News

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) K-12 program recently announced its spring professional learning workshop schedule - OK2Ask - a series of live, online workshops for teacher professional learning. Topics include augmented reality, digital storytelling, and strategies for implementing free tech tools to engage and inspire students. Weekly sessions are led by professional educators, researchers, and thought leaders in the field on Tuesday evenings through June 5th on a first-come, first-served basis.

For More Information:

Learn More About OK2Ask

Learn More about SFL

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) Early Childhood Education Initiatives program (ECEI) will participate at two Northern Virginia Pre-K education conferences this spring.

On Saturday, April 21, 2018, ECEI will present two sessions at the George Mason University Child Development Center’s Discover Innovations in Early Childhood Education Professional Development Day.

On Wednesday, May 2, 2018, SFL will support Virginia Commonwealth early childhood professionals as a sponsor of the Northern Region Virginia Cross-Sector Professional Development Team’s (VCPD) Annual Summit.

For More Information:

SFL Early Childhood Education Program

The Source for Learning

Hundreds of Virginia K12 educators will convene at James Madison University (JMU) on Friday, April 13, 2018 for the Seventh Annual Brainstorm Conference co-organized and presented by JMU’s Educational Technology Master of Education Degree Program, the Shenandoah Valley Technology Consortium (SVTC), and the Virginia Society for Technology in Education (VSTE).

As a proud VSTE Corporate Partner, The Source for Learning, Inc. (SFL) will present and host a corporate partner display at the one-day professional learning conference being held at JMU’s Memorial Hall in Harrisonburg, Virginia from 8:30AM-3:00PM.

SFL’s Dr. Ruth Okoye, Director of K12 Initiatives, will present Transform Your Lesson Plans with SAMR & TeachersFirst at 1:10-2:00PM.

TeachersFirst is a product of The Source for Learning, a nonprofit organization providing high-quality education resources for more than 35 years.

For more information about SFL’s K12 Services visit:

TeachersFirst

OK2Ask

MySciLife

The Source for Learning (SFL) will demonstrate MySciLife, a free, COPPA certified, social learning environment for middle-level science teachers and their students while exhibiting at the National Science Teachers Association’s (NSTA) National Conference, being held in Atlanta, Georgia, March 15-18, 2018.  NSTA brings together more than 10,000 K-12 science educators, annually, to experience, first-hand, innovative technologies and cutting-edge education solutions. Attendees can engage with a MySciLife super-user/teacher to learn about social learning strategies and best practices as well as take a tour of the platform.

MySciLife, profiled in the January 2018 issue of NSTA’s Science Scope magazine, fosters critical thinking, collaborative work, effective communication, and creative expression among student participants. Each student takes on a “science identity” to live and learn science. Student participants interact with one another through social learning posts while their teachers post online prompts to stimulate and guide the exchanges. MySciLife adapts to any curriculum and includes a resource library aligned to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Read and hear what teachers are saying.

MySciLife is a product of The Source for Learning, a nonprofit organization providing high-quality education resources for more than 35 years.

For more information, please visit:

MySciLife

The Source for Learning

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) Director of K-12 Initiatives, Dr. A. Ruth Okoye, will be one of five Microsoft Education Leaders joining the U.S. delegation (also comprised of 13 Microsoft Innovative Educators) in attending the Microsoft Education Exchange (E2), March 13-15, 2018, in Singapore. E2 is designed to both recognize and celebrate the achievements of educators from around the world who combine content, pedagogy, and technology in exemplary ways to prepare students for success in the 21st Century.

SFL has been a Microsoft in Education Global Partner since 2016; Singapore was selected as the host country for this year’s E2 event as it is oftentimes ranked first in Math and Science and has one of the highest literacy rates in the world.

Dr. Okoye is an experienced educator, technology integrator, and researcher who has taught and led professional learning efforts in both K-12 and university environments. Her areas of expertise include technology integration and mentoring edtech coaches in K-12 settings. She holds an Ed.D. of educational leadership from Regent University.

For more information, please visit:

The Source for Learning

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) Early Childhood Education Team will present at the Virginia Association for the Education of Young Children (VAAEYC) Annual Conference on March 8-10, 2018 at the Fredericksburg Expo & Convention Center in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

SFL’s ECE leadership team will present the following sessions at the conference:

High Quality for All Children: NAEYC Accreditation Info Session
Co-Presenter: Kamna Seth, Director, Early Childhood Education Initiatives, SFL
Co-Presenter: Reece Wilson, Professional Development Circle Lead, VAAEYC and Assistant Professor, James Madison University (JMU)

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Scope, Signs, and Strategies to Scaffold Participation
Presenter: Gauri Shirali-Deo, Senior Manager, Early Childhood Education Initiatives, SFL

Visit us at Booth #21 to learn more about our free ECE monthly, one-hour professional learning webinars; the Virginia Early Childhood Administrator Professional Credential (VA-ECAP); and PreschoolFirst.

SFL is a proud to sponsor VAAEYC’s Friday Reception & Banquet featuring James McCubbin aka the Mer-Man who will deliver his YAM Show (You Are Magic!).

