GRANBY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
2005 - 2007

1. The GRANBY PUBLIC SCHOOLS STAFF DEVELOPMENT PLAN was developed in accordance with the conditions established by MGL, CH 71, SECTION 38 G and is designed to provide professional staff with the opportunity to fulfill recertification requirements at no cost.
   
   The program will enable professional staff to learn, reflect on, and enhance their performance as educators.
   
   The demands on educators have changed dramatically in the past twenty years.  Demographic changes accompanied by changes in family life and community support have impacted the classroom dynamic in ways unimaginable as recently as ten years ago. Coupled with the changing nature of the classroom is an expectation that students will graduate with the knowledge and skills necessary to be productive in the twenty-first century.
   
   Within this context of change, educators must be given the opportunity to re-examine the knowledge base and instructional strategies that they employ in the classroom.
   

2. The Staff Development Council responsible for our program is comprised of the following members of the professional staff:                       

                        Superintendent
                        Director of Pupil Services
                        For each school:
                               Principal
                               Head Teachers
                               Team Leaders
 

3. The Granby Staff Development Program is based on the following principles:

·     There must be professional staff involved in the development of the plan. 

·      There must be incentives to encourage participation. 

·      The incentives must be consistent with the teacher’s contract. 

·      There must be a correlation between the professional educators work and the
        staff activity offered. 

·      The activities must be consistent with the requirements of the state plan for
        professional development and re-licensure.

                       

4. The COUNCIL will utilize the following approach in determining the needs of the professional staff:

                        ·          Requirements of the law
                        ·          Recertification requirements
                        ·          Standards/Frameworks
                        ·          District Goals
                        ·          Building Goals
                        ·          Teacher Input

5. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES 2005 - 2007

1. WORKSHOP/INSTITUTE is a system-sponsored course consisting of a minimum of (ten) 10 hours. The primary format for the workshop will be a  presentation/demonstration around topics that are consistent with the goals and objectives of the Granby Public Schools. The workshop will be conducted by a qualified consultant or expert practitioner.
   
   Upon successful completion of a workshop, participants will receive 10 or more P.D.P.’s in the content or general area

2. STUDY TEAM (self-directed study) is a system wide or building based team of three (3) to twelve (12) members. The team will meet for a minimum of twelve (12) hours and focus on a specific issue of importance to the school system or building culminating in the preparation of a report that will be shared with other staff members.
   
   Problem solving through teamwork is a prime component of this activity and all participants will be involved in sharing what they learn with others.
   
   The team will be led by a convener who will conduct each meeting according to a published agenda.
   
   Upon successful completion of a self-directed study, participants will receive 12 or more PDPS in the content or general area.

3. SUPERVISION – Case management, assessment, discussion of current research and practices. (Open to specialist).

 

Professional Development Offerings
Technology
Summer 2005

 Excel       - Introductory

The purpose of this course is to help teachers feel comfortable using Microsoft Excel as an administrative or teaching tool. In the past, several teachers have taken this class and developed customized electronic grade books. 

 Excel  - Advanced

This course is a continuation of the beginner class and is designed for those who have already taken the beginner level class and want to continue developing their original project and utilize some of the more advanced features of excel.     

Powerpoint  - Introductory 

This course will help teachers learn to make attractive and interesting presentations using Microsoft PowerPoint that can be incorporated into the classroom. Participants will also learn how to integrate other Microsoft Applications and the internet into Microsoft PowerPoint.

Powerpoint  - Advanced 

This course is designed for teachers who have either taken an introductory class in PowerPoint or already have used PowerPoint in the classroom. They will learn some of the more advanced features of the program and explore more uses for the classroom.  

Word  - Advanced

This is designed for those who already understand basic word processing, but would like to learn some of the more advanced features of the program. This course is great for those whose use of the computer has been limited, but are anxious to learn more and become more comfortable using the computer. 

The following program is part of a three year grant. Enclosed is the schedule for 2005 – 06. The 2006 – 07 program will be made available in the spring of 2006. The requirements and benefits will remain the same. If you are interested in this excellent program please contact Jim Pietras, Principal, East Meadow Elementary School at 467-7198.

