Hurdles & Wanderings

Two topics of action research that I am considering are: Professional Development for staff, and increasing parental involvement. Our school is facing many hurdles this school year:

• moving to a new campus
• Combining two separate campuses into one (9/10 grade and 11/12 grade campuses)
• Changing from block schedule to a more traditional 7-period day
• Many administrative & personnel changes over the last 12 months
• Decrease in teacher morale
• Increased emphasis on student achievement, with a push toward meeting Exemplary standards

Due to the many changes, the most pressing issue at this time seems to be that of Professional Development and building a more collaborative learning environment.

My pondering is: In what ways might a whole group (administrators, faculty, and other staff) technology-based book study contribute to how our school may create enhanced learning opportunities and increased student achievement? How can the teaching staff support one another while increasing student achievement?