Focus Areas

#5: The CEEDAR Center This week, we feature the Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform Center (CEEDAR). The CEEDAR Center partners with the VDOE as a technical assistance provider to support both pre- and in-service educators. Among their many valuable resources are implementation tools that promote the use of High-Leverage Practices (HLPs), which…

#4: Center for Implementation and Evaluation of Education Systems (CIEES) at Old Dominion University This week’s resource spotlight features the Center for Implementation and Evaluation of Education Systems (CIEES) at Old Dominion University. As ODU’s first center dedicated to using significant grant funding to drive meaningful improvements in K–12 education for students with and without…

#3 Center for Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports This week’s website in the spotlight is PBIS.org. This website from the Center for Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports features a wealth of resources and tools for everyone from superintendents to classroom teachers looking to better meet the needs of students, build better learning environments and support…

#2: The IRIS Center The next resource we would like to share in this August Friday 5 series: Beyond our Blog, is the IRIS Center. The resources on this site are focused on improving outcomes for all children, especially those with disabilities. Some of our favorite things about the Iris Center are their Modules, Information Briefs,…

#1: VTSS Resource Hub A few of our favorite things about the VTSS Resource Hub are the ready to use resources which include: various MTSS Anchor documents such as Virginia’s core components, the Hexagon Tool for selecting evidence-based practices and more! You’ll also find the VTSS 10 Evidence Based Classroom Practices one-pagers, complete with videos…

A Summary of May’s Friday Five Series Creating a culture of belonging, motivation, and shared success is strengthened through intentional acknowledgements and celebration. Our 5-part series dives into best practices for acknowledgement from a tiered approach — from school-wide to the classroom to individual students, and staff. Each post shares a resource tool which highlights…

#5: Best Practices for Student Acknowledgement In creating an authentic, positive, and productive school environment, a comprehensive acknowledgement system is not just a nice-to-have, but a fundamental necessity. Imagine a system that not only recognizes individual student achievements, but one that also celebrates the collaborative successes of small groups and the collective spirit of the…

#4: Staff Celebrations and Acknowledgements It’s important that leaders be intentional when building a positive school climate where staff feel valued and are motivated to stay and to work hard. At the heart of a thriving school culture is the consistent recognition of the dedication, effort, and impact of every staff member—acknowledgement isn’t just appreciated,…

#3 Individual Student Celebrations and Acknowledgements Building positive, thriving school and classroom communities with a culture of growth happens when effort and achievement are recognized and celebrated at the school, classroom, and individual student levels. Recognizing individual students for their effort and achievements creates a sense of belonging and increases their individual intrinsic motivation and…