Metro RESA Statewide Teacher Job Fair 2025
Join Metro RESA along with over 36 districts from both the metro area and beyond for the only statewide teacher job fair in Georgia! The Metro RESA Statewide Job Fair will be held on Saturday, March 1, 2025 at the Georgia International Convention Center. Mark your calendars for this incredible opportunity. Educator registration is now open! Check our official Metro RESA Job Fair page for the most up-to-date information.
Register to Attend: Click Here
GaDOE and Metro RESA Virtual Teaching and Learning Summit
Join GaDOE with Metro RESA this February 18th for the Winter 2025 Virtual Teaching & Learning Summit. For more information about session topics and times, view the Metro RESA Special Session page for more information. To receive links and communication for the upcoming event, click here to register.
Communications: Join Our Mailing Lists Today!
Our Metro RESA specialists want to keep you informed. Head to the Metro RESA catalog and search "mailing" and you can register for one, or all!
iLEAD Tier I and Tier II Certification Program: Opens January 2025
Enrollment Has Opened!
iLEAD Tier I and Tier II Leadership Certification
https://www.mresa.org/ilead/home
Since 2016 the Metro RESA iLEAD program has provided Educational Leadership certification to hundreds of leaders in the Metro Area and beyond! The iLEAD program is one year, cost-effective and job-embedded! Detailed program and application information is on our website at https://www.mresa.org/ilead/home
Please also visit our Graduate Spotlight page at https://www.mresa.org/ilead/ilead-graduate-spotlight to see what completers share about our program. We look forward to serving you!
For more information, contact Metro RESA's iLEAD Tier I and II Coordinator, Carmen Havrilla at carmen.havrilla@mresa.org
Metro P-20 Collaborative Spring Convening at KSU
Reimagine educator preparation through collaborative partnerships at this spring's Metro P-20 Collaborative convening. We had an incredible day of learning at the fall 2024 convening at Mercer Atlanta Campus where experts from the metro shared collaborative partnership support between K-12, Higher-Ed, Non-Profits, and Private Sector partners. This spring will highlight creative collaborations and available grant funding supports available to K-12 and Higher-Ed institutions. Kennesaw State University has generously offered to sponsor lunch on campus for all attendees. Registration is currently open for the March 28, 2025, convening. Register Here. Find more Metro P-20 information on the Metro RESA website.
3-Dimensional Science Certification Workshop for Early Learners (Pk-2)
Join us for a hands-on, engaging workshop designed to support early childhood educators (PreK-2nd grade) in integrating 3-dimensional science into their teaching with minimal preparation time. We will explore three dynamic curricula—Getting Little Feet Wet, Trees and Me, and Growing Up Wild—that provide rich, interactive activities for young learners to connect with the natural world.
In this workshop, participants will:
• Learn how to incorporate the three dimensions of science (disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts) into early childhood education and outdoor programming.
• Explore how each curriculum supports Science GSE and phenomenon-based learning, fostering curiosity and critical thinking in young students.
• Experience science through the lens of fun and accessible activities such as exploring water ecosystems, learning about trees and their ecosystems, and discovering wildlife habitats.
• Gain practical strategies for using these curricula to introduce children to foundational scientific concepts through hands-on activities and nature-based exploration.
• Walk away with simple, ready-to-use strategies and activities to get children outside, curious, and actively learning about the world around them.
When: March 11, 2025 from 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Where: Metro RESA, 1870 Teasley Drive, Smyrna, GA 30080
Cost: $129.00
Registration: Click Here
TODOS Student Recognition Awards
TODOS: Mathematics for All will recognize up to 6 students in Grades 5-12 at a ceremony during the annual NCTM National Conference in Atlanta in October 2025. Each student will receive a calculator donated by Texas Instruments and a certificate from TODOS. Nominating teachers of award winners will receive a one-year membership/extension in TODOS and a certificate of recognition.
Guidelines for Student Recognition Awards
1. The awards are made to students from underrepresented groups – in particular, Latina/o students (see page 2);
2. The student must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Has demonstrated sustained success in mathematics;
- Has shown significant progress in mathematics achievement;
- Has demonstrated leadership in or out of the classroom regarding mathematics education;
- Has a specific “mathematics student success story” deserving of recognition (e.g., extraordinary project, has overcome obstacles, etc.); or
- Has gone “above and beyond” in some aspect of their mathematics performance.
