Conducting a current reality of my schools improvement plan in relation to technology integration and professional

development has been very informative. Teachers naturally discuss these subjects regularly but it was rewarding to discuss these
items one-on-one with my principal. To start, my schools vision and mission reads:
In partnership with families and the community, the mission of Clarke Middle School is to provide challenging and innovative
learning opportunities that inspire students to become thinkers and risk-takers who are knowledgeable, inquiring, reflective,
principled, and caring members of society. Our goal is to guide and support students in developing open-mindedness and
intercultural awareness so that they can help to create a better and more peaceful world for themselves and others.
The vision was created by the school stakeholders but the technology vision is that of the district superintendent, Dr. Philip Lanoue,
who was recently awarded national superintendent of the year. Every school in the county shares a vision for all students to graduate
as life-long learners with the knowledge, skills and character to succeed in our community and the global society. To ensure this
vision, all students were provided a take-home device, and teachers continue to have access to Google, Lenovo, Smart, and Apple
technologies and applications. Furthermore, the expectation is that teachers continue to differentiate, progress monitor, and engage
students in higher-order thinking through technology.
At the school level, the need for professional development is determined mostly by the initiative outlined in the school
improvement plan. For example, one initiative is to promote creativity and engage student interests. This led to professional
development on creativity in the classroom, and an opportunity for teachers to specify what it looks like in different content areas.
My principal also mentioned that teacher surveys play a role in determine what is needed, along with the specific SIP initiatives. For

example, if an initiative is to make classroom information more accessible to students and parents, there may be some teachers who
need development in this area.
Professional learning typically takes place during monthly faculty meetings, on professional development planning days, on
Fridays during planning, and after school for choice sessions. Most often the groups are made of grade level or vertical content teams.
My principal mentioned that this is a difficult decision to make and that much discussion takes place to determine the best makeup to
receive the information. Regardless of the professional learning group, the form is typically done as a learning team or workshop.
Either information is presented to the teachers, or they are provided with time to create lesson plans involving the topic of the PL.
There have been book studies in the past few years, but different groups were reading different books and there was brief discussion of
the chapters read at a faculty meeting.
Many factors contribute to the development of the SIP goals, but are heavily based on student achievement data and the
analysis of the school improvement leadership team. The focus this year has been on creativity, sustainability, International
Baccalaureate, Differentiation, Cultural Awareness. Our main goal involving technology is to create innovative instructional delivery
strategies using digital tools. This is not very specific so most technology professional learning comes from the teachers who
participate in trainings outside the district, or who have discovered a tool to share with others. Technology professional learning is
done more extensively at the district level. This is done through the instructional technology department throughout the year and
during the Summer Institute during post-planning. Teachers lead the sessions sharing a tool, and how to use it, and both leaders and
attendees are rewarded with a stipend funded by the district. The district also tends to schedule research based technology PL on

professional learning days where the students have a vacation day. The most recent was about the Substitution Augmentation
Modification Redefinition (SAMR) model. There are cases at the school level where groups of teachers participate in a PL session
based on content, such as language arts teachers learning of a new reading tool. However, the technology professional learning in
relation to the school improvement plan is not specified. In discussion with my principal though, he feels that it is also a difficult topic
because teacher readiness levels are so wide. He mentioned that while younger teachers tend to learn tools faster, older teachers tend
to need further and more extensive exposure. There is an instructional lead teacher and media specialist at my school, but there is not
an instructional technology coach, which may also be why the specificity of technology professional development needs improvement.
Teachers mainly conduct share-out sessions sporadically.
Though it seems that the technology readiness gap between teachers is wide, follow-up support is only specified for new
teachers. They are also the only group that participates in peer observations. As my principal explained, based on last years teacher
surveys, the plan for this year was to have a follow-up system in place for all teachers as requested. The initial intention was to
introduce a topic, reflect on strengths and weaknesses, observe the implementation in practice, and provide feedback and additional
support as needed. This remains an area for improvement.
In previous years the school was labeled as a Focus school, so there was a significant achievement gap between white students
and students with disabilities. Our district is already very data driven, but based on student achievement data of SWD students there
has always been a plan to meet those students needs. This typically leads to differentiate professional development for general
education teachers, and other specific PL for special education teachers. Lately, the special education teachers have had training in

