22
Plano ISD 2012 Employee Convocation
PROFESSIONAL PRIDE
AND RESEARCH-BASED
DEVELOPMENT
In addition to the six days built into the calendar for
district and campus professional learning, the district
conducts learning activities for staff after school, before
school and throughout the school year. Nationally
recognized experts with critical messages, such as Eric
Jensen and Marcia Tate, on brain-based instruction and
Patrick Briggs on connecting and motivating students from
all backgrounds, challenge staff to integrate current
research into their practice.
Cultural Competency – Staff members from each Plano
ISD campus and department are trained on cultural
competency in a “train-the-trainer” format to allow them
to help train their peers. The training is part of a multi-year
school board initiative designed to enhance cultural
competence among employees and improve relationships
with students, parents, the community and colleagues.
Mentor Program – All teachers new to the district are
paired with a mentor teacher from their campus to assist
and coach them as they transition into a new district, a
new campus and/or a new profession, depending upon
each individual’s circumstance.
ESL Certification – All elementary teachers are in the
process of completing the requirement for state English as
a Second Language (ESL) supplemental certification to
enhance their instructional skills regarding students with a
first language other than English.
Gifted and Talented Training – The district continues to
provide a multi-day training experience for teachers that
complements existing curriculum training and focuses on
current research regarding the nature and needs of gifted
and high achieving students.
Plano ISD is committed to
on-going professional
learning for all employees.
A variety of district
initiatives and resources
target identified student
learning needs so our
district can continually
strive for excellence with
every student.
Summer Opportunities for Learning – An optional
multi-day ‘summer camp’ for elementary teachers hosts a
multitude of sessions on specific instructional strategies
and/or content areas from which teachers choose. The
summer of 2012 saw roughly 1,500 seats filled over a three
day period as teachers rushed to take advantage of this
popular opportunity.
Curriculum Design Projects – The Curriculum
Development Institute offers secondary teachers an
opportunity to perfect their instructional design skills.
This experience, in addition to wide-spread on-going
summer sessions in which district curriculum lessons are
revised and adapted to new state standards, helps
teachers to be better prepared to match content
standards to student needs.
Team Leader Academy – Approximately 100 team leaders,
department chairs and future leaders representing each
campus and all grade levels in Plano ISD gather for five
days in the summer to focus on honing their leadership
skills, exploring and developing instructional and
leadership strengths and becoming more thoughtful and
transparent communicators.
Professional Learning Communities – Through
intentionally orchestrated small teams of individuals
focused on a specific topic, skill or subject area, each
related to student achievement, teachers and campus
administrators collaborate to investigate, research and
develop action plans to address local student needs.
PD 360° – For use in any district or campus learning
experience as well as for individual employee use, the
district provides a library of professionally developed
videos focusing on the work of internationally acclaimed
experts and educators in classrooms across the nation.
Among the many topics of these videos to support district
efforts are brain-based instruction, classroom
management, instructional skills and working with students
from diverse backgrounds.