SFL’s Early Childhood Education Services

Virginia Early Childhood Administrator Professional Credential (VA-ECAP)

PreschoolFirst
 

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) K12 Initiatives team will present at the Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference (PETE&C) February 11-14, 2018 at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania.  PETE&C is the Pennsylvania affiliate of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).

SFL’s K12 TeachersFirst team will make numerous presentations throughout the four-day conference:

Fighting Fake News: Teaching Media Literacy in a World of Misinformation
Sunday, February 11, 2018; 1:00PM-4:00PM / Hershey Lodge, Cocoa 3
Co-Presenter: Dr. Ruth Okoye, Director, K12 Initiatives, SFL
Co-Presenter: Melissa Henning, Manager, K12 Educational Content, SFL
Co-Presenter: Jessi Hollis McCarthy, Outreach Educator, NewseumED

Pump It Up! Infuse Writing in Science
Monday, February 12; 2:00PM-4:00PM / Hershey Lodge, Confection Hall Lobby, Poster Table 4
Presenter: Louise Maine, TeachersFirst Contributor, SFL

This Is How We Do It - Makerspace!
Monday, February 12; 2:45PM-3:45PM / Hotel Hershey, Starlight West
Presenter: Melissa Henning, Manager, K12 Educational Content, SFL

Nifty Fifty: We've Got DATs!
Tuesday, February 13; 10:45AM-11:45AM / Hershey Lodge, Trinidad
Presenter: Melissa Henning, Manager, K12 Educational Content, SFL  

Let’s Get Digital: Problem Solving That Is!
Tuesday, February 13; 10:45AM-11:45AM / Hershey Lodge, Empire B
Presenter: Louise Maine, TeachersFirst Contributor, SFL

Differentiation for Special Needs Students
Tuesday, February 13; 3:45PM-4:45PM / Hotel Hershey, Starlight East
Presenter: Melissa Henning, Manager, K12 Educational Content, SFL

Lifeguarding the Shallow End of Technology
Wednesday, February 14; 8:00AM-9:00AM / Hershey Lodge, Magnolia C/D
Presenter: Melissa Henning, Manager, K12 Educational Content, SFL

You Want Me to Do What? Trends and Standards
Wednesday, February 14; 9:15PM-10:15AM / Hershey Lodge Room, Crystal A
Presenter: Louise Maine, TeachersFirst Contributor, SFL

For more information about SFL’s K12 Services visit:

TeachersFirst

OK2Ask

MySciLife

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) K12 team, in partnership with NewseumED, is co-presenting “Fighting Fake News: Teaching Media Literacy in a World of Misinformation,” a professional learning webinar, for a number of educator groups in Pennsylvania.

SFL’s Dr. Ruth Okoye, Director, K12 Initiatives, and Melissa Henning, Manager, K12 Educational Content, together with NewseumED’s Outreach Educator, Jessi Hollis McCarthy, will present a three-hour session at the Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference (PETE&C), being held February 11-14, at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania.  PETE&C is the Pennsylvania affiliate of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).

The team will also deliver a half-day, highly participatory, workshop to the Carlisle Area School District (CASD) staff on Thursday, February 15.

For more information, please visit:

The Source for Learning

NewseumED

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) Early Childhood Team will participate at the Wisconsin Child Care Administrators Association (WCCAA) annual conference, being held February 7-9, 2018 at the Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

Attend SFL’s interactive session, Working with Parents: Key to Achievement, will be presented by Bev Schumacher, ECE Consultant, on Thursday, February 8th at 10:15-11:30AM CT during which time participants will learn the value of developing strong family relationships and how to embrace a variety of approaches to combating obstacles that challenge family partnerships.

Visit SFL’s display in the Vendor Hall on Thursday, February 8th to learn more about our free ECE monthly, one-hour professional learning webinars; the Virginia Early Childhood Administrator Professional Credential (VA-ECAP); and PreschoolFirst.

The three–day conference attracts administrators, directors, owners, and champions of Wisconsin’s child care community, giving SFL staff the opportunity to reconnect with colleagues, and stay abreast of industry trends. 

For more information about SFL’s Early Childhood Education Services visit:
 

SFL Early Childhood Programs

Virginia Early Childhood Administrator Professional Credential (VA-ECAP)

PreschoolFirst
 

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) Early Childhood Education team recently released its upcoming new series - Physical Development & Movement Experiences - for early childhood education professionals. Participants will gain a better understanding of the role movement plays in early childhood development in these free, live professional development webinars. Certificates of participation are available. Attend this series to:

• Explore the connection between brain development and movement
• Learn how to create environments that promote physical development and movement
• Learn strategies to incorporate movement in other curriculum domains
• Discover ways to include children with special needs during movement activities and more!

