11/18 ERS, SS Vertical Team 2

Started the day COLD!  Welcoming students into the school.

Set up for the Aides Meeting with the following agenda:

Minutes found here.

Met with Kindergarten student about behavior in the classroom.

Printed resources for SS vertical Team

Wrote this blog post: http://coachinandout.blogspot.com/2014/11/thinking-about-experiential-learning.html

Made Wednesday folder checklist...

Worked on Cross referencing the NGSS with the GLEs
High School
Middle School
Elementary School

Headed over to set up for Social Studies Vertical Team. Minutes taken here.

10/28 ERS

Started the day at a staff meeting where we discussed:

• iObservation
• Nov 4th PD day
• Delinquent lunch accounts
• PT conferences
• Crisis Plan
• Phone tree

Scanned Binder for Kindergarten

Searched library portal for Native American and Countries

Recorded this video about accessing library resources:

Dowloaded pdf of book lists.

Updated Calendar of meetings and events.

Crafted and sent Science Vertical Team Email

Created Agenda for Science Vertical Team 2.

Made Playlist for Cross Cutting Concepts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSb3tSKhCr0&list=PL2QYbCIpKwksGngnVQnNRj04uOOyMqHZG

Created and shared AVERY classroom day form

Crafted a school reach call about email communication, recorded and sent.

Recorded this video for iObservation: https://drive.google.com/a/wgcloud.org/file/d/0B2myX1fkAsIBZkhmOVR1N25zYmM/view?usp=sharing

Misc Paperwork

Assisted with dismissal.

10/14 WGHS, WGCO, Avery

Started the day finalizing the Edgar Road MAP report for conversation tomorrow at Edgar Road. District MAP data looked like this.

I was interviewed by the Webster/Kirkwood times regarding the award(s) I won.

I met with Assistant Superintendant to review and draft a timeline of curriculum implementation to present to the vertical teams for approval.

We also emailed DESE assessment director in regards to the NGSS and their role in future assessments.

This sentence:  "Development, administration, scoring, and reporting of 5th and 8th grade summative
science assessments and released items aligned to the 2.0 GLEs."
Worried us.


Afterwords I met with two teachers at Avery.  We discussed the iPad Mini program for their struggling readers and PD/training that may be needed for staff, students and parents.

I went back to the office to finalize the minute analysis on Science and Social studies, see my infographic here:

Then READ this: http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2013/10/maximize-your-potential-99u/

And listened to this: http://readitfor.me/blog/2013/04/creating-your-own-personal-commandments/?offer=start-succeeding&inf_contact_key=4bba93f936732a5b69478f7272773289e0a728e2ef4b94fc29939ad9fecfde22

9/29 WGCO, Hudson, WGHS

STarted the day at the Values meeting at Central Office.  We discussed the Core values of the district and proposed a solution moving forward in the Strategic Planning process.

Afterwords went over to Hudson.

Teachers signed up for times on a google document HERE

I met with 3rd grade to outline what we would want in a field trip. Ideas included:

Hudson and one Avery Morning 

BREAK

3 Avery classes

People/Stations we'd like:

Mayor

Parks person

Streets person

Police and Fire

Planning and zoning

Finance - (maybe the assessor)

Courts

City Manager

Public works

Lunch Plan?

Extra station for possibly a tour of police/fire or Journaling/running

I drafted an agenda for Social Studies vertical Team:

and a proposed alignment for 6-8th grade Social Studies

After Hudson I went back over to WGHS to:

• Print resources and gather folders for Vertical Team
• Draft 5th grade Science learning goals

5/3 Coordinator Meeting, Edgar Road

Started the day with Coordinator meeting, discussed:

• Common Core meeting
• Server access from Home: http://204.184.92.22
• Statesmen Scholar
• Next year and Calendar

Headed over to TLC to discuss SSL and Webmail issues

Then to Edgar Road to:

• Finalize 2nd grade NGSS units:
• Structure and Properties of Matter: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2myX1fkAsIBS05wTXg0N1F4b2c/edit?usp=sharing
• Processes that Shape the Earth: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2myX1fkAsIBQXlIOHpjcDZiOHM/edit?usp=sharing
• Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2myX1fkAsIBNUFfZ1NOYm5SYnc/edit?usp=sharing
• Begun 3rd Grade Units
• Forces: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2myX1fkAsIBRlR4d1FkWHRaT1E/edit?usp=sharing
• Looked over MySci Project Based learning resources
• Planned 5/15 Vertical team meeting

4/16 Steger, Central Office, Science Vertical Team

Met at Computer school with ELA and Math coordinators to plan New teacher trainings this summer

Researched online learning and collaborative space:

• Yammer
• Edmodo
• Moodle
• Blackboard

Planned 678 Social Studies meeting

Organized and set up for Vertical team
Facilitated Vertical Team conversation

Went home to:

1.  Finalize notes from vertical team: https://docs.google.com/a/wgcloud.org/document/d/14-tQNXqO-jI4xfq_uxFvQfrNBhsdwleH8GzjAwGUjSs/edit#

2.  Record vertical team video

3. Upload vertical team video:

3/12 Office day, lots of planning

Met with Fine Arts Coordinator to transfer images from ipad to PC.  Tried:
email, simple transfer, box and dropbox.  Email worked best.

