WRESA

Early Planning for a Successful Retirement: July 2025
2025-07-16 09:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | WRESA, 200 Ridgefield Ct, Suite 206, Asheville, NC, 28806, United States
Date: July 16, 2025
Time: 9:00am - 3:00pm

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

FEE: $45 WRESA Members
$70 Non-members

LIMIT: 40 Participants

This one-day session focuses on teachers/administrators who have taught 0 – 30 years and want assistance with critical retirement information and decision making before they retire. This session will review the implications and repercussions of early-mid career decisions, laws, policies and processes, benefit options and investment plans. Whether you are just starting your career or close to the end- you will learn how to maximize your benefits and be ready to make better decisions for the future. The workshop will be conducted by Mr. Ayers, April Spencer and Deborah Rapetski. You will leave the day tired, but much better informed.
If you have questions, contact April at aspencer@wresa.org
If you are unsure whether your school system is a WRESA member, click WRESA MEMBER List.
REGISTER

WRESA Science Collaborative: New Support Document Sharing for Grades 5-12
2025-03-06 09:00 - 15:00, 2025-02-06 09:00 - 15:00
Date: February 6, 2025 or March 6, 2025
Time: 9:00am – 3:00pm
Type: In-Person

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

Fee: $25 WRESA Members
$50 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: Grades 5-12 Science Educators

Description:
In response to the new North Carolina Science Standards for Grades 5 – 12, WRESA has partnered with NCCAT and has recruited a team of regional science education professionals to create science support documents. This session aims to acclimate science teachers to these new resources. Participants in this session will do the following:

Understanding the New Standards: Delve into the key changes and expectations outlined in the updated science standards.

Essential Resources: Discover a curated collection of teaching materials, lesson plans, and activities aligned with the new standards.

Effective Implementation Strategies: Learn practical tips and strategies for integrating the new standards into your classroom curriculum.

Addressing Common Challenges: Explore potential obstacles and discuss effective solutions.

Jennifer Redfearn, NCCAT’s Senior Stem Specialist and members of her team will share the new resources and be available to answer questions you might have.

Presenter: Jennifer Redfearn, Senior Stem Specialist at NCCAT
***NOTE: WE ARE OFFERING THIS TWICE SO THAT MEMBERS OF THE REGION HAVE A CHOICE AS TO WHEN TO ATTEND THIS TRAINING FOR GRADES 5-12 SCIENCE EDUCATORS.
For more information, contact April at aspencer@wresa.org
If you are unsure whether your school system is a WRESA member, click WRESA MEMBER List.
REGISTER

A School Leader’s Guide to Reclaiming Purpose
2025-03-04 09:00 - 10:30, 2025-02-12 09:00 - 10:30, 2025-01-20 09:00 - 10:30, 2025-01-14 09:00 - 10:30, 2024-11-20 09:00 - 15:00
Date/Time:Day #1 Nov 20, 2024 9:00am-3:00pm (In-person at WRESA)

Day #2 Jan 14, 2025 9:00-10:30am (Virtual)
Day #3 Jan 20, 2025 9:00-10:30am (Virtual)
Day #4 Feb 12, 2025 9:00-10:30am (Virtual)
Day #5 Mar 4, 2025 9:00-10:30am (Virtual)

Type: Hybrid (Day #1 In-Person, Days #2-5 Virtual)

Location: WRESA (for Day #1)
200 Ridgefield Ct, Suite 206
Asheville, NC 28806

Fee: $110 WRESA Members (includes book)
$135 Non-members (includes book)

**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: 20 Contact Hours (includes Reading Time)
Limit: 50 Participants
Audience: School leaders (principals, assistant principals, and instructional
coaches) who want to invest more of their time supporting and
growing teachers but feel trapped in a cycle of responding to
urgent tasks.
What to Bring: A charged device
Description:
Frederick Buskey, author of the book: A School Leader’s Guide to Reclaiming Purpose will take the school leader on a journey through the book and will facilitate discussions on the following:

Learn to structure their days around their priorities
Discern between essential and non-essential tasks
Build systems and habits that free up minutes each day to invest in people
Use high-leverage practices to grow teachers in minutes
Move from symptoms-based to problem-focused action

