Friday, October 4, 2013

Update : dates for 2014-2015

We do not have RSS or CCRS dates but they may be similar to this year so you could tentative plan for the same time frame.  Save those dates too!

AMSTI dates: 
Statewide staff meetings:
May 5-8, 2014 [you had this date, no  change]
New dates 
August 25-28, 2014
November 5-7, 2014
May 4-7, 2015

Directors meetings
January 7-8, 2015
March 10-11, 2015

EIE training - train the trainer :  ALL SCIENCE SPECIALISTS
Hold these dates:  July 8 - 11, 2014

JSU Summer Training dates for K-12 math [year 1 and year 2], science 6-8 what ever is needed. 

June 16-20 and 23-27 

Robotics - July -
OGAP dates  need to be decided 
I think we need 2 or 3 additive, 2 multiplicative and possibly 5  or more fractional - we can start with 5 and see how the registration goes.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

August 2, 2013

August 2, 2013

Everyone:

Congratulations to everyone on a successful summer supporting our teachers.

Odenville Middle canceled for August 16th so I can help clean out 3170.   Next clean out/up day is August 20th. 

Hokes Bluff Middle Data PD is moved to Thursday, August6 15th.  9-11 is the time. 

Calendars: No JSU calendars are avaiable at this time.  If you need a calendar, our only option for us to purchase is Office Max. Or you can print one, in any format you want, bind it, etc The credit union usually brings come for everyone or the National Guard.  Talk to Kay and she can let me know what you decide.

From Steve:  Memo from Dr. Bice:
Subject: Beginning of School
Last year we began a tradition that was well received by our local school systems and thoroughly enjoyed by our staff - volunteering on the first day of school.
August 19, 2013 is the first day of school for the majority of school systems in the state and I would like to ask that you inform your employees of this opportunity and urge them to participate. I would also like to keep a running list of volunteer efforts so please ask each of your “offices” to assign someone to keep of record of who volunteers and in what school they volunteered. This will be considered part of a regular work day for all employees participating and no leave will be required.
TRB

August 13th
Leslie will need to borrow a laptop for August 13th.  She has a training for the Online Science Course at Pelham / UM AMSTI.  Barry is also attending.

Lots of work ahead and that is just in August.

Specialist:  PDs:  PDs [Quality Questioning, Thinking Through Quality Questioning, Leading Throught Quality Questioning, Formative Assessment and Data Driven Decision Making]  are in the dropbox and have been shared with you.  Complete with facilitator notes.  If a participant packet is required, then those are in an adobe packet that will print all pages in order. 

If you are presenting the Data pd, please review it and let me know if there are questions or if we need to review it as a group. .  It has been updated to include the latest info on Assessment and Plan 2020.     I think we should use the video of Dr. Bice from the 3rd quarter CCRS meetings.  I will work on downloading that and getting it in the drop box.

Please do not let the participants keep the articles from the PD.

Staff meeing moved from August 19th to August 21st

Friday, June 14, 2013

June 14, 2013

Thanks to everyone for all your work in preparing for our summer trainings!  It truly is a team effort!
Almost everyone will need to check out a projector.  Ben Hicks will be at our training and he is bringing 4 from the SDE.  Next week there should not be a problem.   The next week is when it might be close.   Let's make sure if you have a projector/document camera combo that you bring it to Saks Middle next week.  There are at least 5 of those, and I think there are 6. 

FYI: Friday, June 21st,  I will be at a RSS planning meeting in Montgomery. 

Update:
New principal at Handley Middle School : Lynn Robinson:  lrobinson@roanokecityschools.org

News you can use:

We will host some middle school training. July 8-11 and 15-18 at White Plains Middle School.  Very limited. 

6th grade year 1, 7th grade year 1, 8th grade year 1 and 7th grade year 2. 

I have contacted the principals.  Shelley will begin contacting the teachers who have contacted us litterally begging for this training. 

Thanks to Barry and Jason for being flexible and helping us provide this training  to our teachers.  

