---

Pennsylvania Department of Education

---

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
333 MARKET STREET
HARRISBURG, PA 17126-0333

Professional Education Report
Thursday, August 28, 2008

Entity: Mount Union Area SD
Address: 28 W Market St
Mount Union, PA 17066-1232
Phone:
Contact Name:

Professional Education Planning Committee

Name	Affiliation	Membership Category	Appointed By
Amy Miles	Mount Union Area School District	Parent	Tonya DeVecchis-Kerr
Amy Smith	Mount Union Area School District	Administrator	Tonya DeVecchis-Kerr
Andrea Christoff	Mount Union Area School District	Business Representative	Tonya DeVecchis-Kerr
Bambi Guentner	Mount Union Area School District	Ed Specialist - School Psychologist	Tonya DeVecchis-Kerr
Curt Whitesel	Mount Union Area School District	Administrator	Tonya DeVecchis-Kerr
Frank Miller	Mount Union Area School District	Administrator	Tonya DeVecchis-Kerr
Heidi Getz	Mount Union Area School District	Parent	Frank Miller
James Estep	Mount Union Area School District	Administrator	Tonya DeVecchis-Kerr
Ralph Park	Mount Union Area School District	Board Member	Tonya DeVecchis-Kerr
Tonya DeVecchis-Kerr	Mount Union Area School District	Administrator	Tonya DeVecchis-Kerr

Needs Assessment

Annually a needs assessment will be distributed to all teachers to obtain their input on professional development needs.  The technology department will tabulate the survey and results will be shared with the Professional Development (Act 48) Committee.  Based on results of the survey and student achievement data, the Professional Development Committee plans the agenda for the district’s three(3) teacher in-service days.  The needs assessment survey will also help to justify professional development conference and workshop requests that are submitted to the board of education for approval.  Administrative professional development needs are informally surveyed and addressed as needed.

Professional Education Action Plan

Goal: Assessment
Description: Develop and select objective assessments that are integrated with the planned course curriculum, aligned to the Pennsylvania Assessment Anchors, and to provide data to help the district meet the needs of all students in the MUASD.

Strategy: Benchmark and Standardized Assessments
Description: Select and administer benchmark assessments and provide differentiated professional development in their use throughout the year.
Activities:

Activities:

Activity	Description
Professional development for assessments	Provide training in the administration of utilized assessments and in analyzing assessment data.
Person Responsible	Timeline for Implementation	Resources
Curt Whitesel	Start:9/30/2008 Finish: 1/5/2014	$0.00
Professional Development Activity Information
Number of Hours Per Session	Total Number of Sessions Per School Year	Estimated Number of Participants Per Year
4	2	70
Organization or Institution Name	Type of Provider	Provider's Department of Education Approval Status
Mount Union Area School District		Not approved
Knowledge and Skills	Research and Best Practices	Designed to Accomplish
Administrators, principals, and teachers will learn how to analyze and interpret data from various tools, such as PSSA, 4Sight, E-metric. Teachers will also learn how to use the data to drive instruction.		For classroom teachers, school counselors and education specialists: Enhances the educator's content knowledge in the area of the educator's certification or assignment. Increases the educator's teaching skills based on research on effective practice, with attention given to interventions for struggling students. Provides educators with a variety of classroom-based assessment skills and the skills needed to analyze and use data in instructional decision-making. Empowers educators to work effectively with parents and community partners. For school and district administrators, and other educators seeking leadership roles: Provides the knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically, ensuring that assessments, curriculum, instruction, staff professional education, teaching materials and interventions for struggling students are aligned to each other as well as to Pennsylvania's academic standards. Provides leaders with the ability to access and use appropriate data to inform decision-making. Instructs the leader in managing resources for effective results.
Educator Groups Which Will Participate in this Activity
Role	Grade Level	Subject Area
Classroom teachers Principals / asst. principals Superintendent / asst. superintendents School counselors Other educational specialists	Middle (grades 6-8) High school (grades 9-12)	Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening Mathematics
Follow-up Activities	Evaluation Methods
Team development and sharing of content-area lesson implementation outcomes, with involvement of administrator and/or peers Analysis of student work, with administrator and/or peers Creating lessons to meet varied student learning styles	Classroom observation focusing on factors such as planning and preparation, knowledge of content, pedagogy and standards, classroom environment, instructional delivery and professionalism. Student PSSA data Standardized student assessment data other than the PSSA Classroom student assessment data

