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Lemont-Bromberek S. D. 113a

Staff Development Plan


District Demographics

Lemont-Bromberek School District 113 is located in the community of Lemont, Illinois approximately 35 miles southwest of downtown Chicago, Illinois. Lemont is a town rich in it's historic background. A major mining area at one time with 3 waterways running through it: the DesPlaines River, the Cal-Sag Canal, and the I and M Canal. The I and M Canal is celebrating it's 150th birthday this year. Lemont is nicknamed the 'City of Faith' with 4 Catholic Churches, St. Matthew's Lutheran Church and the Hindu Temple all lying within the greater Lemont township.

10 years ago, the Lemont School District consisted of 2 school buildings: Oakwood Elementary and Central Junior High School. The Bromberek School was a tiny K-8 building lying north of the Des Plaines River. In 1990, the two school districts merged and since then has continually grown. August of 1997 saw the opening of Old Quarry Middle School. The district continues to grow rapidly and may be looking at yet another school building within the near future.

The staff for this district has grown also. Last summer 40 new teachers were hired and that was an increase of 50% over the previous number of teachers. Growth can be seen in not only student population and staffing, but also in the technology program of the district. In 1995, the district formed a Technology Systems Team to develop a vision and working plan for technology. Beginning in January of 1997, a concerted effort to give staff development for technology was began. Each month say either a 1/2 day or whole day dedicated to technology. Teachers were put into groups according to level of development and taught various facets of technology and various applications programs.

Goal/Vision for the Future

The goal and or vision is for teachers to become proficient enough in technology to feel comfortable in using it as a teaching and resource tool. We want teachers to not feel intimidated by the computer. We want teachers to seamlessly integrate the computer as a tool just as they use a pencil or chalkboard. We also want teachers to incorporate engaged learning models of instruction with their students. The Six Essential Learnings will be active employed by students across the district.

Administrators/Faculty

Currently there is a wide range of abilities among administrators in this district. There is also a range of involvement among administrators. Some are actively involved in staff development, both attending and overseeing sessions and some are hardly involved at all. One way of involving administrators more actively would be to require their attendance at sessions and/or holding smaller sessions for them.


Staff Development Strategy

 RESOURCE

 STRATEGY

 COST

 TIMELINE

 EVALUATION

Technology Conference Attendance Money in school budget set aside for this resource $50 to $200 per teacher - approximately $28,000+sub pay 10 staff members per trimester per year for 3 years Post An Idea - teachers develop a lesson plan incorporating technology from the ideas gained at the conference and post on a bulletin board in their building.
Mini Pre & Post School Training Sessions ** Utilize mentors in the district to develop mini lesson in applications programs $30 per hr for trainers 2 sessions per month in each building Evaluation surveys taken after the session.
Regional Office of Education Engaged Learning Training Send staff to be come trainers in engaged learning for the district. $3600 - 12 teachers trained Required sessions per school year. Teachers act as mentors in their buildings assess fellow staff members in using indicators for engaged learning.
College Technology Classes Advertise and encourage attendance at graduate level tech classes.  Currently $150/hr reimbursement offered for any classes.  On-going Pre and post surveys each year for use of technology.
Teacher Software Buys Buy software at discounted cost for teacher at-home use. $0 cost, Teachers purchase this software bought by district  On-going Monitor usage of programs checklist.
Teacher Software Buys Allow for payroll deduction plan to offset purchase of a computer for home use. Initial investment by district will be reclaimed through payroll deduction.  On-going Monitor progress of integration and usage checklist.

 

Mini Session Scheduling and Format

Periodic regularly scheduled school days incorporated into the school calendar will be utilized as in the past. The following process will take place for this on-gong program of full day staff development sessions.

Step 1: Assessment of skills

This is necessary to place participants in skill level groups. This will ease of delivery of instruction and help the level of stress for participants.

Step 2: Calendar Sessions posted regularly

This is necessary to plan for repeated and continued instruction for participants.

Step 3: Evaluation after each session

This is necessary to move participants along a continuum of skills and toward the goal of full proficiency in the particular program.

Step 4: Development and Guided Practice

This allows participants to begin using the skills gained in the district-wide combined efforts of staff development. This is necessary to give participants time to plan for using the technology in their classroom and for incorporating engaged learning indicators in order to foster the six essential learnings for their students.

 

Other suggested staff development strategies to be explored:

Hire new teacher with established knowledge of technology.

Use lab assistance to help teachers with the technology in the computer labs.

Monetary incentives for attendance at staff development sessions beyond the school day.

Offer in-district credits for staff development session attendance.

Provide for teacher observations of engaged learning models in other districts.

Provide assistance and modeling within teachers' classrooms and with student groups.

 


Graphics: http//www.clipart.co.uk

Created for the Fermilab LInC program sponsored by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory Education Office, Friends of Fermilab, United States Department of Energy, Illinois State Board of Education, and North Central Regional Technology in Education Consortium (NCRTEC) which is operated by North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL).

 

Author(s): Mary A. Warren
School:  Lemont-Bromberek S.D. 113, Lemont, IL  60439
Created: May 14, 1998- Updated: May 15, 1998
URL: /lincon/w98/projects/mwarren/staffdev.html