This message was sent to ##Email##
To advertise in this publication please click here
|
|
|
##\member##
.PRINCIPAL LEADERSHIP
School stability is a top priority as principals face an uncertain new year
District Administration Magazine
As principals look ahead to 2022 through the persistent uncertainty of COVID, helping students rebound from the early impacts of the pandemic will be a top priority.
Many educators underestimated the academic and social-emotional damage that occurred during remote learning in the spring of 2020. It's not a linear equation — just because students missed half a year of in-person instruction doesn’t mean they only fall half a year behind.
|
|
Schools adapt for return from break as COVID-19 cases surge
Associated Press
Mask requirements are returning in some school districts that had dropped them. Some are planning to vastly ramp up virus testing among students and staff. And a small number of school systems are switching to remote learning — for just a short while, educators hope.
With coronavirus infections soaring, the return from schools'’ winter break will be different than planned for some as administrators again tweak protocols and make real-time adjustments in response to the shifting pandemic. All are signaling a need to stay flexible.
|
|
|
Promoted By
Boosterthon
|
|
|
|
Promoted By
Lexia Learning
|
|
|
|
Advocates fear suspensions could add to pandemic pain for vulnerable students
NBC
The list of challenges facing school administrators as they head into the new year is long and daunting: crippling staff shortages, nasty battles over mask-wearing, deep academic deficits, terrifying sickness and disruptive quarantines.
On top of that, administrators are also navigating difficult questions about how best to respond to student discipline issues, including violence, which some educators say has been a growing concern this school year.
|
|
We've learned a lot so far. Let's apply those lessons in the difficult month ahead
Hechinger Report
Remote learning has serious drawbacks; researchers have already warned that devastating achievement disparities that are only worsening. COVID denial in parts of the country and challenges to mask mandates can make school feel dangerous, with the omicron variant surging (618% in NYC during the last two weeks) and pediatric COVID-related hospitalizations on the rise. In one Maine elementary school alone, the transmission rate rose to 70% before Christmas.
|
|
Returning students greeted with closing schools
U.S. News and World Report
As coronavirus cases surge due to the highly transmissible omicron variant, schools across the country are resuming classes after their winter breaks and navigating a complicated return made even more so by staffing shortages, testing snafus and bad weather.
According to the school tracking site Burbio, an additional 1,600 schools announced shutting down in-person learning for at least one day over the last week, with some announcing one- or two-week virtual learning breaks due to rising COVID-19 cases.
|
|
Here are the next steps toward safer schools and students in 2022
District Administration Magazine
Recently, around 80% of public schools recorded one or more incidents of violence, theft or other crimes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. In conjunction with current safety measures, an updated method of communication, multiple evacuation routes and new self-defense options, it’s a critical time for schools to take action and provide an extra set of safety measures.
|
|
Curriculum case study: It's undeniable — curriculum matters for everyone. Why now is the time
The 74
Many Massachusetts public schools still use balanced literacy programs that recently received low marks in a review by EdReports, a nonprofit that evaluates K-12 curriculum across English language arts, math and science. Around the same time, I happened to visit pioneering Massachusetts districts that have adopted evidence-based approaches to reading instruction. Educators there have much to teach us about the benefits of adopting strong curricula with professional learning support and why the timing is critical now.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
The science of reading is a powerful lever for equity. Gain a deeper understanding of how to implement the science of reading within an MTSS framework in order to identify and remove barriers to reading success. Tune in to this free webinar at 3 p.m. ET, Jan. 12. Register!
.
|
|
In push to renew school accountability, feds urge states to keep eye on pandemic's effects
The 74
ollowing a two-year pause, states must resume the process of pinpointing their lowest-performing schools and those with persistent achievement gaps, according to a recent draft of guidance from the U.S. Department of Education.
But bowing to uncertainty sparked by the pandemic, officials will allow one-year changes to the criteria states use to identify those schools. That means the report cards states use to communicate student performance to the public could look quite different.
|
|
Two key predictions around special education for 2022
The Hill (Commentary)
Experts at Understood, a prominent organization in the neurodiversity community whose mission is to help those who learn and think differently discover their potential, have made two key predictions around Special Education in America for 2022. Not surprisingly, these predictions speak directly to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on public schools, their teachers and students, and on student outcomes.
|
|
What type of mask should educators wear?
Tech & Learning
Not all masks are created equal.
That may be obvious at this point in the pandemic, but choosing a mask that offers the most protection possible is once again important for educators who continue to teach in-person in the midst of the surging Omicron-fueled wave of COVID infections and the still significant tail end of the Delta wave.
At many schools masking is optional, however, educators who choose to wear a mask can still afford themselves a good deal of protection.
|
|
Why storytelling is key to K-12 leadership
District Administration Magazine
If you're consistently talking about all the good things going on in your schools, there's a good chance people will start making things up, says Joe Sanfelippo, superintendent of the Fall Creek School District. “When they don’t know what you do in school, they make up what you do in schools,” Sanfelippo says. “And when they make up what you do in schools, it’s not what you’re doing in schools.”
|
|
|
|
 |
|
As school communities have struggled to address the mental health needs of their students, the focus has been on treatment. Understandable.
