Byron-Bergen

Central School District

Professional Learning Plan

2022-2023

Approved by the Byron-Bergen CSD
Board of Education: June 15, 2022

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Byron-Bergen Central School District Contact Information:

BEDS Code:

Superintendent:

Address:

Telephone:

Fax:

18-07-01-04-0000

Mr. Patrick McGee

6917 West Bergen Road Bergen, NY 14416

(585) 494-1220

(585) 494-2613

This plan was developed by the Byron-Bergen Professional Development Committee:

Ken Gropp, Teacher, BBFA President and Teacher Jennifer Back, Teacher/Technology Coordinator Elizabeth Overhoff, Teacher
Kelly Stephen, Teacher

Debbie Slocum, Teacher/Instructional Coach Diana Walther, Teacher/Instructional Coach Nicholas Muhlenkamp, Teacher
Dianne Crea-Powers, Speech Pathologist Jeanne Rivera, Teacher
Kerri Smith, Teacher

Megan Wahl, Teacher/SEL Coordinator

Betsy Brown, Director of Instructional Services

Ashley John Grillo, Junior/Senior High School Principal Brian Meister, Elementary School Principal
Patrick McGee, Superintendent

Advisory Members:

Katie Kearcher, Parent Representative

Betsy Brown, Higher Education Representative

This plan was reviewed and updated on June 2, 2022 by the Professional Development Committee.

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Table of Contents

Purpose of the Professional Learning Plan	3

Professional Learning Standards	4

Professional Learning Plan Review Process	5

Methods of Delivery andAnnual Time Devoted to Professional Development	6

Goal 1: Curriculum Development and Review	7

Goal 2: Teaching and Learning Practices	8

Goal 3: New Teacher and Administrator Mentor Program	9

Goal 4: Safe Schools	10

Appendix	11

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Purpose of the Professional Learning Plan

This plan meets the requirements of the part 100.2 (dd) Regulations of the State of New York. The purpose of this plan is to improve student outcomes through ongoing professional development opportunities for the
Byron-Bergen Learning Community. This community includes students, faculty (including long-term substitutes), staff, and administration. These learning opportunities will be connected to the overall mission and vision of Byron-Bergen Central School District.

The Professional Learning Plan (PLP) describes the process by which the Byron-Bergen school district will plan, facilitate, and review professional learning opportunities for its teachers, long-term substitutes, staff and administrators that allows these professional certificate holders to maintain their certificates in good standing. The Professional Learning Plan shall follow the guidelines set forth by New York State Commisioner of Education and be aligned with the NYS standards for High Quality Professional Development (Appendix A)

Our Mission

District Goals

The Byron-Bergen learning community will...

●	Provide a school environment that is proactive in maintaining an individual’s physical and emotional safety. ●	Produce graduates who are responsible, well-rounded, goal-oriented life-long learners who are prepared for
the future. The District will ensure high learning standards by utilizing researched-based curriculum and instructional strategies to create opportunities for all students to become college and career ready.
●	Provide ongoing professional development for District staff, administration and the Board of Education in an effort to promote high-quality educational opportunities.
●	Promote cost effectiveness by developing a transparent budget that provides a quality education in a fiscally responsible manner that is accomplished through multi-year planning. Continue to explore opportunities to sustain a viable district through collaboration and shared services, as well as revenue generating opportunities.
●	Provide quality buildings, infrastructure and facilities that are well maintained and efficient.

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Anchored in the mission and goals of the learning community, Byron-Bergen Central School District believe the following tenets are important to guide decision making around professional learning offerings as well as those providing or facilitating the learning:

● Successful professional learning is supported through a continuous improvement process and reinforced through coaching, learning communities (i.e. grade level and content focused teams), and information repositories that are accessible by all faculty.
● Professional development needs to be student centered and continuous to maximize the integration of the new learning into practice.
● Taking students’ needs into account when deciding on professional learning offerings ensure that our professional staff are able to best meet student needs.
● Effective classroom pedagogical practices are the primary focus of professional learning offerings.

● Understanding how technology can be useful to enhance pedagogy practice is more important than the act of mastering instructional technology.
● Learning resources that are shared online and accessible by all faculty can further professional learning and knowledge creation.

Professional Learning Standards

In accordance with the National Staff Development Council’s standards for professional development, the Byron-Bergen Central School District believes that high-quality professional development demonstrates the following characteristics:

● It is substantial and continuous.

