January 15, 2025
MVYPS Professional Development Day
Embedded Files
This half day of professional development is entirely structured around teacher-directed professional learning and development. It is MVYPS' hopes that teachers will take advantage of this 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 (see below for ESP PD options).
MVRHS- 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
K-8 Schools- 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm
PLEASE NOTE: System-wide and school-sponsored PD will be offered on these days, but teachers/staff are not contractually obligated to participate in these offerings.
Professional Development Opportunities
Professional Development Opportunities
The following opportunities have been organized by MVYPS leaders and educators to provide rich, high quality PD options on this day.
Except where noted, these options are all voluntary. This is a teacher-directed PD day.
ALL teachers are asked to complete the PD evaluation form attached at the top of this page. This is the tracker for your PD and will award you the PDPs for your work.
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 (1/15/25, 3:00 - 4:00 pm by Zoom [link here])
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 meeting date, time and location.)
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 (This CoP will start to meet on the 2/12 PD day. Please contact Sara Hoffman for time and location.)
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 (1/15/25, 12:00-1:00 pm in Room 510 @ MVRHS)
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 meeting date, time and location)
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 (1/15/25, 3:15 pm at the Tisbury School)
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 1/15 meeting time and location.)
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 (1/15/25, 12:30-2:30pm in room 231 at the Tisbury School)
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 (1/15/25, 3:15-4:15 at the Tisbury School library)
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 (1/15/25, 1-2:30 pm at the Tisbury School)
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 (1/15/25, 1:00 pm at the Oak Bluffs School)
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 (1/15/25, 3:00-4:00 at MVRHS)
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 1/15 meeting time and location.)
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
Utilizing Everyday Speech to respond to SELIS data
[1.5 PDPs]-- CANCELED DUE TO LOW REGISTRATION
Who: All 4th-11th grade teachers and administrators, as well as MTSS teams may benefit to attend this session together
Purpose: SELIS (Social Emotional Learning Indicator System) is designed to help educators implement evidence-based, culturally responsive SEL strategies that support school-wide improvement, as well as identify targeted assistance for vulnerable student groups, and to help students who have more intensive academic and behavioral needs. MVYPS has administered the SELIS to students over the past three years. Learn how Everyday Speech can be used as an edtech tool to respond to SELIS data, with a focus no-prep ways to improve student outcomes across a multi-tiered support system.
NOTE: If you choose to attend this session, you will have access to student data that you can work with. In addition, you can access data from your students from 2024 and consider this data for planning moving forward.
Objectives:
Participants will advance their knowledge of Everyday Speech as an edtech tool;
Participants will improve their understanding of using SEL data to drive student outcomes using SEL instruction, and as defined by SELIS data and implemented through MTSS.
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 PM
Facilitators: Krystle Favreau, MAT Education, Licensed Educator & Administrator, Everyday Speech Customer Success Manager
Location: Zoom (link with be sent after registration)
Registration: RSVP to Kim Garrison by 5 pm on 1/14.
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
Utilizing Everyday Speech to Implement the
New MA IEP [1.5 PDPs ]
Who: All k-12 Special Education teachers, administrators, and support staff, as well as general education teachers who collaborate with specialists on students' social emotional and social communication services.
Purpose: Everyday Speech supports all levels of PK-12 learners with a no-prep digital curriculum designed to accelerate the acquisition and generalization of social, emotional, and communication skills. Everyday Speech can also support you with the implementation of the new MA IEP. With our tiered curriculum and materials, writing and tracking data for the new IEP can be simple! This edtech tool provides resources for writing IEP goals and clearly aligns with the new MA IEP. Join us to learn how to shorten your prep time and improve student outcomes.
Objectives:
Participants will advance their knowledge of Everyday Speech as an edtech tool to improve student outcomes and reduce your prep time as you implement the new MA IEP.
Time: 2:15 - 3:15 PM
Facilitators: Krystle Favreau, MAT Education, Licensed Educator & Administrator, Everyday Speech Customer Success Manager
Location: Zoom link here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81734119142
Contact Kim Garrison if you have any questions about this session, or if you do not already have an Everyday Speech account. No registration necessary.
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
NOTE: If you choose to attend this session, you will have access to student data that you can work with. In addition, you can access data from your students from 2024 and consider this data for planning moving forward.
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 1/14 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
A Comparative Analysis of Brazilian and Massachusetts Math Standards [1.5 PDPs]
A Comparative Analysis of Brazilian and Massachusetts Math Standards [1.5 PDPs]
Who: K-9 Math and ESL teachers
Purpose: This workshop offers an in-depth exploration of the mathematics standards from Brazil and Massachusetts, focusing on their structure, content, and pedagogical approaches. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how both systems approach math education, from elementary to high school levels, and will explore the similarities and differences in curriculum design, instructional strategies, and assessment practices.
Objectives:
Strategies for adapting best practices from each system to improve math instruction in diverse classroom settings.
Discuss creation of instructional materials to address learning gaps for newcomer students
Discuss extending this analysis to high school level, including comparison of standardized testing
Analysis of key mathematical concepts emphasized in both systems, such as number sense, algebra, geometry, and measurement
How both systems address foundational skills and advanced topics, including the integration of real-world problem solving.
Time: 1-2:30 pm
Facilitators: Rebecca Solway and Leah Palmer
Location: West Tisbury School (Room TBD)
Registration: Email Rebecca Solway to register.
Focus Area(s):
A System-Wide Commitment to Our Students >
Increase the performance of all students through systemic and consistent academic and social emotional interventions.
A Commitment to Nurturing the Culture Within Our Schools >
Build a system of teaching & leading that reflects research-based, effective and collaborative practices.
Specialized PD for ESPs/Paraeducators
Specialized PD for ESPs/Paraeducators
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.
Paraeducator: Mission & Mindset [45 minutes]
Paraeducator: Mission & Mindset [45 minutes]
(click the link below to begin)
(click the link below to begin)
Building Relationships with Students [30-45 minutes]
Building Relationships with Students [30-45 minutes]
(click the link below to begin)
(click the link below to begin)
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