Faculty Professional Development Day

On Thursday, February 13, our faculty participated in a Professional Development day, engaging in a variety of sessions on diverse topics. Teachers from grades four through eight, along with members of the Lower School guidance and learning specialists team, attended a three-hour Deep Listening workshop led by Dr. Ellen Porter Honnet, a psychologist from the renowned Stanley H. King Institute in Cambridge, MA. During this intensive workshop, participants learned and practiced strategic listening skills and gained tools to better connect with students in one-on-one conversations. We are grateful to the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey and the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ for funding this professional development opportunity.

Lower School faculty for Pre-K through 3rd Grade, along with specialists, spent their morning attending workshops on Loose Parts, Small Group Instruction, team meetings for General and Judaic Studies, and curriculum mapping. In the afternoon, the Lower School faculty gathered to continue the work from our previous faculty meeting, discussing the programs and events that each grade feels best capture the essence of our story at GOA.

Upper School faculty, teaching grades 9-12, participated in a morning workshop on AI in the classroom, led by Upper School Librarian Karen Ulric. In the afternoon, all Upper School teachers collaborated on a Tu Bishvat project linked to GOA’s core values. Teachers reflected on the highlights of the school year so far, shared successes they aim to build on, and added them to a "Highlights and Hopes" Tu Bishvat tree.

It was truly a day of community, learning, and fun for both our faculty and administration.