Welcome to the Oregon Trail REN Mentor Program. Our goal is to offer the tools, resources, and training that are needed for each district to support their beginning teachers at the highest level. We look forward to working with you as you take on the role of of a mentor. 

The collaborative nature of our program is designed to help mentors gain professional knowledge from training and resources AND from the expertise and experience of other mentors in our region. Mentoring is greatly beneficial to beginning teachers and students.

teachers who have mentors are twice as likely to stay in the profession then those who do not. 

students whose teachers had mentors gained an additional two-five months in reading and math compared to those without mentors.

A 3 hour Foundational Training in September (with a make-up training in early October).

Trainings will be in 3 locations (Hermiston/Umatilla, Pendleton, and La Grande) to meet individual scheduling needs of the mentor teachers.

Monthly 1-3 hour after school meetings (both in person and hybrid) starting in October.

Regular communication with the program lead, Beth Naughton.

Welcome to the Oregon Trail REN Mentor Program. Our goal is to offer the tools, resources, and training that are needed for each district to support their beginning teachers at the highest level. We look forward to working with you as you take on the role of of a mentor. 

The collaborative nature of our program is designed to help mentors gain professional knowledge from training and resources AND from the expertise and experience of other mentors in our region. Mentoring is greatly beneficial to beginning teachers and students.

teachers who have mentors are twice as likely to stay in the profession then those who do not. 

students whose teachers had mentors gained an additional two-five months in reading and math compared to those without mentors.

A 3 hour Foundational Training in September (with a make-up training in early October).

Trainings will be in 3 locations (Hermiston/Umatilla, Pendleton, and La Grande) to meet individual scheduling needs of the mentor teachers.

Monthly 1-3 hour after school meetings (both in person and hybrid) starting in October.

Regular communication with the program lead, Beth Naughton.

OTREN Administrator Collaborative Event will be held at the Pendleton IMESD office in Lodgepole/Ponderosa. Dinner will be provided. If you are interested in attending please contact McKennon McDonald at mckennon.mcdonald@imesd.k12.or.us

This is intended for any CTE teacher associated with a manufacturing, construction or industrial technology CTE program of study.

OTREN Administrator Collaborative Event will be held at the Pendleton IMESD office in Lodgepole/Ponderosa. Lunch will be provided. If you are interested in attending please contact McKennon McDonald at mckennon.mcdonald@imesd.k12.or.us

North Powder School District, in partnership with IMESD, are hosting a professional development event, led by Kevin Feldman and H.D. Weddel.

Research has confirmed that a school-wide focus on a limited number of highly effective instructional practices or “Big Dogs,” can dramatically improve student achievement. The foundation of such improvement involves increasing literate student engagement, i.e., the quality and quantity of student responses to daily instruction. Essential attributes of literate student engagement include discipline-specific academic language/vocabulary and comprehension/critical thinking. Through explanations, modeling, simulations, and critiquing video clips, participants will actively explore these tactics in a “learn-by-doing format” with a particular focus on school-wide models to increase the coherent focus required to move the dial on student achievement.

Presenter: Dr. Kevin Feldman, 55 years teaching and still fired up about the potential impact of a school-wide focus on relentlessly improving instruction!    Meet Kevin discussing how improving engagement works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRBLT9NNJuM

Presenter: H.D. Weddel, 2014 Oregon Principal of the Year, National Wrestling Hall of Fame 

Meet HD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9c33K7Fay4

Please join Tina Crowell, K-8 Counselor Connection lead, for this virtual PLC -- connect with peers, share ideas, and learn something new to help you in your day-to-day!

Meet via Google Meets

Meeting ID

meet.google.com/ydz-txvc-rfz

OSBA presents Public Meeting Law

OSBA presents Public Meeting Law

Monthly Regional Curriculum Leads meeting

This is a time when representatives from each of the OTREN partner districts come together to evaluate, plan, and inform the work of the Oregon Trail REN for the 2024/2025 School Year and beyond.

