Spotlight from our Executive Director
Spooky Season: Facing What Scares Us in Education
October is here, which means itβs officially spooky season, the time of year when we embrace things that frighten us: haunted houses, scary movies, creepy stories, and things that go bump in the night.
But in education, some of the things that scare us arenβt found in a haunted house. Theyβre found in our schools. Maybe itβs parent-teacher conferences and the difficult conversations that come with them. Maybe itβs the student who isnβt making the progress we hoped to see. Maybe itβs learning a new curriculum, especially in a subject like math where we know getting it right matters. Or perhaps youβre leading a new initiative, and instead of going smoothly, it feels a little rocky. Those moments can make us uncomfortable. They can make us question ourselves. They can even make us want to retreat to what feels familiar and safe.But this is where grit and resilience matter. Being an educator doesnβt mean never feeling uncertain, frustrated, or even afraid. It means being willing to face those feelings and do the hard things anyway. Have the conversation. Look at the data. Ask for help. Try a new approach. Reflect when something doesnβt work. Make the adjustment. Get back up and keep moving forward
Because the work matters.
It matters to the student who needs someone to believe they can make progress. It matters to the teacher who is growing into a new practice. It matters to the school that is trying something new to better serve its students. And it matters to us personally, because every time we step outside our comfort zone, we have an opportunity to become a little stronger, wiser, and more capable.
So, this October, when you encounter something that feels a little scary, remember that fear doesn't always mean stop. Sometimes it means this is an opportunity to grow. Education is not for the faint of heart. It takes courage to keep learning, keep leading, keep adapting, and keep showing up. Sometimes, the bravest thing we can do is simply do the hard thing anyway.
After all, our students are counting on us, and we are capable of more than we sometimes realize.
You can do hard things and the SWREC is proud to be your partner in the work.
Enjoy the spooky season,
SWREC Executive Director,
Valerie Brea
π Spotlight on Instructional Excellence
September: Deepening Practice, Strategic Alignment, and Targeted Support
September was a powerful month of growth and momentum across our partner districts! Building on Augustβs kickoff, our focus shifted toward deepening instructional practice, strengthening special education systems, and equipping leaders and educators with high-impact strategies to drive student achievement across the region.
Executive Functioning & Organized Binder
We kicked off the month with national presenter Mitch Weathers leading an immersive workshop on executive functioning. Educators and administrators explored how executive functions directly impact learning, followed by practical training on implementing the Organized Binder program to help students build self-regulation, structure, and routine in the classroom.
Math Excellence: BOY Walkthroughs & Tiered Training
In partnership with SchoolKit, September was a cornerstone month for regional mathematics instruction through direct classroom collaboration and targeted professional learning:
- Beginning-of-Year (BOY) Site Visits: SWREC and SchoolKit joined district administrators inside math classrooms for collaborative walkthroughs to establish baseline instructional alignment.
- Grades Kβ3 & 4β12 Math Essentials: Grade-band specific sessions equipping elementary, middle, and high school math teachers with high-leverage instructional practices.
- Math Instructional Leadership Institute: Dedicated training for school leaders focused on coaching, monitoring, and sustaining high-quality math instruction.
Special Education Leadership, Legal Expertise & Compliance
Special education practitioners and leaders engaged in critical sessions to enhance compliance, diagnostic precision, and legal safeguards:
- Understanding and Using the NMTEAM: Presented by Joanna Cosbey, providing diagnosticians, service providers, and administrators with deep clarity on evaluating and determining special education eligibility.
- SPED Directors Leadership Academy: Led by legal expert Lorie Gerkey, addressing director-driven topics, regulatory updates, and strategic leadership.
-
Teacherβs Academy (Special Education Lens Series):
Focused on essential legal standards with specialized sessions on One Team, One Student: Informed Consent and comprehensive Evaluation Protocols.
Multi-District Safety: CPI Refresher & Initial Certifications
Maintaining our region-wide commitment to safe, supportive learning environments, the SWREC instructional team hosted multi-district Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) sessionsβoffering both half-day Refresher courses for returning staff and full-day Initial Certifications for new educators.
Continuous Growth: SWREC Staff Coaching Development
In addition to supporting regional educators, the SWREC instructional team spent time in Albuquerque this month attending intensive coaching training with the Priority Schools Bureau. This ongoing professional learning allows our team to continually sharpen our coaching skills, ensuring we deliver the highest level of actionable, high-impact mentorship to our partner schools.
Thank you to all educators, specialists, and leaders who participated in September's professional learning opportunities. Your dedication to continuous improvement directly shapes student success across our region! ππ
Upcoming Trainings
October 2026 Schedule
Teacherβs Academy (Through a Special Education Lens): One Team, One Student: PLAAFP
SPED Directors Leadership Academy
K-3 Math Training
Teacherβs Academy (Through a Special Education Lens): One Team, One Student: Measurable Goals
4-12 Math Training
Math Leadership Training
NMTEAM Series Webinar 1: Parental Requests for Evaluations and Your Other Questions
Key GLAD Strategies to Strengthen Reading with your English Learners - Session One
SWREC Leadership Academy (Session 2: Critical Conversations & EXCEL Rubric)
Curriculum Adoption
Spotlight on SWREC Partners
Spotlight Partner
Dual Language Education of New Mexico (DLeNM)
Providing children with a world-class, multilingual education β a link to their legacy and their future. DLeNM works directly with districts, schools, and educators to develop, support, and advocate for high-quality instruction and effective programming for all multilingual learners.
Key Initiatives & Professional Development
La Cosecha 2026 Conference
Established in 1996, La Cosecha is the largest national dual language conference in the U.S. Join educators, researchers, and advocates in Santa Fe, NM (November 10β14, 2026) to share best practices for dual language, two-way immersion, and heritage language programs.
FUENTE365 Online Platform
DLeNMβs 24/7 professional learning platform provides subscribers with continuous access to instructional videos, professional articles, programmatic resources, and materials to power successful program implementation year-round.
Key GLAD Strategies to Meet Literacy Needs of ELs
In-Person Series β’ SWRECThis comprehensive 3-session series is designed for K-5 classroom teachers and instructional leaders to strengthen reading instruction and meet the critical literacy needs of English Learners using key Guided Language Acquisition Design (GLAD) strategies.
Spotlight on Structured Literacy
