Yesterday, January 20th, Gretna Public Schools hosted an exciting Staff Development Day for educators and staff across the district. The event featured engaging sessions and an inspiring keynote by Brian Mendler, a highly sought-after speaker in school discipline, behavior management, and student engagement. His powerful message left the staff feeling empowered to succeed with all students in their classrooms.
The day began with a breakfast in the commons area, providing staff with an opportunity to connect before the sessions started. Following breakfast, Superintendent Travis Lightle welcomed everyone in the auditorium. He emphasized the district’s commitment to improving education and supporting teacher growth through the district’s Strategic Plan.
Throughout the morning, staff participated in a variety of breakout sessions, including “Navigating School Policies through Real-Life Scenarios,” “The Great Escape: Creating Puzzles for Breakout Challenges,” and “Spelling: The Sixth Component of Literacy.” Each session offered practical strategies and tools that educators could immediately implement in their classrooms.
A Gretna Public School teacher shared, “I loved the breakout sessions. I thought it was extremely helpful and valuable to hear what other teachers are using in their classrooms. So many of us have become experts over certain areas, and I think it’s so helpful to hear what’s working for other teachers and things that might simplify our everyday workload.”
Another teacher reflected, “The autonomy to pick what applied and was of interest to me kept me engaged. Plus, learning from my peers and seeing their knowledge and passions improves my own morale. This was by far the most engaged I have been during an in-service day in my 12 years at Gretna.”
The keynote presentation by Brian Mendler was another exciting moment of the day. He shared valuable insights on managing classroom behavior and creating positive learning environments. His inspiring talk encouraged staff to believe in their ability to succeed with any student in their classroom.
After the keynote, staff had time to reflect and work on applying the new strategies they learned throughout the day. Reflecting on the event, one teacher commented, “This was my favorite professional development day by far!”
The event was a resounding success, demonstrating Gretna Public Schools’ commitment to providing the support and resources that educators need to make a positive impact in their classroom.