TANTASQUA REGIONAL/UNION 61 SCHOOL DISTRICTS

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMPONENTS

COURSES, INSTITUTES & STUDY GROUPS

Tantasqua/School Union 61 is offering a variety of professional development opportunities. The district is an official Professional Development Provider, certified by the Massachusetts Department of Education. Certificates of Completion and PDPs will be awarded after successful completion of professional development.

Eligibility:

Tantasqua/Union 61 teachers: There is no cost for activities for District staff, unless otherwise noted. Teachers interested in enrolling should register with the contact person prior to the deadline. Slots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Other Professionals interested in enrolling in a Tantasqua/Union 61 Activity: Costs are as follows: Institutes - $50; workshops - $20; courses vary. To enroll, submit requests in writing to the Office of the Superintendent, at 320 Brookfield Rd., Fiskdale, MA 01518. Out-of-district enrollments will be taken on a first-come first-served basis after accommodating local staff. Study and Study/Work groups are not open to out-of-district professionals or non-teaching staff.

Support Staff is eligible and encouraged to participate in professional development sponsored by Tantasqua/Union #61. Enrollment may be limited by space and the relevance of the training to the individual's position. To participate, support staff members should complete the Support Staff Application and submit it to his/her Building Principal. Study Groups generally are not usuallyopen to support staff, and on-site college course enrollment may be restricted, or a fee assessed.  Exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis with the approval of Central Office administration.

DESCRIPTION OF OFFERINGS

District Sponsored Institutes: The Institute is a district sponsored course consisting of 15 hours with a minimum of 12 hours of instruction, three hours of application and a product as required by the Massachusetts Department of Education Guidelines. A variety of teaching techniques may be employed for the Institute including, but not limited to, direct instruction, practice, discussion, problem-solving, Socratic dialgue and research projects.  The provider may determine based on participants and topic preferred modes of presentation. The course will have a syllabus which must be approved in advance by the Superintendent or designee, and the content must be consistent with Tantasqua/Union 61 goals. The Institute will be conducted by a qualified consultant or expert practitioner. Upon successful completion of an Institute, participants will receive one credit, or fifteen PDP's, and a Certificate of Completion.

District Sponsored Study Groups: The Study Group is a district or building-based group of three to 12 members. The Group will meet for 10-15 hours around a specific topic to study teaching and learning, or to implement innovative curriculum and/or instructional methods. Collegial sharing and discussion are prime components of the Study Group and all participants will be involved in classroom experimentation and sharing of experiences. The forum will be led by a convener who is a member of the group, but who also organizes and structures each meeting with a written agenda. The content of the Study Group will be consistent with Tantasqua/Union 61 goals and must be approved in advance by the Superintendent or designee. Upon successful completion of a Study Group, with the submission of the completed product, participants will receive 15 PDP's and a Certificate of Completion, or a stipend (if such has been approved in advance by Central Office). Study Groups, which earn more points, may be designed with advance approval of the Superintendent or Faculty Senate.

District Sponsored Workshops: This form of professional development is generally topic specific and designed for the short term study of a limited range of topics.  Usually workshops are focused on dialogue, discussion and problem solving; however, other strategies may be employed as appropriate to the topic, audience and purpose.  Participants receive PDP's as requirements of the workshop are completed.

Conferences and Workshops: Teachers may choose to attend various professional conferences and workshops. The sponsoring organizations, not the Tantasqua/Union 61 District, will be responsible for issuing attendance confirmation and/or PDP's. Teachers should follow the proper procedures in their respective schools for pre-approved release time. The content of workshops and conferences attended during the school year should be consistent with Tantasqua/Union 61 goals and must be approved in advance by the principal and Superintendent. Teachers completing district-sponsored workshops may request a letter confirming the workshop topic, their attendance, number of hours and completion.

College Courses/Degree Programs: Tantasqua/Union 61 may partner with surrounding colleges and universities to offer courses and programs on-site. The individual teacher and the college/university are responsible for record keeping for the purpose of accumulating PDP's. On-site course content should be consistent with Tantasqua/Union 61 goals and must be approved in advance by the Superintendent. The greater Springfield and Worcester areas have many colleges and universities which offer coursework appropriate for professional development.

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