Professional Learning Current Reality and GSAPS

Debbie Carraway

Kennesaw State University

ITEC 7460: Professional Learning & Technology Innovation

Dr. Kelly Luscre

February 7, 2022
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Vision

The vision of the Thomas County Schools Technology Department is to provide all

students with access to state-of-the-art technology and digital learning resources, which will

increase their ability to become empowered learners and responsible digital citizens who have

the necessary skills and proficiencies for the next level of education and the workforce of today

and tomorrow (Thomas County School System Technology Plan, 2020). Use of server-based

software and online programs to monitor student learning in order to increase achievement on the

Georgia Milestones and other assessments (Thomas County Hand-in-Hand Primary School

Improvement Plan, 2021). Hand-in-Hand Primary School (HNH) is located in Thomasville,

Georgia. HNH serves grades Pre-K and Kindergarten. It houses the district's three-year-old

special education program in three reverse-inclusion model classrooms, fifteen lottery-funded

Pre-K classrooms, and seventeen Kindergarten classrooms with a total of 721 students. The

student population consists of 32.3% Black/African American, 7.3% Hispanic/Latino, 53.6%

white, and 6.6% other races. Students with disabilities comprise 15.76% of the population

(Thomas County Hand-in-Hand Primary School Literacy Plan, 2021). Each classroom teacher

has a desktop computer, printer, and a brand new ViewSonic ViewBoard Touch Display

Interactive Whiteboard. Kindergarten classrooms have 1:1 Chromebooks (total of 500)

purchased with L4GA grant monies. Pre-K classrooms currently have ten iPads with charging

stations. Despite all the technology available, HNH does not have a clearly defined vision for the

use of technology at the school.

According to the school improvement plan (SIP), we are to increase the usage of digital

learning tools by implementing and monitoring technology programs to improve academic

content areas. The school has a Lead Digital Learning Teacher who will deliver training and
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support to implement technology tools in the classroom. The Digital Learning Teacher also

offers technology lessons to students based on classroom needs. Pre-K classrooms currently

utilize technology apps such as Starfall, ABC Mouse, SeeSaw, BrainPOP Jr., and Epic.

Kindergarten classrooms also have access to these apps, including Reading Eggs, Scratch Jr.,

Code Monkey, Kahoot, Pebble Go, and ABC Ya.

Needs Assessment

Teachers are evaluated through the Teacher Keys Effectiveness System which consists of

walk-throughs, observations, and conferences. At the beginning of each school year, teachers

have to give a self-assessment and complete a pre-evaluation conference. Teachers also have to

set professional learning goals. This year Pre-K teachers set a goal that they would attend 20

hours of professional learning to learn reading, math, and developmentally appropriate learning

strategies for Pre-K. Kindergarten teachers have the same goal to attend 20 hours of professional

learning to learn reading, math, and developmentally appropriate learning strategies for

Kindergarten. Mrs. Dee Gaines, the Principal, stated, “Professional learning is determined by

data collected from staff surveys, student formative assessments, and student portfolios. The

school administrators and LEAD team review the data and create the School Improvement Plan,

which identifies school improvement goals for student learning, professional development,

parent involvement, school environment, and technology” (D. Gaines, personal communication,

January, 2022). The Thomas County School System also holds an annual mandatory Tech Tip

Expo for grades P-12. Additionally, teachers have access to a multitude of learning opportunities

provided by Southwest Georgia RESA.

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Professional Learning

Our school participates in different types of professional learning. We do book studies,

peer observations, weekly professional learning meetings, professional learning teams, and

mentoring. The school is currently conducting a professional learning book study for teachers:

Learning by Doing and for support teachers: Crucial Conversations. Most professional learning

is collaborative and completed as a school or a hallway team. If the topic meets the needs of the

whole school, we participate in weekly meetings at a time set aside during the school day

(student nap time) or workshops scheduled during school-planned workdays. We also work in

collaborative teams with the teachers in our hallways weekly during our planning time to review

data, state standards, and plan lessons. Substitutes are scheduled throughout the year to provide

release time for teachers to shadow peer teachers in-house and at neighboring schools to learn

targeted instructional strategies and behavior management and work on vertical alignment

according to the school improvement plan. There is also a video bank of teaching strategies

collected throughout the year available at all times for teachers to view.

