Education Policies & Trends
 | The course is designed to enhance the knowledge base for professionals in an era of school restructuring, technological innovation, and social change. Teachers and administrators will learn first-hand about innovative practices and recent research in the field. Topics include: student self-assessment, teacher reflection, cooperative learning, mentoring, the use of technology in schools, home-school communication, inclusion to support learning diversity, and the challenge of school restructuring. Areas covered are: Learning Theory, Curriculum Design, Classroom Atmosphere, and Instructional Strategies among others. This course also covers the dilemma children face who are experiencing difficulty in learning situations because of ethnic group frustrations in the community, problems of social adjustment, socio-economic inequities, and learning gaps. The role of the school in facilitating the program for children of various cultures to become valued members of the community is discussed. Activities, content, and materials are related to current and relevant frameworks and standards. Recommended for all instructors K – 12.
Course Purpose:
The direct aim of this course is to add to personal professionalism as an educator by becoming more attentive to current issues in schools today and by being informed of some of the choices available to empower teachers in their own classrooms, including theories, methods, strategies, techniques, and ways to differentiate instruction to further aid student achievement.
ON-LINE (3 Credits – 45 Hours) In-service Credit only | |
 | Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia – gaylelumia@yahoo.com
In-Service Course – 3 Credits – 45 Hours
Course Description: Hands-on, experimental learning is the wave of the future for educators, coaches, directors, and administrators alike. Developing driving questions for students enables them to utilize critical thinking skills and enhance their learning tremendously. The course will center around summative and formative assessments for learning, showcase lessons for discussion, PBL techniques, inquiry-based analysis and many more innovative concepts. Participants will be able to guide their learners perfectly. All disciplines and grade levels welcome.
*A must for K-12 educators* | |
 | This course is designed to provide educators with instructional strategies and apply it to meet the needs of all students grades K-12. Emphasis will be placed on how to effectively design your lessons, how to evaluate your curriculum, distinguish between learning styles, and how to provide instruction that enhances and improves academic performance for all students. This course examines how all these concepts combined serve as the basic design of curriculum and instruction overall. Educators will discuss proper planning of the core concepts, essential questions, how to use metacognitive reading strategies, background knowledge, and scaffolding, in order to lead to a successful classroom environment. Additional applications introduced in this course include rubrics, graphic organizers, vocabulary strategies, peer tutoring, note-taking, paraphrasing, summarizing (with the use of 10% summary), reciprocal teaching, and questioning. Educators will learn practices in this course that relate to district-wide teacher evaluations, the New York State Teaching Standards, and the Common Core Standards. Participants will also discover how to engage students, deepen their understanding of context, and prepare them for success beyond the classroom.
ON-LINE (3 credits/45 hours) in-service credit only | |
 | (3 credits/45 hours) In service credit only
Instructor: Grace Rossetti gracerossettiliips@gmail.com
Course Description: What is integrated co-teaching (ICT) and how can it be successful? As an ICT teacher for the last 5 years, I can't wait to share my success with other educators! In this course, participants will learn different models that co-teachers can use: station teaching, parallel teaching, one teach/one observe and one teach/one assist. The goal is for participants to learn the difference between the models, how they can all be used to reach the needs of all your learners, and how you can begin using them right away. This course suits all educators K-12. | |
 | Taken from www.responsiveclassroom.org, “Interactive Modeling is a straightforward, quickly paced process that’s effective for teaching children any academic or social skill, routine, or procedure that you want them to do in a specific way (whether for safety, efficiency, or other reasons). One of the essential practices of the Responsive Classroom approach to teaching elementary school children, Interactive Modeling can be used by any adult anywhere in school at any time of year.” Teachers will learn the steps for Interactive Modeling, strategies for success, ideas for where to use in your lessons and routines. Applicable for teachers K-12.
