Bridgeport Exempted Village School District Curriculum Director Leslie Kosanovic, center, guides new teachers Gracie Gardner, from left, Jessica Byers, Lauren Nolan and others through the yearly evaluation process. Teachers set goals for the school year and focus on improving their teaching strategies to offer more opportunities for the students. Photo Provided

BRIDGEPORT — The educators at Bridgeport Exempted Village School District are also lifelong learners who are always exploring ways to improve and, in doing so, set their students up for success.

The district promotes this through a yearly evaluation of the entire staff. This school year, the school district welcomed five new teachers who embraced the credo of consistent improvement.

Fifth and sixth grade social studies teacher Gracie Gardner, middle school intervention teacher Jessica Byers, high school science teacher Kylie Krieger, who also teaches Introduction to biology and anatomy for the College Credit Plus program, seventh and eighth grade math and high school math teacher Lauren Nolan and Trevin Tush, who works with kindergarteners through second-graders in the cross categorical room, were all given some additional time to accustom themselves to these educational tools.

Curriculum Director Leslie Kosanovic kicked things off by presenting teachers with a self-assessment summary covering the seven standards of the teaching profession, including knowledge of the different students and how they learn, knowledge of their subject and content, the methods of instruction, communication, and creation of a good learning environment.

“The teachers begin by completing a self-assessment that only they can see. This way they can truly evaluate what they see as their areas of strength and/or growth. They will then use this information to create a professional goal that they will work toward throughout the school year,” Kosanovic said.

“Every year I get to work with our new to Bridgeport teachers to help set them up for success regarding the Ohio Teacher Evaluation System. All teachers are evaluated,” Kosanovic said. “They’re going to be developing what’s called a professional growth plan.”

She said teachers will work with their evaluator.

“They’ll talk about their professional growth plan and provide evidence around their progress toward it throughout the year.”

This school year, the district is also including the CliftonStrengths assessment, which measures their strengths. Armed with a greater understanding of their strengths, whether in relating to others, effective communication, making plans or understanding others’ emotions, the teachers set their goals with their strengths in mind.

Kosanovic said by considering the students’ learning styles and needs, teachers will be better able to introduce various learning opportunities.

“We talked about depth of knowledge levels and how to increase them, and of course project-based learning is one of the great ways to do that. These five teachers are new to Bridgeport and relationship-building is therefore the number one priority. They will not only be working on content and creating exciting lessons but also crafting those good relationships with their colleagues, their students and the parents and the community.”

She said the strengths assessment is becoming a valuable component of the evaluation process this school year.

“That’s new for everybody. It’s taking what you want as your growth goal, and how are you going to use your strengths to make sure you achieve that goal?” she said. “Tying the two things together we feel is a pretty unique and great way to use CliftonStrengths.”

Kosanovic stressed a solid understanding of their professional growth plan as their driver for the school year.

“The five new teachers are doing a great job so far. This is one of the ways to support our new teachers,” she said. “They all left with some really great, solid professional growth plans that are aligned with their strengths.”