Williamson County Schools' Professional Development Cycle
             By 2007, all WCS teachers will be receiving high quality professional  development.                           

• Summer 2005                       
   Each school (committee or whole staff, as defined by the school's leadership) will update their academic data and analyze the data to determine what students need to know and be able to do.  For 2005-2006, use SIP (School Improvement Plan) to set goals/performance targets.  For future years this work will be what you complete as part of your SIP.
• August 2005         
  Each school will select a teacher to become the school's professional development facilitator.
• Early September           
  Each school will revisit or review their student data and identify professional development needs based on student data (i.e. content area or areas, standards, skills, strategies, methods, etc...).
• End of September   
  Facilitators attend a training session, conducted by the professional development department, about those standards which affect professional development (NSDC, ISTE, TN Content) and on how to lead the administration of teacher pre-assessments that will be used in the professional development plan.  Each school will determine what educators need to know and be able to do to ensure student success via pre-assessments (Planning Phase Evaluation).
• October
  Principal, facilitator and other support personnel (representatives from Curriculum Professional Development, Instructional Technology and Student Support Services) will determine the school's professional development plan based on the analysis of student and teacher data and define their roles in that plan.  This partnership in planning enables a seamless plan that reflects the best of instruction, delivery of training, and the integration of technology.  Principal and facilitator share the pd plan with the staff, unpacking all target standards and define the staff's role in the plan.
• November
  Each school will determine how to include these goals in the existing school improvement plan.  Each school will begin implementation of the plan.
• November - April
  Each school will schedule and conduct monthly PD events as per the plan.  Each school will implement Conducting Phase Evaluation (the plan and individual events) to provide formative data on the plan.
• February - March
  Principals will work with individual teachers to help them establish and meet personal professional development goals using the TN Framework for Evaluation (including technology goals).
• May 2006
  Each school will conduct a summative evaluation (Reporting Phase Evaluation) on the effectiveness of their professional development plan.
• Summer 2006
  Each school will review the results of the summative evaluations to inform the following year's plan.  Other support personnel (representatives from Curriculum, Professional Development, Instructional Technology and Student Services) may be included to ensure that all phases and delivery strategies are discussed and evaluated.