Strategy: Data Analysis
Description: Results from benchmark and teacher developed assessments must be utilized to assist all students in achieving proficiency in all areas of instruction. Data will be used to drive instruction by supporting the learning of individuals and small groups of students, and to evaluate and revise articulated curriculum, assessments, differentiated instruction and learning materials
Activities:

Activity	Description
Data Analysis Workshop	Administrators, principals, and teachers will learn how to analyze and interpret data from various tools, such as PSSA, 4Sight, E-metric, DIBELS, Scholastic Reading Inventory, Terra Nova, and Lexia. Teachers will also learn how to use the data to drive instruction
Person Responsible	Timeline for Implementation	Resources
Frank Miller	Ongoing	$0.00

Goal: MATHEMATICS
Description: 100% of all students will be proficient in Mathematics by 2014, as measured by the annual state-wide PSSA assessments.

Strategy: Mathematics Proficiency
Description: Students will be given additional academic tools to assist them in achieving proficiency or showing improvement on annual PSSA exams
Activities:

Activity	Description
- 4Sight Benchmark, Assessments	Students will be tested using the Study Island and 4Sight assessment tools throughout the academic year to provide an estimate of student performance on the PSSA to assist in guiding classroom instruction
Person Responsible	Timeline for Implementation	Resources
Curt Whitesel	Ongoing	$0.00

Activity	Description
Linking Eligible Content to Lessons	Teachers will review the district’s articulated curriculum to ensure that eligible content on Mathematics state assessments is covered and understood consistently.
Person Responsible	Timeline for Implementation	Resources
Curt Whitesel	Ongoing	$0.00

Goal: Professional Development
Description: Professional development activities for teachers and administrators will focus on data analysis, differentiated instruction, and diverse learners. Ultimately, the purpose of professional development is to improve student learning. Therefore, an improvement in standardized assessment scores is expected.

Strategy: Data Analysis
Description: Data analysis is a necessary process to ensure educationally sound decisions and to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Data analysis allows educators to base instructional decisions on facts.
Activities:

Activity	Description
Data Analysis Workshops	Administrators, principals, and teachers will learn how to analyze and interpret data from various tools, such as PSSA, 4Sight, E-metric, DIBELS, Scholastic Reading Inventory, Terra Nova, and Lexia. Teachers will also develop skills and incorporate those skills on how to use the data to drive instruction.
Person Responsible	Timeline for Implementation	Resources
Frank Miller	Ongoing	$0.00

Strategy: Differentiated Instruction
Description: Differentiated instruction requires teachers to modify their approaches and to adjust their implementation of curriculum based on students’ needs and learning styles. In other words, instructional approaches must vary to ensure learning occurs for all students in each classroom. Areas of differentiation may include but not be limited to guided practice, guided reading, evidence-based practices and best practices, data-based flexible grouping, explicit instruction, multi-sensory approaches, cooperative learning and instructional software (Lexia, Read 180, First in Math, Study Island)
Activities:

Activity	Description
Modeling of Differentiated Instruction	Differentiated instruction will be modeled within grades K-6 classrooms by the district’s Reading First Literacy Coach, Title 1 instructors, and special education teachers via a Title 1 push in model and special education inclusion model. Classroom and subject area teachers will implement differentiated instruction with the help of instructional coaches who will provide ongoing training and support.
Person Responsible	Timeline for Implementation	Resources
Frank Miller	Ongoing	$0.00

Strategy: Diverse Learners
Description: Provide opportunities for classroom teachers to enhance their skills in order to increase the learning potential of our diverse student population.
Activities:

