Ongoing professional development is the pinnacle for staying abreast of current trends, curricula and methodologies. The past president of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), Pat Bassett, compiled a list of ten commonalities in successful independent schools – one of which was ongoing professional development. I ascribe to this notion, as there is no other way to understand the current educational landscape and prepare for what the future may hold.
Internally, our faculty and staff participate in a plethora of experiences. We have invited experts into the school, and faculty have committed their personal time to attend conferences, spending time away from their families. Nothing makes me happier than a faculty member asking to attend intensive training to become immersed in an arena that will help our school stay current and cutting edge, as well as facilitate growth in our students.
Currently, we are researching social studies curriculum from other institutions and reading articles as we update and improve our social studies curriculum. We are in the second year of curriculum mapping across core subjects and specialties, evaluating effectiveness to ensure we are incorporating the latest topics and strands. This is an ongoing process at Rohan Woods, which helps us maintain a quality academic program.
Externally, faculty and staff are required to attend professional development workshops and observe at other schools, focusing on curricula, classroom management, methodologies and trends. This fuels our passion and dedication to grow as a community. Additionally, faculty and staff share their experiences with each other so that we all can benefit from their knowledge and training.
During the past few weeks, I had the privilege of spending time in numerous professional development opportunities focusing on enrollment and finance, enrollment management, demographics, the art of leadership and college placement statistics. I must admit, I love professional development. I look forward to learning from my colleagues and experts in the field. I also look forward to sharing the information gained with faculty to further its growth in the industry.
Our eyes are on the prize – your children. We take our job seriously so that your children can benefit and become successful students and contributing human beings.
Sam