Creating Communities of Learning, Inquiry & Connection:

1. Creating Communities of Learning, Inquiry & Connection: Building The Westfield Professional Development School Network

2. Westfield Professional Development School Network Westfield State College & Westfield Public Schools

3. For Information Contact: Nitza M. Hidalgo, Ed.D. Professor of Education & Director, WPDS Network Westfield State College (413) 572-5318 nhidalgo@wsc.ma.edu

4. WPDS Network

6. What is the WPDS Network? • The Westfield Professional Development School Network is a Partnership between Westfield State College and five Westfield Public Elementary Schools.

7. How can you get involved? • Apply to the PDS internship program. • Take any of the following classes: • ED 220 Schools in American Culture (Raker) • ED 221 Students with Special Needs (Goff & Redditt) • ED 304 Teaching Writing & Expressive Art K-6 (Itterly) • ED 306 Elementary Curriculum (Knowles & Sullivan) • ED 317 Analysis & Correction of Reading Difficulties (Itterly) • ED 319 Principles of Teaching & Learning (Templeton) • ED 335 Literacy Instruction for English Language Learners (Berkowitz)

8. What is the WPDS Internship? • The internship is an integrated, year-long pre-practicum/practicum experience within a single classroom in a WPDS elementary school. • Students take their Curriculum course in the Fall and Student Teach in the Spring. • Students are monitored in their Fall pre-practicum by a WSC professor. In the Spring, the same professor becomes students’ practicum supervisor. • Intern Requirements: • B average in Education courses. • Must have passed all the teacher tests prior to internship. • Must have met the diversity requirement in previous pre-practicum courses. • Must have had different grade level assignments in previous pre-practicum courses.

9. Who are the WPDS faculty? • Prof. Sandy Berkowitz • Prof. B. J. Goff • Prof. Nitza Hidalgo • Prof. Kathy Itterly • Prof. Trudy Knowles • Prof. David Raker • Prof. Susan Redditt • Prof. Peggy Sullivan • Prof. Lolly Templeton

10. Professional Continuum Practitioners Teacher Candidates College Faculty

11. What are our Goals? • To Improve Teacher Education at the Undergraduate Level • To Provide Professional Development Opportunities for Teachers at the Elementary School Level

12. WPDS History: Fall 1999 • WSC Faculty Meetings: Fall 1999 • First Conversation: December 7, 1999

13. WPDS History: Spring 2000 • WPDS Network Proposal, May 2000 • Submitted to WSC Administration • End of Year Luncheon, May 23, 2000 • Retreat Planning Committee established

14. WPDS History: 2000-2001 • Retreat: October 28, 2000 • Memorandum of Understanding • Signed by WSC & WPS administrators • Formal Launch of the WPDS Network • Preliminary Definition of PDS Identity

15. WPDS History: 2000-2001 • Eisenhower Grant Funding • Academic year 2000-2001 • Teacher-in-Residence Program • Begins, September 2000 • Needs Assessment • All five schools participated • Forty five teachers responded

16. WPDS History: 2000-2001 • Individual School Action Plans • First College/School Projects • Based on Action Plans • Connected to Needs Assessment

17. WPDS Organizational Chart

18. Critical Stakeholders • Teacher Teams • teacher liaison • Building Principals • PDS College Faculty • Dean of Education (WSC) • Director of Personnel (WPS) • PDS Coordinator • PDS Director

19. WPDS Organizational Chart

20. What are some WPDS Activities? • Hold Monthly Meetings • Conduct Individual School Projects • Provide On-Site Graduate Courses • Direct the Multi-School PDS Internship Program • Promote Co-Teaching activities • Organize an End-of-Year Conference • Publish Newsletters

21. WPDS Components • Monthly Meetings • Individual School Projects • Teacher & Faculty Liaisons • Teacher-In-Residence • Co-Teaching

22. WPDS Partnership

23. Perspectives • College • Dean of Education • Student Intern • Student

24. College Admin. Perspective • Dean of Education Provides Insights on How the WPDS Benefits the College

25. College Student Perspective • Student Intern Reflects on her Practicum

26. College Student Perspective • Prepracticum Student Talks about Working in the After School Homework Club

27. Perspectives • School • Administrative • Practitioner • Students

28. Benefits of WPDS at the Elem. Schools Strengthens the relationship between WSC and WPS Prepares new teachers Professional Development Supports teachers and schools Administrative Perspective

29. WPDS Impact on Elem. Schools College as a resource Staff involvement in courses Achievement for students Better prepared pre-service students Administrative Perspective

30. Future Goals & Projects Involve more schools Model programs at schools Expand prepracticum & practicum opportunities Administrative Perspective

31. More Direct Services to Children Children benefit greatly Develop programs where there are gaps & needs Nature of services change as needs change Practitioner Perspective

32. Input into the Education of Teacher Candidates Teaching workshops and courses at the college Discussions with faculty about pre-service programs Practitioner Perspective

33. Strengthens the skills & knowledge of practitioners Continuing education by college faculty Input by college faculty on special projects & areas of need Greater participation Practitioner Perspective

34. Elem. Ed. Student Perspective • Southampton Road School Students Talk about the After School Homework Club

35. Southampton Road School

36. WPDS Liaisons @ SRS • Teacher Liaison • Faculty Liaison

37. WPDS Activities @ SRS • Co-Teaching • Year Long Internship

38. WPDS Activities @ SRS • After School Homework Club • Increased Roles Taken by WSC Students Each Year

39. WPDS Activities @ SRS • On-Site Graduate Level Technology Courses • Teacher Tools in the Wired Classroom • Utilizing Teacher Tools in the Wired Classroom

40. WPDS Activities @ SRS • Daily increased presence of WSC students

41. Struggles • Commitment from College & District • Money/Yearly Funding From Academic Affairs & School System • Release Time • Levels of Participation • Turnover of Staff

42. WPDS Network Vision • WPDS Network Continues to Evolve • Changing programs and participants • Our Reputation has Grown in the District • More schools want to join or take our students • Documentation of PDS as a Reform Effort • Systematic data collection • Greater Impact on Teaching and Learning • College level & school level

43. Moseley Elementary School

44. Highland Elementary School

45. Abner Gibbs Elementary School

46. Franklin Avenue School