Learning Opportunities
Administrative Professionals
All administrative professional learning offerings are categorized under one of the following strands: Curriculum Alignment, Results-Based Professional Learning, Leadership, or Assessment Data. Workshops, book studies, and mentoring are among the many professional learning opportunities offered for administrators.
Certified Staff
All workshops are aligned with the goals of the district's Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP), in addition to the district's major initiatives, and also according to teachers' assessed professional learning needs. Additional professional learning is determined by the Curriculum Management Plan and gaps in student achievement data.
Workshops for certified staff, administrators, and support staff are offered throughout the school year and summer. Certified staff are encouraged to enroll in summer workshops that will increase their knowledge and expertise in curricular and instructional practices. Workshop registration is accomplished through an online data base that also tracks a teacher's record of professional learning activities. Professional learning hours for all district staff is reported to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education annually.
Certified staff are paid a stipend to attend summer workshops. Graduate credit is offered through local universities for many of the summer workshops offered. Follow-up to district workshops is addressed in a variety of ways, to include but not limited to best practices sharing, classroom observations, reflective feedback, release time for professional dialogue and follow-up training. All district workshops are aligned with the goals and objectives of the district's CSIP and support the intended, taught, and assessed curriculum.
Support Staff
Support staff learning is focused on student achievement and district goals, as outlined in the CSIP. Throughout the school year and summer, additional workshops are offered on topics such as diversity, health, wellness, safety, technology, instructional strategies, and personal awareness for non-certified staff.
Each department in Rockwood School District provides professional learning for their individual staff members based on assessed needs of the individuals and the department. The Director of Professional Learning meets with support staff supervisors annually to discuss professional learning planning for support staff within their department.