Section5

Section 5: Professional Development
The Mid-Del School system believes that research-based, results-driven, professional development opportunities for staff are essential in order to improve teaching and learning. The goal of professional development is to accelerate student learning. Building instructional capacity through on-going, job-embedded professional development that is aligned with student performance goals is vital to Mid-Del Schools. A key component of professional development as it relates to technology is the complete and reliable access to the hardware and software necessary for immediate implementation of skills and programs that are acquired through the professional development activity.

Mid-Del Schools utilizes a district based Instructional Technology Coordinator model to assist classroom teachers with achieving these goals. The duties focus on planning, organizing and delivering training for employees throughout the district. This role also includes collaboration with teachers and administrators on the implementation of new technology initiatives to ensure successful utilization with the students. The Instructional Coordinator also oversees the development and execution of the district technology plan, as well as helping sites identify technology solutions for consolidated improvement plans, ensuring that plans for successful implementation occur. The Instructional Technology Coordinator also serves as a lead STEP educator to ensure organizational support for that cadre of individuals. In a general way, the Instructional Technology Coordinator serves as a liaison to the teachers to ensure good communication, understanding, and accountability.

Mid-Del Schools approach technology training through the train-the-trainer model. Individual sites have STEP (Sharing Technological Educational Practices) Educators. These teachers, in cooperation with the site principal, are responsible for the implementation of all instructional technology initiatives at the school site. The district has followed this model since 2003. It would be a benefit to review the program to insure that training needs are being met and to make any necessary adjustments.

The district now adopts the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards known as NETS (National Educational Technology Standards) for Teachers and Administrators. The latest version of NETS can be found on the ISTE web site at [|http://cnets.iste.org]. The explicit goal of all opportunities will be to develop evidence of one of the six goals for inclusion in classroom instruction.

The Mid-Del school system believes that building instructional capacity through on-going, job-embedded professional development that is aligned with student performance goals is vital. Through the use of PD 360 and the Mid-Del Learning Portal, professional development with regards to technology is easily accessible. It is our intention to focus on teacher accountability for the day-to-day use of technology both in instruction and in classroom management related tasks. The educational leaders are seen as the primary source for helping the professional staff carry out the technology goals of the District. The administrators are the first line of teaching and implementing the technology goals through the use of site STEP trainers at the individual school sites. STEP Educators should plan training for the staff in programs such as Edusoft, PowerSchool, SchoolCenter, Discovery Education, and Destination Math/Reading, Achieve 3000, and Comprehend. The implementation model of Achieve 3000 is the best plan the District has executed to date. This allows each administrator and their staff to develop technology in a relatively casual atmosphere that is meaningful to that specific staff. This also allows principals to develop a realistic and meaningful expectation for teachers as they implement technology integration. This approach is a positive and technology friendly experience for all the staff of the Mid-Del Schools.

During the 2011-2012 school year, the District received a Department of Defense Education Agency grant. The grant was awarded to Tinker Elementary that serves the District's highest population of elementary military connected students. The grant will provide computers, student response systems, and a Technology Integration Specialist on site to facilitate the professional development teachers will need.

During the 2011-2012 school year, the District began videotaping teachers engaged in exemplary instructional practices. The videos are posted on the District's website. The videos are called MDPD-24/7 which means Mid-Del Professional Develoopment 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The title implies that Mid-Del's best practices can be watched on demand at any time. These videos will be incorporated into Mid-Del's professional growth model in the new teacher evaluation system.