BCDS believes that the best teachers are hungry for knowledge about student development, curriculum, pedagogy, and diversity and multiculturalism as well being passionate and active participants in their field. To this end, professional growth is a way of life at BCDS. Each year a majority of faculty members participate in some form of off-campus professional development, while high quality on-campus events focused have brought nationally renowned experts, including Michael Thompson, Peggy McIntosh, and Alan November, directly to the school.

SPECIAL PROGRAMS
In the summer of 2005 BCDS began the exciting process of training all faculty members in the Schools Attuned methodology that is part of the All Kinds of Minds program. This methodology provides teachers with a sophisticated set of tools for observing student performance in nearly a hundred specific areas, for giving students feedback on improving their work, and for fine-tuning curriculum and pedagogical strategies to best meet the needs of all students.

All faculty are invited to apply for a spot in Teachers As Scholars, a program that allows up to 20 BCDS faculty each year to take mini-courses led by university professors, museum educators, and cultural leaders from around the Boston area.

CONFERENCES and WORKSHOPS
BCDS is especially proud of the number of faculty at various stages of their careers—including first-year teachers—who have presented in recent years at national educational events—including the annual conferences of the National Arts Education Association, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the National Association of Independent Schools, and the NAIS People of Color Conference. All faculty are encouraged to submit conference proposals, and the school will eagerly support teachers whose proposals are accepted.

BCDS also supports faculty members in participating in local or regional conferences and workshops related to their discipline, to pedagogical topics, or to themes related to the school’s goals around equity and justice. At times the school may also invite teachers to participate in workshops or courses directed toward specific curricular or community initiatives.

IN-SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT
Throughout the year there are times set aside in the school schedule for professional development. At these times the full faculty engages in work to meet specific school needs or to achieve school goals. In addition, divisions and departments are engaged in a continuous process of program and policy review that affords all teachers—including the newest—to opportunity to take on active roles, including as leaders, in the school.

BCDS faculty also have unparalleled opportunities for “on-the-job training” in areas of critical importance to teaching in the 21st Century, from curriculum mapping to the sophisticated discussion of student work to collaborative curriculum planning. The latter is supported by a generous program of summer Curriculum Development Grants that provide small stipends to groups of teachers engaged in the major renovation of existing curricula or the development of new programs designed to meet the school’s strategic needs. In addition, through committee work, departmental retreats, and grade-level teams, all faculty are encouraged to participate in the program and strategic planning processes that are essential to the culture of teaching and learning at BCDS.

CONTINUING EDUCATION and SABBATICALS
BCDS provides a modest level of financial support for coursework leading to a teacher’s first Master’s degree and a slightly more modest level of support for subsequent coursework. Specific details can be found in the A Teacher's Guide to Life and Work manual, and teachers with unique needs are encouraged to approach the Academic Dean for guidance.

The BCDS sabbatical program is available to all full-time teachers on a seniority basis. The program provides support for a full year at half pay or a half year at full pay.

PROFESSIONAL EVALUATION
Observation and feedback are critical to professional growth, and the BCDS evaluation system is designed to give all teachers support and guidance in developing and expanding professional competence in all aspects of the work performance. Teachers receive specific evaluation in over a dozen categories drawn from the school’s Effective Teaching standards, as well as a list of commendations for outstanding aspects of performance and recommendations for further growth. All teachers are fully evaluated in their first two years of employment and thereafter every third year, but each year all teachers articulate their professional goals in writing and discuss these with supervisors.

Details of the evaluation system as well as the entire professional development program are published each year in the A Teacher's Guide to Life and Work manual.