Plan for Success Prepare Stakeholders Develop Administrator and Teacher Capacity Evaluate Results

Professional Development2014-2015

Partnering with Educators to Meet the Needs of All Students

The Apex Learning Solution

Apex Learning Professional Services Apex Learning® is committed to delivering the right level of support for those developing new or expanding existing blended and virtual learning programs. Our team of experts is dedicated to providing the professional development you need to support your program and prepare for success.

Digital Learning Expertise

At Apex Learning, a primary goal is to create collaborative and ongoing partnerships. Highly experienced and qualified Apex Learning education consultants are an integral part of those partnerships, delivering professional development and providing continuous one-on-one support for school staff, teachers, and district administrators.

Each member of the education consultant team is a former educator with an average of 15 years of classroom and administrative experience, as well as an average of 10 years of professional development expertise. All Apex Learning education consultants have a specialized background in utilizing and planning digital curriculum programs.

The Highest-Quality Professional DevelopmentApex Learning is a member of Learning Forward* and uses the standards promoted by Learning Forward as its foundation for designing professional development programs.

Additionally, professional development sessions both align to and instruct educators in the iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Teaching, which are an endorsement of the standards established by the widely recognized Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). Educators who participate in Apex Learning professional development benefit from program-specific training and develop specific skills and strategies for teaching with a digital curriculum.

Student-centered Apex Learning digital curriculum combines:

In order to maximize the benefits of a digital curriculum program to achieve

successful outcomes, a custom professional development plan is essential.

Standards-Based Curriculum

Research-Based Instructional Design

Integrated Formative, Summative,

and Diagnostic Assessment

Instructional Management and

Reporting

2 Apex Learning / Professional Development

* http://learningforward.org

Because no two implementations are alike, all Apex Learning professional development plans are tailored to the unique needs of each district. An Apex Learning education consultant works with administrators to identify program goals and priorities. Sessions are chosen based on the experience level of participating staff members and tailored to the program type.

Professional learning is an ongoing process, and sessions throughout the school year support educators at all levels, further develop teachers’ online instructional skills, and assist administrators with program review and evaluation. The result is a customized professional development plan that ensures success from start to finish of each school year.

Customized to Fit Each District’s Needs

Plan

Identify program goals and priorities, create program policies and procedures aligned with district goals, and build stakeholder buy-in and confidence.

Prepare

Build knowledge and confidence through instruction in program and functionality, tools such as the Grade Book and reports, and best practices in teaching with a digital curriculum.

Develop

Expand skills and expertise, and give teachers and administrators additional opportunities to improve student outcomes through the increased effectiveness of a digital program.

Evaluate

Assess the success of the implementation, analyze best practices, and strategize ways to further improve program results.

Apex Learning

professional develop ment

sessions represent the four

stages of implementing a successful

digital curriculum program:

P L A N

P R E P A R EE V A L U A T E

D E V E L O P

T H E F O U R S T A G E S O F I M P L E M

E NTA T I O

N

Apex Learning / Professional Development 3

Identify goals and priorities for blended learning programs. Discuss specific instructional models and develop a custom implementation plan.

Introduce teachers to the curriculum and intuitive learning management features. Learn to enhance instruction with a variety of instructional models, including remediation, differentiated instruction, whole-group instruction, flipped classroom, and targeted test preparation. Explore instructional best practices used to personalize learning.

Develop instructional and administrative capacity. Apex Learning education consultants individually mentor practitioners in their classrooms to develop competencies and model best practices and strategies for enhancing classroom instruction.

Collaborate with district administrators and teachers to assess the program design and implementation as well as program effectiveness. The education consultant works with district administrators to recommend specific program improvements based on findings.

4 Apex Learning / Professional Development

Develop

Apex Learning professional development provides targeted and strategic training and best practices instruction to maximize a program’s success from the start.

Sample Implementation Plan: Blended Learning

Apex Learning professional development sessions provide vital assistance to teachers and administrators implementing successful blended learning programs.

Customized Implementation Planning

Evaluate

Prepare

Plan

Many Levels of Support

Apex Learning professional development includes numerous resources and many levels of support.

The professional

development that

we received from

Apex Learning added

tremendous value

to the planning and

implementation

for our program ,

and our school -

teachers’ feedback

was excellent.

