CDS Teacher Growth and Evaluation Handbook by Carrollwood Day School

TEACHER GROWTH AND EVALUATION HANDBOOK

OUR VISION

Build a community prepared and inspired to better the world.

OUR MISSION

As an IB World School, we cultivate principled entrepreneurial thinkers for a global society by enriching the mind, strengthening the character, and inspiring the passions of our community.

Portrait of a Patriot Teacher

At CDS, we are guided by our mission and values to create conditions where teachers thrive in an environment of continuous learning and growth. We are a school that seeks to attract and retain educators who embrace professional development and entrepreneurial thinking. In support of this aspiration, teachers and school leadership came together to create our Portrait of a Patriot Teacher (PPT) which is our guiding document for professional growth and evaluation and a definition of teaching excellence within the CDS context. Through the domains of “culture, skills, mindset, and professionalism” the attributes of a high-performing CDS teacher are illustrated. It is an expectation for all teachers to set goals and continuously work towards proficiency in each domain All teacher growth and evaluation practices at CDS are aligned to the PPT.

P O R T R A I T O F TEAC

CULTURE SKILLS

Highly committed to the wellbeing of students.

Creates classroom environments where students feel secure, are encouraged to participate and take risks as they learn.

Embraces opportunities to collaborate and enhance cohesion among colleagues and students.

Challenges students to perform their best; has high academic and behavioral expectations for students.

Supports the development of student agency and ownership of learning.

Actively enhances the student experience by participating in activities that extend beyond the classroom setting.

Knows students' profiles and their unique attributes. Makes common sense decisions to engage, differentiate and support the growth of each student.

Demonstrates proficiency as a classroom practitioner. Employs research-based best teaching practices. Facilitates inquiry-based learning.

Experts in their content area allowing for creative approaches to teaching, learning and assessment.

Understands and employs best practices with regards to teaching, learning and assessment in the IB program.

A P A T R I O T

MINDSET PROFESSIONALISM

Innovative; embraces experimentation and failure as opportunities for growth. Models this mindset for students.

Inspirational, passionate, and enthusiastic. Loves to work at CDS is actively involved, and embraces their role as a community ambassador

Has a global and community orientation. Takes advantage of opportunities to make learning experiential.

Values diverse perspectives. Promotes healthy discourse and acknowledges the validity of different points of view.

Celebrates and is mindful of diversity within the CDS family.

Supportive of the school community, its mission and values. Exhibits this commitment

Principled, ethical and conscientious in all actions.

Committed to continual development as an IB educator and takes advantage of opportunities to grow. Seeks to continually enhance their understanding of how children learn.

Supporting Teacher Growth

Using the PPT as a guide, CDS is committed to providing professional growth opportunities for teachers to enhance their skills and increase job satisfaction. Each year, CDS is pleased to support teacher requests for professional development and has set aside a generous budget for this purpose. All requests are considered by a team comprising the Head of School, Assistant Head of School for Academics, and Division Heads. A link for teachers to request professional development can be found here.

Beyond the professional development requests made by individual teachers, CDS supports faculty development and growth through:

Signature Opportunities:

CDS Teaching Fellowship- Each year, CDS teachers are invited to apply to be a CDS Teaching Fellow. Teaching Fellows work with the Assistant Head of School for Academics to identify, plan, organize, execute and evaluate professional learning initiatives for staff Selected Fellows work as 12-month employees during their one-year term and receive a significant stipend.

The Carrollwood Day School Excellence Award for Faculty & Staff - This prestigious award is an annual recognition celebrating the remarkable dedication and contributions of individuals within the CDS community This award is presented annually to one member of the teaching faculty and one staff member. Using the Portrait of a Patriot Teacher as a guide, this award honors faculty and staff members who exemplify outstanding qualities in all areas--culture, skills, mindset, and professionalism--significantly contributing to the school's fulfillment of its mission, exemplifying its values, and adding to its overall success. Selected teachers and staff members receive a certificate of achievement and a significant monetary award symbolizing appreciation for their outstanding dedication and service.

Round Square teacher exchanges- CDS is a member of the Round Square network of global schools joined by the ideals of democracy, adventure, leadership, service, internationalism, and environmentalism. Each year, groups of students and teachers from each division attend global conferences and gatherings at different locations. CDS also sponsors individual overseas professional growth teacher exchanges to Round Square schools worldwide In the past, CDS teachers have visited faroff places such as Japan, Rwanda and Spain to enhance their teaching practices and learn about other cultures.

Patriot Power Hour- Each Wednesday school starts one hour later for students in all divisions. This “Power Hour” time is set aside for teacher learning, collaboration, and professional development. Professional development fairs, upskilling sessions, teacher collaboration on common goals, and data examination are examples of how Patriot Power Hour time is used.

IB Boost- Led by our academic team, the IB Boost is an annual opportunity for teachers from different schools across the country to collaborate and learn together on the CDS campus. Past topics included concept-based inquiry, innovation, and Universal Design for Learning. The CDS IB Boost is supported and often attended by IB personnel.

