In the past, teachers would evaluate their chosen professional learning plan every year, according to Principal Tom Harmas. This year, Harmas said he has decided to change professional learning to last three years.

“I always have done three-year plan and I feel like they work a lot of better.  When you do three-year plans, you have the same focus for three years, whereas when you do year to year there is never a real focus,” Harmas said.

According to Harmas, professional learning plans are about learning what teaching skills work best in classrooms.

“It is about teaching and learning in the classroom. For example, one of them is total participation techniques where we talk about the engagement of students in the classroom. It allows teachers know what techniques is working for their specific students,” Harmas said. “To summarize, it is about learning how to implement the best practice strategies in the classrooms.”

According to Harmas, instead of teachers choosing a new plan every year, now they will stay with one plan for three years.

“At the end of the three years, teacher’s will evaluate their progress,” Harmas said.

According to Harmas, he also wants to continue giving the Principal’s Advisory Council (PAC) a larger role in the school.

“I feel like Harmas is doing a great job at including us in school decisions. For example, we went to the MIC leadership conference and we talked to Mr. Glander to finalize next year’s school calendar,” student body President Ben Goldberg said. “I’m really proud of the work we are doing this year.”