School leaders will understand what specially designed instruction (SDI) is and understand the role of special and general educators in delivering specialized instruction
Join us for an engaging session designed for school leaders to explore the updated math "look-fors" that support effective instructional practices. Through discussion and analysis, participants will deepen their understanding of key indicators of high-quality math instruction, ensuring alignment with best practices that foster student engagement and conceptual understanding.
Discover how to position coaching as a core part of professional practice that supports every educator. In this session, school leaders will gain strategies to align coaching with School Support Plan goals, implement ongoing coaching cycles, and build a culture of trust, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Leave with actionable tools to elevate the visibility and impact of coaching in your school.
Nicole Sanchez-Coe taught English for 18 years and has held a variety of positions such as Community Liaison, English 10 Team Leader, Admin Aide, and Equity Ambassador Sponsor. She attended Virginia Commonwealth University and graduated in 2004 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities... Read More →
Please join the Department of Innovation for “Leading for LifeReady,” a session designed to support school leaders in identifying key innovation priorities for the year ahead. Through this session, participants will explore actionable strategies for integrating the Henrico Learner Profile's (HLP) durable skills into the heart of their school culture to empower students through voice, choice, and leadership opportunities. In addition, we will explore how durable skills equip students to thrive in a world shaped by artificial intelligence. Participants will learn to use an AI-powered tool to crosswalk their school's goals with the HLP, creating deeper connections between strategic planning and student success. Leave with actionable ideas and a toolkit of strategies to bring back to your building, and a clearer understanding of how to maximize the role of your Innovation Learning Coach (ILC) to drive meaningful change and support staff throughout the year.
This session will highlight the specialty center expectations handbook, with revisions from its first year of implementation. Administrators will have the opportunity to learn and discuss alignment for expectations, withdrawal procedures, and appeals for withdrawals and the application process. Participants will learn and explore how standard aliignment across the district can proactively mitigate common issues that arise across specialty centers.
Please join the Department of Innovation for “AI-Ready Schools.” Artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping education, and schools that embrace this shift will be best equipped to adapt and thrive. Through this session, participants will explore a school-wide blueprint for integrating AI safely, responsibly, and equitably, so no one is left behind. You will get practical strategies for cultivating innovation among teachers, strengthening students' digital literacy and citizenship skills, and seamlessly weaving AI initiatives into your school’s goals. Leave with actionable ideas and tools to help lead your school to become AI-ready.
Description of the BLISS program (profile of students and interventions) for administrators who may not be familiar with the program. Learn to think about student consequences using a new lens.
School administrators will explore practical strategies for crafting clear, impactful messages that connect with families and staff without overwhelming them. We'll discuss how to bridge the gap between complex school operations and everyday understanding to promote inclusivity and engagement. We will also talk about the challenges of information overload and how to effectively use tools like ParentSquare, newsletters, social media, and media relations to strengthen communication.
Discover how to position coaching as a core part of professional practice that supports every educator. In this session, school leaders will gain strategies to align coaching with School Support Plan goals, implement ongoing coaching cycles, and build a culture of trust, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Leave with actionable tools to elevate the visibility and impact of coaching in your school.
Nicole Sanchez-Coe taught English for 18 years and has held a variety of positions such as Community Liaison, English 10 Team Leader, Admin Aide, and Equity Ambassador Sponsor. She attended Virginia Commonwealth University and graduated in 2004 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities... Read More →
All secondary performance tasks are built to develop HLP skills. This session will be designed to meet and work with willling middle school administrators on developing a plan to implement the HCPS middle school cornerstone assessment program
"This collaborative workshop, co-presented by the Teaching & Learning and School Quality departments, will support participants in using Unified Insights to better understand and interpret intervention data. Together, we will explore how the platform brings multiple data sources into focus—revealing patterns, highlighting student progress, and helping schools tell a cohesive story that drives instructional and strategic decisions. Outcomes: * Understand how to interpret intervention data within Unified Insights * Learn how to identify and monitor student progress over time * Strengthen collaboration between instructional and school quality efforts"
Please join the Department of Innovation for “Leading for LifeReady,” a session designed to support school leaders in identifying key innovation priorities for the year ahead. Through this session, participants will explore actionable strategies for integrating the Henrico Learner Profile's (HLP) durable skills into the heart of their school culture to empower students through voice, choice, and leadership opportunities. In addition, we will explore how durable skills equip students to thrive in a world shaped by artificial intelligence. Participants will learn to use an AI-powered tool to crosswalk their school's goals with the HLP, creating deeper connections between strategic planning and student success. Leave with actionable ideas and a toolkit of strategies to bring back to your building, and a clearer understanding of how to maximize the role of your Innovation Learning Coach (ILC) to drive meaningful change and support staff throughout the year.