Registration Now Open; Sign Up Today

• Early Brain and Motor Development through Movement

         Thursday, January 18, 2018, 1:30-2:30 PM ET

• Facilitating Movement to Promote Motor Development

         Tuesday, February 13, 2018, 1:30-2:30PM ET

• Inside, Outside, Upside-Down: Connecting Movement to Teaching & Learning

         Wednesday, March 14, 2018, 1:30-2:30PM ET
 

Additional webinars will be added to the series schedule soon.
 

For more information about SFL’s Early Childhood Education Services visit:

SFL Early Childhood Initiatives

Virginia Early Childhood Administrator Program

PreschoolFirst

The Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC), a national, independent education technology conference, will hold its annual conference at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, January 23-26, 2018.

Stop by Booth#2141 to have your own personal consult with one of TeachersFirst’s EdTech Coaches. Bring your frustrations, questions, and ideas.  As seasoned educators themselves, they have seen – and experienced – it all. And while you are there, learn about OK2Ask® free professional development and MYSciLife® social learning platform for middle-level science. Plus, be sure to pick up your FETC2018 conference mug, compliments of TeachersFirst, a proud FETC sponsor.

TeachersFirst, OK2Ask, and MySciLife are brought to you by The Source for Learning, Inc., a nonprofit educational services organization.

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) K12 Team is offering weekly, free, virtual, professional learning workshops for K12 educators and bi-monthly Twitter chats to connect educators and exchange ideas. 

SFL’s Winter 2018 OK2Ask schedule includes hands-on sessions on digital storytelling, free tech tools from Google and Microsoft, and strategies and numerous tools to engage and inspire students.    

Register today for SFL’s Winter 2018 OK2Ask Sessions: https://bit.ly/OK2ASK_Catalog
 

Make the Most of Your TeachersFirst Membership
Tuesday, January 9, 2018; 7:00-8:30 PM EST

My Students Need That! Chrome Features & Extensions for Accessibility
Tuesday, January 16, 2018; 7-8:30 PM EST

Engage & Inspire: Comics in the Classroom
Tuesday, January 30, 2018; 7:00-8:30 PM EST

Free Microsoft Tools to Make Learning Accessible and Inclusive 
Tuesday, February 6, 2018; 7:00-9:00 PM EST

Digital Differentiation with Symbaloo Learning Paths
Tuesday, February 20, 2018; 7:00-8:30 PM EST

So Simple. So Slick. So Sway!
Tuesday, February 27, 2018; 7:00-9:00 PM EST

Introduction to Digital Storytelling
Tuesday, March 6, 2018; 7:00-8:30 PM EST

Formative Assessment with Infographics
Tuesday, March 13, 2018; 7:00-8:30 PM EDT

3 Cool Tools for Persuasive Writing
Tuesday, March 20, 2018; 7:00-8:30 PM EDT

Click here for the #OK2Ask Twitter chat schedule: 

SFL’s OK2Ask virtual workshops, appropriate for teachers of varying technology comfort levels, are held Tuesday evenings at 7:00 PM ET. Qualifying participants may earn professional learning certificates. Launched in 2009, OK2Ask has administered more than 265 interactive online workshops; select archives are available at the link below. Registration is now open for SFL’s Winter 2018 OK2Ask Sessions; “seats” are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information:

• Learn More About OK2Ask
• Join the OK2Ask Email List
• Access 265+ Archived OK2Ask Sessions

The Source for Learning (SFL) will present and exhibit at the Virginia Society of Technology in Education (VSTE) annual conference, December 3-5, 2017 at the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center in Roanoke, Virginia. VSTE’s annual technology in education meeting features three days of presentations, hands-on sessions, hundreds of exhibitors, and countless networking opportunities for 800+ attendees. SFL is also a VSTE Corporate Partner.

As an exhibitor at the conference, SFL, Booth #212, will feature the following free teacher resources:

TeachersFirst  – A collection of teacher-reviewed, web-based resources for classroom use.

MySciLife – Teacher-moderated, social learning environment for middle school science teachers and their students.

OK2Ask – Live, participatory, virtual workshops for teacher professional learning.

SFL’s K12 Team will also present three sessions throughout the conference:

• Oh the Places You’ll Go! Social Learning in the Classroom
  Monday, December 4, 1:30PM2:30PM / Shenandoah A
  Presenter: Kathryn (Katy) Garvey, Social Learning Manager, K12 Initiatives
   
• Free Microsoft Tools Every Teacher Can Use to Make Learning Accessible and Inclusive
  Monday, December 4, 2:45PM3:45PM / Shenandoah A
  CoPresenter: Karen Streeter, TeachersFirst Contributor
  CoPresenter: Ruth Okoye, Ed.D, Director, K12 Initiatives
   
• Transform Your Lesson Plans with SAMR and TeachersFirst
  Tuesday, December 5, 8:45AM9:45AM / Shenandoah A
  CoPresenter: Stephanie Bass, TeachersFirst Contributor
  CoPresenter: Ruth Okoye, Ed.D, Director, K12 Initiatives
   

For more information about SFL’s K12 Services visit:

TeachersFirst

OK2Ask

MySciLife

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) Early Childhood Education team, led by Kamna Seth, Director, ECE Initiatives, and Gauri Shirali-Deo, Senior Manager, ECE Initiatives, will be co-presenting at the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) 2017 Annual Conference in Atlanta, November 15-18, 2017. SFL is a proud bronze sponsor of the national conclave.

