Professional Learning and Training Resources for Skyline

If you are a teacher using Skyline, we invite you to participate in the year-long curriculum-based professional learning series specifically designed for your Skyline course.

Each course-specific series is research-based and designed to ensure that all teachers are empowered to implement Skyline so all students access Skyline’s rich culturally relevant and engaging grade-level content. All details about Skyline Professional Learning can be found on Sched.

Bridging to Skyline
June - September, 2023

Centrally-led sessions by subject area & grade-band that provide newly adopting teachers with foundational understanding of: (1) Skyline systems (2) Coherent curriculum and Skyline Curriculum Values (3) Key practices and instructional shifts in their content area (4) The core components of the Skyline curriculum

Summer Kick Off &
Unit 1 Launch
August, 2023

Centrally-led sessions by subject/grade level where all Skyline Teachers will: (1) Internalize key practices and instructional shifts in their content area (2) Analyze the Skyline curriculum structure (3) Understand how to use Skyline to support all learners (4) Plan for successful implementation of their first Skyline unit (5) Experience differentiated supports for new and experienced implementers

Skyline Instructional
Practice and Unit
Planning Summits

Quarterly centrally-led sessions. All Skyline teachers will 1) Internalize instructional shifts by working with their Skyline content 2) Engage in supported planning 3) Plan to support all learners' access to grade-level content 4) Differentiated for new and experienced users.

Skyline Sprints

Short (90 min) targeted thematic sessions for all Skyline teachers focused on subject-specific, Skyline-aligned topics or instructional practices. Scheduled between quarterly Summits.

Skyline Co-Labs

Course-specific protocols rooted in unit, lesson, and data studies designed for teams of adopting teachers. Reflects the CPS learning cycle model and occurs during team meetings or other school-based structures.

Skyline Learning Cycle Protocols

Skyline Learning Cycle Protocols (formerly known as "Co-Labs") consist of highly articulated protocols that any team of teachers can easily follow, extending learning that begins at centralized professional sessions. School-based teams have the flexibility to schedule Skyline Learning Cycle Protocols within their existing meeting structures, including grade level meetings, principal directed time, whole school professional development, or flex time. Each Skyline Learning Cycle Protocol is designed to take approximately 45 minutes and can include optional extension activities. By engaging in Skyline Learning Cycle Protocols, school-based teams will:

Internalize unit content - understanding how key content and instructional shifts live in the curriculum
Engage in lesson study protocols - internalizing and rehearsing lesson content for implementation
Engage in data collection and reflection - informing instructional decision-making with upcoming Skyline content

Skyline Learning Cycle Protocols are accessible below:

Skyline Essentials Badges

The Skyline Essentials Pathway prepares you to plan, teach, and assess with Skyline using asynchronous training modules that can be found within SAFARI Montage. Upon completion of each training module, CPS educators can earn a badge - a microcredential housed within the district’s badging platform Canvas Credentials (formerly Badgr). Digital badges are representative of professional learning achievements. Skyline-adopting teachers who complete the training modules and earn the associated badge will be paid for one hour per completed badge at the non-instructional rate and receive 1 ISBE credit per badge. The badges are accompanied by the Skyline Instructional Technology Reference which answers many frequently asked questions about the digital learning environment of Skyline.