Professional Learning

Our Inservice Courses each have a teacher facilitator who develops the course and facilitates engaging learning activities for participants. The Chappaqua in-service program strives to forge a link between teachers’ learning needs and district initiatives, with the ultimate goal of improving student learning. We aim to offer choices, levels of learning, and flexible structures. Through our in-service program, we hope to build communities of learners focused on research, inquiry, best practice, reflection and continuous self-improvement. 

Some of our recent courses include:

• Building Math Minds: A Renewed Vision for K-6 Mathematics

• Culturally Responsive Communication Mastery: Navigating Inquiry-Based Dialogue in Education

• First Year Teacher Program

• Research-Based Literacy Team
  Strategies and Tools for Teaching ELLs and Diverse Learners

• Tech Integration for Instruction and Innovation

Our faculty and staff participate in a range of regional, state-wide, and even national conferences and workshops to learn, grow, and to share our work in Chappaqua. Our faculty has also led sessions at some of these conferences and workshops. 

Some of these recent opportunities include participation in:

• BOCES groups like Collegial Circles for Art, ELA, Math, and other subject areas; Equity Leaders Collaborative; Curriculum Council; and the Future of Education

• Professional development programs, like the Future School Leadership Academy at Bank Street Graduate School of Education, Tri-State Consortium training, and fellowships like the NY Education Policy Fellowship, NYSCATE Emerging Tech Leaders, and Regeneron STEM Teaching Fellowship

• NYS Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (NYS TESOL) Conference

• National conferences like the National Summit for Courageous Conversations; Tech & Learning Regional Leadership Summit ; ASU+GSV Summit; and National Association for College Admission Counseling Conference

Our District hosts multiple Superintendent's Conference Days each year. These days serve as important opportunities for learning and collaboration widely facilitated by our faculty, staff, and leadership team. Conference days are often anchored by keynote speakers and feature teacher-led symposium sessions, PotluckPd, Edcamp-model learning, and more. Recent Conference Day themes focused on action plans for our Strategic Priorities and Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Education.

Additionally, our Professional Development Team supports events like Unity Day, Wellness Day, programming partnerships with the PTA, New Teacher Orientation, Board of Education Meetings, and so much more.

Our curriculum writing and revision happens all year long as we plan for our students this year and in the future. Learn more about our curriculum cycle. While teams collaborate throughout the school year, and summer provides the time and space for much of this important work to occur. Last summer, we had over 100 teachers participate in over 30 different curriculum related projects.

Some of our recent curriculum writing focus areas include:

• Culturally Responsive Adjustments & Resources

• Updates to K-2 Literacy Units

• High School Art Course Revision

• Implementation of Eighth Grade Living Environment 

• Grade 9 & 10 English Curriculum Implementation

• Implementation of Revised MS Advisory

• Integration of new 5-6 technology devices

• Revision of HS Social Studies Courses

Fellowships are designed as a two year in-depth research study in which participants enhance the teaching and learning practices in the Chappaqua Central School District through guided exploration of essential questions using the Action Research Model. 

Throughout the fellowship, participants learn about the action research model, analyze current practices, and frame important questions. Participants collect and analyze evidence of student learning, review research, and plan changes to address the impact of their study on teaching and learning. Additionally, they collaborate with colleagues, document changes, and share practices through various means, aiming to become teacher leaders in their designated fellowship area.

Recent District Fellowships include the Wilson Reading Fellowship and District Equity Team.