All substitute teachers have college degrees and, except in unusual cases, have passed a qualifying examination administered by the State of California. Through professional development teachers learn new skills, instructional methods, and continue to remain knowledgeable and informed about the State of California Curriculum Guidelines and Frameworks. Teachers at each elementary school were selected to receive intensive staff development in literacy or mathematics. Throughout the training the selected teachers shared this information with their staffs. School Improvement Funds allowed teachers to attend conferences specifically designed to meet their professional and school goals.
Teachers write learning plans each year and receive regular supervision from the principal.
Permanent teachers are formally evaluated once every two years and non-tenured teachers are evaluated annually. The quality of teaching continues to improve as we implement new programs and take risks to try new methods of instruction. Teachers regularly receive timely and meaningful feedback from the principal based on classroom observation, student performance and discussion. We will emphasize application of skills and knowledge. The program will be modified to meet the special academic, emotional, language, and social needs of students.