Regional Office of Education 47

LETRS Volume 1 ✅ for this incredible group of educators in Lee, Ogle, and Whiteside counties! So excited for Volume 2 next year. Ready to begin your LETRS journey? Join our new Year 1 cohort starting in August 2025! Register HERE! @RegionalOffice47 #RegionalOffice47

Early Childhood education is an important part of a child's future. Early Childhood programs help lay a foundation for success. These programs impact the child's cognitive, social, and emotional development. Join us as each week we talk about the different programs our area offers! #EarlyChildhood #Success #Growth #Support #Community

The Area 2 SEL Hub is thrilled to offer scholarships for our third annual SEL Summer Symposium, themed "A Celebration of Resilience," on June 12, 2025! 🎉 This event will bring together educators to explore powerful strategies that support the heart and mind of every learner. Join us at the Embassy Suites in Rockford, IL, for a day filled with inspiration, dynamic breakout sessions, and opportunities to connect with others. We are thrilled to welcome renowned keynote speaker Michael Bonner, a trailblazer in leadership and organizational culture. Scholarship recipients will receive free event registration. Don't miss this chance to learn, grow, and be inspired! Apply today! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScvHw80R-DXrxNV3x2tfSF8IZTvVh-tFYBdrvYr53xSbp0MKg/viewform

“Home visitors are making a significant difference in their communities and we’re proud to honor them,” said Institute for the Advancement of Family Support Professionals executive director Janet Horras. “Thousands of home visitors meet with local families every day to build parenting skills and share early child development best practices. National Home Visiting Week is an important opportunity to recognize their many contributions and the impact they make.” More than 17.1 million pregnant women and families (including over 22 million children) could benefit from home visiting. Of those, approximately 280,000 received services in 2023— only 1.6 percent of all potential beneficiaries. Do you know of any expectant parents or families with children under the age of three who live in Lee, Ogle or Whiteside County? Please connect them with a home visitor today! Call the Regional Office of Education at 815/625-1495 ext. 118 or fill out the interest form: https://forms.gle/rKvnVA4gos8CGkRC6

Scan the code to register & check out the Teacher Talk for more details ! @RegionalOffice47 #RegionalOffice47

Help us celebrate a home visitor during #NationalHomeVisitingWeek! Home visitors play an important role in the lives of families across the country. ROE #47 is proud to support our Parents as Teachers First Years home visitors this week and every week.

Thanks to # NHVW, we’re kicking off the inaugural #NationalHomeVisitingWeek. This week, we celebrate the important work of home visitors everywhere and at the ROE's Parents as Teachers First Years serving the Lee, Ogle, and Whiteside county area. Stay tuned for more spotlights throughout the week!

The ROE 47 Office will be closed today, Friday, April 18th, Good Friday. @RegionalOffice47 #RegionalOffice47

Big news! 🎉 We're thrilled to announce the launch of the ROE Early Learning Academy! 🤩 This week, we opened our first two classrooms, with two more on the horizon. If you're looking for a full day, high-quality preschool, come learn more at our Birth-5 Community Screening on Friday, April 25th. Scan the QR code on the flyer to register!

NGSS Capacity Builders Series Session 3: Integrating Math & Literacy in the Science Classroom Presenter: Gail Housman, Lead for OpenSciEd Elementary April 28, 2025 (9:00 - 10:00 a.m.), Virtual Think you have no time for science? This session explores practical strategies for seamlessly integrating math and literacy skills—including oracy—into science instruction. Participants will examine real-world examples of how to maximize instructional time by making meaningful connections between science, literacy, and math within the curriculum. Using examples from OpenSciEd’s new free Elementary units (two per grade level, K-5), we will illustrate how: Lessons are structured into flexible components that accommodate diverse elementary schedules and facilitate "double dipping" across subject areas, such as literacy blocks, circle time, or math class. Literacy (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) and math are intentionally woven into science sensemaking, with specific examples from different grade levels demonstrating these interdisciplinary connections in action. Join us to discover how to create a more cohesive and efficient approach to teaching science while reinforcing essential math and literacy skills! 1 PDH K-12 Administrators Curriculum Directors Instructional Coaches Science Leaders ROE Personnel https://forms.fillout.com/t/vUvAVnsZmnus?id=rec3JMTv7VdEhVI8X

Spring is coming and that means flowers will be in bloom. Now is the time to nominate educators for the 2025 Marigold Award. Each nominee will be recognized on social media and will receive a certificate, a marigold, and a special book. Our overall winner will also receive a $100 Amazon gift card to continue to build their classroom library. ***Please nominate AND forward to your teachers so that they may do the same!*** Jen Banks was a beloved teacher and school improvement coach who passed away as the result of a tragic automobile accident in December 2015. Her love for learning and the students that she worked with was an inspiration to many. Jen’s positive, supportive, and energetic attitude nurtured those around her and helped them to grow. In celebration of Jen’s life and dedication to learning, ROE 47 has created an award in her honor. As Jen worked with many elementary and middle schools in the Sauk Valley area, this award is open to PK-8 Whiteside County teachers, para-educators & administrators. Marigolds exist in our schools - encouraging, supporting and nurturing teachers. They are leaders in their community, classrooms, and families. They have a love of learning and sharing that learning with others. Help us to honor Jen and these exemplary leaders in your school communities. An informational flier and copy of the nomination questions are attached. Please nominate your “marigold” today using the link below by Wednesday, April 9, 2025. CLICK HERE for Google Nomination Form

