Professional Development in St. Louis, MO

The PCS Journey

Not only do we intentionally work at creating a family like adult culture we also value helping each staff member grow both personally and professionally.

We understand that working in a school is both challenging and rewarding and each person has different strengths and areas to grow.

We have put various structures in place that provide layers of support for each of our team members as we honor them as individuals.

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Our Three Year Professional Growth Model

At PCS, we are dedicated to helping each person grow in their profession by supporting them with an extensive growth model that encompasses best practices, relationship building, and community.

We focus our learning together around a deep understanding of self, students and systems. We grapple with big ideas, dig into practical tips that can be implemented right away and we make sure we are having fun!

Additionally, we are always ranking the care of our hard working team as our highest priority. As we nurture both the learning and the people, it's not uncommon for them to get home cooked meals, snacks, and professional resources to guide them in their journey.

YEAR ONE - professional Growth model

In year one, we have monthly seminars onsite after the school day where we share a meal together, bond as a cohort, and learn together. Each staff member is given a personal coach and works with them throughout the year to assist them in their individual professional journey.

YEAR two - professional Growth model

In year two, the cohort model continues to build relationships and learn about relevant topics. We meet monthly, and when possible, we choose local restaurants and meet off-campus to do our learning. Coaches also continue to work with individual staff members on their journeys.

YEAR three - professional Growth model

In year three, staff members narrow down their learning to their own passions, while still receiving support from a coach. While they still meet as a group to bond and grow, they work on their own “passion project” and share what they’ve learned with their peers and the wider school community.

Additional Support

At PCS, we believe in continuously supporting our teachers and students, and we have dedicated team members to assist with this support. Our Project Based Learning (PBL) coaches support teachers with research based practices as well as with their knowledge from their past and current experience teaching PBL.

We also have other speciality coaches including a math coach, technology coach, literacy coach, 5 licensed counselors including 2 play therapists, and a team of ELL teachers who co-teach and support teachers with best practices.

Individual Paths for Growth

We believe in helping each individual teacher grow in areas that they deem necessary, of interest and/or importance.

Opportunities for this growth are often found in our in house focus groups, in which staff members choose what is important to them. Examples of focus groups are social justice, restorative practices, and whole brain child development. 

We also do school wide and optional small group book studies on various topics, and also offer off site professional development.


Staff Retreat

Every two years, we head off to a destination for an overnight to bond, build community, and focus on our goals and mission. Examples of past retreat sites have been in Columbia, MO and Innsbrook, MO.

This is one of the most loved traditions by the entire team. There is something incredibly energizing about getting a group of 150+ people together to connect with each other and the reasons why we do what we do at PCS.