Welcome to the Williamsville Education Center Web Site

The Center website has been established as a means to communicate important information about the Center mission and available resources.

Mission

The Mission of the Williamsville Education Center is to establish a viable professional growth center where training, research and development can occur for individuals and groups by extending the Williamsville Central School Districts current commitment to professional development. The following are its program goals:

• To provide a venue for staff to gain and share knowledge, skill and understanding related to national, state and local educational goals and initiatives.
  
• To provide resources, materials and equipment that will support the professional growth of program participants to assist all students to meet or exceed local standards.
  
• To model technology for staff to experience and use and to provide a venue for staff to learn about and to use new technologies in their classroom.

Quick Guide to Available Resources

The Center provides the following resources through operation of this web site to district and participating non-public school staff:

Current Professional Development Catalog

The Center coordinates efforts with the district and other providers in terms of content and dates of offering to provide for a more consistent, effective overall professional development program. Cooperative activities in the past have been arranged with BOCES, SETRIC, local museums and cultural institutions, local colleges and other teacher centers. A jointly created workshop catalog is distributed in the Fall, Spring, and Summer. Study Groups and Action Research -The Center is responsible for administering study groups and action research training, the collection of proposals, and follow-up help to individuals who are participating in action research projects. This link to WITS (The Williamsville ) provides an opportunity for Williamsville staff to review the current professional development catalog, review their completed coursework, and enter new course proposals. [District Logon is required]

Library Catalog

Located at Willliamsville’s Maple East Elementary School, the Education Center Professional Library contains books, videos, periodicals, and audio tapes that are available for loan to all staff. Electronic cataloging allows for access to the library catalog in each of Williamsville's thirteen schools. Books can be ordered online. Directions for searching and ordering materials are located on the site.

Equipment Catalog

Lending Technology Service - To enhance the use of technology in the classroom the Center provides a lending technology service to provide an opportunity for practical applications of technology skills learned in workshop settings to be transferred to the classroom. Use of this online directory will not only allow staff to identify equipment that is available but to check on its availability and schedule its use all at the same time.

Discussion Forum

The Center acts as a communication conduit between buildings, staff, and administration in disseminating important material such as mailings and notices from the state, B.O.C.E.S. fliers on training sessions, and training resources that are available to individuals and buildings. All new forum members must register on the forum site.

Online Course Development

Providing opportunities for coordinated learning efforts to be available on line have become important for both professional development efforts and use in classroom with students. Many teachers have used free sites such as Blackboard.com and This site offers opportunities for more in depth services. For staff to develop skill in the use of online learning opportunities

WISE Williamsville Instructional Strategies Exchange

Under Construction

Educational Links

The Center is continually updating a bank of websites which provide opportunities for professional growth to occur for educators. Suggestions for adding links can occur by using the appropriate form under contact us.