Sustainability/ASAP Success Stories

Please use this post to share specific success stories involving teachers or students.  You do not have to use a name but please identify the school.

February 26, 2010

• Tanya will begin visiting classes in our Sustainability schools.  Be prepared to share your "schedule" for teaching classes at the Sustainability schools.  Remember to submit your sustainability schedule for each school where you are working  to me either via email or place on the "g" drive and let me know it is there. I belive the schedules are in the ASAP folder on the "g" drive.  These will be placed in the schools data notebook.

• Specialists:  Do you  have any of the following books?  They will be needed at the Statewide Staff meeting in April.  Please let Lynn know which ones you already own (if any).   THANKS!

1.      Science Formative Assessment: 75 Practical Strategies for Linking Assessment, Instruction, and Learning by Page Keeley (ISBN 978-1-4129-4180-8)

2.      Assessing Science Learning: Perspectives From Research and Practice by: Janet Coffey, Rowens Douglas, & Carole Stearns (ISBN 978-1-93353-140-3)

3.       Uncovering Student Ideas in Science, Vol. 1: 25 Formative Assessment Probes by Page Keeley, Francis Eberle, &Lynn Farrin (ISBN 978-0-87355-255-4)

4.      Uncovering Student Ideas in Science, Volume 2: 25 More Formative Assessment Probes by Page Keeley, Francis Eberle, &Joyce Tugel (ISBN 978-0-87355-273-8)

5.      Uncovering Student Ideas in Science, Volume 3: Another 25 Formative Assessment Probes by Page Keeley, Francis Eberle, & Chad Dorsey (ISBN 978-1-93353-124-3)

6.       Uncovering Student Ideas in Science, Volume 4: 25 New Formative Assessment Probes  by Page Keeley & Joyce Tugel (ISBN 978-1-93515-501-0)

 Science Formative Assessment: 75 Practical Strategies for Linking Assessment, Instruction, and Learning

• Vicky has suggested that the "E's" on Down the Road workshop be changed to a date other than Friday.  She has said that historically, teachers do not attend workshops on Friday.  Please choose a new date and I'll confirm that there is a room available  Keep in mind...Their big workshop week is June 21-25 so they may not have any extra rooms that week. 

February 19, 2010

April 28th - K-5 --Math Content Builidng for our teachers from the PLT schools.  It would be GREAT if Sandra, Kay, and Donna can attend.  I have requested that the 6-8 science training be that day too.  Still waiting for confirmation.  If Sue can attend that day, you will be able to use the materials with your teachers and in their classes.  We are purchasing the materials.  (ACHE)

May 5th - Laying the Foundation will provide training for the 6-12 math teachers from our PLT schools.  It will be great if Mary can attend.  I have requested that the K-5 science training be that day too.  Same thing..... waiting on confirmation.  If Carol and Polly can attend, then you will be able to use the mateirals with your teachers and in their classes.  We are purchasing the materials. (ACHE).

Calhoun County requests that their Alphabet Soup PD be either June 7, 9,  14, 15, or 16.  This will allow the teachers to pull all of this together before the curriculum project and allow all of their teachers to be on the same page next year. 

I have a CD on Energy Efficiency if someone would like to borrow it to use with teachers.  I have an email to the authors to see if it can be duplicated.

Lorrie Moody, Kevin Lockridge, and Jerriann Bentley may be contacting Sue and Mary for suggestions on differentiate instruction PD. 

February 12, 2010

Happy SNOW DAY
Lila Wooten from Scott Foresman paid a visit to the site. Very nice. She is the one that will be conducting the content building training provided by the ACHE grant. Date is not set. Waiting on the SDE for a definite date.  I gave her a business card from Sandra, Kay and Donna and she left one for each of  you. She was very interested in the results of the data meetings and will attend a data meeting next year. 

I will attend the Calhoun County Roundtable on Tuesday, February 16.  Please let me know what I can report to them based on our sustainability plans at their schools. Maybe I will get a date for the inservice K-5 math is going to present for them.
Making the blog come to your email is a little more complicated than one setting. I have the directions but haven't had time to subscribe to another service to make it available by email. I'll get to it, but this week has been one big ACHE week.

We will resume watching the FISH video on Monday, February 15.  We will resume our discussion of the book on March 1st so please complete the reading of  the book.  The book and videos operate independently. 

I think we need to revisit offering FITH for summer workshops.  Here's my reason ...  we are offering Alphabet Soup for only  5th and 7th grade science. It would be great to offer something at every grade level and reminding the teachers that FITH is something they can always use and should use since it activities based on the COS.  3rd - 5th grade lessons are already written in 5 E format.

Literacy Strategies are also another offering that should be considered. 

These things can also be offered to schools as In-Services.  Once they are developed we will have a
We need to have agendas, outline and material list for the sessions for this summer by the May 3 staff meeting. 

February 5, 2010

• Governor Riley may be in this area on Wedneday.  Steve is attempting to set up a visit to one of our schools.  Keep this under wraps until I have confirmation.  I will email confirmation.  We are thinking we will take him to Oxford Middle School.
• More suggestions for summer work shops :  
• How about a 5 E workshop?  Like the one  delivered to  CE Hanna? 
• AND would the one that K-5 math did for Calhoun County aides or for the Presevice JSU class be appropriate for the summer? 
• How about -( needs a name) -- taking a traditional textbook lesson and making it a hands on lessons -- maybe call it "AMSTIing your textbook"?
• What about "Fill in the Hole" Sessions for science?
• There is a Gyro Mouse missing from its holder.  Does anyone know where it is? 
• GW Floyd is hosting a MATH NIGHT on February 23.  Contact Ms. Chester if you can help.
• Banner will be shut down the week of February 15.  All travel should be submitted to Lynn before 10 AM on February 10 so it can be entered, carried to campus and paid by February 12.  Banner will reopen on February 22.  Any travel after Feburary 10 can be submitted for reimbursement at that time.
• Email:  if you "migrated to Zimbra" and are no longer using Outlook, then the mail that goes to the cableone account is not being sent to Zimbra.  On the accounts set up page admin page, I can set it to forward your email to your jsu account.  If you need it forwarded, please let me know.  I forwarded Lynn's and all is well. 

