PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT D02

(Mandatory)

Policy

It is the policy of the Montpelier School District to support the important connection between educator professional development and improved student achievement and assure that all staff members broaden their knowledge and skills in order to contribute effectively to the achievement of the goals of all school plans.

Principles to Guide Professional Development

School priorities for professional development will be directly linked to student performance goals identified in the district plans. Professional development that increases educators’ knowledge of content, pedagogy, and creating effective learning environments will ultimately contribute to enhanced student performance.

The school will develop a professional development system that is characterized as follows:

1. its primary focus is on improved student learning and achievement, based on student performance data;
2. it is based on current, documented research findings;
3. it provides structure and substance that allow continuity;
4. it focuses on content and curricular needs as well as teaching methodology;
5. it includes the needs of all who contribute to the education system;
6. it is developed and directed by professional educators.

Implementation

The superintendent will develop a process to analyze student performance data, best-practices research, state and local standards compliance, and the action plan priorities, all of which provide input to the creation of annual and multi-year professional development programs.

A professional development committee composed of teachers, instructional assistants, support staff and administrators will recommend a professional development plan that will contribute to the accomplishment of the district’s priorities.

After consultation with the professional development and action planning committees, the superintendent will recommend to the school board a needs-based professional development plan and yearly calendar. The superintendent will make recommendations to ensure adequate financial resources and time for educators to participate in appropriate professional development experiences.

The superintendent, in collaboration with principals and other administrators, will:

1. coordinate professional development activities with district standards and goals, to ensure that professional development activities are, to the fullest extent practicable, aligned with the school and district plans and professional development needs;
2. provide adequate opportunities to prepare educators to utilize assessment data for the purpose of increasing student achievement and to improve the overall effectiveness of the curriculum;
3. for new teachers, ensure that appropriate training in standards-based instruction be provided and implement a system of mentoring for professional staff during the first two years of employment.

The superintendent will at least annually report to the school board the effectiveness of staff professional development and the relationship to the student achievement goals identified within the annual action plan.

The school board will negotiate employment contracts that place high priority on provisions that will support the district’s professional development system.

The district’s revised professional development system will be in effect by September 1, 2004.

Date Warned: November 7, 2003

Date Adopted: November 19, 2003

Legal Reference(s): 1 V.S.A. §§ 310 et seq. (Open Meeting Law)

16 V.S.A. § 165 (a)(4) (Public School Quality Standards)

16 V.S.A. §§1981 et seq. (Labor relations - professional staff)

21 V.S.A. §§ 1721 et seq.(Labor relations)

16 V.S.A. §261a(5) (Duties of supervisory union boards)

Vermont State Board of Education Rules §§2120.4, 2120.5

Cross Reference(s): Board Member Education (B01); Board Goal-Setting and Self-Evaluation (B02)

Educator Supervision & Evaluation (D04)

Fiscal Management and General Financial Accountability (E01)

Local Action Plan (G08)