Professional Development Days are dedicated to teachers so they can focus on different topics that help them become better teachers.

“PD days are a state requirement,” said Kim Newman, 26-year Veteran of the Cape District. Every couple of months, and most recently, Friday, March 25th Cape District has a Professional Development Day. The majority of high school students view these as a free day off from school, but they are not a break for everyone. While students are enjoying a bit of relaxation, the Cape Central Faculty remains at school for professional training. In the average classroom, teachers have students from different cultures, different levels of ability, different levels of mental health, different social skills, different emotional needs, and different physical needs. The training that teachers receive on PD days helps teachers meet these needs.

The most recent PD day involved teachers learning research-based new practices. Newman said, “ This is one of my favorite topics because it is always talking about what is relevant and how we can be the best teachers we can be for our students.” Teachers also participated in community service. Her department, Family and Consumer Sciences, made cookies for the dogs at the Humane Society. Hopefully, PD days are days that teachers can work together and grow their skills.

Other practices are taught during these days as well. For example, Spanish Teacher Shamira Ulrich said, “We (learned) to notice if students are going through a crisis.” Recognizing these things is really important because once students are at school, teachers are in place of parents, so it is their job to keep students safe and inspire them to have a positive mindset. These days help teachers to become better at planning their time and staying organized

“Teachers learn too” Kim Newman stated.