WINONA -- The Winona Separate School District is hosting a five-day professional development conference for its teachers called “The Power of YOU,” beginning Wednesday, August 2.
The conference was made possible by a partnership with PREPS with William Carey University.
“Through a partnership with PREPS, we are able to get teachers free continuing education units by attending the conference,” Federal Programs Director Angela Bridges said.
Each teacher attending the conference will receive 2.55 continuing education units to go toward their licensing requirement.
“They will get 2.55 CPUs for free, and that’s big,” Bridges said.
According to Bridges, organizer of the conference, over the course of five days, 41 presentors and 81 sessions will be held district-wide.
Bridges said with the number of presenters, it is almost like two conferences -- one for elementary school teachers and one for high school teachers.
“Some of the same presenters will be at each school, but pretty much there are two different conferences,” Bridges said.
Bridges said on day one, a general session will be held in the Winona Secondary School auditorium with remarks from Dr. Teresa Jackson, Winona Separate School District superintendent, and a new teacher orientation.
Also on day one, Coach Larry Calhoun from the Mississippi Department of Education will be directing the teachers in the state’s Move to Learn program.
“The whole faculty will be up and moving,” Bridges said.
Thursday, Monday, and Tuesday, Bridges said various sessions will be available throughout the day.
“I’ve set up three to five sessions per hour-and-a-half,” Bridges said. “Teachers will be able to pick and choose what training fits their particular needs -- math, language arts, planning, etc.”
Friday, Bridges said is centered around health and wellness, with sessions about personal safety, diabetes awareness, Zumba (stress relief), and asthma.
“We will have vendor tables set up throughout,” Bridges said. “Tyler Homes, StaHome, Winona Manor, and others will be there to check blood pressure, glucose levels. There is a lot going on for healthcare day.”
Bridges said in her 26 years in education, she has never seen a district put on this kind of conference.
“I wanted this to encourage our folks and start the year off right so they are ready to rock and roll,” Bridges said. “The tone I want to set for the school year is that the ripple of behavior starts [with the teacher]. I want teachers to realize that every day makes a difference in a child’s life.”
