Profesional Development Overview and Adult Learning Theory
Professional development activities for teachers, administrators, support staff and families are aligned with the goals, objectives and action steps of the District Accountability Plan.
- The Accountability Plan outlines the expectations, responsibilities, interventions and measures that the district will follow during the school year
- The Accountability Plan states clear, comprehensive objectives and provides for high standards on educational progress towards meeting student performance goals
- The Accountability Plan delineates a coherent roadmap for:
- improving the educational performance of SLPS based on the review of reliable and valid formative and summative data;
- reviewing the effectiveness of objectives and action steps taken to improve student learning
- building collaborative relationships with all stakeholders
Definition for SLPS
“Professional Learning” defined: “A comprehensive, sustained, job-embedded and collaborative approach to improving teachers and leaders' effectiveness in raising [scholar] achievement” –RCW 28A.415.430 (definition provided by the WA State legislature and used here because it most accurately captures our work in this area)
Goal
To provide a highly qualified and highly effective teacher in every classroom in the Saint Louis Public Schools.
Mission
Our mission is to provide a comprehensive, coordinated system of high quality professional learning designed to meet the goal of ensuring that every child, in every classroom, in every school has a highly effective teacher.
Professional Development Objectives
- Provide opportunities for individualized professional development that support the needs of the district’s schools and clientele.
- Develop a comprehensive, sustained, and intensive approach to improving teachers’ and principals’ effectiveness in raising student achievement
- Identify training needs arising from board policies, planning (e.g., District Accountability Plan, MSIP 5), needs assessments (Annual Professional Development Survey) and implementation of new curriculum and programs
- Develop and implement a Beginning Teacher Assistance and Mentoring Program to improve retention of 1st and 2nd year teachers over the prior year
- Maintain a district-wide professional development calendar to inform district staff of Professional Development opportunities
- Provide intensive professional development for all teachers, Academic Instructional Coaches, and principals in core subjects
- Evaluate the effectiveness of professional development programs
- Enhance communication to ensure that the curriculum and instruction needs of principals and teachers are identified and addressed
- Maintain a strong Professional Development Committee (PDC) to organize, implement and collaborate with various stakeholders
- Use data and needs assessments to identify, maintain, refine, and extend the continued implementation of professional development
- Support principals and staff in the creation and implementation of state-mandated Individual Professional Development Plans
- Provide training and support for identified high impact instructional strategies across the District
- Provide training and support in specific literacy strategies
- Provide training and support in customer service across the District