The mission of our REN is improve professional support for Oregon's public educators with an emphasis on local context to ensure training is responsive to the local strengths and needs of each region.

Our AIM is: By June 2025, 80% of educators will apply learnings from their participation in Oregon Trail Regional Educator Network Programming to improve their practice, grow professionally, and positively impact student learning.

Lunch is provided

***Please note that event is for both MENTORS and MENTEES.

Welcome to the Oregon Trail REN Mentor Program. Our goal is to offer the tools, resources, and training that are needed for each district to support their beginning teachers at the highest level. We look forward to working with you as you take on the role of of a mentor. 

The collaborative nature of our program is designed to help mentors gain professional knowledge from training and resources AND from the expertise and experience of other mentors in our region. Mentoring is greatly beneficial to beginning teachers and students.

***Please note that this event is for MENTORS AND MENTEES.

Welcome to the Oregon Trail REN Mentor Program. Our goal is to offer the tools, resources, and training that are needed for each district to support their beginning teachers at the highest level. We look forward to working with you as you take on the role of of a mentor. 

The collaborative nature of our program is designed to help mentors gain professional knowledge from training and resources AND from the expertise and experience of other mentors in our region. Mentoring is greatly beneficial to beginning teachers and students.

Research shows:

teachers who have mentors are twice as likely to stay in the profession then those who do not. 

students whose teachers had mentors gained an additional two-five months in reading and math compared to those without mentors.

Training commitment includes:

A 3 hour Foundational Training in September (with a make-up training in early October).

Trainings will be in 3 locations (Hermiston/Umatilla, Pendleton, and La Grande) to meet individual scheduling needs of the mentor teachers.

Monthly 1-3 hour after school meetings (both in person and hybrid) starting in October.

Regular communication with the program lead, Beth Naughton.

Calling all 9-12 regional counselors & behavior specialists! Join La Grande SD Counselor, Teresa Dowdy, for an hour of connection with peers in your field. During this virtual meeting, Teresa will facilitate space for counselors to come together to learn, share, and grow.

GOOGLE MEETS link: meet.google.com/afa-bynm-hky

Questions? Contact Teresa at teresa.dowdy@lagrandesd.org

These meetings will be HYBRID. Please join us at the Pendleton IMESD or via the link below:

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/94571898562

Meeting ID: 945 7189 8562

We are excited to invite you to join us for the launch of the IXL Innovative Leaders learning community within the Intermountain ESD. As a current IXL partner, we’re confident that you’ve seen the ways in which IXL can impact students, teachers, and parents in your district. It’s our hope that this new group will allow educators from diverse backgrounds to come together to share insights, strategies, and success stories in harnessing the full potential of IXL.

Who would be an ideal IXL Innovative Leaders team member?

District leaders, building principals, or instructional coaches who have first hand experience using IXL and want to take your district implementation to the next level. Multiple team members from your district are welcome and encouraged to join!

Commitment?

We are proposing monthly in-person meetings lasting up to 90 mins. We are coordinating with Intermountain ESD to host all meetings at their location. As a group, we will also discuss options for both hybrid and in-person meetings, if that is preferred.  

Goals/Outcomes for the group:

1. Develop connections between districts using IXL to generate new ideas and accelerate learning gains for students
2. Provide partner districts with consistent professional learning opportunities to impact their implementation of IXL
3. Stay up to date with new IXL features and future updates that are coming to the platform

Sample Meeting Agenda:

1. Welcome and Introductions
2. Recent impactful updates to the IXL Learning platform
3. Sharing Success Stories: How IXL is currently impacting students in your district
4. Open Forum: Q&A and Networking
5. Feedback for Product Development team
6. Trending topics in Oregon education

This year's coaches conference will be two, full-days. The first day will be led by regional leaders, specialists, and coaches, and the second day will feature Michelle Harris from the Instructional Coaching Group.

