The Bellingham School District/Woodring College of Education Partnership Coordinating Board
Purpose(s): To improve student learning by creating and sustaining a standards-based model for the preparation, induction, and career-long professional development of teachers focused on sound assessment practices and research-based learning-teaching strategies that support he learning and well-being of all students.
Goals:
• Improve the learning and well being of all students, including students from diverse cultural and linguistic
backgrounds.
• Create an integrated system for teacher preparation, induction, and professional development that builds
on each partner's requirements and systems.
• Involve a large and varied community of practitioners from P-12 schools and higher education in
supporting the preparation, induction, and professional development of teachers.
• Establish research-based standards of best practice and rubrics for teachers that are consistent with
Washington residency and professional certification requirements.
• Develop ways of assessing teachers' impacts on student learning to be used for evaluating the effectiveness
of the partnership professional development model.
• Support professional development for Western Washington University teacher educators by providing
opportunities for and access to authentic practice in K-12 school classrooms.
• Provide professional development and support for mentor teachers and supervisors of preservice teachers
and beginning teachers.
• Increase the number of trained mentor teachers and supervisors.
• Align the Western Washington University teacher preparation and professional certification programs with
district and school improvement goals and the needs of classroom teachers.
Basis for Establishment: Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding approved by the BSD School Board on November, 2003 and by the Western Washington University Provost on Nov. 20, 2003
Decision Making: The Coordinating Board will be responsible for making decisions and recommendation to the Superintendent of the Bellingham Schools and Dean of Woodring College of Education regarding Joint Learning Activities, Placement Structures and Strategies of programs in Bellingham Schools, and Professional Certification Program offered by the Partnership
Plan
• To ensure consistent understandings about powerful teaching and learning that is aligned with standard
documents
• To coordinate the Professional Certification Program in BSD
• To serve as a clearinghouse for partnering activities from pre service through induction
• To provide joint learning events for members of partnering organizations
Qualifications: A Coordinating Board comprised of six faculty members governs The Bellingham School District/Woodring College of Education Partnership and staff representatives from Woodring College of Education, four central office and building administrators in the Bellingham School District, and four teachers from the Bellingham School District appointed by the District in collaboration with the Bellingham Education Association.
Members: Woodring College of Education: Laurie Phelan, William Lay, Dave Carroll, Jennifer McCleery, Sheila Fox, Carolyn Landel, Kris McDuffy, Angela Harwood and Lauren McClenden
Bellingham School District: Jeff Coulter, Lisa Conlon, Shirley Potter, Steve Dolmatz, Leslie Adcock-McInnis, Susan Zoller, and Carol Egan
Ex Officio: Ken Vedra and Stephanie Salzman
Responsibilities: The Partnership Coordinating Board meets at least four times each year to evaluate on-going activities, to share resources, to resolve problems, and to develop new directions and opportunities. The Superintendent of the Bellingham School District and the Dean of Woodring College of Education serve as ex-officio members of the Board. If needed, sub-committees which involve other members of the staff at both institutions are established. Sub-committees work on such topics as pre-service preparation and school placement of candidates, induction and mentoring of new teachers, and professional certification and support .
Timeline: 2003-2004
• Develop Coordinating Board Structure and Agreements that are approved by both organizations' governing
boards
• Identify membership
• Provide professional development in the use of a Collaborative Assessment Log, Continuum for Quality
Teaching, Individual Yearly Plan
• Provide shared learning experiences for mentors/coaches and WCE supervisors to align tools and to
develop consistent understandings about good teaching
• Provide a two day Mentor Training for both mentor, supervisor, administrators, and other staff
• Provide follow up sessions during the year
• Put student teachers in mentor/coaches' classrooms to allow for a shared learning opportunity among BSD
teacher and WCE supervisor
• Build a shared structure for the implementation of the professional cert. process.
• Describe opportunities for both WWU/WCE and BSD teachers to teach courses
• Define the partnership roles and responsibilities in the Pro. Cert. process
• Provide training for administrator in their role in pro. Cert.
2004 - 2005
• Continue Joint Learning
• Identify needs of partnership and revise action plan as needed
Budget Implications: A budget will be established according to the action plan activities. Funding for Start up activities will come from both partners and requests will follow guidelines for budget requests as outlined by both partner's budgeting processes.