Even when you do slow down long enough to remember your purpose, it can be difficult to act on it. The book: A School Leader’s Guide to Reclaiming Purpose was written to help busy leaders reconnect with their passion and values. The guide is a roadmap through the six stages of escaping the gravitational pull of urgency. In each stage you will find a unique combination of common sense and wisdom, combined with concrete tools and strategies.
About the Author/Leader:
Frederick Buskey was a K-12 teacher and administrator for 17 years. He is a National Board-Certified Teacher, former middle school and high school teacher and coach, and county office Special Education Coordinator. He has experience working in international schools and rural schools in Ohio, North Carolina, and South Carolina. At Western Carolina University and Clemson University, Frederick led redesigns of principal licensure programs, which he also coordinated and taught in. Frederick has worked with over 100 principal-interns, affording him the opportunity to observe and learn from hundreds of school leaders. He has used his unique combination of personal experiences, the experiences of others, and understanding of the research to create simple and practical frameworks to turn complex challenges, like change and teacher support, into simple, actionable practices. In 2018 Frederick founded Strategic Leadership Consulting to focus full-time on serving school leaders.
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

Co-Teaching for Educators
2025-02-05 08:30 - 15:30, 2025-02-04 08:30 - 15:30
Administrators Session: Co-Teaching – Calling All Administrators
Dates/Times: Tues, Feb 4th, 2025 8:30am - 3:30pm (In-Person)
Wed, Feb 5th, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm (meet with teacher teams - might be virtual)

Location: WRESA
200 Ridgefield Ct, Suite 206
Asheville, NC 28806
Cost: Free
Audience: Designed for school-based administrators and coordinators who support co-teaching teams
currently or will support teams in the future.

CEUs: 6 Contact Hours

Course 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.

Teachers Session: Co-Teaching for Teachers: Going Beyond the Basics

Date/Time Wed, Feb 5th, 2025 8:30am - 3:30pm (In-Person)

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

Cost: Free

Audience: Designed for Co-Teacher Teams of Teachers
(General Education Teacher + Exceptional Children Teacher Teams or potential teams)

CEUs: 6 Contact Hours
Course 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.
Co-Teaching Instructor Process:

Instructor candidates will need to attend both the Co-Teaching
Calling All Administrators and the Co-Teaching for Teachers: Going
Beyond the Basics course.
Once both days are completed, the instructor candidate will be provided
access to the PowerPoint presentations, handout materials, communication
examples, as well as access to the Co-Teaching Instructor Notebook.
Instructor candidates will then be able to redeliver the course in their PSU
only.
You will be prompted in the registration link whether or not you are taking
the course in order to be an instructor.

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

REGISTRATION IS CLOSED

WRESA Regional AIG Credentials Course
2024-07-24 09:00 - 15:00, 2024-07-23 09:00 - 15:00
Date: July 23 & 24, 2024
Time: 9:00am-3:00pm
Type: In-person

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

Fee: $85 WRESA Members Only

**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.

Audience: K-12 Classroom Teachers, (Licensed AIG Specialists are welcome)
CEUs: 10 Contact hours
What to Bring: Your own charged device
AIG Coordinators across the NC Western Region have recognized the need for classroom teachers to understand the unique characteristics and needs of gifted learners.
In this 2-day course, teachers will review and understand their own district-specific Academically/Intellectually Gifted Services Plans. They will learn how to recognize the characteristics of gifted learners and understand their unique learning needs. Differentiation strategies for the regular classroom will be a focus and teachers will leave with tools for planning, working in PLCs, and using differentiation strategies in their classrooms.
Participants will receive a WRESA Regional AIG Credentials certificate. While it is important to note that this is not NC AIG Licensure, it will provide a practical level of knowledge and skill that will benefit gifted and advanced learners in classrooms across the region. These credentials will be recognized and accepted by the WRESA member school systems. Stephanie Knox, the AIG/Advanced Learning Lead Specialist for Buncombe County schools will be leading this workshop.
If you have additional questions, contact April Spencer aspencer@wresa.org
If you are unsure whether your school system is a WRESA member, click WRESA MEMBER List.
REGISTER
