Chester Upland Education Association

Home
Policies
Weingarten Rules
Updates
Bylaws
Calendar
Continuous Prof Dev Plan
Act 48 New Guidelines
Certification
FeedbackForm
Important Info
Contacts
WhatToDo
CurrentNews 

 

 

Chester Upland School District

Continuing Professional Education Plan

2000-2005

Act 48

 1.                  The Continuing Professional Education Planning Committee

 The Continuing Professional Education Planning Committee’s mission is to provide comprehensive and relevant professional development opportunities for the Chester Upland School District’s professional staff so that they may better serve the needs of the students.  As part of our ongoing professional development plan, which includes in-services, workshops, college courses, and professional meetings, we have included an induction plan and mentoring  program for new teachers.  See Addendum C. 

 The Continuing Professional Education Planning Committee is comprised of teacher representatives divided equally among elementary, middle, and high school teachers chosen by the teachers; educational specialist and administrative representatives chosen by the administrators, parents and local business representatives.  

I.          The Continuing Professional Education Planning Committee

 The following persons served as members of the Chester Upland School District’s Continuing Professional Education Planning Committee:

Will be determined when CUSD is due to submit to PDE. 

 

The Continuing Professional Education Committee submits the enclosed Professional

II.      Needs Assessments

This section of the Plan contains:

1.                  Pertinent information and statistics relevant to the school entity, its professional educators, students, and community which were used to determine the needs addressed by the Action Plan.

2.                  Summary of the statistical information.

3.                  Results of a Continuing Professional Education Needs Assessment survey completed by the teaching staff and administrative staff.                 

4.                  Descriptive narrative overview of the needs addressed by the Action Plan which is complemented by the additional explanation provided under the heading Needs which accompanies each item comprising the Action Plan

Mission:       

The Chester Upland School District is dedicated to the educational success of all students.  It is committed to the intellectual, emotional, physical and social development of each student as she/he strives to become a contributing member to this community and the world.

Community:

The Chester Upland School District is made up of Upland Borough, Chester Township and the City of Chester.  There are six elementary schools, four middle schools and one high school. 

II.        Needs Assessment

Professional Staff

There are approximately 420 professional staff in the Chester Upland School District.  The Continuing Professional Education Plan will service: teachers, educational specialists, and administrators.

Professional Staff Profile:

Teachers:          35% Bachelors degrees           

64% Masters degrees

  1% Doctorates

 27% of the teachers have one to eight years of service in the district.

There is an 8% turnover rate of new teachers.

Administrators: 4% Doctorates

6% Masters degrees

Students

 Enrollment:  4,934 students enrolled in elementary, middle and high school

Racial profile:  Native American                        0.1 %

                           African-American                   88.6 %

                           Asian                                       0.1 %

                 Hispanic                                   7.6 %

                  White                                       3.6 %

School and student profile statistics:

     Academic Summary:              (2002-03 data)

PSSA Reading -Only 10% of 9th graders entering the high school read on grade level; 90% read below grade level; 60% scored at the bottom and 30% score at the low to middle range of the PSSA.

3% to 35% of sixth graders entering middle school read on grade level; of the sixth graders who read below grade level, 65% to 96% score at the bottom to low middle range of the PSSA.

 PSSA Math - Only 5% of 9th graders entering high school score on grade level in math; of the 95% who are below grade level, 70% are at the bottom and 16% score in the low to middle range of the PSSA.

18% to 20% of sixth graders entering middle school score on grade level in math; of the sixth graders scoring below grade level, 62-100%             score at the bottom to low middle range of  the PSSA.

 *Grade level is defined as scoring in the high to high-middle range on the reading or math sections of the PSSA.

 The percentage of students receiving D’s and F’s during the fourth quarter of 2002-2003:

                                 High School                             41.5 to 49.8%

Middle School                          13.8 to 31%

Elementary                              3.1 to 22%

                                    Alternative                               46 to 57%

 Safe and Orderly Environment:

Statistics on the number of suspensions district wide from 2000-2003 reveal problems teachers and administrators continue to face in trying to provide an atmosphere conducive to learning in all schools. 

Restoration of Trust and Cooperation Among Parties

 Statistics revealing the relatively small number of parents involved in the schools district-wide suggest a need to restore trust and cooperation among parents and the schools. 

