Create & Connect

Each issue is packed with fresh ideas for bringing our district priorities—student learning experiences, Portrait of a Graduate, evidence of learning, and continuous improvement—into your daily teaching. Whether you’re looking to spark curiosity, amplify student voice, or make the most of your classroom iPads, Create & Connect is here to help you turn tech tools into learning powerhouses.

We invite you to join us for an AI in Education Community Event on Thursday, April 30 from 6:30–8:00 PM at Rustin High School.

This evening will feature a moderated panel discussion led by Dr. Kalia Reynolds, with perspectives from educators, students, and industry experts. Together, we’ll explore how artificial intelligence is shaping education and how WCASD is approaching this work thoughtfully and responsibly. There will be time for audience questions, and we welcome your participation in the conversation.

Event Details:

Rustin High School Auditorium

6:30–8:00 PM

Attendance is voluntary. Staff members are encouraged to RSVP so that we can plan accordingly: AI in Education RSVP Link. We hope you can join us.

It’s that time of year again—the ITCs are excited to share the latest version of the Everyone Can Create Challenge! This collection of creative activities gives students meaningful opportunities to express themselves, share their thinking, and show what they know. From Photos and Video to Drawing, Music, and more, these challenges encourage students to use technology as a tool for making, designing, and creating in ways that support learning across content areas. Best of all, every activity can be completed using iPads or with tech‑free options, making it easy to participate in any classroom. Get ready for ideas that amplify student voice, creativity, and imagination!

Everyone Can Create 2026 Edition

Reminder! The last day for student iPad use will be Tuesday, June 9th!

Great news! If you use Seesaw Early Literacy, you now have free access to all Early Literacy lessons in Spanish, in addition to English. This makes it easier than ever to support phonics instruction school‑wide and in bilingual or dual language classrooms.

Step 1: Find Your Focus Collection

• PK: Alphabet Garden offers multi-sensory lessons for letter identification, formation, phonemic awareness, and real-world connections.

• K: Alphabet Treasures aids emergent readers in developing comprehensive letter knowledge and phonological awareness.

• 1st grade: Phenomenal Phonics is a comprehensive collection of activities, including sorting, blending, segmenting, changing words, and dictation exercises for sound-spelling patterns.

• 2nd grade: Willow’s Word Work provides independent practice through interactive sorts, word ladders, and dictation to reinforce sound-spelling and syllable patterns.

Step 2: Choose Your Instructional Mode

• Present to Class for whole‑group modeling
• Assign for small‑group and independent practice. Same great lessons—now available in both English and Spanish!

In February, teachers Cara, Lauren, and Jenn had the opportunity to attend Pete & C, joining other educators from across the state to explore innovative ideas in educational technology. They’re excited to share some of their biggest takeaways from this energizing and impactful experience!

What was the most impactful session you attended and what made it stand out?

The most impactful moment of the PETE & C Conference was the keynote delivered by Jordyn Zimmerman on Accessible Technology. Jordyn is a non‑speaking woman diagnosed with autism who spent much of her life unable to communicate without the proper tools. Until she was provided with an iPad at age 20, many people assumed she did not have cognitive functioning or the desire to learn. Her story was a powerful reminder of why it is essential that we provide students with access to diverse and inclusive technology tools. Jordyn’s keynote reinforced that communication, learning, and intelligence can look different—and that access can change everything.

What is one practical strategy you learned and how do you plan to use it with students?

One practical strategy I learned came from a session focused on supporting neurodiverse learners. The presenter explained how many students experience acute stress responses at school (fight, flight, freeze, or fawn) and how intentional classroom practices can help regulate those responses. I plan to apply these strategies by using color‑coded organizers, playing calming music tuned to 432 Hz during work time, breaking tasks into timed steps rather than one large task, and creating predictable transitions. These small shifts can help support emotional regulation and engagement for all learners.

What is your favorite memory from PETE & C?

My favorite memory from PETE & C was meeting Jordyn Zimmerman in person. I had the opportunity to ask her about the most effective ways she acquired language and how educators can balance high expectations with meaningful accommodations. Jordyn was one of the most influential people I have ever met. She reinforced that all students have the capacity to learn and exceed expectations, and her journey served as a powerful reminder of the responsibility we have as educators to never underestimate our students.

