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SALISBURY, MD---Salisbury University recently received a $30,000 grant from the Maryland State Department of Education to create professional development schools at Delmar Elementary (grades K-5) and North Salisbury Elementary (grades 3-5) schools.

The professional development school coordinator is Dr. Teena Gorrow, assistant professor of education in the Seidel School of Education and Professional Studies at SU.  The project director is Dr. John Bing, associate professor of education in the Seidel School.  Dr. Laurie Andes, assistant professor of education in the Seidel School, prepared the proposal for MSDE.

The leaders and faculties of these schools intend to build and sustain a learning community that supports student achievement, teacher preparation and continuing education for school and university faculty.  The school improvement teams at these sties have identified the need to improve minority student achievement as a major goal of the collaboration.  The project will develop a model of collaborative training for teacher candidates and school faculty that will improve instructional strategies and result in increased minority student achievement.

The project includes a three-day summer workshop that will consist of team building, exposure to the professional development school model and practice in collaborative teaching and instruction on learning and teaching strategies that improve minority achievement.  Technology training as a communication tool will also be included.

Professional development school site coordinators and ºÚÁÏÍø liaisons will meet with school steering committees to plan an additional four sessions throughout the year.  Additionally, teacher candidates will work as teacher assistants in August and January.  Teacher candidates will research effective instructional practices on minority achievement and will disseminate this information for faculty members.  Student achievement results will be presented at the annual Regional Professional Development School Conference in June 2002.