Pro-D report for January 2015 SRA/AGM

The PD Fund continues to support teachers as they design professional development activities that require advice or coordination, incur costs, or simply need help getting off the ground.  We have funded about 45 out-of-district applications this year, which accounts for about $45,000 of our $110,000 budget.  The rest of the budget is for additional applications in the year remaining, local pro-d, release time for teachers, and the Spring Fling Conference. Last year we spent most of the previous year's surplus of $14,000.  This year we may end up with a surplus of around $10,000. In years long past the Fund would often start with over $100,000 in surplus, but we don't see that anymore -- teachers are using their PD money, and that is a good thing.  The Spring Fling conference planning is underway with about 30 workshops dialed in and room for plenty more.  If you or someone you know would like to present, please direct them to the conference website at http://springflingconference.weebly.com. We are encouraging a few enterprising teachers or community partners to organize excursions - buses leaving from and returning to PGSS during the Spring Fling for some site-based professional learning. This year we are also adding a 2nd day just for New Teachers, featuring sessions from Provincial Specialist Associations and BCTF professional issues workshop presenters. In between these two days will be a Social for teachers at Hummus Brothers in the Treasure Cove Hotel.  Look for more information about all of these things when you return from Spring Break.