This week we had two professional development days. These days can be a big mystery for our students. They often wonder, “What do my teachers do at school when I’m not there?” When I taught first grade some years ago, a student asked me, “Do teachers cry when the kids are gone and they have to have school?” I hoped that she thought the teachers would cry because they missed their students - not because they had to go to school!
In-service days can raise questions for parents also. You may be wondering, “Why do staff members need two days for professional development?” I hope this blog post will help alleviate this shroud of mystery.
Extra time for development is really important for St. Paul’s Academy this year. At the end of April 2015 our school will be visited by an external review team. This team will be a mix of administration officials, and teachers from all over the Pacific Northwest who specialize in the field of education.
They will comb through all of the pieces of our school (purpose and direction, governance and leadership, teaching and assessing for learning, and resources and support systems). At the end of the visit they will give us advice and insight into how we can be a stronger institution and better serve you (our families). They will also decide if they want to renew our accreditation status based on findings and evaluation.
There is lots of preparation required before this visit. Before we have an outside source look at our school we must review ourselves internally and provide evidence that we are an institution meeting all of its claims. This process will not only help the evaluating team, but enable us to take a better look at ourselves.
Next time you see a professional development day coming up, I hope instead of thinking of it as a “mysterious” time, you will know that it is time dedicated to making St. Paul’s a better place for you and your child.
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