October 2, 2013 at 6:00 PM - Bethel Board of Education Policy Subcommittee Meeting

Due to the teacher evaluation statutes, Professional Learning is now front and center in terms of teacher growth and development.

1. The policy describes in detail many of the mandated changes to “staff development”—especially changes that state Professional Learning is much more than “inservices,” but is also the work of Professional Learning Communities or any school group working to solve a professional problem of practice. 
2. The policy describes how Professional Learning activities are developed based on data at the school and district levels, how the building-based Professional Development Committees and the Professional Development Council bring proposals forward, and how they are responsible for evaluating the activities. 
3. The new policy refers to the Learning Plans that teachers and administrators are expected to develop for themselves based on their needs.
4. The Appendix lists the mandated topics for districts. 

Summary of the Briefing:

The Board’s support of Professional Learning is pivotal to the improvement of student achievement in the district.  The policy on Professional Learning epitomizes many changes driven by the new teacher evaluation statutes.   

Key Points of the Briefing: 

1. Due to the teacher evaluation statutes, many changes to Bethel’s teacher supervision and evaluation plan have been implemented and refined over the last two years.
2. The policy describes the Board’s commitment to teacher supervision and evaluation beyond the mandates associated with PA 12--116. 
3. The new policy refers specific expectations we have for teachers, and refers the reader to the district’s document published in August 2013 on Teacher Supervision and Evaluation.
4. THIS POLICY WAS COMPLETELY RE-WRITTEN. 

Summary of the Briefing:  The Board’s support of teacher supervision and evaluation, and its pivotal importance to improving student achievement are made clear in this policy.    

Importance to the Board:

The Board’s Search and Seizure Policy is being updated with the inclusion of trained detection dogs. 

Key Points/Elements:  

1. The use of trained detection dogs cannot be done unless the Superintendent expressly authorizes this activity.
2. The administrative regulations for this policy detail how the search of school property, such as a locker, can be done with trained detection dogs.
3. The principal will be present during this search (by the police and the dogs), but no one else other than the police are present.
4. The need for a search will be based on the dog’s signal, and then the search will be conducted with the same strictures as detailed in the rest of the policy.

Summary: This policy now includes the use of trained detection dogs in the Board’s search and seizure policy.