Professional development activities in the public schools of the Township of Union are designed to assure full staff participation through the designation of three five-hour days of training. At each districtwide activity, the Local Professional Development Committee (LPDC) requests staff feedback and recommendations for the improvement of future activities. The activities and schedule for these days vary depending upon specific goals and objectives that we seek to achieve. On some occasions, an opening general session is held with subsequent breakout sessions by department/grade level. In February 2004, staff members were offered a choice of workshop sessions from among a broad menu of topics. This format was very well received by the staff, as reflected in staff comments on the session evaluations. The topics for all sessions were intended to respond to district needs as identified in the staff needs assessment, district goals, school-level corrective action plans, and the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards (NJCCCS). Emphasis was focused on instructional strategies that would result in enhanced student learning and achievement. 

The 2004-2005 Professional Development Plan was approved by the County Professional Development Board on February 10, 2004. 

During the 2004-2005 school year, the district implemented an ambitious and comprehensive schedule of after-school elective professional development activities. Topics for these sessions were selected from among those noted in the approved district professional development plan and various needs assessment instruments. These activities responded to the needs of individual teaching staff members while also focusing on district-wide goals. For 2005-2006, these activities will be scheduled on a trimester basis with the topics adjusted in response to emerging needs. The professional development program during the 2004-2005 school year occurred at a cost to the Board of Education of approximately $79,800. Additionally, 114 teachers took graduate level courses at a cost to the Board of Education of $328,000. 

Also in accordance with the district professional development plan, a thematic continuum has been established to maintain a connection among district activities throughout the year. In selecting activities and presenters, the intention is to foster inclusion of the thematic elements into all teachers’ classroom practice. To achieve the vision described in the district plan, the support of building principals and department supervisors will be critical elements in the achievement of this objective. 

The district utilizes a number of diverse methods to fully assess its professional development needs. In the past, surveys, test data analysis, program needs assessments, and school needs assessments have been used to determine these needs. For 2005-2006, some of these methods will be utilized once again, especially the analysis of student test data from the spring 2004-2005 statewide assessments. Subsequent to all district sponsored professional development activities, members of the staff are asked for input on future professional development programs. All comments received after these sessions are aggregated and reported to the district administration and the LPDC, which continually works to implement these suggestions. The district Central Planning Committee meets four times each year. The charge of this committee is to monitor implementation of the district curricula. Each meeting agenda includes discussion of staff development. Subject area supervisors regularly engage in dialogue with their respective department staff, seeking recommendations for PD activities in light of state and federal mandates concerning standards and assessment. 

In an effort to achieve its target goals to meet the requirements of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, (the “No Child Left Behind” law), the district has established school-level goals. The activities conducted to formulate these goals constitute a significant effort to address identified needs directly related to student achievement and the CCCS. Each building conducted its own needs assessment and analyzed available district and state test data to delineate these school goals. The LPDC analyzed each building objective to determine the appropriate professional development activity to facilitate its achievement. 

The ESEA/NCLB legislation also requires that the district focus attention on “teaching methods that are proven to work.” Monies were dedicated in the FY 2005 NCLB Consolidated Application to the following areas of need: science and mathematics at the middle and high school levels, with an emphasis on special education teachers in content areas. The district has also targeted FY 2006 Title IIA professional development funds to the aforementioned groups. The goal is to expand content area expertise while simultaneously increasing the abilities of teachers in the areas of differentiated instruction and multiple measures/assessments. State assessment data analysis for the 2003-2004 school year further supported this dedication of funds in the area of mathematics at the elementary, middle, and high school levels with minimal gains demonstrated on the mathematics section of the NJ ASK, GEPA, and HSPA for both the total student population and the special education sub-group. 

The following topics were identified as a result of the multiple-measure needs assessment conducted by the LPDC. In response to the identification of these topics, the district focuses its professional development program on these issues. Many of these topics are recurring and continue to be a priority among the teaching staff: Classroom Management/Discipline, Technology, Differentiated Instruction, School Safety/Gang Behavior, Crisis Management, Addressing the Needs of a Diverse Community/Multicultural Experiences, Motivating Reluctant Learners, Core Curriculum Content Standards, Achievement of Adequate Yearly Progress Goals (NCLB), Open-Ended Questions/Rubric Scoring, Inclusion/Mainstreaming Learning Styles/Strategies, Conflict Resolution/Character Education, Grade Level Articulation (districtwide), Educational Leadership Development/Facilitator Training, Reading/Writing Strategies for Content Areas. 

Implementation of the district’s PD plan requires an allocation of dollars and a commitment of time from the Board of Education. For the 2005-2006 Professional Development Plan approved by the County Professional Development Board on January 20, 2005, the LPDC requested funding for a PD line item of approximately $75,000 for consultants and conference registrations, an additional $16,000 for substitutes, and approximately $328,600.00 for tuition reimbursement. Time commitments are reflected in the inclusion of three PD days in the school calendar and up to two professional days per staff member to attend conferences/workshops outside the district as stipulated in the collective bargaining agreement. Also, the district has included salaries for three elementary specialist positions and a staff development coordinator in the budget. The role of the specialists is to provide ongoing PD to K-5 staff throughout the school year. The role of the coordinator is to monitor, plan, implement, and assess PD activities in the district in consultation with the LPDC. The coordinator also serves as the secretary to the LPDC.  

The Board of Education approved the Mentor/New Teacher Induction Plan on September 20, 2005 and it was submitted to the County Superintendent for approval on September 30, 2005. The plan includes an assessment of the current program with specific identified needs, criteria for mentor selection, roles and responsibilities of mentors and learning opportunities for mentors and novices. The 2005-2006 school year will be used to develop an action plan for implementation.