Fall and Winter Professional Development Courses

Audience

K – 12 BCBAs and All Educators

Presenter Name(s)

Mary Young

Presenter Bio(s)

 

Description

De-escalation covers the phases students go through when they become upset in the school environment.  During this two hour session, participants will learn:

  • How to prevent escalation/dysregulation (Pro-Active Plans)
  • What may trigger escalation/dysregulation?
  • What does escalation look like?
  • How to manage an escalated student,
  • Effective limit-setting,
  • How to help a student return to a state of calm,
  • Using past experiences to plan for the future.

Synchronous / Asynchronous

Virtual, Synchronous

Location

Virtual via Zoom

Dates & Times

Wednesday, December 4, 2024;  3:30pm – 5:30pm

PDPs

2

Credit

n/a

Cost

$150 ACCEPT members/$180 non-members

Registration Deadline

October 9, 2024

REGISTER

Audience

BCBAs

Presenter Name(s)

Lisa Gurdin MS, BCBA, LABA

Presenter Bio(s)

For over 20 years, Lisa Gurdin MS, BCBA, LABA, (she/her) has been working with students, families, and school-based professionals with students from preschool to age 22 with a range of special needs and complex profiles. Ms. Gurdin supports educational professionals through consultation, student evaluations, and staff training. She works collaboratively with parents and school professionals to facilitate integrated supports across settings thereby maximizing behavior change and skill development. Ms. Gurdin also provides parent coaching to help parents implement behavioral strategies to improve behavior, encourage independence, and build stronger family relationships. Prior to starting her own private practice, she worked as the Clinical Coordinator for LABBB Collaborative in Massachusetts. In this role, she supervised a team of BCBAs, provided clinical oversight, managed home-based programming, consulted with school teams on complex cases in area school districts, conducted staff training, and provided ongoing consultation to classrooms across the collaborative. Ms. Gurdin is also a Part-Time Lecturer at Northeastern University. Before becoming an ACE Provider, she was the ACE Coordinator for the BCBA Roundtable at EDCO Collaborative in Massachusetts. As an ACE Provider, she coordinates and presents continuing education workshops for local school-based behavior analysts. When she is not working, she is taking care of her three children, ages 19, 17, and 13, and two dogs.

Description

Join us the first Friday of every month to explore cutting edge topics specifically designed for BCBAs.  Topics will include:

  • Oppositional Behavior & Pathological Demand Avoidance
  • ACT for BCBAs
  • Supervision
  • Trauma
  • Innovations in School-Based Functional Assessment
  • Behavior Analysts as Coaches
  • Executive Functioning

Synchronous / Asynchronous

Synchronous and Asynchronous

Location

Live via Zoom and On Demand Options

Dates & Times

Fridays, November 1, December 6, 2024;  January 3, February 7, March 7, April 4, May 2 and June 6, 2025

Sessions meet live via Zoom 12pm – 1:30pm with an optional Q & A from 1:30pm – 2:00pm

All sessions are recorded and are available On Demand after the session

PDPs

Participants can earn up to (14) CEs

Credit

n/a

Cost

$235 ACCEPT members/$285 non-members

Registration Deadline

Rolling registration

Additional Notes

Participants who enroll through ACCEPT will receive an email with additional details and a coupon code for accessing the courses and zoom links through Behavior Live.

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Audience

All Educators

Presenter Name(s)

Friends Academy

Presenter Bio(s)

 

Description

The 30-hour Orton-Gillingham Classroom Level training is for individuals who are looking for an introduction to the Orton-Gillingham approach. Participants include parents, administrators, and educators working in a classroom or with a small group. Topics include:

 

  • The background of dyslexia
  • The history of the Orton-Gillingham approach
  • Phonological and phonemic awareness
  • Phonics and spelling rules
  • Strategies for multi-sensory instruction
  • Spelling and phonics rules
  • Types of syllables
  • Syllable division
  • Orton-Gillingham lesson planning

Synchronous / Asynchronous

Live Sessions

Location

Via Zoom

Dates & Times

Tuesdays, February 4th, 11th and 25th  and March 4th and 11th, 2025 ;  9am – 4pm

PDPs

30 PDPs

Credits

n/a

Cost

$1,000 ACCEPT members/$1,200 non-members

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Audience

K – 12 educators

Presenter Name(s)

David Turo

Presenter Bio(s)

David Turo is an English as a Foreign Language teacher with 25 years of successful experience with the Boston Public Schools.  He regularly facilitates SEI Endorsement classes and is a firm believer that each student has something special that can be built upon.  David also invests his time teaching ESOL classes to adults.  

