Julie Cottin julie.cottin@wmich.edu
EDT 648 Summer 2004
P1: Needs AssessmentJune 6, 2004
Sturgis Public Schools is the school system that I am the most familiar with and have contacts that are willing to help me. (I recently resigned from a position in higher education and determined it would be more advantageous to work with the local K-12 school system that my children attend.)
After interviewing the current Assistant Superintendent of Sturgis Public schools, currently staff development is based on three areas; curriculum review, professional development (technology and other needs) and school improvement & adoption. All three areas are similar to legs on a chair, without each leg/area the chair would not be stable.
Curriculum Review is on a six year renewal cycle. A new program, Rubicon Atlas Mapping Software, was recently implemented, each year a new curriculum (Math, Science, etc…) will be added to the mapping program in their implementation year. Mapping will provide easier assessment of gaps, overlaps and address changes in Michigan 's State Standards and Benchmarks. Collaboration with instructors and utilizing completed maps as samples will help in the on-going process of staff development.
School Improvements and Adoption is ongoing and flexible to coordinate/support with the District's Curriculum Council and School Improvement, NCA Performance Accreditation, Michigan 's Education Yes and national No Child Left Behind mandates. For example if it has been determined that writing needs to be improved across all curriculums staff development will be designed to provide the necessary goals, resources, timeline and evaluation.
Professional Development: each building will be responsible for determining their individual needs which include technology implementation, needed skills and refresher activities to promote students growth and development, . Each building has a Building Technical Representative and a Staff Development Plan that supports the unique strategies for improvement in their area.
SPS utilizes local technology experts to provide content to faculty and staff. If necessary building technical representatives and/or the Instructional Technology Team will obtain the necessary training and then collaborate with the faculty and staff to provide necessary instruction. On a daily basis if a building technical representative can not provide support faculty and staff have a call in Help Desk to answer questions. The Help Desk works with the Instructional Technology Team to investigate and resolve more difficult issues.
Currently Sturgis Public Schools (SPS) have 5 annual Professional Development days that focus on technology, (one day is mandatory and the other four days are voluntary). Professional Development days are held when school is not in session. Staff/ instructors receive a small stipend for attending development days. Building technical representatives determine their building need assessment for staff development. Feedback surveys have been utilized in the past for evaluation.
A unique method of encouraging staff to expand their technical capabilities was implemented by the Instructional Technology Team, a Professional Development Challenge. Each building were awarded points based on faculty and staff completing various task/assignments. Task included attaching a file to an email, creating a web page, etc… Points were accumulated; awards were given based on points achieved, (example, digital camera to the building with the most points).
Another interesting method of dispersing technical information is a quarterly newsletter that includes tips, links and useful information to expand interest in technology.
Recommendation 1: Develop a needs assessment faculty and staff to annually complete that tracks and assesses different strands: technical proficiencies, technical needs, integrating technology (personal and student), recommendations for future training, development, (wish list) and other non-technical need suggestions. This information should be mapped and reviewed to determine needs for new and refresher activities- data driven decisions. A suggestion box should be encouraged and available at all times.
Recommendation 2: Develop a needs assessment for parents and students to complete including technical proficiencies, needs, technology integrated at home and school, recommendations for technology and other non-technical suggestions. This information could provide additional data that would be useful in decision making.
Needs assessments would be available online and data will be collected in a database that can be collected and interpreted. Assessments on proficiencies, needs and integration will not be anonymous for tracking reasons. Recommendations, comments and other suggestions can be anonymous, if necessary.