Mathematical Foundations to Increase Student Learning and Overall Achievement K-6  

Presented by:  Rhonda Birnie

March 19, April 2, & April 23, 2025 | 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Virtual Platform
6 OPI Renewal Units are available for this free Region 2 CSPD training.  

How can we develop and support numeracy in our students as they progress through the grades? In this training series, participants will look closely at the progressions of big ideas, models, and strategies that develop as students become more numerate. Participants will walk away with a better understanding of the progression of models in the K-6 experience as well as tangible strategies they can use in the classroom to ensure student mastery of critical mathematical foundations. 

Session 1: Exploring Best Practices and High Impact Routines in K-6 Math Instruction 

Session 2: Numeracy Basics (Part 1): Understanding Base Ten and Addition and Subtraction Progressions 

Session 3: Numeracy Basics (Part 2): Understanding Multiplication and Division Progressions 

Rhonda Birnie is a math specialist who is passionate about helping people find joy in math. 

She taught grades K-8 for 24 years and was a math specialist with the Idaho Regional Math Centers for nine years. She currently works with the Boise State University Math Education Collective and Side-by-Side Educational Consulting, consulting with school districts to support teachers as they help students explore and understand math. Rhonda has a particular passion for lesson study and has facilitated more than 80 teams over the years.  When Rhonda is not investigating student mathematical thinking, she can be found on her horse, running on the trails, or paddleboarding on a mountain lake. 

Engaging Students Through Intentional Math Instruction

Presented by:  Eliza Thomas

May 21, 2025 (Date change) | 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Havre -Best Western Inn & Suites, 1425 2nd St. NW
6 OPI Renewal Units are available for this free Region 2 CSPD training.  

Join Eliza for a fast-paced day of Math instruction where participants will learn about how to enhance their math instruction through intentional Math routines, procedures, and vocabulary. Participants will actively engage in warm-up activities, games, and problem-solving throughout the day.

Participants will:
-- Experience and plan for data-driven routines,
-- practice and plan for student opportunities for productive struggle,
-- play and plan for games that can support routines and productive struggle,
-- experience a problem-solving strategy that can support productive struggle, student discourse, and the opportunity for students to write about their mathematical thinking.

The Mandt System 

March 28 & 29, 2025 | 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Presented by Clarissa Shaffer
  Great Falls Hampton Inn
  11 OPI Renewal Units are available for this free Region 2 CSPD training

There are a few spots left!

The Mandt System builds on skill development through a system of gradual and graded alternatives for de-escalating and assisting people using a combination of interpersonal communication skills, conflict resolution strategies, and physical interaction techniques. The goal is to assist others in managing themselves and the safety of all involved through skillful and nonphysical means. Physical strategies are also taught to provide additional “least restrictive” options in the event the person poses a clear threat of substantial harm to self or others if physically unassisted. The Mandt System focuses on prevention.

Schedule:
  7:45-8:00-Sign in (Both days)
  8:00-4:00-Mandt Training (Day One)
  8:00-12:00(Day Two)
  2:00-4:00 (Day Two as needed)

This is a two-day training, and attendance is required on both days. Those recertifying also need to attend both days. Saturday involves learning the physical part of the training. Groups are limited to 10 people by the MANDT Company. If we reach our maximum of 20, our presenter will break participants into two groups on Saturday of the training (a.m. and p.m.)

Our Presenter:

Clarissa Shaffer is in her fifteenth-year teaching at Centerville School. She has worked with special needs students through an after-school program and Youth Dynamics for several years where she developed her passion for the MANDT system. Her hobbies include going to the cabin, spending time with family, snowmobiling, and reading.

Strong Beginnings: Essential Steps for Establishing a High-Impact Early Childhood Program with HB352 

April 15, 19 & September 9, 16, 23, 30,2025 | 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Presented by Marci Parks and Tanya Peshovich
  Virtual Platform
  12 OPI Renewal Units are available for this free Region 2 CSPD training

This comprehensive, six-part training series is designed to equip leaders and early childhood educators with the knowledge and tools necessary to build a strong early childhood program aligned to HB352 and Montana early childhood standards. Participants will gain an in-depth understanding of key legislative frameworks and evidence-based practices to support the development of a high-quality, developmentally appropriate program that ensures success for all children. 

Sessions to be delivered in Spring 2025 

Session 1: Early Childhood Basics: Understanding HB352, Standards and Assessment, and the Instruction to Prioritize for Later School Success 4/15 

Session 2: Planning Ahead for the Early Childhood Classroom: Developmentally Appropriate Spaces and Materials for Optimal Learning 4/29 

Session 3: Launching the Year: Setting Up Positive Behavior Supports, Schedules, and Routines 9/9

Session 4: Building Literacy Foundations (Part 1): The Power of the Alphabetic Principle for Later Academic Success 9/16

Session 5: Building Literacy Foundations (Part 2): Fostering Oral Language Skills for Later Academic Success 9/23 

Session 6: Math from the Start: Essential Foundations for Early Numeracy 9/30 

The Data-Driven School: Collaborating to Improve Student Outcomes

Presented by Daniel Hyson

April 25, 2025 | 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
  Great Falls Hampton Inn
6 OPI Renewal Units are available for this free Region 2 CSPD training

This session will review and discuss the 5 key tenets of a data-driven school and provide additional tools for and practice in engaging in systems-level data-driven problem solving, especially concerning problem analysis.  Participants will also be introduced to a model for culturally responsive problem solving and prompted to reflect on their own data-driven practice using the model.  Finally, data on the potential impact of systems-level data-driven problem solving on student outcomes will be shared and participants will be provided an opportunity to consider how they can plan for assessing the impact of their work.

