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SRBI/MTSS Focus Groups- Session 2
Families, caregivers, educators, administrators, and support services personnel are invited to participate in upcoming focus groups to share their perspectives on the current implementation of Scientific Research-Based Interventions (SRBI)/Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) in schools and districts. As state guidelines and supplemental resources are currently being updated, your voice is essential in helping to shape a shared vision that reflects the strengths, needs, and priorities of Connecticut’s school communities.
These focus groups will provide an opportunity for educators and families, PreK-12, to share lessons learned, offer feedback, and contribute ideas that will inform the evolution of state guidance and development of implementation resources moving forward. We value your insights and encourage your participation in this collaborative process.
Participants are asked to register for one virtual focus group session on a date and time that works best for them. The available sessions are:
F…
Topic: SRBI. Multi-Tiered System of Supports. Activity Code: 26-11-140-001. Registration Link: Click Here to Register https://26-11-140.eventbrite.com. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Featured Event: Yes. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: SERC and RESC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Michelle LeBrun-Griffin, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 321 or griffin@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Grades Pre-k-12; Families/Caregivers and Educators/Practitioners (e.g. Principals, General and Special Education Teachers, Interventionists, and Related Service Providers).
Monday, March 2, 2026, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM.
SRBI/MTSS Focus Groups- Session 3
Families, caregivers, educators, administrators, and support services personnel are invited to participate in upcoming focus groups to share their perspectives on the current implementation of Scientific Research-Based Interventions (SRBI)/Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) in schools and districts. As state guidelines and supplemental resources are currently being updated, your voice is essential in helping to shape a shared vision that reflects the strengths, needs, and priorities of Connecticut’s school communities.
These focus groups will provide an opportunity for educators and families, PreK-12, to share lessons learned, offer feedback, and contribute ideas that will inform the evolution of state guidance and development of implementation resources moving forward. We value your insights and encourage your participation in this collaborative process.
Participants are asked to register for one virtual focus group session on a date and time that works best for them. The available sessions are:
F…
Topic: SRBI. Multi-Tiered System of Supports. Activity Code: 26-11-140-002. Registration Link: Click Here to Register https://26-11-140.eventbrite.com. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: SERC and RESC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Michelle LeBrun-Griffin, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 321 or griffin@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Grades Pre-k-12; Families/Caregivers and Educators/Practitioners (e.g. Principals, General and Special Education Teachers, Interventionists, and Related Service Providers).
Tuesday, March 3, 2026, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM.
Planning and Placement Team Leadership Institute (PPT LI)- Cohort 1- Session 8-Capstone: Refining If-Then Statements For Lasting Change
The Planning and Placement Team Leadership Institute (PPTLI) is a one-year intensive experience for professionals who chair PPT meetings in Connecticut, with the purpose of training leaders to facilitate PPT meetings that meet legal requirements, foster positive school/parent partnerships, and result in high-quality individualized programming for students with disabilities. This statewide initiative is designed to support compliance with state and federal special education regulations.
Participants in the institute will learn to: facilitate team meetings; create and write clear and effective individualized education programs (IEPs); foster positive relationships with parents; partner with district leaders to identify and implement a capstone project that addresses a needed change or enhancement in practice, and; develop support networks to foster the implementation of best practices in the education of students with disabilities. All topics are addressed with the framework of compliance and collaboration but…
Topic: Leadership. Activity Code: 26-15-020-007. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: A team from CSDE, SERC, the RESC Alliance, CPAC & CES. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Elisa Laudati, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 372 or laudati@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Educational professionals who chair, or have the potential to chair, PPT meetings in Connecticut.
Wednesday, March 4, 2026, 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM.
SRBI/MTSS Family Focus Group 1 (In English and Spanish)
Families, caregivers, educators, administrators, and support services personnel are invited to participate in upcoming focus groups to share their perspectives on the current implementation of Scientific Research-Based Interventions (SRBI)/Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) in schools and districts. As state guidelines and supplemental resources are currently being updated, your voice is essential in helping to shape a shared vision that reflects the strengths, needs, and priorities of Connecticut’s school communities.
These focus groups will provide an opportunity for educators and families, PreK-12, to share lessons learned, offer feedback, and contribute ideas that will inform the evolution of state guidance and development of implementation resources moving forward. We value your insights and encourage your participation in this collaborative process.
Participants are asked to register for one virtual focus group session on a date and time that works best for them. The available sessions are:
F…
Topic: Multi-Tiered System of Supports. SRBI. Activity Code: 26-11-140-005. Registration Link: Click Link to Register https://26-11-140.eventbrite.com. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: SERC and RESC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Michelle LeBrun-Griffin, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 321 or griffin@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Grades Pre-k-12; Families/Caregivers and Educators/Practitioners (e.g. Principals, General and Special Education Teachers, Interventionists, and Related Service Providers).
Thursday, March 5, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM.
SRBI/MTSS Family Focus Group 2 (In English and Spanish)
Families, caregivers, educators, administrators, and support services personnel are invited to participate in upcoming focus groups to share their perspectives on the current implementation of Scientific Research-Based Interventions (SRBI)/Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) in schools and districts. As state guidelines and supplemental resources are currently being updated, your voice is essential in helping to shape a shared vision that reflects the strengths, needs, and priorities of Connecticut’s school communities.
These focus groups will provide an opportunity for educators and families, PreK-12, to share lessons learned, offer feedback, and contribute ideas that will inform the evolution of state guidance and development of implementation resources moving forward. We value your insights and encourage your participation in this collaborative process.
Participants are asked to register for one virtual focus group session on a date and time that works best for them. The available sessions are:
F…
Topic: Multi-Tiered System of Supports. SRBI. Activity Code: 26-11-140-006. Registration Link: Click Link to Register https://26-11-140.eventbrite.com. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: SERC and RESC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Michelle LeBrun-Griffin, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 321 or griffin@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Grades Pre-k-12; Families/Caregivers and Educators/Practitioners (e.g. Principals, General and Special Education Teachers, Interventionists, and Related Service Providers).
Thursday, March 5, 2026, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
Dyslexia Awareness Collaborative: Read Across America with Carmen Agra Deedy
Dyslexia Awareness Collaborative: Read Across America with Carmen Agra Deedy
March 6, 2026 1-2 p.m.
Join us to hear author Carmen Agra Deedy share her beautiful stories, from growing up as a dyslexic student to becoming an award-winning author of sixteen books for young readers including "The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet!" "The Library Dragon," "Rita and Ralph’s Rotten Day," and "14 Cows for America," a New York Times Bestseller. Her latest books are "Wombat Said Come In," released in October 2022, "Carina Felina," released in August 2023, and "The Peanut Man," released in March 2025.
Funny, insightful and frequently irreverent, Deedy’s narratives are culled from her childhood as a Cuban refugee in Decatur, Georgia. She hosts the four-time Emmy-winning children’s program, "Love That Book!" Deedy is also an accomplished lecturer, having been a guest speaker for the Library of Congress, Columbia University, TED and TEDx Conferences, and the Kennedy Center among other distinguished venues. An editor and…
Online Location: Virtual Session. Topic: Dyslexia. Activity Code: 26-58-100-000. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Single-Day. Featured Event: Yes. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Carmen Agra Deedy, Author, Deedy Storytelling. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Claire Conroy, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 326 or conroy@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Lauren Johns, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 256 or johns@ctserc.org. Audience: K-Grade 12: -Administrators
-Parents
-Students
-Legislators
-Advocates
-Community Agencies/
Organizations.
Friday, March 6, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
Web, Online Course.
SRBI/MTSS Focus Groups- Session 4
Families, caregivers, educators, administrators, and support services personnel are invited to participate in upcoming focus groups to share their perspectives on the current implementation of Scientific Research-Based Interventions (SRBI)/Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) in schools and districts. As state guidelines and supplemental resources are currently being updated, your voice is essential in helping to shape a shared vision that reflects the strengths, needs, and priorities of Connecticut’s school communities.
These focus groups will provide an opportunity for educators and families, PreK-12, to share lessons learned, offer feedback, and contribute ideas that will inform the evolution of state guidance and development of implementation resources moving forward. We value your insights and encourage your participation in this collaborative process.
Participants are asked to register for one virtual focus group session on a date and time that works best for them. The available sessions are:
F…
Topic: SRBI. Multi-Tiered System of Supports. Activity Code: 26-11-140-003. Registration Link: Click Here to Register https://26-11-140.eventbrite.com. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: SERC and RESC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Michelle LeBrun-Griffin, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 321 or griffin@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Grades Pre-k-12; Families/Caregivers and Educators/Practitioners (e.g. Principals, General and Special Education Teachers, Interventionists, and Related Service Providers).
Friday, March 6, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
SRBI/MTSS Focus Groups- Session 5
Families, caregivers, educators, administrators, and support services personnel are invited to participate in upcoming focus groups to share their perspectives on the current implementation of Scientific Research-Based Interventions (SRBI)/Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) in schools and districts. As state guidelines and supplemental resources are currently being updated, your voice is essential in helping to shape a shared vision that reflects the strengths, needs, and priorities of Connecticut’s school communities.
These focus groups will provide an opportunity for educators and families, PreK-12, to share lessons learned, offer feedback, and contribute ideas that will inform the evolution of state guidance and development of implementation resources moving forward. We value your insights and encourage your participation in this collaborative process.
Participants are asked to register for one virtual focus group session on a date and time that works best for them. The available sessions are:
F…
Topic: SRBI. Multi-Tiered System of Supports. Activity Code: 26-11-140-004. Registration Link: Click Here to Register https://26-11-140.eventbrite.com. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: SERC and RESC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Michelle LeBrun-Griffin, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 321 or griffin@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Grades Pre-k-12; Families/Caregivers and Educators/Practitioners (e.g. Principals, General and Special Education Teachers, Interventionists, and Related Service Providers).
Monday, March 9, 2026, 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM.
