Welcome to the School District of Philadelphia! The goal of the Teacher Development Team is to empower Philadelphia students through timely and transformational professional learning for their new/novice teachers.
New and Novice Teachers
Welcome Center for New and Novice Teachers
Where to find information about your new school
For school info visit School Profiles & Data.
How to set up your district email and login
If you have not already registered for your Employee Portal and/or email account, click HERE.
How to take attendance and set up your gradebook
Student Information System (SIS) Help Website – Support for staff in using Infinite Campus, the District’s Student Information System
How to access your pay stub and check sick/personal day balances
Go to the Employee Payroll Information tile on the Employee Portal, commonly called Hollywood Squares.
What to do if you’re going to be absent from work
1) Request a substitute teacher using the Substitute Services tile on the Employee Portal.
2) Call your school to let them know about the absence.
3) Submit THIS form to the school office as soon as possible.
How to access tools and documents to plan instruction
How to translate the most commonly used acronyms
Visit the SDP Acronym Glossary HERE.
24-25 Contact Guide: Who To Go For What You Need at SDP
If you don’t see what you need, please contact Elizabeth McAnally, Director of Teacher Development (emcanally@philasd.org).
A valid Pennsylvania Teaching Certificate is required for employment in the School District of Philadelphia.
- If you have an emergency teaching permit, visit THIS document for FAQs.
- If you hold a Level I, or Level II certificate, visit THIS document to see what you need to do to keep your teaching certification active.
- For more information about certification and salary upgrades, visit THIS district FAQ page.
- To access the PA Department of Education certification page, click HERE.
It’s rewarding to be a teacher, and it’s also challenging work! Don’t be discouraged when you have a tough day or feel like there’s more to learn. Great teachers are always learning and developing their craft.
- Check out the professional learning initiatives tailored to the needs of new and novice teachers in the section below. Our sessions are collaborative, informative, and judgment-free. For help selecting the right initiative for your needs, visit THIS flyer.
- Reach out for support!
- If you are a new, non-tenured teacher and haven’t yet been contacted by your Consulting Teacher, email professionaldevelopment@philasd.org. For more information about the Peer Assistance and Review program for non-tenured teachers new to the district, click HERE.
- If you are not already receiving coaching support from the Office of Professional Learning, sign up to be paired with a Teacher Mentor by emailing teachermentor@philasd.org. For more information about the Teacher Mentor Program, click HERE for our flyer.
- Talk to people in your school who can support you: School-Based Teacher Leaders (SBTLs), Special Education Compliance Monitors (SPECMs), your principal or assistant principal, and other teachers.
- Partner with your students’ families. Resources for families can be found HERE.
Professional Learning for New and Novice Teachers
You can find more information about professional learning initiatives below! The tabs on the left include our different initiatives and resources curated for the needs of teachers in their first year in our district. If you don’t see what you need, please contact Elizabeth McAnally, Director of Teacher Development (emcanally@philasd.org).
Our new hire orientation program ensures a smooth transition into the classroom. This five-day program in August (with condensed Saturday sessions for teachers hired later in the year) provides essential information on professional responsibilities, classroom management, and instruction. It also fosters a strong, supportive culture among new hires, instills our district’s vision, and builds a foundation for teacher retention.
#teachPHL supports teachers through:
- Impactful Professional Development: Twice-monthly sessions focused on classroom environment, instructional best practices, and timely professional learning topics, with an emphasis on planning and practice in a judgment-free space.
- Resource Center: Curated resources needed for success in the first year of teaching in SDP and selected materials from professional development sessions.
Questions may be directed to professionaldevelopment@philasd.org.
Teach Right Now supports teachers through:
- Professional Learning: Twice monthly professional development sessions designed to formally introduce emergency certified teachers to foundational concepts and skills for lesson design and implementation and differentiated professional learning organized in collaboration with the Office of Curriculum and Instruction and the Office of Diverse Learners.
- Certification Support: Resources created in collaboration with the Office of Talent to keep ECTs abreast of timelines and requirements to remain in compliance and inform teachers about certification programs.
- Outreach and Resources: Monthly newsletter with timely information regarding the academic calendar, deadlines, professional learning opportunities, announcements from central office entities, and documents in the form of checklists, templates, and one page summaries.
Questions may be directed to sgraham2@philasd.org.
State-approved program of study that fulfills one of the requirements for Level II certification.
All educators seeking to convert their Level I instructional certificates to Level II instructional certificates must go through the Teacher Induction program.
Program Overview
Induction is a requirement in the state of Pennsylvania for all educators to convert their Level I instructional certificate to a Level II instructional certificate. The Teacher Induction program is offered to all teachers who have taught in Pennsylvania for 0-6 years and/or have teaching experience outside of Pennsylvania. In addition to completing a state-approved Induction program, teachers in Pennsylvania must also have 3 years of teaching experience in the state and 24 post-baccalaureate credits to convert their level I teaching certificate to a level II.
The Teacher Induction program gives teachers the opportunity to participate in a full year of professional development that focuses on the unique needs of beginning educators. Our Induction program provides one year of support that prioritizes skill development, personal reflection, and professional networking. Our model provides teachers with general pedagogical strategies that are designed for teachers in years 0-3. The program has opportunities to collaborate and problem solve with similar teachers of similar grade level and content area. There are two choices of cohorts for participants. Both include the 20 hours of in-person learning and 10 hour of portfolio work.
Registration
Teacher Induction is advertised on the Teacher Information Board and through teacher e-mail distribution lists. Teachers should register by completing the registration survey.
Participants should have a fully-charged laptop and any relevant planning materials for each session and should be ready to practice and to apply the new content and be open to feedback from colleagues and mentors.
For Nurses seeking Induction, please contact Student Health Services at studenthealth@philasd.org.
For psychologists seeking Induction, please contact Dr. Veronica Knapper (vknapper@philasd.org) and Janay Jones (jjones3@philasd.org)
For counselors seeking Induction, please contact Meghan Smith at measmith@philasd.org.
For Pre-K teachers seeking Induction, please contact Tryphina Robinson tsrobinson@philasd.org.
2024-2025 Session Information
Please review the Induction Flyer for all the most important information!
The Teacher Induction Program offers two different cohorts to accommodate your schedule.
- Cohort 1 has sessions in the summer and throughout the course of the school year.
- Cohort 2 has sessions on Thursdays and Saturdays throughout the year.
Attendance is required at all sessions.
- All sessions for Cohort 1 and Cohort 2 will be virtual until more information is provided.
- More information will be provided to registered participants as the dates approach.
For additional questions regarding Teacher Induction, please contact teacherinduction@philasd.org.
Use this application on the Employee Portal to register for professional learning sessions.
Click HERE to access our webpage for PowerSchool steppers and screencasts.