Professional Development Funding Request Form: submit to budget holder
Travel Expense Policy
Check Request Form: to be signed by division director or department chair then submitted to Pat Cuneo
Staff Development Unit (SDU) Form
Sustaining a high quality educational program begins with a strong professional development program. Athens Academy understands that its teachers must continue to learn and grow in order to fulfill the mission of seeking excellence with honor in the educational and personal experience of each child. Whether exploring a new program or method, or assessing a more traditional approach, Athens Academy’s faculty and staff are expected to engage in ongoing professional development. Full-time faculty members are required to complete six Staff Development Units (SDUs) during each five-year cycle of employment at Athens Academy.* Like Professional Learning Units (PLUs) or Continuing Education Units (CEUs), SDUs are earned by participating in professional development activities on or off campus. Activities are typically planned in conjunction with department chairs, academic deans, and division directors and must be directly related to the teacher’s work with students in the classroom.
* Cycles for new employees begin when the Athens Academy contract begins.
On-Campus Professional Development (AA Teacher, 1st aid and CPR certification)
Identifying the Opportunity--Most on-campus activities are regular components of the annual calendar and typically occur during pre-planning, faculty development days, and throughout the school year.
Requesting Funds-- Faculty and staff are not charged to attend; therefore, a funding request form is not required.
Receiving Credit-- Credits for on-campus activities are reported by deans and/or division directors to the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and entered into the database for everyone in attendance.
Off-Campus Professional Development (workshops, seminars, presentations, consultation, etc.)
Identifying the Opportunity—faculty members work with academic deans, department chairs, curriculum leaders, and division directors to create a five-year plan for professional development. As much as possible, those plans are incorporated into each department’s or division’s professional development budget (submitted each November for the following school year). Given that opportunities often arise without a year’s notice, budget holders are encouraged to build flexibility into their annual professional development budgets.
Requesting Funds—faculty and staff complete a Funding Request Form which requires information about how the activity will enhance his or her teaching, fulfill the mission of the school, etc. It also requires an estimation of all related expenses (mileage, meals, lodging, etc.).
Receiving Credit—Upon completing the activity, the faculty member completes an SDU Form with any pertinent documentation and submits it to the appropriate Academic Dean (along with a copy for the Division Director’s records). The credit is then entered into the professional development database.
Note: Individual professional development reports are distributed each year so that faculty members can track their progress and ensure that all earned credits have been applied.
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