Page 103 - Superintendent Annual Report 2023-24

Academic Professional Learning

To sustain the District’s goal of ensuring that all employees have the support, skills, and resources to achieve excellence in
our schools and for our students, academic professional learning opportunities are available annually for all teachers and
academic support personnel.

During FY24, ongoing professional learning sessions were offered throughout the summer and school year to engage staff
in improving standards-based instructional practices.

Topics included:
• K-12 Standards-Based Instruction (in all content areas)
• B.E.S.T. Mathematics and English Language Arts Teacher Leader Cohorts
• B.E.S.T. Mathematics and English Language Arts Teacher Cadres
• K-5 Science Leadership Academy
• Secondary Science Content Clinics
• Project-Based Learning: Getting Started in Curriculum Integration
• Gifted and Enrichment Support
• Progress Monitoring and Assessment Tools
• Reading Intervention Supports and Strategies
• Department Instructional Leaders/Coaches & Contacts Support
• Resiliency, Character and Life Skill Education
• AP/AICE Round Table Professional Learning
• Course-specific Accelerated Learning Institutes with Cambridge Learning and College Board

Additionally, the Division of Teaching and Learning, comprised of the Elementary & Secondary Education teams, offered
ongoing, job-embedded support at school sites through PLC. This targeted support empowered teams to take a deep dive
into school-specific data, craft tailored plans to elevate students’ academic journeys, and bolster pedagogical strategies
unique to each grade level and content area.

Educator Support Program

The Educator Support Program (ESP) was pivotal in supporting and developing new instructional personnel by offering
continuous job-embedded professional learning, resources, and on-site mentoring. Each school site received support from
an ESP contact and a voluntary lead mentor. ESP was divided into two cohorts, ESP Foundations and ESP Accelerated. New
teachers with temporary certification were enrolled in ESP Foundations, while educators with professional certification
were enrolled in ESP Accelerated. Each cohort provided structured experiences for participants to engage with and reflect
on, guided by a mentor or buddy teacher.

The FY24 ESP Enrollment:
• ESP Foundations: 819
• ESP Accelerated: 164
• ESP Mentors: 575
• ESP School Leaders: 335

The program’s culminating celebration was the recognition of the Beginning Teacher and Mentor Teacher of the Year. This
prestigious award honored finalists from elementary, middle, and high school levels, representing each region throughout
the District. School administrators nominated these outstanding individuals for their remarkable professional growth and
dedication to the teaching profession.

EDUCATE | AFFIRM | INSPIRE 103