“The purpose of staff development is not just to implement instructional innovations; its central purpose is to build strong collaborative work cultures that will develop the long term capacity for change."
- Michael Fullan
The SAU41 Professional Development Master Plan provides a structure to guide professionals to be more effective and productive educators, while satisfying the New Hampshire recertification requirements detailed in ED 512. This plan utilizes a goal setting process that includes self-assessment and reflection within the context of individual, school, and district goals. School and district goals emanate from the multi-year SAU strategic plan that is reviewed and updated annually.
SAU41 provides opportunities for educators to develop and fulfill their individual professional development plan through a variety of professional activities. These activities emphasize data driven decision-making and research-based educational practices while taking into account the individual needs and learning styles of each educator. Administrators and teachers participate in an evaluation system that encourages frequent conversations linking their established goals to their professional learning and teaching. One strong component of this professional development plan is the continued work of the well-developed professional learning communities whose goals are aligned with the improvement priorities of SAU41.
Professional Development Activities
As required by ED 610, the SAU41 Master Plan provides professional development activities for professional and paraprofessional staff by offering twenty-one (21) options for earning Continuing Education Units (CEUs/Hours). These activities include traditional, job embedded, action research, and both in-house and outside presenters to create a wide range of professional development.
