Professional+Development

The technology initiative to upgrade to Adobe Design Premium will be exciting to our staff and we can’t wait to use it. Presently we have two teachers that will need immediate training time and support to use the software once it has been loaded. The teachers would basically be teaching themselves the software. Tutorials and support materials are offered online at [|www.adobe.com]. We would also look into the possibility of our teachers attending a free training course held at a local college. This will be researched further once the technology initiative is approved. These two teachers teach Website and Desktop Publishing; these classes will be the major users of the software. Once the technology software initiative has been successful then the addition of the Marketing Communications pathway can begin to take place. The pathway will need approval of the district and the department of education.
 * Professional Development **

As an example and how things have been done in the past. We have worked over the summer on curriculum changes and software upgrades. This would be a professional development opportunity for our two teachers to learn the software. A schedule could be set forth for them to come in and work together on designing the curriculum and working with the software. Keeping in mind that the two half year classes will become full year classes in which curriculum revisions and additions will need to be made. These days would be offered at a stipend approved by the district and paid for by our Business Department and would count as Professional Development clock hours. Professional Development days during the school year would also be a must so that these two teachers would be able to offer ideas off of each other, trouble shoot, and just basically have some more time working with the programs. These days could be in-service days already scheduled into the teacher working calendar for the year. This would ensure that no additional cost throughout the year is incurred.

After the first year of use, the other members of the business department will be trained by the two veteran teachers in a professional development setting where clock hours will be recorded. This professional development would be best scheduled over the summer. There would be fewer distractions and interruptions. Also work on the addition of the Marketing Communications curriculum can be begin; assuming all approvals met the district and state deadlines. Once again summer professional development hours will be offered to the teacher given the task of teaching the related courses in the curriculum to develop coursework. A stipend will be offered to the teacher for their work hours.

SAMPLE CALENDAR OF EVENTS – PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT – FOR TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE AND MARKETING COMMUNICATION PATHWAY INITIATIVE August 2011 – June 2012 ||  Meeting of the two teacher during in-services days to discuss and evaluate software and curriculum  ||  Scheduled work day no additional payment to be received  || September 2011-December 2011 ||  Course approval and Finalization of ½ courses to full year courses for 2012-2013 school year; submission of Marketing Communications pathway for approval by district and DOE  ||  This will be done by the department chair during department chair planning/duty  || This is just a sample timeline of how things could potentially work out if our technology initiative is approved. Obviously timelines are subject to change depending on district and state calendars and the timing with the software upgrade.
 * **  TIME FRAME   **  ||  **   ACTIVITIES   **  ||  **   PAID/NOT PAID   **  ||
 * June 2011-August 2011 ||  Learning the new software and developing new curriculum for Website and Desktop Publishing  ||  Paid for two teachers, actual schedule of hours to be determined  ||
 * School Year 2011/2012
 * School Year 2011/2012
 * June 2012-August 2012 ||  Remaining teacher to be trained on new software  ||  Professional Development clock hours, no additional payment to be received  ||
 * June 2012- August 2012 ||  Marketing curriculum to be designed and developed  ||  Paid for one teacher, actual schedule of hours to be determined  ||

The Business Department feels that Professional Development is vital in making these two initiatives a success. We want to provide our students with the most up to date technology with proficient instructors. We want our students to be successful and create innovative design pieces and give them the necessary tools to be successful outside the classroom.