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.

For additional information view the Course List (includes course objectives)

The Minnesota Department of Education has partnered with Sourcewell to provide a limited number of seats available on a first-come first-serve basis. To be eligible, a proctored assessment must be completed within 90-days of system access. If the proctored assessment has not been completed within 90-days, you will be invoiced $59.

Please be aware that this is an on-demand training and any preparations for the assessments are up to the individual to complete online.

To access the Paraeducator Online Training for professional development without the assessments, register here.

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.

This webinar provides participants an opportunity to explore components of effective reading instruction including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and motivation and engagement. Within each component, participants will learn what it is, why we teach it, and how we teach it.

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.

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.

This on-demand course will define formative assessment and explore the benefits of utilization. Participants will learn about various formative assessment techniques for both virtual and in-person learning, and will leave the session ready to implement and achieve some formative assessment quick wins.

Using formative assessments regularly and consistently can give both educators and learners an even clearer picture around what learners know. Formative assessments also provide educators with a guide to developing learning experiences and lesson planning that can meet the needs of all learners. By using formative assessments with purpose, educators can maximize student learning and increase the effectiveness of their lesson design and delivery.

This online course is focused on building an understanding of the role of a short-call sub in the classroom and school district, as well as the process for applying for the two-year short call sub license through the Minnesota Department of Education. Participants will also learn the basics of classroom management via the Catalyst learning approach. 

This program cohort is for districts who are participating in the Career Consultant Program. District identified career committees will attend to engage in professional learning, collaboration, and program planning. Cohort sessions may take place at Sourcewell or another Region 5 location depending on the content of the sessions. Program development is based in the Redefining Ready metrics and professional learning will include outside expertise and exemplars to support program development.

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.

With the help of knowledgeable Sourcewell consultants, local educators can collaborate through professional networks to learn from each other and take away valuable resources. These facilitator-led groups are a great way to foster professional growth and self-improvement. 

Networks are for central Minnesota schools and districts.  Meeting format (in-person or virtual) will be based on each group's needs and the content to be covered. Some may be all in-person meetings and some will be all virtual. Most will be a mix of both.  

Choose from more than 20 subject areas. See all the details and register on our Networks page. 

Identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among young people. You will build the skills and confidence you need to reach out and provide initial support to young people. You will also learn how to help connect them to appropriate support.

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

Get ready to connect and elevate best practices as a licensed family adult foster care program at this virtual conference. This is our first year offering a Regional Family Adult Foster Care Conference to provide professional development to individuals that operate a family adult foster care license in the following counties: Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd, Wadena, Otter Tail, and Douglas Counties.

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.

This is an introductory-level course. This course is also being offered at the intermediate level on April 27, 2023. Learn more >

Take your grant writing to the next level and learn skills and tools for successful grant writing. This workshop will cover intermediate skills and tools for preparing and writing a high quality grant for nonprofit organizations and local government entities.

This is an intermediate-level course. This course is also being offered at the introductory level on April 26, 2023. Learn more >

Join us for a day focused on creating positive school culture and inclusivity with national presenter and trainer Marceline DuBose. Together we will identify common school scenarios that create barriers for some, name strategies for building an inclusive school culture, and provide opportunities to connect with other regional educators committed to working on similar goals and projects.

The program is designed to help you – as leaders, front line staff and professionals within central Minnesota nonprofits and local units of government – better understand the concepts and tools of organizational continuous improvement, helping you to take action to improve your operations, improve your outcomes, and become stronger, more vibrant agencies.

Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI) is a brain-based, trauma-informed, relationship-building verbal strategy that turns crisis situations into learning opportunities for young people. In this workshop, participants will learn about specific stages and interventions with real tools to effectively intervene with children who have experienced trauma and those experiencing crisis.

Recommended for special education teachers, social workers, and counselors.

Identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among young people. You will build the skills and confidence you need to reach out and provide initial support to young people. You will also learn how to help connect them to appropriate support.

Gain knowledge around being a culturally competent educator while meeting educator licensure requirements. Deepen your understanding of people and culture, engage in deep reflection, and learn hands-on tools for change. This course is approved by the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB).

Are you eager to learn more about the new Minnesota science standards (Next Generation Science Standards)? Are you looking to build and test phenomenon-based lessons? Are you ready to trailblaze in shifting your science instruction? Join Region 5 science teachers as we explore and build our community of practice to support three-dimensional teaching and learning for K-12 teachers.

Join nonprofit colleagues from throughout the five-county area at Sourcewell's Community Impact Funding Review Day and help determine which local projects receive funding (pending Sourcewell Board approval). You must be registered and be in attendance to vote.

Conversations about the science of reading currently proliferate the reading landscape. With limited time and unlimited information, educators find themselves trying to sort out the facts from the fluff. Teachers and administrators want to know, "what does this mean for reading instruction in our schools and in our classrooms?" This training will respond to these questions by bringing clarity around what it is, why it is important, and how it impacts our schools and classrooms.