Week of February 17th, 2014
Hello Awbrey Staff,
• Schedule of Events for the Week
February 17 (M)
President’s Day – No SchoolFebruary 18 (T)
9:30-11:30, 3rd Grade to the Hult Center, Joel attends.
2:30-5:00, Joel to Elementary Principals’ Meeting (Ed Center)
3:00-4:00 PBIS Meeting in Lindsay Gietter’s RoomFebruary 19 (W)
Exclusion Day for students without up to date vaccinations
8:30-9:45, Joel in formal observation
2:00-3:00, Classified Staff Meeting on Time Card Procedures in Room 13.February 20 (H)
8:30-10:00, Joel in walk throughs
3:00-4:00, IPBS Meeting in Conference RoomFebruary 21 (F)
8:30-10:00, Joel in walk throughs.
1:15 Fire Drill, This looks to be the driest and warmest day all week.
• Teacher Rep Needed for District Conversations – Downtown wants to start a dialogue with teachers about how we can best support each other through these hard times and how we might work together to make the stresses more manageable and retain the joy in our work. They are going to start this by facilitating some conversations among teachers. Each elementary school can send one rep who is able to “feel the pulse” of their building and who has a sense of some of what the district has been trying to achieve, and is willing speak honestly. Elementary teacher reps will be divided into two groups and will meet on on March 5th and 10th from 4:00-5:30 at the Ed Center. Teachers will be compensated for their time. Let me know by this Thursday if you are interested in being Awbrey Park’s teacher rep.
• Vision publicity work: I’d love to hear from staff about ways to share our vision in the front office. One or two staff members have shared this interest. Please send me an email if you want to do some work in the front office to share this work. We have a small amount of funds set aside to do this work.
• UOTeach Student Teachers Placements This Spring – The UOTeach program has 4 student teachers who need placements in classrooms with ELL students for the spring. The only grade they do not need is 2nd. For spring term student teaching, the student would be in your classroom 40 hours per week for 10 weeks, from March 31 – June 13. They would teach full-time for 5 weeks and create a 3-5 week work sample, which could include 4 lessons showing accommodations for the ELL students in the classroom. The student’s UO supervisor would set up a 3-way meeting at the beginning, middle and end of the term and would observe them 4-5 times during the term. The compensation to the cooperating teacher would be $217 and a UO reduced-tuition credit voucher worth 5 credits. This compensation is sent by UOTeach to the district which has a process for the teacher to access it. If you are interested see this email for details and contact Kara Whipple .
• OSPIRG Energy Education Presentations – OSPIRG is a student-directed nonprofit at Lane Community College and they are offering free educational presentations for students of all ages that focus on the value of conserving energy and promoting active environmental stewardship. Sample lessons can be found here and here. If you’re interested in having a presenter, contact Michelle Evans at (541) 505-1582 or .
• A Hidden History Feb 23rd – Have you ever wondered why the Black population in Oregon is so small? Oregon has a history not only of Black exclusion and discrimination, but also of a vibrant Black culture that helped sustain many communities throughout the state-a history that is not taught in schools. On Sunday, February 23, 2:00 p.m., the Downtown Eugene Public Library will host a free community conversation, “Why Aren’t There More Black People in Oregon: A Hidden History.” Author and educator Walidah Imarisha will lead participants through an interactive timeline of Black history in Oregon that speaks to the history of race, identity, and power in this state and the nation. See the Eugene Public Library website for more details.
• Illinois elementary school event teaches math’s role in the Olympics – Here’s an article about a fun way to engage students in math content. Third- and fourth-grade students at an Illinois elementary school recently participated in its first Math Olympics — a competition featuring Olympic-inspired games and math. Students participated in various competitions, including the long jump, and learned how math is used to determine the results of the events.
• Study shows benefits of deeper learning, student-centered instruction – A recent study finds that deeper learning and student-centered practices were shown to improve academic achievement among low-income minority students in four schools. Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education studied the schools, which used Linked Learning Alliance or Envision Schools models, and found that all are committed to personalized learning, strive for positive teacher-student relationships and are based on reflection and revision.
• Teachers tap social media for authentic learning experiences – Educators and advocates say schools increasingly are adapting to new technology and now are beginning to use social media, such as Skype and Twitter, in innovative ways to create authentic learning experiences for students. In this article, one example is a second-grade teacher used Twitter to help students practice their writing, including proper use of grammar and punctuation. Educators are cautioned, however, to ensure social media use is private, education-oriented and secure.
Have a great week! I am already enjoying the longer days of light. Have you noticed that?
Joel