Plainview-Old Bethpage CSD
May 2014 NTI Evening Session
District Questions – case study/talking points
1. Can you give us a brief overview of your professional development program for principals and teachers?
Teachers:
Structures are in place to support on-going professional development which include district and school based
programs:
 Two hours per week before school “Professional Hours” (full staff) ~Principal/Administrator directed
 Grades 5-8 team planning (45 min. daily in addition to prep time) ~Teacher/Administrator directed
 Eighteen hours required per year, after school for all staff- district brochure for course offerings provided
o Focus on Collegial Circles with teacher assumed leadership roles
 Faculty Meetings – Once per month
 Grade level common planning times (scheduled by building principals). Schedules developed to include
common prep time at least twice a week
 Superintendent’s Conference Day
 Teacher Mentor Program
 Out-of- District Conferences
 Literacy Coordinator to assist in program implementation and developing teacher capacity
Administrators:
 Consultant hired to provide guidance and instruction to develop common language and understanding
regarding our evaluation system. ALL district-wide administration included.
 Literacy consultant from newly adopted program hired to provide guidance and instructional core
understandings of units of study in reading and writing to principals.
 Leadership Team Meetings –with instructional focus. Conference attendees offered time to highlight
Common Core shifts which support best practice instruction.
 Out-of-District Conferences at local BOCES
~Common Core K – 8 Sessions
~Expeditionary Learning Sessions
~ELA Coordinator’s Network Meetings
2. How much do you spend per teacher on professional development?
On average, over the past three years, we have spent $1,435 on professional development for our K – 8 teachers in
ELA which is supported by Title I and Title II funds as well as district allocated resources.
3. What are you doing differently to deliver professional development today than last year, than five years ago?
Five years ago there was no defined curriculum in place for English Language Arts. There were curriculum
writing projects funded by the district but projects lacked a defined continuum of learning, and there were no
expectations for curriculum writers to turn-key this work or for teachers to implement it. Rather, the product was
considered a resource. Currently there are defined units of study in each grade level that vary genres (in both
reading and writing) and curriculum is spiraled throughout each grade level.
Curriculum writing projects are currently designed around alignment to the Common Core Standards and
response to identified needs in instructional improvement. They are driven by sequence, continuity, scope, and
balance with a supervisor on-site to facilitate. Curriculum decisions involve our teachers to increase commitment,
reflection and professional development. There is time allotted in September to roll-out identified learning
outcomes and pacing guides. A priority and a critical component the following summer is to refine the original
curriculum project based on teacher feedback and implementation. Support for implementation is available in
classrooms as needed by the Literacy Coordinator and District-wide K-12 Chairpeople.
More importantly, five years ago, we weren’t celebrating the accomplishments of individual staff members and/or
district achievements. We recognize how important it is to acknowledge and show appreciation for continued
learning and risk taking. This is and will continue to be a priority in order to sustain growth.
Due to the volume of instructional resources from within our district and the materials found on public sites, we
are currently working together to create a teacher-friendly Plainview-Old Bethpage Common Core website that
has fewer, more targeted lesson exemplars, videos, rubrics, etc. This easily navigable website is designed to
include current pedagogical understandings which are organized in a way to reflect both building/district
targeted goals.
Today, there is an expectation of conference attendees to turn-key their new learning. We have adopted an attitude
of viewing teachers as agents rather than objects of staff development. For example, in response to Common Core
mandates, teachers worked on and submitted Close Reading Protocols after attending and meeting with experts in
this area. They are using complex texts, writing exemplars, and lessons/resources that were shared via a districtwide ”share”.
Goal: Instructional improvement based on collegial learning and support – non-evaluative assistance. Increase
peer observations within and among buildings including administrators.
4. How does your district utilize supt. Conference days, shortened session days, faculty meetings, and off campus PD
allowances? Are there common themes? Is there differentiation by content area/grade level?
Superintendent’s Conference Day:
The district only has one Superintendent’s Conference day. Numerous opportunities are provided to dig deeper in
areas which may be more time consuming and require collaboration and administrative guidance. Examples of
this include aligning student work to standardize expected outcomes and optimize student learning or introducing
a universal template to be used for unit development such as “Close Read”.
Faculty Meetings
 Faculty conferences are used to address school-wide goals and to celebrate success stories. Opportunities
are provided to enhance collective thinking about instruction.
 Teachers are organized both by grade level/teams and opportunities for interdisciplinary articulation is
included.
 Department meetings are held to “Unpack” the ELA Standards and reinforce the district philosophy that all
staff members are teachers of literacy.
Off Campus PD Allowance:
 District allocation per building is determined in September. Administrators are strategic about
encouraging staff to attend particular offerings.
5.
When do your teachers get to practice what they learned in professional development?

Daily instruction ~We are encouraging peer visitation/observation to foster non-evaluative collegial
learning. Due to grade level changes for staff and increased accountability for curricular goals and
knowledge of programs, this goal can be actualized.
6. How long do you think it will take your teachers to come up to full speed on the Common Core?
This is an on-going process…
Grades K-6: Two to four years depending on the shifts and standards
Grade 7-8: Three to four years with a greater emphasis of concentration
Some of the more complex shifts/standards such as, “Students making evidentiary arguments in conversation and
in writing to assess comprehension of a text” require strategic instructional practices that may take time to refine.
Current district priorities include such things as: questioning strategies, text complexity, as well as effective lesson
planning with learning targets that maintain high standards for all students.
7. How do you evaluate your professional development?
~Surveys- anonymous/ease of use
~Feedback forms
~Monthly Superintendent /Union Leadership
meetings
~Walk-through by both building and district
administrative staff
~Informal conversations with teachers
~Evidence in student work
~Monthly BOE/Union/Administration Leadership
Meetings
~Liaison between staff and administration or
consultant to cultivate ‘risk-free’ learning environment
8. What is one example of a success you would want to share with legislators when you advocate for more funding?
The Plainview-Old Bethpage District has established a rich English Language Arts curriculum by developing
continuity, scope and balance that is aligned to the current Common Core Standards in grades K-8.
Funding Required:

District Literacy Coordinator to communicate district priorities and challenges to teachers and consultants
in order to personalize the training and set goals for future staff development opportunities
 Provide resources, including classroom libraries, units of study, and mentor texts to support district-wide
goals.