However, we can start proactively helping our students in elementary school. Brain-based mental health literacy & resilience training provide strong Tier 1 support.
|
|
8 K-12 trends to watch in 2022
K-12 Dive
The COVID-19 pandemic continued disrupting K-12 in 2021, even as schools were largely able to return to in-person learning in an attempt to regain some semblance of normalcy. Just this week, surging cases due to the omicron variant have sent many students back to virtual classrooms as school was set to resume following winter break.
|
|
.EDUCATION POLICY
|
|
.SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY
'I feel half as successful': Teachers push to ban hybrid instruction, but districts want to keep it
Politico
If anything was worse than students and teachers trying to communicate about fractions or phonics over Zoom because of the pandemic, it was a version of school where half the students sat in the classroom while the rest stared at a screen from home.
That mix of one teacher with two sets of students — one group physically in the classroom, the second trying to follow along remotely — was quickly dubbed “hybrid teaching” and was adopted far, wide and fast.
|
|
Redesigning education for post-pandemic success
eSchool News
COVID-19 arguably produced the biggest shift in education since the invention of the printing press. Nearly overnight, teaching and learning moved from classrooms to online environments. School systems invested thousands of dollars in Chromebooks, Wi-Fi hotspots, and other technologies. Educators spent countless hours working to ensure that students could learn from home uninterrupted.
Yet, aside from where the learning occurred, what else actually changed?
|
|
|
|
| Promoted by
Brainfuse, Inc. |
 |
|
- State-Aligned: 24/7, state-aligned online tutoring support
- Accessible Platform: Our easy to use whiteboard is available from any desktop or mobile device
- Experience: Brainfuse has completed over 15 million one-to-one online tutoring sessions since 1999
- High-Quality Tutors: Our tutors undergo a rigorous selection and training process
- Field-Tested: Brainfuse has consistently outperformed other online tutoring companies in head-to-head trials
|
|
AP computer science principles is diversifying computer science
Diverse: Issues in Higher Education
When The College Board, the company who administers Advanced Placement courses and the SAT test to thousands of future college applicants each year, began developing the AP Computer Science Principles course, they hoped to not only meet the growing need for computer scientists in the workforce but also address the systemic inequities in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics .
So far, results show that it’s working.
|
|
Learning to code helps kids build digital literacy
Columbus Parent
Whether it’s soccer, gymnastics, piano, scouting or math club, your children likely have a long list of extracurricular activities. But is coding on the radar?
Coding, the process of communicating with computers through programming, is becoming a more popular pastime and allows kids, often as young as age 5, to learn how technology plays a part in daily life.
|
|
Can a future-forward curriculum help encode tech creativity in young minds?
Forbes
With Apple announcing an expansion of its coding curriculum to include kindergarten-level resources, the growth of vendor-sponsored courses aimed at young coders signals the industry’s focus on ensuring a pipeline of talent. To foster a generation of future coders, the UK planted its stake firmly in the ground by making coding a compulsory part of primary and secondary curriculums back in 2014. Other countries like Singapore, Australia and UAE are following suit.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Learn tips and strategies to deliver inspired feedback, master MTSS, and create a culture and curriculum that’s inclusive and effective for every learner. Bestselling author Katie Novak (Innovate Inside the Box and UDL Now!) and Mike Woodlock show you how. Order A UDL Playbook for School and District Leaders today!
|
|
Bridging the skills gap:STEM and diversity advocate Carolina Diaz
THE Journal
Carolina Diaz, a project engineer at Shell, was recently recognized with a Luminary Award at the Great Minds in STEM’s 2021 Conference and Hispanic Engineering National Achievement Awards event for her contributions to bringing STEM education to underserved students.
The Luminary Award honors professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics who initiate, collaborate, and lead key programs and research within their companies, making “significant contributions to the Hispanic technical community as leaders and role models,” according to the Great Minds in STEM website.
|
|
.PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
What makes a good decodable text?
We Are Teachers
Decodable texts have a bad reputation─and sometimes for good reason. There are a lot of lemons out there, along with weak instructional practices for using them. There are, however, many high-quality ones available that deserve wide usage by teachers and districts. These texts afford many children rapid reading progress that can’t be denied.
|
|
5 ways educators infuse joy into learning
K-12 Dive
Across the country, educators like Renzi are infusing joy and happiness into learning. It's a strategy that has been recommended — and executed — for many decades, but one teachers and administrators say has become more deliberate and purposeful since COVID-19 disrupted in-person learning and created economic, emotional and physical hardships for communities and families.
|
|
|
The all-new AstroPure™ portable air purifier from AAF Flanders features an advanced interface that allows fine-tuning of settings and visualization of particulate levels. This interface can be locked to prevent unauthorized changes, and because the unit makes so little noise, distractions are kept to minimum.
|
|
|
|
|
Imagination Playground
is a breakthrough playspace designed to encourage child-directed unstructured free play. Unlike traditional hardscape playgrounds, Imagination Playground is low cost, requires no installation, and can be used both indoors and out. Our Blue Blocks are proudly made in the USA from a closed cell waterproof foam, making them durable and easy to clean.
|
|
|
|
|
Backward design
Language Magazine
Comprehensible input. Movies. Language clubs. Guest speakers. Pirates. Conversations. Fly-swatter vocabulary matches. Video pen pals. Study abroad.
