Professional Development
Episcopal strongly believes in investing in its most important asset -- its faculty and staff. Faculty and staff are encouraged to attend professional development opportunities across the country throughout the year. In addition to continuing to pursue certifications and higher degrees, Episcopal’s faculty engages in ongoing professional development opportunities offered through the University of North Florida, the Florida Council of Independent Schools and conferences on pedagogy. Teachers have attended field-specific training as well, including the United States Institute for Theatre Technology, the Percussive Arts Society International Convention; AP workshops; Econ in the Real World; and Hamilton, History and the Federal Reserve.
“If, as a school, we aim to nurture life-long learners, then teachers must model it for their students. Look around and you will see a faculty committed to continued growth,” says Marta Pauly, Dean of Faculty & Academics. “We do it in a variety of ways– by engaging in group book studies, by sharing information and techniques we learn from workshops and conferences, by collaborating with colleagues about the best way to teach a subject matter or unit, by engaging in conversations that afford us the chance to reflect on how and why we teach, and by sharing ideas about ways to serve our students better. There is an energy that comes from bonding with colleagues who share common aspirations. That energy is palpable and, in the end, creates a culture conducive to growth and learning.”
Professional Development Activities
August 2020
Cultural Competency
Faculty and staff participated in Cultural Competency and Civil Discourse training in August during professional development before the start of school. Presenters from UNF's Department of Diversity Initiatives hosted small group discussions on Cultural Competency for faculty and staff, covering such topics as the difference between diversity and inclusion, equality and equity.
The discussion groups had a chance to reflect on and share the extent to which the Episcopal community has embraced both diversity and inclusion in our effort to "respect the dignity of every human being." Similarly, participants explored affirming language, and completed a "What Next?" activity. Facilitators for the discussion were Sheila Spivey, Senior Director of the Department of Diversity Initiatives (DDI) at the University of North Florida, and Brandi Winfrey, Associate Director of the DDI at the University of North Florida, who leads the Intercultural Center for Peace and the Student Alliance for Inclusion and Diversity.
Civil Discourse
Civil Discourse training was provided to faculty before the start of school by Kyle Reese and Nancy Broner from OneJax, an interfaith organization on the UNF campus. A small group of ESJ teachers were trained in advance to act as facilitators of discussion small groups for all faculty and staff. As part of this community-wide education, participants learned how best to engage in a conversation or dialogue in order to better understand another person, as well as how to actively listen to someone with different opinions. The Civil Discourse Team put together some Community Norms to serve as a toolbox for healthy, productive, civil conversations in and out of the classroom.
Professional Development Activities
July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2020
Stop the Bleed - Facilitator - Brian K. Yorkgitis, DO, FACS Pediatric Trauma Medical Director, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Division of Acute Care Surgery, University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville - All Faculty & Staff
The ‘Stop the Bleed’ campaign was initiated by a federal inter-agency workgroup convened by the National Security Council Staff, The White House. The purpose of the campaign is to build national resilience by better preparing the public to save lives by raising awareness of basic actions to stop life threatening bleeding following everyday emergencies and man-made and natural disasters. Advances made by military medicine and research in hemorrhage control during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have informed the work of this initiative which exemplifies translation of knowledge back to the homeland to the benefit of the general public.
Anti Defamation Leagues Training - All Faculty and Staff
Four facilitators from the Florida chapter of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) came to the Munnerlyn campus in January to lead ESJ, Beaches Episcopal School, and St. Mark's Episcopal Day School faculty and staff in its “A World of Difference” training program. In preparation for this workshop, participants worked in small groups to discuss White Fragility, read magazine articles, watched and discussed a TedTalk by current ESJ parent Dr. Tammy Hodo, and listened to a related podcast.
