• PDProfessional Development Overview

    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: 
    1. improving the educational performance of SLPS based on the review of reliable and valid formative and summative data; 
    2. reviewing the effectiveness of objectives and action steps taken to improve student learning 
    3. 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