HUTCHINSON, Kan. — While students will be able to spend a couple days next week enjoying the Kansas State Fair or other family activities, USD 308 staff will work with a national expert on tailoring lessons to each student.

Hutchinson Public Schools students will be out of school Thursday, Sept. 14, and Friday, Sept. 15, for staff professional learning.

The theme for the two days of staff development is differentiated learning. Teachers will learn about approaches to differentiating the content students learn, the process through which they learn and how students demonstrate what they have learned.

Dr. Richard A. Villa, president of Bayridge Consortium Inc., will be working with the teachers.

Dr. Villa is an internationally-known expert on the development of support systems for educating all students in general education. The educator has served as a middle and high school social studies and science, special education and Title 1 teacher; a special education coordinator; a director of pupil personnel services; and a director of curriculum and instruction.

Additionally, Dr. Villa has authored 20 books and more than 100 chapters and journal articles on topics from co-teaching and differentiated instruction to inclusion and leadership in school reform and restructuring.