🌟 Schools Are Stepping Up for Students! 🌟 Over 75% of schools in Lee, Ogle, and Whiteside counties have taken a deeper look into how they support students impacted by trauma. 💙 Educators are shifting toward healing-centered practices, creating environments where students feel seen, heard, and supported. This is more than a trend—it’s a movement toward compassion, understanding, and resilience in our schools. Together, we are building a future where every child has the support they need to thrive. 👏 Huge shoutout to the schools leading the way! Let’s keep the momentum going!

Assessment Web Seminar Series: Designing Equitable, 3D, Curriculum-Anchored Assessments: Topic Study for K-12 Educators Presenter: NSTA Wednesdays in April 2025 (6:00 - 7: 30 pm CT) April 9, 2025 April 16, 2025 April 23, 2025 April 30, 2025 Virtual Join us for a series of four workshops on Wednesdays, April 9, April 16, April 23, and April 30, 2025 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM, to redesign a three-dimensional classroom assessment connected to your instructional materials. Using the NGSS Task Design Workbook and examples from a curated list, you'll learn key elements of high-quality 3D assessment design, including sensemaking, problematizing phenomena, and accessibility features. The goal is to adapt an existing assessment for science classrooms while addressing questions about engaging students in 3D sensemaking and ensuring tasks are meaningful and accessible for all learners. This is a professional learning series and attendance at all sessions is required. Zoom link and materials will be provided by NSTA. This training is provided through funds by the Illinois State Board of Education. 6 PDHs K-12 Science Educators https://forms.fillout.com/t/vUvAVnsZmnus?id=recbA8yiMwYR2HQ2o

Join us on Thursday, April 10, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. to explore the AMAZING power of play! Learn how play fuels development, discover family resources, and connect with other parents. You can register at https://forms.fillout.com/t/5sMCD8nDv9us @RegionalOffice47

Resilience is Not a Solo Journey 🤝 We often think of resilience as individual strength, but research shows that belonging is a key ingredient. Having people who support, uplift, and walk alongside us makes all the difference. We are wired for connection. 💙 Resilience grows when we know we’re not alone—when we have safe spaces to share, be seen, and be supported. Who’s in your corner? Tag someone who helps you stay strong. 💪✨

Calling All Heroes! Our Students Need You! The mission? Stock our School Supply Closet! Your donation provides the supplies students need to succeed. Be a School Supply Superhero by going to https://donate.stripe.com/fZeaGG3Uu9YF9NueUU to donate.

Librarians Networking April 1, 2025 3:00 - 4:00, Virtual An Opportunity For Librarians And Library Staff To Network And Share Information And Resources And Problem-Solve Based On Ideas Of How Other Librarians Have Approached The Same Issue. Gain New Ideas For Your Library !

REGISTER NOW - OpenSciEd High School BIOLOGY Launch - SERIES Presenters: Kristin Rademaker, ISTA/NSTA This 4-week series (8 x 3-hour web seminars) introduces high school biology teachers to the OpenSciEd biology curriculum. Through video observations, peer learning, and hands-on experiences, participants will gain a deep understanding of the curriculum and its alignment with NGSS and the Framework for K-12 Science Education. They will also develop skills in 3D instruction and assessment, and learn to provide effective feedback to support student learning. This is a professional learning series and attendance at all sessions is required. This training is provided through funds by the Illinois State Board of Education. 24 PDHs K-12 Science Educators 2 Part Registration Step 1: https://forms.fillout.com/t/vUvAVnsZmnus?id=recwnnnvTumwDGjoM Step 2: https://my.nsta.org/event/il-sp25-openscied-curriculum-launch-workshop-for-high-school-biology-unit-b-1-e You are not registered until you have completed BOTH steps of the registration process.

Resilience Doesn’t Mean Ignoring Pain Resilient people still feel sadness, frustration, and fear. They don’t suppress emotions—they navigate them. Being resilient means allowing yourself to feel, adapt, and grow. It’s about flexibility, not just toughness. Think of resilience like a tree in the wind—it bends, but it doesn’t break. 🌳💙 Keep bending, keep adapting, and keep moving forward.

Resilience is like a muscle—the more we use it, the stronger it gets. 💪 Every challenge, setback, and tough moment is an opportunity to grow. Just like building strength in the gym, resilience takes practice, patience, and self-compassion. Keep showing up, keep pushing forward, and remember—you are stronger than you think. 💙