Inside this Issue
Summer 09 / Issue 23
Development and Growth Further Education Administration and Support Sharing Professional Development Advances in Education
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| A SOUTHRIDGE SCHOOL COMMUNITY MAGAZINE
Our Dedicated Learning Environment A significant factor that influences our students’ orientation toward learning is found embedded in the very fabric of what our learning environment at Southridge is all about. A community of lifelong learners is fundamental to who we are. The thread of continuous professional learning that takes place within our school among our teachers and staff influences our students. Of all the great learning elements of our wonderful school, we must not forget that the commitment of the resources to support professional development is significant to the learning environment we strive to achieve. The culture of learning at Southridge is excellent. To establish a culture of learning, we look for ways to influence our community of teachers toward continual growth. At the beginning of each year, all of our teachers complete a Teaching Professional Growth Plan (TPGP). During the year, teachers meet with a TPGP advisor three times to discuss their growth and identify areas where they may require support. As a pilot project this year, four teach-
ers engaged in developing summative projects to demonstrate their individual growth over a number of years. These teachers met as a small group during the year to discuss their progress, share ideas, help one another work through roadblocks and support each other. The TPGP process is a valuable component of our school environment and assists to further define our culture of learning. Our internal professional development days also contribute to our learning culture at Southridge. These days are highly beneficial because they are opportunities for the entire faculty to come together to engage in learning activities that are applicable to all levels of education. Pointed professional discussions between the Junior and Senior School teachers are constructive in bridging the consistencies that we all embrace about student learning. As a gauge for us to determine the commitment of resources to professional development, our Board of Governors references benchmarks produced by the
Canadian Association of Independent Schools (CAIS). It is a significant statement to say that Southridge sits well above the 85th percentile in terms of the financial resources directed toward professional development. It is a wellintentioned goal to support our teachers in their pursuit of professional development opportunities; however, the message of support is much stronger in influencing our culture when our Board of Governors supports the notion of a professional learning environment by being a national leader in terms of how it allocates its resources. The ultimate beneficiaries of the development our teachers and staff pursue are our students. Not only do they benefit from the knowledge and skills our teachers develop, but they also witness role models in their lives committed to the learning process. And that plays a big part in influencing our students’ orientation toward learning. - Drew Stephens