GET READY FOR THE MADNESS OF MARCH PD - WCSS STYLE!

What does March bring? Women's History Month, the luck of the Irish, Eid-al-Fitr, the first days of official Spring, National Oreo Cookie Day, (hopefully) a well deserved break for many of you ... and MARCH MADNESS!

As you get ready to fill out your brackets and binge some basketball, set some time for the March (and late February) AWESOMENESS of professional development with WCSS. No Cinderella teams here. We have a slate of top seeds to share with you, headlined by our champion - WCSS26!

We hope to see you all all Madison and at many of our other events in March. Keep your bracket perfect!



Chuck Taft, WCSS President

OUR MARCH MADNESS NEWSLETTER LINEUP!

WCSS26! IN MADISON

AI AND DIGITAL LITERACY VIRTUAL PD

TAH WORKSHOPS IN OSH KOSH AND FREDONIA

READING LIKE A HISTORIAN VIRTUAL PD

MOUNT VERNON 250 IN MADISON

REGISTER FOR AMERICA 250 IN MADISON

AAPI VIRTUAL WORKSHOP

MC FIRST AMENDMENT WORKSHOP IN EAU CLAIRE

ECONOMIC EPISODES IN MADISON

VIRTUAL ICS WORKSHOPS IN JEWSIH AMERICAN HISTORY AMERICA'S FIELD TRIP STUDENT WRITING CONTEST

KOREAN WAR LEGACY PROJECT IN JOLIET IL

THE BEST SOCIAL STUDIES PD! WCSS26

EMPOWERING TOMORROW'S VOICES

SIGN UP FOR THE BEST SS CONFERENCE IN THE MIDWEST!

Get ready for two days of amazing social studies professional development in Madison at the best social studies conference in the Midwest — WCSS 26: EMPOWERING TOMORROW’S VOICES!

Does WCSS make a difference? Check out some testimonials amd snippets from last year 's attendees:

• “Every session gave me something I could use on Monday.”
• “Hands down the best social studies PD in the state!”
• “My favorite weekend of the school year, every year.”
• “Engaging, energizing, and exactly what I needed.”
• “From new content to new colleagues—this is where the magic happens.”
• “20 years into teaching, and I’m still learning something new at WCSS.”
• “It reminded me why I love teaching social studies.”
• “Real strategies, real resources, real impact.”
• “Reframed my thinking and recharged my teaching.”
• “The best investment in your teaching all year.”




We have two Inspiring keynote speakers - Will Snowden and Richard Josey; hands-on, classroom-ready workshops; engaging presentations from fellow educators; new strategies, resources, and ideas you can use immediately; an exhibit hall full of vendors and organizations that support great teaching; connection with a community of educators who care deeply about social studies and a ton of fun!

FREE FEBRUARY 18 WEBINAR WITH WCSS AND SHOUT OUT UK

Join WCSS and the International non-profit Shout Out UK on February 18th for a webinar training on how to foster digital citizenship in the classroom. The training focuses on tools to help youth develop media and political literacy and promote active participation in their communities. This WDPI vetted training and toolkit is a unique opportunity for Wisconsin educators to learn how to combat AI and online misinformation, develop digital learning plans, and encourage civic engagement. 

FREE TAH AND WCSS SEMINARS IN OSHKOSH AND FREDONIA

America at 250:

The Legacy of the Declaration of Independence

IN PERSON SEMINAR - OSHKOSH, MARCH 7, 8:30-2:15

Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr. argued that civic education should be grounded in the moral principles of the Declaration of Independence and in America’s ongoing struggle to live up to them. In this discussion-based seminar, participants will examine the Declaration of Independence, the Gettysburg Address, and the “I Have a Dream” speech to explore what it means to be an American—someone shaped in mind and heart by the idea that all people are created equal, a principle that continues to resonate nearly 250 years after it was first written.

The FREE seminar will rely solely on primary sources, with a discussion leader facilitating conversation rather than lecturing, and participants are encouraged to read all documents in advance; teachers will receive a Letter of Attendance.

America at 250:

The Legacy of the Declaration of Independence

IN PERSON SEMINAR - FREDONIA, APRIL 18, 8:30-2:15

Beginning with the upheavals of the 1960s, the United States saw a diverse set of groups pushing for social change. These included African Americans, Native Americans, women, and gays and lesbians. This seminar will focus on the legacy of the 1960s, the intersection of personal behavior with political movements and battles won and lost by various groups. Please join us for a lively discussion of the primary sources that tell the story of these movements, the players and the key events.



This program will be conducted as a discussion, utilizing primary source documents as the only readings, and with the Discussion Leader facilitating the conversation, instead of lecturing or presenting. Registrants, therefore, are highly encouraged to read all the documents in advance and come ready with questions. Teachers will receive a Letter of Attendance at the conclusion of the seminar.

