YOU CAN!
Participate as a faculty member

Professional Development Program

The Network of Complementary Schools is a private nonprofit consortium of twenty-two private and public schools throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada. Its purpose is to facilitate exchanges taking advantage of a broad range of specific educational programs among member schools. Since its inception in 1975, the Network has been most active in enabling students to visit other schools for several weeks where they have had the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of exciting programs. However, the Network also helps teachers and staff from member schools spend one or two weeks at other schools in the consortium where they can exchange knowledge and acquire experience about particular programs and educational approaches. In the past, Network teachers have visited other Network schools to participate in outdoor educational programs, to experience schools in different cultural settings, and to observe special programs in the arts or mathematics and other unique academic offerings. Read through the YOU CAN! brochure for ideas that can help you to develop a program that will meet your needs and Interests.

Many schools in the organization have expressed a willingness to try to help their teachers/staff take advantage of the exchange opportunity. In some cases, housing can be arranged by staff at the host school.

The Network has allocated funds for grants up to a maximum of $600 per exchange teacher/staff member to cover costs such as travel, housing, and other expenses incurred by participants, their schools, or the schools that they visit.

Applications for the exchange program are available through school Network advisors or online (Network Professional Development grant application (Word doc)). Before submitting applications to the Network, teachers, staff and/or their Network advisors should:

• Contact the Network Advisor at the host school to ascertain the feasibility of the proposed project.
• Notify the Network office of tentative plans for the exchange project and receive guidance in preparing the application and in making requests for funds.

The completed application should reflect input from the potential host school and from the central Network office.

At the completion of the exchange experience, teachers will be required to submit written reports on the programs they visited and a detailed accounting of project expenses covered by Network grants.

Faculty exchanges are also part of the Network and offer individual teachers at member schools the opportunity for meaningful professional development. Such exchanges provide positive results both to the sending and host schools, and to the teacher involved.

Talk to the Network Advisor at your school to discuss possible exchanges. Work with the Advisor to determine if your school is willing to make professional development funds available for your exchange. If not, or if the school's funds cannot fund your exchange fully, fill out a Network Professional Development grant application (Word doc) and return it to your Network Advisor.