In this episode of CA Today, host Lindsay Simpson sits down with two fellow CABOCES Coordinators—Bonnie Wagner, Special Education Coordinator, and Sarah Cartmill, Curriculum Coordinator—to unpack the power of Project-Based Learning (PBL). Fresh from a regional training with PBLWorks, they share insights on how PBL transforms classrooms into student-centered environments that foster engagement, equity, and future-ready skills.

We explore how PBL connects to IEP goals, supports transition services, and creates authentic opportunities for literacy growth. From scaffolding strategies to building confidence through public presentations, this conversation highlights practical ways educators can make learning meaningful for all students.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How PBL helps embed IEP goals and supports diverse learners.

• Strategies for increasing student motivation and ownership through real-world projects.

• Ways PBL integrates literacy skills across content areas.

• How PBL aligns with Portrait of a Graduate competencies like collaboration, critical thinking, and communication.

• Tips for starting your first PBL unit with confidence.

Thank you to today's hosts!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lindsay Simpson⁠⁠⁠⁠- Curriculum Coordinator/Professional Development

⁠Sarah Cartmill⁠- Curriculum Coordinator/Professional Development

Bonnie Wagner- Special Education Coordinator

Resources From Today's Episode

• PBLWorks – Explore resources and training for Project-Based Learning.

Join us!

View our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠registration page ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to view upcoming CABOCES regional workshop opportunities and have your district representative, responsible for registration, sign you up!

Don't Forget To Connect! Subscribe and review wherever you like to listen! Connect with today's hosts:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠catodayedu@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to offer future show ideas or share something you're excited about, such as what's happening in your school or classroom!

In this episode, Lindsay Simpson and Tessa Levitt unpack the New York State Numeracy Briefs released in May 2025. They explore how these resources support K–12 educators in reflecting on math instruction, promoting equity, and embedding best practices. From early numeracy to high school algebra, the conversation highlights practical examples, reflective questions, and ways districts can use the briefs to guide professional learning and curriculum decisions.

Thank you to today's hosts!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lindsay Simpson⁠⁠⁠- Curriculum Coordinator/Professional Development

Tessa Levitt- Curriculum Coordinator/Professional Development

Resources From Today's Episode

• K-12 Math Instructional Website

• Contains Numeracy Briefs, Math Practices, and strategies for the most asked areas surrounding math best practices

• • First In Math NYSED Website

• • Interested in rostering your district? Contact Nan Ronis

  Join us!

  View our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠registration page ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to view upcoming CABOCES regional workshop opportunities and have your district representative, responsible for registration, sign you up!

  Don't Forget To Connect! Subscribe and review wherever you like to listen! Connect with today's hosts:

  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠catodayedu@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to offer future show ideas or share something you're excited about, such as what's happening in your school or classroom!

This episode of CAToday focuses on an interview with Starr Sackstein. Starr has a great deal of experience in education. She does a lot of work with schools around eliminating traditional grading. Not just standards-based grading, which she says is a good first step, but also removing grading in place of a conversation with a student who advocates for themselves. Students demonstrate their learning through a discussion with the teacher.

This podcast touches briefly on AI in education and the concept of Maslow before Bloom's. If you need more information on this podcast, please email Richard_Weinberg@caboces.org.

Thank you to today's hosts! Rick Weinberg⁠⁠⁠- Curriculum Coordinator/Professional Development ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lindsay Simpson⁠⁠- Curriculum Coordinator/Professional Development

Resources From Today's Episode

• Visit Star's website featuring her publications, podcasts, resources, and more!

Join us!

View our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠registration page ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to view upcoming CABOCES regional workshop opportunities and have your district representative, responsible for registration, sign you up!

Don't Forget To Connect! Subscribe and review wherever you like to listen! Connect with today's hosts:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠catodayedu@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to offer future show ideas or share something you're excited about, such as what's happening in your school or classroom!

Welcome back to CA Today, your go-to podcast for educators in the Cattaraugus-Allegany region! In this special back-to-school edition, hosts Lindsay Simpson and Kelli Forster share practical advice, uplifting messages, and real-world wisdom to help educators start the school year strong.

This episode features:

• Short clips from teachers across New York State offering advice to new and veteran educators

• Highlights from Gerry Brooks, principal, author, and social media personality known for promoting positive school climate and culture

• Insights from Joy Kelly, co-author of Handle With Care and keynote speaker at CABOCES All Staff Day

Whether you're a first-year teacher or a seasoned administrator, this episode is packed with strategies and inspiration to help you build relationships, foster a positive school culture, and take care of yourself and your students.

Thank you to today's hosts!

⁠⁠Lindsay Simpson⁠- Curriculum Coordinator/Professional Development

Kelli Forster- Community Schools Coordinator

Resources From Today's Episode

• ⁠Handle with Care: Managing Difficult Situations in Schools with Dignity and Respect by Joy Kelly, Jimmy Casas

• The Teacher Clarity Playbook

• • SEL Playbook
  • John Hattie's Visual Learning Matrix of High Impact Strategies

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  Join us!

  View our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠registration page ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to view upcoming CABOCES regional workshop opportunities and have your district representative, responsible for registration, sign you up!

  Don't Forget To Connect! Subscribe and review wherever you like to listen! Connect with today's hosts:

  ⁠⁠⁠Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠catodayedu@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to offer future show ideas or share something you're excited about, such as what's happening in your school or classroom!