Planning and Placement Team Leadership Institute (PPT LI)- Cohort 2: General Educator- Day 5: Planning Your Systemic Improvement
The Planning and Placement Team Leadership Institute (PPTLI) is a one-year intensive experience for general education professionals who chair, or have the potential to chair, PPT meetings in Connecticut. Participants will be trained to facilitate PPT meetings that meet legal requirements, foster positive school/parent partnerships, and move toward high-quality individualized programming for students with disabilities. This statewide initiative is designed to support compliance with state and federal special education regulations.
Participants in the institute will learn to: facilitate team meetings; create and write clear and effective individualized education programs (IEPs); foster positive relationships with parents; partner with district leaders to identify and implement a capstone project that addresses a needed change or enhancement in practice, and; develop support networks to foster the implementation of best practices in the education of students with disabilities.
Topic: Leadership. Activity Code: 26-15-011-004. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: A team from CSDE, SERC, EastConn, ACES, CPAC & CES. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Elisa Laudati, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 372 or laudati@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Grades Pre-k-12; General educational professionals who chair, or have the potential to chair, PPT meetings in Connecticut.
Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Relevant Restorative Practices Practitioner Training (R2P2) - Day 1
SERC Special Events
Join us for a transformative two-day, in-person journey into Restorative Practices, where you'll deeply explore the foundational principles of this framework through a culturally relevant and responsive lens. Discover how these practices can be seamlessly integrated into your existing MTSS structure to foster a strong sense of community across classrooms, schools, and districts. Deepen your understanding and leave equipped with tools to build inclusive, supportive learning environments.
Online Location: Click Here to Register: https://26-75-108.eventbrite.com. Activity Code: 26-75-108-000. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: $150 per person. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Dwight Sharpe and Christina Simms, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Dwight Sharpe, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 324 or sharpe@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: Pre-K, Elementary, Secondary, and Collegiate educators, administrators, counselors, and pupil services staff.
Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
SERC
175 Union Street
Waterbury, CT 06706.
SRBI/MTSS Family Focus Group 3 (In English and Spanish)
Families, caregivers, educators, administrators, and support services personnel are invited to participate in upcoming focus groups to share their perspectives on the current implementation of Scientific Research-Based Interventions (SRBI)/Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) in schools and districts. As state guidelines and supplemental resources are currently being updated, your voice is essential in helping to shape a shared vision that reflects the strengths, needs, and priorities of Connecticut’s school communities.
These focus groups will provide an opportunity for educators and families, PreK-12, to share lessons learned, offer feedback, and contribute ideas that will inform the evolution of state guidance and development of implementation resources moving forward. We value your insights and encourage your participation in this collaborative process.
Participants are asked to register for one virtual focus group session on a date and time that works best for them. The available sessions are:
F…
Topic: Multi-Tiered System of Supports. SRBI. Activity Code: 26-11-140-007. Registration Link: Click Link to Register https://26-11-140.eventbrite.com. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: SERC and RESC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Michelle LeBrun-Griffin, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 321 or griffin@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Grades Pre-k-12; Families/Caregivers and Educators/Practitioners (e.g. Principals, General and Special Education Teachers, Interventionists, and Related Service Providers).
Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
Relevant Restorative Practices Practitioner Training (R2P2) - Day 2
SERC Special Events
Join us for a transformative two-day, in-person journey into Restorative Practices, where you'll deeply explore the foundational principles of this framework through a culturally relevant and responsive lens. Discover how these practices can be seamlessly integrated into your existing MTSS structure to foster a strong sense of community across classrooms, schools, and districts. Deepen your understanding and leave equipped with tools to build inclusive, supportive learning environments.
Online Location: Click Here to Register: https://26-75-108.eventbrite.com. Activity Code: 26-75-108-000. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: $150 per person. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Dwight Sharpe and Christina Simms, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Dwight Sharpe, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 324 or sharpe@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: Pre-K, Elementary, Secondary, and Collegiate educators, administrators, counselors, and pupil services staff.
Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
SERC
175 Union Street
Waterbury, CT 06706.
LGBTQIA+ Inclusive and Affirming Practices to Cultivate Belonging and Mattering: A Four-Part Professional Learning Series - Day 2 of 4
SERC Special Events
Seats still available! Contact Heather Dawes dawes@ctserc.org to register!
Join this four-part learning series designed to build knowledge, expand perspectives, learn practical strategies, and develop action plans to help create school communities where every student feels safe, seen, and valued.
Overall Goals:
- Build educator understanding of LGBTQIA+ identities, histories, and experiences.
- Develop trauma-informed, inclusive practices that foster safety, belonging, and mattering.
- Examine how LGBTQIA+ identities intersect with race, disability, and immigrant experiences.
- Strengthen systems and policies that sustain affirming and equitable school environments.
Learning Series Overview:
Session 1: LGBTQIA+ 101 - Foundations - Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Cadence Pentheny, Community Education Director at Triangle Community Center
A grounding session in key terminology, concepts, and historical context to strengthen inclusive mindsets and classroom practice.
Session 2: LGBTQIA+ 201 - Mental Health and…
Topic: Mental Health. Activity Code: 26-06-133-001. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Anthony Brisson, Senior Program/Policy Analyst at the National Education Association, Laura Minero, PhD, Founder/CEO at Alchemy Psychology Colectivo, and Cadence Pentheny, Community Education Director at Triangle Community Center. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Elisa Palmieri Laudati, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 372 or laudati@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: Teachers and school staff.
Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
CT Transition Community of Practice (CoP) - March
CT Transition Community of Practice (CoP) - March, March 12, 2026 (9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.)
Connecticut has created the CT Transition Community of Practice (CoP) to centralize all activities, resources, and initiatives related to secondary transition and to provide information and support to students, families, and professionals. The CoP is comprised of multiple stakeholder groups that have come together with a single focus: enhancing the transition of youth with disabilities to adult life. Come learn what we are all about! See how your ideas fit into Connecticut’s overall plans and help us plot our course for improving student outcomes.
Online Location: Virtual Session. Topic: Transition. Activity Code: 26-20-018-000. Registration Link: Virtual Session. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Single-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Birth-21. Presenters: To Be Announced. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Chelsea Barone, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 229 or cbarone@ctserc.onmicrosoft.com. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Lauren Johns, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 256 or johns@ctserc.org. Audience: Birth-21: Parents/Families, Students/Youth, School Professionals, Transition Coordinators and Directors, Employers, and Representatives of other state agencies related to transition (DDS, ADS/BRS, BESB, DOL, DCF).
Thursday, March 12, 2026, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM.
Understanding Disproportionality in School Discipline Series - Day 3
In this three-day series of professional learning opportunities, teachers will come to better understand their role in creating inclusive classroom environments for all learners. Schools across the United States and in Connecticut often report higher suspensions, expulsions and other punitive consequences for certain groups of students. These sessions will encourage self-reflection in order to better understand approaches to managing and addressing the day-to-day behavioral expectations and routines that will ensure consistent and compassionate responses school-wide as well as provide participants with skills to define implicit bias and understand how it negatively affects educators and their students, and understand developmentally appropriate approaches to discuss race and disabilities in the classroom using case scenarios.Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Thursday, March 12, 2026, 9:00am to 10:30am.
Topic: CSDE Events. Activity Code: 26-75-052-002. Registration Link: Virtual Session. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Elisa Palmieri Laudati and Eben McKnight, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: Prek-12 School staff.
Thursday, March 12, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM.
Multi‐Tiered Systems of Support for Behavior - Coaches Day 1
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) is a framework for implementing a continuum of academic and social-emotional and behavioral supports meeting students’ needs and enhancing opportunities for achievement while reducing exclusionary school discipline practices that have a disproportionately adverse effect on students with disabilities, students of color and low-income students. During this multi-day training, participants will explore the core tier 1 features necessary to establish an effective, efficient system for school-wide behavior support. Target audience: School-wide team required to check with presenters for more information.Day 1 Thursday, December 18, 2025
Day 2 Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Day 3 Wednesday, February 4, 2026 – Virtual (Zoom Link will be sent after Day 2)
Day 4 Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Day 5 Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Day 6 Wednesday, May 20, 2026, COACHES SESSIONS – 1pm to 2:30pm - Virtual
Day 1 – Thursday, March 12, 2026
Day 2 – Wednesday, May 6, 2026.
Topic: CSDE Events. Multi-Tiered System of Supports. Activity Code: 26-75-121-003. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Eben McKnight and Christina Simms, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: K-12 School Staff.
Thursday, March 12, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM.
Aligning and Integrating Practices Using an MTSS Framework - Day 2
This two-day training course will provide an overview of aligning/integrating SEL and/or Restorative Practices into a multi-tiered framework. Using the Hexagon Tool with a race and special education equity lens, teams will be prompted to consider potential impacts of the program or practice on the focus population and whether or not the implementation of the program or practice could advance equitable outcomes for all individuals and families.
Topic: CSDE Events. Multi-Tiered System of Supports. Activity Code: 26-75-056-001. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Eben McKnight and Elisa Palmieri Laudati, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: Directors of Pupil Services Indicator 4 and 4B Districts Tiered Intervention Coordinators, School/District Administrators, Coaches.
Friday, March 13, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
SERC
175 Union Street
Waterbury, CT 06706.
Developing Tier 3 Supports - Day 1
A multi-tiered behavioral framework doesn’t just work with school-wide and targeted supports. It’s also an effective way to address sometimes dangerous, often highly disruptive behaviors creating barriers to learning and excluding students from social settings. These students may need more intensive, individualized support to improve their behavioral and academic outcomes. Tier 3 strategies work for students with developmental disabilities, autism, emotional and behavioral disorders, and students with no diagnostic label at all. In this three-day series, the school will create systems and core features of tier 3 supports and will learn to implement a plan designed to target specific behaviors.
Topic: CSDE Events. Activity Code: 26-75-065-000. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Featured Event: Yes. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Eben McKnight and Elisa Palmieri Laudati, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC Project Specialist, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: District or School teams of K-12 school staff.