 Data shows that students who attend Chester Upland Schools are nearly all “minority “ students, most live in poverty, and few perform well academically.  SAT-9 scores demonstrate that aggregate student achievement is well blow the national average (of 50) and PSSA results indicate that two-thirds or more of the students perform at the “basic” or “below basic” level.  While poverty, inadequate parental supervision and crime all work to reduce student achievement, we believe that student performance can be improved as a result of activities and strategies outlined in this Continuing Professional Education Plan.

 Survey Results:

 As part of the development of this Plan, a survey was conducted of all Chester Upland School District professional staff (see Addendum A).  Teachers and administrators surveyed were asked to prioritize a wide range of issues as they relate to importance in the school district.  Survey results are summarized below:

  Continuing Professional Education Needs Assessment

Teacher Survey Results

High Teacher Priority

 ˇHelping students to improve test-taking skills.

ˇEnhancing student’s self-esteem.

ˇDeveloping techniques for motivating students.

ˇHelping students develop critical thinking skills.

ˇDeveloping instructional strategies for special needs students.

ˇHelping students to improve test taking skills.

ˇUsing strategies to deal with disruptive students.

ˇHelping students accept differences in others.

 Moderate Teacher Priority

 ˇIdentifying alternative means for assessing student achievement.

ˇIdentifying different styles of learning.

ˇUsing effective classroom management techniques.

ˇDeveloping peer collaboration skills among students.

ˇEstablishing appropriate performance standards.

ˇUsing group strategies to enhance achievement.

ˇEvaluating one’s instructional methods.

ˇLearning to use the computer.

ˇGrade level meetings.

ˇEarly dismissal/Act 80 Day format.

ˇDelayed school day/Act 80 Day format.

ˇDeveloping and communicating appropriate academic expectations.

ˇIntegrating communication skills across content areas.

ˇDeveloping peer collaboration skills among students.

ˇKeeping abreast of appropriate resources and support services available to children.

ˇIntegrating computer technology into the curriculum.

 ˇUsing technology as a management tool.

ˇLearning CPR.

ˇPlanning for professional growth.

ˇK-12 curriculum participation.

ˇTESA - Teacher Expectation for Student Achievement.

ˇSchool Law (copyright laws/teacher liability).

Continuing Professional Education Needs Assessment

Administrator Survey Results

          High Administrator Priority

ˇEnhancing content knowledge

ˇStandards based instruction

ˇBest Practices in Education

ˇUse of Performance based assessment

ˇPreventative Behavior management

 Moderate Administrator Priority

 ˇRaising expectations of staff

ˇSchool based teaming

ˇTenex and computer applications

ˇSchool improvement planning

ˇPSSA preparation

ˇCollaboration with parents

ˇEffective classroom observations

ˇAuthentic assessment/evaluation                      

ˇBasic principles for language acquisition in mainstreaming

ˇHigher order skills/problem solving

ˇPro-social skills and anger control management

ˇAttendance Procedures

ˇAdapting curriculum in content areas

ˇTransition from high school into adult life

ˇReading-effective instruction

ˇAccommodations/interventions for effective instruction

ˇReading strategies K-12

ˇUsing various testing to make educational decisions

ˇWriting instruction throughout the curriculum

ˇAt risk students

ˇProfessional development in teaching strategies

ˇRoutinizing paper work (special education)

 

Descriptive Narrative of the Chester Upland School District

Needs Assessment

          Careful analysis of the information and statistics provided reveals several areas of

critical need facing the school district:  quality of instruction and student achievement.  The teachers’ survey identifies the restoration of trust and mutual respect among the parties involved as areas that need to be addressed.  (See Addendum A)

The PSSA scores indicate that the students of the Chester Upland School District at the elementary, middle, and high school level are not mastering fundamental skills expected of all Pennsylvania public school students.

Students who score below basic and basic of the PSSA are routinely passed on to the next grade, passing from the elementary school to the middle school, and from the middle school to the high school.  As a result, middle and high school teachers must often devote classroom time to remedial instruction at the expense of instruction specified by the curriculum causing our students to fall further behind those students enrolled in other districts.         

