KEVIN J. SULLIVAN
WESTFIELD – The School Committee initiated its review of the half say sessions set aside for staff professional development this week, but requested adjustments to the program be presented later this month.
Committee member Kevin Sullivan said Wednesday that while no official action was taken relative to the program, the committee requested the administration to reschedule some of the half-day professional development sessions and present a revised school calendar to the board at the Dec. 17 meeting.
“What was said is that we have an issue with the calendar. We support the need for professional development, but the issue is the calendar” Sullivan said. “In November, there was not one full week of school because there was a snow day as well as the half days and holidays.”
“The calendar had two professional development half days in January, when snow days are most likely to occur, so we’d like to see one of those half days bumped to March,” Sullivan said. “The committee charged the administration to come back with a calendar friendlier to a normal schedule.”
Sullivan said that administrators and teachers presented data showing that the professional development program, intended to create a more universal district where teaching practices and educational goals are the same across the district, is showing an immediate positive impact.
“Ray Broderick at Westfield High School said that the outside accreditation group has removed the school from the probation list because of the professional development program,” Sullivan said.
The School Committee adopted the 10 half-day professional development program in June when it approved the 2012-2013 academic calendars, but did so with reservation. Part of the motion approved the calendar as presented by the administration was to access the professional development process in December to determine if the benefits outweigh the lost of classroom time for students.
School Superintendent Suzanne Scallion presented the professional development plan, which substantially extends the program, adding 30 hours over the course of the academic year to improving teaching practices through peer coaching to the School Committee at its June 5th meeting.
Scallion requested the committee to approve the plan that would insert 10 half-days for students into the school calendar next year, all 10 on a Wednesday. Teachers would attend courses, selected in conjunction with curriculum supervisors, department heads and principal, that would be presented by other teachers within the district.
That plan was approved at the June 18 board session, with the December review proviso.
Scallion said the new state curriculum standard will require a substantial investment in professional development and in updating classroom materials. Scallion said the district will initially focus on the professional development and roll out a curriculum material update over the next two to three years.
Scallion said in June that the courses to be offered through the professional development program will be identified through a collaboration of principals, the district’s instructional team and teachers.
“This is about teachers teaching teachers,” Scallion said at the June 5 committee session. “To be effective, they need to have the opportunity to be together. This is the only way to get together to collaborate, to share best practices. Teachers will earn professional development credit needed for certification.”
Scallion said the peer professional development program has the advantage of being more cost-effective than sending a small number of teachers and staff members to programs outside the district and is also a more efficient method of sharing information.
Scallion said professional development courses will focus on seven “strands” which include district curriculum, literacy, math, 21st Century Learning, instructional practices, beginning teacher support and specialties (music, are, nurses, counselors).
To watch the school committee meeting, click here.