More guidance about submitting a nomination is provided on the Student Information Form.
After being nominated, students must submit a response to at least one of four prompts on the Student Response Form.
The deadline for submission of the teacher nomination and the student response is March 21, 2025. The submission deadline is set in the spring to allow teachers to nominate students they have had for most of the year. Award recipients and their nominating teachers will be notified at the beginning of the 2025 - 2026 school year. Email denise.huddlestun@gmail.com if you have questions.
ELA Diving Deeper Series Domain Focus: Texts
Following the success of Metro RESA's Mathematics Diving Deeper Series, the MRESA ELA Team is rolling out a similar series for K-12 English Language Arts educators. Each separate training session will focus on a domain of Georgia’s new K-12 English Language Arts Standards. Participants will have opportunities to collaborate to deepen their understanding of the Big Ideas, Standards, and Expectations for each domain. The Overview and Practices workshop sessions will provide an overview of the alignment and structure of the new standards. Participants will then dive deeper into the Practices Domain, designed so that students will continuously cultivate key practices that will sustain their literacy endeavors throughout their K-12 education experiences and beyond. To learn more about the Metro RESA ELA Team or more ELA workshops, visit the Metro RESA website.
Spring 2025 Texts Domain Sessions: (Repeat of Fall 2024)
Tuesday, March 11, 2025: Elementary Session Register Now
Wednesday, March 13, 2025: Secondary Session Register Now
Adolescent Literacy: Science of Reading- Session Full - Waitlist Only
An Introduction to the Science of Reading and Recommendations for the Secondary Classroom
Although there is no Foundations Domain for secondary grade levels in the new K-12 English Language Arts Standards, we know that not all secondary students read on grade level. This training is designed to introduce secondary teachers to how the brain makes meaning from text and how to teach students those skills effectively. Participants will leave with an understanding of evidence-based instruction grounded in scientific reading research to address the needs of secondary students who need reading intervention. Audience: Secondary ELA Teachers and Literacy Coaches Date: February 25, 2025 Time: 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM Cost: $99 Location: Metro RESA Campus, 1870 Teasley Drive, Smyrna, Georgia 30080 Registration: Click Here (Session is Full - Waitlist Only)
The Fall 2024 sessions of the GaDOE Launch Tour were a success! There is still time to register for the Spring 2025 sessions in March 2025. Join GaDOE as they kick off the 2024-2025 school year with the GaDOE Statewide ELA Launch Tour. Metro educators are invited to attend the sessions at no cost. Sessions will be held at the GaDOE Towers in Atlanta. View the GaDOE informational flyer for more session details. For additional questions, contact the Metro RESA ELA team for more information.
Fall Semester GaDOE ELA Launch Tour Registration is Now Open!
- Tuesday, March 4, 2025: Elementary Session Register Now
- Friday, March 7, 2025: Secondary Session Register Now
Metro RESA Let's Read, Georgia Team
We want to welcome our newest team, Let's Read, Georgia (LRG) to the Metro RESA support network of specialists. In April of 2023, HB 538 was signed into law. This historic bill addresses the literacy deficit in Georgia and identifies components for systematic improvement. Georgia’s Early Literacy Act includes several components that your MRESA Let’s Read, Georgia Literacy Coaching Specialists can support district and building leaders in implementing. We look forward to partnering with you in this work to get Georgia READING! Visit the team's new website pages to learn more.
You will find upcoming professional learning and job-alike supports on the LRG informational pages. To meet the team members and find out who to contact for your district, click here. The LRG team is ready and excited to serve our districts in K-3 literacy! All LRG team support is offered to the Metro RESA districts at no charge.
If you want to receive K-3 literacy information first, sign up today to be included in the Metro RESA LRG K-3 Mailing List. Click Here to Register
Whole Child Supports Monthly Mental Health Newsletter
The office of Whole Child Supports has started a Monthly Mental Health in Schools newsletter. Please subscribe to stay abreast of new information, tips and techniques, and additional insight on the mental health in our schools. Also, feel free to email Granville Freeman for any requested "deeper dives" that may interest you or submit an article of interest that you feel others would benefit. He can be contacted at granville.freeman@mresa.org
Restorative Practices: Introduction and Circles
Purpose: To provide a range of strategies educators can use every day to foster a restorative climate in their school.