FREE HISTORICAL READING WEBINAR FROM THE DBQ PROJECT

Join the DBQ Project and WCSS for a workshop to discuss how to support students in building better arguments through various close reading strategies of primary and secondary sources. Teachers will examine individual documents and learn effective instructional strategies to get students thinking, speaking, and writing about them. Leave with actionable tools to enhance students' analytical skills in any classroom setting - elementary, middle, and high school!

Wednesday, March 25 6:30-730 CST

TEACHING CIVIC CONVERSATIONS WITH MOUNT VERNON

As part of George Washington’s Mount Vernon GW250 regional programming, join us in Madison for Teaching Civic Conversations! This hands-on, full-day workshop is packed with classroom-ready strategies for meaningful civic discourse using founding-era sources and discussion tools (K–12). Don't overlook the $100 stipend!

REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

PBS WI EDUCATION AMERICA AT 250 EDUCATOR SUMMIT

WCSS is proud to be a partner in the PBS Wisconsin Education America at 250 Educator Summit, on August 5-6, 2026! 

Join PBS Wisconsin Education, WCSS, the Wisconsin Civil Learning Coalition, and the Wisconsin Historical Society for an outstanding program in Madison in August. Participants will ...

• Discover trusted, ready-to-go resources for teaching around America’s 250th anniversary
• Explore strategies for engaging students in civics and understand our nation’s past, present, and future
• Connect and learn with peers and education organizations

WI ACT 266

ASIAN AMERICAN

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS

WCSS and the Asian American EDUcation Project have two awesome presentations coming up to help Wisconsin teachers meet the requirements set out in Act 266 and fill their toolbox with content and methods to teach Asian American Pacific Islander history to students.



Teach AAPI Studies K-12 - April 22, 6:30-7:30 - Register Here

JOIN THE JACK MILLER CENTER AND THE WISCONSIN INSTITUTE OF CITIZSENSHIP AND CIVIC DIALOGUE

This symposium will address the freedoms of expression and religion in the Colonial and Revolutionary Eras, before the writing of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Participants will examine protections for speech and the press in state constitutions, as well as the trial of John Peter Zenger and the writings of William Blackstone. The symposium will also cover the early legal history of the free exercise of religion and precursors to the Establishment Clause.

UW-Eau Claire professors Eric Kasper and Adam Kunz will lead primary source discussions on these topics, and JMC Teacher Programs Manager Emilee McHorney will lead a classroom application session about teaching primary texts, including those covered by the scholars, in K-12 classroom settings.

Participants will receive a $250 stipend for completion of the symposium. 

FREE ECON WORKSHOP IN MADISON

Looking for some free PD and awesome resources to integrate economics into your history and civics classes? Head to Madison a day early for WCSS and join the Concordia University Free Enterprise Center and EconomicsWisconsin for a full day workshop with the best economics specialists in Wisconsin! Then ... stick around for two days of WCSS 26!

LIVE VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS FROM THE INSTITUTE FOR CURRICULUAR SERVICES

ICS continues to offer a variety of FREE professional development opportunities for any education professional to strengthen their content knowledge on Jewish history. Check out the offerings, including their popular Live Virtual Workshops, by clicking on the image below or heading to their professional learning website.

STUDENT WRITING AND TRAVEL CONTEST OPPORTUNITY FROM AMERICA 250

A signature initiative of America250, America's Field Trip student contest invites students in grades 3 through 12 to share their perspectives on America for the chance to earn spectacular behind-the-scenes field trip experiences at iconic destinations like the White House, Coca-Cola World Headquarters, the new National Medal of Honor Museum, Yellowstone National Park, the National Archives, and more. A total of 250 students will be awarded prizes, up from 150 in previous contests. 

There are only a few submissions from Wisconsin students as of now, so let's flood their inboxes from the Badger State! Check out America’s Field Trip Digital Flyer and their Classroom Resources for more details. The submission deadline is MARCH 30!

KOREAN WAR LEGACY PROJECT IN JOLIET, IL

APRIL 18

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Join this meaningful professional learning experience to explore America’s National Cemeteries, honor the veterans laid to rest there, and receive free, classroom-ready lessons developed by the Korean War Legacy Foundation in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Participants will engage directly with ten new secondary-level social studies lessons connecting National Cemeteries to the history and legacy of the Korean War. The workshop includes interaction with VA staff, the curriculum’s teacher-authors, and a guided tour of Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery. Active 6–12 social studies teachers and supervisors may register with a $30 non-refundable fee, and participants will receive a $150 stipend at the conclusion of the workshop.