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District expands professional learning: cohorts, teacher Edge conference and GenAI literacy
Summary
The Office of Professional Learning described expanded staff supports: EDGE conferences for leaders and teachers, a 'Your Growth Your Way' model, cohort coaching, paras PD including ParaPalooza, GenAI literacy videos, and partnerships with regional universities.
The division’s professional learning director presented a portfolio of initiatives aimed at improving teacher and leader development and helping with retention.
The presentation highlighted the EDGE leadership conference (attendance rising to 300, strong ratings), a teacher EDGE pilot, 'Your Growth Your Way' choice‑based learning days, and plans to expand cohort‑based professional learning and coaching. The director said a cohort model will run 3–6 weeks with facilitator support and compensation; teachers completing cohorts will receive digital credential badges. The office also supports paras and will host ParaPalooza in February via a partnership that provides free PD for paras.
Professional learning staff noted partnerships with the University of Mary Washington and other regional institutions for course credits and endorsements (ESOL, gifted, special education), and a GenAI literacy program consisting of monthly short videos and materials for teachers. Board members asked about compensation and incentives for summer PD; the director said that if funding can be built into the budget, the office would prioritize compensation to increase participation.
What happens next: division learning day schedules will be distributed, cohort pilots will launch this fall, and the department will continue to collect feedback and scale offerings based on demand and budget availability.
