Durham Public Schools PL

Presenters: Iwinosa Idahor | iwinosa_idahor@dpsnc.net | Office of Equity Affairs; Keaundra Robinson | keaundra_robinson@dpsnc.net | Office of Equity Affairs; Kamia Norman | kamia_norman@dpsnc.net | Southwest ES; Angelia Ball Smith | Angelia_BallSmith@dpsnc.net | Y.E. Smith ES; Rita Rakestraw | Rita_Rakestraw@dpsnc.net | Ignite! Online Academy/Lakewood MMS
Location: Hillside High School Room 214
Description: Objective: To create a space where educators will learn from and with each other about how to support, affirm, empower, and impact young girls of color, in and out of the classroom.
Subject Area(s): Arts, Global Languages, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, CTE, ELA , Healthful Living, *None (Non-Instructional)
Topic(s): Communication Skills, Equity, Culture and Climate, Social Emotional Learning, Student Wellness and Advocacy, Culturally Responsive Practices, Student-Centered Learning
Targeted Instructional Grades: Pre-K, 1st Grade, 3rd Grade, 5th Grade, 7th Grade, 9th Grade, 11th Grade, Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, 4th Grade, 6th Grade, 8th Grade, 10th Grade, 12th Grade
Targeted Roles: Assistant Principals, Principals, School Counselors, Teachers

Presenters: Hannah Hribar | Hannah_Hribar@dpsnc.net | Lead EC Facilitator; Ajalyn Baker | Ajalyn_Baker@dpsnc.net | Lead EC Facilitator; Wendy Vavrousek | Wendy_Vavrousek@dpsnc.net | EC Director
Location: Hillside High School Room 203
Description: This session will help general education teachers enhance their knowledge regarding exceptional children policies and practices, effectively collaborate with EC colleagues, and prepare for and engage in your students' IEP meetings.
Subject Area(s): Arts, Global Languages, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, ELA
Topic(s): Exceptional Children
Targeted Instructional Grades: Pre-K, 1st Grade, 3rd Grade, 5th Grade, 7th Grade, 9th Grade, 11th Grade, Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, 4th Grade, 6th Grade, 8th Grade, 10th Grade, 12th Grade
Targeted Roles: Teachers

Presenters: India C. Williams | indiac_williams@dpsnc.net | Teaching and Learning Coach
Location: Hillside High School Room 111
Description: We will explore the Science of Reading to learn how decoding X language comprehension = reading comprehension. This session is tailored to all core and elective contents.
Subject Area(s): Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, CTE, ELA , Healthful Living
Topic(s): Curriculum and Instruction, Explicit Teaching, Reading‚ Writing‚ Thinking‚ Speaking‚ Listening, Differentiation/Scaffolding
Targeted Instructional Grades: 7th Grade, 6th Grade, 8th Grade
Targeted Roles: Instructional Coaches, Interventionists, Teachers

Presenters: Diana Franklin | Diana_franklin@dpsnc.net | TLC
Location: Hillside High School Room 108
Description: We speak about rigor frequently but do all educators completely understand what this means or how we can help all students think at higher levels? In this session we will synthesize a workable definition of what rigor is based on several sources as well as our own background knowledge. We will analyze the level of thinking required for different activities based on both Bloom's Taxonomy and Webb's Depth of Knowledge. We will also discuss how to provide the appropriate scaffolding to guide academically diverse students to be able to complete higher level tasks and questions. We will then explore how to use different AI tools to easily increase the DOK level in different tasks and questions. Finally, teachers will have time to create a learning activity to implement their new understanding. We will use different higher thinking level activities and strategies throughout the workshop as exemplars for the participants.
Subject Area(s): Global Languages, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, CTE, ELA , Healthful Living
Topic(s): Advanced Academics-AIG, Increased Rigor
Targeted Instructional Grades: 7th Grade, 6th Grade, 8th Grade
Targeted Roles: Teachers

