Use these checklists to become acclimated to school district policies and systems, your new role, and professional responsibilities:

It’s a big district and sometimes it’s hard to know how to get your questions answered! Try THIS page of resources and points of contact. 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, using the tool bar on the right of this page. 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 and supports for multilingual families can be found HERE, including translation and interpretation services.

Orientation is a program that allows the District to ensure that new teacher hires are thoroughly prepared for the first day of teaching. Orientation is held for five-days in August with consolidated Saturday orientations held September – March for teachers hired later in the year. It allows us to provide timely, relevant information related to professional responsibilities, classroom management, and instruction. It also provides a unique opportunity to establish a strong adult culture within our newest cohort of teachers, to invest them with the District’s vision and to build a solid foundation to promote teacher retention.

Professional learning tailored to the needs of novice and experienced teachers in their first year in the district.

The #teachPHL Professional Learning Community is a multi-layered initiative tailored to the needs of novice and experienced teachers who are new to the School District of Philadelphia, in order to make meaningful connections, grow their foundational toolkit, and be successful in the classroom and school community.

#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.
• Office Hours: Monthly opportunity to ask questions, seek resources, or engage with a thought partner.

Use the following links to access more information about the #teachPHL professional learning community.

• #teachPHL Professional Development Sessions
• #teachPHL Resource Center
• #teachPHL Office Hours

Questions may be directed to professionaldevelopment@philasd.org.

Professional learning and resources for newly hired emergency-certified teachers.

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 this 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.

Use this application on the Employee Portal to register for professional learning sessions.