Policy development- CDS teachers are invited to participate in planning the future direction of the school The development of the PPT is an example of this collaboration which was informed by teacher visits to other independent schools, common readings, and outside experts.

Individual Teacher Support

Each year, CDS financially supports teachers seeking to pursue higher education degrees. Please see Human Resources for more details about how to apply.

All CDS teachers are IB teachers. The school supports individual and group training of teachers who are new to the IB or seeking to build their skills through formally sanctioned IB training as well as through on-site professional development led by our IB Coordinators.

Coaching- IB Coordinators and CDS Teaching Fellows are available to enter into a coaching relationship with interested teachers. Coaches are consistent and trusted partners committed to empowering teachers to grow professionally through non-evaluative interactions and leveraging of collective strengths

CDS is a member of FCIS (Florida Council of Independent Schools) and NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools). Each year the school sends CDS teachers to these conferences to learn from others and also present their own expertise to colleagues from around the nation.

CDS STAR PROGRAM

CDS STAR program

Aligned with the PPT, CDS has developed the STAR program to encourage teacher growth. The STAR program has four levels of teacher attainment: novice, skilled, master, and mentor. Teachers hired with less than 3 years of teaching experience are automatically placed into the novice group. All other newly hired teachers are designated as “skilled.” Teachers who attain more advanced levels have the capacity to increase their annual compensation.

CDS teachers, in partnership with school leadership, have developed a set of standards aligned with each of the four PPT domains: culture, skills, mindset, and professionalism. These standards broadly describe the PPT attributes of a teacher within each level If a teacher feels ready to demonstrate their growth to a higher level, they are invited to meet with their division head for approval

It should be noted that, except for novice teachers, once a teacher has been assigned to a particular level, the decision of when or whether to progress to the next level is left to the employee's discretion Novice teachers are expected to progress to the skilled level within 3 years of the start of their employment at CDS

Teachers who are ready to progress to the next level, and have been approved by their division head, will meet with the Assistant Head of School-Academics to discuss the portfolio they must create to provide evidence of attainment. Evidence for portfolios can come from a number of sources including PLCs and faculty upskilling discussions that take place during Patriot Power Hour. Progress towards the next level is not time bound except for novice teachers who must demonstrate “skilled” attainment within three years of their hire.

TEACHER EVALUATION

Teacher Evaluation

At Carrollwood Day School, a growth mindset is foundational to our faculty evaluation. Therefore the word “evaluation” is somewhat misleading, as it keeps us locked into a system where faculty feel their jobs are on the line every year, a misconception that could undermine the trust between faculty and administration that we need to build a strong and stable community and program. At CDS, faculty in good standing have been told to think of their employment agreements as evergreen, with their renewal certain unless a financial emergency or other unforeseen enrollment circumstances arise. This allows faculty and administration to frame the yearly process as authentically growth-oriented.

Essential Expectations

In consultation with faculty and school leadership, CDS Essential Expectations for Teachers have been identified. These expectations are not intended to be aspirational or associated with goal areas. Rather, these represent a baseline for expected professional behavior for all teachers in good standing, each day at CDS. These expectations are listed below:

All CDS teachers:

Overtly support and act according to the school’s mission, vision, and values.

Find purpose and oftentimes joy in teaching. Foster a safe, predictable, and supportive environment for students and colleagues.

Interact with colleagues in a respectful and collegial manner that fosters a healthy faculty culture.

Embrace and reflect the school’s commitment to inclusivity, intercultural understanding & respect.

Demonstrate appropriate planning and preparation that leads to effective instruction.

Uphold professional standards of communication, personal presentation, punctuality, professional courtesy, and discretion. Appropriately carry out specific assignments as determined by your supervisor.

Maintain professional credentials, as appropriate. Honor the confidentiality of school, student, and family information.

Comply with the policies and procedures as articulated in the school’s Faculty Handbook.

Authentically engage in self-reflection and development of a growth and renewal plan aligned with our Portrait of a Patriot Teacher. This includes written goals and progress towards them.

Adapted from: Comprehensive Faculty Development- A guide to attract, retain, develop, reward and inspire - Independent School Management- 2019

Formal Evaluation

All teachers will participate in a formal evaluation process at least once every 3 years unless an exception is made by the teacher’s division head The formal evaluation process provides several opportunities for the division head (or designee) to interact with the evaluated teacher through observations and individual meetings

Teachers on the formal evaluation cycle will participate in the following:

Self-Assessment/Goal Setting

Each year, teachers are required to participate in a self-assessment aligned with the attributes of the PPT and write 2-3 associated goals informed by this reflection. All goals should be created in a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) format. These goals and your self-assessment will be collected and reviewed by divisional supervisors (or designee) at the beginning of the school year. At the conclusion of each school year, teachers will complete a self-reflection on progress towards their goals. Division heads or their designee will review these reflections and discuss them with teachers before the beginning of the following school year.