— Rocco Merino

Niagara Falls City School District (NY)

On-Site Professional Development

The most effective professional development occurs when an Apex Learning education consultant is able to work in person with the administrators and educators who will ultimately be responsible for the program’s success. Due to the significant advantages of working together in the same setting, some Apex Learning professional development sessions are only offered on-site.

On-Demand TrainingTraining videos are available via online help. These interactive, topic-specific videos address basic functionality, instructional methods, and best practices. In addition, teachers have access to a library of lesson planning tools and templates. Certificates of completion are available at the conclusion of each series.

On-demand training videos reinforce on-site and online professional development and are available to all Apex Learning clients at no charge.

Online Professional Development

Select professional development sessions are available via Internet-based conferencing tools. These live sessions afford educators the advantage of real-time training, with the convenience of accessing the session wherever there is an Internet connection.

Online HelpAll Apex Learning users have access to a topic-specific, comprehensive library of information structured to easily search, browse, and print. Students and educators access different “help” topics — including Getting Started materials, Best Practices, and FAQs — according to their needs.

Quarterly NewslettersApex Learning clients will receive a quarterly newsletter showcasing school and student success, best practices, and other informative topics to support professional growth and student achievement.

Live Support StaffThe Apex Learning support team is available to answer any questions and troubleshoot issues that may arise. The team may be reached by email, telephone, or live online chat Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. (CST).

WebinarsAll Apex Learning clients are invited to participate in monthly complimentary webinars. These 30-minute webinars include timely best-practice topics and are hosted by our education consultants. All webinars are recorded and available in Online Help for future viewing.

How-To Videos Dozens of short how-to videos are available to provide targeted assistance when and where an educator needs it.

NEW Blended Learning ConferencesJoin a community of innovative teachers and administrators who collaborate and share best practices. Held throughout the year at locations across the country, these one-day conferences provide users with an opportunity to network, share successes and solutions to obstacles, and participate in continuous professional learning. To register, visit: www.apexlearning.com/company/events

Apex Learning / Professional Development 5

Plan

Prepare

Program-Specific Professional Development Sessions Each Apex Learning professional development session aligns to one of the four stages of program implementation. The session focus is customized to meet the specific needs of each digital curriculum program.

Implementation Strategy

This planning session occurs prior to any other Apex Learning professional development. The education consultant begins the session by identifying the overarching goals and priorities of the district. Participants engage in a discussion of the digital curriculum solutions and capabilities of Apex Learning that align to identified district goals. At the conclusion of this working session, a custom implementation plan is created that includes program summaries, an implementation timeline, a customized professional development plan, and evaluation metrics for each program.

Program Planning

Education consultants assist program administrators in making and documenting specific policy and procedural decisions for each program in alignment with district goals. At the conclusion of this working session, a custom Policy and Procedures guide is created, which identifies district course offerings, uniform classroom settings, student eligibility requirements, scheduling options, and instructional models.

Implementation Orientation

This interactive presentation highlighting the customized implementation plan builds stakeholder buy-in and confidence in the use of digital curriculum through the presentation of the district vision, program goals and objectives, implementation timeline, and partnership with Apex Learning professional development staff.

Curriculum Alignment Facilitation

Education consultants work with district curriculum specialists and teachers to facilitate the customization of Apex Learning digital content. The session centers on alignment with state standards and district pacing. Participants learn about the instructional design and activity types for each subject-area domain.

Curriculum Alignment Facilitation — Common Core

Education consultants work with curriculum leaders to demonstrate how the digital curriculum is aligned to the Common Core State Standards. Participants learn about design and activity types for English and math Comprehensive Courses and Tutorials. Consultants share strategies used to support teachers making the transition from state standards to the Common Core.

Effective Program Management

District and building-level personnel responsible for overseeing program implementation learn to use additional features and reports available to site coordinators. Participants discover best practices for monitoring and evaluating program success.

Functionality Training and Best Practices

First-time users of Apex Learning digital curriculum receive an overview of the curriculum and learn to use the learning management system. In addition, best practices for classroom management, instruction, student motivation, intervention, and communication are explored.

Functionality Year Two and Beyond

This session is designed for educators after the first year of their digital curriculum program’s implementation. Topics include a more in-depth look at the digital curriculum, management tools, advanced reporting, and the Grade Book functionality. Participants collaborate on best practices for student intervention, classroom management, and motivational strategies.