July 12:  will be AMSTI homecoming for all AMSTI Equipment.   Check your car, your spouses car, your kids car, your closet, basement, garage... you get the idea.  Bring anything and everything that belongs to JSU/AMSTI.  We are going to label all equipment with your name and JSU AMSTI AND make a list of materials that are checked out to everyone.   We are going to bring the camera boxes from the vault and get all cameras back in their home box.  Then we will designate one person who will check out random items to staff and ensure that when that item is returned it is "checked" back in and placed back in its home. :)  Just some housekeeping that needs to be done.

By looking at the calendar, it appears everyone will be here on July 12th.  Kay and Amber have a PD here but their equipment can still have a homecoming.  :) 

Next question:  who wants to be the check out person? I'm thinking the new PD person, whomever that may be.

August 16 and August 20:   is CLEAN 3170 day.   Science has begun this process.  Now it will be Math's turn to clean out the math stuff from 3170 and the PX.  Consolidate and figure out what can be given to teachers when you work with them in the schools.  Again, looking at the calendar, it looks like everyone will be here.  Even though it is Math clean out day, when math is working at the PX, science may want to check out some of the stuff that is in the repo math kits.  You may be able to use it.  I know one of those kits has a balance in it. 

Have a great weekend!



Friday, May 31, 2013

May 31, 2013

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Info for EVERYONE!

Remember:   Inservice Review will be Monday.  Please arrive in the conference room, 2113 around 315.  The committee is suppose to be here at 330.   It will probably be a question and answer time.  They as questions and we answer to the best of our knowledge. 

I am going to take Wed - Friday off.  June 5-8 and maybe leave early on Tuesday(depending on Tim's schedule). 

Monday AM, I will print the final batch of confirmation letters.  WHEW! I think we will have everyone registered. 

Thanks to everyone who made the OGAP sessions a success.  It truly was a TEAM effort.   Melanie and Amber did a great job presenting/facilitating.

Specialists:   

June  12, I need to meet with Polly and Shelley about the Administrator PD for June 19-20.  I am going to need your help to manage a group.   


PD week is filling up.  

August 12:  Quality Questioning at White Plains HS 8 - 11
August 13:
  • Quality Questioning at Pleasant Valley Elementary 8-11 and Thinking Through Quality Questioning 1-3. 
  • Hokes Bluff Middle Data: 9-11 (need a volunteer)
  • Saks E data:  8-10 (need a volunteer)
August 14: Saks Middle and High Quality Questioning 8-12 and Data Saks Middle, 1-3
August 15:  PLT PD - beginning PLTs presentation at Walnut Park - 8-12

Info for Everyone
PreService Training for JSU is set.  Dates have been approved.
Tara, Polly, Amber, Kay and Lynn Vaughn will be involved in these sessions. 
We will provide the participant guides.
It will be 3rd grade, year 1 so we will need Plant Growth and Development and Chem Test as well a a 3rd grade GLOBE kit and a 3rd math kit and bundle.   We should have one left from training. 
We will not need bundles for science guides for everyone.  Probably 6 science TGs total and one or two sets of bundles.  (we should have that left from training this summer).
 

Group A
Group B
Group C
Math
Sept 12, 13, 19, 20
Sept 5, 6, 19, 20
Sept 5, 6, 12, 13
Science
Sept 4, 5, 6
Sept 11, 12, 13
Nov 13, 14, 15
GLOBE
Nov 8
Sept 4
Sept 20

Saturday, May 18, 2013

May 10, 2013

May 10, 2013
  • Everyone:  Please meet Monday, May 20th for a brief staff meeting.  There are a few things I need to share with everyone. 9:00
  • Tara, Kay, Amber and I need to talk "Preservice" Monday after the staff meeting.

  • Everyone:  Let's plan for a staff meeting on 9:30 on May 28th so that we are all on the same page for summer institute/training.  What needs to be done, etc...   I know OGAP is May 29-31 and the session for Calhoun County administers is May 29 and trainers is May 30 but we need to get together.   
  • May 29 is the Leading Through Quality Questioning for Calhoun Admins.
  • May 30 is the Coaching Conversations PD for our new trainers .   If Polly and Shelley are available then, I would appreciate you sharing facilitating tips, working with adults, etc.  I have activities to take them through each chapter of CC.  

