The Foundational Skills (for short-call subs): Learn the most impactful strategies to successfully engage students while also helping the adults save their energy. Based on the ongoing applied research in over 50,000 classrooms and school settings, The Catalyst Approach is committed to finding relevant and practical solutions to the most common school challenges. This course introduces the roots of The Catalyst Approach and the 12 Foundational Skills to help every adult working with students know where to focus their efforts. Hopefully you’ll finish the course with a renewed sense of hope, joy, and confidence in your work.

The Foundational Skills (for student teachers): Learn the most impactful strategies to successfully engage students while also helping the adults save their energy. Based on the ongoing applied research in over 50,000 classrooms and school settings, The Catalyst Approach is committed to finding relevant and practical solutions to the most common school challenges. This course introduces the roots of The Catalyst Approach and the 12 Foundational Skills to help every adult working with students know where to focus their efforts. Hopefully you’ll finish the course with a renewed sense of hope, joy, and confidence in your work.

Quick Start to Coaching Adult Learners (for those mentoring teachers): Gain insights about the important role of mentoring adult learners. Whether you’re working with a student teacher, a new colleague, or a school leader who supports ongoing professional development for teachers, the strategies in this brief learning experience will sharpen your mentoring skills. Even if you have previous experience in this kind of role, you’ll get to reflect and refine your skills to gain confidence and make your work even more effective!

This event is offered in partnership with the Initiative Foundation.

Your nonprofit needs grants to sustain operation and local government departments need grant to provide programming, but how do you identify and apply for the right grants? In this workshop, learn from an expert about the basics of preparing for and writing a high-quality grant application.

Sourcewell strives to bring the highest-quality resources, information, and training opportunities to our members. We're honored to team up with the Initiative Foundation to bring this opportunity to our central Minnesota region.

Presented by Hinge Health, this webinar will explore how physical therapy can enhance your overall health and well-being. You'll gain valuable insights into who Hinge Health serves, how they approach pain treatment, and what to expect from their services. Plus, earn 15 WellRight wellness points for attending live or watching on-demand. 

We invite K-8 social studies educators to a workshop that will provide an overview of the new 2021 Minnesota social studies standards. This workshop includes time for teachers to work together to bundle benchmarks into cohesive, interdisciplinary instructional units. Participants will also have worktime to start aligning these units with existing resources and primary sources.

This webinar will identify elements of differentiation and explore differentiation strategies such as questioning, grouping, and choice. Use these strategies to meet both support and challenge needs of your diverse students.

Led by a mental health professional and educator, this webinar will cover key facts about children's mental health, early warning signs of mental health disorders, and signs and symptoms of childhood suicide. Discussion will include strategies for how to respond and how to access help for students.

This training focuses on why and how our body and brain respond to stress/crisis and how that affects our work, wellness, and interactions. Explore Social-Emotional Learning strategies to recognize dysregulation in yourself and others, as well as strategies to regain and retain regulation. These strategies apply to interactions with students, colleagues, and caregivers.

Multilingual learners in our classrooms are a huge asset. Not every educator may feel confident in how to best support and include these students. This webinar offers insights to support educators in creating optimal learning environments and instructional strategies for each learner.

Per the Minnesota Department of Education suggested timeline, we are moving from the exploration stage to two years of transition with our 2022 Minnesota math standards. Join us for a deeper dive into changes from the 2007 standards and what this looks like in your schools. We will choose one or two anchor standards and break down the corresponding benchmarks per grade level.

This is a specialized training on both practical and legal considerations of Minnesota’s open meeting law and data practices requirements. Participants will gain an understanding of these complicated laws, learn how to access appropriate resources, and leave with practical knowledge for working within the laws’ parameters.

Join this on-demand training opportunity to access a wide variety of online courses designed to provide paraprofessionals the targeted training needed to succeed as a Title I paraprofessional, including strategies that can be applied immediately.

The training includes access to over 150 courses and can be used for professional development or certification. Access to the content will be available for one year from your registration date. If you are using this training for certification, you must complete PARA Assessment 1 and PARA Assessment 2. The assessments must be proctored. Please be aware that this is an on-demand training and any preparations for the assessments are up to the individual to complete online.

Sourcewell will not be hosting proctoring sessions at this time, please see this FAQ document for more information.