Day 1 of Conference

Lodgepole, IMESD Pendleton Building

8:30am - 3:30pm

Keynote: Jerad Farley

Day one includes several regional coaches, leaders, and specialists including:

1. Rich Harshberger, Riverside Instructional Coach- AI for Coaches
2. Chris Garrigues, Hermiston Instructional Coach- Cognitive Load: How Coaches Can Spot Effective Math Teaching
3. Tara Thomas, IMESD Special Education Director- SPED 101

Day 2 of Conference

Wildhorse Events Center

Breakfast starts at 8:00am

Presenter: Michelle Harris

Day two features Michelle Harris from the Instructional Coaching Group. More details to come on this day.

What else is special about this event:

1. we are hosting a social hour at Wildhorse on the evening of Day 1- that will include appetizers and non-alcoholic drinks. Other drinks and entrees will be available to order.
2. Those traveling from outside Pendleton are invited to stay at the Wildhorse Resort and Casino.

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 218 077 123 022

Passcode: xG44pR

Microsoft Teams Need help?

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 269 224 839 731

Passcode: VitAsC

Dial in by phone

+1 541-237-7955,,64556097# United States, Grants Pass

+1 503-567-6847,,64556097# United States, Beaverton

Find a local number

Phone conference ID: 645 560 97#

For organizers: Meeting options| Reset dial-in PIN

Are you a woman in an educational leadership position? Are you interested in networking with others in your field? Do you aspire to be in an educational leadership position?

If so, JOIN US! Facilitated by Umatilla Superintendent Heidi Sipe, Women in Leadership dinners are designed to create a space for women to share problems of practice, celebrate successes, and so much more.

*Dinners are responsive to participant requests for topics

*Come as you are!

*No-host dinner

Questions? Contact Emily Williams: emily.williams@imesd.k12.or.us

This virtual gathering is part of the Oregon Trail Regional Educator Network's Administrator Collaborative Series. The roundtable will be facilitated by Mike Scott from RightTime Coaching and will cover relevant, real-time issues that our regional educational leaders are facing. Please make sure to register to get the link. Contact me at mckennon.mcdonald@imesd.k12.or.us if you have any questions.

***Please note that event is for both MENTORS and MENTEES.

Welcome to the Oregon Trail REN Mentor Program. Our goal is to offer the tools, resources, and training that are needed for each district to support their beginning teachers at the highest level. We look forward to working with you as you take on the role of of a mentor. 

The collaborative nature of our program is designed to help mentors gain professional knowledge from training and resources AND from the expertise and experience of other mentors in our region. Mentoring is greatly beneficial to beginning teachers and students.

teachers who have mentors are twice as likely to stay in the profession then those who do not. 

students whose teachers had mentors gained an additional two-five months in reading and math compared to those without mentors.

A 3 hour Foundational Training in September (with a make-up training in early October).

Trainings will be in 3 locations (Hermiston/Umatilla, Pendleton, and La Grande) to meet individual scheduling needs of the mentor teachers.

Monthly 1-3 hour after school meetings (both in person and hybrid) starting in October.

Regular communication with the program lead, Beth Naughton.

Please join Tina Crowell, K-8 Counselor Connection lead, for this virtual PLC -- connect with peers, share ideas, and learn something new to help you in your day-to-day!

Meet via Google Meets

Meeting ID

meet.google.com/ydz-txvc-rfz

***Please note that this event is for both MENTORS and MENTEES.

Welcome to the Oregon Trail REN Mentor Program. Our goal is to offer the tools, resources, and training that are needed for each district to support their beginning teachers at the highest level. We look forward to working with you as you take on the role of of a mentor. 

The collaborative nature of our program is designed to help mentors gain professional knowledge from training and resources AND from the expertise and experience of other mentors in our region. Mentoring is greatly beneficial to beginning teachers and students.

teachers who have mentors are twice as likely to stay in the profession then those who do not. 

students whose teachers had mentors gained an additional two-five months in reading and math compared to those without mentors.

