Curriculum & Staff Development

CURRICULUM AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT

Staff Development Philosophy and Beliefs

Philosophy of the PS Professional Development Program

CPS defines professional development as any activity that focuses on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes educators need so that all students can achieve the standards set by CPS. We consider professional development opportunities for our faculty and staff to be an essential element of CPS’s success and continual improvement. We commit resources (human, financial, and time) to establish an effective professional development program. The goals of the CPS Professional Development Program are to enhance student learning, to help students meet the CPS goals and program standards, to model life-long learning, and to meet the needs and expectations of faculty and staff members. We will use a variety of professional development approaches to accomplish these goals.

CPS standards for students in all areas of study at all levels. These standards are based on best practices supported by current research. Thus, it is appropriate in the area of professional development to look at standards in this area as well.

The National Staff Development Council (NSDC) is the largest non-profit professional association committed to ensuring success for all students through staff development and school improvement. The Council views high-quality staff development programs as essential to creating schools in which all students and staff members are learners who continually improve their performance. The NSDC standards are the guidelines for professional development practice at cps.

Beliefs Guiding the Staff Development Program at the CPS

•	Professional development is fundamental to school improvement and critical for all those who affect student learning.
•	All staff members are part of a learning community that shares the responsibility for both individual and institutional growth.
•	Effective professional development honors staff and faculty members as professionals and adult learners who grow and develop when given support (leadership, resources, and time).
•	A balanced, multifaceted approach to professional development is needed because of the unique international and transient nature of CPS as well as increasing changes in education and the needs of students.
•	Systemic growth and development require reflection, professional dialogue, collaboration, and support (leadership, resources, and time).

National Staff Development Council Standards for Staff Development

Context Standards

Staff development that improves the learning of all students:

•	Organizes adults into learning communities whose goals are aligned with those of the school and district. (Learning Communities)
•	Requires skillful school and district leaders who guide continuous instructional improvement. (Leadership)
•	Requires resources to support adult learning and collaboration. (Resources)

Process Standards

Staff development that improves the learning of all students:

•	Uses disaggregated student data to determine adult learning priorities, monitor progress, and help sustain continuous improvement. (Data-Driven)
•	Uses multiple sources of information to guide improvement and demonstrate its impact. (Evaluation)
•	Prepares educators to apply research to decision making. (Research-Based)
•	Uses learning strategies appropriate to the intended goal. (Design)
•	Applies knowledge about human learning and change. (Learning)
•	Provides educators with the knowledge and skills to collaborate. (Collaboration)

Content Standards

Staff development that improves the learning of all students:

•	Prepares educators to understand and appreciate all students, create safe, orderly and supportive learning environments, and hold high expectations for their academic achievement. (Equity)
•	Deepens educators’ content knowledge, provides them with research-based instructional strategies to assist students in meeting rigorous academic standards, and prepares them to use various types of classroom assessments appropriately. (Quality Teaching)
•	Provides educators with knowledge and skills to involve families

Curriculum and Staff Development Advisory Council

The Curriculum and Staff Development Advisory Council meet monthly to enhance student achievement by assisting in providing outstanding educational experiences for students. The Council advises the CPS Administrative Team on the development, planning, and implementation of curricular projects and the related professional development. This Council consists of members representing all levels of the school. Decisions are based on the CPS mission, long-range strategic planning resulting from the Accreditation for Growth (AFG) process, annual goals, and the NSDC Standards.

Areas of involvement have included process, guidelines and management of endowment grants; school calendar; and the Educators’ Exchange.