A number of factors undermine the quality of instruction in the district.  Historically, standardized test scores have not been shared with teachers, denying them a valuable opportunity to assess instruction.   A lack of materials and textbooks has frequently forced teachers to select lessons based on what was available instead of what the curriculum required.  Consequently, students from different elementary and middle schools have often covered different material during the school year and ninth graders arriving at the high school often do not share a common core of fundamental knowledge, which should form the basis for their high school education. 

In 2002, the state assumed full control of the Chester Upland School District.  Exercising the power given to it under the Empowerment Act, the state appointed a three member board of control to assume the responsibilities that formerly belonged to the Chester Upland School District elected school board.

Among the first actions taken by the members of the board of control was the distribution of the district’s ten schools to private companies.  Chester High School, Smedley Middle School and Stetser Elementary were placed under the direction of LearnNow.  Columbus Elementary, Main Street, William Penn Elementary, Wetherill Elementary, Showalter and Pulaski Middle Schools were placed under Edison Schools, while Toby Farms Elementary was placed under the control of Mosaic.  However, Mosaic was unable to operate Toby Farms and the district continues to operate the school.  Edison bought out LearnNow in 2001 and now operates nine of the district’s ten schools.

In addition to placing the district’s schools under the management of private companies, the members of the board of control recognized and funded the operation of five charter schools.  Two have closed.  The PSSA scores of the students attending the three remaining charter schools have been below those of the students in the public schools.

In 2003, an addendum was added to the empowerment act with new members to serve on the state board of control.  The three member board consisted of two being assigned by Delaware County Courts and one member appointed by the governor to serve five year terms.

Although some of the factors described have begun to be remedied, the damage they have done continues to be reflected in the continual difficulty our students have with reading, writing, and math, throughout their educational experiences.

A number of factors continue to undermine the delivery of instruction in the district.  There is a lack of opportunity for teachers to communicate horizontally  (for example, all first grade teachers meet to discuss instruction) and vertically (for example, all eighth grade middle school teachers meet with ninth grade high school teachers to discuss student skill deficiencies, expectations, etc.).  Such meetings foster instructional continuity.

Although Edison now operates every school in the Chester Upland School District except Toby Farms and the alternative school, little has changed.  Most of our students continue to struggle with reading, writing, and math as evidenced by their performance on the PSSA; we remain 501.

Edison has not delivered on its promise to provide the necessary leadership to meet our needs.  We still lack a cohesive, comprehensive, coordinated building and district wide approach to both PSSA score improvement and general academic improvement.

Edison personnel have not seemed to grasp what is involved in successfully operating a high school.  They have not provided the safe environment needed to support instruction in the high school and other buildings.  Groups of students continue to roam the halls during classes, banging on classroom doors and walls, loitering in stairways and vandalizing school property.  Often disruptive students, who might have benefited from alternative placements, languish in the high school at the expense of themselves and the other students. II.  Needs Assessment

Although Edison personnel frequently allude to the “Edison Model”, no one at the schools  have seen the model.   Chester High School has never seen their English or math curriculum.  Instead, teachers rely on the units in the textbooks that they have been given and their knowledge of PA Standards to shape their instruction.

Many computers throughout the schools remain unusable and we repeatedly have had difficulty obtaining adequate numbers of some textbooks.

The Edison support personnel come and go frequently sometimes going months without personally interacting with staff preferring to rely on the occasional email and conference call.  The burden of responsibility for PSSA preparation strategy and implementation has been delegated to department heads and lead teachers who carry full teaching loads and the individual classroom teacher with little or no direction or support from Edison personnel.  Too little was done and what was done to prepare for the PSSA was last minute.

     Professional development has been disappointing.  Unfortunately, our efforts to implement the Chester Upland School District Continuing Professional Development Plan approved by the Board of Control and accepted by PDE in 2001 have been unsuccessful.  Although the chairperson of the Continuing Professional Education Committee requested that the committee be convened to begin its work, the Edison representative ignored the request.  Consequently, no part of the Plan has been implemented.  Instead Edison representatives have presented their own in house professional development workshops sometimes repeating the same workshop for the same teachers.

In addition, in violation of the Plan, teachers have not received the required document/certificate to verify their participation in professional development.  Teachers who have gone on-line to monitor their PDE files have found that they have often not been credited with professional development hours for attending in services.

