Our Return to the Beginning

The Portrait of an Educator Model is a Continuous Cycle of Learning.

All good things must come to an end—except when it comes to professional growth in the Portrait of an Educator (POE) model!

Rather than viewing the conclusion of a professional growth cycle as a final endpoint, the POE model embraces it as a springboard for continued learning. Educators are encouraged to carry forward previous goals, deepening their proficiency in specific Competencies or Learning Targets through extended application and reflection. They may also choose to build upon successful learning outcomes, refining and expanding instructional practices to enhance their impact on student achievement.

Alternatively, educators can pursue new goals that reflect evolving professional interests, emerging student needs, or shifts in educational practice. Whether extending, refining, or redirecting their learning, the POE model ensures that every cycle is part of an ongoing journey—not an end, but a continuous path of growth, reflection, and meaningful impact.

Educators complete their presentation of learning in April-May yearly, affording them the opportunity to self-reflect, select new learning opportunities, and begin their efforts to take learning action in the summer preceding the start of a new school year.  

New hires to the district will meet with their mentors and administrators before the start of the new school year to review the POE model, and gain assistance in initiating their firse POE cycle.