National Dropout Prevention Center introduces professional development DVD

Published: February 28, 2011

By Sidney Nimmons

CLEMSON — In a new effort to increase high school graduation rates, the National Dropout Prevention Center at Clemson University has partnered with MENTOR and Clemson Radio Productions to produce a professional development series on DVD.

The first issue of the series highlights the importance of mentoring, which is one of 15 effective strategies the center promotes to prevent dropouts. The DVD includes tools for 10 sessions of development training. This new delivery system will make it easier for school districts to administer high-quality professional development, which is a key concept in preventing dropouts.

“This tool provides a resource that gives school leaders a workshop, resources and a guidebook for implementation that better assures success in conducting an effective in-service program of school staff,” said Marty Duckenfield, public information director for the National Dropout Prevention Center.

The series offers high-quality professional development at a low cost to schools and school districts. Each DVD contains a workshop presentation with a national expert in the topic, from the “Solutions to the Dropout Crisis” radio webcast that is broadcast the second Tuesday of every month. The series also includes such resources as websites, PDF documents and videos to aid the training of faculty and staff.

MENTOR, the National Mentoring Network, provides resources to mentoring programs throughout the country.

Issues of the new professional development series can be ordered by form or online at www.dropoutprevention.org. The cost is $50.

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