February 12, 2025
MVYPS Professional Development Day
MVYPS Professional Development Day
ALL Teacher-Directed PD that is not accounted for in the system-wide sessions listed here on this site, or through your building communication, should be tracked using the
PDP Tracking Form.
ALL teachers please click the button below to complete the form by End of Day 2/12.
MVYPS's System-wide Commitments
A System-Wide Commitment to Our Children
Emphasis on Teaching Models That Better Support All Learners -Co Teaching
Emphasis on Physical and Emotional Welfare of Our Students – VOCAL
Prioritize Alternative Approaches to Discipline – Think:Kids – Collaborative Problem-Solving
A Commitment to Nurturing the Culture Within Our Schools
Emphasis on Physical and Emotional Welfare of Our Staff – Behavioral Health
Emphasis on Relationships and Themes of Care
Focus on Strategies to Improve School Climate – EDSCLS
A Commitment to a Strong School Community Approach
A Commitment to Building Maintenance and Upgrade
Emphasis on Increasing Family Engagement
Explore Programs That Increase Support of Our Community
This half day of professional development is entirely structured around both district/school-directed and teacher-directed professional learning and development. It is MVYPS' hope that schools will take this time to structure PD and teaming efforts that promote their school and staff informed initiatives/school improvement actions. Also, it is MVYPS' hope that teachers will take advantage of the latter half of the day to engage in professional development that is collaborative, authentic and relevant to their practice, related to individual professional development plans, and enriches the learning experience of the students in their classrooms (see note below). ESPs have a normal contractual work day on this PD day.
MVRHS- 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
School-led PD 11:30 to 1:30 pm
Teacher-directed PD 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm
K-8 Schools- 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm
School-led PD 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm
Teacher-directed PD 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm
PLEASE NOTE: System-wide and school-sponsored PD will be offered on these days during teacher-directed time, but teachers/staff are not contractually obligated to participate in these offerings.
HMH Into Reading Grades K-5: Required
Who: All MVYPS lead instructional staff and reading specialists working in grades K - 5 ELA
Purpose: To review the High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) from HMH’s Into to Reading Curriculum for ELA
Please bring your laptops and all HMH curriculum materials that were sent to your school.
Objectives:
Participants will learn how Into to Reading is a research-based content aligned with the latest training in early literacy that improves foundational reading skills.
Participants will understand how the ready-to-teach, standards-aligned sessions save you time in prepping, planning, and delivering whole-class instruction.
Participants will learn how Into Reading’s myBook consists of rigorously reviewed, culturally relevant literature students love. Text sets build knowledge with essential questions that promote discussion, critical thinking, and writing.
Time: 1:00 - 2:30 pm
Facilitators: Houghton Mifflin consultants and Megan Farrell
Location: Oak Bluffs School Cafeteria
Please direct questions to Megan Farrell.
Focus Area(s):
A System-Wide Commitment to Our Children >
Emphasis on Teaching Models that Support ALL Learners
MVYPS pK-8 Technology and Safety Training
Who: All MVYPS staff working in grades pK - 8
Purpose: MVYPS has implemented new cyber security efforts to keep student, staff, and school system information safe. These steps also require staff training as to why this is occurring, how it impacts staff practice, and how to respond to ongoing challenges with supporting school cyber safety.
Objectives:
Participants will understand the practices and protocols being put in place at MVYPS for cybersecurity by the IT team.
Participants will understand how cybersecurity efforts will effect their navigation of technology for instruction and job related responsibilities.
Participants will understand how use of MVYPS technological devices and how use of personal devices on MVYPS services will be impacted by cybersecurity protocols.
Time: 12:30 pm-1:00 pm or 3:00 pm - 3:30 pm [Teachers have an option to choose which session they will attend.]
Facilitators: Rick Mellow & Spencer D'Agostino
Location: Zoom
Meeting ID: 893 4021 2771
Passcode: 412392
Meeting ID: 822 3983 4144
Passcode: 262120
Please direct questions to Richie Smith.