We have a Digital Learning Teacher who has held training on SEESAW, DIBELS,

GOOGLE, Chrome books, and View Sonic Panels. As the school has just received new

ViewSonic ViewBoard Touch Display Interactive Whiteboards, our school’s Digital Learning

Teacher will conduct professional learning sessions to integrate the new technology into the

classrooms. She has made video tutorials available for teachers on the school’s shared Google

drive. Kindergarten has also received 1:1 Chromebooks for students. The Digital Learning

Specialist will also assist teachers with training the students on how to use the new technology.

Our Digital Learning Teacher is available for support, and follow-up training is offered as

needed.
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Alignment

According to Mrs. Gaines, “Professional learning is part of the School Improvement

plans and is directly related to all of the goals in the SIP.” HNH’s current professional learning

aligns with the school’s improvement plan to improve student achievement in reading and math.

Pre-K and Kindergarten utilize Tier I, II, III, and IV math and reading interventions and progress

monitoring tools with fidelity to provide academic support to students experiencing difficulties

and/or performing below grade level. Teachers implement Seeing Numbers with fidelity and

implement required teacher-led, small-group math lessons once a week. Teachers implement

universal screeners to identify needs and target instruction. Data teams analyze common

assessments to plan differentiated instruction and form MTSS groups. A to Z Readers, Language

for Learning, Secret Stories, and Handwriting Without Tears are additional math and language

arts materials that are provided to allow for more rigorous instruction. Interventionists are also

utilized to support at-risk students with supplemental instruction. MTSS data notebooks have

been created and implemented to improve the MTSS process.

Funding & Incentives

Professional learning is funded through grants such as L4GA and federal funding based

on the subject and the goal of the PL. The Thomas County School System was awarded

$3,754,352 by the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) in the second round of the

Literacy for Learning, Living, and Leading in Georgia (L4GA) grant to advance literacy efforts

over the next four years. Following the SIP, chosen teachers will attend L4GA professional

learning institutes and redeliver during professional learning meetings. If the training is not

available to all staff members, teachers are given a chance to volunteer. Participation in
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Professional Learning is noted in our TKES evaluation and can help a teacher earn a 4 if she

redelivers the information and uses it in a way that supports the other teachers in the school.

Diversity

All teachers support students at some point who either have special needs or need extra

assistance through the MTSS process. Professional learning is provided to the school to support

MTSS strategies and interventions for MTSS Tiers 1-4. For more specific needs administration,

our school LEAD Special Education Teacher and/or our Reading Interventionist will meet

directly with teachers to provide assistance and training. Several classroom models are

represented at HNH: EIP reduced-class, special education (medically fragile, autism, EBD),

regular, inclusion, gifted, and two Kindergarten ESOL teachers.

Collaboration

According to the Thomas County Professional Learning Plan for Education, “Teachers

work in collaborative teams with others who teach the same content to focus on the four

corollary questions that characterize the work of Professional Learning Collaborative Teams: 1.

What is it we expect students to learn? 2. How will we know when they have learned it? 3. How

will we respond when they don’t learn? 4. How will we respond when they already know it?”

(2017). At HNH, Teachers are grouped with teachers from the same grade level and hallway in

Professional Learning Teams. These teams meet weekly during scheduled planning times to

review data and state standards and plan collaboratively. Administrators meet once a month with

LEAD teachers from each hallway team per grade level. The goal of these teams is to follow the

SIP to improve student learning, participate in professional learning, maintain a safe learning

environment, and maintain effective parent communication and engagement.

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Evaluation

Professional learning on teacher practice and student learning is evaluated by monitoring

the student’s data and during teacher observations. Administration notes the implementation of

professional learning topics during TKES observations and evaluations. If student data and/or

observations do not reflect the professional learning provided, then teachers are allowed to

observe other teachers, assign videos from the video bank, or our academic coach comes in to

support the teacher.

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References

D. Gaines, personal communication, 2022

Thomas County Hand in Hand Primary School Improvement Plan, 2021

Thomas County Hand-in-Hand Primary School Literacy Plan, 2021

Thomas County Professional Learning Plan for Education, 2017-2020.

