CSTP received a grant from the Professional Educator Standards Board to create two Professional Learning Communities of educators focused on completing Professional Growth Plans (PGPs). We are recruiting teachers and paraeducators to join us in the PGP PLC groups this year. In the first group, we are seeking teachers of color to form a PLC and in the second group, we are seeking teacher and paraeducator duos that work together to complete individual PGPs in partnership with each other.

Educators who are selected to participate in our PLCs are eligible to submit their PGP for 25 clock hours to use towards certification renewal or towards the General Paraeducator Certificate and will receive a $200 stipend for participating.

Register now for our informational webinar regarding the Professional Growth Plan PLCs on October 6 at 4:00 PM.

More information and the application for our Professional Growth Plan PLCs is currently available on the CSTP website.

Last school year, CSTP had the opportunity to work with six Washington educators to update PESB's Recruiting Washington Teachers (RWT) Curriculum. The curriculum is used to support students in their exploration of careers in education while addressing their emotional, social, professional and culture identity.

A huge thank you to the educators who spent many hours on this project including: Carla Smith, a teacher in Renton School District; Tricia Littlefield, a teacher in Sumner-Bonney Lake School District; Constantino Montes, a teacher in Pasco School District; Katia Perez-Chavez, RWT Coordinator in Quincy School District; Nancy Cole, a Mentoring and Induction coach in Spokane; and Mary Jo Larson, Assistant Dean at Pacific Lutheran University.

You can find the updated curriculum on the PESB website.

The state is facing some major financial challenges - specifically a large revenue shortfall estimated at over $4 billion. The National Board Certification incentives - $5,505 for the base incentive each year for the life of the certificate and $5,000 each year you work in a challenging school with a valid NB certificate - is a sizable budget line item in the state’s budget that could be impacted this coming session. Because of that, we want to start preparing NBCTs with the knowledge and skills to advocate and message about the critical capacity and positive impacts NBCTs bring to their communities and education contexts with their students, their colleagues, within their buildings and district systems, and far beyond. NBCTs Joanna Barnes (North Thurston Public Schools) and Sarah Applegate (Wenatchee School District) will facilitate the session. 

Where: Two part online session

When: November 14 from 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM and November 18 from 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM

Clock Hours Available: 7

If you are an educator in Washington state, please take a moment to get to know the state policy boards that set the rules that impact K-12 education and your certification. Board meetings are accessible online during the pandemic. The public can provide public comment during scheduled times or submit written comment prior to the board meetings. View the board meeting agendas to see available public comment times or contact the board staff for more information.

The SBE meets every other month and oversees public education for K-12 students. Some duties include setting high school graduation requirements, issuing credit waivers, and setting standards for schools.

Next Meeting: November 4-5, 2020, Online

The PESB oversees educator standards including certification requirements and assessments, educator preparation program approval and professional development requirements.

Next Meeting: September 24-25, 2020, Online

The Paraeducator Board oversees paraeducator standards including certification and program approval.

Next Meeting: September 23-24, 2020 Online

Thanks to the hard work of veteran Washington teachers, 10 units of the Core Plus Aerospace curriculum have been adapted for remote or hybrid instruction, and are available to Washington schools. These customized units focus on the fundamentals of manufacturing, covering topics such as safety, standard operating procedures, materials science, and more. The units follow a “Read, Watch, Do” format, allowing students to absorb key information, and then put their knowledge to work. The customized units were developed with support from OSPI and local industry to align with state learning standards, and ensure students learn skills in-demand by industry. Three great teachers drove this effort: Matt Johnson of Snohomish High School, Creed Tremaine Nelson of Lindbergh High School in Renton, and Jared Greenwood of Options High School in Bellingham.

Access the curriculum on the Core Aerospace website.

Manya McFarlane, NBCT and Elementary teacher in the Marysville School District, talks about CSTP's Teacher Tech Project featuring free resources for educators who are teaching remotely including modules on differentiation.

You have asked and we have listened! Badges and clock hours are now available for those completing any of the 16 available asynchronous modules in the Teacher Tech Project. Each completed module is worth one clock hour.

Learn more on the CSTP website.

We launched CSTP's Teacher Tech Project, supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Over the summer, 36 Washington state teacher leaders, made up of NBCTs, classroom teachers, instructional coaches, and Regional Teachers of the Year, created free resources and learning opportunities in preparation for remote learning in the fall.

Access to these resources and more available now Teacher Tech Project.

If your National Board Certificate has an expiration date in 2021 or 2022, you are in the eligibility window to renew through the new Maintenance of Certification (MOC) process. Learn more about MOC on the NBPTS website. If you have questions about the process, please contact NBPTS directly at 1-800-22-TEACH.

To join WEA’s information list to get more details about these events, please complete this brief form. 

Woodland music teacher, Brent LiaBraaten came to our attention this week when he was featured on KGW8 after his colleagues started sharing his music video "Google Classroom Blues". His humorous tune turns a frown upside down and chases our tech blues away.

Your gift ensures that CSTP continues to support student achievement through a focus on teaching excellence. With you as a partner in CSTP’s mission, you directly make a difference in the lives of youth across Washington State schools. Donations are tax deductible and essential as CSTP works to support educators navigate unique models of student engagement during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Liking and sharing our posts on social media is another way you can support CSTP during these times. Thank you for sharing our message.