425.1 Staff Development Position Statement

STAFF DEVELOPMENT: POSITION STATEMENT

The primary objective of staff development is to increase student learning by strengthening the performance of all school district personnel.

DEFINITION: Staff development is a support system designed to maintain and encourage growth in employee effectiveness.

GUIDELINES: Efforts to achieve the objective of staff development will be conducted within the following guidelines:

1. Develop programs which facilitate the achievement of the school district's mission. It is the primary mission of the Anoka-Hennepin School District to effectively educate each of our students for success.
2. Provide staff development that is aligned to Minnesota statute, School Board policy and district priorities.
3. Implement accountability mechanisms designed to ensure supervisory review and oversight of all building and district designed or sponsored staff development offerings.
4. Ensure a clearly articulated purpose and outcomes for all building and district designed or sponsored staff development, including clear direction regarding whether or how the staff development activity is intended to apply to instructional or administrative practice. Staff development will not always be the same as classroom instruction and there is an obligation to clarify what portion, if any, of the staff development would be appropriate to share with students.
5. Provide continuous learning opportunities, as determined by assessing the needs of all employees.
6. Involve district employees in staff development programming.
7. Enable employees to improve their work performance through learning activities that increase skills, knowledge, and techniques.