Join us for a dedicated day of professional learning tailored specifically for paraprofessionals. This enriching event will cover a range of essential topics designed to enhance your skills and knowledge, ensuring you are well-equipped to support students effectively. Topics Include: child development, importance of communication, increasing student independence, teamwork, trauma-informed practices, and parent experiences. This event promises to be an invaluable opportunity for paraprofessionals to enhance their professional skills and network with peers. Don't miss out on this chance to grow and learn together!

Please note: This training does not meet the required Paraprofessional Read Act training hours.

Join your Regional COMPASS Climate and Culture Lead in monthly one hour sessions focused on supporting school climate improvement. Each session will include information on one area of school climate work with time to network, share common challenges related to school climate, support the needs of the group attending, and make requests for future Pop Up PD sessions. This collaborative event aims to strengthen support and improve school environments across our community.

Our first session in February we'll share about the COMPASS system, our COMPASS School Climate and Culture team, and how our School Climate and Culture Regional Leads can support your district.

May Session: Topic TBD

Prior to the virtual Pop Up PD, you will receive a calendar invitation with a Zoom link included.

School leaders will come together five times throughout the year to share a meal, network with one another on topics of interest to them, and learn up to date information on key leadership topics.

Language is ever evolving and changing. Sometimes knowing which terms or descriptions to use can be difficult and sometimes we don’t even know we are using outdated or harmful language. This webinar is focused on promoting positive language around topics such as race, gender, and common school-based labels and language.

The Sourcewell Educator Summit is the region's premier opportunity to engage with leading education experts as well as colleagues as you continue the work of creating a culture of learning for all students.

View list of speakers >

Focus topics:

Universal Design for Learning; Grading
Culture, Collaborative Teams (PLCs), and MTSS
Effective Practices in Teaching, Assessing, and Reporting; Writing
Cultural Competency
Teacher Resiliency
GRIT and Resiliency in Education
Special Education – Teacher Resiliency
Supporting Diverse Learners
Special Education and 504s
Artificial Intelligence Tools

The Special Education New Teacher Academy is designed to increase confidence and capacity in novice educators by combining relevant training with growth-focused coaching support. These sessions will have collaborative interaction the morning with general educations participants and have specific special education content in the afternoon. Support throughout the year includes six full-day trainings at Sourcewell, four individual in-classroom coaching sessions, Catalyst Whole Group Leadership, and Catalyst Live.

This training is for all entities who have a role in reunification. We will plan and practice the reunification process. It will ensure a common understanding of the process, establish the use of a common language, and strengthen the relationships you have built with your partners.

Are you an educator looking for innovative ways to enhance your instruction? Whether you're exploring computer science integration, navigating new standards, diving into AI, connecting with science phenomena, or adapting to updated math benchmarks, this one-day conference has something for everyone. Join us for a dynamic and inspiring day of learning with hands-on experiences!

Did you know your school grounds are a rich resource that provides opportunities to spark a student’s sense of wonder while increasing academic knowledge and achievement? Join Jeffers Foundation facilitators to gain insight into the benefits of learning outdoors. Learn strategies and receive tools to help you confidently identify and move lessons and curriculum that you already teach outside onto your school grounds in order to increase student engagement through authentic learning experiences. Participants will also learn about opportunities for free workshops at their schools. Participants will learn through experience, so come prepared to go outdoors!

It is more important than ever that we embrace practices known to insulate young people from the impact of traumatic events. These practices support students who are experiencing adversity, allowing them to remain/become ready to learn, connect, and thrive. Participants will examine the trauma responsiveness of current practices and pedagogy, then use scenarios to apply trauma responsive practices and interventions that can address safety, behavior, connection, relationship building, student voice, and attendance.

Trauma can inhibit a person’s ability to learn, build relationships, and function in a classroom. To support students affected by trauma, educators must first understand the various types of traumas (beyond ACES) and how trauma impacts the brain and behavior in both students and adults. This equity-infused training will conclude with an introduction to trauma informed practices that support resilience.

The New Teacher Academy is designed to increase confidence and capacity in novice educators by combining relevant training with growth-focused coaching support. Support throughout the year includes five full-day trainings at Chase on the Lake, five individual in-classroom coaching sessions, Catalyst Whole Group Leadership, and Catalyst Live.

Identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among young people. You’ll build the skills and confidence you need to recognize early warnings signs of a mental health challenge and how to reach out and provide initial and continuing support to young people experiencing a mental health challenge or crisis, including suicide. You will also learn how to help connect them to appropriate support.