RESERVE — Making sure staff members have the tools necessary for a successful year was the focus of one last day of professional development before the St. John the Baptist Parish Public School District welcomes students back to class.

On Monday, employees participated in training sessions ranging from curriculum and STEM to teacher collaboration and CPR training.

“Our focus for this year’s Professional Development is to equip our instructional staff with the intellectual tools they need to do their jobs well,” Superintendent Kevin George said.

“With Tier I Curriculum trainings provided over the summer and a systematic approach for job embedded continuous learning, we expect great things from our staff and students during the 2018-2019 school year. Our culture is built around support and ensuring that every child has a quality instructional education.”

Professional development is held throughout the school year.

The August training is an opportunity to make sure all staff members are on the same page before welcoming students back to school on Wednesday.

“The St. John the Baptist Parish School District is committed to providing the best education possible to our students. To do that, we must continually enhance our employees’ knowledge and skills to help perfect their practice,” Assistant Superintendent Heidi Trosclair said. “That’s what this day is all about – improving our employees’ skills to help all of our students grow.”

Employees ranging from district and school administrators to teachers, para-educators and secretaries participated in the professional development day.