We begin the school year with two weeks of orientation and professional development. This gives new teachers an opportunity to adjust to their new community and understand our philosophy and practices . This also gives them time to set up their new classroom and familiarize themselves with our curriculum resources.
There are several members of the staff who are avialable to support and guide our teachers. The Chief Administrative Officer is always open for communication about concerns or ideas from any teacher. WCS also has a Director of Curriculum who can help introduce the curriculum to new teachers and can help provide support in the classroom. She is always open to visiting the classroom and brainstorming on ideas about instruction or management. The Librarian, Discovery teacher, Technology Coordinator, and Special Education Coordinator are also available to help with any instructional needs. WCS also has the benefit of a disciplinarian/behavior specialist who can talk to and work with students who are disruptive in the classroom. The counselor is also available to see these students. The National School and Community Corps help WCS provide in-class assistance in each classroom for either the whole day or half a day.
Every teacher on the faculty has a partner teacher with whom to plan and garner support from. Each teacher also has a group of peers, called "Critical Friends," who meet monthly to support each other and problem solve about any issue arising in the classroom. We hold regular professional development throughout the year which is really catered to the immediate needs of the teachers. Topics we have covered this year have ranged from Guided Reading, using iMovie, Responsive Classroom, Language Arts Centers, Using the Park, Science Notebooks and Assessment, Conflict Resolution, Independent Work Time, Webquests, Thematic Instruction Planning, Spelling Ideas, and more. Most of these workshops have been led by staff members as we believe we are our best resource.