A Suggestion for Your Summer Reading

Seth Godin, author of several interesting books like Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us and The Icarus Deception: How High Will You Fly?, has written, what he calls, a manifesto.  It’s called “Stop Stealing Dreams: (What Is School For?).  He has written this manifesto as a series of short essays (like blog posts); he hopes to provoke, to start conversations, and that some of his ideas will resonate. 

I have read this and have found it to be  thought-provoking, somewhat agitating, and conversation worthy.  So if you are interested in some non-fiction reading this summer, click the link below.  I’ll look forward to learning about whatever resonates with you.

Stop Stealing Dreams: (What is School For?)

If you prefer other reading for the summer (I have an Einstein biography on my list, for example), I understand, of course.  And if you have recommendations for me, school-related, leadership-related, or otherwise, please share these with me.

Sincerely,

Jason

Final Monday

This year, I did not count down to the last day of school; instead, I cut a day off my calendar every day for the last two weeks.  It's been a visual reminder you can see on the left.

You have all worked hard this year.  Thank you.  It was easy to see that all of you are teaching and working hard until the end; the pace hasn't slowed, and by Friday you will come to a well-deserved break.  It will certainly be an earned rest.

We will meet at 8:30am on May 24th in the cafeteria to enjoy Kolaches and to bid farewell to friends and colleagues who have dedicated time and effort to our school and to our students.

Here are a few notes:

• If you missed the tech check out procedures published earlier this week, click here.
• If you haven't had an opportunity to consider Dr. Simpson's offer for short and long-term PD next year, click here.
• If you're interested in anticipating next year, click here (if you're not right now, I understand).

With great expectations,

Jason

Tech Check Out Procedures

This year, much like last year, the technology checkout procedure will be an online, 3-step process. It will require you to login to your WgCloud account and then fill out this form:

1. Click here to begin the tech sign out process.
2. Once you have filled this form out, you will need to deliver the projector and any other equipment you have checked out for the year to the band room (room 124) starting on May 23, 2013.
3. Once you have delivered your equipment to the band room we will check it in, and you will have completed this part of the process for checking out for the summer.

You will need to complete this process by the end of the day on May 24th at 3:30 pm.

Please note, if you are a tech liaison you will not be able to complete this process until your your computer/iPad carts are checked in as well.

If you are teaching summer school, you still need to complete this process as we may issue different projectors for the classrooms that will be used.

During the day on the 23rd and on the 24th, we will be available should you need to use the elevator to bring your equipment to the first floor. We will be at the elevator at 9 am, 11, am, and 1 pm on both days.

If you have any questions please contact Jason P. Heisel.

May 13, 2013

Earlier this year, I posted about staying the course.  I hope that are finding, or beginning to find, all the rewards staying the course has brought you.  I hope that you are able to see the value of your work and all the ways students might be different, might be better, since having spent a school year with you.

8th Grade Recognition
I am looking forward to our 8th Grade Recognition Event on Thursday.  Thank you for your contributions to the presentation that will occur before and after the program.  All of us contribute to our students' experiences, and there is always a moment in the program where we stop to recognize you and your contributions as well. If parents are asking questions, you can refer them to the parent blog.

Thinkquiry Toolkit
Two more Hixson teacher-tested strategies have been added to the Thinkquiry Toolkit post from last week. Click here to read about them!  Your colleagues have worked hard to test and summarize this in a way that will make them as immediately useful as possible.

Summer Development for Hixson Teachers
The building has limited funds to support team or department development of new ideas (six groups of four, or fewer, teachers for eight hours at $15/hour); I will consider these on a first come, first served basis. Teams or departments must submit the following in an e-mail:

•  The new idea, project, strategy or topic you wish to pursue, please keep in mind that
• All disciplines must be represented, to some degree, for interdisciplinary ideas,
• Your idea must be experiential, project- or challenge-based, and hands on,
• You must plan to use essential content as well as technology (based on our TILS), and
• You may not use this time to tweak or revise existing units, projects, ideas, etc.,
• Your work must fit within the framework as described in The Art and Science of Teaching, and
• Before I approve your stipend, you must present your work to me (more details on this to come).

If you have any questions, please ask. I have money for three more groups of teachers.  The three ideas these funds will be supporting are really excellent.  I look forward to more!

 

Anticipating 2013-2014
Last year, at the end of April, I shared a little about what you might anticipate for this academic school year. If you're interested in re-reading this post, click here.  You will see that we have accomplished, to some degree, nearly all of the things listed in that post.  Thank you for your commitment, diligence, and hard work. Thank you for your powerful actions.

