The Brandon/Oxford Professional Development School is a partnership program that uses one-half day each week for teacher meetings and professional development.
The Brandon/Oxford Professional Development School (PDS) was established to "prepare students in a rapidly changing world." The school is the result of a partnership among Brandon School District, Oxford School District, Oakland University, and Oakland Intermediate School District, in collaboration with students and community members. In August 1991, Board of Education members, teachers, parents, and administrators from all four groups met to discuss the possibility of forming a collaborative partnership. After much discussion, they agreed to pursue the project, hoping to implement it in fall 1992.
With contributions from all partners, Brandon School District started the PDS in September 1992 and Oxford instituted its program in January 1993. Both restructured the school week to provide two and one-half hours each Wednesday morning for staff planning. Each day was lengthened to provide the same or more instructional time. A building steering committee serves as a clearinghouse for deciding which issues or concerns are scheduled for action by the full faculty or committees. Joint staff meetings of the two district faculties are held to share and encourage collaboration. The Professional Development School encourages activities that foster growth and learning between all partners of the education community.
Under the redesigned school schedule the teacher work day from Monday to Friday is 7:20 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. On Wednesdays, the time from 7:20 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. is used for both professional development time and teacher planning time; students do not report until 11:10 a.m. Teacher lunch lasts until 11:10 a.m., so that the student day begins at 11:10 a.m. Morning and afternoon classes are alternated on a weekly basis, and six minutes are added to each period.
PDS has extensive documentation of the program, its benefits, and its results. The program offers a wide variety of possibilities for the use of PDS time. One student has said, "I like the fact that teachers are trying to improve themselves." Another writes, "Teachers seem to have more time to organize and get things together. Our math class is really going at a fast pace, which I like since a lot of what we cover in Algebra I is review."
Contact person:
Karen Sage
Principal
Brandon High School
1025 Ortonville Road
Ortonville, MI 48462
Posted on March 6, 1995
URL: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/envrnmnt/go/94-4bran.htm