The NAEYC Annual Conference is one of the largest early childhood education conferences in the world, bringing together tens of thousands of teachers, program administrators, students, and researchers to attend – and experience - 600+ innovative sessions and visit hundreds of exhibits. 

SFL’s session, “Engaging Culturally Diverse Families to Enhance Educational Outcomes for Children with Special Needs” will be held on Friday, November 17th from 1:00PM – 2:30PM in the Georgia World Congress Center, Room B311.

Understanding that cultural background can impact a family’s expectations and approach to special education can inform how programs provide support for children with special needs and their families. Session outcomes include:

• Gain a better understanding of how to apply the concept of cultural competence back in your early childhood program
• Learn how to develop effective relationships with families
• Embrace new strategies for working with children from diverse backgrounds who present with a different pace or path of development.
   

Attendees will also have the opportunity to reflect on and share personal experiences and challenges as well as solicit possible solutions from their peers.

For more information about SFL’s Early Childhood Education Services visit:

http://www.SourceForLearning.org/ecei/

http://www.SourceForLearning.org/VAECAP

http://www.PreschoolFirst.com

The Source for Learning, Inc. (SFL) is pleased to announce and welcome Jamie Okonak as Director of Marketing. Jamie will be developing and implementing an overall organizational marketing strategy, directly engaging and managing the marketing team, and translating the SFL mission into program strategies that grow SFL’s brands.

“Jamie comes to us with a broad portfolio of marketing know-how along with experience in both the education and nonprofit space. We are eager to put his business savvy and progressive marketing approaches to work in support of SFL's mission,” said Lynn Rejniak, Senior VP and Chief Operating Officer.

Prior to joining SFL, Jamie led marketing initiatives and managed marketing teams for small start-ups, medium size, and large global organizations including Blackboard, Social Solutions, AARP, and Tandberg/Cisco. Jamie has developed a passion for aligning people, processes, and products to streamline efficiencies and accelerate innovation using a player/coach approach. Jamie grew up in Pennsylvania, and he holds a BA in Marketing from Penn State University. 

The Source for Learning, Inc. (SFL) will exhibit and present at the Annual Conference for Middle Level Education (AMLE), November 6-8, 2017, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. AMLE is the largest conference in the world dedicated exclusively to middle-grade educators of 10-15 year-old students.

SFL's Booth #123 will feature the following free web-based resources for middle level educators:

TeachersFirst:  A collection of 15,000+ teacher-reviewed web-based tools, resources, lesson plans, and more.

MySciLife:  A safe, teacher-moderated, social learning environment where students design and personify science concepts to increase depth of knowledge.

OK2Ask: A series of live, virtual workshops for teacher professional learning with a focus on integrating technology in the classroom (teachersfirst.com/ok2ask). 

SFL’s Kathryn Garvey, Social Learning Manager for K12 programs, will present three 20-minute speed learning sessions on “This is How We Do It: Engaging Students with Social Constructivism” on Monday, November 6th, from 12:30-1:30PM in Room 108-AB, SL12-Table J.

We are social by nature, and learning is a social endeavor for students. This culture is a primary factor in constructing knowledge. Explore how you can foster interactions among students while enhancing learning with collaborative activities adaptable to a variety of technology environments to engage and empower learners.

SFL’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) leadership team will present “Creating Partnerships that Support Families at Your Early Childhood Program” at this year’s annual Raising the Bar Early Care and Education Conference (RTB-SEAYC) on October 21, 2017 in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

This interactive session will be led by SFL’s Carrie Scruggs, who will facilitate participants’ exploration of how partnerships with other organizations can best benefit their early childhood program and the families they serve.  Session participants will develop a “mock partnership plan” based on their own center’s goals and desired outcomes to use as an implementation tool in their own programs.

For more information about SFL’s Early Childhood Education Services visit:
 

• SFL Early Childhood Programs
• Virginia Early Childhood Administrator Credential
• PreschoolFirst

The Source for Learning, Inc.’s (SFL) Early Childhood Education Services team will present “So Now I’m a Director, What Do I Do?” at the Texas affiliate of the Association for the Education of Young Children (TX AEYC) annual conference being held in San Antonio, October 19-21, 2017.

ECE team member Pat Carter will present the 1-1/2 hour session on Saturday, October 21st, 1:45PM-3:15PM at the Hyatt Regency, Directors Room. Participants will explore all aspects of managing an early childhood program to include staff management, communication, financial management, and educational programming.

Takeaways for participants attending this interactive session include:

• Discovery of their own individual leadership and self-management styles
• An improved understanding of program assessment data to support continuous program improvement
• Skills to identify best practices to enhance program quality

SFL’s ECE team will raffle off a bilingual English-Spanish learning game, donated by Learning Props.