To see a draft of a similar post for next year, click here.  If you'd rather wait to think about next year, that's okay; no need to click the link.

PDC UPDATE: Short and Long Term Learning Opportunities!

From Dr. John Simpson:

One of the big decisions to emerge from the district’s professional development committee this year was the need to provide district staff with a collection of short and long term learning opportunities beginning in the summer/fall of 2013.  The PDC felt that the proposals submitted by teachers, administrators, and support staff from all levels were really outstanding!  Individually and as a group, they will not only allow for explicit transfer to beliefs and practices now, but will also inform our future beliefs and practices as we continue to evolve and adapt in a manner responsive to our students.

In order to maximize the number of participants who get to participate in a long term opportunity, we’re only allowing staff to sign up for a maximum of two opportunities of 12+ hours in length.  For example, if you register for the PDC Book Club, you may only select one other opportunity that’s 12 or more hours in length.    

Thanks to the work of Jason Heisel, district co-pdc chair, brief descriptions of these opportunities and a registration form are included below.  You may also reach the registration form from the catalog.  If you have any questions related to the course, please reach out to the facilitator(s).  If you need any support with the electronic catalog, please reach out to me.

Thank you,

John 

Professional Learning Opportunities Catalog

Registration Form

May 6, 2013

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, Chartwells will be providing breakfast snacks for us on Monday. We know that teaching includes so much more than academics, and we know that for many reasons we champion students for reasons beyond their academic learning.  A recent TED talk I listened to reminded me of this. Click here if you are interested in listening to Rita Pierson talk about how every kid needs a champion.  She says, "Is this job tough? You betcha. But it is not impossible. We can do this. We're educators. We're born to make a difference."  I hope you are able to feel all of the ways you make a difference.

Thinkquiry Toolkit
Eight teachers participated in a reading group this year. Click here to read about some of their favorite strategies from Thinkquiry Toolkit 1.

Hixson High Five
Monday, May 6th, is the last day for Hixson High Five nominations. Please get these to Mrs. Davis by the end of the day.

Do you have 10 minutes?
The Crestwood Back & Neck Pain Clinic will be here on Wednesday, 5/8, and Friday, 5/10, for 10 minute chair massages.  They are offering these to us as a part of Teacher Appreciate Week.  Sign up sheets will be in the lounge.

Chess Club
Are you interested in coaching a chess club? If so, Dr. Riss received a Foundation grant that will cover the cost of chess sets and for training for the club coach or sponsor.  If you are interested, please let me know.

Hixson Teachers Share Their Favorite Thinkquiry Toolkit Strategies

Eight teachers met monthly this year to discuss how they implemented strategies from the Thinkquiry Toolkit 1 to improve vocabulary development and reading comprehension in their classes.  One option for a final project was to create a blog post to share a summary of a strategy with the rest of the staff.  As you head into the final weeks of the school year, consider trying one to change things up a bit in your classroom.

Jill & Aimee

Click any of the below to read more (I'll add more links as teachers share):

• Quick Write Summary
• Anticipation/Reaction Guide Summary
• Inference Notes Wheel Summary
• Word Sort Summary

Minimum Edline.net Website Requirements

From John Simpson (and for your future reference):

With the increasing importance of school district web sites for communicating to parents and our community, we've asked the Professional Development  Committee, the Library Media Technology  Committee and the District Leadership Team to consider what elements should appear on all staff web pages. Those participating agreed on five areas, which we ask all staff members to include, as minimum requirements, for their school web sites:

·         Your role in the building

·         Contact information for someone to reach you at work

·        *  Links to any resources you use regularly with your students and families

·         *Links to the Parent Portal (K-12) and any other resources for students and families, as determined by your building

·         *Link to homework or home learning site (or a clarifying statement regarding for families)  

 *Links can be to sites other than Edline.
**You are no longer required to use the Calendar in Edline.

This summer, Pat Weaver will lead multiple workshops for staff members to help them complete the transition from School Center to Edline. School Center sites will disappear Dec. 31, 2013. If you haven't made the move to Edline yet, please sign up for one of the workshops. They will be your last opportunity to receive release time/stipend for this work. You can register below.

If you have any questions regarding the above, please reach out to your building representatives on the committees listed above or contact one of us.

 TO REGISTER FOR SUMMER EDLINE TRAINING:

https://docs.google.com/a/wgcloud.org/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHoyS29kQnM4RW55d0g3QXdHNWd5V1E6MQ#gid=0