For additional news and resources, visit the PSESD Learning & Teaching page.

Why Professional Learning Communities?

Staff development designed for high levels of learning for all students, teachers, and administrators requires a form of professional learning that is quite different from the workshop-driven approach. The most powerful forms of staff development occur in ongoing teams that meet on a regular basis, for the purposes of learning, joint lesson planning, and problem-solving.

These teams, often called learning communities or communities of practice, operate with a commitment to the norms of continuous improvement and experimentation and engage their members in improving their daily work to advance the achievement of district and school goals for student learning.

Professional Learning Communities:

• Involve staff in identifying their own needs and developing learning experiences to meet those needs
• Are school-based and embedded in daily work
• Are organized around collaborative problem-solving
• Are continuous and on-going with follow-up and support
• Focus on student learning and instructional practice
• Provide opportunities to apply new learning within the context of the classroom
• Are connected to a comprehensive change process
• Are recognized by research to improve student learning

Puget Sound ESD offers training and technical assistance for establishing, supporting or enhancing your school or district's Professional Learning Communities. For more information, contact Julie Rolling, (425) 917-7806; (253) 778-7806; 1-800-664-4549, x 7806; jrolling@psesd.org.

Learn more about Professional Learning comunities on our website.

Call for 2010 Teacher of the Year Nominations

School district nominations for the Regional Teacher of the Year award are being accepted by Puget Sound ESD through May 30, 2009. The Teacher of the Year program is part of a nationwide initiative to honor and recognize exceptional educators.

Each school district may nominate two teachers. Each ESD will select one regional teacher of the year from the school districts in its area. The nine regional finalists, who will be named this summer, move on to the state competition. The teacher selected as Washington's Teacher of the Year will compete for the national title.

For information on the nomination process, contact your school district administrative office. For information process, contact your school district administrative office. For information on the nomination process, contact your school district administrative office. For information on the Teacher of the Year program, contact Julie Rolling, (425) 917-7806,   (253) 778-7806, 1-800-664-4549, x7806, or jrolling@psesd.org . Information can also be found on OSPI's website: http://www.k12.wa.us.