August 28, 2011

The time right before school opens is also a time for professional development and training for educators. This year, Superintendent Mary Bourque and Chelsea Teachers' Union President Mary Ferriter worked together to bring the National American Federation of Teachers Center for School Improvement training to Chelsea.

For two days, on August 23rd and August 24th American Federation of Teachers (AFT) through their Center for School Improvement (CSI) worked with approximately 135 teachers and administrators on public school reform. The work with AFT CSI took on a systems perspective; together, administrators and teachers looked at the way Chelsea’s schools are organized and the way decisions are made. AFT's CSI facilitators helped participants look at each school as a micro-system working within the macro- system of the school district.

"This is a great opportunity for everyone to come together. These are timely topics to enforce the team work we are doing in our Professional Learning Communities. This is something we can take back to the schools as teams to show that things are team driven and from the bottom up," stated Principal Deb McElroy of the Brown Middle School.

The two-day professional development helped school teams lay the foundation for schools to move to the next phase of improvement through the creation of labor- management partnerships among the teachers' union, school administrators, community, and the school committee to improve planning, decision making, problem solving, as well as the ways teachers, administrators, community members, and school committee interact. At the end of the two days of professional development each participant completed four modules: 1) Effective Communication to Promote Collaboration; 2) Team Building: Collaborating to Get the Job Done; 3) Data Informed Decision-Making; and, 4) Professional Development to Support Student Achievement.

"This was really beneficial from the format of the modules, size of teams, to areas of focus; and most importantly the content topics. We are encouraged by management and teachers working collaboratively. This is great timing to have it at this time of year where we are fortified with what we’ve learned to start the year." --Lisa Santagate, Sokolowski Teacher.

Superintendent Bourque stated at the closing meeting that the "Chelsea schools will build upon the work completed in these two days; we will continue our school improvement process which includes open communication, deep collaboration, and reflective practice. We are off to a wonderful start!"