The Dr. John Burke Learning Center

 

Date and Time: Tuesday, July 23, 2025  8:30 AM - 3:30 PM

 

Cost: FREE to USD 261 Staff, $100 Out of District

 

Registration Deadline: July 9, 2025

 

Inquiry in the classroom is nothing new, but implementing effective strategies to build a productive classroom culture of "wonder" can feel overwhelming, especially if you don't feel confident teaching science. Next Generation Science Standards provide teachers with an opportunity to develop a curious mindset, but this takes a great deal of patience and practice that is often sprinkled with a fair amount of productive failure. So, what's the best way to understand the "inquiry method"? Well, get your hands dirty with it, of course!

 

In this workshop, we will explore the use of "inquiry" in the classroom through hands-on activities and interactive discussions while practicing other effective tools to engage students. You will not just be a teacher in this session. You will be the student learning how to flex their "wonder muscles" as well! Too often, teachers think, "science is not for me." But in reality, the art of science, which is "curiosity driven but evidence-based," is at the heart of every elementary classroom. Science is a way of exploring our world and using evidence to help inform our next wonder. This workshop will dive into some very basic inquiry-based principles and approaches that can be incorporated into any classroom, from kindergarten to college! And it all starts with one simple question, "What do you notice?"

 

Brian McCornack is a professor and department head for Entomology at Kansas State University. He has a MS and PhD in Entomology and grew up on a farm in southcentral Minnesota, but has called Kansas home for the past 14 years. He is a research scientist who has over 20 years of classroom experience, but what he's most passionate about is helping teachers find their "inner scientist" in his Summer Soybean Science Institute and Ear-2-Ear Mentorship programs these past 11 years, where is the current director. He teaches primarily at the college level but uses techniques that cut across age levels to engage participants in the inquiry process.

 

Date and Time: Wednesday, September 25, 2024  8:30 AM - 3:30 PM

 

Cost: FREE to USD 261 Staff, $100 Out of District

 

Registration Deadline: September 18, 2024

 

 

Armed with evidence-based strategies rooted in neuroscience, educators will be empowered to unlock the full potential of their students and inspire a lifelong love of learning. Key objectives:

 

 

Date and Time: Wednesday, October 2, 2024  8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

 

Cost: FREE to USD 261 Staff, $100 Out of District

 

Registration Deadline: September 25, 2024

 

 

Mental Health First Aid teaches:

 

Mental Health First Aid is listed in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices. Studies show that individuals trained in the program increase their knowledge of signs, symptoms and risk factors of mental illness and addictions; can identify multiple types of professional and self-help resources for individuals with a mental illness or addiction; increase their confidence in and likelihood to help an individual in distress; and show reduced social distance to individuals with mental illnesses. 

 

The Adult Mental Health First Aid course is appropriate for anyone who wants to learn how to help adults who may be experiencing a mental health crisis or concern.

 

This course is delivered by certified Mental Health First Aid USA instructors who complete a 5-day training and meet certification requirements.

 

Date and Time: Wednesday, November 6, 2024  8:30 AM - 3:30 PM

 

Cost: FREE to USD 261 Staff, $100 Out of District

 

Registration Deadline: October 30, 2024

 

 

Designed with an eye toward the general education setting, participants emerge with tools ready for immediate implementation. The focus is on development of supports for the most challenging student in the class, the one for whom the referral to the School Support Team may be under consideration. Utilizing a neurological perspective, setting conditions (school, community, and home) are explored. Factors explaining behavioral concerns are identified, supports are initiated, and data are kept regarding student response to supports. This learning experience is appropriate for administrators, general education teachers, and special education staff. Processes taught are effective at the preschool, elementary, middle and high school levels.

