Now that summer is making the September turn to Fall and your staff and students are back in school, we are excited to share the slate of opportunities sponsored by VaSCL this year. We have a great schedule of professional learning opportunities designed to help your divisions and schools accomplish learning goals with all students, especially our young people who need the greatest support from Virginia’s topnotch educators. We know that as classroom teachers implement new math and English/Language Arts SOLs they will need ongoing support and we’ve built our PD around that need.

This past year, I was appointed to serve on the Virginia Board of Education Lab School Committee to review lab school applications from local school divisions and higher education- either community colleges or four-year universities. The concept of lab schools originally was enacted into law by the General Assembly in 2010. Today, with refreshed interest in the concept of lab schools, the following planning grant applications have been awarded funds to create pathways to opening lab schools:

What does it feel to be like in a room with about 170 teenagers all working on challenges they’ve identified in their schools, local communities, and even the world? Well, on March 23, the conference hotel room was packed with those teenagers, all working, talking, thinking, collaborating together to build, finalize, and share their solutions. The enthusiasm was off the charts! They loved being away from school and onsite, not virtual. They came dressed as teens do in everything from suits and ties to laid back casual. They represented all demographics and all walks of leadership from formal to informal positions of influence from urban, suburban, and rural high schools. And, they came believing that their voice matters, they can make a difference, and they can have influence in their schools and communities even at 15 or 17 - not just as adults.

Faculty advisors stood back from directing the teams. They listened and supported the teens to do the thinking - and the work. They were there to support but not drive the design process.

Dr. Laurie McCullough and Dr. Eric Carbaugh, James Madison University professor, have recently published Building Educator Capacity Through Microcredentials, a look at how educators can use microcredentials as a tool to work on, reflect upon, and document practitioner skills. Districts can use microcredentials to both assess candidates for positions as well as grow the professional skill sets of teachers. Laurie shares that the many entry points into microcredentials offer teachers the opportunity to enter the process where they are and take the time they need to progress professionally using the microcredential as a guide. 

Laurie is currently working with Virginia Leads Innovation Network teams and staff to develop a stack of leadership microcredentials through mini-grant funding to the Virginia School Consortium for Learning  from What School Could Be.  

To hear more from Eric and Laurie about microcredentials and how the process impacts adult and student learning, please listen to their podcast on Principal Center Radio, a fab source of podcasts with educators.

I’ve had the privilege of attending virtual sessions with Student Design Thinking Institute team leaders in January and February and they are confident in their focus on lofty challenges such as how to address teacher shortages from a student perspective or strategies to develop community understanding of those who are homeless- or unhoused. The theme of this year’s Institute is “Think Globally, Act Locally” and the teams are already activating their responses to the challenge of impacting an issue of concern to them in their school and/or community. Participation in this VaSCL event is free to member divisions.

If you are aware of the new Virginia Standards for Learning in Science and the changes in assessment of science that includes the new cluster item model, you know that teachers are concerned about the time students spent away from science instruction during the Pandemic and the impact on their performance on science tests. However, Kelley Aitken, science supervisor and VaSCL Balanced Assessment Coordinator, put together a “just-in-time” free virtual series for elementary, middle, and high school science teachers that’s run since January. She’s worked to be sure that participants learn about more than the new test items. She’s reinforced the importance of inquiry strategies, investigative experiences as ways for students to access competencies and knowledge-building in their learning. In her focus on science and engineering practices and the cluster items that will be used in spring science testing at grades 5, 8, and in biology, Kelley has provided opportunities for teachers to break into groups to share resources and strategies. Over 200 teachers are participating in one or more of the virtual workshops. For more information about what’s coming next in the science, check out the VDOE website here.

Ron Nash always brings amazing energy and practical strategies that engage all learners in active learning to a VaSCL session. His workshop on Closing the Engagement Gap was nothing less than a master class in how to actively engage learners of any age from the youngest children to adults. He brought insights from his decades of classroom teaching and how he over time shifted from a compliance-driven, teacher-centric model to an engagement-driven, student-centered model. Each participant received a copy of one of Ron’s books and access to his website resources. You can contact Ron at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to schedule him to work with staff at the division level. His strategies are all about what you can change tomorrow to more actively engagement every learner and are relevant to new teachers and experienced teachers who want to refresh skills and expertise. Follow Ron on Twitter @RonNash20

Thank you to Greene County Public Schools for hosting the Adolescent Literacy onsite workshop facilitated by Dr. Sarah Lupo, James Madison University professor.  Nothing is any more critical to success in high school than being able to use and access print. Dr. Lupo shared both practical strategies and research backing up proven intervention practices that make a difference. Follow her on twitter @DrSarahLupo or check out her new book Teaching Disciplinary Literacy in Grades K-6.

VaSCL is excited to have Laurie McCullough join us to facilitate our upcoming coaching onsite and virtual sessions, one of the most critical job-embedded professional learning strategies we can have in our toolbelt. Since the early research of Joyce and Showers we’ve known that more than anything else out there coaching significantly increases the likelihood of transfer into practice of professional learning experiences.