New Fiscal Year
• State Planning Allotments for 2027-2028
• Budget Projections for 2027-2028
• Salary Audit Exceptions

Session 5: March 9, 2027 – Fiscal Year End Close
• Planning and Preparing for Year-End Fiscal Close out
• Allotment Projects
• Fund Balance Projects

REGISTER

Date:     January 28, 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: K-12 Administrators and Aspiring Administrators
What to bring?: Your own device

How Great Leaders Build Trust, Accountability, and High Expectations Through Everyday
Conversations

Description: 

Have you ever wondered why some schools naturally develop a positive, high-performing
culture while others struggle with conflict, inconsistency, and low morale? Or have you ever
walked away from a difficult conversation with an employee wondering, “Did I handle that the
right way?”

The reality is that school culture isn’t built through programs, slogans, or initiatives. It is shaped
by the conversations leaders have every day. Every interaction either strengthens trust,
reinforces expectations, or weakens the culture you’re trying to create.

In this interactive, full-day workshop, school leaders will discover practical strategies for creating
a culture where relationships matter, accountability is embraced, and teaching and learning
thrive. Participants will explore the Core Four of Leadership—Judgment, Relationships, Work
Ethic, and Integrity—and learn how those leadership qualities are brought to life through the
Five C’s of Sustainable School Culture: Communication, Consistency, Collaboration,
Commitment, and Compassion.

Throughout the day, participants will engage in realistic leadership scenarios, practice
navigating challenging conversations, and learn how to use artificial intelligence as a leadership
coach to prepare for difficult discussions, strengthen communication, and become more
reflective, confident leaders.

Participants will leave with practical conversation frameworks, AI-powered leadership tools, and
strategies they can immediately apply to shape a stronger school culture—one conversation at
a time.

Presenter BIO:

Scott Rhodes – Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources with Henderson County Public Schools
Mr. Rhodes is starting his 34th year in public education. He has served in Henderson County as
a teacher, coach, assistant principal, middle and high school principal, and now serves as
assistant superintendent for Human Resources.

Mr. Rhodes received his undergraduate degree in Health and Physical Education from Western
Carolina University and his master’s degree in School Administration from Gardner Webb
University.

Mr. Rhodes was selected as the 2015 NASSP, North Carolina Secondary Principal of the Year.

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:     November, 4, 2026
Time:     9:00am – 3:00pm

Type:     In-Person

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

 Fee:     $ 65 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. 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: K-5 Classroom Teachers and Instructional Coaches
What to bring?: Your own device

Description:
This session focuses on strengthening classroom discourse through purposeful
planning and facilitation using the 5 Practices for Orchestrating Productive
Mathematical Discussions and the Launch–Explore–Discuss framework. Participants
will explore how to anticipate student thinking, monitor and select student work,
and sequence and connect ideas to build deep mathematical understanding. Through
hands-on tasks and reflection, educators will learn strategies to create inclusive,
student-centered discussions that elevate reasoning, promote equity of voice, and
make thinking visible. By the end of the session, teachers will leave with practical
tools to support meaningful discourse that advances both engagement and conceptual
understanding.

Presenter:
Meredith Stanley is a K–8 math specialist who partners with schools and districts
across North Carolina to provide student-centered professional learning. A former
elementary classroom teacher and instructional coach in Buncombe County, Meredith is
a two-time finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and
Science Teaching, a Buncombe County Teacher of the Year, a Buncombe County
Math Teacher of the Year, and a National Board–certified educator. She earned her
Master of Mathematics Teaching from Mount Holyoke College, where she also serves
as an instructor.
Meredith’s passion is helping students and teachers see themselves as confident,
capable mathematicians—a mission that drives all of her professional work. Learn more
and explore her recommended instructional resources at meredith4math.com.

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:     September 19, 2026  (Saturday)
    
Time:     Morning Session:    9:00am – 12:00pm
          Afternoon Session:  1:00pm -  3:00pm 

Type:     In-Person

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

Fee:      $25 WRESA Members (per session)
          $50 Non-members   (per session)

**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:     2.5 Contact Hours (each session) - if district accepts them
Limit:    50 Participants
Audience: National Board New and Renewal Candidates 

Description:

Morning Session:  Come spend the morning learning about the National Board process for new candidates. Lynn Carter, our own NBCT expert will go over all the details and provide you with a timeline and resources to be successful. This workshop will be 9:00 am – 12:00 pm.

Afternoon Session: The afternoon session will be from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm and will be for those NBCTs who are getting ready to renew. They will have an opportunity to discuss this process and begin thinking about the entries and accomplishments that would work best.

Presenter:  Lynn Carter will facilitate both sessions with her wealth of knowledge about the process.

For more information, contact April at aspencer@wresa.org, 828.774. 5681 ext 103

REGISTER

Date:  September 29, 2026
Time:  9:00am – 3:00pm
Type:  In-Person

**NOTE - Jennifer Redfearn will be the Presenter

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: K-12 Instructional Coaches
What to bring?: your own device

Description: 

The work of instructional coaching is a dynamic part of school communities. Supporting coaching cultures where students are at the center is an essential part of this work. Join us at WRESA to embrace the components of student-centered coaching. We will learn coaching moves that create opportunities for professional growth, and suggestions for putting student learning at the forefront. The day will include models for co-teaching moves and providing strength-based feedback. This session is intended for K-12 instructional coaches. 

Presenter:  

Jennifer Redfearn began her career in education as a high school science teacher in Guilford County. She transitioned to the Guilford County Schools Central Office in 2019 where she served as the STEM Coordinator for three years. She now serves on the NCCAT faculty as the Senior STEM Specialist. In this role, Jennifer supports educators across the state with professional learning in STEM and Science.

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 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. 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: 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