Strategic Objective Four:

Foster Effective Communities of Practice Through Professional Development and Staff Support

Achieving a rigorous education based on high academic and behavioral expectations for all students can only be achieved by actively supporting educators in their continual development of professional skills and knowledge. Educators need to continue to build a shared knowledge and a solid foundation to support students in fulfilling their academic, social, physical, creative, behavioral, and emotional potential. New discoveries in instructional practice and applications of technology to the learning environment require staff members to stay current in their chosen profession, which requires face-to-face and virtual opportunities for development and training. These interactions occur in an environment of collaboration and shared decision-making with staff and administrators to assure that the best opportunities for development experiences are available to all staff.

Strategy	Desired Outcomes	Measures
A. Collaboration & Teaming for Continuous Improvement Expand a culture founded on collaboration and teaming. Build a culture of continuous improvement through a growth mindset.	Opportunities to grow professionally in a collaborative and teaming culture are frequent. The District maximizes time, talent, trust, respect, teacher empowerment, and collaboration to improve results in student growth and achievement. Individual, department, and building goals are aligned to achieve District goals.	Progress for each measure is reported annually on the Balanced Scorecard - view here.
B. Professional Communities of Practice Professional staff are given opportunities to work as colleagues and participate in learning communities. They critically reflect on the teaching process, the thinking and actions of students, and content. They grow professionally through dialogue, inquiry, and action research. Staff development and professional learning are not restrained by location through the use of virtual and online activities.	All teachers participate in face-to-face and virtual collaborative learning opportunities focused on strategic plan initiatives. Teachers have continuous access to information and can become part of a learning community at anytime. Teacher leaders moderate learning community discussions and actions as part of discussion groups related to their area of expertise. Staff members participate and share best practice examples. Face-to-face staff development is followed by an ongoing series of virtual learning community discussions about how to apply what participants learn after the initial training takes place. Professional learning is meaningful, job-embedded and delivered in real-time.
C. Differentiated Professional Development Provide differentiated professional development in five areas: standards-based planning formative assessment (including feedback and individual student goal-setting) positive classroom culture differentiation inquiry-based learning	Professional development sequence related to the five areas of high-impact instruction will be identified. Focused, differentiated staff development will support the achievement of Strategic Objectives 1-3. The District provides job-embedded coaching to support professional development and the implementation of initiatives.

Strategy

Desired Outcomes

Measures

A. Collaboration & Teaming for Continuous Improvement
Expand a culture founded on collaboration and teaming. Build a culture of continuous improvement through a growth mindset.

Opportunities to grow professionally in a collaborative and teaming culture are frequent.

The District maximizes time, talent, trust, respect, teacher empowerment, and collaboration to improve results in student growth and achievement.

Individual, department, and building goals are aligned to achieve District goals.

Progress for each measure is reported annually on the Balanced Scorecard - view here.

B. Professional Communities of Practice

Professional staff are given opportunities to work as colleagues and participate in learning communities. They critically reflect on the teaching process, the thinking and actions of students, and content. They grow professionally through dialogue, inquiry, and action research.

Staff development and professional learning are not restrained by location through the use of virtual and online activities.

All teachers participate in face-to-face and virtual collaborative learning opportunities focused on strategic plan initiatives.

Teachers have continuous access to information and can become part of a learning community at anytime.

Teacher leaders moderate learning community discussions and actions as part of discussion groups related to their area of expertise. Staff members participate and share best practice examples.

Face-to-face staff development is followed by an ongoing series of virtual learning community discussions about how to apply what participants learn after the initial training takes place.

Professional learning is meaningful, job-embedded and delivered in real-time.

C. Differentiated Professional Development

Provide differentiated professional development in five areas:

standards-based planning
formative assessment (including feedback and individual student goal-setting)
positive classroom culture
differentiation
inquiry-based learning

Professional development sequence related to the five areas of high-impact instruction will be identified.

Focused, differentiated staff development will support the achievement of Strategic Objectives 1-3.

The District provides job-embedded coaching to support professional development and the implementation of initiatives.

Elementary Schools

Middle Schools

Early Childhood

Strategic Objective Four:

Foster Effective Communities of Practice Through Professional Development and Staff Support

Together We Discover, Learn, Grow & Care