Focus Area(s):
A System-Wide Commitment to Our Children >
Emphasis on Physical and Emotional Welfare of Our Students
A Commitment to Nurturing the Culture Within Our Schools >
Emphasis on Physical and Emotional Welfare of Our Staff
Focus on Strategies to Improve School Climate
A Commitment to a Strong School Community Approach >
A Commitment to Building Maintenance and Upgrade
Math Language Routines that Increase Content and Language Development
Who: All 6-12th grade ESL Teachers and Math Teachers
Purpose: To equip ESL and Math teachers with effective strategies to support linguistically responsive math instruction.
Objectives:
Participants will learn research-based instructional strategies for multilingual students in math instruction that benefit all students
Participants will explore ways to increase language and content development in math
Time: 1:00-3:00 pm
Facilitators: Kelly Ann Cooney
Location: MVRHS TBD
Email Leah Palmer to confirm registration and to ask questions.
Focus Area(s):
Bucket 1- A System-wide Commitment to Our Children >
Emphasis on Teaching Models That Better Support All LearnersEmphasis on Teaching Models That Better Support All Learners
Bucket 2- A Commitment to Nurturing the Culture within Our Schools >
Strategies to improve school climate
Communities of Practice (CoPs) at MVYPS
For 2024-20245 MVYPS will support the ongoing work of Communities of Practice as a high quality form of professional development. Through entitlement grant funds, the Superintendent is able to provided CoPs that have experienced ongoing success and support in the past with the opportunity to continue their work.
CoPs are required to meet for no less than 6 hours across the school year, with times being organized by the facilitator and the CoP members. Some CoP facilitators may choose to offer meeting times during teacher-directed PD time, while others may also meet after school and during other non-contractual times.
Click the arrow to the right to expand the list of available 2024-2025 CoPs for MVYPS educators.
Focus Areas(s):
Many of the CoPs focus on different buckets related to MVYPS' Commitments 2023-2024. The most common buckets are as follows.
Bucket 1: A System-wide Commitment to Our Children
Emphasis on teaching models that better support all learners
Emphasis on physical and emotional welfare of our students
Bucket 2: A Commitment to Nurturing the Culture within our Schools
Emphasis on relationships and themes of care
Emphasis on strategies to improve school climate
8th Grade English CoP (2/12, 3pm meeting by Zoom Link.)
This CoP will focus on core topics of curriculum and instruction in English language arts and the bridging of learning across the 8th to 9th grade transition. At times, this group may be meeting with 9th grade core.
English - Facilitator: Amy Wallace
8th Grade Math CoP (Contact Vanessa Forrester for scheduled meeting dates, locations and times.)
This CoP will focus on core topics of math curriculum and the bridging of learning across the 8th to 9th grade transition. At times, this group may be meeting with 9th grade core teachers to collaborate.
Math - Facilitator: Vanessa Forrester
8th/9th Grade Science CoP (Meets on PD days from 3- 4pm by Zoom: https://mvyps.zoom.us/j/6462262059 )
This CoP will focus on core topics of curriculum and instruction in Science and the bridging of learning across the 8th to 9th grade transition. At times, this group may be meeting with 9th grade core.
Science - Facilitator: Sara Hoffman
9th Grade English Language Arts (ELA) CoP (Contact Christine Ferrone for scheduled meeting dates, locations and times.)
This CoP will support the MVRHS' 9th grade ELA team in coming together to discuss changes to ELA programming at this grade level.
Facilitator: Christine Ferrone
Desmos Math CoP (Contact Eve Heyman for scheduled meeting dates, locations and times.)
This CoP will discuss and problem solve the implementation of Desmos Math into your curriculum with other educators at MVYPS.
Facilitator: Eve Heyman
Middle School Social Studies CoP (Contact Stacey Morris for scheduled meeting dates, locations and times.)
This CoP will focus on core topics of curriculum and instruction in Social Studies at the middle school grade level.
History - Facilitator: Stacey Morris
K-8 Art CoP (Contact Nichole Shank for scheduled meeting dates, locations and times.)
This CoP will discuss topics together related to the instructional practices of art education in the elementary/middle schools at MVYPS.
Facilitator: Nichole Shank
K-8 Health/Family & Consumer Science CoP (Contact Jane Taylor for scheduled meeting dates, locations and times.)