Description

The ACCEPT Collaborative is a Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education approved provider of the  SEI Teacher Endorsement course.  Participants who successfully complete the course and its requirements will be eligible to receive the SEI Endorsement.


The Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Teacher Endorsement course is designed to help equip teachers to address the needs of a multilingual and multicultural student population by training teachers in research-proven practices for working with English Learners (ELs). During the course, teachers are expected to practice instructional strategies grounded in SEI research both in the endorsement course and in their classrooms. Teachers will also be encouraged to sustain and develop their SEI practices over time through a variety of professional growth opportunities. This course is designed to promote continuous improvement in educator practice and to build teachers’ confidence and familiarity with instructional methodology for working with English Learners. 

Synchronous / Asynchronous

Live Sessions

Location

via Zoom

Dates & Times

Dates & Times:  Tuesdays, 1/14, 1/21, 1/28, 2/4, 2/11, 2/25, 3/4, 3/11, 3/18, 3/25, 4/1 & 4/8/25;  4pm – 7pm


Capstone Presentations: 4/15/24; 4pm – 8pm

Whole Class Make Up Sessions (if needed): 

Thursdays, 2/13 & 3/13;  Friday, 4/4/25

PDPs

SEI endorsement and 67.5 PDPs

Credits

Participants may choose to apply for (3) optional graduate credits for an additional fee of $375 payable to Worcester State University.

Cost

$425

Registration Deadline

January 7, 2025

 

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Audience

K – 12 PE and Health & Wellness Teachers

Presenter Name(s)

Maria Melchionda and Mary Connolly

Presenter Bio(s)

Maria Melchionda, MAHPERD Executive Director, PT Faculty Bridgewater State University


Mary Connolly, Program Chair, Skills-Based Health/SEL at Cambridge College  and  Chair of the Higher Education Committee for MAHPERD.

Description

Please join us for this half-day workshop focusing on how to use the new Health and Physical Education Framework to update your curriculum.  We will start by examining the Framework and understanding how it is organized. Participants should bring their health/physical education curriculums as well as the scope and sequence for each discipline and we will compare similarities and differences and begin to think about how to proceed. 

Synchronous / Asynchronous

Live, Synchronous

Location

ACCEPT Collaborative, 4 Tech Circle, Natick, MA

Dates & Times

Tuesday, January 28, 2024;  8:30am – 11:30am

PDPs

3

Credits

N/A

Cost

$200 ACCEPT members / $240 non-members

Registration Deadline

January 14, 2025

REGISTER

Name

Science of Reading Course (5 Part Series)

Audience

K-12 teachers and Specialists

Presenter Name(s)

Kristin Osborne

Presenter Bio(s)

Kristin Osborne is a former classroom teacher and literacy instructional coach who currently serves as a technical assistance provider for the Department of Education’s Inclusive Instruction and MTSS Tiered Literacy Academy in Massachusetts. Kristin has experience with professional learning workshops, book clubs, coaching, graduate courses, modeling, and planning support. She focuses on evidence-based comprehensive literacy instruction, inclusive of the science of reading. She has designed graduate courses on the science of reading, accelerating literacy, and literacy interventions.  She has also created book guides and study group PLCs on topics such as the language of literacy, literacy block, and Overcoming Dyslexia. Kristin has also successfully led curriculum development projects in MA and has led multiple districts through a positive initial implementation process.

Description

Elevate your literacy instruction with our comprehensive workshop on the Science of Reading. This workshop is designed for educators, literacy specialists, and coaches who are eager to harness the latest research to improve reading outcomes. Through this interactive session, participants will gain a thorough understanding of the Science of Reading and learn how to apply evidence-based strategies to support and enhance reading skills.