A 3 hour Foundational Training in September (with a make-up training in early October).

Trainings will be in 3 locations (Hermiston/Umatilla, Pendleton, and La Grande) to meet individual scheduling needs of the mentor teachers.

Monthly 1-3 hour after school meetings (both in person and hybrid) starting in October.

Regular communication with the program lead, Beth Naughton.

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 282 352 746 07

Passcode: JUuQjM

Monthly Regional Curriculum Leads meeting, location to be determined

Description: This session will focus on reinforcing learning across the curriculum by teaching writing as a way to think about subject matter. Participants will learn to teach writing skills as a tool to support learning in all content areas. For younger grades, teachers will see how to use oral language and shared writing to teach foundational writing skills.  

Recommended text: Hochman, J.C., Wexler, N., & Maloney, K. (2024).  The writing revolution 2.0: A guide to advancing thinking through writing in all subjects and grades (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass. ISBN 978-1394182039

*Lunch is on your own from 12-1 pm

Join Pendleton Center for the Arts Executive Director, Roberta Lavadour, for "Handmade Books Across the Curriculum." In this session, K-12 teachers will learn:

1. How to guide classes K-12 through simple structures, often made with one sheet of paper and requiring minimal prep, into engaging scaffolds that support all sorts of subject matter
2. How to use these structures as a the basis for books or engaging classroom content
3. All materials will be provided -- just show up and enjoy!

Time and Location: TBD

Secret Stories® is a mnemonic-based, phonics tool that can be used with any reading or phonics curriculum to help children quickly connect the phonics patterns with their sounds. Aligned with the Science of Reading and neuroscience research, Secret Stories® uses familiar, story-based frameworks to help children understand the sounds letters make together, alongside embedded mnemonic sound images to help recall them for independent reading and writing. Incorporating Secret Stories® with existing reading/phonics curriculum advances the speed of phonics instruction, giving learners access to as much of the phonics code as possible, as fast and as soon as possible.

Ever wonder why letters make the many different sounds that they do? Secret Stories® are the “secret” reasons WHY letters get together and make the sounds that they do in words. They provide logical explanations for letter sound behavior that a child’s brain craves. Rooted in the science of reading and cognitive neuroscience, Secret Stories® targets early developing and already primed neural pathways for learning, aligning “letter behavior” to “kid behavior” to make phonics more accessible and predictable for all learners.

Secret Stories® is NOT a program, but embedded mnemonic tools that are designed to work with existing reading or phonics curricula to “speed-up” access to code kids need to read.

Secrets aren’t something you do, they’re something you use to make sense of what you’re already doing—which is looking at words all day long that kids cannot read. This includes words in the reading program that are often leaps and bounds ahead of the phonics its teaching them. Secret Stories are the “just in time” phonics tools kids need to read these words NOW so they don’t have to memorize them.

When used alongside a structured literacy program, Secret Stories® gives teachers a way to keep pace with students’ needs for daily reading and writing, not just during the reading block, but in all content areas across the entire instructional day.

Join EOU Professor Karie Smucker for a math instructional learning session focused on using open-ended "notice/wonder" tasks. In particular. participants will learn how to use a 3-act structure, where students investigate a real world question that they have generated themselves based on a video or image. This session would emphasize open-ended problem solving, seeing multiple solution paths (presented by students), and using estimation (too low/too high estimates) as a way to "jump start" students' investigations.

Attention all Secondary Math Teachers: Join EOU Professor, Karie Smucker, for a session exploring and analyzing data using the Common Online Data Analysis Platform (CODAP).

Join EOU Professor, Karie Smucker, for a session focused on using 3-act tasks to investigate secondary level questions and learn how to "open up" traditional textbook problems to allow for more rich/rigorous explorations. Focus is for secondary math instructors.