For more information about SFL’s Early Childhood Education Services visit:
 

SFL Early Childhood Programs 

Virginia Early Childhood Administrator Credential 

PreschoolFirst

 

The Source for Learning, Inc.’s (SFL) K12 team recently announced its free, virtual, professional learning workshop lineup for K12 educators as part of its fall 2017 OK2Ask series. 

OK2Ask are hands-on exploratory workshops, not sit & gets. Participants are encouraged to attend using a computer with an updated browser (Chrome or Edge). The hands-on sessions are appropriate for teachers of varying technology comfort levels, and are held on Tuesday evenings. Those attending on mobile devices may not be able to fully participate and therefore may not qualify to receive a certificate.

Launched in 2009, OK2Ask has administered more than 250 interactive online workshops; select archives are available at the link below. Registration is now open for SFL’s Fall 2017 OK2Ask Sessions; “seats” are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

This fall’s lineup includes:

Three Cool Tools to Amp Up Collaboration - September 26, 2017, 7:00PM ET
Fostering Accountability: Media Literacy in the Classroom – October 3, 2017, 7:00PM ET
Engage & Inspire: Breakout EDU Digital – October 10, 2017, 7:00PM ET
Getting Started with OneNote - October 17, 2017 at 6:30PM ET
Transform Your Lesson Plans with SAMR and TeachersFirst – October 24, 2017, 7:00PM ET
Google Earth Web: Oh the Places You Can Go – October 31, 2017, 7:00PM ET
Tech Integration Made Easy with Sutori – November 14, 2017, 7:00PM ET

Click here for complete, detailed, information on each of these professional learning offerings and/or to sign up.

For more information about OK2Ask:

Learn More About OK2Ask

Register for Fall 2017 OK2Ask Sessions

Join the OK2Ask Email List

Access 225+ OK2Ask Archived Sessions

For More Information about SFL’s K12 service offerings, please log on to www.teachersfirst.com or contact Dr. Ruth Okoye, Director of K12 Initiatives, at rokoye@sflinc.org or 703‐860‐9200.

Registration Now Open; Sign Up Today

The Source for Learning, Inc.’s (SFL) Early Childhood Education team recently announced its free, fall 2017 family engagement webinar series.

• Serving the Unique Needs of Diverse Families in Early Childhood Programs
  Wednesday, September 20, 2017; 1:00-2:30PM Eastern Time
   
• Supporting & Engaging Teen Parents in Early Childhood Settings
  Thursday, October 12, 2017; 1:30-2:30PM Eastern Time
   
• Creating a Supportive Environment for Children with Incarcerated Parents and Their Families
  Thursday, November 9, 2017; 1:30-2:30PM Eastern Time
   
• Super Moms & Super Dads! Recognizing the Extraordinary Needs of Single Parents and Engaging Them in Early Childhood Programs
  Tuesday, December 12, 2017; 1:30-2:30PM Eastern Time

For more information about these free family engagement webinars visit:

Fall 2017 Webinar Schedule
Webinar Archives
Mailing List
 

For more information about SFL’s Early Childhood Initiatives contact Kamna Seth, Director, ECE Initiatives, via email at kseth@sflinc.org or call 703-860-9200 or visit:

http://www.SourceForLearning.org/ecei/

http://www.SourceForLearning.org/VAECAP

http://www.PreschoolFirst.com

The Source for Learning, Inc. (SFL), an education nonprofit, proudly announces a new on-line credentialing program for early childhood professionals:  the Virginia Early Childhood Administrator Professional Credential (VA-ECAP). SFL has launched the program in partnership with the Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA).

The program is approved by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), complies with Virginia’s child care licensing management training requirements, and is the first and only administrator credentialing program in the state of Virginia.   

More information about VA-ECAP is available here.

Registration for the Fall 2017 Session is underway.

Explore requirements, scholarship resources, fees, and deadlines here

Apply at http://www.sourceforlearning.org/vaecap/application

For more information about SFL’s Early Childhood Services contact Kamna Seth, Director, ECE Initiatives, via email at kseth@sflinc.org or call 703-860-9200 or visit http://www.SourceForLearning.org/ecei/  

The Source for Learning, Inc. (SFL) is proud to welcome Ms. Kathryn (Katy) Garvey, Social Learning Manager for SFL’s K12 programs. She will be spearheading social learning initiatives, including MySciLife, SFL’s social learning environment for middle school science.

A native of Northern Virginia, Katy grew up in Alexandria and attended the University of Virginia, earning her bachelor’s degree in Spanish and a master’s degree in Education. She also holds a postgraduate professional license with an endorsement in Administration and Supervision from George Mason University.

Before joining SFL, Katy was principal at Seneca Ridge Middle School in Loudoun County. She began her education career teaching Spanish in Fairfax County Public Schools before entering administrative roles as assistant principal at Dominion High School and J. Michael Lunsford Middle School. In her free time, Ms. Garvey enjoys exercising, sports, and spending time with her husband and two children.

