Answer: Yes, it works like the independent study.  One person of the group acts as the leader who submits the hours worked.You will need to complete a Request for Professional Learning form found on the left of the main PL page.

Answer: Yes, you may. You must complete the Request for Professional learning and submit it to Linda Gejda BEFORE you begin. You will establish what evidence you will submit for the independent study. It might be a learning journal or a product you create with the number of hours worked.

Answer: Teachers with an Initial or a Provisional Certificate are not required to collect professional learning hours. However, as part of your professional growth, you should take courses or workshops that interest you and will improve student learning or help you grow professionally. The content of the learning is important; the accumulated hours will provide the needed support for your certification renewal. 

Teachers who hold a Professional Certificate WILL need to collect 90 hours of professional development for each 5-year certification cycle. There is no requirement as to how many hours are required each year.

Answer: The state continues to require 90 hours of professional learning for each 5-year cycle of certification.  There are no longer requirements as to how those hours are accumulated.  In other words, there is no longer a reading or technology requirement.
It is highly recommended that you keep track of all professional learning activities in which you engage.  You may choose to keep a journal or an online log documenting the activity, date, and hours. The district will no longer track your professional learning hours.