Taking that extra step toward leadership

Annette Simmons’ schedule is packed. A doctoral student who is also an eighth-grade social studies teacher in the Roseville School District, Simmons doesn’t have lots of spare time. But when she saw a brief notice about a staff development certificate program offered through the college’s Department of Educational Policy and Administration, she couldn’t resist applying.

“I looked at it and said, ‘BAM! That’s what I want to do.’ It’s right down my alley,” recalls Simmons, who during 12 years of teaching has found anything to do with staff development intriguing.

Simmons began taking classes in the certificate program, which complement the classes she already is taking to pursue a doctorate in social studies education and a minor in preK–12 principal administration. Despite the extra work, she doesn’t regret the decision.

“I would recommend the staff development certificate program in a heartbeat,” says Simmons, who has two credits left to complete in the 12- to 15-credit program. “It’s given me many helpful tools. The instructors are amazing, and they’re open to your needs—they want to make it work for you. That’s what’s kept me moving along.”

The certificate program in staff development is designed to prepare educational leaders in designing, implementing, and evaluating learning opportunities for preK–12 educators and related staff. The focus of the program is really about student learning, Simmons says, and what educators can do to ensure student success. Topics include assessment of staff, assessment of programs, and instructing adult educators. Working in teams is an important part of the process.

“Throughout the whole program, there’s constant reading, absorbing, and reflecting,” says Simmons, speaking over the sounds of a public address system during a prep study period at her school. There are also immediate opportunities to apply research and theory from the classes.

Annette Simmons shows her laptop
to John Pillsbury (statue).

“One of the projects I had was to conduct some sort of study group (a professional learning community), so I started a book club at my school last year. It was so successful that we continued it this year,” Simmons says. “Right now we’re reading The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. Yesterday we had two Hmong speakers who came and helped us talk about how we could apply some of the issues in the book to our teaching. It opened our eyes.”

Simmons deals with combining full-time work and demanding coursework by pacing herself, she says. She usually takes one to two classes a semester. Most classes start at 4:40 p.m., which allows her time to drive from the Roseville Area Middle School to her home in northeast Minneapolis, where she checks on her yellow Labrador and has a quick bite to eat. Sometimes, she and her classmates go out to eat and study in Dinkytown. Her expanded social life is one of the big pluses of life at the U, she says.

“Getting to know people [from other schools] has been a very nice thing, because where I work, other teachers are not necessarily in higher education,” Simmons says. “Another nice thing is that you get to see a lot of the same people in different classes, and some have become good friends. It’s a lot of work, but then again, the program is exceptional—fantastic.”

—Suzanne Miric