The Franklin County Professional Development Collaborative and the Hampshire County
School Districts of Granby and Ware,
In partnership with the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Memorial Hall Museum,
Deerfield, Massachusetts

 Invite local educators to join year two of
American Promises.
A Teaching American History
Program

 Teaching American History is a national program to increase teacher knowledge of American History to enable students to become better informed and more involved citizens. Each year, American Promises examines significant issues, episodes and people from the colonial period into the twentieth century in the context of the ideals contained in our Nation’s founding documents: 1) The Promises of the American Revolution: colonies to Nation; 2) Testing the Promises: The Civil War, Industrialization, and Immigration; and 3) Claiming the Promises: Two World Wars, More Immigration, A New Deal and Civil Rights. Professional development includes seminars with nationally recognized scholars of American History, meetings with individual teachers, workshops, special programs to meet building and district needs, as well as living history presentations and field trips. An Educator Advisory Board guides this Federally funded, content-rich program of professional development.

Benefits for Students

           ·     Field trip to Old Deerfield
           ·     Living history presentations in the classroom
           ·     Fun and challenging experiences learning about American History
           ·     Local history connected to American History
           ·     Engaging, local primary resources – letters, newspapers, photographs and artifacts
           ·     Student-centered, inquiry-based learning activities build critical thinking skills
           ·     Addresses Massachusetts Framework Requirements
           ·     Family pass for Memorial Hall and Indian House Children’s Museum

Benefits for Teachers and Librarians

           ·     Free, high quality training experiences; work with professors and museum professionals
           ·     Professional development points, and graduate credits available
           ·     Assistance in developing history and interdisciplinary curricula
           ·     A Teachers’ Center for American History (multimedia lending library, traveling history kits, workshops)
           ·     content-focused use of technology, featuring the premier American Centuries website
                  (www.americancenturies.mass.edu)
           ·     Honorariums and free classroom materials

 There are a limited number of slots for teachers. If you are interested in learning more, please contact your
District representative:                                  Granby - Jim Pietras, 413-467-7198

Athol-Royalston - Anna Garbiel, 978-249-2400             Greenfield - Dr. Joyce Mehaffey, 413-772-1313
Erving/U#28 - Linda Driscoll, 413-423-3337                 Mohawk Trail - Dot Lyman, 413-625-0192 x 31
Franklin Tech – Terry Dun, 413-863-9561                    Orange-Mahar – Kellie Gervais, 978-544-0018
Frontier/U38 – Dr. Diana Campbell, 413-665-1155      Pioneer Valley – Patsy Casella, 413-498-2931
Gill-Montague – Laurie Farkas, 413-863-9311             Ware – Gail Lucey, 413-967-4271 x 20

If you do not have a District representative, please contact Dr. Barbara Mathews, Director, Teaching American History, at 413-774-7476 x 15             Funded by the U.S. Department of Education

REQUIREMENTS AND BENEFITS FOR PARTICIPANTS
IN American Promises

Join us and improve teaching and learning in American History. The participant requirements below are for year two (July 1, 2005 – June 30, 2006) of this three-year Teaching American History project. Three levels of participation are offered.

1. Eight Seminars-Four in August, to kick off the program, two in the Fall and two in the Spring (see 2005-06 seminar schedule). Please note: The expectation is that full participants will attend all eight seminars. In extenuating circumstances, full participants may choose to substitute workshops for two seminars (3 two-hour workshops = 1 full day seminar) 
   
   The seminars open with morning presentations by scholars. Afternoon break-out small groups follow, including work with museum staff on artifacts and documents that can be used to teach the content covered in the morning, small group discussion with professors, and strategies for classroom integration.

2. Attend 6 after school Teachers’ Center Workshops, one of which must be an American Centuries classroom activity instruction workshop.

3. Develop a plan of 8 – 10 hours of professional development from the following choices:
   
   *   Work with Historians-in-Residence in your classroom – this could include demonstrating strategies for teaching with artifacts or primary documents, co-teaching, or work in reviewing classroom material to find areas where local resources can be integrated. It may be a ‘one-time’ event or a many day project or unit.

   *   Attend content-specific workshops at the Deerfield Teachers’ Center. Workshops may also be arranged on site at your school.

   *   Work with Teachers’ Center (PVMA) library researcher – to find historic documents from PVMA and other local historical societies to support your teaching (either new or existing units).

   *   Receive content-related technology training on use of websites, especially the American Centuries website, www.americancenturies.mass.edu.

   *    Arrange training or provide support to other educators.

