WES STEM - Standard 6: Ongoing Professional Learning

NARRATIVE

Winfield City School System has educators and leaders that participate in an ongoing system of STEM-specific professional learning. One key aspect of sustainability is to develop both short-term and long-term goals as well as provide effective professional development. Beginning in 2016, horizontal and vertical meetings, which included all district teachers, took place in order to set goals that add specificity to the vision of the STEAM philosophy and increased the scope and influence of STEAM to all aspects of the curriculum. During the meetings, discussions included collaborating with local business and industry leaders to allow them the opportunity to speak directly with students, modeling sound instructional STEAM methodologies for teachers, horizontal and vertical meetings have been an annual event since 2016, and will continue to be.

Winfield City School System understands the importance of providing STEM-specific training to teachers and staff that are invested in technology, engineering, math, and science. Some of this training includes AMSTI, Coding, Computer Science, Schoology, 3D Printing, Drones, VEX-IQ Robotics, as well as partnerships with local businesses like 3M, Alabama Power, and Tombigbee Electric/Freedom Fiber.

Winfield City Schools teachers have traveled for professional development, given professional development, and participated in on-campus professional development over the last six years. For example, every teacher has been able to attend the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia for at least one day. Furthermore, we have brought guest presenters to the school in order to give professional development to teachers regarding their expertise. Don Thomas is an astronaut that has visited our town and school many times in order to present to teachers and students. Moreover, some of the most exciting professional development is when Winfield City School teachers have stepped up as STEAM presenters for our own teachers or teachers at other school systems.

Strengths: Winfield City School System's strength is its Engagement, Implementation, and Results. The teachers, staff, and administrators all work diligently to provide the best STEAM experience for our students. They put in the extra time and effort to learn new and exciting things for our students to enjoy. The staff has professional development throughout the year, as well as, attends summer professional development all over the state. Professional development is not questioned at Winfield City School System. It is an expectation of all teachers to continuously learn and grow in STEAM education. In order to track interests, results, etc. of the professional development provided, faculty completes interest surveys before professional development opportunities are brought to the school. Also, faculty

Opportunities to Improve: WCS opportunities to improve are found in Sustainability and Embeddedness. WCS collects data from teachers and students but using the data to demonstrate growth within the professional development needs to improve. Furthermore, STEM learning is ingrained within the culture of the institution, but sometimes faculty has a difficult time merging the professional development received with the Course of Study standards that need to be taught.

Don Thomas PD

Don Thomas is an astronaut, scientist, professional speaker, educator, and author of Orbit of Discovery about his STS-70 mission aboard space shuttle Discovery. A veteran of four flights, Don has spent 44 days in space and orbited the Earth nearly 700 times.

Don has attended Winfield City School events many times in order to encourage a future in space and to help in preparing our next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers for their missions in the future.

Don has visited WCS to present, inspire, train, and inform educators on exciting science, math, and engineering opportunities available. He has also taken the time to speak to WCS students to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and astronauts.

Ron Clark Academy PD

Starting in the 2018-2019 school year, Winfield Board of Education and Administrators have given WCS teachers the opportunity to travel to the Ron Clark Academy. RCA’s Professional development for teachers is a completely unique, immersive experience where teachers observe classes in session, thus giving a deeper understanding of strategies for engaging students, promoting academic excellence, fostering meaningful relationships, and creating a climate and culture that promotes success for all. While at RCS, teachers also have the opportunity to engage with RCA staff in workshops that will teach powerful techniques to implement in the classroom, school, and district.

Every single teacher at Winfield City School System had the opportunity to travel with coworkers and spend a day at Ron Clark Academy.

WCS STEM PD

Winfield City School System has many teachers that are well versed with STEAM education. Since 2018, teachers have participated in on-site professional development given by WCS own staff members, they have also welcomed in observers from other school districts in order to help those districts with STEAM training. Furthermore, WCS teachers have traveled to places like The University of North Alabama in order to present STEAM activities, units, techniques, successes, etc. to other teachers across Alabama.

Examples of Professional development topics at WCS:

Breakout EDU
Interdisciplinary Units
Coding
Robotics
Proficiency Scales
Rubrics
Google Integration
LMS-Schoology/Haiku

COLLABORATION

INSPIRATION

DEDICATION

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RON

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ACADEMY