Synchronous / Asynchronous

Virtual Live or Asynchronous (sessions recorded and emailed) & Asynchronous time online

Location

Live and Recorded via Zoom;  Online

Dates & Times

Mondays & Tuesdays: 

1/27, 9:30am – 11:30am

2/4, 12pm – 2pm

2/10, 9:30am – 11:30am

2/24, 9:30am – 11:30am

3/10, 9:30am – 11:30am

PDPs

10 PDPs

Credit

n/a

Cost

$300 ACCEPT members/$360 non-members

Registration Deadline

January 13, 2025

REGISTER

 

Audience

K – 12 Art Teachers

Presenter Name(s)

Kathryn Lobo, ESL Teacher, Brown Middle School, Newton

Presenter Bio(s)

Kathy Lobo, ESL teacher at the Brown Middle School in Newton Massachusetts, holds Professional Massachusetts Teaching Licenses in Art and English as a Second Language.  Since 2013 she has been a Department of Education Trainer for RETELL SEI Teacher Endorsement courses. She earned a BFA from the University of the Arts and a certificate in traditional Chinese Painting from the Tianjin Fine Art College.  She has experience teaching in private and public schools in the US and in International Schools overseas.  Her artwork has been displayed in galleries and is part of collections in museums and libraries.   

Description

Art teachers are in a unique position in working with English Language Learners (ELs).  The art classroom provides a welcoming and safe environment for English Language Learners to be able to express themselves, and the creation of art can prompt important oral language skills.  Additionally, as art teachers often work with students over multiple years, they can be a source of support for EL students as they adjust to new classes from year to year.  This workshop will allow us to explore how we can take advantage of hands-on strategies and activities specific to the art classroom that are effective with ELs.


This course will consist of five face-to-face meetings.  There will be some reading, writing and art creating assignments in between sessions.


This workshop will include 2D and 3D art making such as collage, assemblage and book arts.  We will also discuss simple strategies to adapt what you already do with your students to make your lessons more “EL friendly”.  Materials for art-making will be provided, though participants are welcome to bring their own favorite materials.  


Upon completion, participants will leave with a deeper understanding of effective methods for working with ELs, an assortment of activities to use in their classrooms, and examples of art works they may use in their classroom.

Synchronous / Asynchronous

Live in Person

Location

ACCEPT Collaborative, 4 Tech Circle, Natick, MA

Dates & Times

Tuesdays, 2/25, 3/4, 3/11, 3/25 & 4/1/25;  4:00pm – 7:00pm

Snow Date:  4/8/25 

PDPs

15

Credits

Participants may choose to apply for (1) optional graduate credit for an additional fee of $125 payable to Worcester State University.

Cost

$295 ACCEPT members/ $355 non-members

Registration Deadline

February 11, 2025

REGISTER

Audience

K-12 Teachers, Coaches and Specialists

Presenter Name(s)

Kristin Osborne

Presenter Bio(s)

Kristin Osborne is a former classroom teacher and literacy instructional coach who currently serves as a technical assistance provider for the Department of Education’s Inclusive Instruction and MTSS Tiered Literacy Academy in Massachusetts. Kristin has experience with professional learning workshops, book clubs, coaching, graduate courses, modeling, and planning support. She focuses on evidence-based comprehensive literacy instruction, inclusive of the science of reading. She has designed graduate courses on the science of reading, accelerating literacy, and literacy interventions.  She has also created book guides and study group PLCs on topics such as the language of literacy, literacy block, and Overcoming Dyslexia. Kristin has also successfully led curriculum development projects in MA and has led multiple districts through a positive initial implementation process.

Description

Revitalize your classroom dynamics with this  interactive workshop on Total Participation and Increasing Student Engagement. Designed for educators, instructional coaches, and school leaders, this workshop provides practical strategies to ensure every student is actively involved and invested in their learning. Explore techniques that foster a vibrant, inclusive classroom environment where every student’s voice is heard and valued.

