District details Grow-Your-Own teacher pipeline and staff professional development

District leaders reported on opening-day professional development and a district Grow-Your-Own teacher pipeline during Tuesday's Board of Education meeting. The district held a three-day opening institute that included building-level planning, curriculum work and a keynote by Chris Singleton, whose presentation on community, trauma and resilience drew strong staff response. "He took this horrible tragedy, and he did what he felt his mom would wanted him to do, and that is to teach love," the district's staff presenter said summarizing Singleton's message about responding to violence with community and care. The meeting also featured an update on the district's "grow your own" program (branded in presentation materials), designed to recruit and train teachers from within the community and district. Staff outlined three program paths: 1) current teachers seeking additional endorsements (two teachers are pursuing ESL and another a special-education endorsement); 2) noncertified staff (paraprofessionals, media aides, building secretaries) returning to school to earn degrees or endorsements (two paraprofessionals, a media aide and a building secretary currently participating); and 3) preservice candidates who are connected to the district before finishing student teaching and who may receive a stipend (the district described a $10,000 stipend for student teachers who commit to teach for a minimum period). Staff said the program leverages a teacher-vacancy grant but is designed to continue if that funding ends. The district reported a bilingual pre-K candidate, a social-work intern and a Central Middle School English teacher participating in preservice arrangements. Administrators said the program aims to diversify the teacher workforce, strengthen ties with nearby universities and create a pipeline for hard-to-fill positions. No formal board action was requested; staff said the program will continue and that stipends and partner arrangements are in place for some preservice teachers.