The Teaching Center was originally established in 1973. Subsequently it was funded by New York State in 1984 and established as a Teaching Center under Section 316 of New York State Education Law. The official title assigned to the center was, "Teacher Resource and Computer Training Center". Teaching Centers were created to provide professional support services to teachers in order to:

• Assist teachers diagnose learning needs, experiment with the use of multiple instructional approaches, assess student outcomes, assess staff development needs and plans, and train other school personnel in effective pedagogical approaches.

• Provide demonstration and training sites where teachers are trained specifically in the use of computers as teaching aides; the criteria for school acquisition and use of computer equipment and software; and the evaluation of computer-related materials.

• Develop and produce curricula and curricular material designed to meet the educational needs of the students being served through application of educational research or new or improved methods, practices, and techniques.

• Provide training to improve the skills of teachers in order to enable such teachers to meet the special educational needs of the pupils they serve, and to familiarize such teachers with developments in curriculum formulation and educational research, including the manner in which the research can be used to improve teaching skills.

• Provide a location where teachers may share resources, ideas, methods and approaches directly related to classroom instruction and become familiar with current teaching materials and products for use in their classrooms and;

• Retain teachers and other education personnel to become better qualified to teach in subject areas necessary to prepare students for the developing high technology era, in the disciplines of mathematics, science and computer technology.

Kimberly Smith, Director West Genesee Syracuse University Teaching Center, Teachingcenter@westgenesee.org

West Genesee / Syracuse University Teaching Center Bylaws

2023 - 2024 Directing Council Members

Budget Narrative
Our grant from NYSED is dedicated to the professional learning of teachers, teaching assistants, and administrators.

2023 - 2024 Teaching Center Budget
This is a transparent view of how the Center's money is encumbered and spent during the year.

Click Here to see Agendas Archive

The Teaching Center is once again offering professional development in the area of Collegial Circles, providing teachers and teaching assistants with structured time for reflection on classroom practices.   The program enables teachers and teaching assistants to take responsibility for identifying and satisfying needs for professional growth.

Any proposal must advance study of and reflection upon the West Genesee Strategic Planning Foci.

Groups of four to seven teachers and/or teaching assistants will identify a common area of interest to study. 

Each member of the Circle will earn 10 hours of CTLE credit.

In addition, teams will utilize their presentations to offer "Summer Dive" and "Fall Follow-up" workshops, offered to any WG staff member interested in embedding the findings in their own practices.

Collegial Circle applicants are encouraged to incorporate Solution Tree's "PLCs at Work" modeling into their proposals.

• Fall Collegial Circle Application

• Collegial Circle Application Rating Rubric

• Facilitators' Forms

The Teaching Center is once again offering professional development in the area of Action Research. Action Research informs teaching and is persuasive because teachers are invested in the legitimacy of the process and the impact of interventions derived from the research. Action research should be based on real and relevant classroom concerns. This systematic inquiry (usually undertaken by two or more teachers) includes:

• Identifying an area of focus

• Collecting data

• Analyzing and interpreting the data

• Developing a plan of action.

There is a direct relationship between Action Research and Teacher Professionalism. A professional is a person who plays a major role in creating self-reliance and self-confidence in one’s work culture. Professionals are expected to:

• attack routine problems

• consider a variety of perspectives when making decisions

• play a significant role in producing knowledge that moves their profession

• hold themselves accountable for using best practices.

In addition, teams will utilize their presentations to offer "Summer Dive" and "Fall Follow-up" workshops, offered to any WG staff member interested in embedding the findings in their own practices.

Would you like to learn more???? 

We are holding an Action Research Listening / Learning Session with Sam Gervaise via zoom on Wednesday, October 11 from 3:00 - 4:00  (RSVP here). K-4 folks, join when you can. Sam will answer all questions.

The Action Research may earn up to 45 hours of CTLE credit based on the approved application.

Action Research Request for Proposal

Each Spring, we celebrate the collegial circle work and findings of action research at our Collegial Cafe.

We have begun archiving the work supported by the Center for your access and use.

The Teaching Center will provide funding for programs and training sponsored by the building leadership teams.  Any teacher or group of teachers can apply through their leadership teams for a portion of the total amount allocated:

• West Genesee High School - $1200 

• West Genesee Middle, Camillus Middle School, Stonehedge Elementary Schools - $800 each

• East Hill, Onondaga Road, and Split Rock Elementary Schools - $400 each

• Holy Family and Bishop Ludden - $400 each

Funding can be used for materials, speakers, refreshments, participant stipends, conference registrations, building subscriptions, and/or travel expenses.