AP Four Day Workshops:
Rebecca Howes, AP Spanish Literature & Culture
Lucy Lee, World Language & Cultures
Matthew Shriver, French
Margie Stevens, AP Computer Science
Kiara Wessling, AP Psychology
Meg Wickenden, AP Biology
AP Readers:
Lara Duguid, AP European History
Emily Farmer, AP US Government
Andy Hostetler, AP Statistics
Kelby Siddons, AP English Language
Kate Wallis, AP English Language
Mark Zimmerman, AP Photography
Graduate Degrees or Certificates:
Marty Baugh
Jenny Dulaney
Natalie Herford
Tara Kneale
Emily Manning Sloan
Philippa Marks
Shelly Long de Mendoza
Stephanie Schuster
Online Courses:
Virtual Online Faculty Development – All Faculty
Numerous Webinars:
Remote Learning/Teaching - All Faculty
Diversity
Civil Discourse
Social Justice
Book Studies:
Powerful Teaching – Faculty
White Fragility – Faculty & Staff
Other Conferences & Activities:
Adobe Max Conference - Diane Bates
ACTFL 2019 Annual World Language Expo - Lucia Allen, Carolina Collins
FCIS Conference - Early Childhood Institute - Presenter, Nitza Plaski
FCIS Conference - Kacey Johnston
World Religions World Church Conference – Emily Manning Sloan
Art Basel Miami Beach Conference – Mark Zimmerman
CSPA Fall Conference - Leah Glotzbach
FAEA Annual Conference - Rebecca Hoadley, Michelle Krueger
FETC Conference 2020 - Debbie Deppe, Scott Givonetti, Tracy Jester, Tom Lavelle
IATSE 14th District Annual Convention – Megan Elsila
60th Annual Conference & Stage Expo – Colton Spurlock
Student Success in Writing Conference – Kacey Johnston
FMEA 2020 Conference & All-State Choirs – Carolyn Tuttle & Anthony Felton
NAES Diversity & Inclusion Conference – Emily Farmer
2020 Introduction to Modeling Instruction in Biology – Arianne Leary
ASCA “One Vision, One Voice” Conference – Justin Martin
NAES Conference – Fashioning Our Lives: Chaplains, Self-Care and Spiritual Renewal – Andy Farmer
Percussive Arts Society International Convention - Greg Hersey
Virtual International Thespian Festival 2020 – Taylor Horne
POGIL - Sally Russo
First Aid & CPR Training - Nick Crider, DaShaun Gibbons, Krista Grabher, Henry Hamilton
Gilder-Lehrman classes on specific topics relating to teaching American History - Jefferson Brant, Emily Farmer, Alex Nichols, Margie Stevens
BER (Bureau of Education & Research):
Tonya Carter, School Nurses
Carolina Collins, Lucia Allen - World Languages Summit
2018 Lastinger Summer Scholars
Katherine Snyder - England
Elizabeth Simpson Walton '71 Fund for Coaches' Professional Development
Coaches Take Advantage of Best Professional Development Opportunities
History: Natalie Hereford - AP World History Exam Leadership Team
College Counseling: Ryan Riggs Co-Chairs SACAC Program, Andrea Rizzi Visits Washington State Schools, Ryan Riggs Attends Southern Consortium,
English: Teachers Attend Phillips Exeter Academy Humanities Institute
Dr. Kate Pritchard Wins Scholarship to Attend Seminar in Germany
2017 Lastinger Summer Scholars
The Rev. Teresa Seagle - Holy Land
Rebecca Hoadley - Ireland
Jessica Snapp - Argentina
Computer Science:
Tom Lavelle, AP Summer Institute for Computer Science principles, Orlando
Tom Lavelle, Online AP Principles on Mobile Device
English:
Chad Senesac- AP Workshop for AP Language & Composition, Jax
Cathy Kanaday, AP Workshop for AP Language & Composition, Jax
Harkness workshop for English Teachers, at ESJ
Fine Arts Faculty & Staff Professional Development
History:
Christina Milon- Stanford U. Core Practices for Inquiry-Based History Teaching,CA
Mary Hunt- Project-Based Learning (PBL), CA.
Department: Harkness Workshop for History teachers at ESJ
Alex Nichols – “Econ in the Real World: Hamilton, History & the Federal Reserve” offered by the Federal Reserve of Atlanta
Mathematics:
Brenda Vermillion- Project-Based Learning (PBL), CA.
Science:
Marion Zeiner- STEM Conference in Kissimmee, FL.
Sally Russo, AP Chemistry Workshop, Jacksonville
World Languages:
Lucy Lee, Nancy Predergast, Carolina Collins,Lucia Allen- TPRS Workshop, Jax
Gwen Miranda- Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling or TPRS (NTPRS), San Antonio
Athletics:
Andy Kidd, Chip Stroud, Kasse Eppley – FHSAA Seminar, including workshops on NCAA requirements, compliance and education and mentoring for coaches
Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS)Institute for New Teachers
Caitlyn Fitzpatrick
Courtney Flerlage
Shelly Long
David Schwei
Tom Lavelle
Arianne Leary
Tess Sturgeon