Tuesday, March 17, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
SERC
175 Union Street
Waterbury, CT 06706.
PPT Leadership Community of Practice
To expand the reach of the Planning and Placement Team Leadership Institute (PPTLI) relational content and philosophy, a PPT Leadership Community of Practice (CoP) has been developed. This initiative is designed to bring together both current and prospective PPT chairpersons to network, discuss challenges in practice, and explore key concepts from the PPTLI curriculum.
The PPT Leadership CoP provides a monthly, virtual, one-hour gathering facilitated by PPTLI trainers. Each session fosters collaborative learning, shared problem-solving, understanding of PPT leadership and facilitation, and professional growth in a supportive environment.
Topic: Leadership. Activity Code: 26-15-015-006. Registration Link: Virtual Session. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: A team from CSDE, SERC, EastConn, ACES, CPAC & CES. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Elisa Laudati, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 372 or laudati@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Grades Pre-K-12; Educational professionals who chair, or have the potential to chair, PPT meetings in Connecticut.
Tuesday, March 17, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
11th Annual Secondary Transition Symposium: Youth Leading a Changing World
11th Annual Secondary Transition Symposium: Youth Leading a Changing World, Wednesday, March 18, 2026
The Connecticut Secondary Transition Symposium brings students and their families together with educators and other professionals to improve secondary transition programming and services for students with disabilities.
The 11th Annual Secondary Transition Symposium will build the capacity of educators and other professionals, in partnership with middle and high school students with disabilities and their families, to help ensure successful postsecondary outcomes. There will be a variety of presentations for families, youth, and professionals.
The symposium is one full-day, in-person session. The event is hosted by the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), and the State Education Resource Center (SERC). Other supporting stakeholders include; the Connecticut Department of Aging and Disability Services (ADS), the Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center (CPAC), the Connecticut Department of…
Online Location: Click here to register: https://26-20-123.eventbrite.com. Topic: CSDE Events. Transition. Activity Code: 26-20-123-000. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Single-Day. Cost: $15 fee for participants. Grade Level: Birth-21. Presenters: Various Presenters. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Chelsea Barone, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 229 or barone@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Lauren Johns, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 256 or johns@ctserc.org. Audience: Birth-21: Youth with Disabilities and their Families, Special Education Teachers, Administrators, and Transition Coordinators.
Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
CCSU Campus, New Britain
Student Center,
105 Ella Grasso Blvd, New Britain, CT 06053.
Career Readiness Showcase: School Counselors' System of Success - Session #1- Tier 1: Foundations for Evidence-Based School Counseling Practice
This virtual series highlights innovative approaches for Career Readiness and Workforce Development. Based on the Connecticut Comprehensive School Counseling Framework's career development domain, the series examines how to unite educators, administrators, and community partners to share the effective systems developed by school counselors that prepare students for college, careers, and life. This series is intended for K-12 school counselors at any stage of their careers. We will discuss best practices for creating career pathways, enhancing industry partnerships, and building a sustainable system that ensures every student can succeed in Connecticut’s changing workforce.
This series is held virtually on Wednesdays (dates listed below) from 9:00-10:00a.m.
Session#1 March 18, 2026
Tier 1: Foundations for Evidence-Based School Counseling Practice
In this opening session,…
Topic: Mental Health. Activity Code: 26-55-150-000. Registration Link: Click the link to Register https://careerreadinessshowcase.eventbrite.com. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Featured Event: Yes. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Kim Traverso, CSDE Consultant and Carol Wiltshire-Toth, Central Office Education Administrator School Counseling & Workforce Development. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Kim Traverso, Ph.D. LPC State Education Consultant and Program Manager, at Kimberly.taverso@ct.gov.. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Grades K-12; School Counselors.
Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM.
Impact of Childhood Trauma for Student of Color - Day 1
This professional learning opportunity will provide an understanding of at least three symptoms of traumatic stress in children and adolescents of color, evidence-based practices for working with these students, and related trauma-informed interventions that can be implemented in schools. SERC will track progress, and the school will demonstrate growth using a Participant Feedback and Knowledge Survey.
Topic: CSDE Events. Activity Code: 26-75-055-000. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Nitza Diaz and Bianca Irizarry, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: PreK-Grade 12: ALL Staff.
Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
SERC
175 Union Street
Waterbury, CT 06706.
Developing Secondary Systems of Supports for Students - Day 4
This four day series is designed to assist a cohort of districts/schools in implementing changes to school-wide and classroom supports. An analysis of suspension rates overall and disaggregated data by students with disabilities and race/ethnicity was conducted to identify schools in need of support. The Connecticut State Department of Education conducted a comprehensive statewide needs assessment (170 schools) of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) implementation using the SWPBIS Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI). The TFI results showed that SWPBIS implementation fidelity is relatively sound at Tier 1, with more room for improvement at Tier 2. The Tier 2 training will include the essential steps; the Hexagon Tool development; team composition and operating procedures, screening and interventions; professional development; evaluation, and; fidelity data.
Topic: CSDE Events. Activity Code: 26-75-064-003. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Nikki Hendry and Elisa Palmieri Laudati, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: K-12 School Staff.
Thursday, March 19, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM.
SERC
175 Union Street
Waterbury, CT 06706.
Student Support Series: Professional Learning for Youth Mental and Behavioral Health-Supporting Students with Anxiety
The Student Support Series is a free, monthly professional learning opportunity offered by the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) in collaboration with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) Behavioral Health Unit. Designed for school-based mental health professionals—including social workers, counselors, psychologists, nurses, and related staff—the series focuses on timely and relevant topics impacting student mental and behavioral health. Sessions are informed by current trends, participant feedback, and the evolving challenges students face. Pending approval, webinars will offer 1.5 Continuing Education Credit hours by the NASW/CT and will meet the continuing education criteria for licensure renewal for social workers, professional counselors, and licensed psychologists. To be eligible for CECs, participants must attend the webinar synchronously and be employed by a public school (inclusive of charter, magnet, and technical education), private school, or special education/alternative…
Topic: Mental Health. Activity Code: 26-55-141-001. Registration Link: Click Here to Register https://studentsupportseries.eventbrite.com. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Featured Event: Yes. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Kate Bohannan at Kate.Bohannan@ct.gov. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: K-12 Social Workers, Counselors, Psychologists, Nurses, and Related Staff.
Thursday, March 19, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM.
Educator Wellness Experience
SERC Special Events
A full-day inter-active professional development experience focused on educators' wellness, burnout prevention, and sustainable self-care practices. Participants gain practical tools to strengthen resilience, restore balance, and support long-term success in the classroom.
Designed to support professional sustainability and emotional well-being in education:
• Evidence-informed workshops focused on educator wellness and burnout prevention;
• Guided wellness experiences and restorative stations;
• Facilitated reflection and peer connection; and
• Practical educator wellness toolkit and take-home resources.
Topic: Mental Health. Activity Code: 26-55-137-000. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Single-Day. Featured Event: Yes. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: The Collective Space. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Daniela Alvarez, Consultant, (860)632-1485, ext. 302, alvarez@ctserc.org or Christina Simms, Consultant, (860) 632-1485, ext. 346, simms@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: Teachers, School Staff, Administrators, Counselors, Paraprofessionals, and School Climate Teams across Connecticut.
Friday, March 20, 2026, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
The Collective Space
258 Windsor Avenue
Windsor, CT 06095.
Family Day College Tour
SERC Special Events
Family Day College Tour
Date: Saturday, March 21, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Location: Southern Connecticut State University, 1 Wintergreen Ave. New Haven, CT 06515
Bring the family for a welcoming and informative day on the Southern Connecticut State University campus! The Family Day College Tour is designed to help students and their loved ones explore college life together. Families will have the chance to walk the campus, learn about academic programs, meet staff and current students, and discover the many supports available to help students succeed.
During the tour, families will: Explore key campus buildings, classrooms, and student spaces; , Learn about admissions, financial aid, and scholarship opportunities; , Hear about student life, clubs, and support services; , Ask questions and get guidance from knowledgeable staff; and , Experience a snapshot of what college looks and feels like. This event is perfect for families of high school students who want to understand the college journey.
Online Location: https://26-47-127.eventbrite.com. Topic: Youth. Families. Activity Code: 26-47-127-000. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Single-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades 9-12. Presenters: Nicole Vitale, SERC Consultant. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Nicole Vitale, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 234 or vitale@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Emma Velasquez, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 218 or velasquez@ctserc.org. Audience: Grades 9-12: Families and Students.
Saturday, March 21, 2026, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM.
Southern Connecticut State University
1 Wintergreen Ave. New Haven, CT 06515.
For more info visit 26-47-127.eventbrite.com. Classroom Practices for Improving Student Learning and Behavior - Day 3
In this series of professional learning opportunities, teachers will come to a better understanding of their role in creating inclusive classroom environments for all learners. In the sessions, participants will cover 10 evidence-based strategies of proactive behavior management in a flexible system that can be adapted to any classroom environment. Participants will learn about strategies in building relationships in the classroom, embedding the language of expectations into praise and correction, escalation and de-escalation, and classroom implementation of behavior support plans. High-leverage instructional practices to support academic progress, along with specific literacy strategies, will also be covered.
Topic: CSDE Events. Activity Code: 26-75-057-002. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Nikki Hendry and Elisa Palmieri Laudati, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: Prek-12 Classroom Teachers.
Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM.
SERC
175 Union Street
Waterbury, CT 06706.
A Step by Step Approach for Inclusive Schools - Day 2
Step by Step for Inclusive Schools is a systems-wide model for improving the quality and amount of time students spend in inclusive settings. Implemented across ten states and adopted on a statewide basis in Florida and Connecticut, Step by Step training results in meaningful change at the district, school and classroom levels benefiting all students and the school community.
