Category: Uncategorized

Powering Curiosity: Teaching Energy Efficiency Through Real-World STEM

Posted on by Richard Gabriel 
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. 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:    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

 

Hands-On Math Learning for Middle Grades (BADGE 2)

Posted on by Richard Gabriel 
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. 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:    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

Core Math Instruction Models & Practices (BADGE 1)

Posted on by Richard Gabriel 
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. 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:    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

 

Local School Systems Receive “Bridging the Gap with STEM-E” Funding

Posted on by Richard Gabriel

Press Release  11/11/2025

Local School Systems Receive Funding to Bridging the Gap with STEM-E:

Cherokee, NC — Seven local school systems and four schools were awarded the “Bridging the
Grant with STEM-E” grant from Cherokee Preservation Foundation. This CPF funding will
increase accessibility to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) by providing
elementary through high school students with mobile science unit field trips, exploration in
entrepreneurship, STEAM study within their classrooms, and teacher STEAM professional
development. In all, this grant will provide the teachers and students in the far Western North
Carolina area tools for increasing STEAM literacy for a stronger future workforce. Students and
Teachers from Cherokee Central, Cherokee County, Clay County, Graham County, Haywood
County, Macon County, Swain County, New Kituwah Academy, Mountain Discovery Charter,
Shining Rock Classical Academy, and Catamount School will be included within the grant. This
grant partnership includes the schools, WRESA (Western Region Education Service Alliance) and
The Mountain Satellite Office of The Science House of NC State.

       

 

 

North Carolina Achieving Educational Excellence

Posted on by Webster

Best in Nation: Our Plan for NC Public Schools

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) and the State Board of Education (SBE) developed a bold strategic plan: Achieving Educational Excellence. The five-year plan aims to position North Carolina’s public schools as the best in the United States by 2030, and it is the first joint plan between the SBE and the state superintendent. Here is a summary document with the plan highlights.

 

Teach Like a Champion! – Online Book Study

Posted on by Richard Gabriel 
Type:  Online and Self-Paced

Cost:  $45 - WRESA Members
       $70 - Non-members 

Credits: 20 Contact Hours

Description:

Based on the book “Teach Like a Champion”, this course explores many of Doug Lemov’s widely respected strategies for building effective teaching practices. Our goal is to introduce these strategies so you can learn how they can be applied in different classroom settings to enhance instructional quality. Through each module, you’ll gain insights on key practices such as setting high expectations, promoting student engagement, and refining instructional rigor—all essential elements to fostering a productive learning environment.

Let’s get ready to champion the craft of teaching together!

Certificate of Completion:

Note that you must make 100% on each quiz, and click “Mark as Complete” after completing each section of the course. Once you complete all of these course requirements, it will indicate that you are “100% complete”.

When it shows that you are “100% complete, a new section will pop up that allows you to download and print your Certificate of Completion for the course.  

For more information, please contact Jill Chambers at jchambers@wresa.org

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

***IMPORTANT NOTE:  Prior to registering, we encourage you to watch one of the registration help videos if you haven’t taken an Online Course with WRESA or if you need a refresher on the process.  Follow the directions below to view one of the videos:

1)  If you DO NOT have a WRESA account (which means you have not taken an online course with us), click on the following help video for how to register and enroll as a New User: Help Video for a New User.

2)  If you have taken an online course with us previously and already have a WRESA account, click on the following help video for how to add a course to your account as a Returning User: Help Video for a Returning User.

REGISTER

Teach Like a Champion User Registration

Posted on by Richard Gabriel

Register below. If you are a New User (which means that this is the first WRESA Online course you have taken),  enter an email and password in the form below and click “Submit”. Please record your email and password for future reference.

If you are a Returning User (which means you have already taken one of our online courses and thus, have a WRESA login with an email and password ),  scroll down to the Returning User registration for instructions.

If you have questions, please contact lsluder@wresa.org or 828-774-5681 ext. 102.

New User:

Teach Like a Champion New User

Creating a new user account for students signed up for the "Teach Like a Champion" online course.

Name
Password

Returning User:

If you have previously registered for a WRESA Online Learning Course and have a username and password, login with your username and password in the top left corner. After logging in, fill out the information under Returning User, and click “Submit”.

Oops! You need to be logged in to use this form.

Community Foundation Thank You!

Posted on by Richard Gabriel
We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina for their generous support through the Emergency and Disaster Response Fund and the Education grant. Their commitment to helping our community during these difficult times is truly inspiring. With their assistance, we are empowered to provide essential resources to educators and students impacted by Helene. We are grateful for our partnership with the Community Foundation and thank them for their unwavering support.

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt – Online Book Study

Posted on by Richard Gabriel 
Type:  Online and Self-Paced

Cost:  $45 - WRESA Members
       $70 - Non-members 

CEUs:  20 Contact Hours

This course examines the influence of  smartphone usage on young people growing up in a society that is dependent on digital devices. After each section, which will consist of reading 1-2 chapters in the book, you will write a summary about specific topics in that section. This is a self-paced course. You will be responsible for purchasing the book.

For more information, please contact Jan Webster at jwebster@wresa.org

***IMPORTANT NOTE:  Prior to registering, we encourage you to watch one of the registration help videos if you haven’t taken an Online Course with WRESA or if you need a refresher on the process.  Follow the directions below to view one of the videos:

1)  If you DO NOT have a WRESA account (which means you have not taken an online course with us), click on the following help video for how to register and enroll as a New User: Help Video for a New User.

2)  If you have taken an online course with us previously and already have a WRESA account, click on the following help video for how to add a course to your account as a Returning User: Help Video for a Returning User.

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

 

REGISTER