• C&I: Following the timelines established in the WG Continuous Curriculum Improvement Cycle, guaranteed and viable curriculum, aligned to NYS Standards and WG Essential Standards, will be written, revised and evaluated utilizing the unit plan template.  

• DEI: By June 2026, increase the participation rates of underrepresented groups (students with disabilities, economically disadvantaged students, and non-white students) in both academically advanced classes as well as extracurricular activities by 10%.

• SEL: By June 2024 All WG Schools will establish Guiding Coalitions that support an MTSS framework focusing on instructional schedules that support PLCs. All buildings will develop an RTI/MTSS “triangle” that identifies tiered support encompassing Academics, Behaviors, and SEL. Buildings will develop SMART Goals to monitor their progress and will align Professional learning to their SMART goals.

Building-level CTLE Opportunities Application -- Download a copy of the application. Send completed application to Kim Smith at the District Office or email to teachingcenter@westgenesee.org

CONVERTING SERVICE TO VOUCHER CREDITS

1. There is a need to identify teaching professionals (teachers, teaching assistants, and administrators) who are unable or prevented from mentoring pre-service teachers and providing them with a way to participate in the use of the Teaching Center voucher pool. These positions are characterized by learning environments which do not provide a typical climate conducive to the overall experiences sought in the pre-service teaching model, i.e. reading specialists, instructional support teachers, and other specialties that do not operate in a traditional classroom environment. It also includes instructional areas not supported by S.U., i.e. foreign languages. Teachers who host pre-service teachers will also be given credit for forms of service to the Teaching Center and are able to participate in this process.

2. There is a need to support persons of color accepted into the Baldanza Fellowship program for earning teacher certification.

3. There is a need to: (a) recognize forms of service to the Teaching Center other than hosting pre-service teachers and (b) to develop a system for participating in the use of the Teaching Center Voucher Pool.

Although equal status will be awarded to those teachers accumulating service credit through the alternative conversion process, top priority will be given to those teachers taking pre-service teachers through Syracuse University and the Teaching Center inasmuch as the voucher system is based on the partnership between West Genesee Schools and the afore­mentioned institution

List of Services*

The list of services for this purpose must meet the following criteria: 1) be voluntary in nature, 2) must support the Teaching Center and 3) must con­tribute to the professional development of teachers.

• Professional Learning Plan Committee Member

• Professional Development Committee Membership - building-level

• Teaching Center committee membership

• Directing Council membership

• Host teachers reviewing S.U. pre-service teacher portfolios

• Guest lecturers for methods courses at S.U.

• Presenters of mini workshops/seminars for pre-service teachers

• Presentation for Professional Development day workshops i.e. sabbatical reports, Grants, professional experience, Conference reports, best practices

• Mentoring teachers New to the District (Mentees)

• Educational Development Committee (EDC)

* Not Exhaustive

Recommended System to Assign Voucher Credits

Each service that meets will be assigned a unit value based on the number of meetings required and attended by participants annually. Any service that meets five (5) or more times a year will receive a maximum of five (5) units. Each service that meets less than five (5) times a year will receive one (1) unit for each meeting. Any teacher receiving a combination of ten (10) units of service will be eligible for a three-credit (3) voucher.

The Teaching Center will develop a database and assume responsibility for maintaining the units of service reported. Teachers and administrators are required to submit service reports every three months (November, February and May) during the school year. All units acquired by teachers will be maintained permanently to be used for vouchers at the teacher's discretion. Teachers with the highest number of units will be given priority in accordance with the voucher distributive process.

Each Semester, the Individual Voucher Committee will review applications for vouchers. The committee will use the following prioritization to award individual vouchers:

• Teachers with positive balances in the database

• Teachers with negative balances in the database

• Teaching Assistants

• Baldanza fellows during their pre-service placement within the District (maximum of one voucher per semester)

• School district administrators who have completed service to the Center.

The Teaching Center Director will periodically report the status of the service voucher system to the Teaching Center Directing Council. This policy will be in effect for two (2) years after which it will be reviewed for changes/continuation.

• June 1 through October 31 reporting form

• November 1 through February 28 reporting form

• March 1 through May 31 reporting form

• Application for Individual Voucher - Spring Semester

• Application for Individual Voucher - Summer or Fall Semesters