The training not only explores what makes teams effective, but how to develop skills as facilitators and informed group members in informal and formal settings, in small and large groups. It takes participants beyond the idea of professional learning communities to the actual implementation, describing specific ways to weave the collaborative fabric of a faculty, develop group member skills, and acquire the principles and understandings to engage in a continuous cycle of team and individual

The training not only explores what makes teams effective, but how to develop skills as facilitators and informed group members in informal and formal settings, in small and large groups. It takes participants beyond the idea of professional learning communities to the actual implementation, describing specific ways to weave the collaborative fabric of a faculty, develop group member skills, and acquire the principles and understandings to engage in a continuous cycle of team and individual improvement. Adaptive Schools is the “how” of professional learning communities: how to behave in groups, how to lead them, and how to facilitate them for improved leading, teaching, and learning.

Outcomes: Participants will develop:

• An increased capacity to initiate, develop and sustain high functioning groups
• New lenses for diagnosing the stages and phases of group development
• An expanded repertoire of practical facilitation tools
• Understandings of when and how to engage groups in dialogue and discussion, the limitations, forms and values of each
• Skills to move groups beyond consensus to common focus
• Ways to value and use dissension, argument and conflict
• Strategies for keeping group members on track, on topic, energized and resourceful

Who Should Attend: This course is designed to support all educators and district and building level administrators as they create a professional community of learners.

Satisfactory completion requirements:

• Attendance is based on your signature in and out of the session. Failure to provide a signature in and out will result in no credit.
• Participants are expected to attend the entire session to earn credit.
• Participants are expected to attend all sessions in their entirety (Days 1-4) to earn full credit.
• Participants must complete an electronic course evaluation within two weeks of the session date to be sent a certificate.
• Accommodations, questions and complaints can be directed to: professionallearning@truenorth804.org

Cost Information: Participation fees are waived for TrueNorth employees, TrueNorth member district employees, and parents of students in our TrueNorth member districts. For individual participants who do not meet the above criteria, this course participation fee is $250.00 per session plus a one time purchase of $40 for the resource book (Total of $1040 for days 1-4). Participation or material fees will be billed directly to the school district that employs the participant after the session is complete or the first session in a series is complete. Individuals are asked to not bring payment to the session.

Cancellation and Refund Information: There is no cancellation fee, though we ask for advance notice to open the spot for another person. TrueNorth reserves the right to cancel any session due to low enrollment. TrueNorth does not charge prior to the start of the offered session. If an individual attends the first day of a learning series but is unable to attend the remaining sessions, the school district that employs the participant is able to designate an alternate person. It is up to the individual no longer attending the program to give their replacement the information learned in the first session.

About the Presenters: Lindsay Kiraly, Amy Cohan

Financial Disclosure: Lindsay Kiraly is an employee of TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804 and receives a salary.
Non-Financial Disclosure: Lindsay Kiraly has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Financial Disclosure: Amy Cohan is an employee of TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804 and receives a salary.
Non-Financial Disclosure: Amy Cohan has no relevant non-financial relationships.

TrueNorth intends to take photographs and video of this event for use in TrueNorth news and promotional material, in print, electronic and other media, including the TrueNorth website. By participating in this event, I grant TrueNorth the right to use any image, photograph, voice or likeness, without limitation, in its promotional materials and publicity efforts without compensation. All media become the property of TrueNorth. Media may be displayed, distributed or used by TrueNorth for any purpose.

*Member Districts include:

Northbrook 27, Northbrook 28, Sunset Ridge 29, Glenview/Northbrook 30, West Northfield 31, Glenview 34, Glencoe 35, Winnetka 36, Kenilworth 38, Lake Bluff 65, Lake Forest 67, Bannockburn 106, Deerfield 109, North Shore 112, Township HS 113, Lake Forest 115, New Trier 203, Glenbrook 225.

Have a question? Check out the Professional Learning FAQs or contact professionallearning@truenorth804.org.