Monday, September 24

PD schedule for Tuesday
Please click the title for the file. If you'd like any changes or have any questions, please let me or Missy know.
Please note:  The schedule goes until 3 on Tuesday.  We're taking advantage of our faculty meeting time to give you more time to meet in these groups. 

Important message from NYSED
Opioid letter to school personnel

Mental Health
If you're looking for the state's position on mental health education and some resources, please click on the link here:   http://www.nysed.gov/curriculum-instruction/mental-health


Alternative schedule linked from master

The alt schedule is now a separately linked file.  The link is in the contents. 

BOCES news
Here is the TST School Improvement Services Weekly Bulletin for 9.18.18.

Teaching All Students:  The Special Education Process for General Education Teachers.  It is a two day workshop on October 9th and 10th.  It is held here in Syracuse.  This is a one time offering for special educators and general educators to come together to understand roles and responsibilities for the special education process.

https://www.mylearningplan.com/WebReg/ActivityProfile.asp?D=15882&I=2844791



BEDS day(s)
No silly, not that kind of bed, it's basic educational data we're talking about! Although a Falcon bed race down Main Street might be fun.

This year's Beds Day is October 3, 2018.  That is the day that teacher's may start entering data in the electronic Personnel Master File (ePMF) system.  The cutoff date is December 14, 2018 for staff to enter their data.

Instructions for Teachers:

Where to find the ePMF form:

The teaching ePMF form is completed electronically and can be found after logging into the Teacher Access and Authorization (TAA) account at https://eservices.nysed.gov/taa.  (Note:  If the teacher logs in and doesn't see an ePMF form the ePMF form will not be visible in TAA until a valid Staff Snapshot record with Field 8 indicating "TEACHER" for 2018-19 is uploaded to Level 2.  Check with your Administrator.)

Editing data after entry:

You may only edit your assignment data.  If you "Save" the data, you can return to it at a later date.  You must finalize your form by clicking "Save and Submit," which will lock your form to editing except for administrators who can "Unsubmit" to fix errors and "Resubmit" to finalize the changes.

Assignment Code booklets will be available in hard copy in the office along with "Frequently Asked Questions" documentation. We can also have the Administration Manual available which is helpful as a user guide for other questions that arise.


From CTS:
SchoolTool mobile has been enabled for SouthSeneca.ORG domain.
I believe this is for parents/students; not for teachers to enter data.  Please check with CTS with any questions.

URL is same as usual:  https://southseneca.schooltool.cnyric.org/schooltoolweb/
Tested on Android:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mindex.schooltool&hl=en_US
Available for Cupertinoid:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/schooltool-mobile/id911564575?mt=8

To ALL Middle School Teachers and Staff:  

Team 7/8 is working on creating a stronger culture for our Middle School, including our overall theme for the year:  This is Me along with our monthly themes as well.  

Our goal is to incorporate multiple skills and perspectives into our planning as we have an eye on the overall development of the Middle School child.  

We wanted to be sure to communicate special events and plans as they are in the making... please look at the links included here and give input as needed on upcoming events/ plans.  We understand that not all of us get to sit at the team table, but we also know that everyone's input is valid and important to the big picture of Middle School.  

We are trying to also be mindful of too many class disruptions, however in order to include the Character Ed and "2nd Step" curriculum we realize that we all need to think out of the box as well.  Please feel free to email /contact any team member with ideas of how you can be involved in our planning and special focus days.  

We welcome you and any ideas you might have to incorporate into any of our upcoming planning.

  

Here are some of the things we have been discussing and planning as a 7/8 Team so far...

8th Grade Trip "Qualifiers" to be shared with parents at Sept. 20th Trip Meeting...

To earn the trip each student must be in both good Academic and Behavioral standing.  Final Trip participants will be determined by Admin. & Advisors for the trip.

Monthly Plans Overview for the year- MS Monthly- Assemblies / Half Days / Field Trips...

