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Shared Professional Development Projects for Teachers
Districts will work collaboratively to plan common professional development projects to meet strategic
and regional needs. The professional development sessions will be delivered to the consortium by LHRIC staff.
A Master Calendar of all Shared Professional Development Projects will be sent to all
Model Schools District Representatives by September 1.
Districts who engage in the planning process will contribute to the identification of key topics and content,
and to the design of the sessions that their teachers will attend. Districts commit to adequate
representation at scheduled planning meetings, and mobilization of appropriate teams for planning
and follow up during the year.
Regional Professional Development Program for Model Schools Districts
Through this new program districts will participate in a specialized professional development opportunity
that may be beyond the resources of individual districts to implement. For example, each member of
Model Schools will be able to send several participants to a multi-session seminar on a specific topic to be
delivered by an acknowledged expert.
Shared In-District Professional Development
Through the Model Schools program, districts may open up seats in their own, in-house, instructional technology
sessions to teachers throughout the region. The Lower Hudson Regional Information Center will coordinate a
"master calendar" of all professional development offerings occurring in over 40 member districts. This on-line listing
of district-based professional development is an important component of a true "teacher to teacher" network
tapping into the expertise that resides in local classrooms. A complete listing of current professional
development sessions is listed on the Model Schools home page.
Access to Dedicated Online Statewide Forum for Technology and Instructional Leaders
District leaders are invited to share instructional technology resources and questions in a Statewide
"NYS Technology in Education Forum", a web-based discussion hosted by Syracuse University as a service
to NYS educators, leaders and technical staff. The purpose is to promote meaningful discussion that
shifts "the bits and bytes" to "the instruction and impact." Leaders will discuss trends and issues
around distance learning, E-rate, funding opportunities, professional development, network security, student
management systems, software, technology planning, and much more.
Access to Workshops and Online Learning
Model Schools provides a catalog of "working-shops" held throughout the academic year where participants from
different districts convene to learn new skills, share implementation ideas, and create learning experiences
for use in their classrooms. The course offerings vary in sophistication, from mastering basic application skills
to designing curriculum-specific activities to creating and maintaining web sites. Many participants use these
offerings as a chance to hone their own skills or connect with colleagues within the region. It is a healthy
environment for the novice as well as master user of technology.
District will also have access to a library of juried online professional development courses that are offered
throughout the state. These courses are open to Model Schools participants and the content is related closely
to NYS Standards and issues. Some courses are self paced while others are instructor-led. (Separate fees may apply).
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