Over the summer, Springs staff was busy developing and facilitating engaging professional development for educators, high school students, and caregivers, reported Tamara Rose, Springs Director of Professional Learning and Development.
Springs is a personalized learning school and many teacher preparatory programs do not include strategies for this type of instruction, she related. Springs leadership has therefore allocated resources and funding to ensure that Springs’ education staff receives high-quality resources and training to prepare them to teach the Springs way.
EXTRA NEW TEACHER TRAINING
Springs kicked off this school year on July 26 & 27 with Extra New Teacher Training, she explained. During these two days of live, in-person staff development, General Education, Special Education, and ILP teachers learned about what makes Springs special, its commitment to learner-driven, personalized instruction, and received resources to help get them started in their respective programs. Not only did they walk out of the door with new learning and high-quality instructional materials, but they were also each provided with a Teaching the Springs Way Handbook and a designated mentor. Of those in attendance, 100% learned something they can use right away, Ms. Rose said, and over 90% rated each of the workshops valuable to their role at Springs.
ALOHA WELCOME WEEK
Following Extra New Teacher Training and simultaneously throughout our schools, Springs facilitated Aloha Welcome Week welcoming all new staff on days one and two, and all education staff for an additional three days of Springs staff development. During three days of Teaching the Springs Way training, educators across all programs learned about the Springs signature practices and resources for personalized learning. These include, in particular, Springs’ commitment to educating the whole child and nurturing students through Springs’ Ferris Wheel of Fun including its social-emotional learning standards, the 7 Cs. These include activities, games, and resources to support:
1. Caring
2. Community
3. Communication
4. Connection
5. Confidence
6. Coping
7. Celebration
Educators played games, connected, and kicked off the school year with a week of fun learning together.
EXTRA PAID PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Simultaneously, Springs staff hosted two days of Extra Paid Professional Development opportunities for educators and assistant classroom educators. The first day was in person and hosted across Springs’ charter network by leaders and teachers who have graduated from one of Springs’ Teacher Leadership Programs: Springs Personalized Learning Cohort and ILP Teacher Leadership Pathways. Participants walked away with new learning, new classroom materials, and a network of educators with a shared goal to improve student achievement and provide a personalized learning experience for Springs students.
Stand-out sessions included Really Great Reading, an intervention program for students who need extra reading support, and High Yield Math Instructional Strategies & Math Manipulatives. Presenters included Superintendent Kathleen Hermsmeyer who hosted her own primary reading workshop on phonics and student goal setting. The participants gave overwhelmingly positive feedback with 100% rating the workshops overall as very valuable and learning something they can use immediately in their instruction.
INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT BLENDED STAFF DEVELOPMENT
Springs hosted Instructional Support Blended Staff Development during the week of August 8. These live, online training events were fun, and interactive, and provided the real-time resources that educators needed to get started this school year, reported Ms. Rose. Some of the resources included an overview of Springs’ English Learner plan, updates to Springs’ online programs including iReady, Springs’ universal diagnostic assessment, improved pacing guides, and Teaching the Springs Way templates. The Instructional Support Departments prepared for the new year by gearing up for High School Ignite and rolling out the new branded grade-level materials.
PECHANGA RESORT
Staff Development culminated in a two-day event at the Pechanga Resort for all staff network-wide. Springs celebrated “getting back” with a circus-themed curriculum conference with a keynote magician, games, and a costume contest. On the second day, educators were trained on all of our curriculum and non-negotiables for our Big Hairy Audacious Goals, the BHAGS. Engagement was at an all-time high and participants walked away with an abundance of knowledge and materials “to guarantee Springs really is the Greatest School on Earth,” said Ms. Rose.
Just as Staff Development for our educators came to a close, Springs revved up to host a two-day High School Ignite and Parent Ignite. During High School Ignite students learned strategies for time management, how to be successful in Springs’ POP Curriculum, and how to master and complete all units for graduation. During Parent Ignite, caregivers were given inspiration and workshops on topics such as Teaching the Teenage Brain, What I Wish I knew as a New Homeschool Parent, and How to Raise Humans in a Digital Age.
Ms. Rose concluded, “What is so great about working for Springs and providing all of these opportunities is that we live out our Core Values. We are committed to Student-Driven Learning, we believe that we are all builders and everyone works as a team to pull off these amazing opportunities, and we understand that Revolution Happens Outside of our Comfort Zones which keeps us prioritizing growth and innovation at Springs Charter Schools.”
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