Professional Development

We’re excited to launch the 2025–2026 Professional Development year with a calendar full of meaningful, high-impact learning opportunities designed to empower educators and elevate classroom practice.

This year, JFT is offering up to 7.8 CEUs, with additional PD sessions to be added later. Our course offerings span foundational strategies and timely interventions:

📘 Featured Courses

• Foundations of Effective Learning (Parts I, II, and III)
• Reclaiming Assessment
• Bullying: A Guide to Identification and Intervention
• Differentiating Instruction
• Reading Comprehension Instruction

🛠️ Coming Soon

• AVIRT / CPR

1.      Where are the professional developments held?           

Our usual location for in-person PD sessions is the AFL-CIO building on West Street.  Some sessions are held virtually via Zoom.  PD Calendars and session announcement flyers will typically state the location.

2.      What times are the professional developments conducted?            

If the course is on a Saturday, the typical time is 9:00 AM — 3:30 PM. If the session is held during the work week, the time will be 5:00 PM — 8:00PM.  If the schedule for a PD session differs from this schedule, that should be clearly marked on the PD

To sign up for these professional learning opportunities, visit our TicketLeap website.

2025 - 2026 Professional Development Course Catalog

• Bullying: A Guide to Identification and Intervention
  • This course focuses on identifying the people involved with bullying and the role of educators in the process. It also covers interventions and planning to ensure a bully-free educational environment.
• Differentiating Instruction
  • This module examines three differentiation models: Tomlinson’s tiered lessons, Conklin’s choice boards, and Sternberg’s triarchic model. It is designed for PreK-12 teachers and

Dr. Ruth Bowen, a native of Canton, Mississippi, holds degrees in English, Library Science, Education Administration, and Urban Higher Education Leadership from institutions such as Tougaloo College, Clark Atlanta University, the University of Southern Mississippi, and Jackson State University. She is a certified educator with experience in teaching, administration, and curriculum development. Dr. Bowen has served as a commissioned officer in Military Intelligence for the U.S. Army and in the Mississippi State Guard. A skilled grant writer, she secured funding for adult literacy and youth