Professional Development

Staff members build teaching skills and concepts by participating in ongoing professional development. Banked-minute days provide valuable time for teacher collaboration, assessment analysis, goal setting, planning curriculum, and effective instructional strategies. Getting Results provide us the process to collaboratively define the area of need based on assessment data, set an objective, define instruction, gather and analyze new data, and then redefine the instruction to continue to increase student success. Mill teachers have been trained to use Thinking Maps, GLAD strategies, and technology to increase access to information and to increase student achievement. As a book study, the faculty read Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works.

The District offers annual staff development days where teachers participate in a variety of professional growth opportunities in curriculum, teaching strategies, and methodologies.

The District has received numerous grants for professional development including Reading First. The majority of District elementary and language arts teachers have participated in AB466 professional development, a 40-hour summer program focused on the effective implementation of standards in reading and language arts. All new teachers attend a training/coaching program in which they learn about the District's curriculum.