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| *New Course Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia- gaylelumia@yahoo.com Summer 2025 Dates – July 28th-August 1st Course Credits- 3 Credits/45 Hours Course Description: Instructing all students to lead others, become independent thinkers, and take ownership in their learning is key to their success. This course will provide participants with the practices it takes to train their students to be at the top of their game including being proactive in their learning, finding their inner voice, and creating opportunities for themselves. Many tools will be provided that enable them to engage their students and direct them towards creating alternatives and goals in their lives, ones that cause them to be highly effective in all they do. *A Must for all K-12 Educators* | |
 | Janna Florio Online Course - 3 credits / 45 hours - In-Service Credit Only Applicable to High School Teachers & Department Coordinators/Chairs Description: Being a student in high school is tough; being a teacher of high school students is tough; however, surviving high school as a newcomer to the country could feel almost impossible. Combined with the harrowing experiences they suffer during their immigration journeys, adolescent ELLs are also faced with the stresses that plague the majority of all other high-schoolers. From high-stakes testing to mental health concerns, students within this age bracket hold a lot of weight on their shoulders. Past trauma, feelings of isolation, displacement from family, and the challenges of learning a new culture and language only exacerbate these issues for immigrant and migrant students. In this course, you will learn about the struggles these students face, the challenges they must overcome, and what schools might be able to do to support them. | |
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(45 hours/3 credits) In service course only
Instructor: Jessica Uebel Juebelliops@gmail.com
Course Description: “Reading Comprehension Revisited” is a podcast by Natalie Wexler. This podcast dives into the history of how teachers taught reading comprehension. It shares the research that shows how students comprehend. Similar to “Sold a Story”, this is an expose that brings awareness to the importance of how children learn to read-how they comprehend what they are reading. In this course teachers of all grades (K-12) will learn the history of how and why schools chose the programs and methods they did to teach reading comprehension. We will explore the current practice that is on trend-The Knowledge Matters Campaign. Teachers will explore and engage in discovering the role of knowledge-building in the classroom. Teachers will share and reflect on their own methodologies, research programs,and design lessons and activities.
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 | Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia – gaylelumia@yahoo.com
In-Service Course – 3 Credits – 45 Hours
Course Description: Life Lessons are learned in a plethora of ways. Students glean motivation and desire success when inspirational ideas are presented to them. This course will focus on a wealth of disciplines and a variety of insightful topics that encapsulate creativity and enable students to reach for the stars. Lessons from a variety of different modalities will be covered, including English, Social Studies, Math, and Science, as well as innovative techniques, all of which strengthen students' skills and nurture their inner beings.
*A must for K-12 educators* | |
| 3 Credits – In service Course (45 Hours)
Instructor: Kim Kittredge kkittredgeliips@gmail.com
Course Description: As educators we want all our students to be curious, questionable and seek adventure through learning. This course will lead educators to take a different teaching route with their students. Critical thinking and thought-provoking techniques will be shared. Hands-on, and experiential learning, critical thing techniques and more will be explored. Since this type of “learning through exploration” is the wave of the future, educators, coaches, directors, and administrators will all benefit from the techniques shared in this course. Teachers will learn to utilize driving questions for students that will help them enhance their learning tremendously. The course will also center around deep discussion, PBL techniques, inquiry-based analysis and many more innovative concepts. This course is a must for all subjects and grade levels K-12. | |
 | Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia – gaylelumia@yahoo.com
In-Service Course – 3 Credits – 45 Hours
Course Description: A happy classroom is teeming with positive relationships and a sense of belonging. All students are treated equally, all input is taken into account, and students feel safe and respected. Creating this positive classroom culture provides students with the ability to flourish and connect to the material at large. This course will provide educators with the tools necessary to develop an enthusiastic mindset and to subsequently create lessons to match. Topics to be covered include positive reinforcement, effective classroom environment strategies, literature readings from the Dalai Lama and "The Good Life", as well as philosophical readings on scientific keys to happiness.
*A must for K-12 educators* | |
| *New Course* Fall 2024
Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia – gaylelumia@yahoo.com
In-Service Class – 3 Credits – 45 Hours
Course Description: Children are natural learners eager to experiment, manipulate their environment, explore, and discover. In contrast, school tends to be a subdued place, not allowing for creativity and freedom. Most decisions are made with unfair regimens for students, ones that do not factor in their curiosity and communication skills. This course will enable educators to engage their learners effectively, to understand the concrete strategies that increase engagement and connection and decrease boredom and disaffection. They will learn to create empathetic learners who place kids in charge and collaborate effectively in imparting information and changing the narrative for all, overall increasing kids’ motivational levels and interests.