Sept. 25th plans / sessions - 9/25/18 Plans & Sessions

Oct. 2- Guest Assemblies- Brad Hurtig (MS & HS... schedule coming out from Tim)

Oct. 5 Field Trips and "in house plans" A work in progress- 10/5 /18 Plans & Sessions

Red Ribbon Week- Oct. 23-31- dress up days- focus on Theme- Life is Your Journey:  Travel Drug Free

November 20th field trips-  

7th to Women's Rights Park

8th to Museum of the Earth

Dec. 7 - A Christmas Carol- @ Hangar- Grades 6/7/8

Event notice: 
Inspiring a Passion for Computational Thinking 

Inspiring a Passion for Computational Thinking happens on Friday, September 28th from 8:30 - 11:30 AM at Cornell University, 700 Clark Hall. Diane Levitt, the Senior Director of K - 12 Education at the Cornell Tech Campus (https://tech.cornell.edu/people/diane-levitt/), will lead an important conversation about computational thinking. Diane works collaboratively with New York City Schools students to develop computational agency to build meaningful digital creations.

Please join us in building understanding of the WHY, WHAT and HOW of inspiring a passion for computational thinking. This is one way that our region continues the work of ensuring that every student has access and opportunity to play with, learn about, and create with the types of tools and thinking that are key to their success

Please sign up on Frontline/My Learning Plan. We are excited to bring this great opportunity to the region in partnership with the Ithaca City School District. Feel free to reach out with any questions. 

Thank you for considering, and please share with others! 

Justin 

Justin DiMatteo

Technology Integration Instructional Specialist

Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga BOCES

https://modernlearners.com/choosing-progressive-education-for-modern-learning/

https://nysed-prod.engageny.org/






Passes
Here are a couple of golden rules for passes:

• Give 'em a pass
• Don't accept kids without a pass. Maybe that will break kids out of the habit of showing up without your knowledge.   

September 17

Sept. 25 plans
Missy will be finalizing plans for next week's early release day.  We'll send out a separate email on that soon. Thanks.

Garden Murals Completed

Thanks again to Fran Copp for the wonderful murals.  We just got them up on Sunday, and as Billy Crystal would say, they look marvelous!  
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New Organizations page
I regularly receive printed newsletters from organization such as Science Teachers Association of New York State and others, so I've started a page linked to the left.  If you have any organizations you'd like to have linked here, please let me know.

Observations
We will be starting up observations soon. We will have 2 observations during the school year - 1 announced and 1 unannounced.  For the announced observation, I will need the pre-conference form completed, lesson plan and any artifacts you would like to submit.  All observations will be conducted through My Learning Plan (MLP).

If you'd rather use the pre-observation form, that's OK.  It's linked here and from the master contents. It's a Word doc. Once you have it open in Google Drive, you can click the download button in the upper right.  Better yet, just use MLP - it's easy!

From CTS - Google Password Fun
Some confusion arises after a google password reset when the Chromebook still wants the old password.
Some fine points:

• When a Google password is reset while the user is logged into a Chromebook with the forgotten password, the Chromebook asks for the old password after logon.
• If the user has forgotten the old password, click the link that says "I forgot my password."
• Then a screen pops up with some information and link that says "Proceed anyway."  Click "proceed anyway."

Slightly more:

• The second login is protecting any information belonging to the local profile.  We do not need the old local profile.
• Two things which may not be in the cloud in a local profile is the Downloads folder, which all came from the cloud in the first place, and possibly recently taken camera pictures that were not "saved as a file.

Youth Mental Health First Aid, Oct. 16
Click here for the full flyer and sign up info.

BOCES newsletter 9/11
All BOCES newsletters are linked here.

United Way Campaign Flyer
Thank you for listening to the United Way presentation last week.  The flyer is linked above.  Here is the donation form if you're interested.

AFLAC sign off dates
Sign off dates begin today.

September 12

Please check your voice mail
I checked some voice mails of those folks that moved rooms and of the new teachers.  I let folks know if voice mails needed to be changed.  For everyone else, please make sure that your voice mail is correct.  It should include your voice instead of the general message.  If you need the directions, you can click here and see the last page.

There are two outgoing message settings, one for internal message and one from external numbers.  Please make sure that both work. Thanks.

Stand up desk needed
If anyone could spare one of their stand up desks, please contact Christa and me.  She could use another one. Thanks.

Castle Learning Notes
Accounts have now been created, so you should be good to go for setting up classes. Please let me know of any issues.

