Certified Staff Professional Development

Are you ready to learn?

Pattonville School District provides high quality professional development opportunities to help staff build capacity for serving students and families best. Our mission, That All Will Learn, is true for students and staff alike. In addition to embedded professional development throughout the school year, staff members have opportunities to take part in professional development with support of their buildings and the District Professional Development Committee.

2025-2026 District PD at a Glance

08/11/2025 – RAH-RAH DAY (morning) & Staff Meetings/Building PD (afternoon)
08/12/2025 – Building Professional Development Day
08/13/2025 – District Professional Development Day
08/14/2025 – Teacher Collaboration & Work Time
08/15/2025 – Teacher Collaboration & Work Time
10/20/2025 – Building Professional Development Day
01/16/2026 – Building Professional Development Day
02/13/2026 – Building Professional Development Day
04/06/2026 – P.I.R.A.T.E. RALLY (Certified & Support Staff)

What are the steps for requesting permission and funds for a professional development event?

This is the flowchart for requesting professional development funds. If you have questions about this process, please contact the Teaching and Learning Department.

After you have requested building funds, if needed, you can also request DPDC funds. Use this form to make that request:

DPDC Funds Request Form

Your request will be reviewed at our monthly meeting and a DPDC member will follow up with you regarding whether your request will be granted.

TRAVEL PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES Reimbursement Form Wisdomwhere website WisdomWhere Help Guide REQUEST EXAMPLES Conference Rotation List

District Professional Development Policies

DLCA: Travel and Expense Reimbursements

GCL: Professional Staff Development Opportunities

PIRATE Rally 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

When is it my turn to take part in a conference through Pattonville's Conference Rotation?

Important Conference Rotation Information:

The district conference rotation lists shall be maintained by the Assistant Superintendent for Teaching & Learning or designee. A copy of the rotation list is to be filed each year in the Teaching & Learning Office. The district rotation lists will be reviewed annually. Teachers may obtain a copy of the district rotation list on the District Professional Development website.
If the scheduled staff member waives the right to attend, the scheduled staff member is skipped and moved to the bottom of the rotation schedule. A staff member who attends cannot be scheduled for future conference/convention attendance until all others on the rotation list have had the opportunity to participate. A staff member can only attend either a state or regional/national/international conference in a school year. Extenuating circumstances (i.e. illness, family emergency) that prevent the attendance of a scheduled staff member, will be governed by a consensus of the Teaching & Learning Office.

The district provides up to $900 towards expenses. If you need additional funding, you may be required to pay for additional expenses or you may ask your principal to cover additional expenses; however, the district will not cover any expenses beyond $900.
You may choose to attend multiple smaller conferences rather than one large conference as you stay within your budget of $900.
Please talk with department leaders, instructional specialists, your principals, and the Teaching and Learning Department for ideas on meaningful conferences for you to attend if you need assistance. Also see the Professional Development section on the District Professional Development website.
Because of the popularity of many national conferences, availability and lodging may be limited. Please enter your information in Wisdomwhere as early as possible to ensure your ability to attend.
Reach out to the Teaching and Learning Department if you have additional questions.

Public Conference Rotation List

What is the District Professional Development Committee (DPDC) and who takes part?

Mission Statement:

It is the mission of the Pattonville Professional Development Committee to provide a meaningful professional learning framework of high quality and lasting impact that will support educators in their commitment to increase effectiveness so that every student experiences success.

Responsibilities:

The professional development committee shall work with all teachers in identifying instructional concerns and remedies; assist beginning teachers with implementation of their professional development plan; serve as a confidential* consultant upon a teacher's request; arrange training programs for mentors; assess faculty needs; develop in-service opportunities for school staff; and present the coordinator of professional development activities with faculty suggestions, ideas and recommendations pertaining to classroom instruction within the school district.

Structure:

Pattonville's Professional Development Committee will include fifteen (15) members, broken out as follows: three (3) high school, two (2) middle school, one (1) POSITIVE School, eight (8) elementary, and the district professional development coordinator.
Committee members shall be certificated staff members with at least three (3) years of teaching experience and at least two (2) years in the Pattonville School District. Professional development committee members will be elected for three year terms. Each year approximately one-third of the committee will be new. New members shall be elected no later than April 15, with service to begin on May 1.
Committee members shall be elected by the certified staff in each building.

Who is my representative on DPDC?

What are the responsibilities of the DPDC?

RESPONSIBILITIES OF DISTRICT PDC
Approved: November 14, 2000
Revised: June 4, 2014

The PDC, working in partnership with building leaders and the local school board, utilizes standards for professional learning to guide the efforts of individuals, teams, schools and districts in setting policy, as well as organizing, providing, facilitating, managing, participating in, monitoring, and measuring professional learning to increase educator effectiveness and results for all students.

With the passage of the Outstanding Schools Act of 1993 (SB380), PDC responsibilities changed from an emphasis on meeting individual teacher needs to meeting district needs as identified in the district’s Comprehensive School Improvement Plan. Also, rather than presenting suggestions, ideas, and recommendations to the proper authority, this bill specifically directs the PDC to consult with the administrator(s) and then obtain board approval to provide professional development opportunities.

District PDC Goals:
Potential goals and strategies for the next calendar year will be examined by the committee and presented for discussion, review, and adoption. These goals and objectives will be published within the PDC handbook.

Needs Assessment:
Missouri law requires that the PDC conduct a Professional Learning Needs Assessment to determine the professional learning needs of practicing teachers. The responsibility for meeting this requirement is entrusted to PDC and the Office of Curriculum and Instruction. A Professional Learning Needs Assessment should be considered a continuous, data-driven, and ever-changing means of keeping a district responsive to student and educator needs. Needs Assessment data results are reported in the Professional Development Program Evaluation. Student data from the Curriculum and Instruction Program Evaluation are also used in the needs assessment process.

