Spring 2027 Session
Click Here for Full List ONLINE COURSES for all session dates listed below
IN PERSON COURSES are listed below the session dates.
In Person Locations:
Mount Sinai: Mt Sinai Congregational Church, 233 North Country Road, Mt Sinai, NY 11766
East Meadow: Cypress Management. 2645 Cypress Avenue, East Meadow, NY 11554. Classroom is air conditioned.
Session 1: 1/1/27 – 1/31/27
Session 1A: 1/15/27 – 2/14/27
Session 2: 2/1/27 – 2/28/27
Session 2A: 2/15/27 – 3/14/27
Session 3: 3/1/27 – 3/31/27
Session 3A: 3/15/27 – 4/14/27
Session 4: 4/1/27 – 4/30/27
Session 4A: 4/15/27 – 5/14/27
Session 5: 5/1/27 – 5/31/27
Session 5A: 5/15/27 – 6/14/27
Session 6: 6/1/27 – 6/30/27
Spring 2027 In-Person Courses
 | **New Course** Available In-Person or Online January 6,7,8,11,12,13,14,19,20,21. Instructor: Kim Kittredge kkittredgeliips@gmail.com Will your students remember your lessons; the ones that sparked awe, creativity and wonder? Creating moments of imagination and wonder in your lessons is crucial to teaching. In this course educators will be instructed on ways in which the magic of the real-world can be brought into the classroom. Educators will discuss how to work towards sparking exciting moments for their students. Through a plethora of project-based activities, experimentation and real-world applications, teachers will learn to transform their classrooms each day into moments of surprise and wonder. This course is a must for educators of all subjects grades K-12. Credit (3 credits/45 hours) In-serivce credits only Instructor Kim Kittredge: kkittredgeliips@gmail.com | |
 | **New Course** Available In-Person or Online January 6,7,8,11,12,13,14,19,20,21. Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia – gaylelumia@yahoo.com Developing the potentialities of the English Language Learners in our classes is crucial. Rather than treating their home languages as barriers to learning, educators need to create lessons that model academic rigor and develop the strengths and learning needs of their students. Throughout the course, teachers will practice selecting meaningful vocabulary, model academic language, use visuals and graphic organizers, structure peer interactions, activate background knowledge, and develop checks for understanding. Participants will create a practical classroom implementation project as well as develop an ELL support plan that incorporates student strengths, language-development goals, , and family communication. By the end of the course, teachers should be able to apply these practices immediately. *A Must for K-12 Educators!!! Credit (3 credits/45 hours) In-serivce credits only Instructor Gayle Meinkes-Lumia: gaylelumia@yahoo.com | |
 | February 2027: 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 22, 23, 24. New Course: Available In-Person or Online This course introduces students to the rich diversity of cultures, traditions, beliefs, and experiences that shape our world. Through research, discussion, literature, media, and community connections, educators will help students explore how culture influences identity, communication, and relationships. Through this course, educators will learn to encourage empathy, critical thinking, and appreciation for diverse perspectives in their classrooms and in their school. This course is a must for all educators grades K-12. Credit (3 credits/45 hours) In-serivce credits only Instructor Kim Kittredge: kkittredgeliips@gmail.com | |
| | **New Course** Available In-Person or Online Mid-Winter Break Course- February 15th-19th Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia- – gaylelumia@yahoo.com Providing collaborative activities for our ELLs allows them to engage in meaningful opportunities for listening, speaking, negotiating meaning, and explaining their thinking. Developing metacognition in the classroom that centers on ELLs is tantamount to their success. Within this course, participants will gain an understanding of ELL dialogue, one that is teeming with vocabulary, scaffolding, differentiation, and mapping. Teachers will learn flexible grouping methods, immerse themselves in ELL language and literacy methodologies, and reflect on pedagogical skills. Teachers will design the most effective instructional practices in order to assist their students with the best of their capabilities. *A Must for K-12 Educators* Credit (3 credits/45 hours) In-serivce credits only Instructor Gayle Meinkes-Lumia: gaylelumia@yahoo.com | |
 | February Break 2027: February 15th-19th New Course: Available In-Person or Online Every educator starts their career with a spark—a passion for making a difference, igniting curiosity, and shaping the future. However, the modern classroom's daily demands, administrative burdens, and shifting challenges can often dim that initial enthusiasm. This course is designed to help teachers reconnect with their original passion and rediscover profound meaning in their daily practice. Educators will work on strategies that move beyond mere survival skills and examine their personal "Why". Teachers will learn to redesign learning experiences for maximum joy and build resilient boundaries that prevent burnout. Participants will explore exciting teaching philosophies, student connections, and self-care and learn how to transition from simply delivering curriculum to cultivating a vibrant, curiosity-driven classroom. They will work on analyzing their professional energy, designing high-engagement lessons, and establishing a culture that embraces growth through failure. This course is a must for educators grades K-12! Credit (3 credits/45 hours) In-serivce credits only Instructor Kim Kittredge: kkittredgeliips@gmail.com | |