Very often, the efforts teachers make in their goal attainment will lead to new ideas for goals and professional growth the following year. It is also possible that progress towards teacher goals is deemed insufficient by their supervisor. This may necessitate required, continued focus in this goal area the following school year.

All recording of goals and related feedback will be recorded and shared with teachers.

Classroom Visitation

The purpose of classroom visitation is to support teacher growth and effectiveness. In all cases, observers act with courtesy and professionalism with an understanding that each teacher is on their own professional growth journey. Observers show respect for the learning environment and maintain the confidence of classroom teachers through their actions both during the classroom visit and in subsequent feedback conversations

Formal Observations - Each year, all teachers new to CDS and a portion of returning teachers will participate in formal observations. Formal observations are conducted by each division head. Observers familiarize themselves with the faculty member’s goals for the year before their visit. The formal observation process involves a pre-visit consultation where the teacher and observer discuss goals for the lesson and school year, the visit itself which will last at least 30 minutes, and a post-visit conversation where feedback is shared with the teacher. The observer will use the CDS formal observation template to record feedback and notes from the post-visit conversation. These completed forms are accessible to teachers.

Mini-Observations- Mini-observations may be used in the formal or informal evaluation process. These provide teachers with frequent opportunities to engage in meaningful conversations about their classroom practice and receive feedback from observers. These classroom visits are short in duration and unannounced.

The mini-observation team follows a planned rotation and schedule Observers familiarize themselves with each faculty member’s goals for the year before their visit

Data Collection

During the school year, divisional leadership will collect data to inform evaluation conversations with teachers. This may include student attainment data, information about teacher participation in the life of the school, and student surveys in addition to other measures.

Annual Evaluation

At the end of each school year, division heads will invite teachers to complete a self-evaluation against their goals and the Portrait of a Patriot Teacher Domains and Standards This self-evaluation will serve as a starting point for job performance and finalized yearly salary adjustment conversations with supervisors

Informal Evaluation

During the years when a teacher is not being formally evaluated, a different evaluation process will be followed.

Self-Assessment/ Goal Setting

Each year, teachers are required to participate in a self-assessment against attributes of the PPT and write 2-3 associated goals informed by this reflection. All goals should be created in a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) format. These goals and your self-assessment will be collected and reviewed by divisional supervisors (or designee) at the beginning of the school year. At the conclusion of each school year, teachers will complete a self-reflection on progress towards their goals. These reflections will be reviewed by division heads or their designee.

All recording of goals and related feedback will be recorded and shared with teachers.

Classroom visitation

Observers are individual members of CDS’ curricular or divisional leadership team. They are fully present in the room, saving notetaking until their departure. Feedback will be given within twenty-four hours of a drop-in visit. Feedback sessions are initiated by the observer working around the teacher’s schedule. These discussions are informal and extend as long as necessary to finish the conversation. The mini-observation team follows a planned rotation and schedule. Observers of faculty familiarize themselves with each faculty member’s goals for the year before their visit.

Data Collection

During the school year, divisional leadership will collect data to inform evaluation conversations with teachers This may include student attainment data, information about teacher participation in the life of the school, student surveys, in addition to other measures

Annual Evaluation

At the end of each school year, division heads will invite teachers to complete a self-evaluation against their goals and the Portrait of a Patriot Teacher Domains and Standards. This self-evaluation will serve as a starting point for job performance and finalized yearly salary adjustment conversations with supervisors.

Intervention

Regardless of whether or not a teacher is in the formal or informal evaluation process, a division head may decide that an intervention is necessary. Teachers who fail to adequately meet CDS Essential Expectations consistently will be placed on a performance improvement plan that is goal and action-oriented, and has a fixed timeframe. CDS is committed to offering appropriate guidance and support to ensure teachers make the required changes as part of this process. The goals of a performance improvement plan are for teachers to successfully address areas of concern, exit the process, and return to good standing.*

Teachers are expected to take necessary steps to address identified areas of concern highlighted by their division head. Teachers who are unable to successfully address the requirements of their performance improvement plan may have their continuing employment reviewed.

*Interventions for teachers not in good standing are progressive in nature Faculty who are not in good standing are informed in writing. They understand that their evaluation takes place outside of the normal schedule They, too, complete the self assessment and goal setting process, albeit with more guidance and structure from a supervisor. They will be regularly observed by administration, but they have regular check-ins with supervisors, usually the Department Chair, IB Coordinator, and Division Head to discuss progress towards addressing whatever deficiency caused the probationary status Circumstances that lead to probation could range from the chronic--such as repeated warnings and suggested interventions about curricular choices or feedback on assessment, for example, that have gone unaddressed--to the singular but serious--an outburst at a student that would result in immediate dismissal if repeated.

EVALUATION

GOALS

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SUPERVISORASSESSMENT

FORMAL EVALUATION

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FORMAL/INFORMAL OBSERVATIONS

SUPERVISORASSESSMENT SELFASSESSMENT DATA

INFORMAL EVALUATION

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SUPERVISORASSESSMENT SELFASSESSMENT DATA

OF A PATRIOT CHER

PROGRAM

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MASTER

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