The delivery of instruction in the district has often been undermined by Edison’s seeming indifference to fostering professional growth and to providing sufficient opportunities for staff development.   Consequently, the staff has not been adequately encouraged to broaden their knowledge or to acquire or improve skills which would enable them to better serve the needs of both regular and special education students.

The district continues to experience the gradual deterioration of the instructional climate and a safe and orderly environment necessary to support instruction.  While many school buildings in the district have experienced this deterioration, it is especially evident in the high school.

Finally, the most difficult challenge facing the district may still be the need to restore trust and mutual respect among parents, teachers, and administrators.  The revitalization of the district hinges on rebuilding these relationships. 

    Delivery System

Meeting the Educational and Staff Development Needs

of the School Entity, its Professional Educators, Students and Community

through Development of the Action Plan.

The focus of the Action Plan, which follows, was determined by analysis of the needs assessment.  The Action Plan focuses on two goals:             (1)       improving student achievement

(2)       providing required relevant opportunities for the professional staff of the Chester Upland School District to keep current in certification license areas.

 

Continuing Professional Education Programs,

Activities and Learning Experiences

             The Chester Upland School District will provide a summer training session for all

 professional staff  providing that the funds are available.  This training will be held at the end of

 the school year with follow-up sessions during the school year on the Mondays meetings.

             The professional education committee has approved the following list of professional

 education options as described by the Action Plan  that may be used to fulfill the 180-hour

 requirement with prior approval from the Board of Control.

     The option to meet these goals may include but shall not be limited to:

 ˇGraduate level course work

ˇProfessionally related master’s degree.

ˇUndergraduate course work for teaching certification.

ˇGraduate level course work not taken for credit but for hours.

ˇIn-service courses.

ˇIntermediate Unit courses.

ˇDistrict’s in-service days.

ˇCounty’s in-service days.

ˇCurriculum development work.

ˇProfessional Staff Development.

ˇProfessional’s Organization Workshops.

ˇProfessional’s Organization Meetings.

ˇDistrict’s grade level, subject, specialty problem solving meetings.

ˇParticipation in professional organization seminars.

ˇParticipation in professional organization conferences.

ˇParticipation in professional organizations conventions.

ˇUtilization of professional books and journals to improve methodology.

ˇParticipating in the Induction Program.

ˇProfessional research and writing for publication.

ˇApproved sabbatical leave for study.

ˇSupervised classroom observation of other professional employees.

ˇProfessional conferences attendance.

ˇParticipation in professional research/business partnerships.

ˇPersonally Designed Option.

ˇParticipation in the Mentor Program.

ˇDevelopment and presentation of workshops, seminars or conferences.

ˇApproved continuing education units. credits or hours.

ˇParticipation in informational educational exchanges with other districts

ˇParticipation in annual preparation and evaluation of the Act 48 Professional

Education Plan.

ˇParticipation in meetings held to foster communication between all grade levels

ˇParticipation in meetings, seminars, etc., where the work is related to the educator’s                 area of  assignment.

ˇCredit in an area other than area of certification or assignment if educator may be

transferred by the Board.

ˇEarly childhood and child development activities for K-3 educators

ˇSpecial education activities for sp ed and reg ed teachers

ˇReview, redesign and restructuring of school programs, organizations and functions

as determined by the school

ˇContinuing professional education courses taken for credit

ˇParticipation in various meeting/workshops/seminars

ˇPeer coaching

ˇProfessional enhancement time as approved by the district

ˇAny experience or course related to certification, general pedagogy, and the needs

identified in the district’s plan

ˇAction research/independent study (credit may be granted for work after hours)

ˇInduction professional development activities occurring in the district’s

 induction program.

ˇObservation and visitations for the purpose of improving instruction and student

achievement.  May include, but not limited to visits to other districts,

businesses and industry collaborations.

ˇIndividualized Projects/Pilot Programs designed to improve instruction and/or student

achievement.  Time will be determined collaboratively by the individual and

supervisor prior to the beginning of the project.

ˇParent Involvement and design programs.