Activity	Description
Adapting Curriculum	Enhance ability to adapt Mount Union Area School District curriculum to meet needs of diverse learners
Person Responsible	Timeline for Implementation	Resources
Frank Miller	Ongoing	$0.00

Activity	Description
Co Teaching and Team Teaching	Develop ability to co- or team-teach with push-in Title 1, Learning Support and other teachers of diverse learners in regular classrooms.
Person Responsible	Timeline for Implementation	Resources
Tonya DeVecchis-Kerr	Ongoing	$0.00

Strategy: Inquiry Based Science Instruction
Description: Inquiry based science training on strategies to support a science curriculum to ensure proficiency of Science, Technology, Ecology and Environment standards
Activities:

Activity	Description
Inquiry based science training on grade level modules	Inquiry based science training on strategies to support a science curriculum to ensure proficiency of Science, Technology, Ecology and Environment standards.
Person Responsible	Timeline for Implementation	Resources
Frank Miller	Ongoing	$0.00

Strategy: Writing Workshop
Description: Provide opportunities for classroom teachers to enhance their instructional delivery skills in the content area of writing to increase the academic performance of our students on the PSSA Writing and open-ended PSSA reading and math questions.
Activities:

Activity	Description
Writing Workshop	Enhance ability to provide effective writing instruction to our students to performance advance or proficient on the PSSA Writing and PSSA Reading and Math open-ended questions.
Person Responsible	Timeline for Implementation	Resources
Frank Miller	Ongoing	$0.00

Goal: READING
Description: At least 63% of all students will be proficient in Reading, as measured by the annual state-wide PSSA assessments.

Strategy: Reading Proficiency
Description: Students will be given additional academic tools to assist them in becoming proficient or better on PSSA exams.
Activities:

Activity	Description
Linking Eligible Content to Daily Lessons via the Articulated Curriculum	The curriculum will be aligned in order to best meet the PSSA standards and individual student needs.
Person Responsible	Timeline for Implementation	Resources
Amy Smith	Ongoing	$0.00

Activity	Description
PSSA Coaching	Teachers will incorporate specific PSSA strategies to assist students in improving their scores
Person Responsible	Timeline for Implementation	Resources
Amy Smith	Ongoing	$0.00

Annual Review Process

The Professional Education Plan will be reviewed annually by the Mount Union Area School District professional development planning committee.  The professional development planning committee will conduct an annual analysis of the plan to determine progress towards the goals set forth in the plan and quality of professional development offered by the district.  Annual student assessment data will be used to support any revisions recommended by the professional development planning committee to the Professional Education Plan.   

APPENDIX B

ENTITY INFORMATION PAGE

Entity: Mount Union Area SD

Address:
28 W Market St
Mount Union, PA 17066-1232

Superintendent or Chief Administrative Officer: Mr. James Estep
E-mail: jestep@muasd.org
Telephone: 814-542-8631   
Fax: 814-542-8633

Professional Education Committee Chairperson: Mr. Frank Miller
E-mail: fmiller@muasd.org
Telephone: 814-542-9381   
Fax: 814-542-5424

Act 48 Reporting Contact: Mrs. Brenda Rhodes
E-mail: brhodes@muasd.org
Telephone: 814-542-8631   
Fax: 814-542-8633

APPENDIX C

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION REPORT ASSURANCES

We affirm that this Professional Education Report focuses on the learning needs of each staff member to ensure all staff members meet or exceed high academic standards in each of the core subject areas.



____________________________________________________________________________
Signature                   Professional Education Committee Chairperson                   Date





I affirm that this Professional Education Report provides staff learning that improves the learning of all students as outlined in the National Staff Development Councils Standards for Staff Learning.



____________________________________________________________________________
Signature                   Superintendent or Chief Administrative Officer                      Date





We affirm that his Professional Education Report has been developed in accordance with the laws, regulations and guidelines for the development, implementation and evaluation of the Professional Education Report as designated in Chapter 4 of the Regulations of the Pennsylvania State Board of Education.



____________________________________________________________________________
Signature                   President of the Board of School Directors                            Date