   *    Individual or small group training (by Museum/Teachers’ Center staff) in a content area of your choice related to American History, or teaching with primary resources, or working sessions on specific curriculum development.

   *    Study at the Deerfield Teachers’ Center.

4. Have one field trip program to Memorial Hall Museum or Indian House, or one History-To-Go activity in your classroom. *Participants without their own classroom may share a field trip with a teacher in their school.

5. Written documentation of learning:
   
   a)     A lesson plan or curriculum unit integrating primary sources, and
   
   b)     A short online classroom activity (1-2 45 minute classroom periods) based
          on objects  and on objects and documents featured in Memorial Hall Museum’s
          digital collection (www.americancenturies.mass.edu). After review by staff,
          participants will post their activity in the “Classroom Activities” section of the
          American Centuries Website.

6. Be available as a resource to your colleagues to access Teaching American History Resources; inform and promote use of Teaching American History resources in your school.

7. Actively participate in evaluation of the project.
   
   
   
   

1. Attend a minimum of four seminars. In extenuating circumstances, half participants may choose to substitute workshops for one seminar (3 two-hour workshops = 1 full day seminar)

2. Attend a minimum of 3 after school Teachers’ Center workshops, one of which must be an American Centuries classroom activity instruction workshop.

3. Five hours of additional training to be decided and scheduled by participant (as described in #3 under full participation).

4. Have one field trip program, or one History-To-Go activity in your classroom. (as described in #4 under full participation).

5. Written documentation of learning a short online classroom activity based on objects and documents featured in Memorial Hall Museum’s digital collection (as described in #5b under full participation).

6. Actively participate in evaluation of the project.

Partial (quarter) participation is designed around developing specific content area.

1. Attend a minimum of one seminar (see seminar schedule 2005 -2006).

2. Attend a minimum of two after school Teachers’ Center workshops, one of which must be an American Centuries classroom activity instruction workshop.

3. Have one field trip program or one History-To-Go activity in your classroom.

4. Written documentation of learning a short online classroom activity based on objects and documents featured in Memorial Hall Museum’s digital collection (as described in #5b under full participation)

5. Actively participate in evaluation of the project.

*******************************************************************

Benefits for Participants

*   Field trip to Memorial Hall and Indian House Museums (free admission fees;
      transportation costs must be arranged within each school district).
*      Free in-class living history presentations (History-To-Go).
*      Free teacher materials.
*      Deerfield Teachers’ Center resources (multimedia lending library, traveling history
      kits, workshops).
*      Free professional development and academic study.
*      Professional development points (pdps).
*      For full participants, three graduate credits are available from Westfield State College,
     with tuition reimbursement as per district policies and approval.
*      Curriculum development support.
*      Free Memorial Hall Museum membership for students, teachers, and their families.
*      Honorariums

 

RESEARCH FOR BETTER TEACHING
STUDYING SKILLFUL TEACHING (SST)
Formerly UNDERSTANDING TEACHING I 

What characterizes schools that make a significant impact on student achievement? How do we help students exert effective effort to meet demanding performance standards? What do communities of skillful teachers do to help students acquire essential skills and knowledge? We will use current research, case studies, collaborative inquiry and problem solving, video clips, and ongoing reflection about our experiments and data to construct powerful understandings about what makes a difference for our own students in our own classrooms. 

In this practical, highly interactive course, participants will: 

            ·     plan and implement standards-based lessons
            ·     practice “no secrets” communication
            ·     teach students to believe in and use “effective effort” strategies
            ·     provide standards-based feedback on student work
            ·     collect and analyze data about student achievement problems
            ·     chip away at negative beliefs students hold about their capacity to learn
            ·     match instructional strategies to targeted outcomes

Note: Participants who complete all the course requirements will receive 67.5 Professional Development Points (PDP’s) toward recertification OR they may pay an additional fee of $225 to receive 3 graduate credits from Fitchburg Sate College. Participants may not receive both PDPs and graduate credit.

Instructor:       TBA
Dates:             TBA
Times:             TBA
Location:         TBA

RESEARCH FOR BETTER TEACHING
INVESTIGATING OBSTACLES TO ACHIEVEMENT (IOA)

This course focuses on what can go wrong for learners and what teachers can do to help them. 

