From Inspiration to Implementation: How Keep Indiana Learning Supports District-wide PD

Sparking Energy for a New School Year

End-of-summer professional development is the perfect opportunity for educators to recharge, connect, and prepare for a new school year. This summer, the CIESC professional learning team, Keep Indiana Learning, had the privilege of partnering with two of our member school districts, Greenwood Community School Corporation and MSD of Pike Township, for their district wide PD days. Gathering in person to share ideas, align goals, and explore innovative practices left everyone excited and ready for a new school year!

Greenwood Community Schools: Learning for Every Role

We collaborated closely with Dr. Michelle Jackson, Director of Teaching and Learning, to plan their district wide professional development day. We met several times to brainstorm and discuss topics that she felt needed to be covered during the day. To support their goals, we delivered eight sessions that would support all members of their school community. We also hosted a vendor booth to connect directly with staff. Attendees praised the thoughtful design of the day, the actionable strategies, and the inclusion of every member of their school community. Dr. Michelle Jackson had this to say about collaborating with CIESC, “Districtwide professional development is very important to Greenwood Community School Corporation because it provides an opportunity for our entire team to learn, grow, and come together around our shared commitment to students. We were pleased to partner with CIESC on this important initiative. Their team helped us provide meaningful, high-quality learning opportunities for employees across our district—from student engagement, MTSS, behavior support, literacy, math, and school leadership to customer service, work-based learning, and creating positive school environments. The positive feedback, collaboration, and energy throughout the day reinforced the value of investing in our staff and growing together as a district. We are grateful for CIESC’s partnership and their commitment to helping us create professional learning that supports every role in serving our students.” 

MSD of Pike Township: Ready to Use Strategies and Strong Impact

Our time with MSD of Pike Township at ElevatED was equally beneficial and centered around student growth, building teacher capacity, and utilizing supports, such as instructional assistants, in the buildings. This was our fourth year supporting the district, and similar to Greenwood,  time was spent with MSD of Pike administration to determine the types of sessions that would benefit their educators the most. We provided 11 sessions over the span of the two day event. Director of Professional Development and Programming Dr. Greg Nunley says, “What makes this partnership so valuable is the range of expertise CIESC brings to the table, from Math to Literacy, and specialized sessions tailored for administrators and instructional assistants alike. Every role in our building can find something meaningful and applicable at ElevatED, and that’s a direct result of collaborating with CIESC.” He also shared that, “CIESC has become a foundational piece of ElevatED’s growth. The learning our teachers receive does not stay theoretical, it translates directly into practical, ready-to-use strategies they can bring back into their classrooms the very next day. That is the kind of professional development that actually moves the needle for kids.”

Let’s Collaborate: Bring Meaningful Support to your District

Opportunities like these give us a front row seat to the incredible work that is being done in the districts around Indiana. At Keep Indiana Learning, partnering with schools to bring meaningful, actionable professional development to life is a core component of what we do. Whether you want to revitalize PD days, implement new instructional strategies, or build upon teacher capacity, we are here to support you. Every school district has different goals and visions but we all have one thing in common – we want students and educators to thrive. Reach out today to design a customized plan that supports your district.