Professional+Development+Recommendations

__//**Professional Development**//__

Washington Elementary's will have a dramatically different face at the beginning of the 2012 school year. It will consist of a mixture of existing and newly hired staff, brand new technologies and a completely new building. In order to ensure that all teachers are capable of correctly using all of the tools at their disposal, professional development sessions have been designed to ease this transition and open new avenues of education to explore in each classroom.

Professional development will begin with a simple refresher course on the IP phone system. Operating this telephone system is identical to the current system however; there are new features which teachers will be using throughout the year. Three large group sessions for a period of one hour each will be held during the first week of summer in-service for the 2012-2013 school year and attendance is mandatory. Staff will be given a reference sheet to refer back to at the conclusion of the session.

Our new SMARTboards require ongoing professional development in order to be effective in the classroom. The Trainer of Trainers (TOT) model will be used to conduct trainings for Washington's staff. One week before the summer in-service, five teachers (one from each grade and special education) will be sent to a one day training conducted by SMARTtech. These five teachers will then become the expert for their respective grade/division. Building principals will expect these experts to conduct a one half day professional development session during prescheduled professional development trainings each marking period for their respective grades/division. In accordance with district policy, Washington’s designated experts will be rewarded with a $50 stipend per training session as reimbursement for their training responsibilities. Teaching staff will rely on the experts for ideas and assistance throughout the year. Additional assistance will be available from Washington's technology coach. RASD's Information Technology Division will assist the experts by setting up a shared location in our course management system to share ideas, lesson plans etc.

Headsprout and Number Worlds are software which has been tested in Franklin Elementary and found to be highly effective with our students. We have chosen to bring this software to Washington as part of our Technology Integration Initiative. These tools, which are accessible in school and from home, focus on basic Math and Reading skills and will enhance the educational experience for students in all grades. Professional Development for this software will follow the TOT model and SMART board training schedule. Additional assistance regarding this software will also be available from Washington's Technology coach.