Category: Uncategorized

Rigor with Heart: Integrating SEL to Thrive During Testing Season

Posted on by Richard Gabriel 
Date:     April 29, 2025       
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 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: 3-8 Educators and Coaches
What to Bring: Your own device

Description: Testing season is a challenging time. It is full of rigor and pressure. These conditions actually present the perfect opportunity for Social Emotional Learning. Explore how SEL can be incorporated into and drive engagement in rigorous tasks. This session will outline an experiential framework for SEL, engage participants in model activities, and provide supportive and collaborative planning time to bring joy, reflection, and rigor into the remainder of the year.

Presenter: Brian Randall from the NC Center for Resilience and Learning will be your presenter. Brian is a passionate public school educator who strongly believes in the transformative power of resilience-informed practices. Brian has taught grades 3-6. He is an experiential educator who focused on integrating social emotional learning strategies into daily curricula. After graduating from Brevard College, Brian taught at Hall Fletcher Elementary School. He then accepted the director role of the In Real Life afterschool network, coordinating hundreds of programs for middle schoolers. Brian authored a handbook for social-emotional learning and led training for afterschool providers statewide. Brian was the strategic planner for the Wilson Foundation YMCA afterschool initiative, where he designed systems to address systemic health outcomes.

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

 

Engage & Energize: Innovative Games and Activities to Boost Student Participation in PE

Posted on by Richard Gabriel 
Date:     May 6, 2025       
Time:     9:00am – 3:00pm 
Type:     In-Person

Location: Hazelwood 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:    No limit

Description: 

Physical Education teachers will explore a range of innovative games and activities designed to energize students and maximize engagement in the PE classroom. Participants will learn how to adapt traditional games, incorporate creative new strategies, and create a dynamic learning environment that encourages active participation for all students, regardless of ability level. From team-building exercises to solo challenges, this workshop will provide teachers with fresh, practical tools to foster a love of physical activity and ensure students are excited and motivated to learn. Leave with a toolkit of ready-to-implement games and strategies to make your PE lessons more active, inclusive, and fun!

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. 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

WRESA Summer Leadership Conference June 25-26, 2025

Posted on by Richard Gabriel

🌟 Join Us for the 2025 WRESA Summer Conference! 🌟
June 25-27, 2025 | Embassy Suites, Downtown Asheville, NC

Education leaders from across North Carolina, it’s time to rise to the challenge! The 2025 WRESA Summer Conference promises an inspiring and transformative experience for educators, administrators, and leaders committed to shaping the future of education. With the theme “Rising to the Challenge”, we’ll explore innovative strategies, tackle pressing issues, and cultivate leadership skills that drive meaningful change in our schools and communities.

Nestled in the vibrant heart of Asheville, this conference offers an unparalleled opportunity to connect, collaborate, and recharge in a stunning setting. Whether you’re looking for fresh ideas, hands-on workshops, or meaningful networking opportunities, the 2025 WRESA Summer Conference will equip you with the tools to meet today’s educational challenges head-on.

Don’t miss out on this essential event to elevate your impact and lead with purpose.

Embassy Suites and DoubleTree Hotel Room Reservation Information: The group rate for blocked rooms is $174. The codes will be in your registration confirmation email. Choose your dates and then click update for the conference rate.

Early Bird PriceAfter May 1, 2025
$275$325

Participant Registration 

Superintendent Registration

Sponsorships FULL

AGENDA

 

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Constructing Reading Comprehension: A Blueprint & Instructional Tools

Posted on by Richard Gabriel 
Date:     May 7, 2025
Time:     9:00am – 3:00pm 
Type:     In-Person

Location: The North Carolina Arboretum   
          100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way
          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 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-5 Administrators, Classroom Teachers, and Coaches

Description:

Comprehension, whether through reading or listening, is a complex and multidimensional
process. It involves the integration of various skills, processes, and sources of knowledge.
A knowledgeable educator understands comprehension and the importance of vocabulary,
sentence structure, and background knowledge. This includes aspects such as text structure,
inference, and comprehension monitoring, all of which contribute to making meaning.

Let’s examine how this understanding can shape an instructional blueprint based on scientific
principles for effective teaching. This framework helps educators identify key literacy skills,
select suitable readings, and implement essential routines and strategies to promote a deep
understanding of the text and enhance knowledge acquisition.

Together, we will discuss the following:

  •  The complexity of and contributors to reading comprehension
  •  The components of the Blueprint for Reading Comprehension
  •  Model unit & lesson plans and instructional routines, strategies & activities for
    each contributor
  •  Current practices & possibilities for enriching/differentiating instruction

Presenter: Nancy Hennessy  is an experienced educator who currently works as a literacy
consultant. She has designed and delivered multiple virtual and live professional
learning events on the science of reading, structured literacy & dyslexia. Most recently,
reading comprehension has been her focus.

Nancy is the author of the book, The Reading Comprehension Blueprint: Helping
Students Make Meaning of Text and recently, co-authored a companion text, The
Reading Comprehension Activity Book: A Practice & Planning Guide for Teachers with
Julia Salamone. Nancy has also written the chapter, Working with Word Meaning:
Vocabulary Instruction, in Multisensory Teaching of Basic Skills (4th edition). While
serving as a national trainer for Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and
Spelling, she co-authored LETRS, Digging for Meaning: Teaching Text Comprehension (2nd
edition) with Louisa Moats.

Nancy is the past president of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) and has
served as the vice-president of the North Carolina Branch of IDA. In 2011, Nancy
received the International Dyslexia Association’s Margaret Byrd Rawson Lifetime
Achievement Award & was recently honored with the North Carolina Department of
Public Instruction’s 2023 Impact Award.