ˇOnline Courses          

ˇDistance learning staff development

ˇPresentation by staff of the school entity

ˇState sponsored courses, programs, activities and learning experiences

ˇConduct action research studying the effects of certain curriculum and/or instructional

practices on student achievement levels.

ˇWrite a textbook or collaborate with others in writing one.

ˇDevelop and conduct workshops to assist colleagues to understand the new student

standards; or apply research based teaching strategies; or engage in peer

assistance.

ˇDevelop and conduct workshops to assist school board members and parents in                           understanding new curriculum, new textbooks, approaches to teaching reading,

a unique use of technology you have adopted, how you assess student work, etc.

ˇParticipate in local, region, state and national conferences/meetings/workshops/

seminars sponsored by a professional association or organization.

ˇParticipate in developing and implementing a peer assistance or differentiated

supervision programs in the district.

ˇTrain colleagues to be mentors for new teachers or teachers needing collegial

assistance.

ˇComplete the portfolio and site assessment requirements for National Board

Certification

ˇReceive National Board Certification

ˇServe as a National Board assessor

ˇReceive local, state or national recognition for teaching performance.

ˇForm a group study for teachers and/or education specialist and conduct discussions

that focus on instructional problem solving, professional decision making

and sharing.

ˇActively work with community agencies, social workers, home and school visitors

and others to strengthen delivery of social services to students.

ˇAssist the district or school to develop and implement effective teaching standards

and indicators.

ˇDevelop and conduct effective teaching academies for new teachers.

ˇTeach a practicum or methods course as an adjunct faculty member for a state

approved teacher preparation institution.

ˇComplete qualified CPE approved in service programs in one’s subject area,

technology or area that will directly enhance one’s teaching practices,

classroom management skills, research abilities, technology knowledge, etc.

ˇServe a term on an educational board.

ˇParticipation in Middle States.

ˇParticipation in textbook piloting programs or in student material selections.

ˇParticipation in school improvement plans.

 The plan defines the meaning (scope, extent and/or general specifications) of the

  activities listed in item 1 and includes standards for continuing education development.

 1.         Post-baccalaureate course work at accredited institution of higher learning which pertains to the current or anticipated educational program of the school district.   

2.         Master’s degree which pertains to the current or anticipated educational program of the school entity, as assessed by the professional staff member selecting this option.

3.         In-service days which pertains to programs offered through the entity to meet the needs identified in the entity’s Act 48 plan.

4.         Curriculum development work which pertains to the school district’s entity-sponsored individual and group work on educational programs.

5.         Attendance at professional conferences, meetings, workshops, seminars, conventions pertains to the educationally related meetings, seminars, workshops

and conventions sponsored by professional organizations, government agencies,

and other sponsors related to the school district’s entity.

6.         Observation pertains to observations of educational activities with the approval of the teacher(s) involved and with notification to the appropriate supervisor/administrator.

7.         Personally designed option pertains to an individually created professional development experience approved by the continuing educational committee.

Providers for the plan.

The continuing professional education providers must be committed to delivering

  quality offerings that reflect the most effective approaches to learning and professional growth.

     The following list includes, but is not limited to approved providers for the district. 

 These providers must meet the identified needs as stated in the plan.  The following is a list of

 professional agencies that are also approved to address the goals and identified needs of the

 district.

ˇInstitutions of higher learning but not be limited to accredited universities

ˇPDE

ˇVarious Counties’ Intermediate Units approved in-service courses.

ˇProfessional organizations to include but not limited to:

National School Boards Association

National and Pennsylvania State Education

Associations

National and Pennsylvania Associations for

Elementary and Secondary Principals

Association of Supervision and Curriculum

Development

Pennsylvania Association of Supervision and

Curriculum Development

National and State Organizations for Major

Curricular Areas

National and Pennsylvania Association of School

Administrators

SAP America

National Council of Teachers of English

National Council of Teachers of Math

National Council of Teachers of Science

ˇProfessional Context Organizations

ˇBureau of Educational Research

ˇTeacher’s Video Company

ˇPA Writing and Literature Project

ˇProviders approved by local school entities

ˇPennsylvania School Entities

ˇProviders approved by PDE 

ˇProviders approved by IU

ˇState and National Professional Organizations

ˇChester Upland School District’s Professional Staff

ˇTextbook companies/publishers

ˇHealthcare professionals/hospitals

ˇLibrarians/Media Specialists

ˇIntermediate Unit Programs

ˇGovernment agencies to include but not limited to:

Local Government

State Government

Federal Government

Municipal

Law Enforcement

ˇSpeakers and consultants from but not limited to:

Pennsylvania Department of Education

National and Pennsylvania State Education

Association

National and Pennsylvania School Board Association

National and State Organizations for Major Curricular

Areas

Pennsylvania Counties= Intermediate Units

Collegiate Consultants of Pennsylvania

Crozer Chester Medical Center

ˇLocal businesses and related organizations.

