Staff Development

This innovation in professional development incentivizes teachers to pursue meaningful, relevant and rigorous action research tailored to the needs of their students, the district and their own professional development needs as opposed to the historically pursued method whereby teachers pay for post-Masters degree coursework that oftentimes has little or no relevancy to the needs of their students, the district, or their own practice. This program is funded and facilitated by the education cooperative for Region 5, Sourcewell.  

Little Falls teachers have completed 173 projects since ElevatePD's inception in 2017, earning a combined 701 credits.  

Region 5 ElevatePd website

Little Falls School District mentorship program is designed to meet the needs of new teachers where each teacher is at. District 482 draws quality teachers from across the United States, and includes teachers with previous experience and those coming directly out of their teacher training. Accordingly, the mentorship program must strike a balance between structure and flexibility, based on where each teacher is at in their career when they join the Little Falls Schools. The basic structure of the program is based on a three year support cycle. Each new teacher is assigned a content area/grade level, building-specific mentor.

During year one, weekly meetings are recommended, and a standard checklist of items to be discussed and reviewed is provided. Each mentor teacher is encouraged to modify the content of the checklist to meet specific needs of that content/grade. Two classroom observations are made by the mentor teacher of the new teacher during the year, with specific areas of focus determined in a pre-conference. Additionally, the new teacher is to observe their mentor with a specific purpose two times, as well. These observations are meant to be formative in nature, to provide feedback to the new teacher and allow them to see another teacher in action. At the end of year one, each principal makes a recommendation as to whether or not the "new" teacher under their supervision would benefit from continued participation in years two and three of the mentorship program.

Years two and three of the program see the "new" teacher paired with a different mentor, in order to expand the collegiality and collaboration that occurs as a result of mentorship. The level of support in years two and three changes, with different topics of discussion and levels of observation. A major component of the years 2-3 program is encouraging reflective practice--what went well in year one, what are the goals for continued growth, etc. Additionally, teacher observations of other master teachers within the district are facilitated.

Both mentors and new teachers alike are surveyed routinely as to their satisfaction with the program, and suggestions for improvement are evaluated and implemented when appropriate.

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS  

Minnesota’s principal evaluation requirements are contained in Minnesota Statutes, section 123B.147.  

Purpose  

The purpose of the evaluation is to enhance a principal's leadership skills and support and improve teaching practices, school performance, and student achievement. Although the working group was directed to develop a model for evaluation, statute clearly indicates that it is the responsibility of a district to develop and implement a performance-based system for annually evaluating school principals assigned to supervise a school building within the district.  

The evaluation must be designed to improve teaching and learning by supporting the principal in shaping the school's professional environment and developing teacher quality, performance, and effectiveness.

Requirements  

Specifications in statute require that the evaluation:

•  Be an annual evaluation  
• Include formative and summative evaluations
• Be consistent with the job description, a district's long-term plans and goals, and the  principal's own professional multiyear growth plans and goals;
• Include on-the-job observations and previous evaluations;
• Allow surveys to help identify a principal's effectiveness, leadership skills and  processes, and strengths and weaknesses    Use longitudinal data on student academic growth as an evaluation component
• Incorporate district achievement goals and targets
• Be linked to professional development that emphasizes improved teaching and learning,  curriculum and instruction, student learning, and a collaborative professional culture
• Implement a plan to improve a principal's performance
• Specify the procedure and consequence if the principal's performance is not improved  
  • No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Waiver Principles  

In November, shortly after the working group started, the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) submitted a No Child Left Behind (NCLB) waiver application. Principle 3 in the waiver application requires MDE to develop and adopt guidelines for local teacher and principal evaluation and support systems. Several specific expectations are included as part of this requirement. As a result, these requirements in the NCLB waiver principles were also discussed and considered. (See Appendix E for these requirements.) 

An integral part of professional learning at Little Falls Schools is the formulation and function of highly effective Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).   For the school year 2021-22, 192 of our licensed staff hold membership in one of 32 different PLCs; most PLCs are organized by grade level, content area, or area of specialty. Within these PLCs, staff work collaboratively to research and implement best practice strategies to positively impact student achievement, align instruction and student outcomes to standards, reflect on data,  offer feedback to peers,  and access professional development toward digital convergence through Modern Teacher.