 | **New Course** Available In-Person or Online March 1, 2,3,4,5,8,9,11,12,15th Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia- – gaylelumia@yahoo.com What are educators talking about in education? From artificial intelligence and digital learning tools to student engagement, differentiated instruction, social-emotional learning, and the evolving needs of today’s learners, education is constantly changing. Within the course, teachers will explore the latest educational trends, research-informed practices, instructional innovations, and emerging issues shaping schools and classrooms today. Participants will examine what is generating excitement and discussion in education, consider the evidence behind popular approaches, and reflect on how these developments may influence their own teaching practices and student outcomes. Through collaborative discussions, hands-on activities, practical demonstrations, reflective exercises, and opportunities to share successful classroom experiences, participants will gain fresh perspectives and actionable ideas to enhance teaching and learning. *A Must for K-12 Educators* Credit (3 credits/45 hours) In-serivce credits only Instructor Gayle Meinkes-Lumia: gaylelumia@yahoo.com | |
 | March 2027: 8, 9, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24. New Course: Available In-Person or Online This course is designed for educators, instructional designers, and library media specialists who want to transform traditional research into dynamic, student-driven exploration. Participants will shift from traditional fact-finding research and reports to a model centered on active inquiry, critical curation, problem solving theories, and authentic publication. Through hands-on assignments, educators will design frameworks, rubrics, and scaffolded lessons that empower students to critique the media they consume and build original, high-value knowledge products for real-world audiences. Educators will also work to help their students with multi-modal formats of learning. This course is a must for all educators grades K-12! Credit (3 credits/45 hours) In-serivce credits only Instructor Kim Kittredge: kkittredgeliips@gmail.com | |
 | April 2027: 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 26, 27, 28. New Course: Available In-Person or Online This course is designed for educators to approach writing with their students in a variety of ways. Teachers will not only work on writing skills as a tool for testing, but also as a dynamic engine for thinking, discovering, and connecting. Educators will learn how to use low-stakes, reflective writing on paper to process complex ideas across STEM, the humanities, and the arts as well as break down the walls between other traditional school subjects. Participants will learn how to teach their students how to use physical writing to visualize mathematical logic, untangle scientific phenomena, delve into historical perspectives, and decode visual art. Participants will learn how to normalize the nature of critical thinking and train their students to become flexible, holistic thinkers who can confidently articulate deep connections between any area or subject of study in school. This course is a must for all educators grades K-12! Credit (3 credits/45 hours) In-serivce credits only Instructor Kim Kittredge: kkittredgeliips@gmail.com | |
 | **New Course** Available In-Person or Online Spring Recess- April 19-23rd, 2027 Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia- – gaylelumia@yahoo.com Today's classrooms are filled with learners who bring diverse strengths, interests, abilities, experiences, and needs to the learning environment. As educators, we are continually challenged to rethink traditional approaches, explore new possibilities, and discover creative ways to ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed. Within this course teachers will reimagine their instructional practices, renew their approach to teaching, and develop innovative ways to meet the ever-changing needs of today's learners. Participants will learn to step outside their comfort zones, challenge familiar routines, and explore fresh perspectives on teaching and learning. Unique instructional strategies, creative classroom practices, flexible learning environments, and student-centered approaches will be discussed as well as ideas that promote engagement, independence, collaboration, critical thinking, and meaningful learning experiences. *A Must for K-12 Educators* Credit (3 credits/45 hours) In-serivce credits only Instructor Gayle Meinkes-Lumia: gaylelumia@yahoo.com | |
 | April Break 2027: April 19th-23rd New Course: Available In-Person or Online Welcome to The English Studio, an interactive and creative learning space designed to transform the way you experience the English language. Moving far beyond traditional textbooks and grammar worksheets, this course treats language learning as an art form. Here, you are not just a student memorizing rules—you are a creator, a storyteller, and a collaborator. Throughout this course, educators will help their students to engage in hands-on "Studio Projects" that mirror real-world communication. Participants will treat language as a tool for design, for self-expression, and for connection. Teachers will train their students to naturally build fluency, expand your vocabulary, and develop a lasting voice in English. This course can be used for English skills in any Language Arts classroom, as well as any ELL or ENL class. This course is a must for all educators grades K-12 who want to improve reading and writing in their classroom! Credit (3 credits/45 hours) In-serivce credits only Instructor Kim Kittredge: kkittredgeliips@gmail.com | |