Target Audience: District and School Educators and Staff, anyone who works with children, adolescents, or families.
This is a two-day training series. Those who register must be present for both days.
Day One: Introduction into Restorative Practices Day Two: Circles training.
Restorative practices is an emerging social science that focuses on how to strengthen relationships between individuals as well as social connections within communities. It is a positive step forward in helping students learn to resolve disagreements, take ownership of their behavior, and engage in acts of empathy and forgiveness. During this two-day training, participants will learn fundamental theories and practices for engaging with students, staff, and parents in their school setting. Topics include how to set high expectations while being supportive, how to provide direct feedback and ask questions that foster accountability, and the most effective methods to resolve common conflicts. Participants will also learn to facilitate circles, an essential process for creating a positive learning environment and school culture. Circles may be used to build social capital, resolve social problems, and respond when harm occurs.
The sessions will meet from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM
2024-2025 Workshop Dates:
- Thursday, February 27, 2025 and Tuesday, March 4, 2025 (participation required for both dates)- Click Here to Register
For more information about the Metro RESA Restorative Practices: Introduction and Circles Two-Day Workshop or to inquire about setting up a training for your district, please contact Leah.Black@mresa.org and/or Granville.Freeman@mresa.org.
QPR: Question, Persuade, Refer (Suicide Prevention Training)
Target Audience: District and school educators and staff, anyone who works with children, adolescents or families
QPR suicide prevention training, also known as gatekeeper training, provides people without professional mental health backgrounds to recognize the warning signs of suicide and intervene effectively to question, persuade, and refer. Through interactive learning modules and real-life scenarios, educators will learn how to become frontline responders in promoting mental health and suicide prevention within their communities. Become empowered to save lives by connecting students in crisis with appropriate resources, referrals, and support.
Learn more about the Metro RESA Whole Child Supports Team and view additional 2024-2025 workshop offerings on the Metro RESA Whole Child Supports professional learning resource pages.
2024-2025 Training Opportunities:
- Wednesday, February 26, 2025 - Click Here to Register
Location: Virtual - Link to be sent at least 48 hours prior to workshop date
Time: 9:00 am - 11:00 am
For more information about the Metro RESA OPR: Questions, Persuade, Refer Training or to inquire about setting up a training for your district, contact Michelle.Sandrock@mresa.org
Youth Mental Health First Aid
Purpose: To teach skills for providing initial help to young people experiencing mental health problems such as depression, anxiety disorders, psychosis, and substance use disorders.
Target Audience: Teachers, School staff, coaches, people who work with youth
Youth Mental Health First Aid is a training primarily designed for adults who regularly interact with young people by teaching them how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addiction challenge or is in crisis. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Participants will learn how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders in youth. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including AD/HD), and eating disorders.
Learn more about the Metro RESA Whole Child Supports Team and view additional 2024-2025 workshop offerings on the Metro RESA Whole Child Supports professional learning resource pages. After registering for the training the participants will be directed to sign up on the MHFA website to complete some pre-work which must be completed prior to the workshop.
Location: Virtual2024-2025 Workshop Dates/Times:
- Tuesday, February 25, 2025 from 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM - Click Here to Register
- Tuesday, April 22, 2025 from 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM - Click Here to Register
For more information about the Metro RESA Youth Mental Health First Aid Workshops or to inquire about setting up a training for your district, contact Granville.Freeman@mresa.org
Coaching Endorsement: Application Window Opening Soon!
The Coaching Endorsement is a one-year hybrid program supporting candidates from across the state of Georgia. Courses meet via Zoom and include job-embedded field experiences in the school setting where a candidate is employed. Candidates who complete the Coaching Endorsement Program will gain knowledge and skills to lead coaching cycles around student learning, lead data-focused conversations, and facilitate group protocols. Program completers will be able to use intentional communication skills to build coaching partnerships with colleagues and lead collaborative learning teams. Candidates will gain the dispositions and skills to support a coaching culture with individuals and teams of teachers. This endorsement is designed to support teachers who hold a clear, renewable Georgia teaching certificate (T4 or higher) in any teaching, service, or leadership field. The application window will open in March 2025 for the next cohorts which will begin in July 2025 and end in May 2026. Space will be limited, so plan to apply early. For updates, visit https://www.mresa.org/endorsements/coaching-endorsement
In addition to the Coaching Endorsement, MRESA offers several endorsement programs to help you meet your professional growth and student performance needs. We encourage you to consider your learning needs and explore our Endorsement Programs at MRESA; https://www.mresa.org/endorsements/home.
