The Norris School District has been announced as a winner of a new grant opportunity available from the Nebraska Department of Education to  Nebraska public schools interested in implementing the Nebraska teacher evaluation model. The district won $5,000 for the 2016-17 school year to support  and implement an evaluation model for effective educators and to obtain the necessary training for administrators and teachers to incorporate the state model.

Norris Curriculum Director Dr. Brenda Tracy, who authored the grant application for the Norris Schools, explained that the grant funds will help Norris update and enhance the existing teacher evaluation process.  “We have great teachers and a strong evaluation process in place already, and this will strengthen it further.” The training provided through the grant provides assistance with aligning formal staff evaluation processes to the Nebraska Teacher and Principal Performance Framework.  Specifically, Dr. Tracy explained that the district’s instructional program (the research-based Marzano program) will be used to align and make the evaluation process for teachers’ instruction align with the professional development teachers have had the last two years in this area.

“We are grateful to the state for the support to have teachers and admin collaborate as instructional leaders in ensuring that our teachers continue to be evaluated by the best practice standards of our profession,” said Superintendent Dr. John Skretta. Monies from the grant will be used to pay for training and non-contract stipends for teachers to participate in the evaluation grant process.