Harford County Public Schools Earns “Educators as Innovators Excellence Award” from Learning Forward Maryland

From Harford County Public Schools:

Learning Forward Maryland (LFMD), an organization that builds the capacity of leaders to establish and sustain highly effective professional learning, both nationally and internationally, has announced that Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) is the recipient of its 2015 Educators as Innovators Excellence Award in recognition of the school system’s 2015 Professional Learning Conference. The award will be presented to HCPS leaders on Wednesday, September 2, at the LFMD Annual Dinner Meeting and Awards Ceremony at the Carver Professional Center in Gambrills, Maryland.

The HCPS Professional Learning Conference was a groundbreaking endeavor in that it featured an exemplary array of in-depth sessions focusing on content, cultural proficiency, innovative uses of technology, and differentiated approaches to instruction for teachers and staff working with students Pre-k through12th grade. The keynote sessions were designed to be inspiring, and the workshops and sessions were presented in a variety of formats to meet the needs of teachers’ learning styles and provide them with a wealth of opportunities for professional networking. In addition, various vendor fairs and the Graduate Fair provided added opportunities for teachers to expand their knowledge and expertise.

HCPS welcomed university instructors; vendors; and other local, state and national educators to share their knowledge and expertise during the two-day conference. More than 500 interactive presentations were offered to HCPS employees in an online course catalog. The quantity and quality of the session offerings demonstrated the school system’s commitment to providing valuable professional development. Teachers and support staff were able to design an individualized schedule of sessions during the conference that best aligned with the needs of their students and their professional interests.

“HCPS is incredibly proud to be at the forefront of nationwide efforts to promote and support teachers and instructional support staff,” said Harford County Public Schools Superintendent Barbara P. Canavan. “This award is a true testament of the tireless efforts of our conference organizers and the enthusiasm of our participants to ensure our event was a success.”

During a time where public education does not afford multiple opportunities for educators to travel to attend conferences and workshops, LFMD credits HCPS for demonstrating that quality learning for adults can and should take place at the local level.

The school system will again host a Professional Learning Conference this school year for all teachers and instructional staff. The two-day conference will take place November 23 and 24.