This session will highlight the specialty center expectations handbook, with revisions from its first year of implementation. Administrators will have the opportunity to learn and discuss alignment for expectations, withdrawal procedures, and appeals for withdrawals and the application process. Participants will learn and explore how standard aliignment across the district can proactively mitigate common issues that arise across specialty centers.
Please join the Department of Innovation for “AI-Ready Leadership.” Leading AI at your school starts with developing your own skills. Through this session, participants will explore essential AI competencies for school leaders, boosting your productivity, creativity, and leadership effectiveness. We will cut through the complexity to reinforce your existing foundational AI knowledge and provide the essential AI literacies leaders need to thrive today. This session will empower you to confidently use, model, and lead safe, effective AI implementation in your school, helping you to remain an informed leader.
Description of the BLISS program (profile of students and interventions) for administrators who may not be familiar with the program. Learn to think about student consequences using a new lens.
Learn how the Explicit Instruction approach, developed by Dr. Anita Archer, promotes student achievement, academic engagement, and on-task behavior and helps teachers cover content more deeply and quickly. Throughout the learning, participants will explore the core concepts of Explicit Instruction, a set of research based design and delivery principles that provide a clear model for what impactful classroom instruction looks like.
School administrators will explore practical strategies for crafting clear, impactful messages that connect with families and staff without overwhelming them. We'll discuss how to bridge the gap between complex school operations and everyday understanding to promote inclusivity and engagement. We will also talk about the challenges of information overload and how to effectively use tools like ParentSquare, newsletters, social media, and media relations to strengthen communication.
Wondering how an attendance team can make a difference with supporting attendance? Curious about how attendance interventions and strategies can be applied using a tiered system approach? Then this session is for you! Join this session for an active and engaging learning session that will: Review the current protocol for addressing and supporting attendance, Highlight the design of effective attendance teams, including roles and responsibilities of team members, and Introduce participants to various attendance strategies and interventions using a tiered system of support approach.
Four specialty center coordinators will discuss how they embed capstone experiences and work-based learning opportunities into their curriculum. The center's theme-based focuses are: Information Technology, Education and Human Development, Spanish Language and Global Citizenship, and The Arts (visual arts, theater, musical theater, and dance). This panel discussion will allow the directors to describe the student experiences in detail. These details will include: 1. Curriculum alignment and embeddedness 2. Logistics for planning for the experience 3. Communicating expectations to students and families 4. Rubric for evaluating 5. Community partnerships to facilitate a successful experience 6. Collaboration across the school division 7. How their specialty center capstones and work-based learning experiences help to reinforce division teaching and learning objectives to create life ready students with durable skills. Coordinators will share their lessons learned, and the value these experiences add to the curriculum. There will be interactive portions throughout the panel discussion to provide follow-up commentary or additional questions for the panel.
Empower yourself to lead and support multilingual learners more effectively! This session will guide administrators in examining ESL curriculum through a side-by-side look at general education content lessons and ESL language-focused lessons. Learn what to look for during ESL teacher observations, how to differentiate between content and language objectives, and how to ensure your school remains in compliance with ESL regulations. Walk away with clear strategies to champion strong language instruction across all classrooms.
Please join the Department of Innovation for “Click Happens,” a session designed to support school leaders in identifying key innovation priorities for the year ahead. In today’s tech-rich classrooms, school leaders play a critical role in shaping how digital tools are used—safely, effectively, and with purpose. This session will equip you to support teachers in making responsible digital choices, understand the student resource request process, and confidently reinforce appropriate digital use across your building.Leave with real-world scenarios, leadership strategies, and key language you can use to support your school safety plan, including how to promote safe, ethical, and aligned digital practices. You’ll also walk away with a clearer understanding of how to maximize the role of your Innovative Learning Coach (ILC) to build a school culture where technology supports both innovation and safety.
