Hamilton School Board members approved a plan for the district’s staff development subject to final approval of the 2000-2001 district budget. Instructional Services Supervisor Dee Bauman, Ph.D., reported on steps that have been taken and plans that will address professional development in 2000-2001.
“There has been a significant change in staff development plan, thanks to the Strategic Plan,” Bauman said.
The Strategic Plan called for the creation of the Professional Development Advisory Council (PDAC) comprised of teachers and principals. PDAC’s role is to identify staff development needs and recommend appropriate programming.
Bauman said council members read and discussed a book that identified the following characteristics for district professional development:
- a clear, comprehensive plan that focuses on student achievement;
- support for individual, building and district growth;
- a model that includes “job-embedded” professional development such as study groups, action research and collaborative instruction and assessment;
- a training model that supports adult learning and includes theory, practice, application and on-going support; and
- a result-based model that measures the impact of professional development on student achievement.
Initiatives next year that will be supported through staff development include:
- rubric development and performance assessments;
- technology infusion in the learning process;
- a revised reading curriculum; and
- setting and monitoring goals in a team setting.
Bauman also presented on summer workshops. The School Board authorized $21,300 worth of curriculum development activity and $31,200 of workshops involving staff during the summer.
The curriculum projects include:
- state standard alignment of family and consumer education, music and world languages;
- reading assessment;
- ninth-grade assessment;
- Advanced Placement chemistry update;
- commercial design update;
- business education update;
- communication arts 10 revision;
- ninth grade math and reading/writing support; and
- program development for 4- and 5-year-old kindergarten.
The professional development activities include:
- Wisconsin Assessment Institute Leadership team;
- Sally Ride Academy;
- team building, train the trainers;
- technology;
- results-based workshop;
- mentor-new teacher workshop; and
- Templeton reading workshop.
Maple Avenue Principal Randy Kunkel and clerical aide Nancy Gin presented on an afterschool enrichment project called “The Living Tree.” Three students spoke about their experiences in creating a quilt and video project that involved 16 students and four parents. Gin said that Hamilton High School students helped film and edit the video.
Athletic and Activities Director Mike Gosz summarized changes that will be presented at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association’s (WIAA) April 12 annual meeting.
The changes include:
- deadline application for fall sport co-op teams established Feb. 1 instead of Dec. 1;
- requirement to add a team to WIAA competition by Feb. 1 for fall sports, April 1 for winter sports and June 1 for spring sports and baseball; and
- no longer referring to “public schools” in Article II because private schools are now part of WIAA.
Gosz identified many editorial changes that were made to clarify the WIAA constitution. School Board members approved the changes.
In personnel business, the School Board:
- accepted the retirement requests of Maple Avenue reading specialist Sandra Seymour, Marcy Title I teacher Lette Wethe and Assistant Superintendent Alex Dittrich. All retirements are effective at the end of the 1999-2000 school year.
- approved the resignation of Marcy third grade teacher Christine Wesling; and
- appointed Lynn Nielsen the Templeton secretary effective April 17.