McHenry County ROE #44
Professional Learning Newsletter 10/31/2024
Are you an expert and want to share that with our county, all while making some money $$$?
Are you in the education field with the expertise to deliver a professional learning opportunity? Do you make to make some extra cash? If so, you are in the right place!! Please email me, Ryan Hawkins at rmhawkins@mchenrycountyil.gov today!
Think First Intervention Training
Dates: November 18 - November 20, 2024
School based group intervention that focuses on developing anger management skills. Aims to equip students with the social processing and behavioral skills needed to reduce impulsive and reactive aggressive responses to anger. Students will learn skills in: Anger management strategies to address trigger events, the anger continuum, physiological responses to anger, connection between thoughts-feelings-behavior, Social problem solving, Anger Cue recognition and self-calming techniques and instruction, Attribution retraining, Strategies for managing conflicts.
Times: 9:00am - 1:00pm
Location: Virtual
Fee: FREE
Register Here
Raising Student Achievement Conference (RSAC)
Dates: December 9 - 10, 2024
Presented by Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools, Regional Offices of Education, and Intermediate Service Centers, the Raising Student Achievement Conference (RSAC) is a two day event for educators and others interested in education. The conference offers educators across Illinois a wonderful professional learning opportunity with excellent keynote speakers and over 150 unique breakout sessions that provide attendees with an opportunity for reflection, inspiration, and practical strategies that can be implemented immediately! In addition to the cutting edge information from the breakout session, attendees have the opportunity to view the latest educational products and services in the exhibit hall open throughout the entire conference!
Refunds will be honored until 11/20/24.
Time: 8am - 3:30pm (2 Days)
Location: Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center
3500 Midwest Road
Oak Brook, IL 60523
Fee: $200 - $475
Register HERE
From Burnout to Balance: Using the 7 Mindsets to Recharge and Refocus
Date: December 12, 2024
In the fast-paced world of education, especially for those on the front lines of student mental health, it's easy to lose sight of our own well-being. You're not just educators—you are lifelines for your students, often carrying the emotional weight of the entire school on your shoulders. But who takes care of you?
This dynamic and deeply personal session is designed to empower YOU—the ones who give so much to others—by providing tools and strategies that will not only uplift your students but also recharge your own spirit. Using the transformative power of the 7 Mindsets, we’ll explore how small shifts in thinking can unlock new possibilities in your life and reignite the passion that brought you to this work in the first place.
Through engaging discussions, interactive group activities, and practical lessons, you’ll discover how to:
• Relieve the stress and burnout that come with the daily demands of supporting your students’ and educators mental health and well-being.
• Reclaim your time and energy with mindset shifts that will help you find balance and focus on what truly matters, both at work and at home.
• Empower your staff and students to thrive using simple yet powerful social-emotional tools that inspire resilience, gratitude, and growth.
We understand the challenges you face every day—the overwhelming caseloads, the emotional toll, and the sense that there's always more to do. But in this session, we're here for you. Take this time to refocus on your own well-being and discover how changing your mindset can transform your life and the lives of your students.
This isn’t just another professional development session—it’s an opportunity for you to take a break from the chaos, reconnect with your purpose, and leave with practical tools that will lighten your load and inspire a renewed sense of joy and possibility in your work.
Time: 11 AM – 1 PM
Fee: Free – light lunch provided
Location: The Community Foundation for McHenry County
33 E. Woodstock St.
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
Register HERE
School Cyber Training
Date: Friday, December 13, 2024
Det. Rich Wistocki is currently the head trainer and president of Be Sure Consulting Law Enforcement and Schools Cyber Training. In the past school year, attendees who have taken the classes have stopped 55 acts of school violence threats just this past school year. NBC actually did an investigation on the claims and Rich came out on top as a result. He is one of the National Cyber Trainers for NASRO practitioners and has created a protocol on how to stop school violence and shootings in our schools across the country.
They are very passionate about saving our kids and stopping school shootings as well as swattings. They can stop school shootings 93% of the time with these protocols. Up until the first week of June, the School Administrators and School Resource Officers who have taken the two-day class or three-day class, are so pleased they have the tools necessary to deal with the “LEAKAGE.” They wanted to share the documentation that spells all of the process out. Here is an article that he published in Calibre Press. They have also been teaching AA 4023 for school administrator’s credit. Here is a description of the process.
https://calibrepress.com/2023/01/we-can-stop-school-shooters-75-of-the-time/
Just today, Superintendent of LTHS, Dr. Robert McBride did an interview with ABC 7 reporter Liz Nagy on the Consulting relationship with LTHS and how they stem the tide with all of our schools on how to handle cyber threats. They have success with all of the schools they consult for to include LTHS, SD 92 in Lockport, PCHS, Intrinsic Charter Schools, CPS and Fenton High School, just to name a few. Here is his interview on the collaboration:
Here is a recent NBC Investigates piece where they investigated his claims:
Here are some testimonials from attending SRO’s in Michigan as well as an evaluation by Hanover County PA school board.
They would love to meet with your staff on their methodology so that we can stop school shooters while using diversion instead of writing tickets or arresting students. Attached is all the proof you will need so that when we work together, we can save our students from school shooters, swattings and other acts of violence. His SRO’s have used these tools with Cyberbullying and Sexting cases as well.