This episode is your ultimate guide to professional development opportunities happening this summer in the Cattaraugus-Allegany region. From emotional intelligence to digital fluency, Lindsay Simpson and Brooke Neamon walk you through a jam-packed lineup of camps, conferences, and career-building events designed to energize your teaching and inspire your practice.

Thank you to today's guests!

⁠Lindsay Simpson⁠- Curriculum Coordinator/Professional Development Brooke Neamon- Curriculum Coordinator/Professional Development

Join us!

Click below to share registration information with the individual who is responsible for Professional Development registration in your district for any workshop that you heard in today's episode:

• SEL Camp- June 30 and July 1

• Math Magic- July 9–10

• ELA Summer Camp - July 15–17

• Dream It Do It Week - July 21–25

• Math 6-12 CLC - July 22–23

• TCIS July 22–24

• Transforming Education Through Creation, Challenge, and Choice (Summer TECCC Camp)- August 5–7

• Intro Universal Design for Learning - August 11

View our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠registration page ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to view all upcoming CABOCES regional workshop opportunities and have your district representative, responsible for registration, sign you up!

Don't Forget To Connect! Subscribe and review wherever you like to listen! Connect with today's hosts:

⁠⁠⁠Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠catodayedu@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to offer future show ideas or share something you're excited about, such as what's happening in your school or classroom!

In this episode, Lindsay Simpson, Janelle Freer, Sarah Cartmill, and Alex Freer explore how aligning ELA and Social Studies standards can enhance student learning. They discuss shared skills like argument writing, source evaluation, and vocabulary development, emphasizing the importance of cross-disciplinary literacy. Practical strategies and tools—like the Bookmark Tool and “Because, But, So”—are highlighted to help teachers support critical thinking and evidence-based writing across content areas. In addition, Alex Freer shares resources available through Learning Resources that teachers and students can utilize to support this work in their instruction.

Thank you to today's guests!

Alex Freer – Digital Resources and Technology Coordinator

Janelle Freer- Curriculum Coordinator/Professional Development

Sarah Cartmill- Curriculum Coordinator/Professional Development

Lindsay Simpson- Curriculum Coordinator/Professional Development

Resources From Today's Episode

• Insignia to Kids Discover/Castle Learning

• Login questions: contact Alex Freer

• • The Bookmark Tool

  • ELA Standards

  • Social Studies Standards

  • Writing revolution

  • ExplicitInstruction.org

  • Partner work

  Join us!

  View our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠registration page ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to view upcoming CABOCES regional workshop opportunities and have your district representative, responsible for registration, sign you up!

  Don't Forget To Connect! Subscribe and review wherever you like to listen! Connect with today's hosts:

  ⁠Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠catodayedu@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to offer future show ideas or share something you're excited about, such as what's happening in your school or classroom!

In this special episode of CA Today, we honor May's Mental Health Awareness Month with an insightful conversation between CA BOCES Community Schools Coordinator, Kelli Forester, and local pediatrician, Dr. Kate Johnson-Clark. Dr. Kate shares her expertise on the mental health challenges faced by young individuals, debunks common misconceptions, and offers practical strategies to support our children's mental well-being.

Thank you to today's hosts!

⁠Kelli Forester- Community Schools Coordinator

⁠Resources From Today's Episode

• 988 (New York State 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): Parent and Caregiver Resources

⁠Join us!

View our⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠registration page⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to view upcoming CABOCES regional workshops and CLC opportunities to find your tribe!

Connect With Us

Don't Forget To Connect! Subscribe and review wherever you like to listen!

Email us at⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠catodayedu@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to offer future show ideas or share something you're excited about, such as what's happening in your school or classroom!

Join Lindsay Simpson, Jenna Tost, and Janelle Freer as they unpack their biggest takeaways from the Innovative School Summit! This episode is all about being intentional in the classroom and staying connected to your "why" as an educator. We’ll share insights from inspiring sessions, practical strategies for implementation, and valuable resources to keep you motivated!

Thank you to today's hosts!

⁠Lindsay Simpson⁠⁠- Curriculum Coordinator/Professional Development

⁠⁠Jenna Tost⁠- Curriculum Coordinator/Professional Development

Janelle Freer- Curriculum Coordinator/Professional Development

Resources From Today's Episode ·

⁠Innovative Schools Conference Website

Speakers:

Dr. LaQuanta M. Nelson- Boss Educator

Gerry Brooks- Principal

- Author of "Go See The Principal: True Tales From the School Trenches"

Dr. Tracey Severns

Jessica Sinarski

Dr. Melissa Sadin Ducks & Lions: Trauma Sensitive Classrooms

Resources and Strategies:

Flipping Your Lid

Riley The Brave Books- Jessica Sinarski

What's Inside Your Backpack - Jessica Sinarski

Professional Quality of Life ScaleACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) Survey

UDL and AI Resource Folder

Join us!

View our⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠registration page⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to view upcoming CABOCES regional workshops and CLC opportunities to find your tribe!

Don't Forget To Connect! Subscribe and Review wherever you like to listen! Connect with today's hosts: ⁠

Email us at⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠catodayedu@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to offer future show ideas or share something you're excited about what's happening in your school or classroom!