● It leads to growth in teacher effectiveness and increased student achievement. ● It enables teachers to be reflective.
● It provides opportunities for collaboration and team building.

● It is delivered in a flexible manner in order to best meet the needs of individual teachers or teams of teachers.
● It is relevant to the needs of teachers and students as indicated by performance data and quality indicators (data-driven).

In addition to national standards, Byron-Bergen Central School District aligns its professional learning to New York State’s standards and attributes that contribute to high quality professional learning (Also found in Appendix A):

1. Designing Professional Development: Professional development design is based on data; is derived from the experience, expertise and needs of the recipients; reflects best practices in sustained job-embedded learning; and incorporates knowledge of how adults learn.
2. Content Knowledge and Quality Teaching: Professional development expands educators’ content knowledge and the knowledge and skills necessary to provide developmentally appropriate instructional strategies and assess student progress.
3. Research-based Professional Learning: Professional development is research-based and provides educators with opportunities to analyze, apply and engage in research.

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4. Collaboration: Professional development ensures that educators have the knowledge, skill and opportunity to collaborate in a respectful and trusting environment.
5. Diverse Learning: Professional development ensures that educators have the knowledge and skills to meet the diverse learning needs of all students.
6. Student Learning Environments: Professional development ensures that educators are able to create a safe, secure, supportive, and equitable learning environments for all students.
7. Parent, Family and Community Engagement: Professional development ensures that educators have the knowledge, skill, and opportunity to engage and collaborate with parents, families, and other community members as active partners in children’s education.
8. Data-driven Professional Practice: Professional development uses disaggregated student data and other evidence of student learning to determine professional development learning needs and priorities, to monitor student progress, and help sustain continuous professional growth.
9. Technology: Professional development promotes technological literacy and facilitates the effective use of all appropriate technology.
10. Evaluation: Professional development is evaluated using multiple sources of information to assess its effectiveness in improving professional practice and student learning.

Professional Learning Plan Review Process

In an effort to measure the plan’s effectiveness, the following methods will be utilized during the timeframe of the plan:
● Annual PD survey provided to professional staff ● Post session surveys provided to participants
● Quarterly PD team meetings to evaluate future PD offerings

Student achievement data and teacher input will be used to identify student learning needs and plan for professional development. The following data sources will be used:

● Regents’ Passing Rate on the following exams: ○ Global
○ US History and Government ○ ELA
○ Algebra

○ Earth Science

● Grades 3-8 ELA and Math Assessments ● Grades 4 and 8 Science Assessments
● Common Grade Level/Subject Assessments (Benchmark Assessments) ● Observation Data
● Coaching Cycle Observation and Data

● Technology Surveys and Implementation Plans

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This data will serve as a touchstone for the team to reflect on. The District’s professional development team will work collaboratively with faculty and administration to analyze all data sources for common themes and patterns which will guide professional learning opportunities.

Methods of Delivery and Annual Time Devoted to Professional Development

All teachers have opportunities to participate in various professional development activities, which include but are not limited to: coaching, conferences, workshops, summer curriculum work, summer workshops, and faculty/department/grade level meetings.

All teachers will participate in four Superintendent Conference Days each year. Three of these days are planned jointly by the Byron-Bergen Faculty Association and the District through the Professional Development Team. Faculty meetings throughout the year will be utilized to continue the work started on conference days to allow teachers opportunities to continue to learn, reflect on their practice, and share with their peers as well as gather ideas for further implementation in their instruction.

Each grade level and/or department will devote time to continuing the work begun during conference days (i.e. curriculum development, honing instructional practices, etc.) and moving forward with grade level/department goals.

Additional professional development may be provided by the following: Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (BOCES) regional workshops, BOCES (Mid-West Joint Management Team (JMT), Regional Information Center (RIC), Mid-West Regional Bilingual Resource Network (RBERN), Mid-West Regional Partnership Center (RPC), Teacher Centers, and other NYS approved CTLE provider.

All professional development hours are documented by the teacher/administrator. Byron-Bergen Central School District will maintain attendance records and hours documentation for all “in-house” professional development provided.