Commenting on Katy’s arrival, Lynn Rejniak, SFL’s Chief Operating Officer, said, “Katy’s combined experience, energy, and leadership add a unique layer of expertise to our organization. We are excited about her contributions to our mission and her desire to empower teachers to enhance instruction and learning.”

The Source for Learning, Inc. is offering a comprehensive set of professional learning opportunities for K-12 teachers this summer through its TeachersFirst service.

SFL’s Summer 2017 OK2Ask Virtual Workshops kick off the week of July 10. Enjoy six weeks of virtual learning from the comfort of your laptop. Sign up today using the links below.

On Thursday, July 13, SFL’s experienced educators and EdTech coaches, is hosting its second annual Google Mania day. Featured sessions include Turbocharge Chrome, Google Forms, and G Suite. Educators are invited to attend up to five free sessions designed to increase productivity and make formative assessment a breeze.

On Thursday, July 27 from 10AM-5PM EDT, TeachersFirst will host Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Day, a full one-day virtual, professional learning workshop on Explore tools such as OneNote Class Notebooks, Docs.com, Microsoft Forms, and Sway. Teachers will learn ways to extend students’ learning experiences beyond your classroom using Skype in the Classroom and the Microsoft Educator Community platform. Participants can earn a certified Microsoft Innovative Educator badge. SFL is a Microsoft Education Training Partner.

Launched in 2009, OK2Ask has administered more than 235 interactive online workshops; select archives are available from the link below.

For more information about SFL’s 2017 Sweet Summer edTech professional learning offerings and other educational resources:

SFL’s Complete Summer 2017 PD Offerings 

Register for Summer 2017 OK2Ask Sessions 

Learn More About OK2Ask

Join the OK2Ask Email List 

Access 235+ OK2Ask Archived Sessions 

For More Information about SFL’s K12 service offerings, please log on to www.teachersfirst.com or contact Dr. Ruth Okoye, Director of K12 Initiatives, at rokoye@sflinc.org or 703‐860‐9200.

The Source for Learning, Inc.’s early childhood education team, Kamna Seth, Director, ECE Initiatives and Gauri Shirali-Deo, Senior Manager, ECE Initiatives, will co-present at the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) 2017 Professional Development Institute (NAEYC PDI) conference on June 11-14, 2017, in San Francisco, California. The Source for Learning is a Silver Sponsor of this nationally-known event.

Their professional development (PD) presentation, "The Collaborative Model: Engaging with families and the early intervention team (EIT) to support children with developmental delays in early childhood programs to enrich their learning experiences and improve outcomes," will be held on Tuesday, June 13th from 2:00PM-4:00PM at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis. Center administrators and lead teachers attending the PD session will walk away with:

• An enhanced awareness of the benefits and challenges of participating actively with the early intervention team.
• Methods to actively engage in team processes and support active family participation early in the process.
• Strategies to incorporate interventions inclusively into daily routines.

As a long-standing NAEYC conference sponsor, SFL is also underwriting two featured sessions:

• Teachers’ Voices: Strategies for creating work environments that support adult learning
  Sunday, June 11th from 10:45AM-12:45PM; Yerba Buena, Ballroom Salons 05/06-RDS 90
   
• The Digital Play Framework: Connecting technology, young children, and educators through play-based experiences
  Sunday, June 11th from 2:00PM-4:00PM; Golden Gate A

Click here for more information about NAEYC’s 2017 Professional Learning Institute.

For more information about SFL’s Early Childhood Initiatives contact Kamna Seth, Director, ECE Initiatives, via email at kseth@sflinc.org or call 703-860-9200 or visit

http://www.SourceForLearning.org/ecei/
http://www.SourceForLearning.org/VAECAP
http://www.PreschoolFirst.com

SFL’s Early Childhood Team to Present Family Engagement Webinar

The Source for Learning, Inc.’s (SFL) Early Childhood division will present a free webinar on Wednesday, May 24, 2017, at 2-3 PM EDT. Carrie Scruggs, a member of SFL’s Early Childhood Education team, will present the one-hour webinar.

Are you prepared to engage families from diverse backgrounds and communities? Do you know how to create an inviting environment for all children and their families? Join us to learn strategies to make all your families feel welcomed and respected.

You will learn:

• Suggestions for engaging families from diverse backgrounds
• Strategies for embracing and sharing different customs
• Approaches to embracing diversity as an integral part of your early childhood program

Ms. Scruggs has extensive experience as a Multi-site Director and Education Manager at a Head Start agency, as Executive Director of a nonprofit center serving underprivileged children and families, and as Center Director of a faith-based early childhood program.

Register for this webinar at https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8865646307970782210

For more information about SFL’s Early Childhood Initiatives visit http://www.sourceforlearning.org/ecei/ or contact Kamna Seth via email at kseth@sflinc.org or call 703-860- 9200.

VCPD Annual Professional Development Summit – Thursday, May 18, 2017.

The Source for Learning, Inc. (SFL) and its Early Childhood Education Initiatives (ECEI) team are proud sponsors of the Virginia Cross-Sector Professional Development Team (VCPD) Northern Regional Summit being held at the George Mason Science and Technology Campus in Manassas, Virginia, on Thursday, May 18, 2017 from 9AM–2PM.