Thomas County School System Technology Plan, 2020

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PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
The means by which teachers, administrators, and other staff acquire, enhance, and refine
the knowledge, skills, practices, and dispositions necessary to create and support high levels
of learning for all students

Professional Learning Standard 1: Aligns professional learning with needs

identified through analysis of a variety of data

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Exemplary Operational Emerging Not Evident

Professional Professional Professional Professional

learning needs are learning needs are learning needs are learning needs are
identified and identified through a identified using identified using
differentiated collaborative limited sources of little or no data.
through a analysis process data.
collaborative using a variety of
analysis process data (e.g., student
using a variety of achievement data,
data (e.g., student examination of
achievement data, student work,
examination of process data,
student work, teacher and leader
process data, effectiveness data,
teacher and leader action research
effectiveness data, data, perception
action research data from students,
data, perception staff, and families).
data from students,
staff, and families).
Ongoing support is
provided through
differentiated
professional
learning.

EVIDENCE: Professional learning is determined by data collected from staff surveys,

student formative assessments, and student portfolios. The school administrators and
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LEAD team review the data and create the School Improvement Plan which identifies
school improvement goals for student learning, professional development, parent
involvement, school environment, and technology.

RECOMMENDATIONS: It is recommended that administration provide ongoing support

through differentiated professional learning by analyzing student data and TKES for
individual teacher needs.

Professional Learning Standard 2: Establishes a culture of collaboration among

administrators and staff to enhance individual and collective performance

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Exemplary Operational Emerging Not Evident

Administrators Administrators Administrators Administrators

and staff, as a and staff routinely and staff routinely and staff routinely
foundational collaborate to collaborate to collaborate to
practice, improve individual improve individual improve individual
consistently and collective and collective and collective
collaborate to performance (e.g., performance (e.g., performance (e.g.,
support leadership construct construct construct
and personal knowledge, knowledge, knowledge,
accountability and acquire skills, acquire skills, acquire skills,
to enhance refine practice, refine practice, refine practice,
individual and provide feedback). provide feedback). provide feedback).
collective
performance (e.g.,
construct
knowledge,
acquire skills,
refine practice,
provide feedback).
Teachers conduct
action research
and assume
ownership of
professional
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learning processes.

EVIDENCE: Administrators meet once a month with LEAD teachers from each hallway
team per grade level. The LEAD teachers then distribute the information back to their
peers during their weekly collaborative planning meetings.

RECOMMENDATIONS: It is recommended that teachers be allowed to choose a topic of

interest to conduct an action research topic of their choice which will allow teachers to
assume ownership of the professional learning processes. Action research would
represent one way to study and improve teaching and learning for both students and
teachers, as it is considered an effective way to contribute to the professional learning
of teachers

Professional Learning Standard 3: Defines expectations for implementing

professional learning

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Exemplary Operational Emerging Not Evident

Administrators, Administrators, Administrators, Administrators,

teacher leaders, or teacher leaders, or teacher leaders, or teacher leaders, or
both consistently both regularly both occasionally both rarely, if ever,
define expectations define expectations define expectations define expectations
for the for the for the for the
implementation of implementation of implementation of implementation of
professional professional professional professional
learning, including learning. learning. learning.
details regarding
the stages of
implementation
and how
monitoring will
occur as
implementation
progresses.

EVIDENCE: Thomas County Professional Development Plan 2017-2020 states the

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expectations for professional development for a three-year span.

RECOMMENDATIONS: It is recommended to update the Thomas County Professional

Development Plan for the next three years (2022-2025).

Professional Learning Standard 4: Uses multiple professional learning designs to

support the various learning needs of the staff

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Exemplary Operational Emerging Not Evident

Staff members Staff members Some staff Staff members

actively participate actively participate members are receive single,
in job-embedded in professional engaged in stand-alone
professional learning, most of professional professional
learning that which is job- learning that learning events
engages embedded, which makes use of more that are
collaborative includes multiple than one learning informational and
teams in a variety designs (e.g., design to address mostly large-group
of appropriate collaborative lesson their identified presentation
learning designs study, analysis of needs. designs.
(e.g., collaborative student work,
lesson study, problem-solving
analysis of student sessions,
work, problem curriculum
solving sessions, development,
curriculum coursework, action
development, research, classroom
coursework, action observations,
research, online networks) to
classroom support their
observations, various learning
online networks). needs. Professional
Professional learning includes
learning includes follow-up with
extensive follow-up feedback and
with descriptive coaching.
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feedback and
coaching.

EVIDENCE: The school provides book studies, peer observations, weekly professional
learning meetings, professional learning teams, and mentoring. The school is currently
conducting a professional learning book study for teachers: Learning by Doing and for
support teachers: Crucial Conversations. Most professional learning is collaborative and
completed either as a school or as a hallway team.

RECOMMENDATIONS: It is recommended to include extensive follow-up with

descriptive feedback and coaching after conducting professional learning.