This two-day team training in Step by Step emphasizes the importance of individualized student-centered decisions for assigning supports and services. In the training, each participating school will create an action plan and identify criteria for determining successful implementation of effective practices. This action plan addresses six critical themes: 1) Instructional Settings 2) Collaboration and Shared Responsibility for Supporting Students 3) Instructional Excellence for Diverse Learners 4) In-Class Support Models and Strategies 5) Peer and Family Relationships 6) Effective Use of Personnel.
As a result of this training, parti…
Topic: CSDE Events. Activity Code: 26-09-082-001. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Nikki Hendry and Michelle LeBrun-Griffin, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Nikki Hendry, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 255 or hendry@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: Required team members: Principal, GE teacher, Special Ed teacher, Related Service Provider(s).
Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
West Hartford Conference Center
50 South Main Street
West Hartford, CT 06107.
Career Readiness Showcase: School Counselors' System of Success - Session #2- Tier 1: Collaborating for Student Success
This virtual series highlights innovative approaches for Career Readiness and Workforce Development. Based on the Connecticut Comprehensive School Counseling Framework's career development domain, the series examines how to unite educators, administrators, and community partners to share the effective systems developed by school counselors that prepare students for college, careers, and life. This series is intended for K-12 school counselors at any stage of their careers. We will discuss best practices for creating career pathways, enhancing industry partnerships, and building a sustainable system that ensures every student can succeed in Connecticut’s changing workforce.
This series is held virtually on Wednesdays (dates listed below) from 9:00-10:00a.m.
Session#1 March 18, 2026
Tier 1: Foundations for Evidence-Based School Counseling Practice
In this opening session,…
Topic: Mental Health. Activity Code: 26-55-150-001. Registration Link: Click the link to Register https://careerreadinessshowcase.eventbrite.com. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Kim Traverso, CSDE Consultant and Carol Wiltshire-Toth, Central Office Education Administrator School Counseling & Workforce Development. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Kim Traverso, Ph.D. LPC State Education Consultant and Program Manager, at Kimberly.taverso@ct.gov.. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Grades K-12; School Counselors.
Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM.
Designing for ALL: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Universal Design for Learning - Day 1
SERC Special Events
With the evolution of AI, we know it can play a vital role in education by enhancing personalization, accessibility, and efficiency. In their guidance on AI, the CSDE acknowledges that educators will need a baseline understanding of AI technology and how it applies to their subject area and grade level. In this professional development, participants will be supported to connect the core tenants of Translanguaging and UDL (Tr/UDL), which emphasizes proactive planning and welcomes every student from the outset. Particularly teachers will make the connections between: a. Culturally responsive practices that connect learning to students’ identities and interests, fostering deeper engagement; b. Multilingual and multimodal teacher strategies that increase accessibility and comprehension; c. Multilingual and multimodal student practices that provide flexible ways to demonstrate understanding. When combined with Tr/UDL, AI can empower educators to meet the diverse assets and needs of all learners.…
Topic: Universal Design for Learning. Activity Code: 26-28-145-000. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Featured Event: Yes. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades 6-12. Presenters: Sophia Diamantis and Smita Worah, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Sophia Diamantis, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 382 or diamantis@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: School-based teams of 3-4 people comprised of General Educators, Special Educators, Multilingual Learner Teachers & ESL Coaches.
Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
SERC
175 Union Street
Waterbury, CT 06706.
Using Assessment Data to Develop Present Levels of Performance and IEP Goals and Objectives in the Areas of Reading and Written Expression - (High School)
Using Assessment Data to Develop Present Levels of Performance and IEP Goals and Objectives in the Areas of Reading and Written Expression - (High School) March 25, 2026
2 - 3 p.m.
Unlock Student Potential: Transform Assessment Data into Targeted Goals
Are you looking to bridge the gap between assessment data and meaningful student progress? Join us for an insightful seminar on "Using Assessment Data to Develop Present Levels of Performance and Goals and Objectives in the Areas of Reading and Written Expression." This session will equip High school educators and specialists with practical strategies to analyze assessment data effectively, craft precise present levels of performance, and set measurable, individualized goals. Learn how to translate data into actionable steps that drive student success in reading and writing. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your instructional planning and create impactful learning experiences!
Online Location: Virtual Session. Topic: Dyslexia. Activity Code: 26-58-105-000. Registration Link: Virtual Session. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Single-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades 9-12. Presenters: Kristin Allen, Associate Education Consultant; Claire Conroy, SERC Consultant & Elisa Palmieri Laudati, SERC Consultant. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Claire Conroy, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 326 or conroy@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Lauren Johns, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 256 or johns@ctserc.org. Audience: Grades 9-12: High School Special Educators, Administrators.
Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Low-Cost and No-Cost AT: Session A - For Educators and Families
Do you know how to access the best technologies for your children’s education? Did you know that many assistive technologies cost little or nothing to you or your school? This hands-on session is designed for educators and families of students with disabilities, learning differences, and any kind of academic challenge in school. Participants will learn about low‐cost and free technologies including open-source software, online resources, apps, and accessibility features built into the technology many of us use every day. These valuable tools, including low-tech options, support student learning in school and at home by providing an alternative means of accessing the same classroom curriculum as their peers. SERC will display and demonstrate various assistive technologies in this session, and participants will have the opportunity to create and take home their own customized version of assistive technology. This SERC/CSDE workshop is in collaboration with Tech Tools for Life and Connecticut Tech Act project.
Topic: IDEA. Universal Design for Learning. Activity Code: 26-28-061-000. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Single-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Claire Conroy, Ed.D. and Smita Worah, Ph.D; SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Claire Conroy, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 326 or conroy@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Grades Pre-k-12; General and Special Education Teachers, Technology Coordinators, Student Support Services Professionals, Paraeducators, and Families.
Thursday, March 26, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
CT State Library
786 S. Main Street
Middletown, CT 06457.
LGBTQIA+ Inclusive and Affirming Practices to Cultivate Belonging and Mattering: A Four-Part Professional Learning Series - Day 3 of 4
SERC Special Events
Seats still available! Contact Heather Dawes dawes@ctserc.org to register!
Join this four-part learning series designed to build knowledge, expand perspectives, learn practical strategies, and develop action plans to help create school communities where every student feels safe, seen, and valued.
Overall Goals:
- Build educator understanding of LGBTQIA+ identities, histories, and experiences.
- Develop trauma-informed, inclusive practices that foster safety, belonging, and mattering.
- Examine how LGBTQIA+ identities intersect with race, disability, and immigrant experiences.
- Strengthen systems and policies that sustain affirming and equitable school environments.
Learning Series Overview:
Session 1: LGBTQIA+ 101 - Foundations - Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Cadence Pentheny, Community Education Director at Triangle Community Center
A grounding session in key terminology, concepts, and historical context to strengthen inclusive mindsets and classroom practice.
Session 2: LGBTQIA+ 201 - Mental Health and…
Topic: Mental Health. Activity Code: 26-06-133-002. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Anthony Brisson, Senior Program/Policy Analyst at the National Education Association, Laura Minero, PhD, Founder/CEO at Alchemy Psychology Colectivo, and Cadence Pentheny, Community Education Director at Triangle Community Center. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Elisa Palmieri Laudati, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 372 or laudati@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: Teachers and school staff.
Thursday, March 26, 2026, 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Preschool Special Education Virtual Forum - Day 3
Preschool Special Education Forum
*This is a four (4) day event - Thursdays from 1:00 p.m.- 2:00 p.m.
Thursday, September 25, 2025
Thursday, December 11, 2025
Thursday, March 26, 2026
Thursday, May 14, 2026
*Please choose the dates you are able to attend. Location: Zoom. Once registered, you will recieve a Zoom link two hours before the start time on the day of the session.
This virtual forum, designed for early childhood special education administrators, supervisors and program coordinators, will include four one-hour sessions held between September 2025 and June 2026. Each session will feature a presentation on a pre-selected topic followed by a roundtable discussion. Participants are encouraged to bring questions for peer feedback and idea sharing, as well as to exchange relevant resources. A pre-forum survey will be distributed to help guide the selection of discussion topics for the year.
Topic: Early Childhood. Activity Code: 26-46-021-002. Registration Link: Click the link to Register https://26-46-021.eventbrite.com. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Pre-K-Age3-5. Presenters: Chelsea Barone, SERC Consultant & Renee Kleinman, MSW, CSDE Early Childhood Special Education Consultant, CSDE. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Chelsea Barone, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 229 or barone@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Emma Velasquez, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 218 or velasquez@ctserc.org. Audience: Preschool special education administrators, supervisors, and program coordinators.
Thursday, March 26, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
Pyramid Model Practices - Day 1
This three-day series is designed to assist districts and early childhood education programs in their implementation of sustainable systems for the implementation of the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children (Pyramid Model practices) within early intervention and early education programs. There is a focus on promoting the social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes of young children birth to five, reducing the use of inappropriate discipline practices, promoting family engagement, and using data for decision-making.
Topic: CSDE Events. Activity Code: 26-75-115-000. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Featured Event: Yes. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-5. Presenters: Chelsea Barone and Christine Kuehlewind, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: Early Childhood Educators and Administrators.
Tuesday, March 31, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
Klingberg Nexus
370 Linwood Street
New Britain, CT 06052.
Social Emotional Learning within Multi‐tiered Systems of Support
This session explores the integration of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) practices into a multi-tiered framework to promote equity, emotional intelligence and positive outcomes for all students. Participants will engage in discussions on identity-centered SEL, translanguaging, and the role of systems thinking in fostering inclusive learning environments and positive school climates. Through interactive activities and guided reflections, educators will develop strategies to recognize and support students’ social, emotional, and behavioral assets and needs while aligning SEL within MTSS structures. The Connecticut definition of SEL, the Social, Emotional and Intellectual Habits of Mind, identity centered practices, and other relevant resources will be used as guiding principles for implementation.