Most impactful session or moment:

One of the most impactful sessions I attended was Ed-Teching Like a Show Girl. The presenters completely shifted my perspective on professional development and classroom engagement by showing how learning can be treated like an experience rather than just a lesson. They modeled strategies for building anticipation, excitement, and curiosity through themes, hints, countdowns, and visual storytelling. I left the session feeling incredibly inspired, and honestly a little amazed by their Canva skills. I thought I was pretty strong with Canva, but they absolutely blew me away with how they used it to create immersive and engaging learning environments.

One idea or strategy you’re using (or plan to try):

After attending the session, Jenn and I immediately started brainstorming ways to apply these strategies in our own classrooms. We plan to use the “show-stopping engagement” ideas to jazz up our geometry unit right before PSSAs. By creating a themed experience with clues, visuals, and anticipation building throughout the week, we hope to turn learning into something students are genuinely excited about. I really left PETE&C feeling recharged, reignited, and fueled with new passion and creativity for designing engaging learning experiences.

A favorite PETE&C memory we could highlight:

One of my favorite moments from PETE&C was attending alongside my colleague Jenn Greene. Jenn was actually my 4th grade teacher, and later I was her practicum student as a senior at Rustin High School. Now we’re colleagues teaching 4th grade together. After the Ed-Teching Like a Show Girl session, we were so inspired that we immediately started planning a really fun, immersive geometry project together. Moments like that remind me how special the West Chester community is, seeing relationships come full circle and continuing to learn and grow together as educators.

New features to simplify your workflow, spark ideas and create with more confidence. Find your next go-to tool.

• Canva AI 2.0 - Design - Instead of starting with a blank page, educators can describe a goal, idea, or lesson need and let Canva AI generate a fully editable design to build from—right inside the editor. With tools that support quick customization, iteration, and differentiation, Canva AI 2.0 helps teachers spend less time setting things up and more time creating engaging, student‑centered learning experiences.

• Learn Grid - Bring AI‑powered activity creation and thousands of ready‑to‑use resources directly into Canva. Because everything is curriculum‑aligned, you can search by country, subject, or grade and quickly customize materials that fit your classroom. It’s an easy way to move from idea to instruction—no matter what or where you teach.
• Canva AI 2.0 - Code - Quickly build interactive, game‑style activities using simple prompts—no coding required. With Canva Code, you can design whole‑group experiences for the board like morning check‑ins, phonics or spelling review games, vocabulary matching, or math practice, all tailored to your specific word lists, skills, and classroom topics. Because the activities are fully customizable, teachers stay in control of the content while students stay engaged through interactive, shared learning experiences.

iPad Spring Cleaning Slides for the Classroom

Small steps = big payoff for focus, productivity, and fewer tech hiccups.

Supporting learning doesn’t stop at school! We’ve got tutorials you can share directly with parents, plus the Elementary Tech Handbook, a one-stop guide to everything WCASD technology. From navigating apps to understanding digital tools, these resources help parents stay informed, support their children’s learning at home, and feel confident with district technology. From navigating apps to understanding digital tools, these resources help parents stay informed, support their children’s learning at home, and feel confident with district technology—including instructions for logging into Clever from home, so accessing apps like IXL and Happy Numbers is simple for both parents and students.

👉 Parent Portal Resources - Standards-Based Grading Edition

Take the stress out of standards-based grading! We’ve put together a handy collection of quick start guides and step-by-step tutorials to help you master grading in PowerSchool and Schoology. You’ll find:

• Printable gradebook standards by grade level

• Guides for creating and grading assignments

• Creating an Assignment

• Grading an Assignment

• Delete old categories in PS

These resources make it simple to track student progress, keep accurate records, and showcase meaningful evidence of learning—so you can focus on what matters most: helping students grow.

Did you know every teacher in the county gets a $10 monthly allowance to use at the CCIU Teacher Resource Center? From lamination to classroom materials, this service helps you save time and stretch your resources. You can even design posters in Canva and send them to the CCIU for full-size poster printing—check out these great examples from Hillsdale’s Design Lab! It’s absolutely worth exploring to see how they can support your classroom.