On September 18, 2017, the Los Nietos School District hosted its third Professional Development Day (PD) for the instructional staff in the district. Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Jacqueline Cardenas, welcomed staff to the PD day and explained what the day would look like as well as the District’s priorities for the 2017-2018 school year. Attendees were then dismissed to differentiated professional development opportunities that matched their grade level needs or job classifications.
All K-6th grade teachers received training with utilizing effective writing strategies with Dr. Suzanne Bright from the Collaborative Classroom. Teachers in grade levels 3-6 received specific training on how to prepare their students for Writing to the Performance Tasks that they will be required to do when they take the CAASPP assessments next year. The District’s three Teachers on Special Assignment also provided training on best practices utilizing classroom Workstations and how to write using Informational Text.
Teachers in 5th-8th also received Introductions to Accelerated Math, and 4th-8th received support with implementing the new Science standards.
Special education assistants received support and instruction from new Director of Special Education, Raymond Tan, who discussed new trends in special education, compliance laws, and engaged in, needs assessment with the assistants. Additionally assistants received training from the school psychologists on suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention with students.
Los Nietos staff were engaged throughout the day and looked forward to the next pupil-free professional development day that is scheduled on October 16, 2017.