Professional development in the Evesham Township School District encompasses all types of facilitated learning opportunities, ranging from formal coursework and conferences to informal meetings and learning opportunities situated in practice. There are a variety of approaches to professional development, including coaching, in-services, lesson study, mentoring, grade level/department meetings, workshops, Professional Learning Communities, reflective supervision, and technical assistance. These programs may be formal or informal, individualized or group-based. The state of NJ requires educators to document their own professional growth by accumulating professional development hours annually.
The district's Curriculum Department provides an extensive fall and spring professional development calendar that includes a wide variety of professional development opportunities focused on student learning and improved classroom practices. Approximately 20 - 40 workshops are offered on each calendar. The majority of the offerings are given by in-house Curriculum Supervisors at no additional cost to the district. This also includes technology workshops given by the District's Technology Coordinator. Supervisors and the Technology Coordinator combine their unique knowledge of the district with content area expertise to develop workshops based on the needs of teachers and students.
The Curriculum Department also coordinates with the Lenape Regional Curriculum Consortium to provide an annual professional development day, which targets staff members in the related arts and special services areas.
In addition, building-based workshops are also arranged and offered at the school level on an as needed basis. These professional development offerings are coordinated between the Curriculum Department and the individual school buildings. Building-based workshops are given by key personnel and are designed to address the needs of individual buildings. Workshop presenters include but are not limited to PLC/CFG Facilitators, Principals, Reading Specialists, Tier III Coordinators, Math and Technology Coaches.
The Special Education Department also organizes and offers workshops specific to particular areas of need and/or interest in this area.