Learn how the Explicit Instruction approach, developed by Dr. Anita Archer, promotes student achievement, academic engagement, and on-task behavior and helps teachers cover content more deeply and quickly. Throughout the learning, participants will explore the core concepts of Explicit Instruction, a set of research based design and delivery principles that provide a clear model for what impactful classroom instruction looks like.
Please join the Department of Innovation for “Get in the Game” and learn how you can increase student engagement, improve attendance, and strengthen wellness and belonging—especially for hard-to-reach students, neurodiverse learners, and English learners. Join us for an introduction and invitation to game-based clubs and competitions, including Esports, FIRST LEGO League, and Minecraft challenges, that are available to bring to your school. These programs help students find a sense of belonging, boost their engagement, and develop social, leadership, and career skills. Whether you are looking to start a club, build a competitive team, or use gaming for PBIS, you will leave ready to get in the game and unlock a new pathway for student success!
Section 504 compliance isn’t just about paperwork — it’s about leadership, equity, and protecting your students and your school. This interactive 75-minute session cuts through the legal jargon and gives school and administrators real-world tools, current legal insights, and practical strategies to confidently lead 504 processes on their campuses.
We'll tackle hot-button issues including mental health accommodations, discipline and manifestation determinations, chronic health conditions, and the rising tide of parent conflict — all through the lens of compliance and campus culture. Walk away with easy-to-implement templates, risk-spotting strategies, and a leadership action plan to improve implementation, reduce disputes, and empower your team.
Having a well-structured MTSS framework can help students, families, and staff receive the necessary support needed for progress in all areas. This session connects Tier 1, 2, & 3 in your elementary building to promote healthy communication, improve collaboration, and renew a sense of accountability within your school climate.
Administrators are the leaders in building safe, supportive learning environments for all students. Drawing on this existing expertise, this interactive session utilizes collaborative dialogue, real-world scenarios, and reflective activities to refine practices and learn new, practical strategies to strengthen student engagement, emotional regulation, and resilience. Participants will explore how small, intentional shifts in practice can lead to meaningful, lasting impact in their schools.
Strong school counseling programs thrive under knowledgeable and supportive leadership. In this engaging professional learning session, school administrators will explore practical strategies for empowering their school counselors and aligning counseling services with schoolwide goals. Participants will learn how to gather and analyze school counselor use-of-time data to ensure effective and equitable service delivery. The session will also provide customizable templates for ongoing, purposeful meetings with counseling staff to promote collaboration, goal setting, and progress monitoring. In addition, administrators will receive a timely refresher on the school counselor evaluation and observation tool launched last school year—focusing on how to use it to provide meaningful feedback and support counselor growth. Participants will leave with tools and insights to strengthen the partnership between school leadership and school counselors in service of student success.
Wondering how an attendance team can make a difference with supporting attendance? Curious about how attendance interventions and strategies can be applied using a tiered system approach? Then this session is for you! Join this session for an active and engaging learning session that will: Review the current protocol for addressing and supporting attendance, Highlight the design of effective attendance teams, including roles and responsibilities of team members, and Introduce participants to various attendance strategies and interventions using a tiered system of support approach.
Four specialty center coordinators will discuss how they embed capstone experiences and work-based learning opportunities into their curriculum. The center's theme-based focuses are: Information Technology, Education and Human Development, Spanish Language and Global Citizenship, and The Arts (visual arts, theater, musical theater, and dance). This panel discussion will allow the directors to describe the student experiences in detail. These details will include: 1. Curriculum alignment and embeddedness 2. Logistics for planning for the experience 3. Communicating expectations to students and families 4. Rubric for evaluating 5. Community partnerships to facilitate a successful experience 6. Collaboration across the school division 7. How their specialty center capstones and work-based learning experiences help to reinforce division teaching and learning objectives to create life ready students with durable skills. Coordinators will share their lessons learned, and the value these experiences add to the curriculum. There will be interactive portions throughout the panel discussion to provide follow-up commentary or additional questions for the panel.
