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Committee hears report on professional development, TRU framework and special‑education initiatives
Summary
District presenters summarized March 11 PD offerings focused on student engagement, the TRU framework, partnerships with Flynn Educational Consulting and UMass, and targeted special‑education training (including Orton‑Gillingham); presenters said 50% of sessions were led by district staff and described family engagement plans.
District instructional leaders updated the committee on professional development and inclusion work across the district, reporting on the March 11 PD day and ongoing coaching programs designed to increase student engagement and support differentiated instruction.
Presenters said the district has promoted the TRU (Teaching for Robust Understanding) framework and partnered with Flynn Educational Consulting and higher‑education experts to deliver sessions on engagement, co‑teaching, and AI‑aware instruction. “We started the 2025‑26 school year with a full day of professional development for K‑5 teachers that focused on student engagement,” a presenter said, and singled out guest contributors from UMass and other partners (Presenter (Speaker 9)).
Officials noted that half of the 12 special‑education sessions were facilitated by district faculty, and highlighted training to improve IEP goals, Orton‑Gillingham training for elementary special‑education teachers, and a special‑education student work showcase that included preschool through age‑22 projects. Presenters framed these initiatives as both capacity building and family outreach; examples included open‑house panels and community events to normalize inclusion.
Committee members and presenters discussed recording or sharing PD materials to increase access; presenters said slide decks might be posted and that recording is an aspiration for future PD iterations.
Next steps: presenters will continue the PD calendar, consider ways to share materials broadly, and seek grant funding to sustain externally provided trainers and coaching.