various online learning programs that address low reading levels, and assistive technology such as text-to-speech programs and
different iPad applications. For ELL support the collaborator meets with the district ELL teacher weekly for support, but there is not
extensive professional development in this area. This may be because of the low ELL population. For social-emotional needs, there is
an on-going PBIS plan that focuses on teaching and accentuating positive behaviors, in addition to building relationships with students
through organized after-school activities.
Part of the annual Implementation an Impact check with the district is to determine if the initiatives set by each school are
being met, how the school officials know their goals are met, and what the plan is given any obstacles. For most of the year the SILT
and vertical content teams work to refine the initiatives, and collect data as artifacts. A small part of this district check-up is to assess
the professional development plan and its effectiveness. My principal stated that teacher surveys and informal discussions determine
if professional development is useful or not. I feel this is also an area for improvement as the survey results are not typically shared
and it must be difficult to truly determine effectiveness without the ongoing coaching/follow-up communication. Furthermore, it is
unknown how many teachers participate in the surveys. The number of participants must adequately represent the entire faculty.

GSAPS Review

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
The means by which teachers, administrators, and other staff acquire, enhance, and refine the knowledge, skills, practices, and
dispositions necessary to create and support high levels of learning for all students
Professional Learning Standard 1: Aligns professional learning with needs identified through analysis of a variety of data
Level 4
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
Exemplary
Operational
Emerging
Not Evident
Professional learning needs are Professional learning needs are Professional learning needs are Professional learning needs are
identified and differentiated
identified through a
identified using limited sources identified using little or no
through a collaborative analysis collaborative analysis process
of data.
data.
process using a variety of data
using a variety of data (e.g.,
(e.g., student achievement data, student achievement data,
examination of student work,
examination of student work,
process data, teacher and leader process data, teacher and leader
effectiveness data, action
effectiveness data, action
research data, perception data
research data, perception data
from students, staff, and
from students, staff, and
families). Ongoing support is
families).
provided through differentiated
professional learning.
EVIDENCE: In the space below, provide detailed evidence supporting your rating above
Although there are some instances where teacher input is considered. This is usually done after the
professional development sessions have been given. In most cases with technology people are learning
through personal exploration or from a small scale PLC. Based on the interview with the principal, there was a
teacher self-assessment given to give a technology proficiency level in order to assess needs. Also, there are
teacher surveys that are used to determine the need. Or teachers see different tools that they share. There is
a large readiness gap with technology amongst teachers which makes planning for PL more difficult in this area.
Younger teachers tend to not need as much exposure as older teachers. There are also different types of Pl
based on content. For example, special education teachers may have a specialized training that general
education teachers are not exposed to.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Ask for teacher input more often before scheduled professional development in a more
systematic way; Create different PL groups such as peer mentoring to pair or group mixed tech readiness so
that teachers can assist one another.

Professional Learning Standard 2: Establishes a culture of collaboration among administrators and staff to enhance individual and
collective performance
Level 4
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
Exemplary
Operational
Emerging
Not Evident
Administrators and staff, as a
Administrators and staff
Administrators and staff
Administrators and staff
foundational practice,
routinely collaborate to
routinely collaborate to
routinely collaborate to
consistently collaborate to
improve individual and
improve individual and
improve individual and
support leadership and personal collective performance (e.g.,
collective performance (e.g.,
collective performance (e.g.,
accountability and to enhance
construct knowledge, acquire
construct knowledge, acquire
construct knowledge, acquire
individual and collective
skills, refine practice, provide
skills, refine practice, provide
skills, refine practice, provide
performance (e.g., construct
feedback).
feedback).
feedback).
knowledge, acquire skills,
refine practice, provide
feedback).
Teachers conduct action
research and assume ownership
of professional learning
processes.
EVIDENCE: This was difficult to assess because most schools in the county have the same vision which is that
of our current superintendent. Most technology related initiatives are directly from the district, so there is an
absence of teachers conducting action research.
RECOMMENDATIONS: Allow for more teacher input. Now that the district is in year 3 of technology integration
the teachers know first-hand what works and what does not.