A language program can take many forms and have some — or none — of these.
|
|
Using positive feedback in math classrooms
Edutopia
We can signal what we value and the strengths we see in the student’s work, providing insight into areas for growth and further learning. In math we value clarity and logic, creative solutions, perseverance, and curiosity. Used strategically, positive feedback can reinforce these cornerstones of the discipline. Although the examples I provide in this article are geared toward middle and high school math classes, positive feedback can be used at a variety of grade levels.
|
|
Fun ways to support multilingual learners
MiddleWeb
For multilingual learners to become proficient speakers in a new language, they must have frequent opportunities to speak, listen, and interact with others. Effective educators, therefore, plan multiple opportunities for their students to converse, process/discuss information, and explain their thinking in collaborative settings.
|
|
| |
Promoted by Stepping Stones Museum For Children
Empower your teachers with exciting new virtual STEAM-powered classes, clubs and workshops at award-winning Stepping Stones Museum for Children. The Stepping Stones Studio makes it easy to inspire and delight young learners with a celebrated lineup of play-filled, brain-building educational offerings now accessible to everyone, everywhere. “This is the most wonderful hands-on experience for children! The Traveling Seeds workshop was extraordinary. The students were engaged and learned a lot. I enjoyed watching the children play and learn at the same time,” a 1st grade teacher, Norwalk Public Schools, Norwalk CT. Click the link here for detailed information: https://www.steppingstonesmuseum.org/app/uploads/2021/12/21-School-and-Groups-Flyer-VIRTUAL-120821.pdf
|
|
|
.EDUCATION RESEARCH
How counseling can combat criminalization of students
CT Mirror (Commentary)
A school hallway should look like this: overflowing lockers, students running late to class, classmates huddled laughing or studying, teachers carrying mugs filled to the top with coffee, and above all an overall feeling of comfort, support, and safety. However, this is often not the case for many students, particularly students of color. Rather, school hallways are filled with tense students nervous about making the wrong move in the presence of a school resource officer.
|
|
|
|
.IN THE STATES
Virginia announces $12 million for recruiting and retaining teachers
13 News Now
Overall, VDOE is pumping $12 million into finding and keeping teachers in classrooms, and of that, $2 million will go toward helping teachers and other school staff to obtain their full state teaching license.
"We do have challenges in finding people who are interested in teaching and able to meet the qualifications," said Jessica Duren, Chief Human Resources Officer for Portsmouth Public Schools.
|
|
State education officials seek to accelerate addition of 10 thousand school counselors
KTLA 5
The counselor effort, which requires legislative approval, would aim to entice clinicians into schools through loan forgiveness and deferrals, scholarships to offset education costs and potentially reduce the time it takes for mental health clinicians to get licensed, Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said recently during a visit to Washington Preparatory High School in South Los Angeles.
|
|
Baker pushes in-person learning as some Mass. schools delay winter break return
NBC Boston
Even if students wanted to learn online, remote learning simply is not an option for school districts in most cases. Superintendents across Massachusetts can't offer remote learning as an alternative option because state education officials do not count those days toward school credit.
"The rules here are pretty simple. We count in-person school as school. If the school districts not open at some point over the course of the year, they can use snow days until they run out of snow days," Baker said. "But they do need to provide their kids with 180 days of in-person education this year. And we'll do whatever we can to help them deliver on that."
|
|
|
|
.ASSOCIATION NEWS
Apply to School Ambassador Fellowship Program
NAESP
The U.S. Department of Education School Ambassador Fellowship is designed to improve educational outcomes for students by leveraging the expertise of school-based practitioners in the creation, dissemination, and evaluation of national education policy. Principals, apply now!
|
|
Webinar: Commit to Being a Bias-Conscious Leader
NAESP
One of the most important ways that bias affects organizations is through the decisions that leaders make. From overseeing student discipline to hiring new teachers and staff to managing parent expectations, school principals are asked to make dozens of decisions every day that impact their students, schools, and communities. In this session, we will explore eight cognitive biases, how those biases can affect our decision-making, and what evidence-based strategies we can use to mitigate the negative impact of those biases. By learning to identify and address these biases and their effect on our decision-making, we can become more effective leaders.
|
|
|
|
|
|
7701 Las Colinas Ridge, Ste. 800, Irving, TX 75063
|
