LIFELONG LEARNERS: FACULTY AND STAFF ENGAGE IN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING YEAR-ROUND

DR. TREVON R. JONES, DIRECTOR OF EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND COMMUNITY

In the fall semester, we were proud to share Trinity Valley’s Equity, Inclusion, and Community statement with all members of the TVS family. This statement, authored by our Leadership Team with significant input from community constituents, has been a guide as we have carried out our EIC work this academic year. Our thoughtful commitment to EIC work was reiterated by David Dini, chair of our ISAS Re-accreditation Committee, in his recent wrap-up remarks to our faculty and staff.

On February 17, TVS faculty and staff had the opportunity to “live out” our EIC statement with the Spring Learning Event, a conference-style professional learning opportunity. The theme for the day, “Master Classes in Developing Upstanding Leaders,'' provided multiple entry points into conversations about classroom practices, identity, leadership, and belonging. In the morning, faculty and staff were able to choose among 16 concurrent sessions that were designed based on survey data and led by TVS faculty, students, and guest facilitators. In the afternoon, divisions gathered to engage in learning that was tailored to the needs of their particular area of the School. The day was an incredible opportunity to learn and a meaningful opportunity to connect with colleagues across campus.

As TVS educators, we approach professional learning with great intentionality. Faculty and staff are constantly looking for opportunities that help them develop as teachers, coaches, leaders, thinkers, and doers. We continue to have the best people because they continue to learn and grow. The Spring Learning Event was just one of the many ways that our faculty and staff invest in professional growth.

While we learn a great deal during the school year to sharpen our skills, the summer presents an important opportunity for all of us to be future-focused and attuned to the developments in our areas of expertise through deep explorations into professional learning. Here are some of the ways we are growing professionally this summer:

Cornell University Dei Certificate

This summer, the Office of Equity, Inclusion, and Community will begin the process to earn certification from Cornell University in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The virtual program is designed to help participants promote inclusive workplace culture. This shared learning experience will support the team in creating robust learning opportunities that are mission-aligned and tailored to fit the needs of the TVS faculty and staff. The team is excited to learn from and with experts around the country!

Executive Functions and Reading, Writing, and Math

Chinua Melton, Jude Sloter, Carol Watkins (formerly Gramentine), and Donna Weth will travel to California to dive into sessions about brain science! Executive Skills in the Classroom will focus on equipping educators with strategies to help students develop independence in executive functioning. This interactive experience is rooted in the most up-to-date research on learning and the brain. Research shows that there is a connection between executive functioning skills and academic achievement, and our Lower School is examining ways to support the development of executive functioning skills in our students to have a positive impact on their academics in the Lower School and beyond.

TCU Summer Literacy Institute

Our Middle and Upper School librarian, Maggie Knapp, will spend two days at Texas Christian University for the TCU Summer Literacy Institute. At this institute, the College of Education partners with local educators and nationally acclaimed keynote speakers to create a learning experience that equips educators with tools to build strong leaders. Ms. Knapp will be attending the institute for the second time. Ms. Knapp also will spend a portion of her summer reviewing educational media and reference materials for journal publications that inform the work of other school librarians.

Broadway Teachers Workshop

The Broadway Teachers Workshop is an annual conference designed to inspire teachers and directors with new teaching methods, enhanced production skills, and an exchange of ideas with peers and professional Broadway artists behind the scenes on Broadway in New York City. This summer, our own Justin Flowers will attend this workshop. The workshop provides a unique opportunity to learn from some of the most talented professionals in the industry and to network with like-minded peers. Mr. Flowers is excited to see four Broadway shows and attend workshops and master classes in directing, choreography, music direction, and technical design.

Advanced Placement Exam

Each summer, educators from across the country gather to read and score thousands of Advanced Placement exams. This experience is regarded as one of the best professional learning experiences for teachers of AP courses with ample opportunity to calibrate with other educators, learn directly from the College Board, and unpack a range of student approaches to challenging questions. This summer, Dr. Philip Taylor and Luis Terrazas will serve as readers, Melissa Burkhead and James Scott will serve as table leaders, and Paul Price will serve as a question leader. Mr. Scott is participating for the 20th year!

Advanced Placement Summer Institute

Annually, Advanced Placement Institutes are held at universities to provide rigorous workshop opportunities for educators. Melissa Burkhead and Paul Price will lead sessions at AP Summer Institutes across the country this summer. In this role, Ms. Burkhead will help to develop the content and pedagogical knowledge of educators that teach AP and Pre-AP courses in Calculus, Pre-Calculus, and Geometry. Mr. Price will be leading sessions on Chemistry for science educators.

Computer Science Teachers Association National Convention

Dr. Philip Taylor, Computer Science Department Chair, serves on the grades 9-12 subcommittee of the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) and will attend its national convention this summer. CSTA is the largest gathering of computer science educators in the country and offers more than 150 sessions through which teachers can broaden their knowledge. Dr. Taylor has been reviewing session proposals this spring and has very much enjoyed learning new ideas from other CS teachers around the county.

Dry Needling For Orthopedic Rehab And Sport Performance

This spring, Carrie Morrison and Dr. Ben Timson engaged in a 27-hour lab-based course where clinicians learn a diagnosis-focused approach to dry needling. Dry needling therapy has increased in popularity due to its effectiveness in treating pain associated with acute and chronic orthopedic injuries. Several current TVS athletes have received impressive results with dry needling that they have received off campus. After several outside referrals, the athletic training team decided it was time to start performing the procedure here at TVS. In the coming months, our trainers will continue engaging in learning to further develop this skill.

Summer Residency

As a part of her doctoral program, Larissa Sosa will be traveling to Costa Rica this summer for a residency program. Mrs. Sosa’s graduate school cohort will be exploring sustainability and conservation practices in place there. The group will visit a coffee farm, hike in the area, traverse a volcano, and tour the vast biodiversity of the cloud forests!

Conventiculum Latinum

In July, Dr. Brandon Cline will attend the Conventiculum Latinum. The Conventiculum is a week-long immersion experience for Latin scholars and teachers in which Latin is the only language used for communication. Though Dr. Cline has studied Latin for years, he seldom has the opportunity to experience it as a living language (and to have to rely upon it as a sole means of communication for an extended period of time!). He is excited to see how the experience transforms his relationship with the language and how he can replicate that experience for students at TVS.