SFL is sponsoring several general sessions throughout the one-day summit to include, for the second consecutive year, underwriting the keynote address - Playing Together: Forward Thinking Approaches to Promoting Sustainable and Impactful Early Learning - by Dr. Christopher Swanson, Senior Director for Quality Care and Education, Center for Technology in Education, at Johns Hopkins University.

As early learning professionals, we understand the power of play, but too often our systems seem to be stuck in solitary, or at best parallel play, when what we really need to maximize benefit for children and families is cooperative efforts.  Dr. Swanson will present the benefits of cross-sector, cross-system, cross-outcome cooperation in and among agencies and organizations, while providing practical suggestions on how each of us, as leaders and influencers, can advocate the importance and need for integrated early learning systems. 

For more information about VCPD’s Early Childhood Summit visit http://www.vcpd.net/northern/summit/

For more information about SFL’s Early Childhood Initiatives visit http://www.sourceforlearning.org/ecei/ or contact Kamna Seth via email at kseth@sflinc.org or call 703-860- 9200.

The Source for Learning, Inc.’s Early Childhood division will present a free webinar on Thursday, April 27, 2017, at 7-8:30 PM EDT. SFL is partnering with Marsha Chan, MA, author, and Professor Emerita at Mission College in Santa Clara, CA, and Julaine Rosner, MA TESL, ESL faculty and author, to co-present this one and one-half hour session.

Throughout the United States, an increasing number of nonnative early childhood educators care for young children. This presentation will help you consider the necessary language skills and strategies needed to enable nonnative English speakers to be successful. We will look at where to start and how to build English language skills through continuous and sustained instruction.

You will learn:

• Practical skills needed by nonnative speaking early childhood educators and families to effectively communicate in English.
• Strategies to promote English language proficiency among nonnative speaking early childhood educators and families.
• Curriculum and materials designed to increase the English language proficiency among nonnative speaking early childhood educators.

Register for this webinar here. 

Find more information about SFL’s Early Childhood Initiatives here,  or contact Kamna Seth via email at kseth@sflinc.org or call 703-860-9200.

More than 100 Virginia K12 educators will convene at James Madison University (JMU) on Friday, April 7, 2017 for the Sixth Annual Brainstorm Conference, a joint effort of JMU’s Educational Technology Master of Education Degree Program, the Shenandoah Valley Technology Consortium (SVTC), and the Virginia Society for Technology in Education (VSTE).

As a proud VSTE Corporate Partner, The Source for Learning, Inc. (SFL) will present and exhibit at the one-day conference, held at JMU’s College of Education Memorial Hall in Harrisonburg, Virginia from 8AM-3:30PM.

Ruth Okoye, Ed.D., SFL’s Director of K12 Initiatives and Karen Streeter, a member of SFL’s TeachersFirst Team, will present “Fifty in Fifty: 50 Free Device Agnostic EdTech Tools in 50 Minutes” from 2:10-3:00PM.

Teachers looking for great FREE tools to support the 4Cs - Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration and Creativity - are welcome to attend this fast-paced session to learn about 50 EdTech tools that “play nice” on any device, support sound instruction, and cultivate the skills the 2016 ISTE Standards for Students call for. Dr. Okoye and Ms. Streeter will present each tool, share why it makes their “hot list,” and provide at least two ways to use each in the classroom.

Register for Brainstorm 2017: https://events.vstereg.org/events/brainstorm-2017/

View the conference schedule: https://brainstorm2017.sched.com/

About SFL’s K12 Initiatives

SFL’s K12 Division offers educators a suite of products, resources, and online training to support professional learning and student success. Services include TeachersFirst®, a free online collection of original content and 15K+ educational resource reviews; OK2Ask®—a series of live, hands-on virtual workshops for teacher professional learning; and MySciLife®, a safe, social learning environment in which middle school science students design and participate as their science “identities” to live and learn.

For more information on SFL’s K12 Division, please contact Ruth Okoye, Ed.D, Director of K12 Initiatives, at rokoye@sflinc.org or 703‐860‐9200.

The Source for Learning, Inc.’s (SFL) Early Childhood Division will present Learning Extensions: Collaborating with Community Partners and Families to Enhance Your After-School Program on Tuesday, March 28, 2017, 2-3PM ET. Early Childhood Education Team Member Carrie Scruggs, a CDA Professional Development Specialist, will present the free one-hour session. 

Although school-aged programs in many early childhood centers have the highest enrollment and generate the most revenue, many educators feel overwhelmed when planning for school-aged children. Learn how early childhood educators can work with families and community partners to create after-school programs that are extensions of the school day and provide enrichment opportunities on non-school days.

