LAPDA, Inc.
250 Main Street, Suite 202
Montpelier, VT 05602
Phone: (802) 224-9110
Fax: (802) 224-9113
Main Email: info@lapdavt.org

Helping you with your
professional development needs

LAPDA provides courses, workshops, and other training opportunities for educators and human service providers on a year-round basis. The vast majority of LAPDA offerings are facilitated by a highly regarded field-based practitioner.

In addition, LAPDA provides customized contracted services for individual schools, districts, supervisory unions and human service organizations to help them meet their unique professional development needs. For example, contracted courses, action planning support, curriculum audits and meeting facilitation are related services that we can provide.

LAPDA has a long standing relationship with several higher education institutions, including the University of Vermont, the Vermont State Colleges, St. Michael's College, Union Institute (Vermont College) and the Community College of Vermont. This relationship allows LAPDA to handle all the coordination of a training, taking that burden off the school or agency.

LAPDA is committed to collaborating with the VT Department of Education and the other ESA regions to create a vibrant statewide system of professional development across Vermont.

In December 2003, LAPDA was awarded a grant by the VT Department of Education to become the Educational Service Area (ESA) for the Central Vermont/Winooski Valley Region. The primary purpose of an ESA is to increase student learning and improve schools by providing high quality professional development to:

· Enhance teacher content knowledge and pedagogy

· Strengthen leadership development

· Create vibrant school cultures and organizations

· Develop partnerships with other professional development providers.

 

Mission Statement

LAPDA is a regional collaborative that provides high quality professional development for educators. LAPDA serves as the Education Service Agency (ESA) for the Winooski Valley Region. LAPDA’s primary function is to enhance organizational capacity to provide training opportunities that provide professionals with the skills necessary to improve outcomes for young people.

We believe Professional Development should be:

• Results Driven
• High Quality
• Needs Based
• Research Based
• Job Embedded
• Easily Accessible
  

Our Goals are to:

1. Provide leadership and support to organizations as they develop and sustain their own professional development systems.
2. Research, identify implement and continually monitor best practices that result in enhanced learning, development and performance.
3. Build LAPDA’s capacity by nurturing the growth and development of local practitioners who can provide high quality professional development.
4. Secure financial and human resources necessary to sustain and advance LAPDA’s mission.

Key Indicators for our Goals:

1.1 80–100% of LAPDA consumers will utilize the information we provide regarding best practices in literacy, math, science, technology, well–being and organizational leadership to improve their instructional program.

1.2 LAPDA will continue the development of a cadre of consultants for literacy, math, science, technology, well-being and organizational leadership, that can provide individual services tailored to the needs of schools and agency’s in our region.

2.1 60–80% of the member schools will meet the student performance goals in literacy, math, science, technology and well–being, as outlined in their local action plans.

2.2 80% of LAPDA partners will commit to a long range planning model for improving and sustaining student achievement goals.

3.1 Continue the establishment and expansion of a professional development network that includes all LAPDA approved trainers.

3.2 LAPDA trainers and potential trainers will be provided with opportunities to enhance their ability to meet the needs of adult learners.

4.1 LAPDA board will establish a conceptual model to build a sustainable revenue base.

4.2 LAPDA board will adopt a three year business plan that will be reviewed annually.