Synchronous / Asynchronous

Virtual Live or Asynchronous (sessions recorded and emailed)

Location

Live and Recorded via Zoom

Dates & Times

Mondays, 3/17 & 3/24, 9:30am – 11:30am

PDPs

4 PDPs

Credit

n/a

Cost

$150 ACCEPT members/$180 non-members

Registration Deadline

March 3, 2025

REGISTER

Audience

PreK – 3 Teachers, Coaches and Specialists

Presenter Name(s)

Kristin Osborne

Presenter Bio(s)

Kristin Osborne is a former classroom teacher and literacy instructional coach who currently serves as a technical assistance provider for the Department of Education’s Inclusive Instruction and MTSS Tiered Literacy Academy in Massachusetts. Kristin has experience with professional learning workshops, book clubs, coaching, graduate courses, modeling, and planning support. She focuses on evidence-based comprehensive literacy instruction, inclusive of the science of reading. She has designed graduate courses on the science of reading, accelerating literacy, and literacy interventions.  She has also created book guides and study group PLCs on topics such as the language of literacy, literacy block, and Overcoming Dyslexia. Kristin has also successfully led curriculum development projects in MA and has led multiple districts through a positive initial implementation process.

Description

This graduate course will provide a scaffolded opportunity to learn more from foundational documents and key components of literacy as well as supplemental scholarly literature, tools, and activities that help to strengthen pedagogical practices and target interventions based on real live data.   In addition to exploring resources on the site, learners will explore peer-reviewed research, critically examine their own literacy practice, reflect on the connections between identity, pedagogical practices, and new learning, and will design artifacts to leverage new learning using best practices in literacy, equity, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and MTSS. 

 

Course Objectives & Learning Outcomes

As a result of the learning experiences in the course, you will:

  • become more cognizant of important components of targeted intervention lessons to transform teaching and learning to improve the outcomes of all learners.
  • become more competent in your ability to create better targeted intervention opportunities and outcomes for students by using the state standards and the science of reading  to design sustainable curriculum and lessons.
  • become more competent in your ability to create effective data meeting cycles and use data to drive instruction.

Synchronous / Asynchronous

Virtual Live or Asynchronous (sessions recorded and emailed) & Asynchronous time online

Location

Live and Recorded via Zoom;  Online

Dates & Times

Mondays & Tuesdays:

Tuesday, 4/1; 12pm – 2pm

Monday, 4/7; 9:30am – 11:30am

Monday, 4/28; 9:30am – 11:30am

Plus approximately (24) asynchronous hours

PDPs

30 PDPs

Credit

Participants may choose to apply for 2 optional graduate credits

Cost

$500 ACCEPT members/$600 non-members

Registration Deadline

March 18, 2025

REGISTER

Audience

Grades 4 – 9 Teachers, Coaches and Specialists

Presenter Name(s)

Kristin Osborne

Presenter Bio(s)

Kristin Osborne is a former classroom teacher and literacy instructional coach who currently serves as a technical assistance provider for the Department of Education’s Inclusive Instruction and MTSS Tiered Literacy Academy in Massachusetts. Kristin has experience with professional learning workshops, book clubs, coaching, graduate courses, modeling, and planning support. She focuses on evidence-based comprehensive literacy instruction, inclusive of the science of reading. She has designed graduate courses on the science of reading, accelerating literacy, and literacy interventions.  She has also created book guides and study group PLCs on topics such as the language of literacy, literacy block, and Overcoming Dyslexia. Kristin has also successfully led curriculum development projects in MA and has led multiple districts through a positive initial implementation process.

Description

This graduate course will provide a scaffolded opportunity to learn more from foundational documents and key components of literacy as well as supplemental scholarly literature, tools, and activities that help to strengthen pedagogical practices and target interventions based on real live data.   In addition to exploring resources on the site, learners will explore peer-reviewed research, critically examine their own literacy practice, reflect on the connections between identity, pedagogical practices, and new learning, and will design artifacts to leverage new learning using best practices in literacy, equity, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and MTSS. 


Course Objectives & Learning Outcomes

As a result of the learning experiences in the course, you will:

  • become more cognizant of important components of targeted intervention lessons to transform teaching and learning to improve the outcomes of all learners.
  • become more competent in your ability to create better targeted intervention opportunities and outcomes for students by using the state standards and the science of reading  to design sustainable curriculum and lessons.
  • become more competent in your ability to create effective data meeting cycles and use data to drive instruction.