Presenters: Beth Spataro | bethnicole_spataro@dpsnc.net | Secondary Literacy Specialist; Wendi Love | Wendi_Love@dpsnc.net | ESL Facilitator for Secondary
Location: Hillside High School Room 112
Description: During this session, participants will learn about the science of reading and learn to apply this learning to identify reading needs in their secondary classrooms. This session will meet the needs of secondary content teachers, ESL and EC teachers.
Subject Area(s): Global Languages, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, ELA
Topic(s): Reading‚ Writing‚ Thinking‚ Speaking‚ Listening, Assessment for Learning, Differentiation/Scaffolding, English Learner Services, Exceptional Children
Targeted Instructional Grades: 7th Grade, 9th Grade, 6th Grade, 8th Grade, 10th Grade, 12th Grade
Targeted Roles: Instructional Coaches, Teachers

Presenters: Rob Jones | robert_jones784@dpsnc.net | Teaching and Learning Coach
Location: Hillside High School Room 114
Description: Participants will explore the importance of goal setting in the classroom through the lens of the 6 Phases of Learning.
Subject Area(s): Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, ELA
Topic(s): Curriculum and Instruction, Increased Rigor, Differentiation/Scaffolding, Student-Centered Learning
Targeted Instructional Grades: 1st Grade, 3rd Grade, 5th Grade, Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, 4th Grade
Targeted Roles: Teachers

Presenters: Emma Refvem | emma_refvem@dpsnc.net | 6-12 Science Specialist
Location: Hillside High School Room 107
Description: After a full year of implementing North Carolina’s new science standards, this session offers science educators a space to reflect on their teaching experiences, analyze instructional alignment, and collaborate to refine their practice. Through structured reflection, analysis of curriculum resources, and hands-on design time, participants will identify successes and challenges from the past year and co-create materials to better support rigorous, equitable, and student-centered science instruction. This session builds teacher capacity to use Durham Public Schools curriculum resources to plan and deliver differentiated, standards-aligned instruction while fostering curiosity, professional collaboration, and sustained impact into the next school year.
Subject Area(s): Science
Topic(s): Curriculum and Instruction, Student-Centered Learning
Targeted Instructional Grades: 7th Grade, 9th Grade, 11th Grade, 6th Grade, 8th Grade, 10th Grade, 12th Grade
Targeted Roles: Teachers

Presenters: Kelly Newsome | kelly_newsome@dpsnc.net | Teaching and Learning Coach
Location: Hillside High School Room 105
Description: for high school teachers to learn how to use choice boards in their classrooms as a way to foster student engagement and improve overall achievement.
Subject Area(s): Arts, Global Languages, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, CTE, ELA , Healthful Living
Topic(s): Curriculum and Instruction, Increased Rigor, Differentiation/Scaffolding
Targeted Instructional Grades: 9th Grade, 11th Grade, 10th Grade, 12th Grade
Targeted Roles: Teachers

Presenters: Iwinosa Idahor | iwinosa_idahor@dpsnc.net | Office of Equity Affairs; Keaundra Robinson | keaundra_robinson@dpsnc.net | Office of Equity Affairs; Kamia Norman | kamia_norman@dpsnc.net | Southwest ES; Angelia Ball Smith | Angelia_BallSmith@dpsnc.net | Y.E. Smith ES; Rita Rakestraw | Rita_Rakestraw@dpsnc.net | Ignite! Online Academy/Lakewood MMS
Location: Hillside High School Room 214
Description: Objective: To create a space where educators will learn from and with each other about how to support, affirm, empower, and impact young girls of color, in and out of the classroom.
Subject Area(s): Arts, Global Languages, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, CTE, ELA , Healthful Living, *None (Non-Instructional)
Topic(s): Communication Skills, Equity, Culture and Climate, Social Emotional Learning, Student Wellness and Advocacy, Culturally Responsive Practices, Student-Centered Learning
Targeted Instructional Grades: Pre-K, 1st Grade, 3rd Grade, 5th Grade, 7th Grade, 9th Grade, 11th Grade, Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, 4th Grade, 6th Grade, 8th Grade, 10th Grade, 12th Grade
Targeted Roles: Assistant Principals, Principals, School Counselors, Teachers

