http://blogs.4j.lane.edu/chinn/?p=223
Welcome Back and Happy New Year!
I hope you all had an enjoyable two weeks off. Kim and I had a lot of fun with Gracie’s first Christmas and New Year.
Five items of note for this week:
• January 4 PD/Planning Day – Our first day back, January 4th, is a Professional Development/Planning Day. YG will be meeting at 8:30 with Marlee Litten in Jan’s Room to review the IIPM process, interventions, progress monitoring, and differentiation strategies. Corridor will be meeting at 9:00 in Angie’s Room for a TIP Team Technology Training.
• Interesting Equity Article – Here’s an interesting article on the lack of diversity of Newberry Award winning books. This article is a good reminder to make sure the books and materials we use reflect a variety of races, cultures, and ethnicities.
• Work Sample Scoring – All elementary teachers have the use of either two half days or one full day for work sample scoring, entering, etc… When you are ready, use the “Work Samples Elementary” in the AESOP.
• Tea Timer Widget – Here’s a useful Dashboard widget someone showed me that I could see applications for in a classroom. It’s a tea timer that simply counts down from whatever time you enter.
• New Cell Phone Law Takes Effect January 1, 2010 – Patrick Hughes, Director of Risk Management, asked for this information to be passed along to staff:Beginning January 1, 2010, Oregon’s new “Cell Phone” law takes effect and the Eugene Police Traffic Enforcement Unit would like to urge motorists to begin making preparations now for this significant change.
The primary goal of HB2377 is to improve Oregon roadway safety by reducing driver distractions. Distracted drivers are often to blame for motor vehicle-related crashes and the use of cell phones by drivers is one of the leading distractions. HB2377 changes ORS 811.507 and specifically prohibits the use of “mobile communications devices” for talking or texting while driving unless the driver meets one of the specific exceptions. The main exceptions to the law are for drivers 18 years of age or over who are using a “hands free accessory,” drivers who are operating a vehicle in the scope of their employment and the vehicle is necessary for the person’s job, and for emergencies. Drivers under the age of 18 years are not permitted to use a mobile communication device while driving. In Eugene, the base fine for violating this law is $115. For a list of exceptions and other specifics about the law please use this link to the actual house bill: http://www.leg.state.or.us/09reg/measures/hb2300.dir/hb2377.em.html
In addition to the new “cell phone” law there are changes to Oregon’s “Move Over” law that also take effect on January 1, 2010. ORS 811.147 – “Failure to Maintain Safe Distance from an Emergency Vehicle” has been modified to include “roadside assistance vehicles” and “tow trucks.” Additionally, the new changes clarify that “slow down” means a driver must reduce their speed to at least 5 m.p.h. below the posted speed limit if they are unable to safely change lanes while approaching an emergency vehicle that is stopped with its emergency lights activated. Oregon’s “Move Over” law was passed in 2003 in an effort to improve the safety for police officers and other emergency personnel who must work along our state and local roadways. For details of this particular law, please refer to the below link: http://www.leg.state.or.us./09reg/measures/hb2000.dir/hb2040.en.html
• BLOG ONLY LINK: Grammar Humor – If you’d like a good laugh, check out these two grammar related links. One is on 10 common misspellings and the other is on the proper use of apostrophes. Slightly naughty and probably best not to use it with kids though.
Have a great week back and Go Ducks!
Allan