| | How to Be the Guide on the Side and Not the Sage on the Stage- Teacher Throwbacks that Actually Work **New Course** Available In-Person or Online May 3,4,5,6,7,10,11,12,13,14th Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia- – gaylelumia@yahoo.com In an educational landscape filled with emerging technologies, innovative instructional models, and ever-changing trends, it is easy to overlook the timeless teaching practices that have helped students learn, grow, and succeed for generations. The phrase “sage on the stage” describes a teacher-centered approach in which the educator serves as the primary source of information, delivering content while students primarily listen and observe. In contrast, the “guide on the side” approach positions the teacher as a facilitator of learning who encourages students to question, explore, collaborate, problem-solve, and take greater ownership of their educational experiences. This course explores how educators can make the shift from simply delivering information to creating meaningful opportunities for students to actively construct understanding, practice essential skills, and apply what they learn. Participants will have opportunities to reflect on their current practices and rediscover strategies. Participants will also learn how to reduce unnecessary teacher talk, increase meaningful student participation, and build a classroom culture in which students feel comfortable taking intellectual risks. *A Must for K-12 Educators* Credit (3 credits/45 hours) In-serivce credits only Instructor Gayle Meinkes-Lumia: gaylelumia@yahoo.com | |
| | May 2027: 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20. New Course: Available In-Person or Online Academic success is driven less by innate talent and more by a student's capacity to navigate challenges, uncertainty, and setbacks. This course is designed to help educators dismantle academic avoidance and build robust student stamina. Educators will help students move beyond passive learning and transition to a systematic framework of resilience, progress-tracking, and reward system for effort. Participants will learn how to engineer productivity, work on feedback protocols, and design grading metrics that value momentum over perfection. By the end of this course, educators will walk away with an actionable blueprint to transform any classroom into a high-stamina learning environment. This course is a must for educators grades K-12! Credit (3 credits/45 hours) In-serivce credits only Instructor Kim Kittredge: kkittredgeliips@gmail.com | |
| | **New Course** Available In-Person or Online June 1,2,3,4,7,8,9,10,14,15th Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia- – gaylelumia@yahoo.com Across grade levels and subject areas, teachers frequently encounter students who can recall information but struggle to interpret it, make meaningful connections, defend a position, or develop an original analysis. Being able to analyze is a powerful tool for thinking, learning, communicating, in every discipline. Whether students are examining a character's motivations in literature, interpreting historical events, explaining patterns in scientific data, evaluating mathematical solutions, analyzing geographical trends, or defending a claim using evidence, the ability to compose a thoughtful, well-supported essay is essential to academic success. This course will empower teachers across all content areas to recognize writing as a shared instructional responsibility and to provide students with meaningful opportunities to develop analytical writing skills within their own subject matter. Participants will investigate how to scaffold the analytical writing process so that students develop the confidence and skills necessary to express complex ideas. Articles and readings will be provided as well as key ideas and takeaways for students. *A Must for K-12 Educators* Credit (3 credits/45 hours) In-serivce credits only Instructor Gayle Meinkes-Lumia: gaylelumia@yahoo.com | |
 | June 2027: 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16. New Course: Available In-Person or Online Educators are uniquely positioned to shape the financial future of the next generation—but teaching financial literacy effectively requires a foundation of personal financial confidence. This course is designed specifically to work with teachers in building financial literacy skills for your students. This course serves two vital purposes: it equips you with the advanced financial strategies needed to optimize your educator salary, retirement pensions, and investments, while simultaneously providing you with the pedagogical frameworks to deliver high-impact, engaging financial literacy lessons to Gen Z and Gen Alpha students. Educators will work to help transform personal balance sheets while also mastering the tools to eliminate financial illiteracy in the modern secondary classroom. This course is a must for middle-to-high school level educators! Credit (3 credits/45 hours) In-serivce credits only Instructor Kim Kittredge: kkittredgeliips@gmail.com |
