Learning Today- Leading Tomorrow!

Peach County Schools Learning Today- Leading Tomorrow!

Curriculum and Instruction Professional Learning Guide 2013-2014

Promoting a Failure Free System Peach County Schools Department of Professional Learning

Peach County’s Professional Learning Commitment

Peach County’s Professional Learning Department is committed to offering opportunities that support, assist and enhance the professional growth of both certificated and non-certificated staff members. The ultimate goal of this professional growth is increased student achievement. Through close affiliation and with the cooperative efforts of program coordinators, the Teaching and Learning Department (which includes Teaching and Learning, Gifted, Technology, School Improvement, and Professional Learning) provides the framework to support teachers and staff as they achieve their professional growth goals and enhance their performance enabling the system to achieve its mission.

Peach County’s Professional Learning Mission

The mission of Peach County’s Professional Learning Department is to provide quality learning opportunities to all employees to advance student achievement.

Professional Learning Goals

The following are the goals of the Peach County Professional Learning Department:

1) To align professional development opportunities with district and school improvement goals;

2) To provide professional development opportunities that are based on research, theory, and effective practices;

3) To foster collaboration among staff members;

4) To provide professional learning facilitated by well-prepared school principals and/or school-based professional development coaches, mentors, master teachers, or other teacher leaders;

5) To engage staff members in a continuous cycle of improvement; and

6) To address the needs of adult learners.

Professional Learning Standards

The Peach County Professional Learning Department has adopted the Georgia School Keys’ Professional Learning standards as a means to provide an intensive and comprehensive approach to improving staff members’ effectiveness in increasing student achievement.

Standard 1: The context of professional learning- the who, when, why and where – contributes to the development and quality of learning communities, ensuring that they are functioning, leadership is skillful and focused on continuous improvement, and resources have been allocated to support adult learning.

Standard 2: The process – the how – of professional learning is aligned with articulated goals and purposes, data- driven, research-based, evaluated to determine its impact, aligned with adult learning theory, and collaborative in design and implementation. Standard 3: The content- the what- of professional learning reinforces educators’ understanding and use of strategies for promoting equity and high expectations for all students, application of research-based teaching strategies and assessment processes, and involvement of families and other stakeholders in promoting student learning.

Table of Contents

Professional Learning Board Policy…………………………………………………………….4-5 Professional Learning Contacts………………………………………………………………….....6 Professional Learning Guidelines……………………………………………………………..7-11 Professional Learning Forms…………………………………………………………………..12-18 NOTE: All procedures herein must be explicitly adhered to in order for credit awards to be considered.

PEACH COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION Professional Development Policy

Board Approved 9/2/04 The Peach County Board of Education recognizes the benefits to be derived from a quality professional learning program. The Board believes this to be a vital element in the overall school improvement process, resulting in increased student achievement.

It is the policy of the Peach County Board of Education to develop and maintain a system- level Comprehensive School Improvement Plan. This plan shall address comprehensive professional learning as a major component. All professional learning opportunities will be aligned with this plan. In addition, the system will submit a new/updated Professional Learning Plan to the Georgia Department of Education for approval every three years beginning with the 2005-2006 school year.

Professional learning programs will be developed according to state criteria, will utilize the standards of the national Staff Development Council, and will address both individual and instructional program needs. Professional learning programs will be evaluated to determine success and effectiveness. Records of personnel participation will be maintained. The Superintendent shall recommend to the Board a person to serve as Professional Learning Coordinator for the school district. The Superintendent, in conjunction with the Professional Learning Coordinator, will adopt administrative professional learning procedures, determine the number and appoint the members of a Professional Learning Advisory Council, and administer the comprehensive Professional Learning Plan.

The Professional Learning Advisory Council will assist the Professional Learning Coordinator in assessing needs, determining priorities and content of activities, and evaluating and modifying the Professional Learning Plan. As per State Rule 160-3-3-.10, professional learning units (PLU’s) shall be earned by an individual only in the following four categories: (1) field of certification (2) school/system/individual improvement plan (3) annual personnel evaluation and (4) state/federal requirements. The approval of the Professional Learning Advisory Committee of the school district or its designee is required for a system employee to participate in a PLU activity for the purpose of the renewal of a Georgia professional certificate or to meet the requirements for a paraprofessional certification. One professional learning unit of credit is based on ten (10) contact hours of formal instruction or its equivalent and on verification that the intent of the formal instruction has been implemented on the job or by mastery verification. Stipends for professional learning activities may be awarded only if there is evidence that the competencies that will be gained during the professional learning activity are aligned with an individual plan or a school or system improvement plan. There must be evidence that the competencies gained have been implemented in the classroom/work site.

