Professional Development

Delaware City Schools
Professional Development Plan

Professional Development Beliefs and Guidelines:

At Delaware City Schools, we believe that professional development:

• is a tool to promote change necessary for continued school improvement.
• involves a continuous process of identifying needs, selecting interventions, designing delivery, implementing programs and interventions, and refining student services and programming based on results.
• is results-driven and focused on standards.
• is linked to district/school improvement and strategic planning and promotes educational leadership.
• will improve student achievement by promoting high-quality classroom instructional practices.
• promotes a collaborative, community of learners.
• supports innovation, risk-taking, and experimentation which leads to improved teaching.
• requires long term commitment by the district so it is on-going and sustained to ultimately facilitate continuous improvement.

Professional development in Delaware City Schools is focused on district and school improvement plans,assessed needs of the district, student data, and individual teacher professional growth. The individual staff development plan is sustained with follow-up documentation through the Individualized Professional Development Plan (IPDP) and MyLearningPlan (MLP). Professional development in the district includes a review of best practices, scientifically research-based determination of instruction, and intervention strategies. The district encourages a similar review when selecting professional development to support individual goals.

Data sources used to determine needs for professional development goals and plans include: (1) student achievement data, (2) parent, staff and student surveys, (3) professional development needs assessment,and (4) school profile information and district/school improvement plans.

Professional Development Goals:

Because the staff at Delaware City Schools believes that effective professional development leads to increased student achievement and an enhanced learning community, the district professional development goals are:

• to support standards based instruction and assessment in all curricular areas grades PreK-12.

• to support a safe and orderly environment that maximizes student learning.

• to provide 21^stCentury Skills and Technology training for all district personnel.

• to provide for individual professional development of engaging, high-quality, and differentiated instruction to support student learning.

• to provide training to more fully and effectively involve parents in their children's education.

• to provide district staff training in required policies and procedures.

Collaboration and networking within district is facilitated through the use of common professional development days for all staff, department and staff meetings, teaming, and collegial work. The district seeks additional outside collaborations and networking opportunities for advancing professional development for our teachers and administrators.

Professional development formats currently in use in the district include action research, professional learning communities, college classes, peer mentoring, collegial discussions, conferences, workshops, curriculum and assessment development, study groups, individually guided activities, classroom observations, study teams, and embedded, on-going academic coaching. Distance learning and technology-based opportunities are also available for staff. Further, use of technology is supported for review of assessments and student data, technology supported curriculum, software for instructional use by staff, and alternative methods of instruction. Staff development targeted to the identification and intervention of at-risk students is a continuing focus.

The expected result from our professional development plan is to create a learning community that extends throughout the district. This learning community will nurture and sustain a culture of learning and improved student achievement for all.

Implementation:

Research-based professional development models include: observation and assessment, focused training,coaching and mentoring, inquiry, classes, curriculum and assessment development, conferences, study groups, evaluating student work,individually-guided activities and action research, workshops, classes and networking. Teachers will be required to attend a seven-hour professional development day to be held the day after Convocation each year. Teachers also attend a two-hour Professional Development session on Convocation day and 3-hour sessions on each of the workdays at the end of the first and third nine weeks.

Resources:

The district provides funding for staff development activities through a combination of grant funding and district general funds. Movement on the salary schedule supports attainment of increased credit hours. Staff development opportunities are tied directly to the district/school improvement plans and support improved student learning. The school calendar supports professional development through staff teacher workdays, release time, summer workshops, before and after school classes and on-going coaching of teachers. Professional development includes administrative, teaching, and related staff training in district-wide interventions and new approaches, and also allows for individual development opportunities. Delaware City Schools dedicates significant time and other resources to compile and review district data on student performance, survey results, assessments, profile data, and school improvement interventions and results that lead to implementation of our Strategic Plan.

Evaluation:

Evaluation and feedback opportunities on professional development are provided for staff and administration. Feedback from participants provides information used in planning future professional development by the Staff Development Committee.Further, continued monitoring of student achievement data provides direction for professional development in Delaware City Schools.