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District to require instructional coaching for elementary teachers, professional learning to gain more personalization
Summary
Professional Learning staff reported a year of centralized PD to support new elementary curricula and a PLC reset at secondary levels; next year the district will require instructional coaching for all elementary teachers and customize secondary PD by building and department.
A staff member from the Department of Professional Learning told the Round Lake Area Board of Education on June 16 that this year’s professional development emphasized districtwide implementation of new elementary curricula and a secondary PLC (professional learning community) reset.
The presenter said the concentrated, year-long PD choices were intentional to ensure consistent rollout: “We invested very heavily in these new curricula,” the presenter said, adding that the PLC reset addressed gaps from teachers who had not received initial training. That approach, the presenter argued, was necessary this year to secure consistent implementation across buildings even while some teachers changed assignments.
Administrators summarized successes and next steps. At the elementary level, the department will require all teachers and interventionists to participate in instructional coaching cycles next year; the presenter described instructional coaching as a personalized form of PD in which teachers set goals and work directly with a coach. The department said a pilot rollout video and a sticker survey after the initial coaching rollout showed about 55% of teachers reporting excitement about the program.
At the secondary level, the department plans to offer more customized PD by building and department while preserving PLC expectations. Examples described include building-specific lesson-study cycles, intervention make‑and‑take sessions and activity menus tailored to department priorities.
The presenter said other ongoing work includes mentor programs for new staff, an on-demand onboarding resource called “Round Lake High 5” for midyear hires, a PD strategy hub and a formal evaluator calibration program to align teacher evaluations and feedback using the Danielson rubric.
Board members asked about mentor–mentee fit and supports for mentors; the presenter said the district’s new teacher support specialist works directly on mentor reassignment and that mentors are evaluated for effectiveness. The professional learning department said it will continue surveys and advisory feedback to refine coaching and PD next year.