Topic: CSDE Events. Activity Code: 26-75-116-000. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Single-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Sophia Diamantis and Elisa Palmieri Laudati, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: K-12 teachers, school psychologists, social workers, school counselors, interventionists, administrators.
Tuesday, March 31, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
SERC
175 Union Street
Waterbury, CT 06706.
Career Readiness Showcase: School Counselors' System of Success - Session #3- Tier 2: Data-Driven Counseling and Collaborative Leadership
This virtual series highlights innovative approaches for Career Readiness and Workforce Development. Based on the Connecticut Comprehensive School Counseling Framework's career development domain, the series examines how to unite educators, administrators, and community partners to share the effective systems developed by school counselors that prepare students for college, careers, and life. This series is intended for K-12 school counselors at any stage of their careers. We will discuss best practices for creating career pathways, enhancing industry partnerships, and building a sustainable system that ensures every student can succeed in Connecticut’s changing workforce.
This series is held virtually on Wednesdays (dates listed below) from 9:00-10:00a.m.
Session#1 March 18, 2026
Tier 1: Foundations for Evidence-Based School Counseling Practice
In this opening session,…
Topic: Mental Health. Activity Code: 26-55-150-002. Registration Link: Click the link to Register https://careerreadinessshowcase.eventbrite.com. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Kim Traverso, CSDE Consultant and Carol Wiltshire-Toth, Central Office Education Administrator School Counseling & Workforce Development. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Kim Traverso, Ph.D. LPC State Education Consultant and Program Manager, at Kimberly.taverso@ct.gov.. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Grades K-12; School Counselors.
Wednesday, April 1, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM.
Multi‐Tiered Systems of Support for Behavior - Day 4
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) is a framework for implementing a continuum of academic and social-emotional and behavioral supports meeting students’ needs and enhancing opportunities for achievement while reducing exclusionary school discipline practices that have a disproportionately adverse effect on students with disabilities, students of color and low-income students. During this multi-day training, participants will explore the core tier 1 features necessary to establish an effective, efficient system for school-wide behavior support. Target audience: School-wide team required to check with presenters for more information.Day 1 Thursday, December 18, 2025
Day 2 Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Day 3 Wednesday, February 4, 2026 – Virtual (Zoom Link will be sent after Day 2)
Day 4 Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Day 5 Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Day 6 Wednesday, May 20, 2026, COACHES SESSIONS – 1pm to 2:30pm - Virtual
Day 1 – Thursday, March 12, 2026
Day 2 – Wednesday, May 6, 2026.
Topic: CSDE Events. Multi-Tiered System of Supports. Activity Code: 26-75-121-004. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Eben McKnight and Christina Simms, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: K-12 School Staff.
Wednesday, April 1, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
West Hartford Conference Center
50 South Main Street
West Hartford, CT 06107.
Planning and Placement Team Leadership Institute (PPT LI)- Cohort 1- Session 9 - Capstone: From Vision to Action
The Planning and Placement Team Leadership Institute (PPTLI) is a one-year intensive experience for professionals who chair PPT meetings in Connecticut, with the purpose of training leaders to facilitate PPT meetings that meet legal requirements, foster positive school/parent partnerships, and result in high-quality individualized programming for students with disabilities. This statewide initiative is designed to support compliance with state and federal special education regulations.
Participants in the institute will learn to: facilitate team meetings; create and write clear and effective individualized education programs (IEPs); foster positive relationships with parents; partner with district leaders to identify and implement a capstone project that addresses a needed change or enhancement in practice, and; develop support networks to foster the implementation of best practices in the education of students with disabilities. All topics are addressed with the framework of compliance and collaboration but…
Topic: Leadership. Activity Code: 26-15-020-008. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: A team from CSDE, SERC, the RESC Alliance, CPAC & CES. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Elisa Laudati, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 372 or laudati@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Educational professionals who chair, or have the potential to chair, PPT meetings in Connecticut.
Wednesday, April 1, 2026, 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM.
MTSS Leadership Session - Day 1
These sessions are designed to build capacity to develop, enhance, and expand Connecticut’s Statewide Systems of Support to local education agencies (LEAs) and schools using multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). MTSS provide guidance for the selection, integration, and implementation of the
best evidence-based behavioral & academic practices for improving outcomes for all students by providing direction, demonstrating alignment, and generating commitment as a collective.
Topic: CSDE Events. Multi-Tiered System of Supports. Activity Code: 26-75-122-000. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Michelle LeBrun-Griffin and Eben McKnight, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: School Leaders.
Thursday, April 2, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
Klingberg Nexus
370 Linwood Street
New Britain, CT 06052.
Person-Centered Planning (PCP): Implementation of LifeCourse
Person-Centered Planning (PCP): Implementation of LifeCourse, April 2, 2026 (9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.), This interactive, hands-on session will take a deeper dive into Charting the LifeCourse. Participants will: Understand the various ways to utilize Charting the LifeCourse to support student outcomes and engage families , Develop individualized meaningful transition experiences and services that remain relevant to, and reflective of, the student's/family's social, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds, and; , Promote self-determination and self-advocacy ensuring the development of student voice. To participate in this session, you must have attended "Person-Centered Planning: Introduction to Charting the LifeCourse" training event.
Once you have registered for this new session, a new Canvas link with further details and resources for the course will be emailed.
To enhance participation and skill development with the LifeCourse tools, you will need to complete some of the tools with one of your transition-age…
Online Location: Click Register to Sign up. Topic: Transition. Activity Code: 26-20-112-000. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Single-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades 6-12. Presenters: Nitza Diaz, SERC Consultant and Kimberly Mearman, CREC Assistant Director of Pupil Services. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Nitza Diaz, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 394 or diaz@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Lauren Johns, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 256 or johns@ctserc.org. Audience: Grades 6-12: Special Education Teachers. Participants must have completed Sections 1-2 of Introduction to LifeCourse Training.
Thursday, April 2, 2026, 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM.
SERC
175 Union Street
Waterbury, CT 06706.
Pyramid Model Practices - Day 2
This three-day series is designed to assist districts and early childhood education programs in their implementation of sustainable systems for the implementation of the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children (Pyramid Model practices) within early intervention and early education programs. There is a focus on promoting the social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes of young children birth to five, reducing the use of inappropriate discipline practices, promoting family engagement, and using data for decision-making.
Topic: CSDE Events. Activity Code: 26-75-115-001. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-5. Presenters: Chelsea Barone and Christine Kuehlewind, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: Early Childhood Educators and Administrators.
Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
Klingberg Nexus
370 Linwood Street
New Britain, CT 06052.
NEW DATE - Understanding Drivers of Chronic Stress and Burnout and What Can Be Done
Chronic stress among educators is a primary factor underlying absences, burnout and turnover. Participants will delve into the complexities of stress, chronic stress and burnout, will deepen their understanding of stress responses, and explore how chronic stress manifests in the body and mind. Through guided reflection, use of real-life scenarios, and identity-based inquiry, participants will discover personal and systemic contributors to stress and burnout. The session offers both individual and systemic tools to support healing, wellness and sustained impact.
Online Location: Virtual Session. Topic: CSDE Events. Activity Code: 26-75-053-000. Registration Link: Virtual Session. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Single-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Elisa Palmieri Laudati and Christina Simms, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC Project Specialist, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: K-12 teachers, school psychologists, social workers, school counselors, intervention coordinators, administrators.
Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM.
Impact of Childhood Trauma for Student of Color - Day 2
This professional learning opportunity will provide an understanding of at least three symptoms of traumatic stress in children and adolescents of color, evidence-based practices for working with these students, and related trauma-informed interventions that can be implemented in schools. SERC will track progress, and the school will demonstrate growth using a Participant Feedback and Knowledge Survey.
Topic: CSDE Events. Activity Code: 26-75-055-001. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Nitza Diaz and Bianca Irizarry, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: PreK-Grade 12: ALL Staff.
Wednesday, April 22, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
SERC
175 Union Street
Waterbury, CT 06706.
Low Cost, No-Cost AT: Session B -For Transition Coordinators, School Counselors, Community Members, Librarians
How do you make your activities more accessible to all patrons? Did you know that many
assistive technologies cost little or nothing to your library or your patrons?
This hands-on session is designed for School Councilors, Transition Coordinators, Community Members and Librarians and their patrons serving individuals with disabilities, learning differences, and any kind of academic challenge in school. Participants will learn about low‐cost and free technologies, including open‐source software, online resources, apps, and accessibility features built into the technology many of us use every day. These valuable tools, including low-tech options, support activities in everyday life. SERC will display and demonstrate various assistive technologies in this session, and participants will have the opportunity to create and take home their own customized version of assistive technology.
This SERC/CSDE workshop is in collaboration with Tech Tools for Life and Connecticut Tech Act project.
Topic: IDEA. Assistive Technology. Activity Code: 26-28-063-000. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Single-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Claire Conroy, Ed.D. and Smita Worah, Ph.D; SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Claire Conroy, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 326 or Conroy@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Grades K-12; Transition Coordinators, School Counselors, Community Members, Librarians.
Thursday, April 23, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
CT State Library
786 S. Main Street
Middletown, CT 06457.
MTSS Leadership Session - Day 2
These sessions are designed to build capacity to develop, enhance, and expand Connecticut’s Statewide Systems of Support to local education agencies (LEAs) and schools using multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). MTSS provide guidance for the selection, integration, and implementation of the
best evidence-based behavioral & academic practices for improving outcomes for all students by providing direction, demonstrating alignment, and generating commitment as a collective.
Topic: CSDE Events. Multi-Tiered System of Supports. Activity Code: 26-75-122-001. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Michelle LeBrun-Griffin and Eben McKnight, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: School Leaders.
Friday, April 24, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
Klingberg Nexus
370 Linwood Street
New Britain, CT 06052.
