Attend CS PD Week
Grow your impact as a CS educator with multi-day tracks geared toward elementary, middle, and high school classrooms
Thank you for registering!
Thank you for registering for CS PD Week 2024! You will be sent an email confirmation confirming your details. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at events@ltcillinois.org.
Building Prosperous CS Programs
Be a part of a one-of-a-kind professional learning experience centered on bringing high-quality CS learning to every district
The need for broader, more equitable access to CS education is clear – and CS PD Week is how Illinois’ statewide K-12 community begins to close that gap.
Illinois K-12 teachers are invited to participate in five full days of professional learning on topics including computer science, computational thinking, coding, cybersecurity, and more. In each this event’s five tracks, participants will learn developmentally appropriate instructional strategies and key subject concepts that build their knowledge and capacity to teach students in the communities they serve.
By the end of the week, participants will walk away with increased CS knowledge and a variety of resources they can harness to expand access to high-quality, rigorous, and inclusive computer science learning in their schools.
Connecting & Growing
Students are positively impacted when educators build and expand their professional learning communities.
That’s why CS PD Week will also offer attendees organic opportunities to network with peers from across Illinois’ statewide CS community.
During large group meals and an exciting team building excursion, attendees will forge connections and develop support networks that will continue to support them during the following school year and beyond.
Learning Tracks
Chart your own course with these five tracks geared toward new and experienced CS educators of all grade levels.
All track registration opens February 2024.
CS Discoveries
Come discover the many ways Code.org’s free CS Discoveries curriculum can help your students grow as CS learners through a unique mix of problem solving, programming, physical computing, and user-centered design activities.
Participants in this course will also learn how to spark interest in CS learning through the creation of websites, apps, animations, games, and physical computing systems.
Dates: July 8-12, 2024
Price: $1200 (scholarships available)
CS Principles
Challenge your high school students to explore how computing and technology can impact the world, with a focus on the internet, cybersecurity, app design, and the complexities of digital information.
Participants in this track will learn about the free curriculum, as well as how to integrate it into either an existing CS program or any core content area.
Dates: July 8-12, 2024
Price: $1200 (scholarships available)
CS A
Take your high school students from theory to real-world application with this AP-aligned curriculum where students learn object-oriented programming using Java and act as software engineers.
Participants in this track will also engage with intermediate CS topics including data structuring, processing data using algorithms, and computing’s ethical and social implications.
Dates: July 8-12, 2024
Price: $1200 (scholarships available)
Elementary School – Computer Science Explorations
Have fun exploring robots, unplugged activities, and much more as you practice weaving computational thinking and interdisciplinary connections together with your core content area.
Dates: July 8-12, 2024
Price: $400
Middle & High School – Computer Science Explorations
Learn to incorporate interdisciplinary connections, computational thinking, and a variety of fresh, engaging CS education activities into your grade 6-12 curriculum using robots, unplugged activities, and more.
Dates: July 8-12, 2024
Price: $400
Supporting Computer Science
Make your school a model for engaging, high-quality CS learning by reviewing relevant state teaching mandates and digging into strategies for establishing, maintaining, and growing an elementary, middle, or high school CS program.
Dates: July 11-12, 2024
Audience: K-12 admins & curriculum leaders
Price: $100
Venue
Mission control for a full week of unforgettable learning and connections
CS PD Week 2024 will be hosted at Liberty Leadership Middle School in Peoria, IL. Participants may drive in each day (parking available on-site) or stay at a local hotel (see below for available room blocks).
Address: 6327 N Sheridan Rd, Peoria, IL 61614
Lodging
CS PD Week attendees can book a discounted hotel stay during the event at the following hotels in Peoria:
Country Inn and Suites- Peoria North
Rate: $88/night
Cut-Off Date: June 7, 2024
To Reserve: Call 309-589-0044 and ask for a room in the Learning Technology Center block.
Hampton Inn and Suites Peoria at Grand Prairie
Rate: $129/night
Cut-Off Date: June 7, 2024
To Reserve: Use this link or call 309-589-0001, push “0”, and ask for the Learning Technology Center block.
FAQ
Please email Sarah Phelps at sphelps@ltcillinois.org with all CS PD Week questions.
Attendance costs vary based upon which learning track you choose.
- $100 Supporting CS track
- $400 General tracks (Computer Science Explorations-Elementary/Computer Science Explorations-Middle & High School)
- $1,200 Code.org tracks (CS Discoveries/CS Principles)*
Cost does not include lodging, which must be arranged on your own.
*Scholarships based upon school demographics and need are available for first-time Code.org track attendees
Attendees who participate in a full, week-long track will earn 35 hours of PD credit.
CS PD Week 2024 will provide:
- Computer science training July 8-12, 2024 for Illinois K-12 teachers
- Breakfast, lunch, and snacks each day
- T-shirt and other swag
- Opportunities to connect with other educators from across the state
- Fun evening social event to build relationships and celebrate CS education
The track catalog has the most up-to-date information about all the workshops (2024 track catalog coming soon)
CS PD Week 2024 is a fully in-person event. If anything changes, we will contact participants and post updates on this CS PD Week website.
Cancellations are permitted, but precise procedures depend on your chosen track.
- Code.org Track with Scholarship: Scholarship may be transferred to someone else within the same school. However, if unable to find someone to transfer the scholarship less than 30 days prior to the event start, you will be charged $500. This also applies to no shows that have a scholarship through Code.org.
- Code.org (Non-scholarship): Fully transferable and can obtain a full refund up to 30 days before event start. No refunds provide to no show participants or their districts.
- All other tracks: Fully transferable and can obtain a full refund up to 30 days before event start. No refunds provide to no show participants or their districts.
Each track needs a minimum of 12 participants. LTC may, at its sole discretion, choose to cancel a track due to low attendance or other unforeseen circumstances.
In this case, we will notify you via the listed email address provided at registration and refund all registration fees. You will have an option to choose another track or receive a full refund.
Please make sure to provide both your personal email address and your school email address for all communications. Add sphelps@ltcillinois.org to your address book to help prevent our emails from going to your spam folder. Please make sure to check your spam and junk folders for any communications from @ltcillinois.org.
We are excited to host CS PD Week 2024 at Liberty Leadership Middle School in Peoria, IL.
CS PD Week will kickoff on July 8 with registration opening at 7:00 am. Workshops will run each day through July 12 from 8:00 am-4:00 pm.
Yes, you will need to book and pay for your own hotel room. We will provide a list of local hotels that you may contact for a room if you would like to stay in the area.
There is ample parking at Liberty Leadership Middle School. More information regarding parking will be sent closer to the event.
Breakfast and lunch are included for all participants, Monday-Friday. Appetizers and drinks will be provided during the social event on Thursday evening.
Application & Registration Information
Application information depends on which track you wish to attend:
Code.org CS Discoveries/CS Principles*: Complete Code.org’s online application. You will be asked to share information about your teaching assignment and your school. You will also be asked to share an administrator’s contact to receive their approval for adding the course. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and if accepted, you will receive an email informing you of whether or not you qualify for scholarship funding. Cohorts do fill up, so apply early!
All Other Tracks*: Once registration is opened, it will be first come, first served.
*All tracks are limited to 35 participants.
The track catalog lists all the learning track options for this year’s event. Whether this is your first year teaching CS or you have numerous years as a CS educator under your belt, there is a place for you at CS PD Week.
Code.org applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis. Applicants will have two weeks from receiving their acceptance to register for their spot in the track or forfeit their participation.
Registration for the non-Code.org tracks is first come, first served.