How will you SPARK a light in your classroom this year? Each quarter, the ROE 53 Instructional Coach, Courtney, will highlight a theme and share practical resources and strategies to spark student learning and engagement. Pick the ones that fit your classroom and give them a try!

Check Out This Spark Box: Student Engagement

Click here for Winter & Spring 2026 SEL Hub Professional Learning

SEL Collaborative

The SEL Collaborative provides an opportunity for School Counselors, School Social Workers, Family Engagement Specialists and others in similar roles to learn and network with others across the region that support students' social, emotional and academic needs. It's not too late to join! The next meeting is February 11, 2026.

Resilience Supportive Schools Illinois (RSSI)

Administrators can take the survey in IWAS and get your school's data! Join us next semester and use your data to create a plan for strengthening Social Emotional Learning, Trauma Responsiveness, Mental Health Supports or Cultural Awareness and Equity.

April 2 or April 24 - Choose 1 Team Planning Day

Sign up for 4/2 here! Sign up for 4/24 here!

All trainings at Peoria ROE

Learn more about RSSI here!

PREPaRE Training for School Crisis Team Members

Date: March 2 - 3, 2026

Time: 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM

Location: TBD

Cost: $150

PREPaRE 2 is a 2-day workshop that trains school-based mental health professionals and crisis intervention team members to provide mental health crisis interventions following a school crisis event.

Learn more here!

Register here!

Center for STEM Education

Bradley's Center for STEM Education offers several resources that teachers can use to enhance their instruction and opportunities for students.

Learning Technology Center (LTC)

LTC has several professional learning opportunities for educators in our area to expand their knowledge or current technology resources and practices. Click to learn more!

Cullom-Davis Library

Bradley's Cullom-Davis Library offers a curricular materials center for teachers as well as field trip opportunities to enhance instruction.

ROE 53 is excited to offer a professional learning series focused on continuous improvement for all schools in our region! We have planned a 3 part series focused on helping answer the above questions and more. You can attend 1, 2 or all 3 sessions! Learn more here!

February 26, 2026: Session 2: School Improvement Planning: Data, Goals, & Implementation

March 18, 2026: Session 3: From Data to Action: Implementing School Improvement Goals & Exploring Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs)

AA 1448: Teacher Evaluator Competency Skill Building: February 12, 2026 in Washington

This AA is a teacher evaluator retraining course focusing on professional practice. The course is designed to improve accuracy & reliability of teacher evaluations focusing on Domains 2 & 3 of Danielson's Framework. Learn more and register here!

AA 3000: Growth Refresher: March 19, 2026 in Washington

Participants will learn how to use assessments & measurement models, use data from the evaluation rubric, create targeted professional development plans, & communicate evaluation outcomes.
Learn more and register here!

Leveraging AI for Curriculum Design

February 18, 2026 in Peoria

Facilitated by Steve Oertle

In this workshop, participants will leave with an understanding of how to design and implement a complete standards-aligned unit, including various assessments while using AI tools to make this work manageable and sustainable.

Learn more & register here!

Emerging Educators

ROE 53 is excited to offer this professional learning series for the 2025-26 school year. We will provide monthly sessions on pertinent topics for those new to teaching. Our next meeting is February 5, 2026. Learn more and sign up here!

Technology Leaders

ROE 53 coordinates meetings for Technology Leaders in our region. We meet monthly through a partnership with ROE 53, ROE 48, & LTC to brainstorm, troubleshoot, and share information. We have been able to see technology innovation in action at schools and organizations in our area! Our next meeting is February 5, 2026. Learn more & register here!

Instructional Coaches

Instructional coaches from schools in our region meet monthly to discuss and share coaching strategies and approaches. Our next meeting is February 19, 2026. Learn more & register here!

Signs of Suicide & Trauma-Informed Practices

ROE 47 is offering a self-paced course from March - June 2026. This asynchronous learning opportunity equips K-12 educators with tools to:

Recognize warning signs of suicide
Understand the impact of trauma on learning and behavior
Apply trauma-informed practices that foster a safe & supportive learning environment

Learn more and register for the free course here!

Join ROE 53's Instructional Coach, Courtney, for this year's Writing Club. Together with fellow educators, we’ll have the opportunity to grow as both writers and teachers of writing. Whether you are an experienced writer or just beginning to explore your voice, this is a supportive space to create, learn, connect, and be inspired.

Click here for more information and the interest survey.

The Educator's Toolkit

ROE 17 is offering a series of free virtual sessions focused on high-impact tools, classroom-tested strategies, and built-in collaboration time designed for today's educators. You can attend one session or all. Sessions are repeated to provide multiple time options to attend.

Learn more & register here!

The SLD Support Project is offering 2 workshops at the Peoria ROE on March 30, 2026!

Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, & Dysgraphia

Register here!

Supporting Executive Functioning

Register here!

Celebrate National Engineering Week (Feb 22-28) using free resources from Learning Blade!

Check out all the Learning Blade missions here! These resources are free for Illinois educators!

Check out Engineering Day at the Peoria Riverfront Museum
Free hands-on engineering activities and exhibits for children and families.
February 22, 2026 | 12:00–5:00 PM

Contact Regional Office of Education #53

Serving Mason, Tazewell, & Woodford Counties

Regional Superintendent: Jeff Ekena

Assistant Regional Superintendent: Jon Smith

Professional Development Coordinator: Kelli Ballard

Instructional Coach: Courtney Prather

Email: office53@roe53.net
Website: https://www.roe53.net/
Location: 2400 N Main St suite C, East Peoria, IL, USA
Phone: (309) 477-2290
Facebook: facebook.com/mtwroe53
X: @mtwroe53

ROE 53 Newsletter

February 2026

SEL Collaborative

Resilience Supportive Schools Illinois (RSSI)

PREPaRE Training for School Crisis Team Members

Center for STEM Education

Learning Technology Center (LTC)

Cullom-Davis Library

Leveraging AI for Curriculum Design

Emerging Educators

Technology Leaders

Instructional Coaches

Signs of Suicide & Trauma-Informed Practices

The Educator's Toolkit

Contact Regional Office of Education #53

ROE 53 Spark Box ROE 53 Spark Box

SEL Professional Learning SEL Professional Learning

SEL Collaborative

Resilience Supportive Schools Illinois (RSSI)

PREPaRE Training for School Crisis Team Members

Instructional Resources (click on graphic to access resource) Instructional Resources (click on graphic to access resource)

Center for STEM Education

Learning Technology Center (LTC)

Cullom-Davis Library

Upcoming Professional Development for Administrators Upcoming Professional Development for Administrators

Leveraging AI for Curriculum Design

ROE 53 Cohorts ROE 53 Cohorts

Emerging Educators

Technology Leaders

Instructional Coaches

Signs of Suicide & Trauma-Informed Practices

ROE 53's Writing Club ROE 53's Writing Club

The Educator's Toolkit

Community Resources & Professional Development Community Resources & Professional Development

Contact Regional Office of Education #53