Scheduled Computer school/Steger day on 3/27: https://docs.google.com/a/wgcloud.org/document/d/1W4Eq0GpMLoqrJ4WIxnqs-qn_XpduvyfmIKgwFvdn62U/edit

Wrote document for Arcade day at the elementary school:
https://docs.google.com/a/wgcloud.org/document/d/1OU5yuZLn46C1pUHgOBjM_KANJRvfsFvSXPOigYGVMiw/edit

Met with District Tech Director

Searched for 5th grade materials for replenishment of Bristol Social Studies Kit

Tweeted out some resources for using and finding primary source documents in social studies:


Was published in Daily Edventures: http://dailyedventures.com/index.php/2013/03/12/mcgee/

Sent proposals to PDC regarding possible future presentations:

• 1.  Monthly SMACKDOWN (or appy hour) - Learn, share, listen, connect with WG and surrounding BEST edtech integrators 4-5pm once a month.  Resources shared documented.
• 2.  Standards to assessments - Retooling assessments to reach targets and higher order thinking skills (3-4 day workshop)
• 3.  The Power of evidence.  CSI themed look at student assessment and non-traditional ways to formatively assess student learning (quarterly after school)
• 4. Google tools in the classroom - Monthly after school meetings with built in tasks and assignments for educators to fully integrate WGCLOUD into their workflow.
• 5.  The Gift of the Orator. Skills tips and tricks to giveaway successful (in class or out) presentation every time. (in collaboration with Jason Heisserer, he doesn't know this) provide resources for teachers to improve and make interesting their direct instruction.  (quarterly after school)
• 6.  The flipped classroom:  Using digital tools to rethink classroom procedures. (4 day workshop) to include complete integration
• 7.  The 21st century textbook:  A look into the new role textbooks play in student learning.  (3 day workshop) include adobe indesign and google tools to curate resources to create students own digital text.
• 8.  Finding new levels of student acheivement through standards-based grading (4 day workshop)  Learning about standards based grading, getting sample work from students and walking through how to grade using SBG model.  Invovles workdays to collect evidence, converse LG and PfS 

Crafted email for Vertical Team meeting:

You are invited to a Vertical Team meeting of educators committed to the improvement of Science and Social Studies education in the Webster Groves School District.

Who:

All interested parties that teach or support learning from preschool to graduation.  A desirable “quorum” would be educators from Pre-K, Primary, Intermediate, Middle and High School, as well as coordinators, teacher assistants, coaches, administrators and others that support instruction.

When:

SOCIAL STUDIES - March 27th from 3:45 - 5:00

SCIENCE - April 3rd from 3:45 - 5:00

Where:

Central Office Board Room

Why:

• To have a team of people charged with the desire to define what it looks like for students to learn Science and Social Studies through both content and process.
• To vision what the future of education will be for statesmen and stateswomen.
• To continue to align the learning of concepts, skills, and outcomes preschool through graduation.
• To continue to define our expectations at each grade level PreK-12.
• To develop mentorship model across specialities.
• To build community.
• To build a cohesive team of educators.
• To increase communication and eliminate isolation.

What:

SOCIAL STUDIES topic for conversation:

From GLEs (Grade Level Expectations) to CLEs (Course Level Expectations): 

Focussing on the "WHAT" in "What" we teach

SCIENCE topic for conversation: 

Investigate the new NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards)

 How to read them, where to find them, what do they mean for us in Missouri...

Interested:

Please RSVP here: http://wgsdsciss.blogspot.com/2012/11/register-for-vertical-team.html

Read/Proofed Gifted Grant application for WGSD Foundation

12/5 Day at Edgar Road, SS vertical Team

Today I spent the day in classrooms at Edgar Road.  I got a chance to work one on one with teachers and see many fun and exciting lessons.

Highlights of the day were:  Working on proficiency scales, discussing 20% time and spending time with a great kindergarten class.

Did you know you can just cut a pumpkin, put in some dirt and grow some plants....

I was also able to complete work for my Online PBLU class: Showcasing student work

I listened to the Teachercast Podcast on Digital Footprint to prepare for presentation at METC.

I also prepared for the Social Studies Vertical team and facilitator meeting by copying resources for the day.  Notes for the day posted here: https://docs.google.com/a/wgcloud.org/document/d/1wKbI9yozMU8PAGQiPcUpEWzp1napdPO1QseIWtGni6Q/edit#heading=h.vbd8videssa3

Register for Vertical Team