Athens State University RIC
November and December 2026
Clint Vandiver - New OMI Region 2 Specialist
Emily Byrd - New AMSTI Director
Twitter/X
Athens State Regional Inservice Center
- Physical Location: 1115-A Hwy 31 South Athens, AL 35611
- Beside ServPro and across the highway from Moran Carpets.
- Summer Hours: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
- (256) 233-6576
Morgan County Educators Resource Center (ERC)
- Meeting Location of NBCT North Cohort
- Address: 239 Hwy 67 South Decatur, AL 35603.
- ERC is located between the Morgan County BOE Building and the baseball field for Priceville Jr. High School.
Cullman Primary School
- Meeting Location of NBCT South Cohort.
- 900 Hoehn Drive Cullman, AL 35055
- Located near Cullman High School
Sandridge Student Center Ballroom
- Athens State University Campus
- 300 North Beaty Street Athens, 35611
- Front Entrance on the Hobbs Street side (Building # 4 on Map)
- Look for Hebrew the Bear Statue
Alabama Center for the Arts (ACA) in Decatur
- Downtown Decatur
- 133 2nd Ave. NE Decatur 35601
- Near Morgan County Courthouse
- Take A Virtual Tour of ACA Campus
2026 - 2027 APLDS Sessions - Starts June 1, 2026
- ALL APLDS Sessions Scheduled in June will be credited to the 2026-2027 School Year
- DISCLAIMER: If session has less than 10 participants enrolled, the session may be canceled.
Title: Multisensory Strategies with Alphabet Arcs
Description: Science of Reading , ELL/ ESOL , Special Education
Discover how purposeful multisensory instruction can strengthen foundational literacy skills and support student learning. During this interactive, hands-on session, participants will explore and practice evidence-aligned multisensory routines, including alphabet arc activities, that strengthen letter recognition, letter-sound correspondence, and the connection between reading and spelling. Participants will examine how these instructional practices align with the 2021 Alabama English Language Arts Course of Study and the Alabama Dyslexia Resource Guide. Through collaborative discussions and hands-on experiences, educators will gain practical strategies for incorporating explicit, systematic, multisensory routines into daily literacy instruction to support diverse learners.
Morning Session (K-2)
Time: 8:00 am - 11:00 am
Format: In-Person
Facilitators: Katie Davis & Kim Hargett
Target Audience = K-2, SpEd, EL, Interventionists
Clock Hours: 3 hours
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Title: Releasing Writers with emphasis on Text Dependent Writing
Description: Science of Reading , ELL/ ESOL , Special Education
In this session, K–5 teachers will explore evidence‑based techniques for strengthening early writing instruction using the Self‑Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) model. Educators will learn how the POWeR and TIDE strategies help young students organize ideas and structure their writing with confidence. Through collaborative discussions, hands‑on activities, and real classroom examples, participants will see how explicit instruction and positive self‑talk support developing writers. Get ready to inspire your students and elevate their writing skills!
Afternoon Session (K-5)
Time: 12:00 - 3:00 pm
Format: In-Person
Facilitators: Katie Davis & Kim Hargett
Target Audience = K-5, SpEd, EL, Interventionists
Clock Hours: 3 hours
November 5, 2026 – Continuing the Science of Reading Journey—From Evidence to Practice to Impact, featuring Kari Kurto, National Director of Policy and Partnerships for The Reading League
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December 14, 2026 – Book Talk with Dr. Kimyona Burk
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March 3–4, 2027 - Literacy Reimagined Conference: Connecting the Dots
Please check out the links below and share with anyone in your district who may be interested:
Ellevation Training – All-day in-person sessions and virtual training options
ALL (Academic Language Learning) Training – One-day sessions offered at multiple locations
WIDA Virtual Trainings – Additional virtual professional learning opportunities throughout the year
🔗 Ellevation Training
🔗 New EL PD Series - ALL Training
🔗 WIDA Virtual Trainings - Save the Date
Title: Math Fluency: Fluency Beyond Fact (Two Sessions) with Leanne Helums
Description:
Math fluency is more than memorizing facts— and it's definitely more than speed! In this engaging professional learning session, teachers will explore how students develop fluency through meaningful experiences, strategic thinking, and a deeper understanding of numbers. We'll unpack the progression of fact fluency, explore engaging games and routines that build accuracy, efficiency, and flexibility, and discover new ways to move students beyond memorization toward confident mathematical thinkers. Leave with practical, ready-to-use ideas that make fluency fun, purposeful, and powerful!