*A must for K-12 Educators!! | |
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Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia – gaylelumia@yahoo.com
(3 Credits/45 Hours) – In-Service Credit
Course Description: Individuals who do the most talking, thinking, reflecting, or moving do the most learning. When learners feel good about what, how, and with whom they learn, they’re more likely to want to do it again. Building upon childhood experiences and engaging our students in relevant, meaningful instruction in all disciplines is crucial. Participants in the course will understand the tools for success that their students need in order to make sense of their learning. They will learn to organize their content, pre-teach, structure their lessons perfectly, develop active participants rather than passive recipients of learning. Classrooms will be completely restructured to meet the needs of their aspiring learners! **A must for K-12 educators!!! | |
 | *New Course*
Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia – gaylelumia@yahoo.com
In-Service Class – 3 Credits – 45 Hours
Dates: March 17,18,19,20,21,24,25,26,27,28th (2025)
East Meadow Location – 4:15 -8:15 pm
Course Description:
Understanding the ways in which students’ learning is maximized is key to education today. Having an awareness of the various learning styles facilitates student/teacher interaction, effective accommodations, and analysis of individuals’ critical thinking skills. This course will focus on the work of American psychologist, Howard Gardner and his theory of multiple intelligences and the ways in which his profound analysis ties directly into 21st century learning. Teachers will leave with a knowledge of the eight different intelligences and the intertwining of creative components of each. Innovative components of the intelligences will be learned as well as how to tie them into all disciplines and age groups.
*A must for all K-12 Educators* | |
| *New Course Instructor: Kim Kittredge kkittredgeliips@gmail.com 3 Credits In Service Course (45 Hours) Dates: Summer 2025 – June 30th-July 5th, no class July 4th Cousre Description:Being a mentor and mentoring are both important roles for an educator. This course will delve into what it is like to be mentor to another teacher. We will go through the strategies and skills that should be shared from a seasoned teacher to a newer teacher. We will also discuss how when you a mentor a student in class he help them to become the best version of themselves. Mentors in all roles are here to guide and provide. Educators will leave this course with a better sense of how to work with teachers and students to be the perfect mentor for today. This course is a must for educators K-12. | |
 | *New Course Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia- gaylelumia@yahoo.com Summer 2025 Dates – August 18th-August 22nd Course Credits- 3 Credits/45 Hours Course Description: Fostering deep and engaging classroom discussions is essential for promoting critical thinking and student engagement. Too often, classroom discussions tend to be blasé. This course will instruct participants on the tricks to tantalizing their learners. Teaching tools include effective communication and discourse, Socratic Seminars, innovative role-play, friends without pens, fishbowl, and many more! *A Must for K-12 Educators* | |
 | Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia – gaylelumia@yahoo.com
Short texts are everywhere, and so are the readers who love them. Many short texts serve as opportunities to learn valuable skills and connect deeply with students. Short text can be found in a myriad of contexts such as tweets, chat messages, search queries, product descriptions, or online reviews. Within this course, teachers will learn how to select, plan with, and use short texts as mentors that instruct valuable skills and strategies, increase reading volume and inspire opportunities for writing across content areas. Links to ideas and concepts as well as interdisciplinary modules will be provided. Teachers will emerge with a toolkit for reshaping shared reading that can be put into immediate usage in the classroom. A must for K-12 classrooms!! | |
 | Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia –gaylelumia@yahoo.com
Many students can become overwhelmed and shut down before trying to work through a challenge. Difficulties can arise for students who have issues applying the skills necessary to be successful - academically, behaviorally and social-emotionally. When students are unable to engage in strategic learning, they risk believing that assignments and social situations are too challenging to attempt or to overcome. Students’ performance and self-concept are managed through mindful mindsets. Having students understand the benefits of managing their stress and identifying the ways in which they improve their academic, behavioral and social-emotional skills is crucial. In this class, teachers will learn how to gain the positive attention from their students when they are feeling defeated. They will analyze how perception relates to learning,
learn to manage the different perceptions of students, discover strategies to explicitly teach mindfulness, and uncover the avenues that unlock students’ frustrations. A must for K-12 teachers!!
