The mission of the Richard Gazzola Teacher Center of Yonkers is to meet the needs of teachers in an ever-changing society and school system. Its program is designed to improve teacher effectiveness in the classroom thus, increasing student learning. This involves presenting specific content/strategies for classroom use, providing general knowledge, developing an understanding of Learning Standards and meeting outside needs that indirectly affect classroom training.

The Center provides staff development activities for approximately 2,300 teachers employed by the Yonkers City School District and 500 from the non-public schools who, in turn, serve over 32,000 students. In addition to providing undergraduate, graduate and in-service courses, the Teacher Center provides access to education data, materials and research in order to enhance classroom performance. The Center also provides teachers an opportunity to share ideas and exchange information with their colleagues throughout the district on an informal basis, through workshops and discussion groups. The Center’s Peer Mentoring Program offers an opportunity for classroom support and guidance for newly hired teachers and teachers who request assistance. Monthly newsletters a nd mailings to the schools are used to keep teachers informed of available outside resources.

A Policy Board, made up of a majority of teachers, with administrators, parent, business, private school, and higher education institutions representatives governs the Richard Gazzola Teacher Center of Yonkers.

Teacher Resource and Computer Training Centers were established by the New York State Legislature in 1984 to provide systematic, ongoing professional education services to the State's teachers. The initial appropriation of $3.5 million established 44 Teacher Centers throughout the State. The 2002-2003 allocation of $31 million supports 126 Centers, which serve some 660 public school districts and BOCES, as well as hundreds of non-public schools across all regions of the State. More than 230,000 educators have access to Teacher Center services. The benefits they derive are passed on in the form of improved education for some 2,500,000 students across New York State.

Teacher Centers are unique in their approach to providing professional development, since they are governed by a policy board that is, by law, composed of at least 51% teachers. Each Center provides services to its constituents based on locally determined needs.

Teacher Centers have developed successful, cost effective, programs that address the purposes prescribed in statute. Their goals encompass the following areas:

Centers provide a structure for teachers to take charge of their own professional growth, and afford them an opportunity to share with one another the great wealth of expertise that they possess. Approaches to delivering professional development include new teacher training and support, mentoring, peer coaching, collegial circles, mini-grants, and research opportunities, as well as a full complement of topics offered in more traditional workshop or course formats.

Over the years, Teacher Centers have expanded both the scope and depth of services offered, and have become educational service centers. The entire educational community is encouraged to participate in Center activities, and in many cases special programs are offered for parents and other community groups. Teacher Centers build collaboration across the public and private sectors, including institutions of Higher Education and business and industry; leverage State funds to increase resources available to local districts; offer affordable training in technology and innovative teaching practices; and maintain high standards of accountability in the services they provide. They represent a unique infrastructure that continues to contribute to the improvement of education in New York State. For complete listing of New York State Teacher Center Standards, click here. (pdf)

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