Local schools discuss professional development, best practices
Oct. 11—While students have the opportunity to have a three day weekend a few times a year, their teachers and administrators receive continuing training in "best practices" during these professional development days.
Best practices provide schools a research based approach to teaching students in a way that enhances learning and emotional development.
Every school system or private school will have a different set of "best practices" for their classrooms.
The News Courier spoke with the curriculum development teams of Athens City Schools, Limestone County Schools, and Athens Bible School regarding best practices for their classrooms. This includes, but is not limited to:
* Athens City Schools: Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Garner Exell and Curriculum and Instructional Specialists Toni Bailey and JulieAnn Smith.
* Limestone County Schools: Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction Allison Usery and her team.
* Athens Bible School: Principal Chris Duke and his team.
The News Courier requested information from the Lindsay Lane Christian Academy and the Mount Pisgah Baptist Academy but did not hear back.
Are there any changes in "best practices" for the 2022-23 school year?
LCS: "No fundamental changes, just continuing with best practices and strengthening our higher order thinking strategies."
ACS: "Portrait of A Graduate continues to be our North Star. We are excited how school leaders, the community, and teachers and staff came together to look at how to prepare ALL of our students for a robust future, whether it be college or career. We are continually looking at ways to implement and build our Best Practices. Through AVID, Project Based Learning, and other District initiatives, we continue to utilize research-based strategies to make learning meaningful across all grade levels and disciplines."
ABS: "Best practices at Athens Bible School are driven by the desire to equip students with the tools to be successful in all areas of life through the lens of a Biblical worldview. It is the aim of the school to cultivate and develop the spiritual nature of every student which, in turn, gives them the opportunity to be successful in this life and the life to come. 'And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men' (Luke 2:52 NKJV)."
What guides best practices?
LCS: "Our motto is All Kids Can! We believe that all students can achieve at high levels. This takes continually looking at data to determine next steps.
* High expectations
* Teach the standards
* Providing student support
* Targeted instruction
* Student engagement"
ACS: "Athens City's Portrait of a Graduate will serve as the North Star in developing our strategic plan. It is a community-created vision that captures the hopes and dreams for our students. The portrait is focused on the whole child and describes the characteristics and skills that will empower all students for success now and in the future."
ABS: "Best practices are guided by input from the entire school community using a number of communication tools such as one-on-one interviews, group interviews, and surveys to help determine the most important attributes and skills necessary for student success. In addition, analysis of data collected from student observations, teacher observations and student assessments is used to determine if we are on track with best practices and/or what changes may need to take place in the future."
What types of trainings or activities did teachers go through for professional development prior to the start of the school year?
LCS: "Professional Development was offered through various sources, including district leaders, teacher leaders, district Math Coaches, Reading Specialists, Instructional Supervisors, Librarians, district curriculum specialists, curriculum content specialists, virtual platforms, ect.
* District: Safe Defend
* District: Mandatory Training
* District: View Sonic
District: New Teacher Academy
* Elementary: Grade-level specific training in Math, Reading, PE, Music, Art, PE, Pre-K
* High School: Grade-level specific training in Math, English Language Arts, Content Specific AP, and A+ Training, Content Specific Dual Enrollment PD through UNA"
ACS: "All District teachers, administrators and staff attended the Appreciative Inquiry Summit, which was held on Wednesday, August 3, at Athens Middle School. The summit's purpose was to gather Athens' educator's input as we begin the process of building a 2030 strategic plan that will provide a roadmap for the future of Athens City Schools. Teachers also attended school-based professional development with their instructional partners and administration in order to build capacity for their individual school needs.
Appreciative Inquiry is a systemic strength-based approach to organizational change that has been used successfully in colleges, schools, communities, and organizations all around the world. Researchers have found that we learn little about excellence by studying failure. Tomorrow we will intentionally look for the strengths in ourselves and our system, and ways to build upon them together."
ABS: "Teachers participated in a wide variety of professional development activities leading up to the start of school and continuing throughout the year. This includes an online professional learning platform that allows teachers easy 24/7 access to personalized and innovative professional development. Also, several faculty members completed the Orton-Gillingham Classroom Educator Course during the summer to enhance their ability to promote literacy development. Others participated in core course professional development or took additional college courses to expand their knowledge and skills."
What is the purpose of professional development? What goals are associated with undergoing periodic professional development days?
LCS: "Professional development affords teachers with the opportunity to continue refining their expertise. It is also a great way for teachers to remain abreast of the changes and updates on curriculum, standards, and teaching strategies. Professional development is also a great way to ensure that all teachers know and work towards the district goal of enhancing student achievement.
Professional development sets teachers up for success.
We intend to offer planned, purposeful, and individualized PD to ensure that we provide teachers with the support necessary to help us reach our goals as a classroom, school, and district."
ACS: "The purpose of professional development is to improve educators' knowledge and skills in order to facilitate individual, school-wide, and district-wide instructional improvements for the purpose of increasing student achievement and meeting the needs of the whole child, every child.
* Strengthen our culture of collaboration in our schools, as well as our #OneAthens collaboration across our district.
* Create alignment between standards, instruction, and assessment.
* To empower our teachers as they greet the 2022-2023 School Year. It is important that teachers are connecting with one another as they give voice to their hopes for their students and all they will achieve in Athens City Schools."
ABS: "Professional development at Athens Bible School is vital to the success of teachers, students, and the school as a whole. Quality, timely, and effective PD for teachers is vital to overall school success because it continues to build on their skills and talents to become even more effective instructors. That, in turn, translates to more effective, engaging lessons for our students leading to even higher rates of student success. This can be seen, not only, in grades and test scores but in the attitude and desire of each student to be the very best they can be. 'And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men' (Colossians 3:23 NKJV)."
How do you gauge the success of professional development? LCS: "Teacher feedback, implementation in the classroom."
ACS: "Increased student engagement and achievement, evidence of real-world learning opportunities, students are taking ownership of their learning."
ABS: "Teacher surveys, upon completion of any training or course work, are a key component in determining the success of any professional development. Once new tools, skills, and methods are incorporated into the curriculum, observations and evaluations of student work help determine the validity of the training teachers receive."
How does professional development contribute to the success of the teachers and the schools? LCS: "Professional development is key to continued growth. It is a way to continue developing their knowledge base while introducing them to new ideas. Limestone County Schools recognizes the need to invest in our teachers and equip teachers to help all students achieve at high levels.
Professional development often includes conferences and workshops but can also simply be collaborating with their peers in their school and district, participating in instructional rounds, visiting another teacher's classroom, and more."
ACS: "It provides teachers with the tools to implement Best Practices and Research-based strategies."
For more information about professional development and best practices, Central Office can be reached at:
* Limestone County Schools: (256)-232-5353
* Athens City Schools:
* (256)-233-6600
* Athens Bible School:
* (256)-232-3525
