|
National School Counselor Week 2020!
National School Counseling Week 2020, "School Counselors: Helping Build Better Humans," will be celebrated from Feb. 3-7. National School Counseling Week, sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. Show your school counselor some love! Click HERE for ideas and resources.
| |
| NEH Summer Program for K-12 Educators
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Summer Seminars and Institutes are one- to four-week residential programs that support collegial study of significant topics in the humanities and make use of important scholarship and primary resources such as archival documents, artifacts, or historic sites.
Typically, participants develop a scholarly and/or pedagogical project based on the topic. Programs take place throughout the United States, and participant stipends help cover travel and living expenses.
NEH Summer Seminars and Institutes
- focus on the study and teaching of significant texts and other resources;
- provide models of excellent scholarship and teaching;
- contribute to the intellectual growth of the participants; and
- build lasting communities of inquiry.
For a complete list of the seminars and institutes offered this summer, along with eligibility and application requirements, please click HERE.
| |
| NEH Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshops
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshops are place-based one-week workshops that take K-12 educators to historic sites to explore central themes in American history and government, literature, art, music, and related humanities topics. Workshops take place throughout the United States, and participant stipends help cover travel and living expenses.
Landmarks Workshops
- employ a place-based approach;
- teach historic sites through critical interpretation; and
- explore central themes in American history and government, literature, art, music, and related humanities subjects.
For a complete list of the of the Landmarks Workshops offered this summer, along with eligibility and application requirements, please click HERE.
| |
|
REMINDER: DESE Awards
Breaking Traditions Awards recognize outstanding non-traditional career and technical students and the adults who support them. The deadline to NOMINATE is Feb. 1.
Each year since 1974, the Missouri State Board of Education and the DESE have selected a few individuals to be honored as Missouri Pioneers in Education, in recognition of their distinguished careers and contributions to public education, either at the state or local levels. NOMINATE
| |
|
REMINDER: Black Child Book Fair on Saturday
The Black Child Book Fair is this weekend, Saturday, Feb. 1 at the Holiday Inn Downtown St. Louis from 10am to 3pm. For more information, visit harveywritersgroup.com. "Black children need to see faces that look like theirs and stories about people that look like them written by people that look like them," says founder Darryl Harvey. "The Black Child Book Fair Tour will provide positive and quality literature for our children."
| |
|
Pupil Accounting Timeline
♦ Jan. 31, 2020: Progress 3 grading cycle OPENS
♦ Feb. 7, 2020: Progress 3 grading cycle CLOSES
♦ Feb. 13, 2020: Progress 3 report cards distributed
♦ Feb. 14, 2020: Professional Development (NO students)
♦ Feb. 17, 2020: Presidents' Day HOLIDAY – DISTRICT CLOSED
Click HERE to download this information in a PDF.
| |
|
GOOD NEWS: Art Educator of the Year!
Dr. Nikki Spotts, dance educator at Shaw VPA Elementary School, received her Art Educator of the Year Award from Al Mitchell, vice president of corporate engagement for Bayer, during the Arts and Education Council of St. Louis’ 29th Annual St. Louis Arts Awards on Jan. 27 at the Chase Park Plaza. Congratulations, Dr. Spotts!
Photo credit: Suzy Gorman, St. Louis American
| |
|
GOOD NEWS: Fun at NHL Fan Fair!
Before the doors opened to the public, roughly 300 SLPS middle school students were invited to Union Station to participate in the NHL All-Star Weekend Fan Fair event on Friday, Jan. 24.
Students saw the Stanley Cup, picked up some tips and wisdom from St. Louis Blues defenceman and All-Star Alex Pietrangelo (among other ice hockey players, current and former, male and female), played a variety of soccer games, met nearly all of the NHL mascots and learned about hockey equipment. It was a treat to be included in the festivities. Thanks to the NHL, the St. Louis Blues, Everfi and SAP for making it happen!
| |
|
GOOD NEWS: Grant to Support Breakfast in the Classroom
Congratulations to Patrick Henry Downtown Academy, Stix ECC, Wilkinson ECC, Ames VPA, Jefferson Elementary and Hamilton Elementary for receiving the Midwest Dairy Council - Fuel Up to Play, GENYOU and United Healthcare grant. The purpose of the grant is to enhance the Breakfast in the Classroom Program at the schools. Each school will receive $2,000.
| |
|
PD Booster Sessions Schedule
Click HERE for a full calendar of upcoming booster sessions from the Curriculum Team!
| |
|
Standards-Based Learning CORNER
How Can I Get Involved in SLPS’s Standards-Based Learning and Grading Work?