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

Leading the Way: School Administrators and the IDEA

Posted on by Richard Gabriel 
Date:     September 9, 2025 (Rescheduled from the Original December 10, 2024 date)
Time:     9:00am – 3:00pm 
Type:     In-Person

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

Fee:      No Fee
Audience: K-12 School Administrators
CEUS:     5 Contact Hours

Description:

This full-day professional development seeks to challenge aspiring administrators and school
administrators to examine the impact of their leadership on the educational and functional
outcomes of students with disabilities within their schools. The session will address the many
facets that face school administrators as they lead schools that support the education of
students with disabilities, such as the impact of their leadership on the instruction, curriculum
and environment for students with disabilities within their schools.
During the session we will examine implementation of IDEA and NC Policies through a
leadership style and school culture lens. We will provide support for administrators in
deepening their understanding of state and federal IDEA regulations as well as implementation
of specially designed instruction, services and programs for students with disabilities.

Presenters:
Teri Queen currently serves as the Northwest and Western Region Literacy Consultant for the
North Carolina Public Schools Office of Exceptional Children for the Program Improvement and
Professional Development section. In this role, she facilitates building capacity and
sustainability of the NC State Improvement Project grant through systems level coaching. In
addition to providing guidance in the data driven continuous improvement needs, she works
with professional, parent, and service organizations and Institutions of Higher Education to
promote appropriate public education and improved services for students with disabilities for
North Carolina Public Schools and private Universities. Teri has previously served as an
Exceptional Children Director, EC Program Specialist, EC Instructional Facilitator, Federal
Programs Coordinator, Exceptional Children Transition Specialist, Accountability Coordinator
and an Exceptional Children Teacher in North Carolina and Virginia over the course of 26 years.

Kelly Doppke is an IDEA Consultant for the Western Region with the Office of Exceptional
Children, where she provides regional support to EC leadership and school teams in LEAs and
Charters across the area. Originally from South Carolina, Kelly moved to Western North Carolina
with her family in 2007. She holds an undergraduate degree in Elementary, Early Childhood,
and Special Education from Lander University, a Master of Education from Southern Wesleyan
University, and a Post-Master’s Certificate in School Administration from Western Carolina
University.
Kelly’s favorite job, aside from her current role, was serving as a camp counselor at Camp
Spearhead, a camp for children and adults with special needs in upstate South Carolina.
Throughout her career as a teacher, program specialist, and EC director, Kelly developed a deep
passion for creating inclusive systems for students with disabilities. Her leadership focus is on
reducing exclusionary practices for students with challenging behaviors and finding ways to
ensure equitable opportunities for all students.

Traci Royal currently serves as the IDEA Consultant for the Northwest region with the Office of
Exceptional Children. In this role, she directly supports EC Directors and Charter Coordinators
and their staff through professional development, coaching, and technical assistance in all areas
related to the provision of special education services as well as overall program evaluation and
improvement. Traci serves on the NW Regional Support Team as well. Prior to transitioning to
NCDPI in this role in 2020, Traci served in both small and large school districts as an elementary
and high school EC teacher across multiple educational settings, assistant EC Director, EC
Director, and Executive EC Director.

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

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

REGISTER

Responsibility-Centered Discipline (Slider)

Posted on by Webster 
Date: September 19, 2024
Time: 8:30am-3:30pm

Location: WCU at Biltmore Park - Room #346
          28 Schenck Parkway
          Asheville, NC 28803

Fee: $ 50 WRESA Members
     $100 Non-member

**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

Sponsored  BY:  WRESA and Dogwood Health Grant
200 Ridgefield Court, Suite 206,  Asheville, NC 28806
Phone: 828-774-5681 

Audience: Teachers, Principals, Assistant Principals, and other Educational Leaders
Limit:    65 Participants
CEUs:      6 Contact hours
What to Bring: A charged device

Back for a second time due to its popularity, this session delves into the challenges of working with difficult students.  Working with demanding, and disruptive students is not a new challenge for educators.  However, there are current concerns being voiced regarding the changing nature and intensity of behaviors of these students.  Some educators are reporting increases in selfish, manipulative, and hostile behaviors while others are noticing more students who are overly anxious and/or difficult to engage.  Even well-season educators can sometimes have their “feathers ruffled” by certain students in certain situations. This seminar is designed to assist all educators with identifying and addressing these and other issues that affect the academic and behavioral progress of the students with whom they work.  This power-packed seminar will provide you with up-to-date insights and strategies for reaching and helping those young people who seem to evoke the strongest feeling of frustration, hurt, and sometimes discouragement in professional educators.  

Presenter: Larry Thompson, M.ED

Our presenter for the day is Larry Thompson. He is often called upon to deliver keynote presentations for state and national education conferences because of his knowledge, humor and passion for assisting today’s students.  He has helped thousands of educators and schools break away from their traditional discipline models to a model that creates a responsible climate and responsible students.  Larry has served in a wide variety of roles in education – from special education teacher to alternative and traditional high school principal.  Larry understands that systems must be created that can be realistically implemented and sustained. 

For additional information/ questions contact April Spencer aspencer@wresa.org

REGISTER

Substitute 101 – Online 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:

Substitute 101: Online - New User

Substitute 101 Online Course for registrants who need to create a New User account on our WRESA online course platform so they can gain access to work on their 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.

AI: Artificial Intelligence Questions Examined Through “Klara and the Sun” Book Study 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:

AI: Artificial Intelligence Book Study New User

AI: Artificial Intelligence Questions Examined Through "Klara and the Sun" Book Study for registrants to create an account to gain access to the 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.

MTSS Overview and Toolkit with Gina Gold 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:

MTSS Overview and Toolkit with Gina Gold New User

MTSS Overview and Toolkit with Gina Gold for registrants to create an account to gain access to the 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.