Professional Development

Hanover County offers many programs to support and assist educators continually develop knowledge and skills.

• A structured Mentoring Program is in place at each school for beginning teachers which includes one-on-one partnerships with veteran teachers and periodic group support workshops.

• A comprehensive Peer Coaching Program is established to support teachers with best practices for effective teaching.  Teachers are observed by trained peers at their own school who offer feedback and non-evaluative support.

• Individual Professional Growth Funding up to $800 per year is available for full-time employees to work on individual goals.  (Click here for more information about the reimbursement procedures.)

• An additional $1000 is available for teachers adding endorsements in critical shortage areas, which include special education, physics, chemistry, mathematics, and foreign languages. (Click here for more information regarding this policy.)

• Each middle and high school, as well as some elementary, has a reading coach on staff who helps all teachers enhance literacy within all content area classes through modeling, co-planning, co-teaching, and training.

• Each middle and high school, as well as some elementary, has a mathematics coach on staff who help math teachers incorporate best practices and conceptual problem-solving strategies in their classes through modeling, co-planning, co-teaching, and training.

• A Technology Coach and a Technical Systems Administrator is employed at each school to assist teachers with implementation of computer technology.  Technology Institute Courses are available each Fall, Spring, and Summer, free of charge, to enhance employees' computer skills.

• Instructional Technology Resource Teachers coach teachers with technology integration through modeling, co-planning, co-teaching, and training.

• Quality staff development and licensure renewal opportunities scheduled in school calendar for all teachers.

• On-site courses and cohorts are offered for teachers and administrators seeking master's and doctoral degrees in various programs.

• A year-round Leadership Academy is voluntary for aspiring administrators and other school leaders.

• Hanover pays application fees for teachers seeking National Board Certification.  Teachers receiving initial certification will earn a $5000 bonus and will continue to receive $2,500 annually for each year thereafter that the certification is maintained. Thirty Hanover teachers have earned NBCT recognition.  For additional information on becoming national board certified, click here.

• Virginia's five-year license renewal fees are paid by HCPS, as required by the Virginia Department of Education for educators.  Virginia teachers must earn 180 points every five years to renew the teaching collegiate professional or postgraduate professional license.  Click here for Teacher Licensure Renewal Manual.

• Lead Teacher Specialists in each content area lead professional development and supervise curriculum implementation across the county.

• Department Chairpersons and Curriculum Resource Teachers are full-time teachers who are paid stipends to assist other teachers implement the curriculum and find resources.

• Senior Teachers are teachers with reduced or no teaching schedules who work at the middle and high schools to provide administrative and curricular assistance to all teachers in regular and special education.

• The Hanover Education Foundation awards grants to teachers and administrators for creative instructional programs and professional development opportunities.

 Hanover educators have received many professional honors, including:

 Hanover employees are recognized locally via several honors, including:

•      Individual School and County Teachers of the Year

•      Individual School and County Beginning Teachers of the Year

•      Individual School and County Support Employees of the Year

•      R.E.B. Excellence in Teaching Award

•      R.E.B. Award for Distinguished Educational Leadership

•      Distinguished Educators as Named by Graduating Hanover Scholars

•      Excellence in Educational Leadership Awards

•      Annual HCPS Celebration of Educational Excellence   

 Related Links:

• The U.S. Department of Education (USED) has brought together professional development activities that are in alignment with the definition of high-quality professional development outlined in the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Educators now have the opportunity to take on-line professional development from a variety of courses from Teacher-to-Teacher.  Teacher-to-Teacher links professional development with research-based practices that have been instrumental in closing the achievement gap.   Before registering for the on-line teacher workshops, teachers should consult with their principal to determine if this professional development would meet the requirements for licensure or supplement other training provided by the school or school division. For additional information, please go to the Teacher-to-Teacher Web site at http://www.paec.org/teacher2teacher/.
   

• University of Virginia-Richmond Center

• Master of Education, University of Virginia-Richmond Center

• University of Richmond School of Continuing Studies

• University of Phoenix Online