Pendleton, OR; La Grande, OR – With the goal of unlocking new skills and fresh perspectives, the Oregon Trail Regional Educator Network (REN) hosted 31 sessions of professional learning from June 12th through August 14th, 2024, to benefit regional educators, paraprofessionals, administrators, specialists, and substitute teachers serving students in Union, Baker, Umatilla, and Morrow counties. Dubbed Summer Series, these offerings were designed and delivered primarily by Oregon Trail REN staff, working for the Intermountain Education Service District, in an effort to support educators looking to continue their learning during the often less busy months of summer. In all, the series drew 251 participants from 19 of the IMESD’s 21 districts. Sessions were held at the IMESD building in Pendleton, the School District Office in La Grande, Blue Mountain Community College, and Eastern Oregon University.
The planning for Summer Series begins each school year as early as February. This year, IMESD Instructional Coaches Beth Naughton, Ayla Olson, and Jennifer Teeter planned and delivered the bulk of the offerings; however, many sessions featured community partners and presenters from outside of the IMESD, as well. Ronda Fritz, EOU Literacy Specialist, delivered training on the Science of Reading, for example, while Amanda Parrott, Columbia Gorge ESD School Safety & Prevention Specialist, provided training on Youth Mental Health. Another presenter, Civics Learning Project manager Amy Sabbadini, provided training to educators that was focused on fostering critical thinking via the ethical use of simulations in classrooms. Sabbadini’s homebase is in central Oregon, but she has nurtured a partnership within the IMESD network by visiting eastern Oregon often to provide professional learning. Her first visit to the region occurred in June of 2023, but she has since returned to serve as a presenter at the OTREN-hosted Professional Development Summit in October of 2023, and again as a presenter for the 2024 Summer Series. Sabbadini will make another visit to the region this October to provide training focused on facilitating mock trials as a teaching tool in the classroom. According to Sabbadini, “Eastern Oregon is such a welcoming region. I often find that educators in more rural areas are well integrated into their communities and serve in many roles. This pairs so well with the skills we emphasize in civics learning, where interacting to solve problems through creative and constructive conversations is key. Each time I return to lead a workshop, I am impressed by the sincere engagement of the teachers who show up.”
This year, Summer Series sessions focused on classroom management, educational technology, literacy support, student engagement, behavior, and youth mental health. Additionally, teachers had the option to earn both undergraduate and graduate credit at a reduced rate via Eastern Oregon University for their attendance at Summer Series sessions.
Delia Fields, a librarian working in the Hermiston School District, attended a session designed to provide best practices in teaching with artificial intelligence. Fields noted that the session provided “so much that is vital to know, but new to me” as someone working in the media literacy realm. The resources that were shared, she noted, would prove especially helpful in the upcoming school year.
The Oregon Trail Regional Educator Network is grant-funded and focuses on providing high-quality professional development to educators in 21 districts operating in Umatilla, Union, Morrow, and Baker counties. The network provides ongoing, series based support to educators in all stages of career development.
For more information about IMESD/REN hosted professional development, please contact Emily Williams at emily.williams@imesd.k12.or.us.