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Planning the Alternative PL Assignment

Overview

 

This professional development (PD) session spotlights the launch of School Sphere, a digital communication tool bound for every roll-out to large-scale implementation. It promises simplicity at first glance. Tossing an variety of apps and platforms into our previously established virtual and physical spaces, School Sphere arrives with ambitious intentions. It seeks to tidy up the pathways along which virtual messages travel among the diverse groups within a school. 

Target Audience

  • Middle School Teachers

  • Campus Leadership (Principals,

  • Instructional Coaches, Counselors)

  • Instructional Technology Team

  • Parent/Family Liaison (as applicable)

Audience Needs

  • Overwhelmed by juggling multiple communication tools (Remind, ClassDojo, email, etc.)

  • Struggling to maintain consistent and effective communication with families

  • Limited time to learn and implement new platforms

  • Need for a streamlined and user-friendly tool that supports real-time updates and parent engagement

Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG)

"To empower educators to streamline communication and strengthen school-community relationships by fully integrating School Sphere as a central hub for transparent, collaborative, and accessible school engagement."

Instructional Design Model: Fink's 3 Column Table (Fink, 2013)

Incorporation of 5 Key Principles of Effective PD

Based on Gulamhussein (2013)

  1. Significant Duration

    • Initial session (90 min), 2-week check-in, and optional coaching offered monthly.

  2. Ongoing Support​

    • Technology coaches and School Sphere support team available for questions and troubleshooting. Follow-up sessions include Q&A time and shared success stories.​

  3. Active Engagement

    • Teachers will use the platform directly during training, engage in role-play scenarios, and develop implementation plans collaboratively.​

  4. Modeling of Practice

    • The facilitator will model use of the communication platform in real-time, using common classroom communication needs and parent scenarios.​

  5. Discipline - Specific Content

    • ​Breakout rooms or groups will be formed based on grade-level or department for subject-relevant applications.​

Collaboration Structure

  • Grade-level or subject-based breakout groups for real-world collaboration

  • Slack or Google Chat follow-up group for questions and continued learning

  • Peer feedback loops built into each activity

Leadership Roles

  • Lead Facilitator: Ayla Rightenour (Technology Applications & Robotics Teacher)

  • Tech Coach: District technology team or tech-savvy teachers

  • Admin Sponsor: Principal or instructional lead to reinforce alignment with district goals

  • Support Staff: Campus aides to assist with technical/logistical needs during sessions

Schedule/Timeline

Launch

  • Initial 90-minute session introducing School Sphere and setting expectations

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​Implementation

  • Hands-on training, scenario planning, and platform personalization

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Foundation

  • Follow-up check-in, coaching support, and collaborative refinement

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Reflection

  • ​​Reflective journaling, feedback collection, and success story sharing

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Resources Needed

  • Projector/screen or smartboard

  • School Sphere demo accounts

  • Teacher devices (laptops/iPads)

  • Facilitator slide deck and planning documents

  • Google Form for post-session feedback

  • Print or digital checklist templates for implementation planning

References

Canadian Education Association. (2014). Innovation that sticks: A case study of risk-taking at Ottawa Catholic School Board [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/UAMcjUzdVnE

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Darling-Hammond, L., Wei, R. C., Andree, A., Richardson, N., & Orphanos, S. (2009). Professional learning in the learning profession: A status report on teacher development in the U.S. and abroad (Technical Report). National Staff Development Council. https://edpolicy.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/publications/professional-learning-learning-profession-status-report-teacher-development-us-and-abroad.pdf

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Fink, L. D. (2013). Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to designing college courses. Jossey-Bass.

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Gulamhussein, A. (2013). Teaching the teachers: Effective professional development in an era of high stakes accountability. Center for Public Education. https://www.basicknowledge101.com/pdf/teaching%20teachers%20Professional%20Development.pdf

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Harapnuik, D. (2023). Who owns the ePortfolio? https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=6050

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Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). A new culture of learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

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