Presenter: Detective Rich Wistocki
Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Location: McHenry Elementary District 15 Office
420 N. Front St. McHenry, IL 60050
Fee: FREE (for McHenry ROE districts) - $100 for others outside McHenry ROE districts
*Event is maxed out at 50 participants
Light lunch provided by Blocksi and presentation 2:30 – 3 PM
Activity Hours: 2
REGISTER HERE
Best Practices for Mental Health Screenings is Schools
Date: January 14, 2024
This session will cover best practices in trauma-informed and culturally-responsive mental health screening in schools. Participants will learn to: Describe key tasks in creating a mental health screening plan, Describe key tasks in creating a mental health screening plan, assess their school’s current status in this process, anticipate potential barriers and strategies to address them.
Time: 9 - 11:00am
Location: VIRTUAL
Fee: FREE
Register HERE
Supporting Students in Need of Social, Emotional, and Mental Health Support: Developing a Behavioral Health Team (BHT) in Your School
Dates: 4 different options, see below
Location: VIRTUAL
Fee: FREE
Register for one of the trainings -
AM January 15, 2025 and February 26, 2025 Training, 8:30 - 11:30am
PM January 15, 2025 and February 26, 2025 Training, 12:30 - 3:30pm
AM April 10, 2025 and April 29, 2025 Training, 8:30 - 11:30am
PM April 10, 2025 and April 29, 2025 Training, 12:30 - 3:30pm
Bring 3-D Printing into your Classroom!!!
Date: February 21, 2025
Innovative problem solvers are using 3D printing in every industry, from medicine to construction to space exploration. Teach your students to design for the future by adding 3D printing to your curriculum!
Whether you’re brand new to 3D printing or you have one that’s not being used to its full potential, this workshop will give you the foundation you need. We’ll begin at square one of the 3D printing process and go from ideation to finished print, covering everything in between. You’ll then learn how 3D printers work, how to create and prepare models for printing, how to operate your printer and optimize its settings, and how to troubleshoot your printer when issues arise.
We'll also explore tools, materials, and software you’ll need and what to consider when choosing a printer for yourself. From there, we'll discuss lesson ideas, ways to manage projects effectively, and how to design your space to maximize learning.
To fully participate in this workshop, attendees must bring a laptop upon which they have permission to install new software.
Presenter: Ben Sondgeroth
Time: 9:00 AM - 2:30 PM
Location: The Community Foundation of McHenry County
33 E Woodstock Street
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
Fee: $40
Activity Hours: 5
REGISTER HERE
Infusing Technology into your ELA Classroom
Date: March 20, 2025
Specifically for ELA teachers, this workshop will address meaningful, productive, creative and content specific uses of technology in the classroom. We will focus on a multitude of tools and resources that can transform learning in ELA classrooms by effectively leveraging technology. From transforming presentations to add-ons and extensions that extend the capabilities of writing, participants will know and be able to consider thoughtful approaches to technology integration in their ELA classroom. Participants should bring a Chromebook or laptop to the workshop.
Presenter: Ben Sondgeroth
Time: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Location: The Community Foundation of McHenry County
33 E Woodstock Street
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
Fee: $40
Activity Hours: 4.5
REGISTER HERE
Professional Learning with Drones!! Take Coding to the Sky!!!
Date: May 1, 2025
As drones continue to grow in popularity and functionality, businesses are rapidly expanding their use of unmanned aerial vehicles. In a similar rush, schools are looking for new ways to teach their students how to code and bring programming into the classroom. This workshop aims to bring these needs together as we learn how to bring drones into our classroom and code them! Throughout the day, teachers will be introduced to drone terminology, safety issues, legal concerns, requirements, and drone options, with a majority of the workshop being spent learning how we can code these amazing machines.
Come discover what it takes to bring drones into the classroom as a part of this hands-on workshop. Participants will have the chance to ask questions, code their own drone, and learn about essential drone terminology, safety issues, legal concerns, operational requirements, and drone model options. Participants will also walk away a Robolink Codrone of their own to make implementing their newfound drone knowledge even easier.
REGISTRATION will close 11 days before (April 20th) so that we have enough time to order your drone.
Presenter: Ben Sondgeroth
Time: 9:00 AM - 2:30 PM
Location: The Community Foundation of McHenry County
33 E Woodstock Street
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
Fee: $260 (includes the price of the drone)
Activity Hours: 5
REGISTER HERE
Administrator Academy #1801: Gathering Evidence During Observations and Conferencing Using The Danielson Model
Date: December 16, 2024
This course satisfies the professional practice refresher requirement for those who currently have the credential to evaluate teachers. It will allow participants to learn effective skills and strategies for using Charlotte Danielson’s Frameworks in a summative setting in order to more effectively: 1. Identify evidence at the component/element level during formal and informal observations; 2. Use evidence to effectively rate staff on the levels of performance for each domain; 3. Acquire strategies to support effective collaborative conferencing around formal and informal observations; and 4. Learn techniques, strategies, and protocols to use when conferencing with staff about professional development. Course participants will apply these new skills and strategies to a case study of professional practice as it relates to their work in the teacher appraisal system.
Presenter: Pat Durley
Time: 8:30am - 3:30pm
Location: Virtual (please note this change)
Fee: $175
Activity Hours: AA Credit
Register Here
McTECH is BACK!!! Technology Roundtables
Join us for an open discussion on current educational technology topics and trends. This networking meeting is open to all educational technology positions including technology directors, instructional technology coaches, and any other positions interested in discussing the current state of technology in our schools. While a short presentation may lead off our time together, the majority of the meeting will be open for participants to share their experiences and challenges with the group.
Presenter: Ben Sondgeroth
Time: 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Location: The Community Foundation, 33 E Woodstock Street, Crystal Lake, IL
Fee: FREE
Activity Hours: 2
Register below (Quarterly on Tuesdays):
