Professional Learning Opportunities
(PLOs)
In Alternative Education, we offer a variety of self-select Professional Learning Opportunities (PLOs) throughout the year. These sessions are designed to provide resources, strategies and information to enhance your professional development. They are self-select sessions so that you are able to focus on what is most important to you.
2022-2023 School Year PLOs: This year we are offering the following 8 options
Mindfulness with Bruce Neustader
This series will provide participants with opportunities to participate in and develop and understanding of mindfulness as it might apply to the classroom.
Arts Integration with Audrey Sirota
Alt. Ed., Ed Services, and Santa Cruz Arts Foundation have partnered to bring arts and curriculum integration to as many as 12 classrooms. Participating teachers and artists will collaborate to integrate art into the classroom over the course of s semester or a year.
Social Justice Discussions in the Classroom with LAcy Asbill
This PLO will create a collaborative, intentional, and hands-on professional learning community among SCCOE educators, providing facilitated space for teachers to share and support one another around key strategies and practices for meaningfully engaging students in classroom experiences that unpack challenging social/emotional and social justice themes. Quarterly topics will be selected by PLO participants, but may include themes such as: addressing homophobia through diverse books, exploring immigration and deportation through contemporary literature, and facilitating conversations about systemic racism and inequality through own voice stories.
Ethnic Studies with Kristen Erickson
In 2025-26, Alternative Education will need to implement our Ethnic Studies Graduation Requirement. This PD opportunity is for all teachers interested in teaching Ethnic Studies in the future and/or assisting in designing a course for Alternative Education. We will delve into the core themes and components of Ethnic Studies and talk about how this will look for us. I also highly encourage you to sign up for this amazing PD with Ethnic Studies Scholars that the County Office is also offering this year: Ethnic Studies and sign up here.
Math with Kevin Deutsch
Get your students engaged with their math! Learn practical and easy-to-access ways to regularly build core math skills through games, puzzles, and non-traditional assessments.
Restorative Practices and Community Circles with Julius Denti
Educational Services Professional Learning Plan Series - Ed Services is providing a number or series that may be of interest to you, in areas such as math, Social Justice and Equity, and English Language Development. Series offerings can be found here.
Individualized Alternative or Independent Study, including a COE - Please submit your plan to your direct administrator for approval.
2021-2022 PLOs
Mindfulness with Bruce Neustadter
Relaxation
Rejuvenation
Well-Being
Self-Care
Session Description
Join Bruce for a guided Mindfulness session to relax, rejuvenate and reconnect with your mind and body. This mindfulness practice can help you as well as your students.
Arts Integration with Audrey Sirota
Artist Teacher Partnership
Integrating Art into Reading with Relevance - Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Session Description
In this session, Audrey gives a brief overview of the Artist Teacher Partnership program. You’ll also hear from other teachers about their experience with this valuable enrichment. Then you’ll review and discuss ways to integrate Art into our shared Reading with Relevance novel, as well as other ELA novels you’re teaching.
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EdTech with Stephanie Sumarna and Jason Borgen
“Three Tools To Rule Them”
Hyperdocs
Google Classroom
Screencastify
Session Description
This session covers three EdTech tools that are absolute must-haves in your teacher toolkit. With Hyperdocs, Google Classroom & Screencastify, you will have flexibility to keep your students learning no matter what this year throws at you. You’ll leave with Hyperdoc templates, ideas for setting up & organizing your Google Classroom and inspiration for how to use videos you create in Screencastify to save you time!
Math with Kevin Deutsch
Math Strategies and Resources
Session Description
Join Kevin as he goes over math strategies and resources to help keep your students engaged. He’ll also have a general Q & A for you to ask about specific resources and strategies you need for your classroom or students.