  • Math Extras for SI 2013.  There are some things that need to be made.   Please help get these made this week (May 20-24) if you have the time.
For next year:  Specialists
  • I'm just thinking out loud and sharing some thoughts for next year.   All of this is up for discussion.  Just sharing my thoughts, so please don't read it as a must do
  • An idea for next year:   develop a Survey to send to teachers after a cycle at a school.   Help them to be reflective, give us good data and also helps us to be reflective.  Use survey monkey, kwik survey, etc
  • Someone volunteer to put together a committee of three (elementary math, elementary science and middle school/high school specialist) to develop a way so taht between staff meetings we know everyones agenda for a week.   Calendar is an option nbut it needs to be more specific.  ie what classes are schedule, who are you meeting with, where, etc.   I will leave the how up to the committe on how to communicate the specifics of each specialists agenda but this is a real need.  Lots of reasons, one is if someone calls, text, they are sick then how can we communicate to the school what was scheduled other than the specialist not just showing up.   Also, it will help me and help with documentation for what is going on in each school.  This has been a strange year but I feel completely lost as to what is going on.  I don't want this to be a burden or just somehitng else to do, but we need a better way of communicating what we are all doing each week.  I'm open to ideas.  The committee  can bring recommendations, send them to me and then I will meet with the committee and we will come to a decision.  I don't think the Activity Log has plans to return at this time.   
  • Another topic for the committee:  Please think about this:   Let's also visit how we can have some type of communication at the begining of each year with all teachers.   It can be an email, it can be a flyer sent to teachers at schools, just something that connects us with them at least once a year.  Even if it is just a postcard at the begining of the year.  UseEdumundo, etc. 

  • Change in CCRS dates for April 2014:  JSU dates are April 24 and April 25.

  • 2013-14 Staff Meeting Updates
    May 20 – replaces the canceled date May 6th
    May 28 – get on the same page for what needs to be done to move to Saks Middle June 10
    2013-2014 school year
    Aug 19
    Sept 16
    Oct 21
    Nov 18
    Dec 9
    Jan 13
    Feb 17
    Mar 17
    Apr 14
    May 12
    2013-14 Birthday Lunches
    July 15
    Oct 28
    Dec 2
    Jan 27
    Apr 7
    May 19



Monday, April 22, 2013

April 19th, 2013

CCRS May 1 and May 2


JSU Region 6  schedule for the CCRS Quarterly Meeting #4

Due to the large number of participants and the small rooms, at the participants’ request, we are breaking our meeting into two days.  We met with the administrators at the administrator meeting during CCRS QM #3 and gave them the dates.  Below are the systems and the date they chose.

Thanks,
Wendy

May 1, 2013
Anniston City
Pell City
Randolph County
Etowah County
Oxford City
Calhoun County
Clay County

 May 2, 2013
Attalla City
Gadsden City
Roanoke City
Cleburne County
Jacksonville City
Piedmont City
St. Clair County
Cherokee County

  • May 6th staff meeting is moved.  May 6th is the only afternoon I can meet with Ashland Elementary School.  So, if anyone would like to go to Ashland E.  Just let me know.

Friday, April 12, 2013

April 12, 2013

April 12, 2013

May 6th Staff Meeting
Unless there are conflicts, I would like to move the May 6th staff  meeting to 1 PM.  I may need to attend a RPT visit to a school system that morning. 


Save the Date
We received a Save the Date announcement from Nick and Anelizabeth.  Their wedding is June 22, 2013. 

At my home, I received an invitation to Anelizabeth's shower which is April 28th.  If anyone wants to chip in for a gift for them, please let me know.  They are registered at Bed, Bath and Beyond, Target, Dillards, Couch's and Walmart (I think).  We can take a gift to the wedding or I can take it to the shower. 

PD check list/planning
Please remember to complete a PD check list form for ALL PDs.   This will help everyone to know what is going on and what budget is paying for the PD.   Eveyrone has been shared a google doc.   I'm looking at creating a Google form that can be on the Wiki page for us to complete and then a copy would be emailed to everyone involved automatically.

