Course Overview
Structured Literacy Collaborative
Structured Literacy Collaborative I: The Fundamentals of Effective Literacy Instruction
Gain the knowledge and support you need to improve literacy outcomes in your classroom and meet the literacy needs of every student. The Stern Center’s Structured Literacy Collaborative—a new Lead to Read offering—empowers educators with evidence-based literacy practices, data-based decision-making, informative workshops, and transformative coaching.
Course description
Based on the successes of Lead to Read—schoolwide structured literacy training initiatives in Vermont and New York—we have designed this collaborative series as a unique opportunity to bring together educators from various sites to develop and enhance their knowledge and practice of Structured Literacy. This informative and engaging workshop series consists of whole-group meetings and optional small-group coaching sessions. As this is a collaborative model, educators will be able to converse with colleagues from other schools to cross-pollinate ideas, share insights, and learn from each other’s experiences.
Structured Literacy Workshops (Whole Group Meetings):
Participants will join five synchronous online sessions, each two hours long, throughout the course of the school year. One of our Structured Literacy Coaches will facilitate each session and center it around a different topic related to structured literacy and the science of reading.
Core subjects include Introduction to Structured Literacy, Phonological and Phonemic Awareness, Reading and Spelling Development, Phonics Fundamentals, and Advanced Phonics and Syllable Types. Through engaging and interactive sessions, participants will build conceptual knowledge of the foundational skills students need to become proficient readers and learn how to apply that knowledge to practice.
Whole Group Meetings Schedule:
Whole group meetings are on Zoom at the following dates and times:
- September 21 | 3:30-5:30 PM EST
- November 30 | 3:30-5:30 PM EST
- January 18 | 3:30-5:30 PM EST
- March 21 | 3:30-5:30 PM EST
- May 16 | 3:30-5:30 PM EST
Literacy Coaching Sessions
Coaching sessions are an optional but highly recommended addition to participation in the whole group meetings. In each coaching session, participants will have an opportunity to receive tailored support around implementing and applying concepts covered during workshop sessions, collaborating with colleagues, and examining the effects of their instruction.
Participants will develop lesson plans, receive constructive feedback on instruction, and analyze student data to make informed decisions. Between each whole group meeting and coaching session, participants can record themselves implementing something they’re learning about in the whole group meetings.
These videos allow Stern Center coaches to better understand what’s happening in participants’ practice and give feedback around how they’re applying structured literacy practices; the videos also provide an opportunity for the participant to watch themselves in action and reflect on their own practice.
In the months between whole group meetings, participants can attend one of the hour-long coaching sessions. The schedule of the coaching sessions will be available at the beginning of the course.
This series is a prerequisite for Beyond the Fundamentals of Structured Literacy Collaborative, which is designed to be an optional second part to the series described in this document. Core topics of Beyond the Fundamentals include: reading fluency, vocabulary, syntax, reading comprehension, and a conclusion to synthesize information.
This Collaborative opportunity is designed for five or fewer participants from any one school district. If you have more than five participants from one district interested in joining, please reach out to us at slarkspur@sterncenter.org to discuss the ways in which we can best support the needs of your participants.
Dates
2023–2024 Literacy Workshops and Group Meetings:
Session 1 | Sept 21
(the first session will be available as recording for anyone who can’t join in September)
Session 2 | Nov 30
Session 3 | Jan 18
Session 4 | Mar 21
Session 5 | May 16
Literacy Coaching Sessions:
Oct 26, Dec 14, Feb 8, April 11, June 6
(Dates and times for small group coaching subject to change based on enrollment.)
Time
3:30–5:30 PM EST
Course Number(s)
1429
Location and Format
Cost
$3,250
When you register for the course, apply for grant funding—which can reduce tuition by 20%.
Grade Level
Audience
What Teachers Have to Say
Supporting Teachers
Grants for Professional Learning
The Cynthia K. Hoehl Institute for Excellence awards grants to individual educators and school cohorts seeking better outcomes for students through our programs. Learn more about Cynthia K. Hoehl, whose vision as an educator inspired a powerful legacy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What terms and conditions are there for professional learning registrations?
Please read the terms and conditions for our courses and workshops and contact us if you have any questions.
How do I register?
- If the course or workshop you’re interested in is on our website, please visit the course or workshop’s page and follow the link to access our online registration form. Complete the form by doing the following:
- Indicate whether you will pay with a credit card or a Purchase Order (PO).
- Fill out the participant information and workshop information sections.
- Read the Terms and Conditions and check the box to confirm your agreement.
- Click “Next”
- If you are paying with a PO:
- Please verify that your PO is complete.
- Send your file to the Stern Center by mail or email to proflearning@sterncenter.org.
- Click “Next.”
- Your information will be sent to us to review. In 1–2 business days, we will confirm your registration by emailing you “Registration Confirmation” in the subject line.
- If you are paying with a credit card:
- Click “Next” to indicate whether you want to subscribe to our mailing list.
- Click “Continue.”
- Click “Buy Now” to continue to Authorize.net
- Enter your credit card information and click “Pay now” to complete your credit card transaction.
- Your information will be sent to us to review. In 1–2 business days, we will confirm your registration by sending you an email with “Registration Confirmation” in the subject line.