Delaware County Chamber of Commerce

Textbook and other publishers

ˇStaff Travel

ˇStaff visitations to other school districts.

ˇSchool, County, State and Federal Libraries.

ˇLocal media to include:

Delaware County Daily Times

Philadelphia Inquirer

Public Television Access

Commercial Television Access

Cable Television Access

ˇState and federally funded programs.

ˇArea social and humanitarian organizations.

ˇFederal Programs

ˇMental Health Agencies

ˇOther School Districts

ˇPrivate professional organizations

ˇCivic organizations

ˇAny and all providers approved by the board of control

IV.         Action Plans

                  The Action Plan which follows addresses the needs specified in Part II of the Plan

 by fostering professional growth and providing opportunities for staff development which will

 allow the Chester Upland School District to meet its goals of raising student academic

 achievement and enabling the professional staff to maintain their certification.

 The Action Plan: 

ˇstates the specific need addressed by the action

ˇlists the objectives to be met to fill the needs

ˇstates the action to be taken

ˇspecifies whom the action services

ˇidentifies who is responsible for conducting the action

ˇstates the expected skill competency outcomes

ˇidentifies resources used to support the action.

V. Implement, Assess and Amend

    The members of the Continuing Professional Education Committee are committed to

 providing comprehensive, relevant professional growth opportunities.  To ensure that the

 committee remains focused and successfully completes its mission, the committee will adhere to

 the following procedures:

 1.         Implementing, assess, and amending the Plan

 1.                  The CPEP Chairperson will convene the committee in September and May of each year.  At the September meeting, the curriculum directors will submit their programs for the year’s in-services following the actions detailed in the CPEP Action Plan. The committee will then review and vote to accept or amend their suggested programs.  At the May meeting, the committee will hear a report from the elementary, middle and high school curriculum directors explaining how they have implemented the Action Plan and summarizing the responses of the participants.  The committee will then assess the professional development programs effectiveness for that year, and make any necessary changes to improve the quality of the program for the following year.

 2.                  To ensure that the five teacher members of the CPEP Committee are free to fully participate in Continuing Professional Education Planning Committee meetings held during the school day, they will receive automatic class coverage.  A substitute will be hired or the building administrator will be responsible for securing class coverage for the teacher. 

3.                  To assist the committee in assessing the effectiveness of the program, immediately following a professional development activity, participants will be asked to evaluate the activity using established criteria and make recommendations.  Professional staff will be provided with forms and time to complete activity evaluations during the school day.  See Addendum F.

 4.                  Collecting, tallying, summarizing, and reporting to the CPEP Committee on participants evaluations will be the responsibility of the elementary, middle and high school curriculum directors.

V. Implement, Assess, and Amend 

2.         Maintaining Records

 1.                  To facilitate record keeping, at the completion of a Plan approved activity, each participant will receive a document/certificate in triplicate form from the curriculum directors, administrators and providers  responsible for the activity.

 2.                  The curriculum director(s) or administrator(s) will be responsible for submitting copies one and two of the document/certificate to the school district human resource director, who will keep one on file and submit the other to PDE on behalf of the participant.  The participant should keep the third copy in his or her personal records.   See Addendum F.

   VI.       Current Status and Recommendations

       The plan was not fully implemented by Edison Schools, Inc., during the first year.

 The problems encountered were:

 q        The first year Edison did not record or report any of the Act 48 hours.  The Chester Upland Education Association had to intervene to obtain these hours.

q        The professional staff were and still are not provided with any documentation for their records.

q        Evaluations are not given out to the professional staff at the end of any workshops or training.

q        Act 48 hours are not being reported or recorded within the 30 days required by the law.

q        The Continuous Professional Education Committee has not met with the district to review the plan.

q        The Continuous Professional Education Committee has not been provided with any results on the evaluations from workshops or trainings.