Our Presenter:

For the past 11 years, Dan has served as a faculty member within the school psychology graduate program at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Previously, Dan spent 7 years as Data Management Coordinator for a cooperative of school districts in Minnesota and 6 years as a school psychologist in a large school district in suburban Minneapolis. He is the lead author of a Guilford Press book entitled The Data-Driven School: Collaborating to Improve Student Outcomes.  In his spare time, he is an avid sports fan and an animal lover.

Making It All Add Up 

Presented by:  Stephanie Lester

August 6, 2025 | 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Havre Best Western Inn & Suites
6 OPI Renewal Units are available for this free Region 2 CSPD training.  

Join us for a comprehensive 6-hour training designed specifically for PK-2nd grade teachers, focusing on building and reinforcing foundational math skills in young learners. This two-part session, "Making It All Add Up!," will equip educators with the knowledge, strategies, and hands-on resources needed to ensure every child develops a strong mathematical foundation.

Part 1: Developing Children’s Number Sense
The first part of the training will dive into the developmental progression of number sense in young children. Participants will explore key predictive indicators for school readiness in mathematics and numeracy, such as subitizing, counting, one-to-one correspondence, cardinality, and hierarchical inclusion. This session will provide targeted instructional strategies to help teachers effectively introduce, reinforce, and build these critical concepts, setting the stage for academic success in mathematics.

Part 2: Math EVERY Day for EVERY Child!
The second part of the training will focus on integrating math into everyday classroom activities and routines. Teachers will be introduced to a variety of instructional strategies that give students continuous opportunities to practice and reinforce essential math skills throughout their day.

Participants will learn about inclusionary practices that ensure all students, regardless of their learning needs, have access to meaningful math experiences. The session will also cover developmentally appropriate strategies for knowledge and skill acquisition, making math accessible and engaging for every child.

In addition to classroom strategies, this session will present ideas for strengthening home-to-school connections, offering practical games and activities that can be easily shared with families to reinforce math skills at home. Teachers will also explore intervention strategies to support students who may need extra help mastering key concepts.

As a hands-on component, participants will have the opportunity to create make it/take it math activities. These ready-to-use resources will focus on the foundational skills discussed during the training, providing teachers with practical materials they can implement immediately in their classrooms.

Overall Objective:

The "Making It All Add Up!" training aims to equip PK-2nd grade teachers with a comprehensive understanding of the developmental progression of number sense in young children. By focusing on key indicators for school readiness in mathematics, this training provides teachers with effective instructional strategies to introduce, reinforce, and build foundational math skills necessary for every child's academic success.

Participant Benefits:

• In-Depth Knowledge: Develop a solid understanding of how number sense progresses in young children and its crucial role in early math development.

• Practical Strategies: Learn a variety of instructional techniques that can be easily integrated into daily routines, ensuring that math becomes an accessible and consistent part of every child’s day.

• Inclusionary Practices: Discover methods to make math learning inclusive for all students, regardless of their learning needs, by utilizing developmentally appropriate strategies.

• Home-to-School Connections: Gain ideas for strengthening the link between home and school, encouraging math practice beyond the classroom.

• Hands-On Resources: Create make-it/take-it math activities during the session that focus on key concepts such as subitizing, counting, one-to-one correspondence, cardinality, and hierarchical inclusion.

• Intervention Strategies: Explore practical interventions that can help struggling students grasp essential math skills.

This training is a valuable opportunity for PK-2nd grade teachers committed to enhancing their students' mathematical journeys. By attending "Making It All Add Up!," you'll not only gain essential knowledge and tools to improve your math instruction but also leave with hands-on resources and strategies that can be implemented immediately in your classroom. Don’t miss this chance to make a lasting impact on your student's math success—join us and take the first step towards making math an engaging and integral part of every child’s daily routine! 

Stephanie Lester has over 40 years in education including:  educational consulting, teaching preschool and a Project-Based Learning Multiage K-1st program, professional development speaker, author, College Instructor, Assistant Principal, Early Childhood Education Director, and Director of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment. Currently Stephanie partners with school communities as an Educational Consultant focusing on providing support to educators on a variety of topics aligned with evidence and research based best practices (including but not limited to:  science of reading, classroom management, guidance, instructional strategies, executive functions, science, math, leadership).

Stephanie believes that children learn best when they are excited, engaged, and experiencing success in the learning environment.  Stephanie has published two books: Year-Round Project-Based Activities for STEM and Science Through the Year. Stephanie is passionate about inspiring, educating, and motivating teachers to implement evidence-based instructional practices with the goal of developing the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive skills that children will need to experience SUCCESS in school and life. 

Stephanie primarily supports educational programs in the states of Montana and California. When Stephanie isn’t exploring with her grandchildren, you will find her creating hands-on STEM activities, presenting workshops on a variety of topics, consulting with teachers throughout the country, gardening, birdwatching, and playing with her dog, Grizzly.

Stephanie Lester holds a MA degree in Education: Curriculum and Instruction, an Administrative Credential, a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, a CLAD Certification, CLASS certification, and a Program Director Child Development permit.