Agency Professional Learning Committee Update

This fall marked the establishment of the Agency Professional Learning Committee and the beginning of a new way for agency workgroups to plan for the professional learning that is specific to their group’s needs. This new way of approaching professional learning was initiated through the work of a group that met last year and used a Kaizen process to improve the process, which was later outlined in the HEA agreement. The intent of the new process has been to give everyone a stronger voice in determining their own professional learning needs.

The Agency Professional Learning Committee would like to thank the facilitators and the workgroup team members who gave of their time and put their efforts into development of such high quality plans. Groups were very creative and thoughtful as they designed plans that incorporated formats for learning that represented new ways of thinking. Here are just a few of the activities that have been planned:

• Some groups are using their funding to bring national experts to Heartland so that large groups can benefit from their expertise. A few examples of those experts include Anita Archer, Randy Sprick, Scott Bellini and Michael Dolcemascolo.
• Other groups are accessing webinars that have been developed by experts in their fields.
• Individuals from some workgroups are attending conferences and then coming back to their region or discipline to share their learning with others.
• Some groups are using expertise here in the Agency to help the group improve their skills in an area (for example, Julie Sypersma providing Adobe Connect training to the assessment consultants so that they can consult and demonstrate on computers from afar).
• There is collaboration among groups who have similar needs (like school psychologists and social workers partnering on a social skills project).
• Early childhood special education consultants are having peer coaching sessions and lunch and learn sessions to network and learn from each other.
• Internal technology staff will be attending training so that they can stay on the cutting edge and help agency staff with their technology needs.
• Occupational therapists and physical therapists are collaborating with colleagues from across the state to provide a conference that will help them learn new techniques and earn the continuing education credits they need to be licensed.
• And there are many more to come!

Everyone’s flexibility and involvement has made this year’s professional learning planning very successful. We are now in the process of refining the process for next year. Thank you for your patience and support!

2010-2011 Agency Professional Learning Committee
- Teresa Bellinghausen, Consultant, Teaching and Learning Secondary Education
- Nola Bond, Director of Human Resources
- Sarah Brown, Program Assistant, Internal Professional Development
- Gwen Hoffmann, Special Education Clerk
- Rod Howell, Data Processing Operations Manager
- Sharon Kurns, Director of Professional Learning & Leadership
- Gilmara Mitchell, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant - Cultural Competence
- John Richardson, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant - Positive Behavior Supports
- Barb Thompson, School Psychologist
- Kristi Upah, Interim Partnership Director
- Dave Wood, Partnership Director