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 | Course # PDLI9100
(45 HOURS/3 GRADUATE CREDITS) ON-LINE
Instructor: Kim Kittredge kkittredgeliips@gmail.com
Course Description:
This course will discover the benefits of teaching proper mindsets to students and educators. We will also work on teacher mindsets and how balanced teaching will help with the balanced classroom. Educators will discover how de-stressing helps in the success of learning. Teachers will discuss fixed vs. growth mindsets, assessments and communication strategies for all. | |
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Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia – gaylelumia@yahoo.com
In-Service Course – 3 Credits – 45 Hours
Course Description: Our special education students require our utmost care and attention in their learning. Providing unique types of instruction that engage our population is tantamount to their success. Within this course, participants will learn effective strategies needed for students with disabilities. Specially designed instruction and the ways to implement will be addressed – including: student accommodations, diverse learning, various differentiated techniques, and unique learning environments for supporting students. Distinct instruction on creating modifications will be given as well as achieving the utmost proficiency in IEP goals and objectives within the classroom environment.
*A must for K-12 educators | |
 | Course Description:
Since we know education moves in cycles, we see Common Core moving out, and Next Generation moving in. As always our roles as teachers need to ebb and flow as well. This course will describe just what we need to achieve a greater understanding of the Next Generation Standards. We will discuss how to move forward in our curriculum with our students in our classrooms today. This course will provide you with the knowledge to be more of a facilitator in your classroom as you coach your students and as they become more active in their own learning. Educators will explore how to promote and encourage self-directed learning in your classroom, while also creating a learning environment that encourages collaboration. Teachers will discuss how to help your students manage their own learning, and inspire their thinking skills. These skills will help them thrive in their daily lives both inside and outside of the classroom.
This course is a must for all teachers of all disciplines K-12.
ON-LINE (3 credits/45 hours) in-service credit only
Instructor: Kim Kittredge kkittredgeliips@gmail.com
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 | Course Description:
This course is designed to equip educators with the tools they will need to effectively manage a successful classroom. Teachers will examine up to date, research-based concepts and strategies for orchestrating a learning-based classroom community. Educators will share lessons and experiences, procedures that work, and examine effective steps for managing a successful group of learners. The classroom climate, physical environment, rules and procedures, teaching flow, and positive and negative behavior responses will all be explored. This course is a must for educators grades K-12.
ON-LINE (3 credits/45 hours) in-service credit only
Instructor: Kim Kittredge kkittredgeliips@gmail.com
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 | Credits: (3 credits/45 hours) in-service credit only Instructor: Dr. Christopher Korolczuk Email: DrK.liips@gmail.com Course Description: Parental involvement in a child's education is a paramount catalyst that can ignite a lifelong love for learning and unlock limitless potential. When parents actively engage in their child's educational journey, they create an environment that fosters academic success, emotional well-being, and personal growth. Studies have shown that students with involved parents are 55% more likely to have higher grades and 42% more likely to graduate from college, compared to their peers with less parental involvement. This staggering statistic illuminates the profound impact parents can have on shaping their child's educational trajectory, ultimately paving the way for a brighter and more fulfilling future. So, how do we get more parents and families involved??? NEW! This self-paced course uses an online learning platform called Canvas. All videos, reading materials, and assignments can be found in one online location. Also, you can simply type your assignments into the website and hit the “submit.” button. This new feature makes the course easier to navigate and more user-friendly than other courses. | |
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Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia – gaylelumia@yahoo.com
In-Service Course – 3 Credits – 45 Hours
Course Description: The burden of responsibility for student success should ideally rest squarely on the shoulders of the student. Providing the means for our learners to solve open-ended real-world problems is crucial. This course will explore the ways in which our learners can become self-directed - solving and developing answers to critical problems in society. Participants will explore lessons of PBL, divergent thinking, riddle solving, comprehensive studies development, and be able to purposively solve world issues.
