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Professional Development

Professional

  In alignment with our Core Values, teachers and staff in the Menlo Park City School District:

  • Engage students in a high quality instructional program that results in demonstrated learning
  • Innovate with a spirit of inquiry and excitement
  • Partner and lead within and beyond our community to seek out and share research, tools and methods
  • Persevere with a passionate commitment to the success and enrichment of each child
    Each school year, the District allocates approximately $250,000 for professional development. Funding for professional learning is allocated from a variety of sources including a generous contribution from the Menlo Park Atherton Education Foundation, as well as funds from the Measure B Parcel Tax and the District’s Unrestricted General Fund.

Professional learning is targeted across three areas: District and Site Goals, Innovation, and Ongoing Learning and Development. When professional learning is aligned to site and District goals, we move more effectively and efficiently toward targets and improve quality across the organization. Professional learning fuels innovation, providing opportunities for staff members to explore how current research can be applied for the benefit of our students.  In addition, professional learning keeps our core instructional program strong.


DESIGN THINKING IN MPCSD

Our District is fortunate to be working with Stanford's d.school as well as IDEO, a design and innovation consulting firm, on applying design thinking to public education. Design Thinking is a process to fuel creativity and innovation. Our partnership with the Stanford d.school is deepening as we explore how Design Thinking is a tool to inspire leadership and innovation at all levels of our organization, including among our students.  Design thinking has taken 
root in MPCSD and already we are seeing evidence of how design thinking can support breakthrough thinking and help our kids see themselves as innovators who can change the world! 
To learn more about Design Thinking  CLICK HERE.


TEACHERS COLLEGE READING AND WRITING PROJECT
 

The Teachers College Reading and Writing Project is one of the world's premier providers of professional development in the teaching of writing. Lucy Calkins' book on teaching writing, including the now-classic The Art of Teaching Writing, are foundational to the field. Thousands of school districts have adopted Units of Study in Writing Grades K-8 as their writing curriculum.
To learn more about Teachers College Reading and Writing Project  CLICK HERE.