 

Linda Aldridge, Ed.D. has worked in Kansas schools since 1983. In both general and special education roles, as a teacher and administrator, she is committed to continual improvement of services through relationships with school personnel, families, and students. Determined to model best instructional practices, participants learn through active involvement. Laughter and fun - guaranteed! But come with your learning caps on; when Linda teaches, you WILL go home with new tools in your box! Linda is an Associate Professor at Emporia State University. She also consults with the KS State Department of Education (KSDE) and Technical Assistance Support Network (TASN). In her spare time, Linda is owner of a consulting firm, IaLearn, LLC.

 

Date and Time: Wednesday, December 4, 2024  8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

 

Cost: FREE to USD 261 Staff, $50 Out of District

 

 

Most things that teachers do work to support social emotional learning. Some things work really well and other things only make minor improvements (Hattie, 2008: Takuhama-Espinosa, 2014). We want to hear our teaching to those things that we know work really well to help all children learn necessary social and emotional skills. We can accomplish this through an interdisciplinary approach, pulling from the broad field of neuroscience. Participants will unpack strategies that work based on what we know from the most up to date science behind the way the brain learns.

 

Objectives:

 

 

Date and Time: Friday, January 10, 2025  8:30 AM - 3:30 PM

 

Cost: FREE to USD 261 Staff, $100 Out of District

 

Registration Deadline: January 3, 2025

 

 

Self-regulation includes a set of insights and skills students need for academic success, emotional control, and healthy social interaction. Helping young people improve their self-regulation skills can help them to better handle anger issues, anxieties, impulsiveness, academic challenges, classroom behavior issues, self-esteem struggles, social troubles and more. The presenter will provide recommendations and strategies that you will be able to use with all students, and in particular with students who have behavioral and/or emotional self-control issues. The content of this seminar is consistent with the principles underlying the RTI/MTSS and positive behavior supports movements. In this seminar you will learn how to apply step-by-step strategies/activities to teach young people how to increase self-regulation including: Cooling the Flame, My Warning Signs, Melting Freeze, You Can't Make Me Laugh, Free Emotional Expression, Challenge Software Program, and Defiance Trap.

 

Brad is a best-selling author and an internationally recognized speaker in the area of self-regulation. He has nearly 20 years of experience in behavioral health serving children and adults. Brad has a passion for teaching parents and professionals the importance of helping children develop healthy self-regulation skills. He continues to create innovative strategies utilizing technology to engage children in the process. Brad believes that self-regulation provides an easy-to-learn and easy-to-implement for addressing many of the problem areas children and families experience including ADHD, anger/behavioral problems, academic issues, social/emotional problems, autism spectrum disorders and anxiety/depression.

 

Date and Time: Wednesday, February 26, 2025  8:30 AM - 11:30 AM

 

Cost: FREE to USD 261 Staff, $50 Out of District

 

Registration Deadline: February, 19, 2025

 

 

Retirement is a time to kick back, relax and reward yourself after your hard work and dedication in helping students achieve their best. Today we hope you learn how to make some long-term Chess moves 4-5 years or more before you retire that will help you have a bit more financial freedom when your time to retire happens. Today's workshop will help participants understand how to maximize their retirement benefits to reward themselves in retirement. Participants will walk away understanding their negotiated agreement, the salary schedule, and the opportunities available to maximize their monthly pension through KPERS and other programs. The goal is set up your Chess Match to have the winning moves in understanding that decisions made today impact KPERS benefits in the future.

 

Al is a School Psychologist for USD 261. He began his career in 1999 working for USD 259, then transferred to USD 261 in 2018. He enjoys looking at the big picture by creating spread sheets and analyzing options to make the best financial decisions.

 

Keven recently retired after working in USD 261 for 31 years as an English teacher and Counselor. He currently works as a substitute teacher for USD 261. Keven enjoys gardening, working out in the yard, and getting everything done for the day completed by 10:30 AM.

 

Date and Time: Wednesday, April 2, 2025  4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

 

Cost: FREE to USD 261 Staff, $50 Out of District

 

Registration Deadline: March 26, 2025

 

 

Investing is an essential tool for securing financial stability and achieving long-term financial goals. This conference session is designed for educators who want to learn about the basics of stock investing. We will cover the why behind investing, various platforms, and tips and tricks for success. Let's get paid!