Each of our endorsement programs provides learning opportunities that will strengthen your knowledge, skillset, and disposition toward a specific content area or teacher leader service area to include: Coaching, Dyslexia, ESOL, Gifted, Intervention Specialist, Math K-5, MTSS, Online Teaching, Reading, Science PK-5, STEM, and Teacher Leader Endorsements.
Intervention Specialist Endorsement: Application Window Opening Soon!
The Intervention Specialist Endorsement will open for registration in March. Candidates who complete the Intervention Specialist Endorsement Program will gain knowledge and skills to match instruction and assessment to the GA Content Standards. Program completers will be able to identify appropriate interventions to increase the success of at-risk students. Candidates will gain the dispositions and skills to improve the collaboration of learning teams in the areas of data analysis, professional learning, and communication with stakeholders. This endorsement is designed to support teachers who hold a clear, renewable Georgia teaching certificate (induction, professional, advanced professional, or lead professional) in: Elementary Education (P-5), Special Education General Curriculum Elementary Education (P-5), Middle Grades Education (with a language arts and/or mathematics area of concentration), or Special Education General Curriculum (with a language arts and/or mathematics concentration). The application window will be open March-April 2025 for the next cohorts which will begin in July 2025 and end in May 2026. For updates, visit https://www.mresa.org/endorsements/intervention-specialist-endorsement.
Dyslexia Endorsement: Open Registration/Rolling Admissions
Learn More: Click Here
Metro RESA Contact: Kimberly.Gregory@mresa.org
Metro RESA Dyslexia Direct Mobile Contact: 470-242-1216
The Dyslexia Endorsement at Metro RESA is a GaPSC approved preparation program that provides approved candidates with the coursework and related field experience required to add the Dyslexia Endorsement to a current standard Georgia Professional Certificate.
Metro RESA offers 14 endorsement programs. Visit the Metro RESA Endorsement Overview page for more information.
MTSS Facilitator Endorsement: Open Registration/Rolling Admissions
Learn More: Click Here
Metro RESA Contact: Iris.Im@mresa.org
Are you interested in being an MTSS Coordinator in your school or school district? Join the MTSS Facilitator Endorsement Program. During this 3-course endorsement, you will explore the history and foundations of RTI/MTSS/SST, the problem-solving model, and develop plans for successful implementation.
Our Open Course Cohort model is a 100% asynchronous/self-paced version of the endorsement and registration for this cohort is ongoing. If this sounds like something you would be interested in, please view the admission requirements and tuition costs on our MTSS Facilitator Endorsement website page.
Teacher Leader Endorsement: Interest Form for Fall 2025 Cohort
The 24-25 Teacher Leader Cohorts are underway. Candidates have just completed Course 1: A Foundation for Teacher Leadership. Throughout this particular course, candidates have been examining theory and research relating to leadership, motivation, facilitating change, communicating effectively, team building, and creating and sustaining professional learning communities by engaging in a wide variety of assignments and activities.
Course 1 feedback from candidates:
- "I really enjoyed the presentations of the 7 Habits. I enjoy learning from fellow colleagues. I appreciate the flexibility of this course as well."
- "Our instructor's confidence and knowledge of leadership practices is inspiring."
- "The course is structured in a way that supports my learning and growth as a full-time educator"
We anticipate beginning the new cohort in September of 2025. Crystal Ricks (TLE Coordinator) welcomes the opportunity to partner with you to host an informational/interest meeting for your school and/or district.
If you are interested in receiving more information about the Metro RESA Teacher Leader Endorsement, please complete the Teacher Leader Endorsement Interest Form linked below.