Mentor Orientation

Personnel who mentor students enrolled in virtual programs learn to monitor progress, use communication tools, and proctor assessments. Mentors discuss best practices for communication and strategies for motivating students.

6 Apex Learning / Professional Development

Transition to the Common Core with Blended Learning

This session prepares classroom teachers to use digital curriculum in a blended learning environment. Teachers develop individualized learning plans for each student, presenting opportunities to develop higher-order thinking skills. Education consultants share best practices for whole-group instruction, assessment for learning, using data, and providing small-group targeted intervention.

Effective Blended Instruction in the Traditional Classroom

This session prepares teachers to integrate digital curriculum with traditional methods to personalize instruction and increase student outcomes. Teachers discover strategies to enhance whole-group instruction, differentiate instruction, provide targeted remediation, support English language learners, and flip the classroom.

Effective Teaching with Digital Curriculum

This session develops teacher skills and competencies when using digital curriculum in credit-bearing courses. Best practices for student orientation, classroom management, active learning, positive learning environments, accommodations, student motivation, and instructional interventions are discussed.

Teacher Coaching and Mentoring

Education consultants individually mentor practitioners in their classrooms to develop competencies in facilitating learning using digital curriculum. Consultants recommend and model best practices and strategies for teaching in blended and virtual learning environments with Comprehensive Courses or enhancing classroom instruction with Tutorials.

Supporting Struggling Readers

Teachers learn how to use digital curriculum to meet the varied needs of struggling readers. Teachers review the current research on literacy, and learn how Literacy Advantage courses support struggling readers in the four academic content areas, with hands-on exploration of the Literacy Advantage courses in each teacher’s specific subject area.

Using Data to Differentiate Instruction

Teachers learn to utilize formative and summative assessment data to inform instructional interventions. Topics include using the diagnostic tools, maximizing the benefits of computer- and teacher-scored tests, and using data and reporting to inform decision-making to meet the needs of individual students.

Targeted Test Preparation

School personnel learn to use digital curriculum to provide preparation for high-stakes assessment such as end-of-course exams. Participants explore curriculum resources and prescriptive assessments and learn to target instruction to realize the greatest impact on assessment outcomes within available time frames.

Develop

Evaluate

Administrator Coaching and Mentoring

Education consultants work with school leadership to evaluate progress toward established program goals. A review of detailed student data provides the basis for the discussion to understand what is working well and determine an action plan to support areas of improvement.

Mid-Program Review

Education consultants bring teachers, lab managers, and administrators from schools across the district together to reinforce district policies and procedures, reflect on program successes, and discuss best practices for classroom management, student engagement, and strategies for supporting students with academic challenges.

Program Evaluation

The education consultant will work collaboratively with district administrators to assess program design and implementation as well as the overall effectiveness of your program. The education consultant will also provide district stakeholders with a summary of the findings and specific recommendations for program improvement.

Apex Learning / Professional Development 7

1215 Fourth Avenue, Suite 1500, Seattle, WA 98161 800-453-1454 inquiries@apexlearning.com apexlearning.com

Copyright © 2014 Apex Learning Inc. Apex Learning®, the Apex Learning logo, ClassTools®, ClassTools Achieve®, ClassTools Virtual™, and Literacy Advantage™ are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Apex Learning Inc. Advanced Placement and AP are registered trademarks of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, AP Exam Review.

A Letter from the Director of Educational Services

Apex Learning professional development is designed to provide school districts vital assistance in implementing successful blended learning and virtual programs.

Our diverse catalog includes sessions that help district administrators create a solid implementation plan prior to getting started, including setting goals to measure success. We provide educators with a variety of sessions designed to develop skills and strategies for supporting learning with Apex Learning digital curriculum. Professional development for year two and beyond provides educators and administrators with the expertise and awareness they need to ensure continued success and further student achievement.

Our professional services are delivered by highly qualified education consultants, all of whom are former certified educators and some of whom have served in an administrative capacity in schools across the country.

With this diverse background, our education consultants are able to successfully deliver effective professional development that meets the needs of both administrators and teachers.

We offer professional development plans that appeal not only to districts implementing a digital curriculum for the first time, but also to experienced districts that are looking to take their implementation success to the next level or expand into additional programs.

We are excited to offer you this opportunity and look forward to developing a successful partnership.

Sincerely,

Bob Marson Director, Educational Services