Chapter 4 establishes that each school entity shall submit to the Secretary for approval a professional education plan every 3 years as required under Chapter 49, Section 17(a). A school entity shall make its professional education plan available for public inspection and comment for a minimum of 28 days prior to approval of the plan by the school entity's governing board and submission of the plan to the Secretary.
Chapter 49.17, Continuing professional education, establishes that every school entity shall develop a continuing education plan that addresses the following requirements:
- Includes options for professional development including, but not limited to, activities such as: (i) graduate level coursework; (ii) obtaining a professionally related master's degree; (iii) department-approved in-service courses; (iv) curriculum development work; and (v) attendance at professional conferences.
- Defines terms used including, but not limited to, the following: (i) Professionally related graduate level coursework. (ii) Professionally related master's degree. (iii) Curriculum development work. (iv) Professional conferences.
- Developed as specified in section 1205.1 of the act in which the plan describes the persons who developed the plan and how the persons were selected.
- Submitted to the Secretary shall be approved by both the professional education committee and the board of the school entity.
- Includes a section which describes how the professional education needs of the school entity, including those of diverse learners, and its professional employees are to be met through implementation of the plan. The plan must describe how professional development activities will improve language and literacy acquisition for all students and contribute to closing achievement gaps among students.
- Includes a description of how the school entity will offer all professional employees opportunities to participate in continuing education focused on teaching diverse learners in inclusive settings.
- A school district that contracts with a community provider to operate a prekindergarten program shall address in the school district's professional education plan how the school district will offer professional education opportunities to teachers in the community provider's prekindergarten program.
LEA provided professional education meets the education needs of that school entity and its professional employees, so that they may meet the specific needs of students. Professional education for all levels of an LEA should be based on sound research and promising practices that promotes educators' skills over the long term.
Exemplary professional education for staff:
- Enhances the educator's content knowledge in the area of the educator's certification or assignment.
- Increases the educator's teaching skills based on research on effective practice, with attention given to interventions for struggling students.
- Provides educators with a variety of classroom-based assessment skills and the skills needed to analyze and use data in instructional decision-making.
- Empowers educators to work effectively with parents and community partners.
Chapter 49 further require that professional education plans must address training in meeting the needs of diverse learners (defined as students with limited English language proficiency or students with disabilities), improving language and literacy acquisition, and closing the achievement gap among students. The plan must describe how professional development activities will improve language and literacy acquisition for all students, including the provision of training in structured literacy for professional employees who hold instructional certificates in Early Childhood, Elementary/Middle, Special Education PK—12, English as a second language and Reading Specialists. The plan must contribute to closing achievement gaps among students and improve professional employees’ knowledge of professional ethics and culturally relevant and sustaining education.
Act 48 Steering Committee
| Name | Title | Committee Role | Chosen/Appointed By |
| Dr. Andrew Oberg | Superintendent | Administrator | School Board of Directors |
| Dan Sivak | Supervisor of Special Education | Administrator | Administration Personnel |
| Mike Wilson | Director of Technology & Transportation | Administrator | Administration Personnel |
| Dan Gottron | Director of Curriculum and Instruction | Administrator | Administration Personnel |
| Mark Bonus | High School Principal | Administrator | Administration Personnel |
| Brady Stoy | High School Assistant Principal | Administrator | Administration Personnel |
| Chet Welc | Middle School Principal | Administrator | Administration Personnel |
| Allison Waldo | Middle School Assistant Principal | Administrator | Administration Personnel |
| Jennifer Berdine | Claysville Principal | Administrator | Administration Personnel |
| Justin Wise | Claysville Assistant Principal | Administrator | Administration Personnel |
| Leah Augustine | Joe Walker Principal | Administrator | Administration Personnel |
| Chantel Nicolella | Teacher - Middle School | Middle School Teacher | Teacher |
| Erin Doncals | Teacher - Claysville | Elementary Teacher | Teacher |
| Jackson Knoll | Teacher - High School | High School Teacher | Teacher |
| Toni Carroll | Teacher - Joe Walker | Elementary Teacher | Teacher |
| Angela Schoppe | Reading Specialist - Claysville | Education Specialist | Education Specialist |
| Linda Emeterio | Teacher - High School | High School Teacher | Teacher |
*The following additional Parent, Community, and Local Business participants will be listed for approval at the March, 20, 2025 school board meeting as part of the approval of the overall FRCP plan:
| Denise Musolino |
| Heather Ryan |
| David Pritt |
| Leslie LaPosta |
| Clayton LaPosta |
| Sierra Hallam |
| Casey McFarland |
| Joetta Lynn Elliott |
| Melissa Rebarnick |
| Salena Morgan |
Act 48 Professional Development Pathways
Professional Development Assurances
Evaluation and Review
Our Act 48 committee meets throughout the calendar year. While the specific dates of these meetings vary, the group typically meets at least four times a year, with at least one meeting during the Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer. Meetings occur on both the front and back end of each scheduled district professional development date so as to allow for a continuous cycle of planning, evaluation, review, and feedback. Additionally, the committee frequently engages in electronic and in person communication in between meeting dates in order to discuss details related to the Act 48 plan.