The School System administrators shall develop a comprehensive budget to support the Professional Learning Plan considering all possible sources of funding. The Superintendent is authorized to develop the appropriate procedures to implement this policy. Professional Learning Contacts:

Central Office (825-5933) Director of Professional Learning Wanda Stewart Administrative Assistant Susan Swift

Byron Elementary School Mallerina Marshall

Byron Middle School Vosalowe Cammack

Fort Valley Middle School Marla Sellers

Kay Road Elementary School Dave Evatt

Hunt Elementary School Zsa Zsa Hicks

Peach County High School Anita Mathis

Middle Georgia RESA (478-988-7170) Robin Smith Debbie Mathis

6 PEACH COUNTY SCHOOLS

Procedures for Professional Learning Administrative Procedures:

1. Each principal will select a professional learning coordinator from his/her school. This person will be responsible for determining the professional learning needs of your school and presenting professional learning proposals for approval. Names of professional learning coordinators should be sent to the district professional learning coordinator (Wanda Stewart). 2. Principals (with the assistance of the professional learning coordinator) will complete a professional learning needs assessment that is in line with the School Improvement Plan. (September) 3. Each certified staff member should complete an annual personal growth plan. Growth plans should be turned in to the school principal. The principal should keep copies of all personal growth plans on file at the school. Each certified staff member should earn a minimum of two professional learning units per school year. (September) 4. A Professional Learning Proposal must be completed for each school/district professional learning activity. All proposals should be directly aligned with the district/school improvement plan. Each proposal will be reviewed by the district professional learning advisory council (comprised of the Gifted Coordinator, Title 1 Director, Assessment/Accountability Director and Executive Director for Curriculum and Instruction). Documentation of approval (or denial) of the activity will be sent to the appropriate principal (or director). No professional learning activity may begin without proper approval. (October) 5. After completion of the activity, the professional learning coordinator will turn in completed participant log sheets (including principal’s signature, total hours spent per person on activity, and number of PLUs to be awarded to each participant—1 PLU per 10 contact hours) to the district professional learning coordinator. This log sheet should be turned in no later than 10 schools days following completion of the professional learning activity to the professional learning coordinator. 6. PLU credit will be awarded as follows: 1 PLU=10 contact hours; 2 PLUs=20 contact hours; 3 PLUs=30 contact hours, etc. No PLU credit will be awarded for an activity less than 10 contact hours. No partial PLU credit will be awarded. 7. The district professional learning coordinator will prepare PLU transcripts for each participant completing the activity. One copy will be sent to Human Resources to be used for certification; one copy will be sent to the principal; and one copy will be retained in the professional learning coordinator’s office. The principal should file a copy of each transcript in the participant’s file and give a copy to the participant for his/her personal records. 7

8. A professional learning planning form must be completed for each conference/workshop for district professional learning documentation. The planning form is to be used by the principal/coordinator for determining alignment to district/school improvement goals and for identification of funding source. 9. If attending a conference/workshop during a regular workday (for which professional leave is requested and/or which will require reimbursement), participants should fill out a professional learning planning form along with a professional leave form, and submit both forms to their principal/supervisor at least 10 school days before the date of the conference/workshop. After the principal signs both forms, they should be submitted together to the appropriate coordinator for funding approval and alignment to program requirements. Approved forms will be returned to the principal. 10. Paraprofessionals may volunteer to participate in school/district professional learning activities that take place outside of their regular work day, but may not be required to participate unless needed for certification purposes.

Procedure for Earning Professional Learning Units:

General Guidelines: 1. If attending a conference/workshop during a regular workday (for which professional leave is requested and/or which will require reimbursement), participants should fill out a professional learning planning form along with a professional leave form and submit both forms to their principal/supervisor at least 10 school days before the date of the conference/workshop. This includes professional learning activities during the summer for which you will be requesting reimbursement. A copy of this form must be attached to both the leave form and to the Employee Expense Statement (travel reimbursement form), along with a copy of the conference/workshop agenda in order to receive reimbursement. If no professional learning planning form is completed and approved, personal leave will be charged. 2. PLU workshop proposals are completed by the school or county-based professional learning coordinator. Any staff member who has an idea for a workshop should see your PL coordinator. 3. All proposals must be approved by the Professional Learning Advisory Council (comprised of the Gifted Coordinator, Title 1 Director, Assessment/Accountability Director and Executive Director for Curriculum and Instruction). 4. Each certified employee should complete an annual personal growth plan. This growth plan should be turned in to the school principal. Each certified employee should complete a minimum of 2 PLUs (or college equivalent) per year. Professional learning needs should be listed on the annual personal growth plan. 5. All Professional Learning Units are submitted to the District Professional Learning Coordinator for approval.

