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Plano ISD outlines summer professional learning, new teacher supports and PNTU launch
Summary
The district reported an active summer professional learning calendar including Summer Inspire conferences, mentoring cohorts, a new Plano New Teacher University (PNTU) initiative, the Educational Technology Success Initiative (Etsy) focused on AI and device use, and expanded mentor and onboarding supports to retain early‑career teachers.
Plano ISD staff presented the board with a summer professional learning update Tuesday describing programs for teachers, campus leaders and administrators ahead of the 2025–26 school year.
Craig McKinney, director of professional learning, summarized a busy summer calendar: Summer Inspire (a multi‑session teacher conference), national board support cohorts, an externship program placing 17 secondary teachers at 14 industry host sites, the 12th annual Educational Technology Success Initiative (focusing this year on AI and device integration) and expanded mentor supports for new hires.
McKinney described new and redesigned initiatives including Plano New Teacher University (PNTU), which will provide early‑career teachers with a series of pull‑out days, virtual check‑ins and follow‑up supports; an aspiring assistant principal academy and a Team Leader Academy for campus teacher leaders; and a lead‑mentor role on each campus to coordinate mentor activity. He said the district reduced the overall compliance training burden this year and will offer “trade hours” to employees who complete required training early.
Trustees asked for details on trade days, which McKinney explained are paid workdays that fall on days when schools are closed (for example around Thanksgiving) and that employees complete 15 hours of professional learning in exchange for those closed days. Trustees also discussed offerings from the Plano ISD Education Foundation and opportunities to connect new hires with the Foundation core store.
No board action was required. Trustees thanked staff for the range of summer learning opportunities and asked staff to continue aligning training to campus needs and mentoring work.
