Current and alumni principals, teachers, leaders and district office administrators gathered at the Centre at Sycamore Plaza on Sept. 14th for a working breakfast meeting to explore the professional development and grant opportunities that Cotsen is sponsoring for the 2018-2019 school year.
The morning began with coffee, breakfast, and casual conversations following the summer break and transitioned into the meeting when Executive Director, Jerry Harris, began the session with introductions and a brief overview of the ART of TEACHING program. “For a program like the ART of TEACHING to have a lasting school-wide impact, it is critical that principals and district administrators understand and support their mentors and fellows’ work towards instructional excellence, even after the two-year fellowship cycles have ended,” observed Harris.
Before learning about the myriad of grant and professional growth opportunities available to ART of TEACHING participants during the 2018-2019 school year, attendees spent a significant portion of the four-hour session considering several critical topics including: transformative learning with thoughtful technology, the social-emotional and cultural sensitivity components of the classroom learning environment, and adoption of innovators’ mindset to empower leadership.
Of the meeting, Daniel Kim, Principal at Third Street Elementary, said, “In addition to getting a great overview of Cotsen and all the great opportunities available to us, I really appreciated the time to connect with other administrators. New ideas. Fresh perspectives. Sharing best practices. It’s fantastic to be in the company of so many others who are as passionate about education.”
Dr. Yesenia Alvarez, Principal of Hurley Elementary School, commented, “As a first year Cotsen principal, I enjoyed learning about the numerous grants and opportunities available through Cotsen. I found the Parent Engagement Grant opportunities to support the learning of our families invaluable.”
The foundation offers these meetings and supports to our network of program participants and administrators to help strengthen and improve teachers’ professional practices, further develop professional learning communities within schools and districts across Southern California, with the ultimate goal of increasing excellence in teaching and learning.