Professional Development

A variety of models are used to provide professional development for teachers.

At each level, the instructional technology integrator has a schedule that varies day-to-day and week-to-week depending on the needs of the students and teachers at each school. An integrator may attend team meetings, offer one-to-one support to a teacher, co-teach a new lesson in a classroom, meet with a building administrator to collaborate, etc. Each summer the integrators work closely with others on the K-12 technology team to ensure that all equipment is set up and ready for student use and that teachers have access to email groups, class lists, and other information needed to start the year. Faculty are encouraged to develop a professional learning network by sharing bookmarks, posting to blogs and wikis as well as connecting with others through social networking platforms.

We initiated the process of using Google Apps for Education (GAFE) in the fall of 2011 as Google Docs (now "Drive") for the collaboration of shared docs, posted calendars, as well as the development of websites by every teacher in the district. The usage of GAFE has spread to include students and our email system. At the earlier grades many teachers have moved from classroom websites to classroom blogs as a multimedia approach to sharing learning activities that take place in the classrooms.

The team of instructional technology integrators maintains each school website as a resource for staff and community members. The staff Intranet for each school and the district provides access to materials, links, and essential information. Some sites are designed for K-12 access like the Tech Help Wiki or Yarmouth Google Tools sites. Individual schools have extensive support information on the Technology page of the school's website:

• PK-5 - Rowe School and Yarmouth Elementary School

• Grades 6-8 - Harrison Middle School

• Grades 9-12 - Yarmouth High School

Each year a course on using technology to support the learning goals of the district is proposed for K-12 teachers. 

• • Educators design activities, assignments, and assessments that support differentiated opportunities for demonstrating learning. 

  • The course is a blend of online and face-to-face learning models.

  • Students assistants who attend HMS and YHS help with teaching involving them at a higher level.

  • The course is project-based: teachers design a unit or lesson that uses technology. 

  • Work time with support is a big part of this model.

  • A mix of K-12 teachers and teams. 

  • The projects are shared during the last class, promoting a collaborative culture that allows all participants to take risks and be innovative.

  • Teachers may take the course for "Yarmouth Credit" to be used toward their graduate credit on the salary scale. Those credits can not be used outside of the district

Past professional development offered by the district Instructional Technology Integrators:

Summer Technology classes

• • Summer/Fall 2015 - "Engaging Learning with Technology

  • Summer/Fall 2014 - "Multiple Demonstrations of Learning"

  • Summer/Fall 2013 - "Using Technology to Support Personalized Learning"

  • Summer/Fall 2012 - "Playing with Media, continued"

  • Summer/Fall 2011- "Deepening Our Learning Through Storytelling"

  • Spring 2011 - "Teaching and Learning with Google Tools"

  • Summer/Fall 2010 - "Teaching and Learning with Technology for the 21st Century"

March K-12 Inservice Days

• • Playing with Media 2013

  • Transition to Google Day 2012