Responsibilities of the Council
Establish and monitor PDS policies and procedures
Identify issues that need to be addressed
Coordinating partnerships activities within the network
Informing and involving network personnel in partnership activities
Evaluation of the PDS

Council Representatives
A representative from the school faculty
A representative from the school’s administration
A representative from the school’s parent/teacher organization and community partners
A representative from Concord’s faculty
A representative from Concord’s teacher candidates

Goals
To establish partnership schools that value continuing school and faculty improvement, collaboration among partners, and a continuity of caring in a student-focused culture.
To define and provide collaborative linkages, which support schools in continually working toward teaching practices that enhance educational outcomes for students.
To support communities of learners engaged in inquiry and reflective practice.
To create and implement innovative field-based experiences for preservice teachers that enhance the outcomes of the Teacher Education Program and help schools recruit and retain quality professionals.
To disseminate knowledge and best practices developed at the professional development schools that lead to success for all students.

Partners
Preparation of teaching candidates in the real context of schools
Early field experiences (connected to existing courses)
Student teaching placements
Professional development in critical need areas
Trends/issues in education
Collaboration between school and college in the implementation of research-based programs
Feedback to college regarding needs of teachers and students
Mentoring of teacher candidates by experienced teachers
Expert teachers guiding teacher candidates through the completion of their teacher education in cooperation with the Department of Education faculty
Supervise teacher candidates assigned to the PDS
Coordinate and monitor practicum placements at the PDS

Responsibilities of Concord College Faculty
Consult with clinical faculty at the PDS
Facilitate seminars and/or support group meetings for teacher candidates
Consult PDS staff on individual and school-wide improvement activities
Collaborate on the offering and delivery of in-service/professional development opportunities for both pre-service and in-service teachers
Work directly with students at the PDS through tutoring, demonstration teaching and co-teaching
Facilitate and implement research efforts at the PDS
Assist in writing and implementing grants
Serve as a liaison between school, district, and college
Collaborate on co-authored publications and presentations
Participate on School Advisory Councils and selected school committees
Serve on PTQ related college and district committees
Contribute to the enhancement of school and family communications

Implementation Plan
Establish a relationship with a local public school to enable teacher candidates to work collaboratively with experienced teachers to address subject matter preparation, pedagogical training, and field experience to assure that new teachers are prepared for successful teaching of increasingly rigorous standards for K-12 student learning;
Create a partnership between the school district and the College that is committed to improving both pre- and in-service educational programs for practicing and future educators;
Encourage teachers from both schools to exchange ideas, engage in professional conversations, observe each other, and team teach;
Work collaboratively to improve student achievement across the curriculum;
Explore possibility of enabling teacher candidates to serve as substitute teachers (in Virginia) while teachers participate in professional development activities.

Assessment Plan
The success of the PDS will be evaluated using a variety of tools including surveys, group and individual reflections.