Purpose

The PRESS Leaders Cohort is a professional learning opportunity designed to help school leaders implement PRESS successfully. Members of this cohort will learn how to guide PRESS implementation with fidelity in their school/district. Cohort members will increase their knowledge of PRESS and how it applies in practice, and translate their understanding to support their colleagues in systems-based school improvement.

Learning Objectives

As a member of the PRESS Leaders Cohort, you will receive ongoing and embedded professional learning across the school year to:

• Develop further understanding of the PRESS MTSS framework and how to implement it with fidelity
• Gain understanding and utilize resources to support effective professional learning to strengthen your school’s 
  • data-driven decision making
  • tiered interventions
  • staff learning and implementation 
• Understand how to make use of PRESScommunity.org for ongoing and embedded professional learning
• Continuously reflect, deepen your understanding, and troubleshoot about implementation of PRESS in your school/district​

Education and Professional Experiences:

Required:

• Bachelor's Degree in Education
• At least 3 years of classroom teaching experience
• Prior attendance at PRESS Tier 2 Interventions & Introduction to Progress Monitoring
• Have implemented PRESS decision-making processes and interventions (full or partial)
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Participation or leadership in data analysis, intervention implementation, and/or coaching
• Technology capacity for and familiarity with online communication platforms: discussion forums, web conferencing, etc.

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in literacy, administration, or educational psychology
• K-12 Teacher of Reading License
• Experience in the role of reading/literacy specialist or literacy coach
• Training and experience using benchmark and progress monitoring assessments

Commitment

PRESS Leaders Cohort sessions are designed to be interactive. The sessions are structured to provide members with time for learning, reflection, planning, and problem solving with the presenter and other participants. Cohort members will be expected to support implementation in their school(s) through activities most appropriate for their organization (e.g., conducting fidelity checks, providing support to professional learning communities, etc.) Additional time between sessions will also be necessary; for example, online interactions, collaborative work among cohort group members, and readings (i.e., research articles). 

Members will attend the following sessions

Session 1: This session provides guidance for PRESS Leaders to fully support the school’s data based decision-making process utilizing protocols and additional resources. We reexamine an efficient process for data teams to analyze screening data and plan supplemental tiered supports. We also consider the components of effective interventions and implementation fidelity.

Session 2: This online meeting provides an opportunity for review, reflection, and troubleshooting your school's PRESS implementation. Scheduling will be determined based on cohort members. Access to the internet and a computer with webcam and microphone is required.

Session 3: This session provides guidance for PRESS Leaders to fully support the school’s systematic analysis of progress monitoring data, a process that is reinforced by clear protocols that guide next steps in intervention decision-making. We also examine the tier 2 problem-solving process that educators use for conducting a systematic review of students not making progress in targeted interventions. 

Session 4: Online meeting for review, reflection, and troubleshooting. Scheduling to be determined by cohort consensus. Access to internet and a computer with webcam and microphone is required.

Session 5: This session provides guidance for PRESS Leaders to examine the impact of PRESS in their schools. Leaders will have an opportunity to reflect, learn strategies to measure impact on students and staff, and consider next steps for PRESS implementation for the upcoming school year. 

Cost: $1,200

Individual Registration Includes:

1. Enrollment in all five sessions
2. PRESS implementation binder, with electronic resources also available
3. PRESS Intervention Manual (2017 updated edition)
4. Individual, twelve-month premium membership to PRESScommunity.org
5. Minnesota clock hours (teacher & administrator licenses)
6. Certificate of Completion upon meeting all requirements

Session Attendance:  In-person sessions will be hosted at NJPA offices in Staples, MN. Please note that attendance at all in-person cohort sessions is required to receive a certificate of completion. No refunds or substitutions are allowed for missed cohort meeting dates. One online session absence is permitted. The cohort instructor must be notified by email in advance of the absence and required make-up assignments will be arranged. The cohort member must complete and submit all make-up assignments within provided deadlines and to the instructor’s satisfaction in order to receive certification of completion.

Application Deadline: May 4, 2018

Applicants Notified via Email: May 18, 2018

Full Payment Due: June 15, 2018 (credit cards and purchase order accepted)

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations received before July 2, 2018 are eligible for an 80% refund of the full registration fee. PRESS materials will not be provided with refund. Cancellations received by September 3, 2018 are eligible for a 50% refund of registration fee. Cancellations received after September 3, 2018 will not be refunded. No refunds or substitutions are allowed for missed cohort meeting dates.

In the event of weather-related cancellations, cohort meeting date(s) will be rescheduled. Refunds will not be provided for rescheduled meeting dates.

Apply

Please contact Shona Burke, sfburke@umn.edu, with any questions.