Professional Development Calendar – POWER HOURS

The PA Principals Association develops a Professional Development Calendar during the course of the year with new professional learning offerings for members. There is no cost associated with the Power Hour sessions, but registration is required to have access to the Zoom webinars.

This is a great opportunity to network and share with other principals and school leaders!
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CALENDAR

Fall/Winter 2025-2026

October:

  • 10/30/2025 at 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
  • “Connections that Count: Strengthening School Relationships”
  • Presenter: Peg Foster, East I Regional Service Specialist
  • Session Description: Developing strong relationships with your school’s stakeholders is key to a successful and vibrant school culture. Join this one-hour group discussion to talk about relationships with your stakeholder groups and how foster a positive environment for learning.

Register Here

November:

  • 11/10/2025 at 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
  • “Every Day Counts: Boosting Student Attendance”
  • Presenters: Shanna Bradfield, Allegheny IU3 Training and Consultation Coordinator, and Lauren Baugham, Principal at Myrtle Avenue Elementary
  • Session Description: Administrators will gain practical, research-based strategies for implementing tiered attendance supports—ranging from universal prevention efforts to targeted, individualized interventions—ensuring all students are present, engaged, and ready to learn. Presented by experienced practitioners, this session will also emphasize the pivotal role of school leaders in championing attendance as a cornerstone of student success and overall school achievement.

Register Here

December:

  • 12/3/2025 at 9:30 a.m.
  • “Digital Safety”
  • Presenter: FBI Special Agent Will Lloyd, Capital Area Resident Agency, Philadelphia, PA
  • Session Description: Many schools face challenges such as cyberbullying, hacking, online threats and sextortion. The FBI provides education, resources and, when necessary, direct assistance in investigating these digital crimes—especially when they cross state lines or involve serious offenses. This Power Hour will highlight the FBI’s role in supporting school safety and its collaboration with educational institutions. Participants will learn how the FBI works with schools to respond to incidents and promote a secure learning environment.

REGISTER HERE

  • 12/11/2025 at 9:30 AM- 10:30 AM
  • “Managing Special Needs Populations During Emergencies”
  • Presenter: Aaron Vanatta, Director of Campus Safety and Chief of School Police at the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children
  • Session Description: Providing effective support and care to vulnerable special education populations and others with access and functional needs prior to, during and following an emergency is a critical priority for schools. Students and staff with chronic conditions can lose access to critical medicines, others may need assistance with evacuation and during other emergency responses. This session will take an all-hazards approach by breaking down each of the responses and looking at the extra steps required to reduce the likelihood that our vulnerable populations will suffer injury, medical emergencies or even death during natural, technological, and man-made critical incidents. The presenter will review the importance of individualized safety plans, personal evacuation plans, group evacuation plans, refuge points and go-kits. He will review other guidance that school emergency planners will need to know, including how to identify and account for the unique needs of anyone in our schools with access and functional needs whose needs are not fully addressed by the standard resources offered in disaster preparedness, relief and recovery.

REGISTER HERE

January:

  • 1/7/2026 at 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
  • “Artificial Intelligence”
  • Presenter: Dr. Che Regina, Asst. Supt. for Innovation and Education, Methacton SD
  • Session Description: There is a myriad of AI tools available to educators and this session will provide an overview of some of the AI platforms and how these tools can assist educators. An overview of how to leverage AI in workspaces to make routines and tasks more efficient will also be shared during this session.

REGISTER HERE

  • 1/29/2026 at TBD
  • Supporting Middle to High School Transition: When the Only Constant is Change
  • Presenters: Dr. Dan Beck and Dr. Tim Wagner and the administrative team from Upper St. Clair School District
  • Session Description: TBA

REGISTER HERE.

 

February:

  • 2/9/2026 at 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
  • Building Teams of Leaders
  • Presenters: Darren McLaurin, Central III Regional Service Specialist and Other Central III Region Principals and State Directors
  • Session Description: This one-hour interactive Zoom session will engage K-12 principals in exploring how to build and empower teams of leaders within their schools and build trust and collaboration among the staff. Through whole group and breakout discussions, participants will share strategies and identify actionable steps to strengthen distributed leadership within a building or district.

REGISTER HERE.

Save These Dates: 

  • 2/25/2026 at 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Principals’ Lunch and Learn – Presenter: Rob Baier, Pennsylvania Lead, Innovamat
  • 3/12/2026 at 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Principals’ Lunch and Learn – Presenter: Amit Parihar, Vice President of Growth, Toddle App
  • 3/31/2026 at 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Principals’ Lunch and Learn – Presenter: Meghan Schafer, EF Educational Tours
  • 4/7/2026 at 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM: Staff Appreciation Week Idea Exchange
  • 4/15/2026 at 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Principals’ Lunch and Learn – Presenter: Kimberly Keel, Kades-Margolis Corporation

Please note: Additional details and registration links for these sessions will be provided later.

For further information or any questions, please contact Dr. Beth Haldeman, Director of Professional Development, PA Principals Association, at haldeman@paprincipals.org