Budget:
The PDC has significant financial responsibility in Missouri schools as mandated by law. According to the Outstanding Schools Act of 1993 some of the responsibilities of PDCs regarding the expenditure of 1 percent of designated state aide received by the district include the following:

Consulting with administrators
Determining purposes for expending professional development monies
Securing school board approval for expenditures that meet district’s Comprehensive School Improvement Plan objectives
Expending at least 75 percent of the annually allotted money for professional development no later than June 30 of the current fiscal year

The budget will support the goals and objectives of the district PDC in alignment with the Comprehensive School Improvement Plan. It will be established by the committee and approved by a simple majority of a quorum of the committee. Eight voting members must be in attendance for a quorum.

Budget categories may include state and national conferences/conventions, staff development opportunities, grants for special projects, and expendables.

Distribution of PDC Funds and Expenditure Approval

Conferences/Conventions
- National: The PDC will allocate funds to send a minimum of three delegates each year to a National PDC conference or convention. Preference will be given to committee members in Cycle B who have not previously attended a convention. Delegates will provide a brief presentation of the convention at the meeting that most closely follows the convention.
- State/Local: The PDC will allocate funds to send a minimum of three delegates each year to a state or local PDC conference or convention. Preference will be given to committee members in their first year, and who have not previously attended a convention. Delegates will provide a brief presentation of the convention at the meeting that most closely follows the convention.
All expenditures will be approved by vote of the committee.
The minutes of the PDC are generally used as documentation for distribution of PDC funds.

Miscellaneous Accounting Information

For reimbursement of expenses, PDC will follow Pattonville accounting policies:
The professional development leave policies will be followed by the PDC.
Compensation for workshops approved by the district PDC will be aligned with the policies set forth by the Pattonville Curriculum Coordinating Council.
The district PDC will approve compensation for outside presenters. Negotiations are expected when engaging outside presenters.

What are the responsibilities of the DPDC members and leaders?

RESPONSIBILITIES OF DISTRICT PDC MEMBERS
Approved: November 14, 2000
Revised: June 4, 2014

Serve three-year term on district PDC.
Attend all district PDC meetings.
If a representative must miss a PDC meeting, he/she is to contact the district PDC Secretary to inform the committee of his/her absence.
Assist the committee in establishing and reaching its goals and objectives.
Actively facilitate communication with the certified staff of their building by sharing faculty ideas, suggestions and recommendations with the building PDC, the district PDC, administrators, and other district staff.
Plan and provide resources for the implementation of desired learning designs.
Support ongoing professional learning as individual, department, and building practices change over time.

LEADERSHIP
Approved: November 2000
Revised: June 4, 2014

Procedures for Election of Officers

The district PDC will elect a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer during the spring. These officers must have at least one year of district PDC service. Officers assume their responsibilities upon election.

Officer Responsibilities

Chairperson

Establish a meeting schedule for each year.
Develop and distribute agenda at least twenty-four hours prior to each scheduled meeting.
Lead all meetings, including the PDC retreat.
Delegate responsibilities.
Assist in the development of a proposed budget.
Assist in drafting the proposed goals and objectives for the following year.
Work with other officers in nominating eligible candidates for leadership roles.
Meet with incoming officers to facilitate a smooth transition in leadership.
Introduce PDC to new teachers during the orientation process.

Vice-Chairperson

Lead meetings in the absence of the Chairperson.
Oversee PDC handbook review, revision, and distribution.
Oversee orientation of new members.
Assist in the development of a proposed budget.
Assist in drafting the proposed goals and objectives for the following year.
Work with other officers in nominating eligible candidates for leadership roles.
Meet with incoming officers to facilitate a smooth transition in leadership.
Assist Chairperson in planning the agenda.

Secretary

Take and publish meeting minutes.
Notify/remind committee members of deadlines.
Manage and publish the three-year member rotation.
Assist in the development of a proposed budget.
Assist in drafting the proposed goals and objectives for the following year.
Work with other officers in nominating eligible candidates for leadership roles.
Meet with incoming officers to facilitate a smooth transition in leadership.
Receive communication from members who will be unable to attend a meeting.
Facilitate communication for PDC events.

Treasurer

Work with designated support staff to prepare a monthly treasurer’s report of district PDC expenditures.
Work with support staff to facilitate arrangements for conference attendance.
Assist in the development of a proposed budget.
Assist in drafting the proposed goals and objectives for the following year.
Work with other officers in nominating eligible candidates for leadership roles.
Meet with incoming officers to facilitate a smooth transition in leadership.

What is the make up of the DPDC and how is it determined?

COMPOSITION AND ELIGIBILITY
Approved: November 14, 2000
Revised: June 4, 2014

Professional Development Committee members are elected by the certified staff in the building they represent. Committee members shall be certified staff members with at least one year of employment in Pattonville. Committee members serve a three-year term.

PDC members are elected consistent with the following ratios, based on the student enrollment at each building:

Students	PDC Members
1-500	1
500-1000	2
1000-1500	3
1500-2000	4, etc.

In addition to building representation, one representative from the District Administrative Team serves as an ex-officio member. If buildings choose to have multiple representatives sharing a term, the representative team is entitled to one vote in PDC matters.

Procedures for Elections & Retreat
One-third of the committee is elected each year. New members shall be elected prior to the annual PDC retreat or in the spring.

Committee members ending their 3-year terms will work with the building administration to do the following:

February - survey entire staff for interest in running for PDC.
March - ballot of all interested eligible staff will be submitted and the election will be held. (Committee members may run for re-election).

The PDC will hold both a spring and fall retreat. Dates and location will be determined each year based on the district calendar. Newly elected district representatives attend the fall PDC retreat for orientation.