- If the course or workshop you’re interested in is not listed on our website, please contact us to learn more.
I want to apply for tuition funding. When and how do I do this?
The Stern Center’s Cynthia K. Hoehl Institute for Excellence (CKHIE) provides grants to reduce the cost of our programs for educators, helping to make vital professional learning more readily accessible. When you register for a course or workshop, we’ll ask if you want to apply for grant funding. Select “Yes,” and we’ll ask how the grant will help your work as an educator. You will be required to submit a paragraph or two about your professional learning goals.
After you apply for funding, we’ll calculate the amount of your grant and subtract it from the cost of the course or workshop. Most grants provide 20% off of tuition.
You can read more about applying for grant funding here.
I’m considering taking a course for graduate credit. How long do I have to decide?
Graduate Credit Policy
Castleton University: If you are registering for a course that offers graduate credit from Castleton University, you may add graduate credit up to and including the first day of class. We will happily accommodate you if you wish to add graduate credit later, within the university’s deadline. Please register by the end of the first day of class to avoid a processing fee of $25 in addition to the graduate credit cost.
Saint Michael’s College: If you are registering for a course that offers graduate credit from Saint Michael’s College, you may add graduate credit up to and including the first day of class. No additions can be accepted after the first day of class.
Graduate Credit Withdrawal Policy: For classes running consecutive days, participants who withdraw must decide by the end of the first day whether to request a graduate credit refund. To request a refund, email the Professional Learning Intake Coordinator at proflearning@sterncenter.org or by phone at 802-276-8745.
My school said they would register me. Do I need to do anything else?
Please confirm with your school that they have completed all the necessary steps to register you. Please do not plan to attend the class without verifying that you are registered, as we may be unable to accommodate you due to limited seating.
What can tuition funding be used for?
Tuition funding through the Cynthia K. Hoehl Institute may be used for a percentage of the following professional learning costs:
- Tuition
Funding cannot be applied to the following:
- Graduate credits
- MindPlay Comprehensive Reading Course
- Travel costs
- Materials costs
What is a purchase order or PO?
- A purchase order (PO) is a document from your school or district stating that they will pay a certain amount for you to attend a course or workshop. A PO allows us to invoice your school or district for your attendance.
- A PO might look something like this.
- A PO is not a number. Please supply the complete document to register, not just the PO number.
How do I register with a purchase order?
You’ll need to complete a purchase order (PO) before you register. Make sure your PO fulfills the following:
- The PO is issued to “Stern Center for Language and Learning.”
- The unit price is for the total cost (if your school or district pays for only part of the total cost, please email us at proflearning@sterncenter.org.
- The PO is signed by an authorized party at your school or district.
Once your PO is complete, please send us a copy of the document. You can send it by mail or email to proflearning@sterncenter.org when you submit your contact information.
Can you invoice my school or district so they can make a PO?
Unfortunately no. We cannot submit invoices without first receiving a PO.
My school/district/I sent you a PO. Why am I not registered?
Ensure you have also completed and submitted a registration form and your PO. Without both documents, we cannot register you.
Make sure you sent us a copy of the PO itself and not just a PO number or a letter of intent from your school or district. We cannot invoice either of these items without the PO document itself.
Please get in touch with us if you haven’t received confirmation of your registration 1–2 business days after you submitted a completed PO and the registration information form. We may have missed one of these documents and would appreciate your letting us know to look for them.
My School or district won’t cover the total cost of a course or workshop. How can I complete my registration?
If your school or district is paying for only part of the total cost, please get in touch with us by calling 802-276-8745 or emailing proflearning@sterncenter.org. To complete your registration, you must send the remaining balance by check or credit card payment.
How do I pay for graduate credit?
Please make all payments to the Stern Center for Language and Learning. We’ll handle the rest!
If you are worried about the course or workshop filling up, you can pay with a credit card or check while you wait for your PO to be completed. Please check with your school or district before doing this to make sure you can be reimbursed when the PO is completed.
If paying for the course out-of-pocket isn’t an option for you, please get in touch with us.
My school or district is still working on my PO. Can I still register?
We’re sorry, but we cannot accept registrations without proof or payment or proof of intent to pay (such as a completed PO).
Can I still take a course if I need to miss one or more days?
All participants must be prepared for and attend every class and be ready to participate as required by the instructor.
If that is not possible for you, please get in touch with us before registering. You may still be able to take the course in some instances, but such decisions are at the course instructor’s discretion. Please refer to our Attendance & Participation Policy.
Can I audit a course or workshop?
Auditing our public offerings is not available. All attendees must register, pay tuition, and follow the attendance and participation policy.
If you are an organization that has contracted with us to deliver a course or workshop, please get in touch with us at proflearning@sterncenter.org for auditing information.
Do I need to register with Wilson® after I enroll in the course or workshop with the Stern Center?
If you wish to receive a certificate of attendance, access additional resources, and register for graduate credit (when available), you will need to pre-register with Wilson. These resources and materials are only available through Wilson.
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Course & Registration FAQs
Do you have questions about course registration, credits, grants, or anything else? Find your answers here!
Get in Touch!
For questions about courses and workshops, email proflearning@sterncenter.org, call 802-878-2332, or fill out the form below.
