The Kent Education Excellence Partnership (KEEP) endeavors to provide a forum for teachers to grow professionally.

2024 KEEP Academy: Reimagined

KEEP ACADEMY REGISTRATION FORM

Two 2.5-day In-Person Academies will be held at Kent State University (tuition is $50 per person, per academy):

• Intentional Tech Integration
  • June 10-11 9:30 am - 2:30 pm (lunch included on full days), and June 12 9:30 - 11:30 am
• Teacher / Student Wellness
  • June 12 12:30 - 2:30 pm, and June 13-14 9:30 am - 2:30 pm (lunch included on full days)

Online Opportunities (these are free to teachers from member districts): 

• Online Academy
  • Available throughout the month of June, similar format to prior years.
  • Some content will be available from prior years, but much of it will be completely new.
• Book Study 1: Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics
  • Book: Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics Grades K-12 by Peter Liljedahl (you will purchase your own copy)
  • Book Study Leader: Tracy George (Springfield)
  • Dates (tentative): June 11 - chapters 1-3, June 18- chapters 4-6, June 25- chapters 7-9 & next steps, 9am-10am
• Book Study 2: Shifting the Balance in the Upper Elementary Classroom (Gifted Focus)
  • Book: Shifting the Balance (3-5): 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Upper Elementary Classroom by Katie Egan Cunningham and Kari Yates (you will purchase your own copy)
  • Book Study Leaders: Jennifer Skala and Julie Dudones (Cuyahoga Falls)
  • Dates (tentative): June 17th, July 8th, July 22nd, 1:00-2:30pm
• All book study meetings will be synchronous, but will be held virtually

Academy Highlights

• New features in technology and wellness, and innovative additions in gifted!
• In-depth, in-person academies to be held at Kent State University.
• Gifted HQPD hours available through the online academy.
• CEUs and graduate credit options available.
• Open to all educators.
  • Tuition is $50 per person for each in-person academy. This includes parking, as well as lunch on each full day.
  • All online options are free to member districts, $50 for non-members.

Academy Information

• KEEP Academy Schedule (updated as proposals are approved) -- COMING SOON
• Tech Integration Academy Graduate Credit 
• Wellness Academy Graduate Credit 
• Online Academy Graduate Credit 
• CEUs/Contact Hours
• FAQs -- COMING SOON

Questions? Contact pd@kent.edu. 

KEEP is a Partnership between Kent State University and Local School Districts

• Barberton City Schools (generously supported by the Barberton Community Foundation)
• Crestwood Local Schools
• Cuyahoga Falls City Schools
• Field Local Schools
• Kent City Schools
• Nordonia Hills City Schools
• Norton City Schools
• Ravenna City Schools
• Springfield Local Schools
• Stow-Munroe Falls City Schools
• Streetsboro City Schools
• Tallmadge City Schools

About The Kent Education Excellence Partnership (KEEP)

Since its inception in 2010, The Kent Education Excellence Partnership, or KEEP, endeavors to provide a forum for teachers to grow professionally. This commitment is enacted in several ways: supporting teaching excellence by facilitating critical conversations, inquiry into, and reflection upon practice; supporting teacher leadership by providing ongoing professional development to teacher leaders who then share lessons and resources with other educators; and supporting P-16 collaboration by convening school staff within multiple districts, including university faculty in support of teaching excellence and leadership. KEEP Academy accomplishes this goal by co-planning an annual conference administrated by the Office of Professional Development and Outreach in Kent State’s College of Education, Health, and Human Service and hosted by one of our member school districts. 

Historical Overview of KEEP

KEEP Co-Directors:
Dr. Lisa Testa, etesta@kent.edu
Dr. Mandy Cenker, mcenker@kent.edu