6. The principal will receive one copy of each approved PLU transcript (and will provide a copy for the participant) and the Human Resource Director will receive one copy of the transcript to use for recertification purposes. All certification is handled by the Human Resources Department, and any certification questions should be directed to that department. 7. All college credit used for recertification purposes is handled by the Human Resources Department. 8. All professional learning forms are online at http://www.peachschools.org. Click on Departments on the left side of the homepage and then on the Professional Learning link. 9. Each staff member should keep copies of their PLU transcripts for his/her personal records. 10. Once a participant has attended a conference/workshop requiring reimbursement, he/she has 5 days to submit proper documentation (copy of Professional Planning Form, copy of conference/workshop agenda and Employee Expense Statement) to the Finance Department for reimbursement.

Guidelines for Receiving PLU Credit: Peach County teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrators can receive PLU’s (Professional Learning Units) for the following:

 RESA workshops  State-sponsored (and other) conferences and workshops that offer PLU’s to participants  Conferences and workshops which do not offer PLU’s to participants  District/School sponsored professional learning workshops  Collaborative curriculum planning

Procedure for RESA Workshops: 1. To register for a Middle Georgia RESA class go to the RESA website at www.mgresa.org. 2. On the left side of the RESA homepage, you will see Professional Training Schedules. Click on the link for the type of workshop for which you would like to register. Teachers will click on the Professional Learning link and paraprofessionals will click on the Paraprofessional Link. 3. Many of these workshops require a small fee per workshop. These fees are the responsibility of the participant (not the district). All checks are to be made payable to Middle Georgia RESA and should be either delivered or mailed directly to Melissa Smith at RESA. 4. If you wish to apply to take endorsement courses (such as Reading, Math, Teacher Support Specialist, or ESOL) you will need to click on the link for Endorsements. The cost for these classes is higher than for individual RESA workshops. Gifted Endorsements are handled directly through Peach County School District. Any teacher who is interested in taking coursework for Gifted Endorsement should contact Mary Jean Banter, Gifted coordinator at For Valley Middle School ([email protected]). 5. The district coordinator will receive completed PLU transcripts from RESA. The coordinator will sign/approve the transcript and forward to Human Resources to be placed in the participant’s permanent file. Principals will also receive a copy of the transcript and will send a copy to the participant.

Procedure for State-sponsored (and other) Conferences and Workshops:

1. State-sponsored conferences and workshops frequently offer 1 PLU to attendees who participate in at least ten (10) hours of planned conference activities. At these conferences/workshops, the offer of PLU credit is usually advertised with registration materials, and a PLU Credit Information Sheet or PLU Credit Application is enclosed in the conference/workshop registration packet. 2. If the conference or workshop requires pre-approval before awarding PLU’s, it is the participant’s responsibility to submit the pre-approval form to the district professional learning coordinator for approval before leaving for the conference. 3. It is the conference/workshop attendee’s responsibility to document his or her 10 hours of attendance on the Credit Information Sheet or PLU Credit Application by following instructions provided in the registration materials and/or agenda packets. 4. It is the attendee’s responsibility to submit a completed Professional Learning Evaluation Form to the Peach County School System Professional Learning Coordinator. The coordinator will sign the form and forward a copy to Human Resources to place in the participant’s permanent folder to be used for recertification. A copy will be sent to the principal, who will provide a copy for the participant.

Procedure for Conferences NOT Offering PLU Credit In order to receive PLU credit for a conference or workshop which does not award PLU credit, the participant must complete the following: 1. Contact the district professional learning coordinator for pre-approval. No PLU’s will be awarded unless the conference has been pre-approved by the coordinator. 2. The participant must log at least 10 hours in conference sessions, which must be documented on a county log sheet. This log sheet must be signed by conference/workshop personnel. 3. The participant must turn in the log, a conference agenda, and a professional learning evaluation in order to receive PLU credit.

Procedure for County-sponsored Professional Workshops 1. For school- or county-sponsored training that is designed to earn PLU credit, the workshop must be approved by the county Professional Learning Committee and proper documentation must be maintained. 2. All county professional learning workshops require participants to fill out a registration form. 3. For PLU credit, the school professional learning coordinator will turn in signed time logs to the district coordinator. Each participant will receive 1 PLU for every 10 contact hours. It is the participant’s responsibility to sign time logs at each workshop. 4. The district coordinator will issue a transcript for the workshop containing the number of PLU’s earned. A copy of the transcript will be sent to Human Resources. Each participant will receive a copy for personal records. ** Remember—all school-based meetings and/or training does not qualify for PLU credit (ex. regular faculty meetings or workshops less than 10 contact hours in length). No professional learning credit will be awarded for less than ten (10) contact hours participation per event. Proposal for District/School Sponsored Workshop