There are many opportunities to get involved opening up soon. You can serve as a leader by joining the work in the following ways:
- Writing Proficiency Scales for Standards
- Train-the-Trainer Professional Development
- Summer Work
- Policy Work
- Professional Development Planning
- Communication Work
- Report Card Revision Work
You do not need to be an expert in any of these areas in order to participate in the work. You will be led by a resident expert, who will ensure you have all that you need to contribute fully in the work. You simply need a passion for the work, a team player sensibility, and a head full of ideas! If you have not already expressed interest, please use this link to let us know that you are interested. We will be reaching out soon. Come back to the Academic Office Newsletter each week for updated information about the SLPS journey from TEACHING to LEARNING in a Standards-Based Learning System.
| |
|
CURRICULUM CORNER: Secondary Science
Two Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) that are heavily tested on MAP and EOC are Constructing Explanations and Engaging in an Argument from Evidence. They are both ELA-based and students need time and clear structures to practice and eventually master them. Fortunately, there are some tools in place for secondary science (6-12) that could help you deconstruct these practices for your students. - For Explanation Tools (graphic organizer, rubric) go HERE.
- For Argumentation Tools (graphic organizer, cheat sheet, rubric, anchor chart) go HERE.
| |
|
|
CURRICULUM CORNER: Elementary Science
Great News! We value the youngest students in the District and know that science learning begins at birth. Because of this, we are encouraging all PK and kindergarten teachers to complete class projects for the Science Fair. We are going to showcase all of them at Central Office at the Science Fair. If you need help with ideas or science fair support, contact Carrie Launius at Janet.Launius@slps.orgA quick reminder: All Science Fair projects (PK-5) must be registered by March 2, 2020. They can be registered at this link.
| |
|
CURRICULUM CORNER: Elementary ELA
The last of the mandated Elementary ELA CFA will end on Jan. 31, 2020. Teachers have worked extremely hard with their students, and it is evident through the test results. Next week, Esther Palsenberger will focus on the growth found within classrooms similar to the STAR results. Teachers deserve all of the accolades that they truly deserve. Way to go, teachers!
STAR Growth: Based on the Consolidated Ranking Report (#1 Aug. 14 ... vs #2 Dec. 2-19)
Special thanks to Dr. DaMaris White for keeping Esther on her toes and watching out for her teachers. She reminded Esther that her school was missing from last week's list based on the alphabetical list. The list has been checked twice so that no one has been left off this last time. Monroe's list has been updated after Ms. Wayne also challenged the number of teachers on her list. Esther welcomes the challenges and push backs because she knows that it means buildings are digging deeper into their data. Great job to everyone!
| |
| Guest WiFi Password
- January: snowy
- February: heart
- March: windy
- April: rainy
| |
| DISTRICT CALENDAR
JAN 31
♦ Multicultural Children's Book Day: LINK
FEB 1
♦ Black Child Book Fair: LINK
FEB 6
♦ St. Louis Regional Literacy Association - One District United for Literacy: REGISTER
FEB 7
♦ Interim progress reports for Q3
FEB 8
♦ Harris-Stowe "Take a Kid to the Game" Day
FEB 9-15
♦ School Board Appreciation Week: LINK
FEB 13
♦ Gateway Greening Spring School Gardener and Outdoor Educator Meetups: REGISTER
FEB 14
♦ PD Day (no students)
FEB 17
♦ Presidents' Day holiday (district closed)
♦ Deadline to apply for the Princeton Summer Journalism Program: LINK
FEB 19
♦ Billiken Books & Basketball Day: REGISTER (deadline 2/5)
FEB 23
♦ Gateway Greening Community Agriculture Conference: INFO
FEB 29
♦ EdCamp: REGISTER
MARCH 2
♦ Deadline to register Science Fair projects: LINK
APRIL 1-2
♦ NY Times 1619 Project: RSVP (deadline 2/10)
APRIL 6
♦ Deadline to apply for CGCS-Bernard Harris Math and Science Scholarships: LINK
| |
| Did You Miss an Issue?
There is now an archive of all issues of the Academic Office Newsletter. Yay! Click HERE or visit slps.org/AONArchive.
| |
|