Professional Development Activities Specific to FRCP Priority Challenge Areas
| Measurable Goals | Evidence-based Strategy | Action Steps |
|---|
| Mastery Learning | Teachers and Administrators will analyze student progress data collected from the Firefly Assessment to identify individual learning needs. Based on this data, they will implement differentiated instruction in Math, ELA, and Science by providing targeted interventions and enrichment opportunities. |
- Retain Teaching Staff
- Retain Administrators
- Recruit High Quality Teachers and Administrators
| Recruit & Retain | Revise and enhance the onboarding and induction process to provide meaningful, role-specific professional development. Tailor training to teachers' grade levels and content areas rather than relying solely on general induction sessions. |
- Retain Teaching Staff
- Retain Administrators
- Recruit High Quality Teachers and Administrators
| Recruit & Retain | Revise the mentor teacher program to ensure alignment with the district’s goals for teacher development. Establish clear expectations for mentor-mentee relationships, provide professional development for mentors, and implement a feedback system to evaluate the program’s effectiveness. |
- Retain Teaching Staff
- Retain Administrators
- Recruit High Quality Teachers and Administrators
| Recruit & Retain | Review and revise the district’s Act 48 Professional Development plan to ensure it aligns with current instructional priorities and teacher needs. |
- Retain Teaching Staff
- Retain Administrators
- Recruit High Quality Teachers and Administrators
| Recruit & Retain | Develop a 'New Principal Academy' leadership program to provide targeted professional development, mentorship, and career growth opportunities for new administrators. The program will include ongoing training, peer mentoring, and regular check-ins to ensure support. |
- Retain Teaching Staff
- Retain Administrators
- Recruit High Quality Teachers and Administrators
| Recruit & Retain | Initiate and strengthen partnerships with local universities (e.g., Waynesburg, W&J, Penn West, Point Park, the University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne, and Robert Morris) and teacher preparation programs to establish a pipeline for recruiting qualified candidates (student teaching, job shadowing, internships). |
- Enhance AI Literacy for Teachers
- Enhance AI Literacy for Students
| AI Professional Learning | Research and identify best practices for integrating AI into classroom instruction and curriculum planning. Develop and deliver targeted professional learning sessions for teachers and paraprofessionals focused on AI tools and strategies. |
- Enhance AI Literacy for Teachers
- Enhance AI Literacy for Students
| AI Professional Learning | Provide targeted resources and professional development opportunities for teachers and paraprofessionals to integrate AI tools into their planning and teaching processes. This may include workshops, online courses, and access to AI-driven platforms. |
- Enhance AI Literacy for Teachers
- Enhance AI Literacy for Students
| AI Professional Learning | Provide students with AI-enhanced or integrated learning experiences to support personalized learning, improve engagement, and address individual learning needs. |
- Secondary Average Attendance
| Secondary Attendance | Begin implementation of PBIS at the High School by creating a Tier 1 Committee. |