Empower yourself to lead and support multilingual learners more effectively! This session will guide administrators in examining ESL curriculum through a side-by-side look at general education content lessons and ESL language-focused lessons. Learn what to look for during ESL teacher observations, how to differentiate between content and language objectives, and how to ensure your school remains in compliance with ESL regulations. Walk away with clear strategies to champion strong language instruction across all classrooms.
Please join the Department of Innovation for “AI-Ready Schools.” Artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping education, and schools that embrace this shift will be best equipped to adapt and thrive. Through this session, participants will explore a school-wide blueprint for integrating AI safely, responsibly, and equitably, so no one is left behind. You will get practical strategies for cultivating innovation among teachers, strengthening students' digital literacy and citizenship skills, and seamlessly weaving AI initiatives into your school’s goals. Leave with actionable ideas and tools to help lead your school to become AI-ready.
Please join the Department of Innovation for “Get in the Game” and learn how you can increase student engagement, improve attendance, and strengthen wellness and belonging—especially for hard-to-reach students, neurodiverse learners, and English learners. Join us for an introduction and invitation to game-based clubs and competitions, including Esports, FIRST LEGO League, and Minecraft challenges, that are available to bring to your school. These programs help students find a sense of belonging, boost their engagement, and develop social, leadership, and career skills. Whether you are looking to start a club, build a competitive team, or use gaming for PBIS, you will leave ready to get in the game and unlock a new pathway for student success!
Section 504 compliance isn’t just about paperwork — it’s about leadership, equity, and protecting your students and your school. This interactive 75-minute session cuts through the legal jargon and gives school and administrators real-world tools, current legal insights, and practical strategies to confidently lead 504 processes on their campuses.
We'll tackle hot-button issues including mental health accommodations, discipline and manifestation determinations, chronic health conditions, and the rising tide of parent conflict — all through the lens of compliance and campus culture. Walk away with easy-to-implement templates, risk-spotting strategies, and a leadership action plan to improve implementation, reduce disputes, and empower your team.
This session will highlight key sustainability recommendations from the HEART Youth Council and the HCPS Sustainability Summit, focusing on student-driven solutions for a greener future. Participants will explore how these recommendations align with district goals and identify actionable steps to support and implement them. Join us to learn how HCPS leaders can amplify student voices and drive meaningful sustainability initiatives across our schools.
Having a well-structured MTSS framework can help students, families, and staff receive the necessary support needed for progress in all areas. This session connects Tier 1, 2, & 3 in your elementary building to promote healthy communication, improve collaboration, and renew a sense of accountability within your school climate.
Administrators are the leaders in building safe, supportive learning environments for all students. Drawing on this existing expertise, this interactive session utilizes collaborative dialogue, real-world scenarios, and reflective activities to refine practices and learn new, practical strategies to strengthen student engagement, emotional regulation, and resilience. Participants will explore how small, intentional shifts in practice can lead to meaningful, lasting impact in their schools.
Strong school counseling programs thrive under knowledgeable and supportive leadership. In this engaging professional learning session, school administrators will explore practical strategies for empowering their school counselors and aligning counseling services with schoolwide goals. Participants will learn how to gather and analyze school counselor use-of-time data to ensure effective and equitable service delivery. The session will also provide customizable templates for ongoing, purposeful meetings with counseling staff to promote collaboration, goal setting, and progress monitoring. In addition, administrators will receive a timely refresher on the school counselor evaluation and observation tool launched last school year—focusing on how to use it to provide meaningful feedback and support counselor growth. Participants will leave with tools and insights to strengthen the partnership between school leadership and school counselors in service of student success.
In the past two years, the HCPS Teacher Licensure Program has helped over 100 teachers earn their full teaching licenses. As we prepare to launch our third year, this session will focus on how school leaders can support teachers in the Teacher Licensure Cohort Program to successfully complete their coursework. Join us to learn about intentional approaches that can help you retain teachers in your building.
Educational Specialist of Professional Learning and Leadership, Henrico County Public Schools
Dr. Sarah Morris Slaughter's purpose and passion is helping people to serve others (i.e. students, teachers, admininistrators, educators, colleagues) from an authentic place through the vehicle of professional learning. She has served in numerous capacities to include a middle school... Read More →