Professional Learning Standard 3: Defines expectations for implementing professional learning

Level 4
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
Exemplary
Operational
Emerging
Not Evident
Administrators, teacher leaders, Administrators, teacher leaders, Administrators, teacher leaders, Administrators, teacher leaders,
or both consistently define
or both regularly define
or both occasionally define
or both rarely, if ever, define
expectations for the
expectations for the
expectations for the
expectations for the
implementation of professional implementation of professional implementation of professional implementation of professional
learning, including details
learning.
learning.
learning.
regarding the stages of
implementation and how
monitoring will occur as
implementation progresses.
EVIDENCE: Some informal expectations may be set but in most cases the implementation of professional
learning is not very specific. There is no definitive expectation of how often the implementation should take
place, or in what way it should be implemented based on content. There also are no set PL groups, and the
progression of PL is not shared or specified.
RECOMMENDATIONS: Have a more specific discussion that ties the implementation with a specific school
improvement initiative, then share all details of the PL plan. Some details would include, when the
implementation should start, when work-sessions would take place, a hub for reflection/open communication.
In addition it might help to set both long and short-term goals.

Professional Learning Standard 4: Uses multiple professional learning designs to support the various learning needs of the staff
Level 4
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
Exemplary
Operational
Emerging
Not Evident
Staff members actively
Staff members actively
Some staff members are
Staff members receive single,
participate in job-embedded
participate in professional
engaged in professional
stand-alone professional
professional learning that
learning, most of which is job- learning that makes use of more learning events that are
engages collaborative teams in embedded, which includes
than one learning design to
informational and mostly largea variety of appropriate
multiple designs (e.g.,
address their identified needs.
group presentation designs.
learning designs (e.g.,
collaborative lesson study,
collaborative lesson study,
analysis of student work,
analysis of student work,
problem-solving sessions,
problem solving sessions,
curriculum development,
curriculum development,
coursework, action research,
coursework, action research,
classroom observations, online
classroom observations, online networks) to support their
networks). Professional
various learning needs.
learning includes extensive
Professional learning includes
follow-up with descriptive
follow-up with feedback and
feedback and coaching.
coaching.
EVIDENCE: Most staff development is whole group, or mixed group and teachers attend a series of sessions in
rotations. Although the information is useful, the variety of PL listed in the operational or exemplary
descriptions are not present. For example, curriculum development has not been a specific session.
Furthermore, only first year teachers receive extensive follow-up support after PL. There is one example of an
ongoing initiative not directly related to technology that involves some follow-up (literacy).
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Monthly professional development can still be in the form of stations, but at some point content teachers
should be able to engage in curriculum development especially. All the other strategies become insignificant if
teachers do not collaboratively unpack standards and are not cognizant of the progression of the standards to
drive the focus of their lessons. Some information based sessions can be provided ahead of time in a video or
email with some assurance that it was actually received, such as a google form. Also, all teachers should
receive follow-up support both in a group and individual setting for feedback, reflection, and adjustments. This
allows for an open -communication environment where teachers feel their opinion is valued, which could further

increase buy-in.

Professional Learning Standard 5: Allocates resources and establishes systems to support and sustain effective professional learning
Level 4
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
Exemplary
Operational
Emerging
Not Evident
Extensive resources (e.g.,
Adequate resources (e.g.,
Some resources and systems
Few, if any, resources and
substitute teachers, materials,
substitute teachers, materials,
are allocated to support and
systems are provided to support
handouts, tools, stipends,
handouts, tools, stipends,
sustain professional learning.
and sustain professional
facilitators, technology) and
facilitators, technology) and
learning.
systems (e.g., conducive
systems (e.g., conducive
schedules, adequate
schedules, adequate
collaborative time, model
collaborative time, model
classrooms) are allocated to
classrooms) are in place to
support and sustain effective
support and sustain
professional learning.
professional learning.
Opportunities to practice skills,
receive follow-up, feedback,
and coaching are provided to
support the effectiveness of
professional learning.
EVIDENCE: The resources are available at both the school and district level PL. If needed teachers are
provided with time to collaborate, digital materials, and a substitute, but the follow-up support is not available
for all teachers. In interview with principal it was noted that tips or tools are shared often but that afterwards
there is little discussion about what is actually happening with implementation. The goal at the beginning of
the year was to do follow-up on everything based on teacher surveys last year, but it is still a work in progress.
RECOMMENDATIONS: Provide content based support for teachers regularly through collaborative planning. A
schedule could be created with a focus on strategies for implementation and reflection. The regular discussion
could be what seems to be working, what improvements are needed, and how the issues could be addressed.