MTSS Leadership Session - Day 2
These sessions are designed to build capacity to develop, enhance, and expand Connecticut’s Statewide Systems of Support to local education agencies (LEAs) and schools using multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). MTSS provide guidance for the selection, integration, and implementation of the
best evidence-based behavioral & academic practices for improving outcomes for all students by providing direction, demonstrating alignment, and generating commitment as a collective.
Topic: CSDE Events. Multi-Tiered System of Supports. Activity Code: 26-75-122-001. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Michelle LeBrun-Griffin and Eben McKnight, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: School Leaders.
Friday, April 24, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
Klingberg Nexus
370 Linwood Street
New Britain, CT 06052.
Student Support Series: Professional Learning for Youth Mental and Behavioral Health-Emotional Regulation and Student Behavior
The Student Support Series is a free, monthly professional learning opportunity offered by the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) in collaboration with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) Behavioral Health Unit. Designed for school-based mental health professionals—including social workers, counselors, psychologists, nurses, and related staff—the series focuses on timely and relevant topics impacting student mental and behavioral health. Sessions are informed by current trends, participant feedback, and the evolving challenges students face. Pending approval, webinars will offer 1.5 Continuing Education Credit hours by the NASW/CT and will meet the continuing education criteria for licensure renewal for social workers, professional counselors, and licensed psychologists. To be eligible for CECs, participants must attend the webinar synchronously and be employed by a public school (inclusive of charter, magnet, and technical education), private school, or special education/alternative…
Topic: Mental Health. Activity Code: 26-55-141-002. Registration Link: Click Here to Register https://studentsupportseries.eventbrite.com. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Kate Bohannan at Kate.Bohannan@ct.gov. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: K-12 Social Workers, Counselors, Psychologists, Nurses, and Related Staff.
Friday, April 24, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM.
Developing Tier 3 Supports - Day 2
A multi-tiered behavioral framework doesn’t just work with school-wide and targeted supports. It’s also an effective way to address sometimes dangerous, often highly disruptive behaviors creating barriers to learning and excluding students from social settings. These students may need more intensive, individualized support to improve their behavioral and academic outcomes. Tier 3 strategies work for students with developmental disabilities, autism, emotional and behavioral disorders, and students with no diagnostic label at all. In this three-day series, the school will create systems and core features of tier 3 supports and will learn to implement a plan designed to target specific behaviors.
Topic: CSDE Events. Activity Code: 26-75-065-001. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Eben McKnight and Elisa Palmieri Laudati, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC Project Specialist, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: District or School teams of K-12 school staff.
Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
SERC
175 Union Street
Waterbury, CT 06706.
Pyramid Model Practices - Day 3
This three-day series is designed to assist districts and early childhood education programs in their implementation of sustainable systems for the implementation of the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children (Pyramid Model practices) within early intervention and early education programs. There is a focus on promoting the social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes of young children birth to five, reducing the use of inappropriate discipline practices, promoting family engagement, and using data for decision-making.
Topic: CSDE Events. Activity Code: 26-75-115-002. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-5. Presenters: Chelsea Barone and Christine Kuehlewind, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: Early Childhood Educators and Administrators.
Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
Klingberg Nexus
370 Linwood Street
New Britain, CT 06052.
Career Readiness Showcase: School Counselors' System of Success - Session #4- Tier 2: Strengthening Pathways - Targeted Supports and Collaborative Transition Planning
This virtual series highlights innovative approaches for Career Readiness and Workforce Development. Based on the Connecticut Comprehensive School Counseling Framework's career development domain, the series examines how to unite educators, administrators, and community partners to share the effective systems developed by school counselors that prepare students for college, careers, and life. This series is intended for K-12 school counselors at any stage of their careers. We will discuss best practices for creating career pathways, enhancing industry partnerships, and building a sustainable system that ensures every student can succeed in Connecticut’s changing workforce.
This series is held virtually on Wednesdays (dates listed below) from 9:00-10:00a.m.
Session#1 March 18, 2026
Tier 1: Foundations for Evidence-Based School Counseling Practice
In this opening session,…
Topic: Mental Health. Activity Code: 26-55-150-003. Registration Link: Click the link to Register https://careerreadinessshowcase.eventbrite.com. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Kim Traverso, CSDE Consultant and Carol Wiltshire-Toth, Central Office Education Administrator School Counseling & Workforce Development. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Kim Traverso, Ph.D. LPC State Education Consultant and Program Manager, at Kimberly.taverso@ct.gov.. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Grades K-12; School Counselors.
Wednesday, April 29, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM.
Multi‐Tiered Systems of Support for Behavior - Day 5
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) is a framework for implementing a continuum of academic and social-emotional and behavioral supports meeting students’ needs and enhancing opportunities for achievement while reducing exclusionary school discipline practices that have a disproportionately adverse effect on students with disabilities, students of color and low-income students. During this multi-day training, participants will explore the core tier 1 features necessary to establish an effective, efficient system for school-wide behavior support. Target audience: School-wide team required to check with presenters for more information.Day 1 Thursday, December 18, 2025
Day 2 Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Day 3 Wednesday, February 4, 2026 – Virtual (Zoom Link will be sent after Day 2)
Day 4 Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Day 5 Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Day 6 Wednesday, May 20, 2026, COACHES SESSIONS – 1pm to 2:30pm - Virtual
Day 1 – Thursday, March 12, 2026
Day 2 – Wednesday, May 6, 2026.
Topic: CSDE Events. Multi-Tiered System of Supports. Activity Code: 26-75-121-005. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Eben McKnight and Christina Simms, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: K-12 School Staff.
Wednesday, April 29, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
West Hartford Conference Center
50 South Main Street
West Hartford, CT 06107.
Beyond the Content: What New Teachers Need to Know
SERC Special Events
This interactive workshop is designed to support new teachers in developing the essential skills that foster successful teaching beyond academic content. Participants will explore strategies for effective classroom management, building meaningful relationships with students, and cultivating strong partnerships with families. The session also includes a reflective exploration of the deeper purpose of education and the teacher’s role in shaping inclusive, supportive learning environments.
Topic: Mental Health. Activity Code: 26-12-134-000. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Single-Day. Featured Event: Yes. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Nitza Diaz and Christine Kuehlewind, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Christine Kuehlewind, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 371 or kuehlewind@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: Early-career educators, first-year teachers, and teacher candidates.
Wednesday, April 29, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
SERC
175 Union Street
Waterbury, CT 06706.
PPT Leadership Community of Practice
To expand the reach of the Planning and Placement Team Leadership Institute (PPTLI) relational content and philosophy, a PPT Leadership Community of Practice (CoP) has been developed. This initiative is designed to bring together both current and prospective PPT chairpersons to network, discuss challenges in practice, and explore key concepts from the PPTLI curriculum.
The PPT Leadership CoP provides a monthly, virtual, one-hour gathering facilitated by PPTLI trainers. Each session fosters collaborative learning, shared problem-solving, understanding of PPT leadership and facilitation, and professional growth in a supportive environment.
Topic: Leadership. Activity Code: 26-15-015-007. Registration Link: Virtual Session. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: A team from CSDE, SERC, EastConn, ACES, CPAC & CES. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Elisa Laudati, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 372 or laudati@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Grades Pre-K-12; Educational professionals who chair, or have the potential to chair, PPT meetings in Connecticut.
Wednesday, April 29, 2026, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM.
Dyslexia Awareness Collaborative: "Hopeville: How to Win the Reading Wars" Screening
Dyslexia Awareness Collaborative: "Hopeville: How to Win the Reading Wars" Screening, April 29, 2026 - 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Join us for a hope-filled film screening and conversation about learning. Harvey Hubbell V is a casualty of "The Reading Wars." As a child with dyslexia, he struggled in school. As an adult, he discovered that there is a way to teach kids to read that is not being used in most schools, so he embarked on a quest to change how literacy is taught. To prove that the new system works, he spent a year with a class of diverse first graders and their teachers in Waterbury, CT, filming a documentary to provide a never-before-seen look into the challenging process of learning to read. Not only does Hubbell show us solutions in the classroom, but he also travels the country to give a voice to the diverse cast of passionate educators, researchers, and determined individuals who are fighting the status quo. From intimate interviews with struggling students to riveting classroom observations,…
Online Location: Click Register to Sign up. Topic: Dyslexia. Activity Code: 26-58-142-000. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Single-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Birth-21. Presenters: Various Presenters. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Claire Conroy, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 326 or conroy@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Lauren Johns, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 256 or johns@ctserc.org. Audience: Parents, Educators, Administrators, Legislators, and Community Stakeholders.
Wednesday, April 29, 2026, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
Central Connecticut State University
Barnard Hall - Community Room
1615 Stanley Street
New Britain, CT 06050.
Planning and Placement Team Leadership Institute (PPT LI)- Cohort 1-Session 10 - Capstone: Measuring What Matters
The Planning and Placement Team Leadership Institute (PPTLI) is a one-year intensive experience for professionals who chair PPT meetings in Connecticut, with the purpose of training leaders to facilitate PPT meetings that meet legal requirements, foster positive school/parent partnerships, and result in high-quality individualized programming for students with disabilities. This statewide initiative is designed to support compliance with state and federal special education regulations.
Participants in the institute will learn to: facilitate team meetings; create and write clear and effective individualized education programs (IEPs); foster positive relationships with parents; partner with district leaders to identify and implement a capstone project that addresses a needed change or enhancement in practice, and; develop support networks to foster the implementation of best practices in the education of students with disabilities. All topics are addressed with the framework of compliance and collaboration but…
Topic: Leadership. Activity Code: 26-15-020-009. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: A team from CSDE, SERC, the RESC Alliance, CPAC & CES. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Elisa Laudati, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 372 or laudati@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Educational professionals who chair, or have the potential to chair, PPT meetings in Connecticut.
Thursday, April 30, 2026, 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM.
Part C (Early Intervention Svcs) to Part B (PreK SpEd) Lunch & Learn - Day 3 of 3
Part C (Early Intervention Svcs) to Part B (PreK SpEd) Lunch & Learn - Day 3 of 3
*This is a three (3) day event from 12:00 p.m.- 1:00 p.m.