This CoP will engage in ongoing topics related to instructional practices of health education at the elementary and middle school level. Special focus topics may be on the Michigan Model Curriculum and other related curricula for health education at MVYPS, as well as the new MA Comprehensive Health and PE Frameworks (2023).
Facilitator: Jane Taylor
K-8 Library Science CoP (Contact Caitlyn Clark for scheduled meeting dates, locations and times.)
This CoP will engage in ongoing topics related to supporting library sciences at the elementary and middle school level.
Facilitator: Caitlyn Clark
K-8 School Counselor CoP (Contact Joanie Creato for scheduled meeting dates, locations and times.)
This CoP will engage in ongoing topics related to school counseling at the elementary and middle school level. The K-8 School Counselor CoP meets with community partners and consult with CoP members on student cases. They meet every other month.
Facilitator: Joanie Creato
K-8 Spanish CoP (Contact Theresa Holmes for scheduled meeting dates, locations and times.)
This CoP will engage in ongoing topics related to the instructional practices of Spanish language education at the elementary and middle school level. Initial discussion this year will be focused on the STAMP assessment.
Facilitator: Theresa Holmes
K-12 Performing Arts CoP (Contact Abigail Chandler for scheduled meeting dates, locations and times.)
This CoP will engage in ongoing topics related to supporting the performing arts education at MVYPS, including all levels k-12.
Facilitator: Abigail Chandler
MVRHS Science CoP (Contact Louis Hall for scheduled meeting dates, locations and times.)
This CoP will support the MVRHS science team in coming together to discuss instructional practice, curriculum, and student learning as relevant to high school science.
Facilitator: Louis Hall
Speech & Language Pathologist CoP (Contact Hannah Beford for scheduled meeting dates, locations and times.)
This CoP will support the coming together of SLPs at MVYPS to discuss related topics of practice in the field of Speech and Language pk-12.
Facilitator: Hannah Beford
How We Use the i-Ready to Meet the Needs of Individual Students and Support Current Lessons
Who: All 5-8 Math Teachers are welcome
Purpose: Collaboratively share out and review all the ways we use iReady in 6th - 8th grades.
The discussion will include:
The History of iReady use at OB (2017 - today) and how it's evolved.
Diagnostic - administration, preparation, reflections, etc.
Instruction/Lessons - lessons to support current learning, filling in gaps, MCAS prep, paper lessons, learning games, etc.
Standards Mastery - as review, as retakes, as assessments
Q&A
Time: 3:00-4:00 pm
Facilitators: Annie Treitman and Danielle Light
Location: Oak Bluffs School, Danielle Light’s room
Email Annie or Danielle with questions
A System-Wide Commitment to Our Children >
Emphasis on Teaching Models That Better Support All Learners
A Commitment to Nurturing the Culture Within Our Schools >
Focus on Strategies to Improve School Climate
MV Atlas of Life
Who: All MVYPS staff, all grades, all content areas
Purpose: A presentation on the Martha's Vineyard Atlas of Life (MVAL) for teachers who are already familiar with it, and for teachers who simply want to learn about it. We then hope to generate a discussion of how it might be used in education or, for that matter, simply one's interest in the natural world of the Vineyard. We will also be discussing ways that the iNaturalist app and website (and its little brother Seek by iNaturalist) can be brilliant educational tools, as well.
(If you are unfamiliar, the MVAL is an extraordinary natural history project, which is actively building an inventory of the island's biodiversity, through the use of the app iNaturalist.) Check it out here: https://mval.biodiversityworksmv.org/
Time: 2:30-4:00 pm (or 4:30 pm if people want to stay longer)
Facilitators: David Faber, Edgartown 7/8 science teacher (retired), and Matt Pelikan, Director of the Martha's Vineyard Atlas of Life
Location: The "Barn" at the Betsy and Jesse Fink Family Foundation.
Google maps pin: https://maps.app.goo.gl/bPrVDcFJevQxzCCEA
Email David Faber with questions.
