PD Conferences As a Literal Investment

What if you could invest in the capabilities of your educators? Actually apply dollars to the ability of your teachers and administrators to build deeper knowledge, team alignment, and more accessible curriculum?

Sometimes it feels like the newest tech and latest tools will unlock the hidden potential within a classroom. But time and experience has taught us at CodeVA that educators are the ones that need investment. Because investing in educators yields powerful returns both in the classroom and outside of it.

Every teacher refines as they go. A tweak to a lesson plan here, a revision to a semester curriculum during summer break, a quick addition at the end of a project for those star students who finished early - those moments are built on a foundation of judgement and applied skills.

But when the tech keeps changing, it can be hard to feel like you’re keeping up.

That’s why we built the CS Innovators Conference.

One teacher who gains confidence in computer science lessons can create a ripple effect within a school. A conversation can change a vocabulary lesson into an integrated robotics lesson. A classroom visit can introduce an entire class full of students to careers they never thought possible. A curriculum adjustment can mean a year of inspiring instruction for an entire school district.

At CodeVA, we aren’t focused on the latest trend. We are focused on helping students and teachers build the digital skills that will carry them forward into the future. We want to strengthen the workforce pipeline with skilled coders and hardware engineers, but we also want to support pragmatic thinkers, builders, and the future of education.

And teachers with capacity can impact hundreds, thousands of futures.

So, rather than focusing on the latest trend, this conference is designed to help educators build lasting instructional confidence through hands-on experiences, classroom-ready resources, and practical strategies they can begin using immediately.

Need to make the case for professional learning?

If attending CS Innovators requires approval or professional learning funds, don't just send your administrator a registration link. Tell them what their investment comes back with.

Here are a few points you can use:

“This isn't professional learning around one tool or platform.”
CS Innovators is designed to build lasting instructional confidence in computer science through hands-on experiences, practical strategies, and classroom-ready resources. I'm investing in skills I can continue using as technology changes.

“I can bring what I learn back to my classroom.”
The conference is designed around practical application. I'll leave with strategies and resources I can use with students, rather than information that stays at the conference.

“This supports more than one lesson or one school year.”
Building my own computer science knowledge gives me more capacity to adapt lessons, evaluate new resources, and make stronger instructional decisions over time.

“This investment can extend beyond my classroom.”
What I learn can be shared with colleagues, incorporated into collaborative planning, and used when we make decisions about computer science instruction and technology across our school.

“This is an investment in our existing instructional capacity.”
Our school already invests in curriculum, technology, and classroom resources. Professional learning helps educators make better use of those investments by strengthening the knowledge and confidence behind instructional decisions.

Feel free to copy these points directly into an email or professional learning request.

And here's an email template...

Subject: Professional learning request: CS Innovators Conference

Hi [Name],

I'd like to attend CodeVA's CS Innovators Conference this October and am requesting professional learning funding to cover my registration.

The conference focuses on hands-on computer science learning, practical instructional strategies, and classroom-ready resources. What interests me most is that the learning isn't centered on one specific tool or platform. It's designed to build knowledge and instructional confidence that I can continue applying as technology and classroom needs change.

I expect to bring back strategies and resources I can use in my own instruction, and I'm happy to share relevant takeaways and resources with colleagues afterward.

You can find conference information here: CS Innovators Conference

Would professional learning funds be available to support my attendance?

Thank you,
[Name]

We invite you to join us this October at the CS Innovators Conference.

Learn more and register today: https://codevirginia.org/cs-innovators 

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