Wednesday, December 3, 2025
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Thursday, April 30, 2026
*Please choose the dates you are able to attend. Location: Zoom. Once registered, you will receive a Zoom link two hours before the start time on the day of the session.
The Lunch and Learn Forum is designed to be a collaborative learning opportunity for Part C and Part B directors, administrators, program coordinators, and providers/educators to come together to support transition. The first half of the meeting will focus on a topic and/or any updates, followed by a roundtable discussion. Providers can bring questions to these sessions related to early childhood transition and pose them to their colleagues for support, insight, and ideas.
Topic: Early Childhood. Activity Code: 26-46-041-002. Registration Link: Click the link to Register https://26-46-041.eventbrite.com. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Pre-K-Age3-5. Presenters: Nicole Cossette, Part C Director (OEC) and Renee Kleinman, Early Childhood Special Education Consultant (CSDE). Content Info: For content questions, please contact Chelsea Barone, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 229 or barone@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Emma Velasquez, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 218 or velasquez@ctserc.org. Audience: Early intervention (Part C) and early childhood special education (Part B, 619) providers.
Thursday, April 30, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
MTSS Leadership Session - Day 3
These sessions are designed to build capacity to develop, enhance, and expand Connecticut’s Statewide Systems of Support to local education agencies (LEAs) and schools using multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). MTSS provide guidance for the selection, integration, and implementation of the
best evidence-based behavioral & academic practices for improving outcomes for all students by providing direction, demonstrating alignment, and generating commitment as a collective.
Topic: CSDE Events. Multi-Tiered System of Supports. Activity Code: 26-75-122-002. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Michelle LeBrun-Griffin and Eben McKnight, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: School Leaders.
Friday, May 1, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
Klingberg Nexus
370 Linwood Street
New Britain, CT 06052.
Developing Tier 3 Supports - Day 3
A multi-tiered behavioral framework doesn’t just work with school-wide and targeted supports. It’s also an effective way to address sometimes dangerous, often highly disruptive behaviors creating barriers to learning and excluding students from social settings. These students may need more intensive, individualized support to improve their behavioral and academic outcomes. Tier 3 strategies work for students with developmental disabilities, autism, emotional and behavioral disorders, and students with no diagnostic label at all. In this three-day series, the school will create systems and core features of tier 3 supports and will learn to implement a plan designed to target specific behaviors.
Topic: CSDE Events. Activity Code: 26-75-065-002. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Eben McKnight and Elisa Palmieri Laudati, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC Project Specialist, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: District or School teams of K-12 school staff.
Tuesday, May 5, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
SERC
175 Union Street
Waterbury, CT 06706.
Career Readiness Showcase: School Counselors' System of Success - Session #5- Tier 3: Comprehensive Supports for Students with Complex Needs
This virtual series highlights innovative approaches for Career Readiness and Workforce Development. Based on the Connecticut Comprehensive School Counseling Framework's career development domain, the series examines how to unite educators, administrators, and community partners to share the effective systems developed by school counselors that prepare students for college, careers, and life. This series is intended for K-12 school counselors at any stage of their careers. We will discuss best practices for creating career pathways, enhancing industry partnerships, and building a sustainable system that ensures every student can succeed in Connecticut’s changing workforce.
This series is held virtually on Wednesdays (dates listed below) from 9:00-10:00a.m.
Session#1 March 18, 2026
Tier 1: Foundations for Evidence-Based School Counseling Practice
In this opening session,…
Topic: Mental Health. Activity Code: 26-55-150-004. Registration Link: Click the link to Register https://careerreadinessshowcase.eventbrite.com. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Kim Traverso, CSDE Consultant and Carol Wiltshire-Toth, Central Office Education Administrator School Counseling & Workforce Development. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Kim Traverso, Ph.D. LPC State Education Consultant and Program Manager, at Kimberly.taverso@ct.gov.. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Grades K-12; School Counselors.
Wednesday, May 6, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM.
Multi‐Tiered Systems of Support for Behavior - Coaches Day 2
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) is a framework for implementing a continuum of academic and social-emotional and behavioral supports meeting students’ needs and enhancing opportunities for achievement while reducing exclusionary school discipline practices that have a disproportionately adverse effect on students with disabilities, students of color and low-income students. During this multi-day training, participants will explore the core tier 1 features necessary to establish an effective, efficient system for school-wide behavior support. Target audience: School-wide team required to check with presenters for more information.Day 1 Thursday, December 18, 2025
Day 2 Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Day 3 Wednesday, February 4, 2026 – Virtual (Zoom Link will be sent after Day 2)
Day 4 Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Day 5 Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Day 6 Wednesday, May 20, 2026, COACHES SESSIONS – 1pm to 2:30pm - Virtual
Day 1 – Thursday, March 12, 2026
Day 2 – Wednesday, May 6, 2026.
Topic: CSDE Events. Multi-Tiered System of Supports. Activity Code: 26-75-121-006. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Eben McKnight and Christina Simms, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: K-12 School Staff.
Wednesday, May 6, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
Confronting Disparities in School Discipline for Black Girls
SERC Special Events
Considering the racially disproportionate suspension/expulsion rates in CT, SERC will offer a half-day overview session to address the "push out of Black girls". This session will focus on approaches schools and districts could use to begin deconstructing conventional understandings of classroom behaviors and interactions that are often perceived to be troublesome, particularly when exhibited by Black girls, leading to exclusionary disciplinary actions.
Participants in this session will explore strategies and approaches such as conducting ecological reviews to determine areas of cultural mismatch and examining bias in discipline policies, procedures, and practices.
Topic: Mental Health. Activity Code: 26-75-132-000. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Single-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades 6-12. Presenters: Elisa Palmieri Laudati and Dwight Sharpe, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Dwight Sharpe, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 324 or sharpe@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: CT Middle and High School - educators, families, community members, juvenile justice partners, etc.
Wednesday, May 6, 2026, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
SERC
175 Union Street
Waterbury, CT 06706.
Dismantling Systemic Racism 2026: The Journey to an Empowered Future
SERC Special Events
Dismantling Systemic Racism 2026 Conference on Race, Education & Success
The Journey to an Empowered Future
Friday, May 8, 2026
8:30 am to 3:30 pm (Registration begins at 7:45 am)
Audience: Educators, Administrators, Family Members, Community Members, Business Leaders, Students, and all who play a role in a child's life.
The 10th conference on Dismantling Systemic Racism, sponsored by the State Education Resource Center (SERC) in collaboration with the SERC Foundation, focuses on ways to support, promote, and develop racial equity in education. The full-day conference supports educators, families, and community leaders who seek to confront racist structures and practices to better serve Connecticut’s students and their families, through advocacy and the development, implementation, and sustainability of innovative, culturally relevant programming.
Morning and afternoon breakout sessions will provide the opportunity for attendees to choose topics of personal and professional interest.
Online Location: Click Here to Register: https://26-71-136.eventbrite.com. Topic: Diversity. Activity Code: 26-71-136-000. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Single-Day. Cost: $210 per person & $115 per student. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Wanjiku “Wawa” Gatheru, Environmental Justice Warrior, Rhodes Scholar & Founder of Black Girl Environmentalist and Laura Chávez-Moreno, Assistant Professor, University of California. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Christina Simms, Consultant, (860) 632-1485, ext. 346, simms@ctserc.org, Daniela Alvarez, Consultant, (860)632-1485, ext. 302, alvarez@ctserc.org or Sophia Diamantis, Consultant, (860) 632-1485, ext. 382, diamantis@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: Educators, Administrators, Family Members, Community Members, Business Leaders, Students, and all who play a role in a child's life.
Friday, May 8, 2026, 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM.
Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale
155 Temple St, New Haven, CT 06510.
Preschool Special Education Virtual Forum - Day 4
Preschool Special Education Forum
*This is a four (4) day event - Thursdays from 1:00 p.m.- 2:00 p.m.
Thursday, September 25, 2025
Thursday, December 11, 2025
Thursday, March 26, 2026
Thursday, May 14, 2026
*Please choose the dates you are able to attend. Location: Zoom. Once registered, you will recieve a Zoom link two hours before the start time on the day of the session.
This virtual forum, designed for early childhood special education administrators, supervisors and program coordinators, will include four one-hour sessions held between September 2025 and June 2026. Each session will feature a presentation on a pre-selected topic followed by a roundtable discussion. Participants are encouraged to bring questions for peer feedback and idea sharing, as well as to exchange relevant resources. A pre-forum survey will be distributed to help guide the selection of discussion topics for the year.
Topic: Early Childhood. Activity Code: 26-46-021-003. Registration Link: Click the link to Register https://26-46-021.eventbrite.com. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Pre-K-Age3-5. Presenters: Chelsea Barone, SERC Consultant & Renee Kleinman, MSW, CSDE Early Childhood Special Education Consultant, CSDE. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Chelsea Barone, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 229 or barone@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Emma Velasquez, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 218 or velasquez@ctserc.org. Audience: Preschool special education administrators, supervisors, and program coordinators.
Thursday, May 14, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
PPT Leadership Community of Practice
To expand the reach of the Planning and Placement Team Leadership Institute (PPTLI) relational content and philosophy, a PPT Leadership Community of Practice (CoP) has been developed. This initiative is designed to bring together both current and prospective PPT chairpersons to network, discuss challenges in practice, and explore key concepts from the PPTLI curriculum.
The PPT Leadership CoP provides a monthly, virtual, one-hour gathering facilitated by PPTLI trainers. Each session fosters collaborative learning, shared problem-solving, understanding of PPT leadership and facilitation, and professional growth in a supportive environment.
