Study Group Option

The Study Group Option provides an avenue for instructional staff to explore a specific area of need according to Spotsylvania County data. Research-sharing study groups are organized around discussions of recent research and how it relates to classroom practice. The teachers can be from the same or different grade levels and should meet on a regular basis.

Most groups use a variety of activities, including reading and discussing research, attending workshops, or inviting experts to work with the group. Groups implement new practices in their classrooms and use the study group time to analyze the experience, both for themselves and their students.

Successful groups have members who are committed to accomplishing a common goal; work to create an environment of trust; believe that each member brings something unique to the group; value risk-taking and creativity; are able to plan and implement change; share leadership of group processes; and are comfortable with consensus decision-making procedures.

The study-group concept allows teachers and administrators to meet in an informal situation where they can learn, share, and investigate new methods of teaching. The goal of these meetings is for educators to learn from each other. If teachers can see the curriculum and methods used by other teachers, they can take the effective strategies utilized by others and implement them in their own classroom, creating a more collaborative and coherent educational environment for the future.

If the proposed study group meets the general guidelines below, the request is routed to the appropriate content/special area director/supervisor/coordinator for approval based on alignment with the curriculum and division initiatives. Once a study group proposal is approved, the activity is added to the district catalog on MyLearningPlan.

Individual participation is approved by the appropriate content/special area director/supervisor/coordinator and then routed to the building principal for approval based on the school's Professional Learning Plan and the individual needs of the teacher.

Guidelines

Use this option for one to no more than ten people researching a topic and applying best practices to their current teaching position.

The study group action plan must be directly related to your current teaching assignment (relating to 2010-2011 school year).
An Action Plan form is completed by the contact person on the Study Group Proposal 2010-2011 form and submitted through MyLearningPlan.

Submission Deadlines:

May 21, 2010 for June-August 2010 activities
September 10, 2010 for September-December 2010 activities
December 10, 2010 for activities occurring January-April 2011

The Action Plan must be implemented and completed between June 14, 2010 and April 4, 2011.

Once a proposal is approved, study group members sign up to participate in the study group on MyLearningPlan.

Study Group participants are responsible for logging their hours outside of the regular school contract day. Hours may include days during the summer, before the school day, or after the school day. A log sheet (word document) is available for individual record keeping.

The final product documenting the intended results and your log sheet must be submitted to Professional Development (who will secure final approval by the monitoring supervisor) no later than April 14, 2011.

Upon completion of the study group, each participant will submit a final log sheet through MyLearningPlan.

Participants in this option complete a reflection through MyLearningPlan.

The appropriate content/special area director/supervisor/coordinator, based on the area being addressed, will approve and monitor a Study Group. In preparing the study group proposal, all questions are to be directed to the director/supervisor/coordinator of the area being addressed.

Interested staff should talk with their principal and contact Professional Development or appropriate content/special area director/supervisor/coordinator with questions.

The Professional Library at Spotsylvania County Schools Administrative Services (School Board Office) has a number of resources that may be checked out by staff members. Please review the Instructional Library Resource List (available on the intranet) for possible resources for your study group to use. Contact Ann Fondren, Coordinator of Library/Media Services or Suzie Burdette, Secretary for Library/Media Services if you would like to check out any of the resources.

E. J. Brletich Supervisor, English/Language Arts/Reading	Ann Fondren Coordinator, Library/Media Services
Faye Gentry Literacy Coordinator, K-5	Jackie Getgood Supervisor, Mathematics
Julie Hurst Director of Elementary Education (Title I)	Ruth Kochenour Coordinator, Fine Arts
Judith Ladd Supervisor, Guidance	Becky Mills Supervisor, Social Studies
Dennis Parsons Director, Career and Technical/Adult Education	Lynn Phillippe Coordinator, Health and Physical Education
Sandra Pickett Coordinator, World Languages and English for Speakers of Other Languages	Dennis Martin Director, Special Education
Allison Sheppard Coordinator, Gifted Education	Jan Streich Director, Instructional Technology
Jean Young Supervisor, Science

Study Group Proposal

The members of the study group will need to get together to develop an action plan. You may view and print the form on MyLearningPlan by clicking Study Group Proposal 10-11 on the navigation bar. The study group members need to select a contact person. It is recommended that the contact person discuss the proposal with the content area director/supervisor coordinator before submitting the Study Group Proposal through MyLearningPlan.

The Contact Person proposes the study group through MyLearningPlan using the "Study Group Proposal 10-11" located in the navigation bar under Activity Proposals.
All fields must be completed!

After submitting the form, it is routed to Professional Development to ensure compliance with guidelines. The request is routed to the appropriate content/special area director/supervisor/coordinator for approval based on alignment with the curriculum and division initiatives.
If the study group meets the general guidelines above, it is posted in the District Catalog.
This process may take a few days.

Registration for Study Groups

IMPORTANT: All study group members (including the contact person) request approval to participate in the study group.

Group members log on to MyLearningPlan.
Click District Catalog on the navigation bar.
Select 2010-2011 Study Group "Upcoming Events."
Find the study group in the list and click on the title
Select "Request Approval"
Review the information completing appropriate fields and click "submit."

The request is routed to the appropriate content/special area director/supervisor/coordinator and the building principal for approval.

Upon completion

Each member needs to complete the following tasks on MyLearningPlan:

Select the title of the Study Group in your learning plan.
Complete the "Study Group Log Sheet"
Complete the "Follow-Up Reflection"
Select "Mark Complete" and follow the prompts. This moves the activity to "Awaiting Final Approval".

The contact person needs to submit a copy of final product to Professional Development.
Professional development will award final credit when the above steps are completed and the final product has been received and approved by the appropriate content/special area director/supervisor/coordinator.