Virginia Department of Education's Training and Technical Assistance Center (T/TAC)

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Supporting the Adult Nervous System at All Levels: Resetting Your Baseline 

“Students are only as emotionally and cognitively healthy as their teachers, administrators, and the staff who support them." We are so excited to be back together with professor, author, and speaker Dr. Lori Desautels as she dives deep into a new multi-tiered framework designed to support and nourish the adult nervous system, enhance decision-making, and empower personal agency. Learn how to foster a sustainable mindset for emotional and mental health, reduce burnout, build resilience, and create a sense of safety within your learning communities. It’s time to focus on YOU so that you feel empowered to make each day successful, even through the toughest moments.

Join us for a series of 4 FREE sessions, each from 11:30 am-1:00 pm via zoom. We encourage you to attend all sessions!

For questions, please contact Jennifer Baldwin at jebaldw3@vt.edu, Holly Love at hollyn@vt.edu, or Natalie Howard at nmey22@vt.edu.

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Unlocking Big Words 

As most students advance through later elementary and secondary grades, reading demands increase while opportunities for targeted word-reading instruction often diminish. This leaves many older readers without the strategies they need to decode unfamiliar words. Unlocking Big Words is a two-day training that equips teachers with background knowledge and techniques to teach students simple multisyllabic word reading and spelling routines and provide effective feedback to support accuracy.

Comparing the SIM Paragraph Writing Programs: How Fundamentals of Paragraph Writing Builds on a Proven Legacy

Whitney Miller and Jean Schumaker

"For more than 40 years. The instructional program for the Paragraph Writing Strategy has helped secondary students learn to write effective paragraphs. Now, the new Fundamentals of Paragraph Writing program brings SIM paragraph-writing instruction to elementary learners in grades 2-6. While both programs share the same commitment to explicit, strategic instruction, the new program includes several features designed specifically for younger students and today’s classrooms. The original program, The Paragraph Writing Strategy, was published in 1985 and contains two printed books: an instructor’s manual and a student materials volume. The “new” program, Fundamentals of Paragraph Writing, was published in 2026 and contains one printed book (the instructor’s manual) and online supplementary instructional materials." For more information contact Whitney Miller at whm2378@vt.edu.