Some of you I know as a valued co-worker or colleague; some of you I have yet to meet. Regardless of which category we fall in, I feel certain that it would be safe to say that we are each adults who chose a career in education with the intention to make a difference! My belief that the teacher in each classroom is the biggest factor on student learning continues to be confirmed with every year I spend as an educator. The beliefs of that teacher drive behaviors which impact whether each student wants to be in that classroom, and to how much each student learns in that classroom. The direction and support provided to the teachers by their principal and leadership team is critical. We are ALL responsible for student learning, and every student is OUR student!
Professional learning is needed because it stretches teachers beyond current knowledge and practice to benefit students. Everything members of the Department of Professional Learning do is to serve the adults so that they can better serve students. We are working toward continuous improvement. Some examples of recent changes are this format of FOCUS on Learning, training a team from each site & providing support for their Site Professional Learning System (SPLS), and the addition of online modules as a portion of the STEP UP requirements.
We recently changed our name from the “Staff Development Department” to the “Department of Professional Learning.” Does “staff development” mean the same thing to you as “professional learning?” Our intention is to communicate the positive connotation of learning that professionals choose to pursue and to align with current national trends. What do you believe about professional learning? We’d love to see/hear your thoughts. Feel free to email or call to give us input.
Kathy Gross
Director of Professional Learning
417-523-5536
