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Please note: The BEPT Teacher Center's Customary Fee for Intructors is $65 per Contact Hour

Please fill out the entire form as accurately as possible.

B.E.P.T. is proud to offer a new and exciting form of Professional Development. Developing and building professional learning communities throughout our school districts is one of B.E.P.T.s main goals. As professionals, we understand that a traditional in-service course may not fit your needs. Through In-service Collegial Circles, teachers can be rewarded for working together and producing valuable pieces of curriculum and sharing best instructional practices.

A Collegial Circle is a group (between 4-7 people) of Teacher Center constituents who meet to discuss a common goal, need, interest or essential question which leads to a tangible outcome in classroom. The final outcome is focused on increasing student learning and achievement. There is a shared commitment to the purpose of the group. Each group will explore and evaluate its purpose, using the shared decision making process.

1. Essential Question - Each Collegial Circle must have an essential question which guides their work. An essential question is a question that probes for deeper meaning and understanding of an issue, concept, or principle. Essential questions set the stage for further questioning, foster the development of critical thinking skills and higher order capabilities, such as problem-solving and understanding complex systems. Topics can be drawn from specific district goals; however, topics may lend themselves to collaborative efforts for our 3 districts.
2. Goals - What does your group plan accomplishing including how it will impact instruction and student learning?
3. Professional Product - Each circles essential question must lead to a professional product. Professional products include developing units of study, clusters of lessons pertaining to a specific unit (e..g. SmartBoard lessons), identifying mentor texts that correspond to reading strategies, etc.
4. Meeting Times - Circles must set steady meeting times outside of contract hours, but in an appropriate setting to equal the number of hours for in-service credit. (1 in-service credit = 15 hours) Note: Meetings cannot take place during prep time.
5. Reflection - Upon completion, each participant must submit a personal reflection of his/her experience accompanied by examples of the impact on instruction in the classroom.
6. Facilitator - Each Collegial Circle must have one Collegial Circle Coordinator.

• The coordinator initiates the project.
• The coordinator organizes the group and submits the application.
• The application is completed online describing each of the 5 categories described above.
• The coordinator will keep a log of what takes place at the meetings. This log must be handed in when the Collegial Circle is completed.
• The coordinator is responsible for handing in the groups completed professional product at the conclusion of the Circle.
• The coordinator ensures that the group stays focused on its task and goals.
• The coordinator will be compensated at an established BEPT rate of $50/hour. (The coordinator may accept a stipend or in-service credit.)