January 29, 2010

• 7 Habits Training -- Room 2101 JSU Inservice Center May 10-12.   Confirmed.
• Annual Sexual Harassment Prevention Training

To: All Full-Time JSU Faculty and Staff
From: Human Resources
Subject: 2010 Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
Date: January 25, 2010

It is time again for our annual Sexual Harassment Prevention Training. The online program allows you to take the training at your leisure. It may be taken all in one session or you may bookmark and return at a later time. You will need to allow up to two hours to take the training program. You may locate the training on the HR website at http://training.newmedialearning.com/psh/jacksonvillestu/. Once you enter the program, you will select a track appropriate to your position: Supervisory, Non-supervisory, Faculty, etc. You may choose the full course or the refresher course. (Note: the refresher course is condensed and requires a higher level of understanding thus a higher pass score on the exam.)

There will be a test at the end that you are required to pass. When you pass the exam, HR will be notified of the successful completion. You will also be given the option of printing a completion certificate. Please print and retain in your files. This is required training and must be completed on an annual basis. Please complete this program by April 15, 2010.

If you have taken this course since July 1, 2009, you are not required to take the program again until the 2011 training program. ( Jerry, Kay and Donna probablycompleted their course after July 1.)

Please contact Judy Harrison, email at harrison@jsu.edu or call X8569, if you have questions.

• February 19 we will be offering Photo Story training to our year 3 and beyond schools.  Eric will facilitate.  We are ordering equipment to use with Photo Story.  For the training we will use Erics.
• March 5 we will offer The "T" in AMSTI, Beyond Paper and Pencil, Technology as a Teaching Tool using Clickers,  blogs, and wikis.  (MSP money)
• We need to offer compressed training during the summer too and hopefully we will not offer any during the school year.  So add the compressed training to your list of summer offerings complete with dates. 
• Steve Ricks sent an email Tuesday, January 26th  requesting a list of  what wkshops/training each site will be offering this summer. Very timely since we are working on our list.  I replied to him I would our list of offereings and dates to him by February 8.
• ACHE workshops :  Waiting on confirmation of dates but the range of possibilities are listed.  Math Content building  K-5  April 27-29,  6th-12th  May 4-6.  Science Content building  K-5  May 4-6 and 6th -8th  April 27-29.
• Housekeeping:  Now that we have 7 specialists and 4 cameras, please leave the cameras in the vault and check them out as needed.  Return to the vault when not in use at a school / classroom. THANKS

January 22, 2010

• Nancy D. said: Dr. Carr came home yesterday (Thursday) and is doing a little better today Hope he takes it easy and does not try to come back to work too soon!
• For our meeting on Jan. 25, please list your concerns/issues/problems on a notecard. One issue per note card. On the back of that notecard, list solutions.  Place in the big envelope labeled "issues and solutions" .  These will provide part of our agenda for the day.
• April State wide Staff meeting will be held here.   April 6 - 8.  Both science and math.
• 7 Habits Training for ALL AMSTI JSU May 10 -12.  We are combining with AMSTI UAB and AMSTI Athens.  Training will be by Shelly Hollis.  It will be held at the JSU InService Center pending confirmation of the availability of the room.
• Statement of Economic Interests Form

The Ethics Commission prefers that the SEI be completed on-line. To access the form, go to
http://ethics.alabama.gov/;
then FORMS & FAQS;
then STATEMENT OF ECONOMIC INTERESTS
Once you begin the form you will have approximately one hour to complete it. At the end of the form you will be given an opportunity to review before submitting. If you include an e-mail address, you will receive a confirmation code that your submission has been successful. The confirmation e-mail will direct you to a location to view and print your submitted form.
NOTE: THE SEI MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2010.
To document that you have been notified of the requirement to complete the SEI, please reply to this message.
Thank you and I am available if you have questions.
Karen C. Davis
Director, Human Resources
Jacksonville State University
700 Pelham Road N
Jacksonville, AL 36265
256-782-5007 phone
256-782-5579 fax
kdavis@jsu.edu - email

• This is the banana activity that some of you asked about that Charlene has used with our 5E model lessons. See the email below.

Joyce M. Waid
AMSTI-Athens Director

From: Charlene Tibbals

Sent: Friday, January 22, 2010 1:22 PM

To: Joyce Waid

Subject: RE: banana activity

I had to get to a computer since we are having problems with our blackberries since the upgrade. Here is the Math/Science activity we took the banana 5E activity from. I got it for $2 at Activities Integrating Math & Science. I am forwarding the PDF but I don't give it to teachers because of the copyright.(Tanya has saved the PDF to the G Drive -- PD folder, 5E folder)

Specialists may want to go to the website and see all that is available. All activities follow the inquiry model.

I have included a few other activities for different grade levels. Share at will.

Charlene Tibbals

AMSTI Math Specialist

Visit my blog at: www.amsti.blogspot.com