Professional Learning Community

Below is the Professional Development Plan for our Faculty for the year 2011-2012

Reflection

1. Technology Education has been valuable. Teachers have implemented use of ActivBoard and web pages, as well as online textbooks.
2. Staff needed technology education that provided academic communication for students and parents.
3. Through parent feedback and surveys, OLGC has been able to analyze responses from parents concerning academic communication.
4. Previous professional learning was not provided in an organized manner. Previous professional learning was geared towards the individual’s professional interests.
5. Funding has been the biggest determinant in providing Professional Development. Teacher coverage by substitutes is sometimes difficult.
6. Professional Development will be focused, with benchmarks established

Needs Assessment

1. Definition of Student Achievement: Our Lady of Good Counsel School measures student achievement by striving to have each student attain his/her highest standard of academic excellence. Student achievement is not only measured academically, but is also based on Christian values of responsibility, respect, honesty, truthfulness, self-discipline, kindness, cooperation and service to others.
2. Student success will be measured by students’ proficiency at level 4/5. We anticipate an increase in all subject grades on report cards. Writing will be measured by the New Jersey Registered Holistic Scoring Rubric. Faculty will develop text gradient to establish guided reading benchmarks for students – Grades2/3.

Professional Development Goals

1. Implement instructional models to meet the diverse needs of all students following the principles of learning, and best practice to meet or exceed grade level proficiencies in Language Arts, Math, Science and Technology.
2. Devise a comprehensive system collecting and analyzing various forms of student assessment. Pretest, Post-test, Summative Assessment in core curriculum will be analyzed. Benchmarks will be implemented for appropriate subjects.
3. Teachers will implement small group models (guided reading/literature circles) to differentiate instruction. Teachers will collaboratively analyze multiple literacy assessments to inform/adapt reading/writing instruction and practice.
4. Students will engage in Math activities that promote higher order thinking skills and multiple problem solving strategies for open-ended questions/problems. Student portfolios will be implemented to reflect open-ended responses and mastery of multiple problem solving strategies, as well as summative assessment results.
5. Students will actively participate in inquiry based Science activities/labs using the Scientific Method.

School Professional Development Opportunities

1. Professional development has been offered and will continue to be offered through the use of on-line learning workshops and through implementation of the OLGC Strategic Plan. Newly implemented after school in-house workshops will continue using blogs, classroom wikis, Google spreadsheets and digital stories.
2. The implementation of small group models for guided reading/literature circles for differentiated instruction is in progress. Students will engage in Math activities that promote higher level thinking skills and multiple problem solving strategies for open ended questions/problems. Students will actively participate in inquiry-based Science activities/labs using the Scientific Method.
3. In order for the effective implementation of classroom differentiation of small group instruction, faculty training must be provided.
4. The Professional Development Plan will be communicated to all staff through principal conducted faculty meetings.

Professional Development Resources

1. Time allocation for professional development includes half days, after school faculty meetings, and off campus opportunities. In addition, small group meetings will take place during school hours. Meetings will occur during teacher prep time or coverage will be provided.
2. In-house professional development is provided by Mrs. Suzanne Casey, Technology Coordinator, and Mrs. Marcie Steel, Master of Science in Educational Technology candidate, in order to provide the school community with valuable professional development and technology.
3. Evaluation of the School Professional Development Plan
4. Differential classroom teaching strategies will be encouraged and subsequently implemented. The evidence of the new strategies will be assessed by classroom observations, group formation records, student portfolios, and anecdotal observations.
5. Student data will be collected in the form of Terra Nova scores and report card grades. In addition, pre-imposed testing (Study Island, Pre-test and Post-test), Math Portfolios, and Benchmarks will be analyzed to determine achievement and weaknesses. Further, surveys will be sent to High Schools of former OLGC students and used to formulate information to determine curriculum strengths and weaknesses. Suggestions will be made for curriculum adjustment.
6. In addition, teachers’ records will be accessed to support the program evaluation process.
7. School Professional Development will be encouraged through the use of peer professional development opportunities.
8. Focus groups will be held and teacher input will be obtained through the use of staff meetings, half days, and teacher prep periods. Surveys of staff and stakeholders will be conducted through email and mailboxes. Individual evaluation forms will be examined and tabulated by teacher committees.