A System-Wide Commitment to Our Children >
Emphasis on Teaching Models That Better Support All Learners
A Commitment to a Strong School Community Approach >
Explore Programs That Increase Support of Our Community
Introduction to Collaborative Problem Solving
[2 PDPs upon completion]
Who: All MVYPS educators and staff interested in learning the foundations and theory behind Collaborative Problem Solving*.
Time: Self-directed, self-paced virtual learning series
Purpose: MVYPS has worked with Think:Kids to provide MVYPS educators and staff free access to this learning module.
This 2-hour, self-paced course introduces the basic principles of Collaborative Problem Solving, an innovative, trauma-informed, and evidence-based approach to understanding and helping kids and adults with behavioral challenges. The principles of Collaborative Problem Solving® will be discussed, while outlining how the approach is uniquely suited to the needs of today's educators and students. The CPS approach aligns with CASEL's 5 core competencies, integrates with MTSS frameworks, PBIS, and restorative practices, is evidence-based, neurobiologically and trauma-informed, and child and family-centered.
Participants learn a more empathic and accurate understanding of what causes unmet expectations and challenging behavior and are exposed to an overview of the three key components of the approach. These courses lay the foundation for attending Essential Foundation in Collaborative Problem Solving (Level 1)
Objectives:
Understand what really causes challenging behavior or unmet expectations in others.
Discover the limitations of motivational approaches as a solution to unwanted behavior.
Learn three ways to respond to unwanted behavior and the best times to use them.
See how the approach can positively change interactions and outcomes with youth and adults.
Location: A link to the learning platform will be provided upon registration. Please register here by 2/11 to receive access.
Contact Hope MacLeod with questions.
Focus Area(s):
Bucket 1- A System-wide Commitment to Our Children >
Emphasis on teaching models
Emphasis on physical and emotional welfare of our students
Prioritize alternative approaches to discipline
Bucket 2- A Commitment to Nurturing the Culture within Our Schools >
Emphasis on relationships and themes of care
Strategies to improve school climate
*Note: This course is not for those educators who have been trained in Level 1 or Level 2 CPS Practices. This course is for those educators/staff who are curious about CPS and want to develop a foundational understanding for the practice.
Introduction to Everyday Speech (SEL Curriculum) [2 PDPs]
Who: Open to all MVYPS educators (k-12) and specialists
Time: Self-paced, virtual learning
Purpose: MVYPS has purchased a full site license for MVYPS educators to access the Everyday Speech SEL Curriculum. In October 2023, on-boarding support from Everyday Speech was provided to MVYPS staff interested in previewing/using the curriculum in their classes. This opportunity is again available to interested educators who would like a license to the program, to view the pre-recorded onboarding session, and to explore the grade-level curriculum.
In order to access a site license, please contact Kim Garrison requesting an account. The pre-recorded onboarding sessions will be sent to you once you have an account. You can also access the MVYPS Everyday Speech PD Guide here. This will help you to engage in self-directed professional development for using Everyday Speech's SEL Curriculum.
Those individuals who completed the on-boarding PD, or who have been collaborating as a team in using Everyday Speech may want to meet and discuss its use, implementation, and or collaborate on scope and sequence.
Location: Virtual (and in-person as self-directed)
Contact Kim Garrison with questions.
Focus Area(s):
Bucket 1- A System-wide Commitment to Our Children >
Emphasis on teaching models
Emphasis on physical and emotional welfare of our students
Bucket 2- A Commitment to Nurturing the Culture within Our Schools >
Emphasis on relationships and themes of care
Strategies to improve school climate
Who: All MVYPS Educational Support Professionals (ESPs)
Purpose: The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is pleased to share a new and growing set of resources to support the onboarding and continued professional learning for paraeducators across Massachusetts. District administrators, school leaders, and paraeducators are welcome to access and use the first two e-learning modules in a larger series aimed at providing targeted learning and support for paraeducators. Paraeducators across Massachusetts informed the design and directly contributed to these modules.
Objectives: Varies based on module
Time: Asynchronous
Facilitators: MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Location: Click the links to specific topics (available by clicking on the videos on the right-side of the page or by going directly to DESE's webpage)
Registration: No prior registration required
MVYPS focus area(s):
Note: Professional development points are not relevant/awarded for these asynchronous sessions.