The following opportunities are available for professional growth at IISD. Register online

  English Language Arts Network

This on-going professional learning community is for K-12 teachers who have building and district level responsibilities for literacy and English. Teachers of special education and other related content areas are welcomed and encouraged. Network members will share information about literacy and serve as a liaisons between Ingham ISD and their own districts. ELAN will provide space for teachers to collaborate with and support each other. Facilitators: Amy Kilbridge, Ingham ISD English language arts consultant and Dottie Best, Ingham ISD Reading Recovery teacher leader .

Audience: K-12 teachers
Date: Network
Dates: September 17, November 19, January 21, February 18, April 15
Time: 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Location: Ingham ISD, TEC, Room B
Cost: No charge for IISD service area educations; $75 for out-county educators
Credit: 0.8 SB-CEU, pending MDE approval
Contact: Debbie Kirchen, 517.244.1251 or dkirchen@inghamisd.org

 Get All Adolescents Reading

Traditionally, by the time students reach middle and high school, educators assume that they know how to read, and formal reading instruction stops. In addition, most secondary language arts teachers do not have a background in the teaching of reading. But many of our adolescent students need to improve their literacy skills so they can have greater access to content area knowledge and become more literate adults. This four-part series is based on the statewide initiative, Lift Up Through Literacy, Michigan's Mission Possible: Get All Adolescents Literate and Learning. Participants will learn how to access and be able to use literacy assessments, screening tests and resources designed to help students improve their reading skills. Teachers will be provided with protocols and templates to support and improve student literacy and track student progress. The focus will be to find literacy strengths of students through assessment and provide assistance through intervention for developing literacy skills and access to content information. Presenter:

Audience: Secondary ELA teachers, special education teachers, and administrators
Date: September 30, 2008
Dates: September 30, October 28, November 18, December 16
Time: 12:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Location: Ingham ISD, TEC, Room A
Cost: $70
Credit: 0.9 SB-CEU, pending MDE approval
Contact: Debbie Kirchen, 517.244.1251 or dkirchen@inghamisd.org

 Get All Adolescents Writing

Middle and high school students are sometimes less than enthusiastic when given a writing assignment. Yet, it is critically important that adolescents develop skills in all types of writing, from formal essays to creative writing. The philosophy behind this four-part series is that if students know the importance of purpose and audience, if they engage in real-world authentic writing, if they understand that the actual act of writing itself generates new thinking, they will see themselves as writers. The writing workshop approach will be emphasized. The series will also draw from the statewide initiative, Lift Up Through Literacy, Michigan's Mission Possible: Get All Adolescents Literate and Learning. Participants will use protocols for looking at student work and learn strategies for improving writing fluency and development. Meap and ACT writing prompts and samples will also be shared and discussed. Presenter:

Audience: Secondary English Language Arts teachers, secondary special education teachers, and administrators
Date: February 3, 2009
Dates: February 3, February 24, March 10, March 31
Time: 12:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Location: Ingham ISD campus
Cost: $70
Credit: 0.9 SB-CEU, pending MDE approval
Contact: Debbie Kirchen, 517.244.1251 or dkirchen@inghamisd.org

 New Teacher Training: Effective Teacher-Parent Communication

In an effort to help all students succeed in school, teachers must be able to communicate effectively with parents. In this session participants will: review methods of communication available and their appropriate applications, understand the Do's and Don'ts of communicating with parents, and understand what research says about effective and ineffective communication and its impact on learning. Teacher resources such as newsletters, homework assignments, and protocols for phone conversations and conferences will be provided. Participants will leave this session having developed a communication plan for the school year. This session is based on the belief that involving parents in the education of their children results in increased student performance at all grade levels, regardless of educational or socioeconomic background. Facilitators: Amy Kilbridge, Ingham ISD English Language Arts consultant, and Barb Michelutti, Ingham ISD Career Preparation Specialist.

Audience: New and novice teachers
Date: October 10, 2008
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: Ingham ISD, TEC, Room ABC
Cost: $25
Credit: 0.3 SB-CEU, pending MDE approval
Contact: Debbie Kirchen, 517.244.1251 or dkirchen@inghamisd.org

 International Book Club - LATTICE

LATTICE, Linking All Types of Teachers for International Cross-cultural Education, is an organization of American educators and international graduate students who seek to gain knowledge, promote understanding, and overcome stereotypes to improve the world for children. International LATTICE members participate in discussions to provide insight into the accuracy of books about their countries, while all members discuss how a particular book might be used in the classroom. This book club meets once a month to discuss international literature for children and adolescents. Titles are available at www.latticeworld.org. Members purchase their own books and register for the entire year. Facilitators: Amy Kilbridge, Ingham ISD English language arts consultant and Mary Hennessey, East Lansing Public Library librarian.

Audience: K-12 teachers, library and media specialists, LATTICE members
Dates: September 11, October 9, November 13, January 15, February 19, March 12, April 16, May 14
Time: 4:15 - 6:00 p.m.
Location: East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbott Road, East Lansing
Cost: $75
Credit: 1.0 SB-CEU, pending MDE approval
Contact: Debbie Kirchen, 517.244.1251 or dkirchen@inghamisd.org

LATTICE is a professional development opportunity for teachers and international graduate students to cultivate a global perspective in K-12 classrooms. Members represent over 65 countries and draw on Michigan State University's resources and diverse community. LATTICE offers educators the opportunity to apply for participation in monthly LATTICE sessions and to subscribe to a weekly e-letter. Those interested in learning more about the organization may wish to visit the LATTICE website at www.latticeworld.org or request a "guest pass" for one or more sessions during the 2008-09 school year. K-12 teachers can earn SB-CEUs by attending LATTICE sessions. Facilitator: Connie Detjen, LATTICE session director.

Audience: K-12 educators
Dates: October 2, November 20, December 5, January 8, February 26, March 19, April 23, May 7
Time: 12:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Location: Haslett High School, 5450 Marsh Road, Haslett
Credit: 2.6 SB-CEU, pending MDE approval
MSIF Strands: Curriculum, Instruction
Contact: Noresha Unin at lattice@msu.edu
URL: www.latticeworld.org

Ingham ISD is familiar with the new MI English Language Arts HSCEs and GLCEs. We can direct administrators and teachers to these documents as well as make suggestions for their use and integration in school programs. We have tools and processes to help staff become acquainted with the expectations and convey them to students through curriculum, instruction and assessment documents and decisions.