We’ll use current research, video analysis, classroom experiments, reading and discussion to ask ourselves: 

            ·     What are the most common causes of academic shutdown – and what can we do about them?
            ·     How do we use classroom assessment and data analysis both to guide our decision
                   making and to make students active agents in their own learning?
            ·     What are the critical attributes of classroom climates that support or hinder student achievement?
            ·     How do we design learning experiences that actively engage students and help them to meet
                   state and local performance standards?
 

Participants will:

            ·     consider ways to eliminate the most common causes of discipline problems in the classroom
            ·     share techniques and activities to help students feel empowered, accepted, and safe to
                   take risks in learning challenging new material
            ·     add to their repertoire of strategies that help students overcome negative self theories,
                   stereotyping, and academic bias
            ·     examine the impact of criteria setting, rubrics, and exemplars on students’ ability to work
                   independently and to take increasing responsibility for the quality of their products and performances
            ·     experiment with using insider-outsider perspectives, collegial consults, peer observation
                   and a variety of data collection techniques in order to make decisions about their own teaching

 Note: Participants who complete all the course requirements will receive 67.5 Professional Development Points (PDPs) toward recertification OR they may pay an additional fee of $225 to receive 3 graduate credits from Fitchburg State College. Participants may not receive both PDP’s and graduate credit. 

To be offered during the 2006 - 07 school year.

RESEARCH FOR BETTER TEACHING
ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENTS

Understanding how to best use alternative assessments requires an overall knowledge of different kinds of assessment and a clear understanding of how and when these alternatives are most effective in the classroom. Teachers must “work backwards,” starting with what students should know and be able to do as a result of a particular lesson and then decide what would be “evidence” of student learning. The decision about the kind and quality of the evidence – be it a product or a performance – drives assessment decisions.

 To provide teachers with information about a range of alternative assessments. During the course teachers will look at:

            ·     the importance of alternative assessments
            ·     what it means to teach for understanding
            ·     an overview of different types of alternative assessments including portfolios,
                   xhibitions and demonstrations, Socratic seminars, and authentic performances
            ·     effective use – and development – of rubrics as a part of assessing student work

Using this information, participants will develop alternative assessments which they can use back in their schools. The class will come together in fall to debrief on their participants’ use of these assessment tools, to learn about their colleagues’ experiences, and to develop a plan for future assessment work.

Note: Participants who complete all the course requirements will receive 45 Professional Development Points (PDPs) toward recertification OR they may pay an additional fee of $190 to receive 2 graduate credits from Fitchburg State College. Participants may not receive both PDPs and graduate credit.

To be offered during the 2006 - 07 school year.

MTA SPONSORED COURSES
IMPLEMENTING EDUCATION REFORM
STANDARDS-BASED CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION 

The content and skills that students are expected to know and be able to do are defined in the learning strands and standards of the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. The process is applicable to all content areas. Participants will develop a 2 – 3 week standards-based unit of instruction by the end of session 3. This 9-hour program provides practice in:

identifying the essential elements of learning standards,

            ·     combining standards from English Language Arts and at least one other content area, and
            ·     demonstrating a step-by-step, skill-by-skill approach, both to instruction and assessment
                   leading to student mastery.

PDPs: 9 (participants may earn additional PDPs by developing a unit on their own time)

 Teacher’s interested in this offering should see the building principal

IMPLEMENTING EDUCATION REFORM
STUDENT ASSESSMENT – GETTING IT RIGHT 

Assessing student achievement – once the purview of the classroom teacher – now is driven by district, state and national education statute and policy. Standardized testing is a growth industry and testing standards drive curriculum and instruction. In this 3-hour workshop, participants will review assessment methods and design a rubric. There will also be time to discuss such issues as: Are we testing the “right stuff”?

PDPs: 3 

Teacher’s interested in this offering should see the building principal.

READING STRATEGIES FOR ALL CLASSROOMS

Reading is a challenge for many of our students. Teaching reading can be an even greater challenge for many teachers who know little about how students actually learn to read or how to help them to “read smarter.” This 3-hour workshop will provide content area teachers with practical information about reading that includes using readability formulas, creating textbook orientation guides, understanding the value of activating and using prior knowledge, emphasizing new vocabulary development, and integrating comprehension strategies into instruction. This is not a workshop for reading teachers or reading specialists.

PDPs:  3                       PTPs:   6 

Teacher’s interested in this offering should see the building principal.