Presenters: Hannah Hribar | Hannah_Hribar@dpsnc.net | Lead EC Facilitator; Ajalyn Baker | Ajalyn_Baker@dpsnc.net | Lead EC Facilitator; Wendy Vavrousek | Wendy_Vavrousek@dpsnc.net | EC Director
Location: Hillside High School Room 203
Description: This session will help general education teachers enhance their knowledge regarding exceptional children policies and practices, effectively collaborate with EC colleagues, and prepare for and engage in your students' IEP meetings.
Subject Area(s): Arts, Global Languages, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, ELA
Topic(s): Exceptional Children
Targeted Instructional Grades: Pre-K, 1st Grade, 3rd Grade, 5th Grade, 7th Grade, 9th Grade, 11th Grade, Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, 4th Grade, 6th Grade, 8th Grade, 10th Grade, 12th Grade
Targeted Roles: Teachers

Presenters: Delphia Daniels | delphia_daniels@dpsnc.net | Literacy Coach; Latoya Johnson | latoya_judd@dpsnc.net | Teaching and Learning Coach
Location: Hillside High School Room 107
Description: This session gives teachers tools to increase student engagement using five of Hattie’s highest-impact strategies. We’ll focus on helping students show their thinking in visible ways—through discussion, feedback, reflection, or peer teaching. Teachers will learn what covert engagement and overt engagement look like, and why both are important in every classroom. We’ll walk through each strategy with real examples, build understanding, and give teachers space to plan lessons using what they’ve learned. Activities like the “Apply It!” planning challenges will help teachers match engagement strategies to their own content. The session also includes a reflection and exit ticket to help teachers decide what to try first and what they might still have questions about. We’ll start by sparking curiosity and making connections to what teachers already do, then build new learning in a way that’s clear and usable. Strategies are modeled, discussed, and practiced with support—and teachers will leave with next steps they can use right away. Teachers will need access to the curriculum materials (HMH, ARC, Eureka2, etc.) for planning purposes.
Subject Area(s): Mathematics, Science, Social Studies
Topic(s): Curriculum and Instruction, Effective Feedback Strategies, Explicit Teaching
Targeted Instructional Grades: 1st Grade, 3rd Grade, 5th Grade, Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, 4th Grade
Targeted Roles: Teachers

Presenters: Rob Jones | robert_jones784@dpsnc.net | Teaching and Learning Coach
Location: Hillside High School Room 114
Description: Participants will explore the importance of goal setting in the classroom through the lens of the 6 Phases of Learning.
Subject Area(s): Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, ELA
Topic(s): Curriculum and Instruction, Increased Rigor, Differentiation/Scaffolding, Student-Centered Learning
Targeted Instructional Grades: 1st Grade, 3rd Grade, 5th Grade, Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, 4th Grade
Targeted Roles: Teachers

Presenters: Amanda Bowers | amanda_bowers@dpsnc.net | K-5 Science Specialist
Location: Hillside High School Room 207
Description: Join us for an engaging and interactive professional development session designed to deepen your understanding of the Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) outlined in the NC Essential Standards and the new K–12 Science Standards. In this 3-hour workshop, Durham educators will explore how to foster authentic scientific thinking and problem-solving by integrating SEPs into dynamic, cross-curricular learning experiences. Through hands-on activities, collaborative lesson design, and real-world examples, participants will: Analyze how SEPs support inquiry-based and equitable science instruction. Discover strategies to creatively integrate literacy, math, social studies, and the arts into science lessons. Explore student-centered approaches that build scientific reasoning, collaboration, and communication skills. Align interdisciplinary instruction with North Carolina’s science standards and local curriculum goals. Leave with ready-to-implement resources, lesson frameworks, and ideas to energize your classroom. Whether you're looking to enhance your current practices or reimagine your approach to science instruction, this session offers practical tools and inspiration to support all learners in becoming critical thinkers and innovative problem-solvers.
Subject Area(s): Science
Topic(s): Curriculum and Instruction, DPS Adopted Resources, Reading‚ Writing‚ Thinking‚ Speaking‚ Listening, Culturally Responsive Practices, Differentiation/Scaffolding, Outdoor Learning, Standards Aligned Instruction, Student-Centered Learning
Targeted Instructional Grades: 1st Grade, 3rd Grade, 5th Grade, Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, 4th Grade
Targeted Roles: Assistant Principals, Instructional Assistants, Principals, Specialists, Instructional Coaches, Interventionists, Teachers