On August 11th, Bowman’s Professional Development team presented strategic team building and WASC accreditation activities for returning staff. Caterpillar Traffic Jam built trust and teamwork by playing a fun game, using non-verbal communication to complete the task.
Time was spent analyzing data and reviewing WASC Action Plans in interactive groups. Focus groups met to specifically target the following school areas: Organization, Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment /Accountability, School Culture, Student Support and Academic Growth. Next, staff examined Action Plan growth areas, which included Reading, Numeracy, Writing, and Parent/Community Involvement.
Feedback from staff was enthusiastic. “Reviewing the CST and CAHSEE data was helpful. It was an excellent opportunity to understand the progress we have made within each subgroup in order to develop a comprehensive plan for further improvement in English and math proficiency at Bowman,” said business teacher Sandy Geyer.
“As a staff, we have honed in on the key issues as designated by WASC and have been working collaboratively and diligently to address and resolve these issues,” added English teacher Sheryl Samworth.
Maintaining the high level of performance at Bowman is foremost and was apparent by the staff’s input, dedication and willingness to collaborate. Principal Robin Geissler said, “Bowman’s Professional Development Team presented a quality training, modeling collaboration, analysis, and deep reflection on issues paramount to the success and academic achievement of our students. I am so proud of our staff’s dedication and commitment to students!”
Building upon the collaboration of the day, Bowman’s staff will be reading The Collaborative Teacher: Working Together as a Professional Learning Community during the school year.