CR Part 154 Professional Development Waiver

According to CR Section 154-2.3(k) districts may “seek permission from the Commissioner on an annual basis for an exemption from the professional development requirements” and such request must include evidence that: “All teachers, level III teaching assistants, and administrators receive training sufficient to meet the needs of the district’s or BOCES’ ELLs, in language acquisition, including a focus on best practices for co-teaching strategies and integrating language and content instruction for ELLs” and that “All Bilingual and English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) certified teachers receive training, sufficient to meet the needs of the district’s ELLs, in language acquisition in alignment with core content area instruction, including a focus on best practices for co-teaching strategies and integrating language and content instruction for ELLs.”

Each year, Byron Bergen Central School will use BEDs data to determine if the student population has fewer than thirty (30) ELLs enrolled or in which ELLs make up less than five percent (5%) of the district’s total student population. The Professional Development Waiver online form will be completed. This waiver does not exempt Byron-Bergen from providing professional development sufficient to meet the needs of its ELLs. It exempts teachers from the minimum number of professional development hours required by CR Part 154.

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Goal 1: Curriculum Development and Review

Create professional development opportunities that will allow the Byron-Bergen faculty to develop and maintain local curriculum based on national and state standards. A comprehensive local curriculum will include content standards, SEL education, technology integration, interdisciplinary connections, and assessment of learning.

● Revisit and continue the process of prioritizing and unpacking the New York State standards. ● Revisit and continue the process of creating a viable local curriculum in all subject areas.

Strategies
	
Evidence

Provide training regarding prioritizing and unpacking standards for new teachers and faculty in need.
	
Agendas of meetings

Professional Learning Registrations

Curriculum Templates/documents

Curriculum Maps

Scopes and Sequences

Cloud-based collection of curriculum maps and digital resources

Creating TOSA, Grade Level Leaders, and Content Leader Positions to support the work

Provide opportunities and time to vertically align standards and skills among grade level/departments.

Provide opportunities and time to create and refine curriculum maps.

Faculty will be able to locate curriculum documents on the shared platform.

Curriculum maps will follow a consistent format district wide.

NYS Standards Addressed:

Standard 2: Content Knowledge and Quality Teaching Standard 3: Research-based Professional Learning Standard 4: Collaboration
Standard 5: Diverse Learning

Standard 6: Student Learning Environments Standard 8: Data-Driven Professional Practice Standard 9: Technology
Standard 10: Evaluation

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Goal 2: Teaching and Learning Practices

Facilitate ongoing professional development around research based practices of teaching and learning. This will include the effective integration of technology as outlined by theBBCSD Instructional Technology Plan. The Professional Development Team will develop professional learning opportunities on Superintendent Conference Days for faculty that target best practices for teaching and learning. Focus areas for this goal will include:

● Instructional Strategies

● Differentiation of Instruction and Teaching Models ● Data Driven Instruction
● Technology Integration

Strategies
	
Evidence

Provide ongoing learning opportunities around teacher clarity, student engagement, and student independence using research from Fisher, Frey, Marzano, Hattie, etc.
	
Professional learning course registration Meeting agendas and notes
APPR post conferences and Coaching Reflection Teachers earn CTLE hours for participating in Superintendent Conference Days and faculty meetings.

Expand professional literature resources within each building (including library and faculty’s personal collections).
	
Library Catalog System Purchase Orders
Book Talks/Book Clubs

Instructional coaching cycles used for individualized professional growth.
	
Video recorded lessons submitted to coaches and administrators
Percentage of professional staff participating in instructional coaching
Teachers earn CTLE hours for participating in Instructional Coaching Cycles
Teacher Reflection/Data forms

All staff will participate in ongoing Professional Development to better utilize technology to fulfill their professional duties
	
Identify needs using surveys and technology coordinator observations.
Use faculty (teacher experts) to facilitate training in house to teach best practices with instructional technology in the classroom.

NYS Standards Addressed:

Standard 1: Designing Professional Development Standard 2: Content Knowledge and Quality Teaching Standard 3: Research-based Professional Learning Standard 4: Collaboration
Standard 5: Diverse Learning

Standard 6: Student Learning Environments Standard 8: Data-Driven Professional Practice Standard 9: Technology

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Goal 3: New Teacher and Administrator Mentor Program

The Byron-Bergen Central School District is a professional learning community that believes all educators are continuously growing and developing their craft. The District believes in the importance of providing support for new educators through a mentoring process where experienced teachers will provide assistance to new teachers to help ensure their success. Comprehensive details are outlined in the Byron-Bergen Mentor Handbook (LINK).

