May 2024

Dear Winston Families, Colleagues and Friends,

Winston Prep prizes faculty development, because we know that strong teachers are the foundation of everything we do. Winston Prep offers teachers unparalleled, rich, multi-level programs aimed at providing them with the knowledge, tools, and strategies to support our students. The Winston Innovation Lab’s Professional Learning Program serves as a meaningful way to create rich opportunities for faculty development while emphasizing the role of research in our teaching practice and overall program. This program embodies the philosophy that remaining on the cutting edge of research and expanding our collective understanding directly benefits the experiences and outcomes of each and every student that we serve, and makes us well-equipped to support our families in the process. One particular aspect of our research that we prioritize in our professional development programming is social emotional development applying the Qualities of a Sustainable and Independent Learner framework. One of our goals is to uncover the ways in which social emotional learning and academic skill development are linked and to reliably assess social emotional skills so that we can effectively support our students’ development and independence. Below are a few key ways that we enriched our students’ learning experience this year by supporting faculty:

WIL Professional Learning: Beginning with Winston 101, which is an in-depth program for teachers in their first year at Winston Prep, it continues daily with group meetings, strategy shares, time with mentors, and all-faculty workshops. Further, faculty from all campuses participate together in ongoing monthly sessions curated and customized specifically for the faculty at every level of their Winston journey. Designed to engage faculty at each level of experience and expertise, these programs provide monthly professional development opportunities ranging from building a strong foundational understanding for new faculty to providing veteran faculty with a chance to dive into research. Within this framework, faculty learn new ways to support student outcomes with effective instruction in skills related to both academics and the QSIL.

WIL Faculty Learning Library: Our ‘portal’ is a virtual platform that is built and maintained by the WIL team to share updated research, teaching resources, and key information about learning and learning disorders with faculty to apply to the classroom. WIL devotes a significant portion of our portal to research and tools around QSIL skill building.

Teacher Excellence and Leadership Development: The TELD program is a yearlong, graduate-style course that focuses on enhancing knowledge and expertise for a small group of nominated faculty. TELD addresses topics most pertinent to learning and cognition for our population of students, including the nuances of social emotional learning. Participants present in-depth case studies using the students they work with directly, which gives the group the opportunity to collaborate on understanding and application of evidence based practice.

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Winston Preparatory School is a leading school for students with learning disabilities, including dyslexia, executive functioning difficulties (ADHD), and non-verbal learning disorders (NVLD).

WPS does not discriminate against applicants and students on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin. The Winston Preparatory School provides programs and services and equal opportunity in the administration of its educational and admissions policies, financial aid programs, employment, and the selection of its governing board without regard to gender, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability status, or any status recognized by federal, state and local civil rights and non-discrimination laws.