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Horizon School Division
Creating a better world, one student at a time.
AP 417 - Teachers' Professional Development
Background

The continuous professional development of teachers is vitally important to the learning success of the Division’s students.  The Division supports professional development that is intended to improve teachers’ practice and that will ultimately improve the learning of our students.

Professional development that makes a difference in students’ learning can be characterized as ongoing, intensive, collegial, reflective, closely linked to classroom practice, and focused upon content that is research-proven. Increasingly, professional development should be considered not as an event but rather as an important part of each school day. Professional development is also a vital part of the process of implementing the Division’s initiatives and goals and Ministry of Education’s curricula.

Professional development is most effective when it is aligned with the Ministry’s, Division’s, or school’s learning improvement plans. Each teacher’s professional development will focus upon and work from an annual Personal Growth Plan (See AP 430) that will be most effective when aligned with the above improvement plans.

Procedures

1.  Employer Requested (Division Initiated)

Professional development that is initiated by the Division is classified as Employer requested. The professional development of the Division’s teachers will be guided by this procedure and by the provisions within collective agreements.
1.1.  Reimbursement
After attending the professional development activity, the teacher will forward Expense Claim – Board Requested to the Service that requested their attendance for processing.  All claims must be submitted within the same year as the professional development activity.
2.  Employee Requested

Professional Development activities that the teacher chooses to participate in shall align with the following:
    • Teacher Professional Growth Plan
    • Professional Learning Communities
    • Horizons’ Goals
      • Literacy
      • Safe & Caring
      • Assessment
2.1.  Funds
Professional Development funds are allocated as per the LINC Agreement – Section 10 – Personal Professional Development. Funds are allocated on September 1 and can be accessed until August 31 of the following year.
2.2.  Reimbursement
After attending the professional development activity, the teacher will forward AF 519 – General Expense Claim Form to Human Resource Services along with any receipts for all expenses being claimed.   All claims must be submitted within the same school year as the professional development activity.
3.  Application

All requests for professional development will be submitted through our online absence management system as per AP 405 - Leave Requests.

4.  Expenses
4.1.  Payments for mileage, accommodations and meals are at rates as established by the Board of Education.
5.  Part-Time Teacher Attendance
5.1.  Divisional approval of a designated number of professional development days for the school year shall be on a pro-rated basis for part-time teachers.
5.1.1.  Part-Time teachers may attend an equivalent portion of each professional development day or, subject to collaboration and approval of principal or immediate supervisor, attend enough sessions to satisfy their time requirement.
5.2.  Unless specifically requested by the Division, part-time teachers are not expected to attend professional development activities during time not regularly included in their contracted time.
5.2.1.  When a part-time teacher is specifically requested by the Division, part-time teachers will receive time-in-lieu for the additional time at the local level.
5.3.  Part-time teachers may choose to attend professional development activities during time not regularly included in their contracted time but will not receive salary for this time.


Reference:  Sections 85, 109, 175, 231, 233, 370, Education Act

March 10, 2011
Revised November 2, 2017