Staff Development

Beginning August 2009, High Plains Educational Cooperative will support a Tiered Paraeducator Inservice plan.  Paraeducators who have worked as a Kansas special education para less than 3 years (within the past 3 years) are to complete 20 hours of inservice if employed for 9 months during the school year. Paraeducators who have worked as a Kansas special education para for more than 3 years (including the past 3 years) must complete 10 hours in inservice if employed for 9 months during  the school year.
 
These hours may be obtained by attending a combination of the following within the year employed:
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High Plains Educational Cooperative sponsored staff development. 
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Any appropriate workshop, college course, or approved plan by the Director.
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Local staff development opportunities.
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Appropriate staff development offered by other agencies or meetings with their staff (i.e., CPR, First Aid, Area Mental Health, SRS, adult/preschool agencies, Professional Development Council, Extension Council, approved audio & video tape programs related to the paraeducator assignment)
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Planned staff development activities by a team member about a topic, not a student, are considered staff development. Common examples are staff development about lifting, language during play, and sensory integration.  There should be an agenda.
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Utilization of the Kansas Infinitec website.  You may access this site at http://www.myinfinitec.org.  You must have an email account to register.  Steps for registering are listed on the Infinitec website under How to Create an account (Kansas).  Please be advised that HPEC cannot access your account, therefore you will need to keep track of your username and password.  Once registered at the website, you may gain inservice points by using the online classroom section of the site.  Be aware that not all of the online classroom offerings provide inservice points.  Once you have completed the quiz, you will receive an email verifying your grade, date and number of points awarded.  This email is the only verification you will receive.  Please send a copy of the email(s) with your inservice plan.
       New paras will need to contact central office with theirschool email  
       address.