As the Board of Education, we have to think about many stakeholders: students, teachers, staff, administrators, parents, community members, etc. How do our stakeholders think we are doing? Are our policies, initiatives and efforts supporting them?

PCSD is a service organization in the business of educating our students. As a Board, it is imperative we recognize our teachers, support staff and administrators are the frontline delivering educational services to our students. Without them, we would certainly be failing our students.

Viewed through this lens, you can draw a direct line between the academic excellence PCSD consistently achieves and the priority we place on productive and supportive policies, environments, and relationships that enable our teachers, support staff, and administrators to enjoy and perform their work to their highest ability.

Three examples of how PCSD prioritizes this are: the Teacher Center (TC), the collaborative and productive relationship with our employee bargaining units, and the extensive support of our community organizations.

Pittsford Central School District is committed to supporting ongoing professional learning for all faculty and staff and the TC is the main mechanism by which this professional development occurs. The TC offers professional learning opportunities in many areas of instruction including technology, differentiation, instructional strategies, leadership, special education, and co-teaching. The TC operates at the highest level guided by its mission to:

1. Align with District, building and individual needs
2. Standards-based
3. Job-embedded
4. Supported by multiple sources of data
5. Driven by student learning focused on Next Generation Skills

Most TC groups within Monroe County care financed through state grants, but Pittsford is one of the few districts that budgets for the administrative costs of the TC to ensure that the majority of grant money is allocated to teacher learning and professional development. The TC continues to make PCSD one of the most attractive districts for great teachers to work.

PCSD is also a unique district in the productive and collaborative ways in which our employee bargaining units all work together to ensure that Pittsford is a great place to work and attracts the best staff to protect and educate our children.

One of the largest employee bargaining unit is our teachers, represented by the Pittsford District Teachers Association (PDTA). This association plays a critical role in helping the Board and the PCSD leadership team understand the needs and priorities of our teachers and staff. Pittsford is one of the few districts that negotiates our contracts with PDTA directly without legal representatives. This is only possible because of our shared mission and vision for the District and the strong foundation of trust that our partnership is built upon.

But our collaborative spirit goes even further. The Board, District Office and Human Resources team are critical to ensuring that all of our employee bargaining units are heard and supported so they are able to bring their whole selves to the job everyday. This is evidenced by the successful contract negotiations we have established with our Pittsford District Administrator’ Association (PDAA), Bus Drivers and Attendants, the Pittsford Educational Office Professionals (PEOP), Food Service professionals, Maintenance and Custodial professionals and Supervisory and Technical staff.

Finally, Pittsford is fortunate to have a deeply involved community that makes it such a great place to work and ensures our continued academic excellence. Pittsford’s PTSA invests an incredible amount of time and resources to support our teachers & staff:

1. Providing enrichment grants
2. Running and managing teacher appreciation day
3. Volunteering as room parents to aide in communication and classroom planning
4. Providing classroom supply kits catered to teacher requests
5. Recognizing our incredible staff for their career work through the Honorary Life Membership award

Our District is blessed to have the level of involvement and collaboration that we enjoy across our community, employee bargaining units, and institutions like the TC that make it an incredible place to teach and learn. As a Board, we recognize that this is the result of dedication, hard work and constant investment. When we make decisions for the District, it is with a commitment to these principles and desire to carry this tradition forward.