Investing in Educators
To effectively execute our mission, we know that it starts with an incredible team of educators. To have thriving students, we need thriving teachers. At Atlas, we work hard to provide our staff with an excellent educator experience, from scheduling and coaching to resources and compensation. For decades, research has shown that human capital is the single most significant in-school factor for improving student achievement. At Atlas, we recruit, develop, and retain talented educators who maximize every student’s academic and personal potential.
By utilizing best practices, homeroom teachers at Atlas receive:
- a rigorous base curriculum
- two 50-minute plan times each day
- designated time to internalize and customize their lesson plans
- time to participate in regular data team meetings
- personalized coaching with feedback from a mentor
- a school calendar that builds in more than 30 full days of professional development
While many of the items mentioned above are considered best practices, what puts teachers at Atlas on a different trajectory is the 30 full days of professional development that has been built into our school’s yearly calendar during intersession breaks and is reflected in our staff’s salary.
For teachers, the first week of the intersession break offers opportunities for professional growth. Teachers have time to reflect on lessons, analyze data, and plan for the next academic cycle. Moreover, teachers can participate in professional development opportunities aligned with the school’s strategic priorities and designed to help them grow as educators. Each intersession also has vacation time built in for staff, giving teachers more frequent opportunities to rest and grow stronger. By embedding more frequent opportunities for professional development and time off for staff, we create a more sustainable work-life balance for our team members.