Date: Friday, January 29
Morning Session (K-2)
Time: 8:00 am - 11:00 am
Format: In-Person
Facilitator: Leanne Helums
Clock Hours: 3 hours
Afternoon Session (3-5)
Time: 12:00 - 3:00 pm
Format: In-Person
Facilitator: Leanne Helums
Clock Hours: 3 hours
Title: GRADES 3-5: Piece it Together: Designing Powerful Jigsaw Lessons for Social Studies (Morning Session)
Description: Hattie’s analysis of the jigsaw method identifies it as one of the most effective teaching
methods. Participating teachers will learn more about this method, as well as how it is
commonly misused and best strategies for incorporation. Resources and examples will
be shared as well as time provided to begin developing one’s own jigsaw lesson.
Date: Thursday, November 19
Time: 8:30 am - 11:30 am
Format: In-Person
Facilitator: Dr. Courtney Halloran
Clock Hours: 3 hours
Title: GRADES 7th - 9th Mapping History: Integrating Geography into World History (Afternoon Session)
Description: How can geography be emphasized in the World History classroom? Learn more about
themes of migration, exchange, human usage, and other geography concepts that emerge
through purposeful integration of geography in the World History classroom. Teachers
will explore best practices, standards, and methods. Participating teachers will receive
resources and a set of books.
Date: Thursday, November 19
Time: 12:30 - 3:30 pm
Format: In-Person
Facilitator: Dr. Courtney Halloran
Clock Hours: 3 hours
- 1115-A Hwy 31 South, Athens, AL 35611
- (256) 232-6576
Jennifer Priest - Athens State ATIM Specialist
- October Newsletter
Jonathan W. Thompson
Health Education, Physical Education, & Adapted Physical Education Specialist
Alabama Department of Education
Instructional Services
PO Box 302101
Montgomery, AL 36130-2101
NEW # (334) 694-4768 NEW Fax (334) 694-4970
Upcoming Dates for Athens State
- Monday, August 31
- Wednesday, October 14
- Tuesday, November 17
- Wednesday, February 10, 2027
**APLDS Hours available for each session.
- First Fridays - November 6!
We're excited to kick off another day of learning and collaboration with a special Yellowhammer Books spotlight during both sessions on November 6th.
📚 9:30 AM – ALEX: Adding SPARKL to your Library: 563495
📚 1:30 PM – Secondary Collaboration Ideas: 563498
Start the day with ALEX and discover how SPARKL can help you create engaging, interactive learning experiences for students. In the afternoon, hear from Alabama librarians Whitney Howton and Kelci McCaleb as they share ideas, strategies, and inspiration for meaningful collaboration at the secondary level.
Whether you're looking for new book promotion ideas, curriculum connections, or tools to support readers and educators, these sessions will provide practical ideas you can use right away.
All registration information is available on the First Fridays website, where you'll also find a graphic featuring the complete First Fridays lineup for the year. If a direct registration link does not work, simply search for the session number in PSPL.
We hope you'll join us as we continue to learn, collaborate, and grow together while celebrating great books and the resources that bring them to life!
Important Reminders:
✅ Register in PSPL before attending to receive credit
✅ If joining with a group, enter your name in the chat
✅ If your display name differs from your PSPL registration, enter your name in the chat
✅ Otherwise, no need to enter your name to avoid duplicate entries
✅ Platform login information is available in the “Notes” section of PSPL when you register
Looking for more professional learning opportunities? Check out this spreadsheet!
Athens State University Regional Inservice Center
Location: 1115 U.S. Hwy 31, Athens, AL, USA
Phone: 256-216-6622
Facebook: facebook.com/AthensStateRIC
Twitter/X: @AthensStateRIC
Instagram: @athensstateric