Participants attending this live, professional development webinar will have the opportunity to:

• Examine and apply the teaching cycle in the school-aged classroom
• Explore methods to collaborate with families and community partners to develop engaging enrichment opportunities
• Discover free and low-cost enrichment ideas for after-school classrooms

Register for this webinar at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6163906544990157570

Click here for more information about SFL’s Early Childhood service offerings, or contact Kamna Seth, Director of Early Childhood Initiatives, at kseth@sflinc.org or 703-860-9200.

The Source for Learning, Inc.’s K12 Team is offering a series of eight, free, virtual, professional learning workshops for K12 educators as part of its Spring 2017 OK2Ask series. 

The Spring 2017 OK2Ask schedule, which kicks off on April 4th, includes sessions on embracing differentiated instruction; learning how to integrate free tech tools from Adobe, Microsoft and Google into your classroom effectively; and deploying student response tools. 

SFL’s OK2Ask virtual workshops, appropriate for teachers of varying technology comfort levels, are held on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 PM ET. Qualifying participants may earn professional learning certificates. Launched in 2009, OK2Ask has administered more than 235 interactive online workshops; select archives are available at the link below. Registration is now open for SFL’s Spring 2017 OK2Ask Sessions; “seats” are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information about OK2Ask:

• Learn More About OK2Ask 
• Register for Spring 2017 OK2Ask Sessions 
• Join the OK2Ask Email List 
• Access 235+ OK2Ask Archived Sessions

Click here for more Information about SFL’s K12 service offerings, or contact Dr. Ruth Okoye, Director of K12 Initiatives, at rokoye@sflinc.org or 703‐860‐9200.

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) Early Childhood Team will exhibit at the Wisconsin Child Care Administrators Association (WCCAA) annual conference’s Vendor Day on Thursday, February 23, from 8AM-5PM CT at the Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

The three–day conference, which attracts administrators, directors, owners, and champions of Wisconsin’s child care community, will give participants an opportunity to reconnect with SFL staff and colleagues, and stay abreast of industry trends. 

Conference attendees are encouraged to stop by SFL’s exhibit for a chance to win NAEYC’s bestseller, Powerful Interactions: How to Connect with Children to Extend Their Learning. 

Register for the Conference: https://wccaa.wildapricot.org/event-2287716

More information on SFL’s Early Childhood Education Initiatives is available at: http://www.sourceforlearning.org/ecei/ or contact Kamna Seth, ECEI Director, at kseth@sflinc.org or 703-860-9200.

The Source for Learning, Inc.’s (SFL) TeachersFirst Team will present at the Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference (PETE&C) February 12-15, 2017 at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania.  PETE&C is the Pennsylvania affiliate of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).

TeachersFirst team members Louise Maine and Melissa Henning will offer three presentations throughout during the three-day conference:

• A Focus on Process and NOT the Product
• Engaging Students with Social Constructivism
• Nifty Fifty Tools for BYOT (1:1) Classrooms

Louise Maine, M.A., is a Punxsutawney area high school science teacher and member of SFL’s TeachersFirst Team. She holds certifications in biology and general science, has more than 20 years of teaching experience in middle and high school settings, and is a Google Certified teacher.

Melissa Henning, M.Ed., is Educational Content Manager for TeachersFirst and has over 17 years of experience as a teacher, gifted educational specialist, and online technology coach. She holds a master’s degree in K12 curriculum development from Pennsylvania State University. 

The Source for Learning, Inc.’s (SFL) early childhood education team will present Di erentiated Instructional Strategies: Meeting the needs of ALL children in early childhood programs at the National Association for the Ed- ucation of Young Children’s (NAEYC) 2016 Annual Conference on Saturday, November 5, 2016, at 12:15-1:45 pm at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Room 518. SFL is a Bronze Sponsor of the conference.

During this interactive session, co-presenters, Kamna Seth, Director, ECE Initiatives, and Gauri Shirali-Deo, Senior Manager, ECE Initiatives, will share how inclusive early childhood settings can e ectively meet the needs of all students, including English language learners, children with developmental delays, and children who need addi- tional enrichment. Participants will leave the session with ready-to-implement strategies for their classrooms and resources to design di erentiated instruction.

Ms. Seth has 20+ years of experience working with young children, in curriculum development, NAEYC Early Childhood Program Accreditation, and training EC educators. She is also a CLASS Pre-K Trainer & Observer and a CDA Professional Development Specialist.

Ms. Shirali-Deo is SFL’s Senior Manager, Early Childhood Initiatives. She has over 20 years of experience work- ing with young children and children with special needs, as well as additional expertise in curriculum develop- ment, individualizing instruction, creating data systems for classroom use, professional development, and autistic spectrum disorders.

About SFL’s Early Childhood Education Division

SFL’s Early Childhood Education Division includes PreschoolFirst--a research-based, online child assessment system that has proven e ective in early childhood classrooms-- as well as a wide range of professional devel- opment and management services for the early childhood community. The Division’s PD webinar series features cutting-edge and trending topics presented in a one-hour format by SFL’s early childhood education team, with guest appearances by ECE industry experts.

For more information on SFL’s Early Childhood Education Division, please contact Kamna Seth, ECEI Director, at kseth@sflinc.org or 703-860-9200.