Chromebook notes
From Jody G (thanks Jody):
FYI- If any teachers need/want a couple of chrome-books for backup in their rooms, please do a Tech (CTS) work order -This will save time when students forget theirs.

The LMC is not signing out laptops to the students anymore, but we are signing out chrome-books if needed (beyond the backups in your rooms).

Music lesson reminder
Please make sure to allow students to attend their scheduled lessons. Lessons are curriculum tailored to the specific students in each group.  Students only get a lesson once every several days at most.  If they miss, they will be behind every other group.

Please communicate with Ray or Kyla on this if you have any questions or concerns. Thanks.

How to Use GoGuardian for Teachers
As we roll out GoGuardian, I'll be setting up some training, but this tutorial should help.

MANDATORY extraclass/club presentation by the auditors 
THURS., SEPT 20 AT @ 2:30 IN THE AUDITORIUM
Any questions, please contact Sandy Hauf.


The Smith Center for the Arts
The Smith Center for the Arts is pleased to announce its lineup for the 2018-2019 academic year!

Galumpha: Experiments in Human Architecture, 10 am Oct. 15
Tomas and the Library Lady, 10 am Dec. 10
They Called Her Vivaldi, 10 am March 25
The Crucible, 10 am May 6

Linked here is a sheet that describes all four shows as well as the registration process. Please share it with your educators. We would love to have your students at The Smith!

Thank you!
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Karen Miltner
Volunteer Coordinator/Box Office Manager/Marketing Associate
Smith Center for the Arts/Smith Opera House
82 Seneca St.
Geneva, NY 14456
smithcenterforthearts@gmail.com
315-781-5483
www.thesmith.org

Nice Staff outfits!  

Great job!








Best hikes in the Finger Lakes


I get a newsletter periodically from the Finger Lakes Land Trust and thought you might like this.  Nothing like a good hike or paddle to clear the head. 

September 10

Please make your name legible on passes
I received the message below from a staff member.  This is a very reasonable request, so please make sure your name is legible.

Passes are necessary.  Please ask teachers to use their name not a signature.  I already have passes that I can't verify due to initials and indecipherable signatures.  Please have people print so passes can be read.  

Please print if your writing isn't legible enough.  Thanks.

Falcons' Nest Rules
Please see the rules doc linked above.  I am sharing this with all seniors. This is a privilege that all seniors will need to help maintain.

Faculty meeting dates
Faculty meeting dates are in Appendix O of the staff handbook (linked from the contents page).

Check out Rachel Hallock's new class site
Great job Rachel!  Click on the title above.

Google Classroom class codes for teams
Thanks to the teams who are using Google classroom to communicate.  It's doing as intended, and now I'd like to get folks on board who want to follow a particular team.  Click here for the classroom codes list. This list is in the A-Lists and Maps folder in Staff Share.

True Rockstars Don't Hate
When I see an interesting looking speaker in the emails I get, I'll share them here.  Click on the link above.  There's a video near the bottom of the page. Feel free to discuss in team.  I save this and other links in my speakers page in this blog.


Articles
District Administration Magazing, August '18

Project idea for classes or clubs:

This summer, I was contacted by a representative from the National Pedriatic Cancer Foundation. They sponsor fundraisers for schools. If you're an adviser and would like to check it out, please see the links here:

• Website:  https://nationalpcf.org/
• Youtube video

Professional Development Resources

From Missy (thanks Missy):
Thought for the month- Focus on what kids can do, even if it's not what you hoped. Growth and real learning live in the recognition of potential and possibilities not in the recognition of deficits.
Carol Dweck Video on Ted Talks: The power of believing you can improve

Cumberland Regional School District, Bridgeton, New Jersey
Initiative: In the Freshman Seminar/Senior Mentoring program at Cumberland Regional High School, seniors are assigned ninth- graders to mentor. This peer support includes tutoring, and guidance in relationship-building, decision-making, social awareness and self-management. Seniors also conduct daily organizational checks, weekly conferences and notebook checks to help ninth-graders stay on track. “The program’s innovative nature has supported unprecedented success in the targeted areas of positive behaviors, academic success, absenteeism and on-time graduation,” says Lauren Taniguchi, the district’s coordinator of grants and communications.