Empowering Leadership and Growth: Dr. Maisha Otway's Vision at College Park Elementary
At College Park Elementary School, Principal Dr. Maisha Otway exemplifies the true essence of leadership, fostering an environment of growth and collaboration. She works closely with Dr. Kimberly George-Reid from the Georgia Department of Education and Ms. Cheryl Jackson from Metro RESA to intentionally monitor and support the school’s instructional program. Dr. Otway's commitment to professional development is evident as she hosts collaborative planning sessions twice a week, guiding and mentoring the first-year Instructional Coaches. Her focus on data-driven instruction and best practices ensures that every teacher is equipped to support student success. A strong advocate for the Gradual Release model, Dr. Otway actively models and monitors this instructional approach to empower both teachers and students.
As a 'Leader in Me' school, Dr. Otway passionately believes in nurturing student leadership and self-awareness. She emphasizes that all students have the potential to lead, and through the Leader in Me framework, students take ownership of their learning and personal growth. This comprehensive approach not only strengthens academic performance but also cultivates a culture of trust and responsibility throughout the school community. By empowering students with critical leadership and life skills, Dr. Otway is helping to prepare them for future success, ensuring that they excel both in and out of the classroom.
Learn More About College Park Elementary School in Fulton County
Leading and Living Above the Line through Academic Progress Monitoring
Leading and living above the line is a mindset practice adopted by the KIPP Vision Primary Leadership Team for the 2024-2025 school year. Leading and living above the line is recognizing your position in creating circumstances, having an awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and desires in yourself and others, and being open to new possibilities. The practice of living and leading above the line allows KIPP leaders and teachers to reflect and ask the question, “What can I learn from this?” and then find creative and sustainable solutions to challenges that impact student achievement. At KIPP Vision Primary, the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) meets each week for Academic Progress Monitoring meetings (APMs). They examine student academic progress from formative and summative assessments using an APM protocol. The Academic Progress Monitoring Protocol allows the leadership team to question, lean into and systematically learn from their student data to make immediate adjustments to teaching and learning, as well as inform opportunities for professional learning for teachers. KIPP Vision Primary leaders live above the line by removing blame and making excuses but take the time to examine the headlines and investigate the root causes through data analysis. The goals of the APMs each week are to assess progress on select standards for students’ academic outcomes, diagnose the top priority for what students need for their learning, as well as examine adult practices, routines, and/or systems that contribute to the success or gaps in student achievement. KIPP Vision Primary leaders engage in robust discussions to implement meaningful and sustainable action steps such as reteaching opportunities before and after school, small group instruction focused on specific skills and standards, utilizing additional resources that are aligned to Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSEs), as well as coaching support to change teacher practice or routines through by modeling during collaborative planning. KIPP leaders live out their mindset practice to consciously lead above the line through these weekly accountability meetings called Academic Progress Meetings.
Metro West GLRS Has a New Look!
Visit Metro West New Website Pages Today!
Metro West Georgia Learning Resource System (GLRS) is a part of the statewide network of eighteen sites to provide professional learning, technical assistance and resources to educators, leaders, and families students with disabilities.
Metro West GLRS serves the following Local Education Agencies: Clayton County, Cobb County, Douglas County and Forsyth County; Atlanta Public Schools and Marietta City Schools, as well as more than thirty Metro Area State Charter Schools (LEAs)
We provide professional learning opportunities for specified target audiences within the districts that we serve, in addition opportunities are also made available to other districts served by Metro RESA. These opportunities include in-person, virtual and hybrid options. Custom-designed professional learning opportunities are conducted based on school district request meeting the unique needs of the LEA.
The Metro West GLRS Team provides professional learning, technical assistance and coaching school districts regarding various topics such as:
General Supervision-Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), IEP Support and Development
Specially Designed Instruction
High Leverage Practices and Evidence-Based Practices
Supporting and Implementing Graduation and Dropout Prevention Initiatives.
Conducting Comprehensive Data Analysis
Supporting new special education teachers, leaders and instructional coaches
Transition planning and assistive technology support
Metropolitan Regional Service Agency, Metro RESA
Email: registrar@mresa.org
Website: https://www.mresa.org/
Location: 1870 Teasley Drive, Smyrna, GA, USA
Phone: 770.432.2404
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroRESA
Twitter: @MetroRESA