LUSD August Professional Development Day 2026

Is your data sitting in a folder, or is it fueling a fire?

It’s time to take NWEA MAP Growth data off the teacher’s desk and put it directly into the hands of the people who matter most: the students. Join me for a practical and actionable PD session that will show you how to turn "test scores" into "student triumphs."

The Mission: Shift the Ownership
We’re moving beyond simply giving scores to students. This session focuses on creating a classroom culture where students view their RIT scores not as a label, but as a launchpad.

What You’ll Master:

• The Language of Growth: Learn how to facilitate "Data Brave" conversations that replace test anxiety with a growth mindset.
• Student-Led Goal Mapping: Discover creative, age-appropriate ways for elementary and middle schoolers to track their own progress and celebrate milestones.

Actionable Agency: Strategies to help students identify their own "areas of strength" and "areas for growth," turning them into active participants in their learning journey. "When a student understands their data, they own their learning. When they own their learning, the growth is unstoppable."

Stop being the keeper of the data. Leave this session with a toolkit of student-facing templates, reflection journals, and the "teacher-tested" secrets to making every student the hero of their own academic story.

Let's transform your classroom into a hub of student-led success!

This session intended for grades 3–8 teachers focuses on maximizing the power of small group instruction to meet diverse student needs. Participants will build a clear understanding of why small groups matter, explore effective grouping structures, and learn practical routines that make small group time manageable and productive. The session also emphasizes using assessment and progress monitoring data to form flexible groups and drive targeted instruction. Teachers will leave the session with ready-to-use strategies, tools, and a clear plan to implement immediately in their classrooms.

This session will introduce K–8 teachers to Universal Design for Learning as a proactive approach to designing lessons that provide multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression. Participants will explore practical strategies to ensure every student has equitable access to meaningful learning experiences and can demonstrate understanding in ways that reflect their strengths.

This training will explore the powerful connection between Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Project-Based Learning (PBL) to create inclusive, engaging, and student-centered classrooms. Participants will be exposed to how UDL provides the framework to ensure all learners can access, participate in, and succeed within PBL experiences. 

(For upper elementary and middle school teachers)