BCSD Staff NewsletterDecember 2014
Read the Letter from the Superintendent
Dr. GwenCarol Holmes

Dear Colleagues,


 I am extremely excited as we approach the New Year. We are preparing to develop our next strategic plan. Strategic planning is a powerful tool for actualizing a growth mindset and ensuring even more students achieve at high levels. A strategic plan provides guidance to the district for investing its limited resources of human capital, time, and money. 


 

Read more of my letter here.

Daniel Pink: Creating a Culture of Innovation
Daniel Pink Tickets.  Staff will have one week before the public to reserve two free tickets for Daniel Pink.  Please use this form.  You can pick up your tickets at the Community Campus anytime after January 4.  

Want to know more about Daniel Pink?  Go here for videos, blog and more.

Board of Trustees


Notice someone who stands out and goes the extra mile?  Write a Board Accolade.  Fill out the form here.

Buildings and Grounds
Howard Royal

The Buildings and Grounds Department constantly monitors multiple web sites to make sure they are on top of any weather that moves into the area.  Even the slightest precipitation during the winter will be mitigated to make sure the pathways to and from the buildings are safe to travel.  Each school is equipped with a leaf blower and a snow blower for removing snow, and copious amounts of sand and ice melt are on hand for slick areas.  Sand trucks are often called out early in the morning to apply material to the parking lots after a melt.   Even with these precautions, proper foot wear is always an essential component.   


 

If you find an area that you feel may present a risk please call Kelly at the Maintenance Facility  (578-5401) and someone will be dispatched out right away.
Assessment


 

Marcia Grabow

The goal of assessments of the Common Core State Standards are to measure critical thinking, problem solving, and analytical skills necessary for college and career readiness.  The only "results" from the Spring 2014 Field Test of English Language Arts (ELA) and Math are impressions from the surveys.  

Students didn't like: Time consuming, showed things not yet learned, long passages, using new tools


Students did like: Stories were entertaining (ELA), questions were challenging but fun (math), showing work, expressing ideas (ELA), not timed


 

Looking for resources for parents about the new ISAT 2.0?  Check this out:


Parent's Guide to the New Assessments.  Look for these at your school in both English and Spanish or use this link to share with parents. 
Communications
Heather Crocker

Do Not Photo List: Parents who do not want their children photographed or videotaped are here on the staff website. Teachers know who each of these students are in their classrooms. Please reference this list if you are in doubt.  If you have any questions contact your principal or Heather Crocker.  Thank you!


 

We are social!   

 

 

Get bonus photos, content, and timely info on social media.  Be part of the conversation!

Curriculum
Project Based Learning: Investing in Students
Angie Martinez

Why are teachers in the Blaine County School District invested in Project Based Learning as a 21st Century model of instruction?

  • The natural curiosity of students is captured in this inquiry-based model of instruction.

  • Projects provide real-world relevance for learning.

  • Students are more actively engaged and self-directed because they find the learning to be more meaningful than traditional models.

  • Students investigate real world problems and challenges around defined areas of the curriculum that address the Idaho Core Standards and 21st Century competencies.

  • Students acquire a deeper understanding of what they learn in a project, retain it longer, and apply it to new situations and future problems.

  • Students learn to take responsibility, solve problems, communicate ideas, and work more globally and collaboratively.

  • Students are creative innovators: They use modern technology to find resources and information, to collaborate and connect with experts and a real world audience, and to create products.

Share YOUR Projects - Find Others


 We learned to share at a very young age. Google Drive makes sharing easy! There are PBLs loaded in our shared District-Wide PBL folder in Google Drive. Please submit any of your previous year's PBL units to this shared district folder! This is our local PBL bank, ready for your access! Help it grow as a resource to us all!


Here are Five Keys to Rigorous Project Based Learning (Edutopia video 6:30). Learn more about the five core elements of successful PBL in this video.

School Closure

How cold does it have to be before we close school?

If the temperature is between 15-20 degrees below zero, the district will consider delaying and or canceling school. Please keep in mind that temperatures vary throughout Blaine County and that there are many factors to consider when making the decision to delay or cancel school.

 

How will staff be notified of a school closure?

In the event that school needs to be delayed or canceled we will notify KECH/KSKI radio and other local media. We will also post information on our website and Facebook in addition to sending a Skylert to parents, staff and students.

 

What is Skylert?

Skylert is the notification system through Skyward. It can be sent via email, text, phone call, or all three. Parents and staff have control over what phone or email they want as a contact. It is important to update your contact information in Skyward to make sure it's accurate. If you need help doing this, please contact your school secretary. Please note that we will only notify parents and staff if and when we have a delay or closure.
Student Services
Debi Gutknecht

BCSD Student Services work with the State Department of Education and

(NSTTAC) was featured at the Idaho Secondary Transition Conference in Boise recently. 

33 districts were represented through teams of administrators and teachers to learn about activities and programs that have a positive outcome for life after high school for students with disabilities. These teams became inspired by secondary transition 'pockets' of bright spots across the state and the nation. Among one of those bright spots was the work that BCSD accomplished over the past two years. 

Jamie Ellison presented the highlights of the community and vocational focused program of VOICE II. Debi Gutknecht and Liz Lowry presented the self-determination and self-advocacy curriculum that was written in Blaine County by a team of special educators including Debi, Liz, Kelly Choma, Alison Lowenthal (State Department of Education) and Lyle Bloxham (Department of Vocational Rehabilitation).