Join EOU Professor, Karie Smucker, for a session focused on considering the ways students might approach tasks involving rational numbers/fractions and how to emphasize the development of reasoning around fractions throughout the elementary grades.

Join Executive Director of the EOU Reading Clinic, Dr. Ronda Fritz, & EOU College of Education Professor, Dr. Karyn Gomez, for this innovative new session! This session will explore how Collaborative Strategic Reading can be effectively integrated into various subject areas to enhance students' reading comprehension, critical thinking, and collaborative skills.

**NOTE: Lunch is on your own from 12-1 pm

Join Dr. Eugenia Mora-Flores, an author and professor, in the session:

Multilingual Learner Strategies: Connecting Content & Language

Explore the foundations of language development and delve into the principles of comprehensible input. Teachers will gain practical strategies for seamlessly integrating the four language domains—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—into their instruction.

In this session, learners will:

1. Discover engaging research-based strategies to support English Learners
2. Examine components of comprehensible output and the importance of productive language
3. Explore strategies for comprehensible input and output that utilizing all four language domains

Join Executive Director of the EOU Reading Clinic, Dr. Ronda Fritz, for this innovative new session! This session will explain the importance of explicit vocabulary instruction and offer step-by-step guidance for planning and delivering explicit vocabulary instruction across all subject and content areas.

**NOTE: Lunch is on your own from 12-1 pm

Supporting Newcomers in the Classroom and Beyond

Discover essential strategies to effectively support multilingual learners and address the specific needs of newcomers in this professional development workshop. Explore step-by-step instructional strategies, practical tips, and insightful lessons that can be seamlessly implemented in any classroom setting.

In this session, learners will:

1. Develop instructional strategies that integrate English language acquisition, address diverse learner needs, and promote an inclusive classroom environment
2. Support newcomers by understanding their demographics, stories, and social-emotional needs, creating a safe and welcoming classroom environment
3. Implement practical advice, ideas, and lessons for multilingual learners, enhancing instructional practices and promoting positive outcomes for newcomers

Join Executive Director of the EOU Reading Clinic, Dr. Ronda Fritz, for this innovative new session! This session will explore the strategic use of assessment data to drive improvement in literacy outcomes for all children including interpreting and applying data to inform decision-making around scheduling, instructional practices, student and teacher support, and interventions. 

**NOTE: Lunch is on your own from 12-1 pm

Join EOU College of Education Professor & Trauma in Educational Communities Program Coordinator, Dr. Karyn Gomez, for this innovative new session! This session will focus on understanding what trauma is and how it can affect student behaviors and learning in the classroom. Participants will be introduced to concrete suggestions for how teachers can integrate trauma-responsive practices and routines into their classrooms.

Recommended text: Souers, K. & Hall, P. (2016). Fostering resilient learners: Strategies for creating a trauma-sensitive classroom. ASCD. ISBN 978-1-4166-2107-2

**NOTE: Lunch is on your own from 12-1 pm

Come join us for an amazing session with Yolanda Westerberg! This session with be covering K-2 Early Literacy Skills and Foundational Strategies to start the year off strong!

Come join us for a session with Literacy Trainer Yolanda Westerberg. This session will be covering Literacy Strategies to use all year long to Prepare Students for State Testing!

IMESD Work Session

IMESD Board Meeting

Gen.AI Toolkit Beta Test

ODE is working with regional hubs across the state to test drive a generative AI toolkit for school and classroom use. This session will provide attendees with a preview of the toolkit and gather your feedback on needed improvements before the toolkit launches state-wide later this year.

Tools for Teachers

This hands-on, exploratory workshop will explore various tools designed to support educators in areas such as lesson planning, assessments, content creation, differentiation, communication, and feedback/grading.

