Professional Learning Newsletter | August 2026: Meet the Professional Learning Team

Orion Education & Training Professional Learning Team has some exciting new team members. We'd love to partner with your school or district for your PL needs.

Playbook

What do we offer? Check out our playbook. Coaching, mentoring, resource creation, and teacher training is just a few of the things we can partner with you on.

AI Exit Tickets

Would you like this resource for FREE?

See below to learn more.

Learn More

Orion Education and Training offers a variety of collaboration groups throughout the school year, providing educators and school professionals with opportunities to connect, learn, and grow alongside their peers. Designed for staff at all levels, including superintendents, administrators, teachers, business office personnel, technology staff, counselors, and support professionals, these meetings encourage networking, the sharing of best practices, problem solving, and professional learning. Our collaboration groups help participants stay informed on current issues, build meaningful professional relationships, and bring innovative ideas back to their organizations.

Curriculum Leaders	Designed for leaders who are passionate about instructional excellence and systemic growth.
Student Services	Counselors and social works exploring social emotional learning, family engagement strategies, MTSS, and IPS.
Google Workspace & AI	Educators explore practical ways to integrate Google Workspace and Google Gemini AI into everyday teaching.
Mathematical Practices	Educators explore actionable strategies to integrate the 8 Mathematical Practices into everyday learning.
Teacher Leader	Classroom educators who want to expand their influence, build leadership capacity, and drive continuous school improvement right from where they are.
Leaders in Literacy	Teachers and support staff who are passionate about strengthening literacy instruction through the Science of Reading, LETRS, and Structured Literacy.
CTE	Connects pathway teachers across districts to share resources, build industry partnerships, and collaborate.
Elementary School Principals	Leaders engaging in meaningful dialogue around instructional leadership, student needs, professional learning, and the day-to-day challenges unique to elementary schools.
Middle & High School Principals	Secondary principals to engage in purposeful collaboration around the unique challenges and opportunities of leading middle and high schools.
AP's & AD's	Assistant principals and athletic directors to come together in support of the dynamic and often demanding nature of their roles.
BOS (Business Office Support)	School district business office professionals supported to operate efficiently, compliantly, and strategically.

Meet the Professional Learning Team

Matt Ward

Director of Leadership and Business Development

Learn more about how Orion can support "Kansas At-Risk Accountability."

Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI Empowered Exit Tickets

6 ready to print half sheet reflection tools for Instructional Coaches, Principals, and Leaders.

Note: These exit tickets are designed for adults not students to reflect following a professional development (PD) session to help them to reflect and implement what they learned.

💎 Included with each exit ticket option is a QR code and link to a Google Gemini Gem™.

Download for Free: AI Enhanced Exit Tickets for Professional Learning

Download available for a limited time.

Using AI, Google Gemini, you can provide a resource that will "Yes, And..." the reflection to act as a coach to provide actionable next steps.

This set of AI empowered exit tickets come with a QR code for each template linked to a Google Gemini Gem. These Gems collect NO PII, NO data.

The saved prompt in the Gem acts as a socratic tutor to take the reflection of the educator to create a report to help them with next steps.

6 Exit Ticket Options

What is Included in This Packet

3-2-1 Reflection: A straightforward synthesis tool for capturing key takeaways, identifying immediate classroom action steps, and highlighting lingering questions.

Launchpad Reflection: A conceptual sorting matrix to help educators categorize new ideas into immediate integration, planned adjustments, and strategies to consciously shelve for future units.

Shape My Learning: A structured visual tool for organizing thoughts into current aligned practices, individual breakthrough moments, and outstanding questions.

The Success & Support Check In: A high contrast diagnostic card for quickly sharing positive workshop successes on one side and identifying specific coaching support needs on the other.

The Coaching Bridge: A collaborative partnership menu that allows educators to select their preferred style of peer support, including planning sessions, modeled lessons, or quick feedback chats.

Last Chance
Summer Series

If you did not get a chance to participate in the summer series with Orion Education Professional Learning Consultant, you can still access the recordings and certificate.

Access recordings and earn a PDC certificate

Please share this newsletter with other educators and let us know what you'd like us to cover in the future.

For more information on partnering with the Professional Learning Team please email akeeler@orioneducation.org

Orion Education & Training offers a variety of onsite and online professional learning opportunities with new workshops available monthly.

View All Workshops

To learn more, visit us at orioneducation.org and click WORKSHOPS,

or give us a call at 620-584-3300.