Professional Learning
Janis Parrish, Professional Learning
Director
Bremen City Schools System Professional Learning Committee
2006-07
Janis Parrish, Chair Pam Sewell Karen Brock
Donna Patterson Jennifer McGukin Mike Campbell
Janet Sabo
Carla Pollard Lynda Wheeler Duane McManus
Bremen City Schools Professional Learning Goals
2006-07
Socioeconomic, disabilities, race and gender, limited English deficiencies
of technology in the classroom and for efficiency / effectiveness in their jobs
Each year, schools assess their professional growth needs by
examining achievement data and other student needs. The system professional
learning needs assessment, which is submitted to RESA, derives from school
needs and is the impetus for system planning. The Bremen City Schools System
Professional Learning Committee meets to review the needs that each school has
cited and derive at system professional learning goals. This group then votes
on the job-embedded professional learning opportunities that are granted
professional learning unit credit by Bremen City Schools. This applies to
certified staff and the coursework can be specific to each school. Each year,
Beginning in 2006-07 school year, paraprofessionals are involved in at least 1 PLU credit that is job-embedded. The goal of this professional learning opportunity is to train the paraprofessionals to feel competent and knowledgeable of medical issues that they might encounter with students that they work with. Paraprofessionals must also be recertified every five years, as the certified staff members. They must also accumulate 10 PLU credits over this period of time. The school system funds the professional learning of our paraprofessionals.
Paraprofessionals with one year or less experience are asked to take at least two of the following courses at Northwest Georgia RESA during the first school year as they can be scheduled:
In Bremen City Schools, teachers and paraprofessionals have a wide variety of professional learning opportunities in addition to the job-embedded opportunities. These opportunities may be through NW Georgia RESA, area colleges, regional workshops, and professional conferences. Professional learning credit at workshops and professional conferences must be pre-approved by the Director of Professional Learning. Paperwork to verify attendance where credit is granted should be submitted to the director upon return from the professional learning opportunity.
RESA
Registration Information
In order to register for a RESA class or workshop, the
employee must register on-line at www.nwgaresa.com
, the RESA website. If needed, training is available from the professional
learning director. This request is automatically forwarded to the building
level principal for approval and then to the professional learning director for
approval. After the request is processed at RESA, the employee, the building
principal, and the professional learning director, are notified by e-mail that
the individual is registered for the class. After one week of submitting a
registration on-line, please contact the professional learning director if you
have not received confirmation that you have been added to the class.
If an employee cannot
attend a RESA class or workshop for which he/ she is registered, it is the
employee’s responsibility to call RESA to cancel at least one week ahead of
time except for emergencies. If the employee does not cancel and does not attend,
he / she must pay the no-show fee.
Travel
Reimbursement Guidelines
The system will reimburse an employee for travel, following these guidelines:
This can not be reimbursed even if you are charged for state sales tax.
Teacher
Certification Renewal
Employment as a professional
educator or a paraprofessional at Bremen City Schools depends on possession of
proper certification or license. Certification
renewal is each employee’s personal responsibility. Although Mrs. Gail
Crews from the Professional Learning Office notifies employees when
certificates or licenses are nearing expiration, the system is not obligated to
do so. The employee has the responsibility of earning renewal credit, sending
appropriate documentation to Mrs. Crews and filling out necessary paperwork for
the state’s Professional Standards Commission before the expiration deadline.
Anyone who does not know the certification or licensing requirements for his /
her job should talk to Mrs. Gail Crews or Mrs. Janis Parrish at the