(Must be completed by school or district based PL representative)

School/Department:

Professional Learning Representative:

Name of Workshop:

Projected Dates of Activity:

Location of Activity:

Number of PLUs Awarded:

Area of PLU Approval: Field of Certification Annual Personnel Evaluation District/School/Professional Improvement Plan State/Federal Requirements Workshop Description:

Need(s) Addressed Objective(s) Strategies for Evaluation System or School Intended Program Implementation: (Describe how you will Improvement Goal(s) Outcome (Describe how evaluate each objective. Use Addressed by Activity implementation will be data analysis outcomes.) sustained through the year)

Workshop Instructor/Consultant Name: Contract Needed? Yes No Consultant Fees: Materials: Release Time: Funding Source Fee: Books: # Teacher(s): PL Lodging: Facility Rental: # Release Days: Title I Materials: Supplies: ($65 per day) Special Education Food: Total: Total: Other Car Rental: ______Please list other funding source. Total: Committee Signatures: Gifted Director:______Assessment & Accountability Director:______Title I Director:______Executive Director for Curriculum & Instruction:______Approval: Yes No Date:

Professional Learning Planning Form Peach County School District

Employee Name:

School: Position

Professional Learning Activity (name of workshop meeting, etc.) Location (City, State) Activity Date(s): Number of days away from school: How does this activity relate to your School/System Improvement Plan? How do you plan to share this activity experience with your peers upon your return? PLU Credit? Yes No Number of PLU’s PLU’s shall be earned by an individual only in the following four categories. (check the area addressed by this activity) Field of certification School/System/Individual Improvement Plan Annual Personal Evaluation State/Federal Requirements Estimated Cost: Mileage (.555 per mile, no travel reimbursement for Central GA activities) Lodging Meals - B-$6, L-$7, D-$15 High Cost (Atlanta, Savannah, Brunswick, Augusta) B-$7, L-$9, D-$20 Conference Registration: Substitute (estimate $55 per day) Employee Signature: Date: Bld. Prof. Learning Coordinator Signature: Date: Principal/Supervisor Signature: Date: Prof. Learning Director Signature: Date: Principal/Program Director (Please check appropriate funding source and initial.) Carl Perkins (CTAE) – Flanders Title 1-C Migrant – K Banter IDEA – Dy Evatt Title II A -Stewart QBE Prof Learning –Stewart Title II D (includes MSP Grant) – K Banter School Improvement Grant – Swain Title III ESOL – Stewart Title I 1003A – K Banter Title VIB – K Banter Title I 1003G – Swain Other Funding ______(Please list funding source)

THIS FORM MUST BE APPROVED PRIOR TO THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

13 Professional Learning Evaluation Form

Name: Date:

School: Position:

Activity Attended:

Date(s):

Purpose of Trip (Goals):

Brief Description of Events (Highlight information presented):

Value of Meeting (New concepts, new approaches/innovative ideas):

Recommendations (Names and addresses of potential speakers, titles of professional materials, literature, programs, etc.)

School/District Goal Addressed

COMMUNICATION PLANS: (Other than written evaluation)

Faculty meeting Departmental meeting In-Service

Study Group Action Research Team Peer Coaching Signature: Date:

*Please return this form to Professional Learning Coordinator at Central Office. If applicable, attach PLU credit forms.

14 Sign-in Sheet for County/School Professional Learning Workshops Name of Workshop: ______Instructor: ______Location: ______

Date Date Date Date Total # of Name (Please Print) Initial School Hrs. PLU’s ************************** ****** ********** In Out In Out In Out In Out

Instructor Sign-Off: I certify that the participants listed above attended this workshop for the dates and times listed. Signature of Instructor: ______

Date: ______15 Log Sheet for Individual Professional Learning Activities Name of Activity: Name: Social Security Number: Address: School: Position:

Time Time Total # Date Description of Activity In Out Hours

Total Hours: Number of PLU’s Awarded: Conference/Workshop Representative Signature: Supervisor Signature: County Professional Learning Coordinator Signature:

16 Program Effectiveness Needs Assessment Summary Sheet FY13

School/Department: Date: List all staff development related Target Areas from your school improvement plan in the table below:

Target Area Goal Activity Time Frame Estimated Budget

17 Annual Professional Learning Growth Plan FY13

Name School Position

What do you feel are your 1. two greatest areas of strength as a classroom 2. teacher, support personnel, or administrator? What do you feel are your 1. two greatest areas of weakness as a classroom 2. teacher, support personnel, or administrator? What are two goals that you 1. have set for this year as far as student achievement is 2. concerned? What professional learning 1. opportunities do you feel will help you meet your 2. goals for this school year? (Please rank in order of 3. importance from most important to least 4. important.) 5.