DOE and UTK to Provide COVID-Related Professional Development for Tennessee Principals

DOE and UTK to Provide COVID-Related Professional Development for Tennessee Principals 

Timely Professional Development to Address Most Pressing Challenges Facing Schools as a Result of the COVID-19 Pandemic  

NASHVILLE, TN— The Tennessee Department of Education and the University of Tennessee’s Center for Educational Leadership are partnering to provide virtual professional learning opportunities to principals to support them in addressing the immediate challenges facing schools as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic during these tumultuous and uncertain times. These sessions will be completely free, optional, and eligible for TASL-credit. Sign-up information will be provided early next week through principal study councils in coordination with CORE offices. 

Tennessee Principal Professional Learning Series, offered to all public school principals in the state at no cost, will leverage the intellectual resources of the university, as well as other external expertise, to address the most pressing problems of practice facing school principals. 

 "Strong school leadership is more important than ever, and we know our school principals are facing new and unprecedented challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Commissioner Penny Schwinn. “We have seen so many examples of how our principals have stepped up for students, and we want to do whatever we can to provide them with support and resources during this critical time. This partnership with the Center for Educational Leadership will help bring best-in-class, focused professional development to help school leaders meet students’ most pressing needs.” 

Digital professional development sessions will be led by University of Tennessee, Knoxville faculty under the leadership of Dr. Jim McIntyre, Director of the Center for Educational Leadership. In the near-term, principal support will focus on immediate issues, such as best practices in digital learning, whole child needs, and leading remotely.  

Moving into the summer, the focus will shift to transforming schools to address student learning needs in the coming academic year through differentiation, personalization, and intervention, as well as re-establishing collaboration and school culture.  

“Our school principals have been leading admirably through this unparalleled crisis, and this effort will support them in continuing to meet the needs of their students, parents, educators, stakeholders, and communities,” noted Dr. Jim McIntyre, Director of the Center for Educational Leadership. “We believe this initiative will allow school principals to learn from experts about relevant and urgent educational issues, and confer with their colleagues about the application of this learning to their individual schools. The ultimate beneficiaries of this collaborative work will be the nearly one million schoolchildren in Tennessee.” 

The seven 90-minute sessions will begin the week of May 4 and run through the week of June 29. Each virtual session will include a presentation from a recognized content expert, coupled with small-group professional dialogue around strategies and solutions. In order to meet statewide capacity needs, principals will be grouped into four cohorts, with two CORE regions in each cohort.  

The presentations will also be recorded and available for principals to view. More information on these sessions here. 

 This initiative will be funded by philanthropic support and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. 

Blount County Schools' Project SEARCH celebrates fifth year of full employment for students with disabilities

https://www.thedailytimes.com/covid19/blount-county-schools-project-search-celebrates-fifth-year-of-full-employment-for-students-with-disabilities/article_0873d19d-7ee8-58ed-8602-be6e1260985d.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=cb_bureau_tn

The fifth annual Project SEARCH celebration looked different this week, in an online format because of COVID-19, but what remained consistent is that again 100% of the Blount County Schools students who completed the training program already have jobs.

“This is a record-breaking program,” Amanda Vance, BCS special education supervisor, noted at the beginning of the Google Meet event Thursday, April 23, when five students from Heritage High School and one from William Blount were celebrated.

While nationally only about 30% of students with disabilities maintain employment over time, more than 90% of Blount County’s 27 previous Project SEARCH graduates still have jobs, Vance said, while recognizing the team of educators, businesses and other partners who make the program possible.

Those who completed the program this year proved they not only learned workplace skills, budgeting and internet safety but also could handle online meetings, and demonstrated by turning on their microphones one at a time to share a bit of their experience with the more than 40 online participants.

“They have built confidence with a can-do attitude,” said instructor Tammy Hearon, who noted the attributes of each participant, such as being kind, hardworking and responsible.

Students answered Hearon’s questions and shared what they liked about the program.

“I made many new friends, said Drew Motychak, a Heritage High School student hired to work at Lowe’s.

“I do love working with you all,” said Katy Beth Millar, another HHS student whom BCS hired to work in the Montvale Elementary cafeteria.

Fred Weekley, director of food and beverage for the Knoxville Airport Hilton, represented Project SEARCH’s Business Advisory Committee and recognized those who make the program possible. “You help these young people recognize their opportunities and possibilities for their future,” he said.

The students with intellectual and development disabilities attend classroom training and internships on the Maryville College campus, which has been closed since March 19. College President Tom Bogart told the high school students, “We miss seeing you.”

Participating in Project SEARCH naturally follows the history of the college built on serving every student, he said, and is “part of a community that values education for all.”

Noting how important the celebration is, even in an online format, Bogart quipped, “I put on a tie for the first time in April.”