Portage Area School District teachers are trading their notebooks and pens for computers and keyboards.

This year, the district is joining the “Valley Network,” a resource that provides online professional development classes.

“The number one goal is to train our staff to become better teachers,” said Christian Serenko, Portage Area Elementary School Principal. “The old way of sitting in the auditorium with a speaker down there, those days are kind of in the past.”

Teachers can choose from various online courses each semester, depending on their interests.

“One is STEM, for example. That’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics. We have ELA courses that people can take. We even have courses on concussions for our nursers or coaches,” Serenko said.

Chuck Kassick is a football coach, English teacher and union president. He said the flexibility of the online courses will help teachers juggle learning with their busy schedules.

“We can do it at our own pace. If we need time on a weekend, a weeknight or you have an off day, you have a chance to do it,” said Chuck Kassick, Portage Area Education Association President.

The Valley Network will give teachers in Portage the chance to collaborate with and learn from other teachers in the area, as well.

Portage is joining Conemaugh Valley and Blacklick Valley School Districts, who started the Valley Network last year with help from Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8.

“Our teachers can speak with and type back and forth, share resources, share ideas, thoughts and things that were successful,” Serenko said.

Teachers in Portage are not required to join the network. Some expressed concerns about adapting to the technology.

Portage school officials said, that overall, the network was well-received and it can help teachers feel prepared when students walk in the doors next week.