Professional Growth Plan (three-year plan) - See Master Plan Section IV

Q.  When must I complete a new plan?

A.  Your plan will coincide with your certification expiration and renewal.  In the year that you receive a new or renewed certification, you must file a new plan by October 1.  Your next plan will be due three years later in October again.

Q.  How do I complete a plan for SAU 53 if I had a plan in another district?

A.  You must complete a plan using the SAU 53 form and procedures.  Your goals must be aligned with your new school's and district's goals.

Q.  Where do I find the district goals to choose from?

A.  These are posted under the Goals menu of the SAU Professional Development website.  They are taken from district documents, some have LEAP (plans) and PA goals are taken from the Strategic Plan.

Q.  Where do I find the school goals to choose from?

A. School goals may be in writing by the Principal or other school body.  School initiatives can also be considered part of the school goals, and thus school-sponsored professional development is considered a school initiative.

Q.  What are "specific goals for knowledge" in my subject area(s) or area of specialization?

A.  First, your subject area is the area of endorsement on your certification.  These include elementary education, English, social studies, science, mathematics, etc.  Areas of specialization include guidance counselor, principal, etc.  You may have more than one endorsement.  You must identify at least one goal per endorsement for question # 2.  

Q.  For question #3, what other specific goals could I list?

A.  On the reverse of the Activity Form, and in the Master Plan, are listed the 7 goal areas by topic.  These include character and citizenship, professional skills, knowledge of learners and learning, technology, and others.  These simply serve as ideas for considering goals.  Multiple intelligences or learning styles would be examples of knowledge of learners.  Project-based learning or reading in the content areas would be professional skills.  Many topics of professional development fall in the category of professional skills.  See Section VI of the Master Plan, pages 21-22.

Q.  How do I answer question #4?

A.  The purpose of this question is to make a direct connection between your learning and student achievement.  Some of your goals may be readily recognized as linked to student learning with just a brief explanation.  In other cases, some explanation would be helpful to make the connection clear.  This will also help in answering question #4 of the Activity Form.

Q.  What are the benefits of the project-based type of plan (Option 1) vs. the traditional plan (Option 2)?

A.  The traditional plan requires the accumulation of hours documented on Activity Forms.  For some people, these forms are cumbersome.  The project-based type plan involves keeping a journal instead of forms.  For each activity, or several sessions of the same topic, you would write a reflection of your learning, including what you implemented and how the students' learning improved.  (These two parts of similar to questions #3 & 4 of the Activity Forms.)

Most people keep these reflections as a journal.  The journal or binder may include copies of brochures or handouts from a workshop, your work (handouts, units, lessons) and student work.  It can serve as a form of portfolio.

Q.  What do I write in a project-based plan?

A.  You may write about a single focus that meets the goals that you have identified in your plan.  Or you may describe a variety of activities that blend to meet your goals.  You may write it as a total three-year project, or you may break it down into each of the years, Year 1, Year 2, and Year 3. 

Q.  What types of activities qualify for professional development?

A.  The same activity options that are available for hour-based plans are options for project-based plans.  These activities include workshops, conferences, independent study, etc.  See Master Plan Section VII, pages 22-23.

Activity Forms - See Master Plan Section V

Q.  How do I answer question #1?

A.  Fill in the name of the workshop or conference.

Q.  How do I answer question #2?

A.  Copy the exact wording of a goal from any one of the following:  your personal three-year plan, a district goal/L.E.I.P. goal/Strategic Planning goal (found under the goal menu of the SAU Professional Development website), or a school goal. 

Q.  Where can I find district goals?

A.  These are posted under the Goals menu of the SAU Professional Development website.  They are taken from district documents, some have LEAP (plans) and PA goals are taken from the Strategic Plan.

Q.  Where can I find school goals?

A.  School goals may be in writing by the Principal or other school body.  School initiatives can also be considered part of the school goals, and thus school-sponsored professional development is considered a school initiative.

Q.  How do I answer question #3?

A.  Be sure to be detailed about how you have already tried to implement something you learned from the professional development activity.  It is best to give an example or more.  You can also attach a handout or written lesson that you developed as a result of what you learned.  Remember, you have a year from the activity to implement something.

Q.  How do I answer question #4?

A. This is perhaps the most challenging question to respond to.  It is important to be clear how student learning improved by using examples or other evidence.  How did student understanding improve?  Can you offer evidence from student work?  Did students' grades improve after implementing what you learned?  You may copy a couple of student work samples and attached them to your form.