School Improvement

Districts that purchase Enhanced Services are entitled customized support that spans 10 days, but in some cases, those 10 days might not all occur onsite in the school (by mutual agreement).  The scope of special projects is mutually determined between districts and Office of School Improvement staff. Component districts and districts outside our region can purchase special projects.

Activities within Enhanced Services/Special Projects

• Coaching cycles (live or via video), walkthroughs
• Curriculum development, supported lesson planning
• Feedback (written and oral)
• Facilitation of PLCs, grade level meetings, collegial circles, co-teaching planning meetings, peer review sessions
• Development of instructional or professional learning materials
• Co-planning of professional learning opportunities with district staff
• Program evaluation/audits
• Support with implementation of new curricula
• Regional assessment development (example, LOTE B)
• Conference coordination (example, Physical Education Mini-Conference)
• In-district workshops
• Substitutes, stipends (if work is occurring outside of contractual hours), related materials, consultant expenses

Some Items of Note:

• If extensive preparation is needed, this will be negotiated as part of the scope of work (this is true of both Enhanced Service and Special Projects).
• Conference days and other high-demand days must be shared between two or more districts.

Monroe #1 Component Districts may also initiate joint professional development offerings with other school districts through BOCES. In addition, districts may conduct additional professional learning opportunities that are solely for their district as a ‘spin-off’ of one of the regional offerings/shared initiating activity and in alignment with the approved activities. There is a limit to the number of days such a spin-off might take (15 days each year, or before the need for an additional initiating activity). The district must submit the spin-off activity to the Director of Learning and School Improvement for approval using Form #1 (See Forms and Submissions page). If approved, districts may receive support and aid on substitute reimbursements, teacher stipends, consultants, and resources.

Activities within Shared Services:

• In-district workshops, run by BOCES, district personnel, or consultant that is a ‘spin-off’: substitutes, stipends, consultant expenses
• Out-off district workshops that are run by BOCES or are shared with another district; related substitute and stipend expenses, and registration fees paid to organizations other than BOCES (if through BOCES registration, the registration is aided through another process).
• NOT allowable: Costs that are not aligned to a shared activity.

Based on the approved activities, the guidance of as advisory committee consisting of Assistant Superintendents and Superintendents, and current research, professional development offerings will be created and hosted at BOCES or within a school district and open to all component school districts and districts across the region. OSI staff or consultants may provide these offerings. These workshops may have a participant fee.

Process for Registering for Professional Learning Offerings

• Descriptions of upcoming offerings will be provided to district contacts quarterly in an email and are continuously updated in My Learning Plan.  Registration for offerings will occur via My Learning Plan.
• Cancelations from participants who are registered for Regional Professional Learning Offerings must occur no less than 24 hours prior to the scheduled start of any given offering.  Registrations not canceled accordingly will be billed.