Canva keeps getting better—and so can your designs! In this hands-on, two-hour workshop, we’ll explore Canva’s newest features, including Magic Studio AI tools, Canva Sheets and Charts, Coding, and new layouts. Whether you're creating classroom resources, student projects, or professional presentations, you’ll leave inspired and ready to make the most of what Canva has to offer. Bring your device and your creativity—plenty of time is built in to explore and try things out!

Oregon Math Leaders 2025 Conference

August 5-7, 2025 | Oregon State University, Corvallis

Mark your calendars for OML 2025, where we’ll come together to explore the theme:

Illuminating Pathways: Nurturing the Brilliance Within

What to Expect:

1. Inspiring sessions for K-12 teachers, coaches, university instructors, and math leaders.
2. Opportunities to connect, collaborate, and learn from educators across the state.
3. An engaging keynote speaker whose work has shaped the field of mathematics education.

Save the Date: August 5-7, 2025

Registration Opens: May 1, 2025

There is a registration fee associated with this event. For questions please contact: omlcochairs@gmail.com

Let’s gather in beautiful Corvallis, Oregon, to illuminate brilliance and transform the future of mathematics education.

Conference Details

Gen.AI Toolkit Beta Test

ODE is working with regional hubs across the state to test drive a generative AI toolkit for school and classroom use. This session will provide attendees with a preview of the toolkit and gather your feedback on needed improvements before the toolkit launches state-wide later this year.

Tools for Teachers

This hands-on, exploratory workshop will explore various tools designed to support educators in areas such as lesson planning, assessments, content creation, differentiation, communication, and feedback/grading.

Canva keeps getting better—and so can your designs! In this hands-on, two-hour workshop, we’ll explore Canva’s newest features, including Magic Studio AI tools, Canva Sheets and Charts, Coding, and new layouts. Whether you're creating classroom resources, student projects, or professional presentations, you’ll leave inspired and ready to make the most of what Canva has to offer. Bring your device and your creativity—plenty of time is built in to explore and try things out!

FOT- Freshman on Track Teams

This training is designed to support incoming freshmen by providing targeted interventions and strategies aimed at improving their success in high school. As part of this program, F.O.T. teams will be trained in the collaborative inquiry process, enabling them to identify and address the unique needs of your school. Teams will also learn to adopt a strengths-based model that emphasizes advancing the agency of every learner in the system and empowers students, families, and educators. Teams are made up of classroom teachers, interventionists, instructional coaches, counselors, and administrators.

Foundational Days

1. Team Architecture & Roles
2. Historical Data Analysis
3. Best Practice (Behavior, Attendance, Instruction)
4. Inquiry Blue Print & Quarterly Action Plan

Currently Participating High-Schools

1. Ukiah
2. Ione
3. Nixyaawii
4. Elgin
5. Stanfield
6. McLoughlin
7. Weston-McEwen
8. Irrigon
9. Riverside
10. Baker
11. La Grande

New to Sora? IMESD provides access to thousands of ebooks and audiobooks through the Sora app – and this session is designed specifically for those who haven't had a chance to explore it yet. Join us for a friendly and informative introduction to Sora. We'll walk you through the simple steps of setting up the app, browsing the collection, borrowing titles, and even discovering hidden gems. It's easier than you think to access a wealth of reading and listening material. Come see what you've been missing!

Tired of searching endlessly for files in your Google Drive? This session will equip you with the strategies to transform your Drive into a well-organized and efficient asset! This focused 60-minute session dives deep into the art of Google Drive organization, providing you with actionable techniques to conquer digital clutter and establish a system that truly works for you. Learn how to move beyond simply storing files and start leveraging Google Drive as a powerful tool to enhance your productivity and streamline your workflow.

IMESD Board Meeting

IMESD Board Meeting

IMESD Board Meeting

IMESD Board Meeting

IMESD Board Meeting

IMESD Board Meeting

IMESD Board Meeting

IMESD Board Meeting

IMESD Board Meeting

IMESD Board Meeting

IMESD Board Work Session