MTA SPONSORED COURSES
UNDERGRADUATE COURSES FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PARAPROFESSIONALS ONLY

The following courses address the training requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA, the so-called No Child Left Behind Act): all instructional paraprofessionals supported by Title I funding (either in a targeted assistance or whole school model) – working in districts PRIOR to January 2002 – must be qualified to assist in the instruction of reading, writing and mathematics by January 2006. Each course will allow paraprofessionals to create a number of portfolio entries that demonstrate this knowledge. Courses are designed for those who have had little or no undergraduate training. The series of three courses will allow paraprofessionals to earn the 180 Paraprofessional Training Points (PTPs) of the 360 PTPs required to become highly qualified; an additional 180 may be earned by being employed as a paraprofessional – 10 for each month for a maximum of 18 monthers. 

These courses are NOT for teachers. Paraprofessionals holding a teaching license are already “highly qualified” and should not enroll. 

The $100 fee for each course includes instruction, materials and a light meal. See page 1 for undergraduate credit fee.

LITERACY STRATEGIES FOR PARAPROFESSIONALS (8-06)
2 Undergraduate Credits 

This  24-hour, 8-session program focuses on theory and practice in the instruction of reading and pre-reading skills and the writing process. Reading portfolio entries will include completion of all assignments related to a chapter book for children, young adolescents, or young adults of the participant’s choosing; student activities and personal writing using the process writing model. 

Topics for the first four sessions focused on reading are: 

Registration Fee:     $100 per person. See page 1 for undergraduate credit fee.

PTPs:                         60

MATHEMATICAL STRATEGIES FOR PARAPROFESSIONALS (9-06)
2 Undergraduate Credits 

This 24-hour, 8 session program focuses on understanding whole number operations, whole number operations applied to fractions and whole number operations applied to decimals.  

Topics will include: 

            ·     Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of whole numbers, fractions and decimals
            ·     Use of manipulatives in mathematics instruction
            ·     Introduction to algebraic thinking

Registration Fee:     $100 per person. See page 1 for undergraduate credit fee.

PTPs:               60

INSTRUCTIONAL AND INCLUSION STRATEGIES FOR PARAPROFESSIONALS (10-06)
2 Undergraduate Credits 

This 24-hour, 8-session program focuses on managing student behavior and addressing different learning styles and needs within the classroom with portfolio entries about: 

Topics will include:

PUPIL SERVICES
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
2005 – 2007

Activity:                      IDEA 2004

Target Audience:             All Special Education Professional Staff

Goal:                           Provide staff with information related to the implementation of the reauthorized Individuals with Disability Education Act of 2004. Training will include new requirements, timelines, IEPs, transition statements, and procedures.

Time Frame: September 1, 2005 and then ongoing

Activity:                      “Powerful Strategies for Dealing with Difficult Parents” This is a full day workshop featuring Randy Fortenberry, a nationally known presenter. The workshop will be held at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center in Northampton.

Target Audience:             All Special Education Professional Staff and Some Regular Education Staff

Goal:                           Provide educators with strategies to assist in the development of positive working relationships with parents.

Time Frame:                         March 10, 2006

Activity:                     Through both monthly consultation with an outside consultant, and ongoing visitation of various language-based programs, the district will pilot a language-based classroom in the third grade.

Target Audience: Third Grade Special Education, Regular Education, and Speech and Language Pathologist

Goal:                           The district will instruct students with moderate to severe language-based learning disabilities in the regular classroom. 

Time Frame: 2005-2006 School Year.

.

Additional professional development will be offered to various school personnel in the following areas:           

• Civil Rights/ IDEA/Sexual Harassment/ELL/51A
• Physical Restraint
• MELO-O
• Alternative MCAS
• American Sign Language
• Eutactics IEP Program
• Para Educator On-line courses
• Clinical Supervision for Psychologist/SAC

WEST STREET SCHOOL
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS
2005 - 2007

 GOAL #1 

To continue reading, language arts, and math training to assist teachers in learning skills, knowledge and instructional strategies which are effective and research based in order to improve students’ knowledge/skills in math, reading, and writing

 Rationale: 

Reading, writing, and math skills are a priority at West Street School. To address the needs of all students and improve students’ performance in math, reading, and writing, teachers/staff must increase their knowledge and skills through professional development. This goal is included in the 2005-2006 West Street School Improvement Plan.

Activities: 

·             Tra