Sites Picked for Teacher Academy

Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Mark Roosevelt has unveiled details about a new teacher academy which will match new teachers with experienced teachers to accelerate the learning process. The academy also requires new teachers complete a 13-month residency program before being placed in the classroom as the teacher of record. Three weeks of summer training are also required for new teachers. The Teacher Academy would have sites at Brashear 9-12 and King K-8 for the 2011-12 school year.
Roosevelt says the proposed Teacher Academy is a cornerstone of the Empowering Effective Teachers plan, recently funded with a $40 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.....
“We know that excellent teachers matter. They get kids to far better places. The Teacher Academy is another step on our path to building a culture of teaching excellence that will move students to higher levels of achievement."

Roosevelt says the Teacher Academy will ensure that all new teachers in the district are prepared to meet the diverse needs of Pittsburgh’s students, and that experienced teachers will have the opportunity to continuously improve their practice.

The board is expected to vote on the placement of the Teacher Academy at its August meeting.