The District’s goal for professional development is to focus on core content for the purpose of collaboration among professionals with an emphasis on recruiting, supporting and retaining new teachers and continuing to participate in state/region minority recruitment efforts. 

Based on research from the National Staff Development Council and the University of Pittsburgh, Wethersfield’s Professional Development Model is results-based, standards-based and job-embedded with the following characteristics:

• Provides teachers with opportunities to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to meet the needs of individual students.

• Is aligned with state standards and district/school goals.

• Is based on the analysis of student achievement data to determine needs and next steps.

• Is rooted in the content to be taught, and uses actual curricular materials.

• Occurs as close to the classroom as possible.

• Models approaches to instruction.

• Engages teachers in the processes in which they will engage students.

• Has consistency of focus, building on previous learning and going deeper.

• Is distributed over time, deepening the learning and reflection.

• Includes both transformative and additive professional development.

• Is resourced and supported by the district and schools leadership.

• Is planned and implemented for all educators based on the PLC model that all professionals are learners.