College of Education and Human Development
The Elementary Education PDS program and Local Elementary Schools Win National Award
March 8, 2016
The professional development school partnership between Fairfax County Public Schools, Manassas Park City Schools, Prince William County Schools, and George Mason University's College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) has received the National Association for Professional Development Schools (NAPD) Exemplary Professional Development School Achievement Award.
Presented by the NAPDS at its annual conference in Washington, D.C., on March 3, 2016, the award gives national recognition to outstanding school-university partnerships that shape educator leadership and practice.
CEHD's Elementary PDS Network is noted for its flexible partnership structure that creates multiple paths for engagement between schools and the university. As partner schools, clinical practice schools, or collaborative inquiry schools, all partners work with a shared commitment to improving K-6 education and impacting teacher preparation.
CEHD's Elementary Education program receives the National Association for Professional Development Schools (NAPD) Exemplary Professional Development School Award.
Members of the partnership say, “the mission of our PDS Network is to take joint responsibility for teacher preparation, faculty development, enhanced student learning, and inquiry directed at improvement of practice.” The award recognizes the partnership exemplifies the vision of the NAPDS with, “…an impressive array of opportunities to encourage collaboration, reflection and regular communication among all stakeholders.”
One of only two school-university partnerships recognized nationally this year, the award committee commented, “CEHD’s PDS is an exemplary model of PDS across the country—a true testament to the origins of the PDS model, dedicated to the nine essentials, and committed to continued innovation in P-12 schools and teacher education.”
Defined by specific characteristics known as the Nine Essentials, professional development schools are uniquely positioned to prepare future educators; provide current educators with on-going, job-embedded professional development; encourage joint inquiry of education-related issues; and promote the learning of P-12 students. The GMU partnerships are nationally recognized for their exemplary work in the field of education.
For more information about NAPD contact Marcy Kiefer-Kennedy, NAPDS president at keiferm1@ohio.edu