Topic: Leadership. Activity Code: 26-15-015-008. Registration Link: Virtual Session. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: A team from CSDE, SERC, EastConn, ACES, CPAC & CES. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Elisa Laudati, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 372 or laudati@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Grades Pre-K-12; Educational professionals who chair, or have the potential to chair, PPT meetings in Connecticut.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Multi‐Tiered Systems of Support for Behavior - Day 6
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) is a framework for implementing a continuum of academic and social-emotional and behavioral supports meeting students’ needs and enhancing opportunities for achievement while reducing exclusionary school discipline practices that have a disproportionately adverse effect on students with disabilities, students of color and low-income students. During this multi-day training, participants will explore the core tier 1 features necessary to establish an effective, efficient system for school-wide behavior support. Target audience: School-wide team required to check with presenters for more information.Day 1 Thursday, December 18, 2025
Day 2 Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Day 3 Wednesday, February 4, 2026 – Virtual (Zoom Link will be sent after Day 2)
Day 4 Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Day 5 Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Day 6 Wednesday, May 20, 2026, COACHES SESSIONS – 1pm to 2:30pm - Virtual
Day 1 – Thursday, March 12, 2026
Day 2 – Wednesday, May 6, 2026.
Topic: CSDE Events. Multi-Tiered System of Supports. Activity Code: 26-75-121-007. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Eben McKnight and Christina Simms, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: K-12 School Staff.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
West Hartford Conference Center
50 South Main Street
West Hartford, CT 06107.
Planning and Placement Team Leadership Institute (PPT LI)- Cohort 1- Day 11: Final Celebration
The Planning and Placement Team Leadership Institute (PPTLI) is a one-year intensive experience for professionals who chair PPT meetings in Connecticut, with the purpose of training leaders to facilitate PPT meetings that meet legal requirements, foster positive school/parent partnerships, and result in high-quality individualized programming for students with disabilities. This statewide initiative is designed to support compliance with state and federal special education regulations.
Participants in the institute will learn to: facilitate team meetings; create and write clear and effective individualized education programs (IEPs); foster positive relationships with parents; partner with district leaders to identify and implement a capstone project that addresses a needed change or enhancement in practice, and; develop support networks to foster the implementation of best practices in the education of students with disabilities. All topics are addressed with the framework of compliance and collaboration but…
Topic: Leadership. Activity Code: 26-15-020-010. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: A team from CSDE, SERC, the RESC Alliance, CPAC & CES. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Elisa Laudati, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 372 or laudati@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: Educational professionals who chair, or have the potential to chair, PPT meetings in Connecticut.
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
Student Support Series: Professional Learning for Youth Mental and Behavioral Health-Suicide Prevention and Crisis Supports
The Student Support Series is a free, monthly professional learning opportunity offered by the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) in collaboration with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) Behavioral Health Unit. Designed for school-based mental health professionals—including social workers, counselors, psychologists, nurses, and related staff—the series focuses on timely and relevant topics impacting student mental and behavioral health. Sessions are informed by current trends, participant feedback, and the evolving challenges students face. Pending approval, webinars will offer 1.5 Continuing Education Credit hours by the NASW/CT and will meet the continuing education criteria for licensure renewal for social workers, professional counselors, and licensed psychologists. To be eligible for CECs, participants must attend the webinar synchronously and be employed by a public school (inclusive of charter, magnet, and technical education), private school, or special education/alternative…
Topic: Mental Health. Activity Code: 26-55-141-003. Registration Link: Click Here to Register https://studentsupportseries.eventbrite.com. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Kate Bohannan at Kate.Bohannan@ct.gov. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Linda Adorno, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 241 or adorno@ctserc.org. Audience: K-12 Social Workers, Counselors, Psychologists, Nurses, and Related Staff.
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM.
Dyslexia Awareness Collaborative: Honoring Those who Inspire Us: An Evening with Jordan Toma
Dyslexia Awareness Collaborative: Honoring Those who Inspire Us: An Evening with Jordan Toma, Thursday, May 21, 2026 - 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
An event not to be missed for students, teachers and families of students with dyslexia! Jordan Toma is a top motivational speaker in the United States and inspirational author of "I'm Just a Kid With an IEP" that has sold over 150,000 copies worldwide. Diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia and dysgraphia, a reading comprehension learning disability, Jordan struggled in elementary and high school missing countless days of school and never passing a test on his own. Despite those difficulties, Jordan turned things around during a "Step Ahead" (pre-college) program and graduated from Centenary University with a 3.3 GPA and a degree in psychology. Three years later, Jordan spoke with students in the same pre-college program he attended. Over time, Jordan learned, "My Struggle Is My Strength. Today, I wear that like a badge of honor."…
Online Location: Click Register to Sign up. Topic: Dyslexia. Activity Code: 26-58-125-000. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Single-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Birth-21. Presenters: Jordan Toma, Author and Public Speaker. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Claire Conroy, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 326 or conroy@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Lauren Johns, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 256 or johns@ctserc.org. Audience: Parents, Educators, Administrators, Legislators, and Community Stakeholders.
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM.
Coginchaug Regional High School
135A Pickett Lane,
Durham, CT 06422.
Designing for ALL: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Universal Design for Learning - Day 2
SERC Special Events
With the evolution of AI, we know it can play a vital role in education by enhancing personalization, accessibility, and efficiency. In their guidance on AI, the CSDE acknowledges that educators will need a baseline understanding of AI technology and how it applies to their subject area and grade level. In this professional development, participants will be supported to connect the core tenants of Translanguaging and UDL (Tr/UDL), which emphasizes proactive planning and welcomes every student from the outset. Particularly teachers will make the connections between: a. Culturally responsive practices that connect learning to students’ identities and interests, fostering deeper engagement; b. Multilingual and multimodal teacher strategies that increase accessibility and comprehension; c. Multilingual and multimodal student practices that provide flexible ways to demonstrate understanding. When combined with Tr/UDL, AI can empower educators to meet the diverse assets and needs of all learners.…
Topic: Universal Design for Learning. Activity Code: 26-28-145-001. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades 6-12. Presenters: Sophia Diamantis and Smita Worah, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Sophia Diamantis, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 382 or diamantis@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: School-based teams of 3-4 people comprised of General Educators, Special Educators, Multilingual Learner Teachers & ESL Coaches.
Wednesday, May 27, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
SERC
175 Union Street
Waterbury, CT 06706.
CT Transition Community of Practice (CoP) - May
CT Transition Community of Practice (CoP) - May, May 28, 2026 (9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.)
Connecticut has created the CT Transition Community of Practice (CoP) to centralize all activities, resources, and initiatives related to secondary transition and to provide information and support to students, families, and professionals. The CoP is comprised of multiple stakeholder groups that have come together with a single focus: enhancing the transition of youth with disabilities to adult life. Come learn what we are all about! See how your ideas fit into Connecticut’s overall plans and help us plot our course for improving student outcomes.
Online Location: Virtual Session. Topic: Transition. Activity Code: 26-20-019-000. Registration Link: Virtual Session. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Single-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Birth-21. Presenters: To Be Announced. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Chelsea Barone, SERC, (860) 632-1485 ext. 229 or cbarone@ctserc.onmicrosoft.com. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Lauren Johns, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 256 or johns@ctserc.org. Audience: Birth-21: Parents/Families, Students/Youth, School Professionals, Transition Coordinators and Directors, Employers, and Representatives of other state agencies related to transition (DDS, ADS/BRS, BESB, DOL, DCF).
Thursday, May 28, 2026, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM.
LGBTQIA+ Inclusive and Affirming Practices to Cultivate Belonging and Mattering: A Four-Part Professional Learning Series - Day 4 of 4
SERC Special Events
Seats still available! Contact Heather Dawes dawes@ctserc.org to register!
Join this four-part learning series designed to build knowledge, expand perspectives, learn practical strategies, and develop action plans to help create school communities where every student feels safe, seen, and valued.
Overall Goals:
- Build educator understanding of LGBTQIA+ identities, histories, and experiences.
- Develop trauma-informed, inclusive practices that foster safety, belonging, and mattering.
- Examine how LGBTQIA+ identities intersect with race, disability, and immigrant experiences.
- Strengthen systems and policies that sustain affirming and equitable school environments.
Learning Series Overview:
Session 1: LGBTQIA+ 101 - Foundations - Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Cadence Pentheny, Community Education Director at Triangle Community Center
A grounding session in key terminology, concepts, and historical context to strengthen inclusive mindsets and classroom practice.
Session 2: LGBTQIA+ 201 - Mental Health and…
Topic: Mental Health. Activity Code: 26-06-133-003. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Anthony Brisson, Senior Program/Policy Analyst at the National Education Association, Laura Minero, PhD, Founder/CEO at Alchemy Psychology Colectivo, and Cadence Pentheny, Community Education Director at Triangle Community Center. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Elisa Palmieri Laudati, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 372 or laudati@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: Teachers and school staff.
Thursday, May 28, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
SERC
175 Union Street
Waterbury, CT 06706.
MTSS Leadership Session - Day 4
These sessions are designed to build capacity to develop, enhance, and expand Connecticut’s Statewide Systems of Support to local education agencies (LEAs) and schools using multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). MTSS provide guidance for the selection, integration, and implementation of the
best evidence-based behavioral & academic practices for improving outcomes for all students by providing direction, demonstrating alignment, and generating commitment as a collective.
Topic: CSDE Events. Multi-Tiered System of Supports. Activity Code: 26-75-122-003. Single-Day/Multi-Day: Multi-Day. Cost: No Fee. Grade Level: Grades K-12. Presenters: Michelle LeBrun-Griffin and Eben McKnight, SERC Consultants. Content Info: For content questions, please contact Eben McKnight, SERC Consultant, (860) 632-1485 ext. 365 or mcknight@ctserc.org. Registration Info: For registration questions, please contact Heather Dawes, SERC, (860) 632-1485, ext. 263 or dawes@ctserc.org. Audience: School Leaders.
Friday, May 29, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
Klingberg Nexus
370 Linwood Street
New Britain, CT 06052.