Professional Learning Standard 5: Allocates resources and establishes systems to

support and sustain effective professional learning

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Exemplary Operational Emerging Not Evident

Extensive resources Adequate resources Some resources Few, if any,

(e.g., substitute (e.g., substitute and systems are resources and
teachers, materials, teachers, materials, allocated to systems are
handouts, tools, handouts, tools, support and provided to
stipends, stipends, sustain support and
facilitators, facilitators, professional sustain
technology) and technology) and learning. professional
systems (e.g., systems (e.g., learning.
conducive conducive
schedules, schedules, adequate
adequate collaborative time,
collaborative time, model classrooms)
model classrooms) are in place to
are allocated to support and sustain
support and professional
sustain effective learning.
professional
learning.
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Opportunities to
practice skills,
receive follow-up,
feedback, and
coaching are
provided to
support the
effectiveness of
professional
learning.

EVIDENCE: Substitute teachers are provided so teachers may attend professional

learning during the day. Teachers are allowed to observe other teachers, assigned
videos from the video bank, or our academic coach comes in to support the teacher
when needed.

RECOMMENDATIONS: No recommendations at this time. Teachers have opportunities

to practice skills, receive follow-up, feedback, and coaching.

Professional Learning Standard 6: Monitors and evaluates the impact of

professional learning on staff practices and student learning

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Exemplary Operational Emerging Not Evident

Monitoring and Monitoring and Monitoring and Monitoring and

evaluating the evaluating the evaluating the evaluating the
impact of impact of impact of impact of
professional professional professional professional
learning on staff learning on staff learning on staff learning on staff
practices and practices and practices occurs practices occurs
increases in student learning sporadically. rarely, if ever.
student learning occurs routinely.
occurs extensively.
Evaluation results
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are used to identify

and implement
processes to extend
student learning.

EVIDENCE: Monitoring and evaluating the impact of professional learning on staff

practices are conducted by walk-throughs, analyzing student data, and TKES
evaluations. Evaluation results are used to identify and implement processes to extend
student learning.

RECOMMENDATIONS: No recommendations at this time.

KSU ITEC Professional Learning Standard: Professional learning reinforces

educators’ understanding and use of strategies for promoting equity and high
expectations for all students, application of research-based teaching strategies and
assessment processes, and involvement of families and other stakeholders in
promoting student learning.

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Exemplary Operational Emerging Not Evident

Classroom practices Classroom Classroom Classroom

(e.g., considering practices of most practices of some practices reflect
interests,
teachers reflect teachers reflect little or no evidence
backgrounds,
skill in evidence of of teachers’
strengths, and
preferences to communicating teachers’ training training in
provide meaningful, high expectations in understanding understanding the
relevant lessons and for each student the impact that impact that
assess student and adjusting attitudes attitudes regarding
progress, classroom regarding race, race, disabilities,
differentiating
activities to meet disabilities, background,
instruction, and
nurturing student
student needs. background, culture, high
capacity for self- Respect for culture, high expectations, and
management) of all students’ cultures expectations, and social class of both
teachers reflect an and life social class of students and
emotionally and experiences is both students and teachers have on
physically safe
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environment where evident through teachers have on the teaching and

respect and the emotionally the teaching and learning process.
appreciation for a
and physically safe learning process.
diverse population is
learning
evident. There are
high achievement environment
expectations for all where students of
students and diverse
teachers. The backgrounds and
principal and other experiences are
leaders provide
taught the school
professional
learning for teachers
code of conduct
lacking (customs) to help
understanding of the them be successful
impact that attitudes in the school
regarding race, context.
disabilities,
background, culture,
high expectations,
and social class of
both students and
teachers have on the
teaching and
learning process.

EVIDENCE: The school has a morning show “The Brain Smart Buzz” that each teacher
plays at the start of the day. The video includes various staff from around the school, the
pledge of allegiance performed by different classrooms, an I Love You ritual, a weekly
commitment, and a social emotion lesson. The school has a PBIS program that provides
an emotionally and physically safe environment where respect and appreciation for a
diverse population are evident. The school has a few holiday activities throughout the
year that represent a diverse culture that include Veteran’s Day program, Black History
month, and various holidays. Teachers are required to provide evidence of
differentiation in their lesson plans.

RECOMMENDATIONS: It is recommended that the school include more multi-cultural

activities that would include international week and Hispanic Heritage.