Professional development was the name of the game in late July and early August.  Workshops, seminars and trainings held across the School System helped prepare East Baton Rouge school staff for the 2008-2009 school year.

On July 31 and August 1, more than 600 teachers from 25 elementary schools participated in a three-day professional training session.  The majority of the teachers were from schools that have School Performance scores of 70 or below.  This is the third year for the Enhancing Student Achievement through Competence – Passion- Reward Program.

It is just the first facet of professional development for these elementary school teachers. They will use the skills learned during these sessions, take them back into the classrooms and incorporate into the curriculum projects-based learning so that it strategically supports differential learning styles. In essence, they will make learning fun for their students.

Middle and high school teachers got in on the action, as well.  More than 80 teachers, counselors and assistant principals attended the first Core Knowledge Acceleration Program (CKAP) Conference on July 31 at Valley Park Alternative Center.

This program is designed to accelerate student performance by providing more intensive daily instruction in the four basic content areas of English/language arts, mathematics, science and social studies by well-trained and highly qualified teachers.  Class size is reduced to a maximum 20 students per class, which allows for more individual instruction so that content and skill deficiencies are targeted to identified needs. 

For the past four years, the middle schools have had an exemplary CKAP program.  Based on this data, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board has expanded the program to serve the needs of repeating eighth graders.  Under the newly designed high school CKAP plan, these eighth graders are now eligible to attend one of four high schools:  Lee, Belaire, Glen Oaks and Tara.

Following teacher training, administrators from all School System schools and the Central Office participated in the Superintendent’s Leadership Conference.  Besides updates on policies and rotating sessions, attendees were treated to greetings and well wishes for the new school year by Superintendent Charlotte Placide and Baton Rouge Mayor “Kip” Holden.