Professional Learning Update January, 2026

On January 5, our District 31 certified staff participated in a professional learning day. Our District’s focus for the year has been to cultivate Growth, Learning, Community, and Belonging in key areas identified in our Strategic Plan.

The day was grounded in the following opportunities to cultivate Growth, Learning, Community, and Belonging as a district:

Our morning sessions included:

• Winter data analysis 
• Climate/Culture survey debrief by building 
• Choice Sessions on topics related to MTSS (Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports) & CLRI (Culturally & Linguistically Responsive Instruction) 

Our afternoon sessions included:

• iReady Training (K - 5) & Big Ideas Training (6-8) to support Year 1 implementation of our new math programs in each building
• Special Education LEA/IEP Workshop 
• Multilingual Department - ESL Strategies & WIDA ELD Standards 
• Choice Sessions 

We are excited to share that numerous D31 staff members were present at our PD Day! Below is a summary of our staff- led sessions:

• Is it a Language Need or Academic Need?
• Enrichment Strategies for Any Classroom 
• Data & AI: Tools that Lighten the Load 
• AI in Middle School: Embrace It, Don’t Fight It!
• Making Math Accessible for ML Learners 
• Instructional Strategies to Support ML Learners 
• Peer Learning Lab: High Impact Instructional Strategies