Welcome to the New London-Spicer Staff Development Webpage. This website has been developed to streamline our staff development process into a consistent and transparent process. All questions regarding our staff development program can be answered by our QCOC Coordinator, Tracy Detloff. 

Staff Development Programs

The New London-Spicer staff development program will provide the following opportunities for teachers:

1. Staff development workshops,
2. Curriculum writing and creation,
3. District-wide staff development opportunities, and
4. Best practice grants. 
   For the purpose of this plan, “Teacher” is defined in accordance with MN Statute 122A. 41.

Effective staff development activities must:

1. focus on the school classroom and research-based strategies that improve student learning;
2. provide opportunities for teachers to practice and improve their instructional skills over time;
3. provide opportunities for teachers to use student data as part of their daily work to increase student achievement;
4. enhance teacher content knowledge and instructional skills, including to accommodate the delivery of digital and blended learning and curriculum and engage students with technology;
5. align with state and local academic standards;
6. provide opportunities to build professional relationships, foster collaboration among principals and staff who provide instruction, and provide opportunities for teacher-to-teacher mentoring;
7. align with the plan of the district or site for our QComp pay system;
8. provide teachers of English learners, including English as a second language and content teachers, with differentiated instructional strategies critical for ensuring students' long-term academic success; the means to effectively use assessment data on the academic literacy, oral academic language, and English language development of English learners; and skills to support native and English language development across the curriculum; and
9. provide opportunities for staff to learn about current workforce trends, the connections between workforce trends and postsecondary education, and training options, including career and technical education options.

Staff development activities may include curriculum development and curriculum training programs, and activities that provide teachers and other members of site-based teams training to enhance team performance. The school district also may implement other staff development activities required by law and activities associated with professional teacher compensation models.

Release time provided for teachers to supervise students on field trips and school activities, or independent tasks not associated with enhancing the teacher's knowledge and instructional skills, such as preparing report cards, calculating grades, or organizing classroom materials, may not be counted as staff development time that is financed with staff development reserved revenue under section 122A.61.

Ongoing staff development activities must contribute toward continuous improvement in the achievement of the following goals:

1. improve student achievement of state and local education standards in all areas of the curriculum, including areas of regular academic and applied and experiential learning, by using research-based best practices methods;
2. effectively meet the needs of a diverse student population, including at-risk children, children with disabilities, English learners, and gifted children, within the regular classroom, applied and experiential learning settings, and other settings;
3. provide an inclusive curriculum for a racially, ethnically, linguistically, and culturally diverse student population that is consistent with the state education diversity rule and the district's education diversity plan;
4. improve staff collaboration and develop mentoring and peer-coaching programs for teachers new to the school or district;
5. effectively teach and model violence prevention policy and curriculum that address early intervention alternatives, issues of harassment, and teach nonviolent alternatives for conflict resolution;
6. effectively deliver digital and blended learning and curriculum and engage students with technology; and
7. provide teachers and other members of site-based management teams with appropriate management and financial management skills.

 Per MN Statute 122A.61, The District will set aside funds for the following:

• teacher development and evaluation under section 40, subdivision 8, or 122A.41, subdivision 5;
• principal development and evaluation under section 147, subdivision 3;
• professional development under section 60; and
• in-service education for programs under section 22, subdivision 2.

To the extent extra funds remain, staff development revenue may be used for staff development plans, including plans for challenging instructional activities and experiences under section 122A.60, and for curriculum development and programs, other in-service education, teachers' mentoring under section 122A.70 and evaluation, teachers' workshops, teacher conferences, the cost of substitute teachers for staff development purposes, preservice and in-service education for special education professionals and paraprofessionals, and other related costs for staff development efforts. A district may annually waive the requirement to reserve their basic revenue under this section if a majority vote of the licensed teachers in the district and a majority vote of the school board agree to a resolution to waive the requirement. A district in statutory operating debt is exempt from reserving basic revenue according to this section. Districts may expend an additional amount of unreserved revenue for staff development based on their needs.

In the event that the District is in Statutory Operating Debt, these funds may be reduced or eliminated during that period, at the recommendation of the Superintendent and approval by the Board of Education.

Staff Development Request Process

• Step 1: Fill out the online staff development form located following this path: www.nls.k12.mn.us/staffdevelopment → Click Staff Development Form. Complete the form and click Submit. 
• Step 2: The QCOC will review the request.  You will be notified via email if the request was approved or denied.  If it is denied, an explanation will be provided. 
• Step 3:  If approved, work with your building secretary to register for the event.
• Step 4:  Complete the Employee Mileage Reimbursement Form by following this path: www.nls.k12.mn.us/staffdevelopment → Click Employee Mileage Reimbursement Form →  Click Make a copy →  Complete the form, print it, and turn it into your building administrator. 
• Step 5:  Complete the Employee Expense Sheet by following this path: www.nls.k12.mn.us/staffdevelopment → Click Employee Expense Form → Click Make a copy → Complete the form, print it, and turn it into your building administrator. Please note, you’ll attach your receipts and the Employee Mileage Reimbursement Form to this document.

Meal Reimbursement 
Employees must submit original itemized receipts with their reimbursement request. The receipt must show the amount of the expense, the date of the expense, the time of the expense, the location of the expense, and business reason for the expense. These receipts must be the original receipt identifying what was purchased and from whom.  Debit or charge card receipts are not acceptable.

The New London-Spicer Public School District will not reimburse employees for the purchase of alcoholic beverages or for snacks. Tips may be added within the reimbursement amounts as listed here: Breakfast $15.00, Lunch $18.00, Dinner $25.00. 

Other Assumptions
The QCOC, as indicated above, is obligated to provide staff development funding and opportunities to teachers and paraprofessionals (upon supervisor approval) to meet the aforementioned goals. Unless directed by the Superintendent, all other requests must be directed to the employee’s supervisor. For example, coaches would send requests to the Activities Director

Evaluations and Follow-up Activities
All staff development requests are subject to the following:
1. Year-end evaluation of staff development
2. Staff development needs assessment
3. Sharing and/or demonstration of acquired information through Staff meetings, Trainings (including staff development day “sessions”, EdCamps, etc), Staff Emails, and Principal observation.