 Recommendations:

 q        All professional staff is provided with documentation for their Act 48 hours.

q        The Act 48 hours be reported and recorded within 30 days after attending sessions.

q        The professional staff is given the evaluation forms provided by the Continuous Professional Education Committee to be completed and turned over to the district’s for computation.

Addendum C

 Induction Plan/Mentoring Program                                                          

The Induction Plan for the Chester Upland School District is a supportive process to

 facilitate a successful transition of new professionals into the realm of professional growth.  It is

 an effort to promote the professional skills and knowledge of inductees, thereby assisting them to

 meet challenges pertinent to their profession.  The plan is intended for inductees that are new to

 the district.  It is a planned orientation to enable new teachers to effectively and positively

 progress toward increased professional competence.

 1.         Authority for Induction Program

 According to state regulations, each new hire within the district is required to:

 ˇchoose a classroom mentor from a pool of veteran teachers within the assigned building.

ˇwork with the mentor on a monthly basis.  Minimum requirement:

attend 2-3 district-wide induction meetings.

ˇcomplete a “Basic Teaching Tools for Inductees” course offered by the

Delaware County Intermediate Unit (DCIU).    

 2.         Objectives

 ˇTo provide new teachers with a support system to enhance an orderly and

successful transition to the initial placement in the Chester Upland

School District.

ˇTo develop and improve teaching skills.

ˇTo develop and improve classroom management skills.

ˇTo adjust to the district’s standards and methods of operation.

ˇTo become aware of student needs and the nature of the community in

which they reside.

ˇTo assess their professional development without penalty.

ˇTo become knowledgeable and competent in the delivery of the district’s

curriculum.

ˇTo establish positive interpersonal relationships with other faculty and staff.

 3.     Organization Structure

 Human Resources±     Curriculum Directors as appropriate,±

 Building Administrators ± and Mentors

The District will continue the operation of the Induction Advisory Committee.  It

 shall be comprised of administrators and teachers from every level, namely:

                                             TCoordinator

THuman Resource Director

                        TThree Building Principals one at each level

(elementary, middle and high school)                                                                                          

 TCUEA representative

             All members shall be appointed by the Superintendent with one exception, the

 CUEA representative will be appointed by the President of CUEA.

             This committee will be responsible for the implementation, monitoring, evaluating

 and alteration of the various procedures entailed in the fulfillment of the program.

             The committee will:             Tprovide awareness of the induction plan

                           Tarrange orientation and in-service for inductees

                           Tmonitor the program

                           Tassist building principals in solution of crisis

                           Trevise procedures as needed

                  Human Resource Director will be the chairperson of the Induction Advisory Committee, and will:

Tsupply the necessary materials.

Tagenda for the current school year.

                           Tdevelop and implement  record keeping requirements which

                                                            will be explained to the inductees during the

scheduled meetings.

 4.         Orientation of Inductees

 Professionals appointed prior to the official opening of school shall receive two days of professional orientation.  The two days of orientation will be before the first day of school.

 5.         The Mentor

 The committee will solicit teachers for a pool of mentors.  Mentors shall be  selected by the committee and building principals.  Mentors will possess:

Tsuccessful teaching experience of three or more years within the Chester Upland School District. 

Ta minimum of one mentor per inductee

Tdemonstrated good interpersonal relationships

 Mentors’ role will be:

                               Testablish a rapport with the inductee

Thelp inductee to identify needs

Thelp with classroom management as needed

Tintroduce and familiarize the inductee with the district’s curriculum,

forms, procedures and etc.

Tintroduce and make available resources as needed per inductee

Tmeet with inductee as necessary

 6.         Compensation

 The mentor shall be paid an honorarium of $500.00 upon receipt of the proper documentation to the building principal or human resource director in November and May.  The honorarium shall be paid in two installments in December and June.

 Any other costs incurred in the completion of the program will be absorbed by the district after approval by the Superintendent.

  7.         Evaluation

 The program will be evaluated in an on-going method.  A formal written evaluation will be presented to the Superintendent at the end of the school year.