Archived: Wilton, Connecticut School District: Profile of Award-Winning Professional Development

A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

Abstracts of 1996-1997 National Awards Program Winners for Model Professional Development (February 1998)

Wilton, Connecticut School District: Profile of Award-Winning Professional Development

The Wilton, Connecticut (PreK-12) School District serves a predominately professional/managerial community with a high percentage of commuters to nearby New York City. This affluent suburban area has a high concentration of college-educated residents; there are high community expectations for education, together with a strong local support for the continuing professional development of teachers. The district comprises five schools with an enrollment of 3,100 students.

Demographics:

94% White (not Hispanic)
3% Asian or Pacific Islander
1% African American
1% Hispanic
.2% Limited English Proficient Students (2 languages)
.5% Qualify for free/reduced lunch
13% Receive special education services

Critical Factors That Led to Developing a Professional Development Model:

A district professional development plan was developed beginning in 1990 that aligned a series of district-sponsored activities to district goals. Math and science were the areas of initial emphasis.
Wilton schools serve a community with very high expectations for education. As a consequence, both standards and rewards reflect the competitive nature of the surrounding communities. The district fosters an ethic of continuous personal improvement. Teaching positions in the Wilton schools are highly contested. There were more than 800 applicants last year.
A lengthened workweek, moving from 37.5 to 40 hours, reflects a commitment to the importance of ongoing professional development. It also creates a means to sustain professional development activities across the school year.

Framework for Professional Development Model:

School Planning Teams (comprising teachers, administrators and parents) develop school improvement plans that are driven by four factors: district goals, curricular needs, student assessment data and teacher performance needs. Historically, two or three initiatives receive attention for two or three years resulting in a series of specific in-house workshops focused on improving teacher effectiveness. In addition, a District Professional Development Committee (comprising teachers, administrators and parents, and chaired by a full-time teacher holding the title "Instructional Leader for Professional Development") develops the district-sponsored activities based on a district needs assessment survey and discussions concerning best practice. This district committee plans the Professional Development Day, held in August each year. (Topics this year included technology, reading and writing across the curriculum, school climate, inclusion, student assessment, and learning styles to motivate students.) It also plans a series of high interest strands addressed throughout the year. A bimonthly newsletter, distributed by the district administrator for professional development, lists all the conference and workshop opportunities available in the state and beyond. Time for these activities are created by banking hours in designated months for professional development. No school or district meetings are scheduled during the months of October, January and April. Consequently, the district has been able to schedule multiple workshops each week during these three months. Professional development has included the training of new teachers in current programs, workshops for teachers in new curriculum, and the opportunity for individual schools to explore those areas of greatest importance to them.

The district supports a trainer of trainers approach to capacity building: instructional leadership is encouraged in the district. More than 40 teachers currently hold instructional leader roles (e.g., grade-level or cross-grade team leaders, curriculum coordinators and special program directors) in addition to their regular teaching responsibilities. Also, nearly 60 teachers have completed the state-sponsored BEST program which qualifies them to be mentors of new teachers. New teachers are required to successfully complete this program in order to receive a provisional certificate. The BEST program involves the veteran and new teacher in the areas of peer coaching, team teaching, and using instructional resources. All teachers in the district are required to report back to their peers the connection between the school/district improvement plan and what they learned from each professional development activity they attend. This includes sponsored activities such as sabbaticals, mini-sabbaticals, conferences, workshops and TI-IN distance learning (any or all of which might be used towards Continuing Educational Units).

An analysis of test data has been the primary catalyst for professional development activities. Three questions have been asked concerning both state and national tests: (a) how does the district compare nationally with similar suburban districts and independent private schools? (b) what are the districts strengths and weaknesses in each grade level as they reflect on curriculum? and (c) what is the growth of each individual in each subject area? Math emerged as an area of concern, and after much discussion the district adopted the Chicago Math program. Following extensive professional development, including sending a team to work for a week at the University of Chicago with the program developers, the program has been introduced through the grades. Last year the high school SAT math scores were the highest in Connecticut, and eighth grade math students ranked first in the state on the Connecticut Mastery Test. A similar strategy has been used when writing surfaced as an area of concern. All teachers received a series of workshops focused on the elements of good writing and a common rubric was developed for Grades 3 through 12. Significant gains have subsequently been recorded on the Connecticut State Mastery Test in writing.

The district plans to focus attention on several "high priority" issues next year: reading K-5, assessment, technology and special needs students. The Professional Development Day in August is used to frame these issues for the schools who will then plan to connect these issues to their own priorities. Focusing attention and support on a few clearly defined improvement activities is an important cornerstone of the Wilton professional development model.

Contact Information:: Wilton Public Schools, Wilton CT; Joyce Parker; Administrator for Elementary Curriculum and Professional Development; Wilton Public Schools; 395 Danbury Road; Wilton, Connecticut 06897; 203-762-3381; 203-762-2177 (FAX)

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Last Updated -- February 20, 1998, (pjk)