Staff development is essential to extend teachers’ ability to utilize Professional Learning Communities and to focus on student data and inevitably increase student achievement. Steve Barkley is an international staff developer whose dynamic energy and focus provide a model for the skills necessary for effective change in schools. Steve Barkley has been scheduled for three days of staff development at Davis Elementary School. He will facilitate administering a tool for learning and working styles. He will provide ideas on how to create WOW’s through his book, WOW! Adding Pizzazz to Teaching and Learning. He will also provide a “Teambuilding in Professional Learning Communities” session. On follow up days, he will coach teachers and staff through our Professional Learning Communities and enhance the peer coaching environment. This staff development will take place from September 19, 2007, through February 1, 2008.

Goal 1 – The percentage of students scoring at Level 3 or higher on FCAT reading will increase a minimum of five percentage points.

The total budget amount of $18,082.30 will be paid out of Davis Elementary School’s Title I Staff Development set aside dollars. These funds will be distributed as follows: $10,800 to Steve Barkley for 3 days; $6,000 estimated to pay 38 teachers' hourly rate for six hours training on a Saturday; $911.05 for WOW! books for participants; $371.25 Kaleidoscope Profile learning and working styles tools.

Teachers will implement WOW's the first week of school. Learning style profiles will be charted to support teachers working with students of varying learning styles. Professional Learning Communities, organized as vertical teams, will meet a minimum of once a month to monitor student progress utilizing ongoing data collection. A Literacy Night for parents will be held with a focus on home activities parents can use to enhance their children’s learning. Follow-up coaching of our Professional Learning Communities will be provided by Steve Barkley on the second and third days of his contract. Student achievement data will be collected via teacher-created and state required assessments. A final evaluation will be completed at the conclusion of the 2007-2008 school year to determine if the training provided by Steve Barkley had a positive impact on student learning and school culture.