The goal of professional development at the school sites is to provide time for the staff in each building to implement the curricular and instructional goals of their school improvement plans. Professional development activities at the site-level:

• Address gaps between student goals and performance.
• Are school-based and job-embedded with collaborative problem-solving activities geared toward closing these gaps.
• Are ongoing and continuous.
• Supported by multiple resources and organizational structures.
• Part of a comprehensive change process.

Early release time is allotted each month specifically for professional development at the site level. Please click here to view the calendar of early release days for the current school year.

Schools find additional time during the school day to meet in vertical and horizontal teams with a focus on curriculum implementation. Professional development activities at the site level must align with the academic goals of the school improvement plan and follow Rockwood's "Guidelines for Site-Based Staff Development".

At the site level, teachers are members of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) that meet on a regular basis. PLCs operate with a commitment to the norms of continuous improvement and experimentation and engage their members in improving their daily work to advance the achievement of school district and school goals for student learning. PLCs concern themselves with practical ways to improve teaching and learning. Please click here to view the District's PLC Continuum.

The Professional Development Committee (PDC) allocates funds for each school's site-based professional development activities. Schools must first submit a proposal with a budget request for expenditures. Proposals must align with the goals of the school's improvement and plan and follow the "PDC Entitlement Grant Guidelines and Application".