Synchronous / Asynchronous

Virtual Live or Asynchronous (sessions recorded and emailed)

Location

Live and Recorded via Zoom;  Online

Dates & Times

Mondays, 5/5, 5/12 & 5/19; 9:30am – 11:30am

Plus approximately (24) asynchronous hours

PDPs

30 PDPs

Credit

Participants may choose to apply for 2 optional graduate credits

Cost

$500 ACCEPT members/$600 non-members

Registration Deadline

April 18, 2025

REGISTER

This workshop will require approximately three asynchronous hours online but some participants may take more or less time. The content of the workshop will guide all SPED, General Ed teachers & administrators through the newly developed MA IEP process and forms rolled out by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
 
Objectives for this workshop will include:
      • Identify the current timelines related to the new IEP form to ensure proper implementation.
      • Develop an understanding of the currently released IEP forms through direct exposure and practice scenarios.
      • Understand the feedback related to the new IEP process and forms by the Early Adopter teams who piloted it early.

Price:

ACCEPT Member: $210

ACCEPT Non-Member: $250

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Based on the popular work of master teacher mentors, Carol Pelletier (Mentoring in Action) and Lois Zachary (The Mentor’s Guide) and the MA DESE Mentoring Guidelines, this workshop is designed to provide practical and reflective principles and activities that help the teacher mentor maximize trust, collegiality, communication, reflection and personal growth with their mentee. The asynchronous format allows the mentor, to go at their own pace, while completing activities that will be useful in their mentoring journey.

This course focuses on the Effective Principles of Effective Mentoring as outlined in the work of Carol Pelletier in Mentoring in Action. This workshop lays the foundation for thoughtful, successful mentorship for either beginning teachers or teachers who are new to a district.

A second part of this course is being developed and will focus on the work of Lois Zachary (The Mentor’s Guide) and extends the 5 principles of effective mentoring into actionable practices for the mentor.

Pricing: 

Member

  • Single Registrant: $185
  • District – 25 participants and below – $1560
  • District – 26-100 participants – $1875
  • District – 101-175 participants – $ 2030
  • District – 176+ participants – $2340

Non-Member

  • Single Registrant: $235
  • District – 25 participants and below – $2600
  • District – 26-100 participants – $3120
  • District – 101-175 participants – $ 3510
  • District – 176+ participants – $3900

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This workshop is designed to help teachers and mentor teachers better understand the MA Teacher Evaluation System for the purpose of successful completion. The workshop is a step by step approach that allows participants to complete their own Educator Plan while completing the workshop.

The Four Focus Areas of the workshop include:

  • Focus Area 1: Create a common understanding of the professional Standards for Educators and the Focus Indicators as defined by the DESE.
  • Focus Area 2: Create strong student learning goals and action steps.
  • Focus Area 3: Create strong professional practice goals and actions steps.
  • Focus Area 4: Identify meaningful evidence and artifacts.

This course will take approximately 10 hours to complete.

Audience: Teachers who are unfamiliar with the Teacher Evaluation System or need a refresher, Mentor Teachers who are Assisting New Teachers through the Evaluation process.

Location: Online & Asynchronous

Earn: 10 PDPs

Pricing: 

Member

  • Single Registrant: $185
  • District – 25 participants and below – $1560
  • District – 26-100 participants – $1875
  • District – 101-175 participants – $ 2030
  • District – 176+ participants – $2340

Non-Member

  • Single Registrant: $235
  • District – 25 participants and below – $2600
  • District – 26-100 participants – $3120
  • District – 101-175 participants – $ 3510
  • District – 176+ participants – $3900

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In support of building instructional capacity and providing exemplary educational services for all students, ACCEPT has developed an affordable online paraprofessional training program. This program offers total flexibility, allowing participants to begin at any time during the year. Advanced tracking features also allow districts to see participants’ progress within each learning module to inform future professional development opportunities.

Each of the modules listed below requires approximately 2-3 hours to complete. They can be completed in any order. Our course utilizes the Blackboard online learning platform, one of the most widely used online course sites in higher education institutions. The ease-of-use and interactive features make this tool an invaluable resource to provide innovative professional development opportunities to your employees.

Pricing: 

Member

  • Less than 50 participants: $1460
  • More than 50 participants: $1875

Non-Member

  • Less than 50 participants: $2100
  • More than 50 participants: $2600

REGISTER

Note: Accommodations for Persons with Disabilities: We want to provide the best learning experience for everyone in compliance of the ADA, should you require any accommodations to fully participate in this training please contact [email protected].