 

Sarah Thomas will be joining us virtually. She is an accomplished educator, instructional technologist, and founder of EduMatch.org, a global network that connects educators based on areas of interest. With over 15 years of experience in education and technology, Sarah is a sought-after speaker, consultant, and writer who is committed to creating opportunities for professional growth and community building. Her work has been featured in numerous publication and media outlets, and she is a frequent presenter at conference and events around the world. 

 

Date and Time: Wednesday, June 4, 2025  8:30 AM - 3:30 PM

 

Cost: FREE to USD 261 Staff, $100 Out of District

 

Registration Deadline: May 28, 2025

 

Everyone knows past events can have an effect on a person. What about how past events have affected and molded an entire generation? We'll look at the different generations in US Society including the Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y (millennials), Gen Z and Gen Alpha. We'll analyze historical events and how they affected each group at important milestones in their lives. We'll look into positive traits of each generation, but also some possible pitfalls we are seeing, as well as how to use this information moving forward.

 

 

 

Date and Time: Wednesday, July 9, 2025  8:30 AM - 3:30 PM

 

Cost: FREE to USD 261 Staff, $100 Out of District

 

Registration Deadline: July 2, 2025

 

 

All people are wired differently, and lots of times we are blind to our own pitfalls and challenges. This workshop will guide participants through the process of discovering different ways they interact with people, information and life experiences. Gaining insight into some of these traits (extroversion/introversion, intuitive/observant, thinking/feeling, judging/prospecting) can help us have compassion and understanding with ourselves and others. Understanding your personality type will not only help you become a better you, but it will help your relationships personally and professionally. The instructor will focus on traits from Myers-Briggs, Keirsey Temperament Sorter, and 16 Unique Personality Traits.

 

Jennifer Winter has almost 25 years of classroom experience in secondary education teaching history, psychology, and AP Psychology. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education from Wichita State University (go Shox!!) and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Friends University. Jennifer taught in USD 259 for eight years and this is her 17th year at Campus High School. In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys hanging out with family and friends, reading, running, and going to concerts with her husband.

 

Date and Time: Tuesday, July 15, 2025  8:30 AM - 3:30 PM

 

Cost: FREE to USD 261 Staff, $100 Out of District

 

Registration Deadline: July 8, 2025

 

This workshop will focus on the benefits of using a therapy dog in schools, the logistics that need to be considered prior to bringing a therapy dog to school, specific uses for a school therapy dog, the basics of reading dog body language, what to expect on standard therapy dog certification tests, tips to achieve health and wellness for your therapy dog, and more. A fully certified therapy dog will be present during class.

 

Please do NOT bring your own dog.

 

This husband-and-wife team have taught in the Haysville district for many years. The have trained several of their own dogs to be therapy dogs. Brenda has used a therapy dog in her classroom for most of her teaching career. Besides training for therapy work, the Gambles have also trained 2 of their dogs to be nationally certified air scent search and rescue dogs.

 

Date and Time: Friday, September 26, 2025  8:30 AM - 3:30 PM

 

Cost: FREE to USD 261 Staff, $100 Out of District

 

Registration Deadline: September 19, 2025

 

Participants will gain clarity by moving beyond vague advice on how to manage challenges to developing a clear, practical skill set. This will increase the participant's ability to navigate challenges more successfully. Participants will grow and leave with a personal plan with emphasis in three areas of skill development:

 

Brad Chapin is a best-selling author and an internationally recognized speaker in the area of self-regulation. He has nearly 20 years of experience in behavioral health serving children and adults. Brad has a passion for teaching parents and professionals the importance of helping children develop healthy self-regulation skills. He continues to create innovative strategies utilizing technology to engage children in the process. Brad believes that self-regulation provides an easy-to-learn and easy-to-implement framework for addressing many of the problem areas children and families experience including ADHD, anger/behavior problems, academic issues, social/emotional problems, autism spectrum disorders and anxiety/depression.