“The purpose of the professional growth [pathway] is to provide a structured, supportive, and collaborative environment to promote professional learning that will further the district’s mission and enhance student learning. This [pathway] will provide a continuous cycle of assessment to ensure that all tenured staff continue to meet the district’s standards for effective teaching.”
-Danielson & McGreal, 2000
The ConVal School District believes that the goal of professional development is to enhance individual and organizational capacity to improve student learning through knowledge of subject and content areas, learners and learning, and effective teaching strategies and best practices.
We believe professional development that improves the learning of all students
-
prepares educators to understand and appreciate all students
-
create safe, orderly and supportive learning environments and hold high expectations for their academic achievement.
-
prepares educators to be skillful users of education research; to study research before adopting improvement strategies
-
to participate in a variety of learning strategies; to use technology to support learning goals; to collaborate; and to implement a variety of follow-up activities following each new initiative.
-
provides educators with knowledge and skills to involve families and other stakeholders appropriately.
Our professional development master plan outlines the process for identifying individual, school, and district goals and supports the professional development activities that will achieve them. Student improvement is the paramount consideration in the setting of these goals.
The professional development master plan provides opportunities for all staff to meet their individual needs and to satisfy district and state requirements. We recognize the value of individual professional growth opportunities as well as sharing knowledge among peers. The Professional Development Committee’s role is to identify opportunities for job-embedded professional development, encouraging workshops run by district personnel, and evaluating outside sources of knowledge and skills, all within the goals of the district.
Our Master Plan outlines the process for identifying individual, school, and District goals, and supports the professional development activities that will achieve those goals. The Plan articulates each of the goals listed in this document as it relates to professional development. Each of the goals are further defined and include indicators for student success.
The Plan also contains guidelines for writing professional development goals; potential strategies for meeting those goals; and the use of specific data to measure achievement.
ConVal Professional Development Master Plan 2017-2022
Indicators of a successful professional development plan include:
-
An evaluation system that identifies best practices and supports each staff members attainment of District standards
-
Mentoring programs that support new staff
-
Readily accessible technology equipment and training
-
Opportunities for professional growth
-
Recognition and appreciation of excellence