Professional Development Calendar – POWER HOURS – FALL 2026
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.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CALENDAR
SEPTEMBER:
9/15/2026 – 10:30 a.m.
From Warning Signs to Prevention: Inside Tips from the FBI for School Administrators
Presenters: Rob Cariola, FBI special agent, regional threat management coordinator, and Corporal Andrew McCloskey, community anti-threat officer
Session Description: This workshop will provide school administrators with practical insight into recognizing, assessing, and responding to behaviors and warning signs that may indicate a student is moving toward violence. FBI Special Agent Rob Cariola will explore the progression from concerning behaviors and threats to potential acts of harm, with an emphasis on early intervention and prevention.
Topics will include threat calls and leakage, behavioral interviewing, self-harming behaviors, student hygiene and other behavioral changes, and the role of unfettered internet access in exposing students to harmful online communities and violent or true-crime content. The session will also examine how online spaces — including true-crime communities and school-shooter-related content — can contribute to fixation, normalization or escalation of concerning behaviors.
Participants will gain practical considerations for identifying warning signs, conducting effective behavioral interviews, strengthening school safety plans and coordinating an appropriate response when concerns arise. The goal is to help school personnel recognize behaviors earlier, understand the pathway toward harm and take informed steps to support student safety and prevent escalation.
OCTOBER:
10/8/2026 – 10:30 a.m.
Investigating Student Discipline: What Leaders Legally Need to Know
Presenter: Attorney Steve Winslow, Jubelirer, Pass & Intrieri, P.C.
Session Description: Student discipline situations can quickly become complicated, and the way a leader conducts an investigation can have significant legal implications. This Power Hour will explore the legal requirements and best practices for investigating student discipline matters, including gathering information, interviewing students and witnesses, documenting findings, and maintaining confidentiality. Participants will examine common pitfalls that can create legal challenges and learn strategies to ensure investigations are fair, thorough, and defensible. The goal is to help school leaders confidently navigate discipline investigations while protecting student rights and themselves.
10/13/2026 – 9:30 a.m.
Proactive Approaches to Discipline
Presenter: Shanna Bradfield, M.Ed., training and consultation coordinator, Allegheny Intermediate Unit
Session Description: This one-hour session will support administrators in using restorative discipline practices to build relationships, address harm, and promote student accountability. Participants will explore how restorative approaches can be integrated with PBIS and MTSS while maintaining clear expectations and consistent responses to student behavior. Practical strategies for restorative conversations, affective statements and creating a restorative school culture will be shared.
10/22/2026 – 10:30 a.m.
Cell Phones and Navigating the Challenges in Today’s Schools
Presenters: Dr. Matthew Walsh, East III regional service specialist (RSS), and Ed Roth, East III secondary state director
Session Description: This session will engage participants around the use of cell phones in schools. Ed Roth, a veteran high school principal and East III secondary state director on the PA Principals Association Board of Directors, will share his experiences and practices around cell phones in his school. Participants will be able to share their own challenges and obstacles, and brainstorm ways to support this ever-changing world of digital access and technology, in addition to proposed changes at the state level surrounding cell phones in schools.
NOVEMBER:
11/4/2026 – 1:00 p.m.
Online Testing: One Year Later
Presenter: Information coming soon.
Session Description: This session will be a follow up discussion to last year’s mandate, which required on-line testing for all learners during state testing. Participants will have the opportunity to share tricks and tips that made their testing experience successful, discuss lessons learned through the experience, brainstorms solutions from others who have navigated this requirement and identify plans for the upcoming testing window with a new vendor.
REGISTER SOON
11/11/2026 – 9:00 a.m.
Building Your AP Program: Unlocking Student Potential
Presenters: Rebecca Kravitz, Director State & District Partnerships, College Board, and Deanna Hattaway-Thomas, Senior Director, Implementation, Strategic Impact Partnerships, College Board
Session Description: This one-hour virtual session gives principals practical strategies for growing a strong Advanced Placement program at their school. We’ll cover how to identify students with AP potential — including those who might be overlooked — and how to build systems, supports, and a school culture that encourage more students to enroll in and succeed in AP courses. Principals will leave with actionable steps to expand access, boost enrollment, and improve outcomes in their AP program.
DECEMBER: 12/2/2026 – 9:00 a.m.
It’s Job Impacting! Obtaining AND Maintaining Your Principal Certificate.
Presenter: Carrie Anderson, Division Chief of Planning and Professional Development, Pennsylvania Department of Education
Do you know how many Act 45 hours you have as a principal? Can you answer the question “when does your window expire”? And do you know the required components for obtaining your Level II Administrative Certificate? Come to a personalized session with Carrie Anderson from PDE who will walk us through job impacting topics such as: Act 45, New Principal Induction and how to maintain an active certificate.
For further information or any questions, please contact Dr. Beth Haldeman, Director of Professional Development, PA Principals Association, at haldeman@paprincipals.org