Professional Learning Standard 6: Monitors and evaluates the impact of professional learning on staff practices and student learning
Level 4
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
Exemplary
Operational
Emerging
Not Evident
Monitoring and evaluating the
Monitoring and evaluating the
Monitoring and evaluating the
Monitoring and evaluating the
impact of professional learning impact of professional learning impact of professional learning impact of professional learning
on staff practices and increases on staff practices and student
on staff practices occurs
on staff practices occurs rarely,
in student learning occurs
learning occurs routinely.
sporadically.
if ever.
extensively. Evaluation results
are used to identify and
implement processes to extend
student learning.
EVIDENCE: Since the expectations professional learning are not very specific systematic monitoring and
evaluating is not taking place. There are walk-throughs where the instructional lead teacher along with district
representatives observe classes for 5 to 10 minutes. There is an observation form that sometimes contains
evidence of professional learning, but this does not happen very often. Throughout the year the leadership
team discusses implementation strategies, how they are used in the classroom, and whether or not it is making
a difference. The leadership team consists of one to two representatives from each grade-level team,
connections team, and gifted team along with the principal, instructional lead teacher, counselor, and media
specialist. They are selected by the principal. All year teachers also collect data to present at the district level
Impact & Implementation Check, where district officials question the impact of all initiatives and professional
development in the school improvement plan.
RECOMMENDATIONS: There are examples in place to monitor and evaluate the impact of initiatives, but not
many to evaluate the impact of professional learning itself. The assessment of professional learning could take
place within the cycle of coaching implementation when teachers and coaches reflect and provide feedback.
Some questions could be what was most useful in your practice from the PL? What was not useful? What ideas
do you have about moving forward with PL and implementation. The key is that teachers and coaches would
collaborate to make the most use of the PL sessions with the common goal of implementing a strategy/tool with
fidelity to make a positive impact on student achievement.

KSU ITEC Professional Learning Standard: Professional learning reinforces educators understanding and use of strategies for
promoting equity and high expectations for all students, application of research-based teaching strategies and assessment processes,
and involvement of families and other stakeholders in promoting student learning.
Level 4
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
Exemplary
Operational
Emerging
Not Evident
Classroom practices (e.g.,
Classroom practices of
Classroom practices of
Classroom practices reflect
considering interests,
most teachers reflect skill some
little or no evidence of
backgrounds, strengths, and
in communicating high
teachers reflect evidence
teachers training in
preferences to provide
expectations
for
each
of
teachers
training
in
understanding the impact that
meaningful, relevant lessons
student and adjusting
understanding the impact attitudes regarding race,
and assess student progress,
that attitudes regarding
differentiating instruction, and classroom activities to
disabilities, background,
nurturing student capacity for meet student needs.
race, disabilities,
culture, high expectations, and
self-management) of all
Respect for students
background, culture, high social class of both students
teachers reflect an
cultures and life
expectations, and social
and teachers have on the
emotionally and physically
experiences is evident
class of both students and teaching and learning process.
safe environment where
teachers have on the
respect and appreciation for a through the emotionally
and
physically
safe
teaching and learning
diverse population is evident.
learning environment
process.
There are high achievement
expectations for all students
where students of diverse
and teachers. The principal
backgrounds and
and other leaders provide
experiences are taught
professional learning for
the school code of
teachers lacking
conduct (customs) to help
understanding of the impact
them be successful in the
that attitudes regarding race,
school context.
disabilities, background,
culture, high expectations,
and social class of both
students and teachers have
on the teaching and learning
process.

EVIDENCE: There is ongoing professional learning between the district and school level ELL coordinators, but
the information is not often transferred to the other classroom teachers (this could be because the ELL
population at the school is so small). For other diverse needs, there is a PBIS, connected schools activities, and
cultural responsiveness with the school counselor. The idea is operational but not exemplary because the PL on

culturally responsive classrooms with the counselor has only happened once at the beginning of the year. Also,
in my own experiences there are not consistently high academic expectations for all students, especially those
living in public housing.
RECOMMENDATIONS: While there is regular focus on PBIS, there is not regular focus on culturally responsive
classrooms, and maintaining high academic expectations for all students. PL for these topics need to be ongoing with multiple exposures to information. Also, even with the small ELL population strategies/tools need to
be shared regularly with the general education teachers. This could be done via a PL blog, or the ELL
coordinator could meet with grade-level teams once a month to discuss strategies/tools.