About CA - Faculty Professional
Development Program

As a learning community with the mission to promote discovery, innovation, collaboration and excellence, Cary Academy believes strongly that a faculty committed to vibrant professional development, reflective practice and periodic evaluation is essential to achieving that mission.  More specifically, the school subscribes wholeheartedly to the following statement as it designs and supports a faculty culture devoted to ongoing growth within these four mission areas.

“The sine qua non of education is whether teachers know how to make complex subjects accessible to diverse learners and whether they can work in partnership with parents and other educators to support children’s development.” (The Right to Learn: A Blueprint for Creating Schools that Work, Linda Darling-Hammond)

Even with such a clear mission and a strong faculty culture, no school will achieve these goals without the commitment of substantial funds and dedicated time. Cary Academy therefore provides between 1.2% and 1.5% of its annual budget for professional growth. Additionally, the annual interest from the endowed William C. Friday Summer Fellowship provides funds for up to three faculty to pursue projects during the summer months.

Professional growth opportunities are available in the following ways.

General Professional Development Funds

• Faculty may apply to their division head for funds to support such activities as attending a conference (such as NAIS, NCTM) or workshop, taking a non-degree course, developing a new course

• Full-time faculty enrolled in Masters or terminal degree programs may apply to the head of school for reimbursement through the Graduate School Tuition Assistance Plan

• Faculty intended to become Nationally Board Certified teachers may apply for funds through the National Board Certification Support Program to underwrite all but the $300 registration fee, assuming successful completion of Certification.

CARMA (Cary Academy Recognition for Mission Advancement)

• This program recognizes faculty members who through outstanding contributions in their roles as teachers, advisors, extra-curricular leaders and community members advance the core elements of the mission of the school: discovery, innovation, collaboration and excellence. Faculty apply for this recognition and a committee, composed of faculty members, administrators and chaired by the dean of faculty evaluates each application. There are two financial award structures, one featuring a larger annual stipend and smaller professional development fund, the other featuring the reverse arrangement. These awards extend for a four year period and provide a substantial means of increasing discretionary income.

Collaboration Funds

• Faculty who are presenting at a workshop may apply to the head of school for partial or full reimbursement of expenses. Division heads may also contribute from their general funds.

SAS inSchool Funds

• Under certain circumstances, SAS inSchool, the educational division of SAS Institute, may also provide partial funding for faculty who present at conferences and reference SAS inSchool products. Faculty should confer with the dean of faculty before approaching SAS inSchool.

William C. Friday Summer Fellowships

• In January, faculty may apply for these fellowships, provided by income from endowed funds given in the name of Mr. Friday, longtime President of UNC/Chapel Hill in North Carolina and a founding member of the school’s Board of Directors. The maximum grant is $5,000 with a maximum of $2,500 for a stipend. Three faculty were awarded Friday Fellowships in 2002.  Eight Fellowships have been given through 2004.  The dean of faculty and a small committee reviews and selects recipients for both the Friday and Bridges Fellowships.

Robert  E. Bridges Honored Educators Scholarship Program

• This endowed scholarship is named in honor of Mr. Robert E. Bridges, who for many years was a highly respected public school teacher and administrator in North Carolina. He was superintendent of Wake County Schools from 1984 to 1989 and was among the original members of Cary Academy’s Board of Directors, serving from 1997 to 2002. The scholarship provides tuition and expenses for one faculty each year to attend the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching. The dean of faculty and a small committee reviews and selects recipients. One scholarship has been awarded for 2005.

Grants, Fellowships and Awards

• The advancement office is always eager to assist faculty who wish to apply for special grants. The dean of faculty is eager to assist with applications and references to graduate programs, Fulbright or Klingenstein Fellowships, for example. Faculty should be sure to include their division head and head of school in all such matters.

National Board Certification Support Program 

Cary Academy believes that the process of becoming a nationally certified teacher includes a significant degree of self-reflection, self-assessment, and objective measures of one’s content and pedagogical base and is therefore an effective means of professional growth.  The cost for National Board Certification can be prohibitive (currently $2,300). Cary Academy will provide financial support to faculty seeking National Board Certification in the following manner: 

• Faculty must have completed three years of teaching at Cary Academy before they can apply for the National Board Certification Support Program.

• The faculty member will pay the initial $300 registration fee for National Board Certification cost.

• When the remaining $2,000 fee is due, the faculty member will pay $500 (can be done interest free via payroll deduction over 12 months) and the school will pay $1,500

• When the faculty member receives National Board Certification, the school will reimburse the faculty member $500.

• If the faculty member leaves Cary Academy less than two academic years following the close of the academic year after receiving certification, then the faculty member will reimburse the school $1,000.

• Should the faculty member not receive National Board Certification within two-years of the registration date, the faculty member will be responsible for reimbursing the school $1000 (can be done interest free via payroll deduction over 12 months).

• Please note that Cary Academy will not provide additional salary for Nationally Certified Board teachers, as National Board Certification is just one of many valuable professional development opportunities for faculty. However, National Board Certification would be one means of demonstrating Advancing the Mission of the School in the areas of Teaching: Discovery and Excellence for those applying to CARMA.

• Faculty will be responsible for the cost of retaking parts of the certification process to improve their scores.

• Faculty may not use their annual professional development money to pay for their costs for certification. Similarly, the school will not take a faculty member’s annual professional development allotment to pay for certification.

• To apply: send a paragraph explaining your interest in obtaining National Board Certification and a copy of your completed registration form to the Head of School.

• For information on National Board Certification, visit http://www.nbpts.org/.

Graduate School Tuition Assistance 

Full time faculty and full time administrators who have completed one full year of employment are eligible beginning on the first day of their second year of employment.  Eligibility ends on the last day of employment.  Full-time faculty and full-time administrators enrolled in Masters or Doctoral degree programs or who are pursuing or renewing professional certification will be reimbursed for courses approved in accordance with the following policies:

• A Maximum of nine (9) semester hours for any academic year will be reimburse

• The dollar maximum per semester hour may not exceed the in-state rate charged by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

• Applicants for tuition reimbursement should submit an outline of their study plans and tuition    amounts to the head of school by December 1 for the academic year that begins the following July 1.

• Reimbursement is limited to tuition and mandatory fees only. A transcript or report showing satisfactory completion of the course(s) must be submitted with the reimbursement request.

• The head of school, at his or her sole discretion, may deny an application or may grant only partial tuition.

• Subsidies per employee are limited to 30 semester hours per degree.

• No reimbursements will be made without prior approval.

• Please note that in some instances, reimbursement under this benefit may result in taxable income for the employee. Please consult the Business Office for further details.

Finally, the school brings prominent and nationally recognized educators and professionals in related fields to campus for presentations and small group seminars. Recent speakers include Grant Wiggins, recognized for his curricular reform work, Michael Thompson, author of such books as Raising Cain, Rob Evans, an authority on the changing nature of independent school culture, and Dr. Wilkie Wilson of Duke Medical School, an acknowledged authority on brain development in children and adolescents.