Mount Vernon teachers hone skills, learn techniques during professional development day

Teachers across the Mount Vernon City School District were busy honing their skills and learning new instructional techniques Tuesday during a packed Superintendent’s Conference Day dedicated to professional development.

At Mount Vernon High School, more than 100 teachers participated in interactive sessions organized by Marybeth Rhodes, Director of Humanities, who coordinated workshops for English Language Arts, social studies, reading and library media.

“Our goal is to make professional development meaningful for teachers,” Ms. Rhodes said during the busy day with teachers hitting the books while  students got to stay home.

“Teachers should have opportunities to collaborate, learn from one another, and walk away with something they can use in their classrooms the very next day,” she said. “Everything we do must connect directly to improving student performance.”

The workshops – which also were conducted via Zoom from other schools – were designed to strengthen instruction, collaboration and student achievement.

Among the instructors Tuesday were six facilitators from the Edith Winthrop Teacher Center (EWTC), a consortium of eight public school districts that provides professional development and resources for teachers. It is funded by the New York State Legislature.

For English teachers in grades 7–12, three mini learning sessions centered on writing were offered. Topics included grammar, reciprocal tools for reading and writing, and strategies for improving writing instruction as part of a districtwide drive to strengthen students’ skills.

Social studies teachers took part in sessions examining primary sources, enduring issues and Regents exam writing tasks, with a focus on helping the young scholars analyze historical materials and express arguments clearly in writing.

Denise Williams, a veteran social studies teacher for grades 10–12, said she views professional development workshops as a wellspring of information for her continued growth as an educator.

“It provides information that teaches us certain tasks to better instruct students and enhances their learning process,” she said. “It also provides me with tidbits for my own professional growth.”

The District's school librarians participated in a workshop led by Catherine Graybosch, supervisor of School Library Systems at Southern Westchester BOCES.

“We discussed the Portrait of a Graduate from New York State and how librarians can support that vision in their schools,” Ms. Graybosch said. “We connected those ideas to the AASL (American Association of School Librarians) standards framework so librarians can help their administrators make meaningful connections to this work.”

Beth Ferrigno, a consultant from educational supplier Follett Content Solutions, guided the librarians through an exercise reviewing their book collections to ensure they reflect students’ identities, experiences and the diverse world around them.

Meanwhile, K–8 reading teachers attended a workshop on the Science of Reading, focusing on high-impact instructional practices to support early literacy and help get students to grade level content.

“This training helps teachers build habits and strategies rooted in literacy science to close those gaps,” Ms. Rhodes said.

She explained that ELA and social studies teachers are not just working on content, but on the skills that “drive success on Regents exams and beyond,” adding that “we’re aligning instruction with new expectations -- such as infographics that will appear on upcoming Regents exams.”

Dr. Satish Jagnandan, Director of Assessment, Mathematics and Science, led a workshop for science teachers while other groups engaged in virtual sessions on I-Ready (an online program that supports students in reading and math) and curriculum tools for K–6 English and math teachers.

“This professional development session focused on supporting educators in implementing the New York State Science Learning Standards (NYSSLS),” Dr. Jagnandan said. “Participants explored the current state of implementation, moving from initial awareness to full integration of the standards into classroom practice.”

Key components of the session included:

• Understanding Tier 1 Instruction: Defining Tier 1 as high-quality, core (grade level standards) instruction accessible to all students and discussing strategies for ensuring equity and rigor.
• Measuring Effectiveness: Identifying methods to evaluate the success of Tier 1 instruction, including student performance data, classroom observations and alignment with NYSSLS.
• Instructional Planning: Reviewing core resources and determining specific activities science teachers can implement to address targeted standards.
• Crosscutting Concepts: Exploring activities that integrate crosscutting concepts to deepen student understanding and connect scientific ideas across disciplines.
• Mandated NYS Investigations: Emphasizing the importance of hands-on, inquiry-based investigations as required by state guidelines and ensuring these are embedded in instructional plans.

“Educators left with practical strategies for aligning instruction to NYSSLS, tools for assessing Tier 1 effectiveness, and actionable plans for incorporating mandated investigations and crosscutting concepts into science instruction,” Dr. Jagnandan said.

Ms. Rhodes said the District began planning for the day in July to ensure that the sessions were carefully tailored to each department’s needs.

“This day represents months of planning and collaboration,” she said. “When teachers are supported with meaningful training, our students are the ultimate beneficiaries.”