Statewide Staff Meeting Updates
After a statewide staff meeting, (specialists, materials and director meetings) we need to schedule a debrief session so that we can share the information shared in each group.   We don't need every detail but the big idea of what was shared with you.  If it was training for your content then that is no info that everyone needs.   If it is training that will affect schools then yes, we all need to have a big idea knowledge to be able to answer questions that teachers and leaders will pose.  ie.... Summer Academy - who, what, where, when, etc.  Last summer, math discussed PLTs and resources and that info never came to me from SDE and itis only by accident that I ordered those books to help us with work with teachers working with Implementing the Common Core.  We need  copies of handouts that contain any info from the SDE to your specific group.  Vision or plan for the year, changes, etc...  The directors have requested a brief update from science, math and materials but that doesn't always happen so it was suggested that we also work this into our site structure.   When we met weekly, then we did a better job of this and now that we meet monthly, sometimes the statewide staff meeting info gets pushed aside by other site infomation that needs to be shared each month.  Monday at our meeting, please be prepare to give a 5 minute update from the statewide staff meeting.  If you received any hanouts with info from the SDE or something needed for future planning or that has been communicated with systems, please copy for Tanya and Kay. 

Updates from the Directors meeting:

OGAP at other AMSTI sites:
Athens:  Fractional August 5-8
UNA Fractional: Sept 16-19
It would be good if Kay and Melanie attends one or both of these depending on your schedule. 

Cathy Miller at the SDE is resigning effective May 1st.

COS adoption:
Science standards adopted in 2014 and full implmentation 2015-2016

Explore test will be phased out and replaced with Aspire.  Tanya will provide a handout at the staff meeing.

Summer Academy's :  SDE specialist will take the lead.  Site specialists can be a table facilitator if avaiable, no requirements.  It would be a regular work day.  We are training when folks from our area are attending training. This training is not expected to be turned around by the specialist or teachers.

Summer Registration Updates
We have begun to recieve registration.  We need someone to enter the registration on Monday and copy for Lynn. 

From Tod Beers: Math PreService Training:
Hello Directors,
Please help us with three issues related to Preservice Training:
1. Send us the names of all the people in your region that would like to attend the Math Preservice TTT  :  A seperate letter was sent to COE.  I can't imagine that teachers can get out of school to train preservice teachers so I don't think we need to send in a list of teachers.  Your thoughts? 
a. Math Preservice TTT – May 9th and 10th at the Lincoln Center in Birmingham, 9:00 to 3:30 both days.
b. Make up days for Math Preservice TTT - May 16th and 17th at the Lincoln Center in Birmingham, 9:00 to 3:30 both days.
 
2. Contact the Professors that you have been working with for Preservice and any others you know that might be interested. Let them know about the Math Preservice TTT opportunityand that a letter will be coming to them (provided you give us their names and contact info). I will let Dr. Johns know of this training.
 
3. We are compiling a Preservice Training Calendar for 2013. If you know of any Preservice Trainings (Math or Science) that are currently being conducted or planned for this year, please email us the dates. This includes trainings that are being conducted by AMSTI specialists. Once we have a calendar, we will share it with all of the sites. I will contact Dr. Troncale and see if she has thought about spreading out the training or if we go with the dates Amber and Tara have. 
 
SPECIALISTS that have attended the Math Preservice TTT in the past, AND attended the recent AMSTI Math TTT for the specific grade training of your local Preservice training will be “grandfathered in” and do not have to attend the Math Preservice TTT. Site specialists that have not attended the Math Preservice TTT in the past, OR did not attend the specific grade training at the recent AMSTI Math TTT for your local Preservice training, are requested to attend this training.

KLN/PCN dates -

August 2013
Tuesday 27th - KLN North

September 2013
Thursday 12th- PCN Secondary
Thursday 19th- PCN Elementary

October 2013
Tuesday 8th- KLN North

November 2013
Thursday 7th- PCN Secondary
Thursday 14th- PCN Elementary

December 2013
No meetings scheduled

January 2014
Thursday 16th- KLN North
 
February 2014
Tuesday 4th- PCN Secondary
Thursday 6th- PCN Elementary

March 2014

Tuesday 11th- KLN North