PJC Adult High-UWF PDS

An Alternative – Professional Development School that depends on community involvement

Principals in the Cooperative

PJC:• Jeff Cantor• Donna Cotton• James Grant• Sue Halfhill• Joe Kyle • Tom Leonard• David Sam

UWF:• William Barnes• Richard Faessel• Joseph Peters• John PlattPensacola

Chamber of Commerce ?

What is a PDS ?

• Innovative institutions formed through partnerships between teacher education programs and P-12 schools.

• Mission has four objectives:• Improvement of existing professional

development and services to students attending the school.

• Faculty development at both institutions

PDS Objectives

• Inquiry directed at the improvement of practice

• Dissemination of findings to a regional and national audience.

Description

• P. D. Schools are real schools, often in challenging settings, or developed to address a significant local or state education issue.

• It is the latter that has been the stimulus for this project.

• The Adult High School serves in excess of 300 students.

Who are the Students?

• The vast majority are between 16 and 24.

• Students who have been unsuccessful in other settings.

Three basic groups:• 1. In need of credits so that they can

graduate.• 2. GED aspirants• 3. Students who function at significant

remedial levels due to underachievement or disabilities

Key Guidelines for the PDS Partnership

• We along with the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce are motivated by these guidelines:

• A foundation built on mutual respect, a shared interest in serving the community and a commitment to excellence.

• A realization that the at - risk student is the focus of our work

Guidelines Continued

• An understanding on the part of the partners that each has responsibility for the education and preparation of both the student and future teachers.

• A blending of resources by both educational institutions to promote the development of students, candidates and faculty. This includes: grant development, time, and personnel.

Guidelines Continued

• Cooperation and involvement extends beyond the principal partners to:

• State Department of Education, local hospitals, teachers organizations, businesses in the area, trade unions, and social support agencies.

• Extension beyond the COPS to include departments in CAS

• Support from central administration at both IHE`s

Guidelines Continued

• Pensacola Chamber will contribute by:• Identifying businesses, trade unions,

professional associations and local and state agencies as internship/apprentice participants.

• Assist project staff in developing local service learning career pathway groups

• Professional members of the group will assure that skills being taught in Career Pathway are consistent with local and industry standards.

Guidelines Continued

• Provide advice and political guidance

• Provide direction on dissemination • Assume a leadership role in

communication and articulation with community leaders

PDS promotes

• Change is an inclusive process that is assured by the inclusion of all principal partners in the development of the PDS.

• The PDS promotes standards at the following levels: teacher training, curriculum and methods, student learning and institutional research.

• Learning in the context of real world application. (Demonstration)

• Integration of professional and student learning in the areas of : identified student needs, improved trainee performance, and the collaboration of candidates, master teachers, and higher education faculty in the inquiry process.

Key Guidelines for the PDS…

Faculty involvement

Faculty involvement is encouraged in areas of:

• Candidate supervision.• Collaboration with master teachers.• Utilization of the site as a place to conduct

course projects.• Conduct research• Cooperative grant development• Best practice in teacher training• Development of a valid model for

secondary at-risk students.

Master Teachers

• Teachers at the school will be expected to have the needed competencies and credentials to supervise a teaching candidate.

• MT`s qualify for appointment to the UWF teacher training faculty. They will also have an opportunity to participate in professional development activities available due to various grant sources.

MT’s

• MT`s will update their professional skills to maintain their faculty status.

• MT`s will be included in professional writing activities.

• Doctoral students at UWF will have an opportunity to apply for vacant teaching positions at the PDS.

• MT`s will have opportunities to present and participate at regional and national conferences

Characteristics of the Adult High School Curriculum

• Each student will have a Career Pathway that is developed consistent with their assessed vocational aptitudes and interests.

• Literacy development that is consistent with best practice in secondary education will be utilized.

• Academic skills will be taught in the context of the student's Career Pathway.

School Curriculum Cont`d

• Instruction will be context based. • Instruction will be both at the Adult High

School and in the work experience site.• Community based partners will provide

needed social service supports.• Appropriate students will be involved in

2+ 2 and other advanced education and vocational preparation consistent with the Career Pathway of the student.

Curriculum Cont’d

• Financial and social service supports are identified with each step in the Career Pathway.

• Needed academic skills consistent with each step in the Career pathway will be identified and a plan to develop the skills developed.

Advantages to UWF

• Only existing PDS in the country located in an Alternative Education site.

• Will provide potentially the best research and development site related to this population.

• Will position UWF to become a leader in training teachers of at - risk youth.

• Will be a recruitment incentive for both UWF Faculty and future pre - service and in - service teachers.

Advantages Cont’d

Provides a significant advantage in the accreditation process:

• 1. Increased community involvement.• 2. Collaboration with community

college partner.• 3. Establishes a model for the state.• 4. Demonstrates to state leaders the

capacity for IHE’s to collaborate.