*A must for all K-12 educators* | |
 | (3 credits/45 hours) In service credit only
Instructor: Joanie Deignan jdeignanliips@gmail.com
Summary: A positive learning environment can impact a child to succeed at many levels. Students learn better when they view the learning environment as positive and supportive. A positive environment is one in which students feel like they belong, can trust others, and feel encouraged to tackle challenges, take risks, and ask questions. This course discusses different ways to be positive and your personal experiences demonstrating positivity to students or colleagues. This course is geared towards K-12 educators and special area teachers as well. | |
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Course Description – The virtual lives of students during and post-pandemic has been extremely stressful. Balancing health, family, friends, schooling, and sanity has been anything but ideal. Excessive time in front of the screen has left many students devoid of inter-personal skills and has led to anxiety and depression. Life lessons and socialization skills need to be retaught and at the forefront of learning. This course will examine the implications that virtual instruction has had on students and will investigate the ways in which emotions, empathy, and well-being intertwine with the real lives of students. Teachers will learn how they can assist students in venturing back into the classroom and relearning the skills that were missed during the past year. A myriad of topics will be covered as well as lessons and social-emotional strategies. A must for K-12 educators!!!!!
(3 credits/45 hours) – In-Service Credit | |
| *New Course*
Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia – gaylelumia@yahoo.com
In-service Class – 3 Credits – 45 Hours
Dates: Spring Break Course – April 14th-18th (2025)
East Meadow Location – 8-5 pm
Course Description:
Promoting social unity and bridging cultural divides are concepts that need to be centered in every classroom. Within this course, educators will work collaboratively to plan, teach, observe, and explore student engagement. Strategies for rigorous learning and creations of inclusive classroom culture is what the focus will be. Educators will inculcate student cultures and values as well as explore the ways in which learning occurs equitably. Lessons will be taught that center around every discipline and grade level, as well as various types of assessment and prompts that promote student interaction.
*A Must for K-12 Educators | |
 | *New Course Instructor: Kim Kittredge kkittredgeliips@gmail.com 3 Credits In Service Course (45 Hours) Dates: Summer 2025 – July 7th-11th Cousre Description: College and Career Readiness is the new expression in schools today. What exactly does it mean? How do we help our students achieve it? How do we model our lessons? This course is designed for educators who want to work with their students and get them to the next level. Educators who are looking to explore higher order thinking strategies for their students will explore practices to use daily. Teachers will work to share critical thinking, communication, collaboration and other components that students will need in the future for uses in the real-world. Educators will feel confident in sharing their lessons and promoting readiness in all students. This course is a must for educators K-12. | |
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Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia – gaylelumia@yahoo.com
In-Service Course – 3 Credits – 45 Hours
Course Description: Developing a wide range of critical and reflective thinking skills is tantamount to student success. As information becomes available readily and modern society is changing more rapidly, students need to constantly rethink and change their problem-solving activities. This course will provide participants with a wealth of reflective thinking skills that guide students’ thought processes and hones in on their distinct learning abilities. Activities include : reflective journal writing, small group activities, explorations, web activities, and concrete learning skills.
*A must for K-12 Educators* | |
| *New Course Instructor: Kim Kittredge kkittredgeliips@gmail.com 3 Credits In Service Course (45 Hours) Dates: Spring 2025 – May 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21. Course Description:The goal of giving great feedback is a skill that all need to practice. Whether you’re a teacher giving feedback to your students, an administrator providing feedback on an observation, or a colleague sharing feedback on a fellow teacher’s lesson, feedback is an integral skill. This course will provide strategies for sharing positive and negative feedback with proper etiquette and style. Since feedback accomplishes different goals depending on the situation, educators will work on strategies for effective use of feedback at the optimal moments and times. Teachers will find that after this course they will achieve great results in and out of the classroom to help provide the feedback results they seek. This course is a must for educators K-12. |