Objectives of the Mentor Teacher and Administrator Program:

● Provide support for new teachers and administrators to the district; ● Provide an opportunity for goal setting and development;
● Promote professional growth;

● Provide an opportunity for reflection on practices; ● Assist teachers in developing new strategies;
● Communicate district information and expectations; and ● Facilitate collegial relationships among staff.

Mentor Program Outline

Year 1
	
Year 2

New Teacher Orientation
	
2 days prior to the start of the school year planned by the district.
	
2 days prior to the start of the school year
(1 district planned day and 1 additional day worked any time during the summer)

Goal Setting with Mentor
	
2 goals - one per semester
(focus on domains 2 and 3 from Danielson)
	
1 goal for the year
(may focus on any domain from Danielson)

Mentor Observation
	
Mentor observes Mentee:
2 times per school year (one may be video)
	
Mentor observes Mentee:
2 times per school year (one may be video)

Mentee Observation
	
Mentee observes Mentor or other Teacher: 2 times per school year
	
Mentee observes Mentor or other Teacher: 1 time per school year

Formal Meetings
	
4 times per school year (once quarterly)
	
2 times per school year (once per semester)

Professional Development
	
Mentees will receive instructional coaching PD and New Teacher Check Ins with Administration and Instructional Coaches

Mentors will participate in a yearly professional Development session focused on mentoring skills.
	
Mentees will receive instructional coaching PD and New Teacher Check Ins with Administration and Instructional Coaches

Mentors will participate in a yearly professional Development session focused on mentoring skills.

NYS Standards Addressed:

Standard 1: Designing Professional Development Standard 2: Content Knowledge and Quality Teaching Standard 3: Research-based Professional Learning Standard 4: Collaboration
Standard 5: Diverse Learning

Standard 6: Student Learning Environments

Standard 7: Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Standard 8: Data-Driven Professional Practice
Standard 9: Technology Standard 10: Evaluation

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Goal 4: SafeSchools - Mandatory NYS Trainings

Byron-Bergen’s faculty and staff will participate in professional development opportunities to satisfy the SAVE legislation requirements and NYS mandated training. Examples of professional development include the following:

•	Ed-Law 2d, Blood Borne Pathogens, Sexual Harrassment with Staff and Students, Hazard communication, School Violence, Student Mental Health Awareness
•	Support staff will receive mandated training through an initial staff meeting and at ongoing staff meetings during the year.

NYS Standards Addressed:

Standard 1: Designing Professional Development Standard 6: Student Learning Environments
Standard 7: Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Standard 9: Technology

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APPENDIX A

New York State Standards for High Quality Professional Development

Standard 1:	Designing Professional Development

Professional development design is based on data; is derived from the experience, expertise and needs of the recipients; reflects best practices in sustained job-embedded learning; and incorporates knowledge of how adults learn.

Standard 2:	Content Knowledge and Quality Teaching

Professional development expands educators’ content knowledge and the knowledge and skills necessary to provide developmentally appropriate instructional strategies and assess student progress.

Standard 3:	Research-based Professional Learning

Professional development is research-based and provides educators opportunities to analyze, apply and engage in research.

Standard 4:	Collaboration

Professional development ensures that educators have the knowledge, skill and opportunity to collaborate in a respectful and trusting environment.

Standard 5:	Diverse Learning

Professional development ensures that educators have the knowledge and skills to meet the diverse learning needs of all students.

Standard 6:	Student Learning Environments

Professional development ensures that educators are able to create a safe, secure, supportive, and equitable learning environment for all students.

Standard 7:	Parent, Family and Community Engagement

Professional development ensures that educators have the knowledge, skill, and opportunity to engage and collaborate with parents, families, and other community members as active partners in childrens’ education.

Standard 8:	Data-driven Professional Practice

Professional development uses disaggregated student data and other evidence of student learning to determine professional development learning needs and priorities, to monitor student progress, and help sustain continuous professional growth.

Standard 9:	Technology

Professional development promotes technological literacy and facilitates the effective use of all appropriate technology.

Standard 10: Evaluation

Professional development is evaluated using multiple sources of information to assess its effectiveness in improving professional practice and student learning