|
Greetings!
November is a month of thanksgiving, an opportunity to recognize all that is great. This month we are focusing on sharing "the stories" of Iowa schools - those things that are great for our learners, those programs and people that are making a difference for kids.
If you have a story to share (and we know you do!), please contact Lou Howell at L1313@mchsi.com or LouHowell@IowaASCD.org. We would love to help you spread the word about your school's accomplishments. It could be the very information another district needs. Share your stories and contribute to the success of others!
We are also in this issue extending an invitation to Grade 4 and/or Grade 5 teachers to apply to present at our Grade 4 and Grade 5 Conferences in April. See details below.
Enjoy!
Lou
P.S.: Don't forget that you are all welcome to Saturday's Seminar: Conversation and Coffee with Jason Glass at Meredith Auditorium on the Drake Campus (9:00 - 11:00 A.M.). Register today on our web site or email you intention to attend to Bridget Arrasmith. |
|
|
Special Announcement: Congratulations to Pam Vogel
Iowa ASCD Director Pam Vogel has been elected to ASCD's Board of Directors!
 Dr. Vogel presently serves on the Iowa ASCD Board as Co-Chair of Advocacy and Influence. She has served as President of Iowa ASCD and will bring great leadership and a voice for all kids and their learning to the ASCD Board of Directors. She is presently Superintendent of Schools in the East Union Community School District and also serves as an adjunct professor at Iowa State University. Dr. Vogel shared the following in her bid for this prestigious position with ASCD:
"Our purpose as educators is to make meaningful contributions to all of which we are a part. Education is a means to engineer social change and has a fundamental role to play in personal and social development. It is a ladder that can be used to climb out of poverty and oppression. We have the ethical duty to prepare each student with the critical skills they need to effect positive change and to equip them to support a new global direction. Our goal will be to find opportunities to shape policy and provide supports that promote the needs of our youth and educators by seeking to answer the question: "How do we provide each child with the kind of education and opportunities to improve the future?" Answering this will provide that new global direction. It is up to us to explore this question as we implement the strategic plan for our organization.
We have a responsibility to address the needs of the whole child and to do so through the assistance we provide to all educators. I look forward to the opportunity to be a part of the membership that responds to those we serve in ASCD."
Congratulations, Pam! An honor well deserved!
|
|
Not in Our Town: Marshalltown Project!
The city of Marshalltown understands the importance of collaboration. For years the community and its school district have risen to embrace challenges and work together. In the spring of 2012, Mike Schlesinger, Publisher and General Manager of Marshalltown Newspaper, LLC, gathered key community leaders together to address the issue of bullying and hate. Based on a common concern about tragic consequences resulting from bullying that have been reported in Iowa and across the nation, Marshalltown decided immediately to be proactive and spread a common message that this type of behavior is not acceptable in our town.
 What is now known as the Not In Our Town: Marshalltown Project, immediately caught the town's attention and gained support. As a federal Safe Schools/Healthy Students grant recipient, the Marshalltown Schools were in a position to strengthen the district's efforts to improving school climate and safety measures. Businesses, local churches, local foundations, and service agencies quickly joined the initiative to spread a message of hope. Much has been accomplished in a few short months and ideas for the future of this initiative abound. To date, the following captures some of the events and activities:
- Community Unity Picnic, open invitation to the community to gather
- Rachel's Challenge assembly presented in schools and at a community event
- Community Rally on the Courthouse Square with mayoral proclamation and media coverage
- Sales of thousands of Not In Our Town orange t-shirts
- Opportunity for citizens to sign a pledge-over - more than 2,000 names published in newspaper
- Student group formed at Marshalltown High School (70 student members) to spread a message of kindness throughout the district
- Musical production of HONK! involving 5th/6th grade students at local Orpheum Theater
- Screenings of the films FINDING KIND and LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS with speakers' panel following each
- Creation of a Not In Our Town float displayed at home football game, Oktemberfest Parade, and Homecoming Parade
- An "Orange-Out" at a home high school football game. The community wore orange, football players affixed Not In Our Town stickers to helmets, and a paper chain was presented at half-time documenting student acts of kindness on each link that stretched nearly a quarter-mile around the track
- Observation of National Anti-Bullying Day on October 10
As a community, Marshalltown believes very strongly in this message of hope and acceptance. As a result, the national Not In Our Town organization has taken notice. The Working Group and PBS (public broadcasting) have taken a keen interest in Marshalltown's work to this point. What makes the story unique is that no tragic event has occurred in Marshalltown. The community has chosen to keep in that way!
For more information: Contact Matthew Tullis, Project Director for Safe Schools/Healthy Students in Marshalltown. You may also get additional information at Not in Our Town.
|
|
Watch D.O.G.S. in Glenwood, IA
Northeast and West Elementary Schools in Glenwood, Iowa, "kicked-off" a new program this fall entitled, Watch D.O.G.S.� (Dads Of Great Students)! Watch D.O.G.S.� is a father involvement program offered by the National Center for Fathering and has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The primary goals of the program are two-fold:
- Provide the students with positive adult male role models.
- Enhance the school's security by providing an extra set of eyes and ears.
Northeast Elementary had over 225 students, dads, step-dads, uncles, and grandparents show up at their initial pizza night. That same night 54 male role models signed up to volunteer in our schools. The interest has continued to grow and we find ourselves with the wonderful support of Watch D.O.G.S.� weekly! The volunteers are scheduled to assist in classrooms, hallways, the lunchroom and recess. Watch D.O.G.S.� wear special t-shirts while on duty and their child wears one the same day, too! Students are photographed at the end of the day with their special guest and the photos are posted on a hallway bulletin board! It is fun to see students admire the photos of their Watch D.O.G.S.� and to hear other children comment about them as well.
The Glenwood 'Top Dog' Dads are John Lee and Craig Patzer and 'Top Dog' Coordinator is Carla Wiese. More information about the national program can be found at Fathers.com - National Center for Fathering or on the Glenwood Facebook page.
|
|
Innovative Learners in North Polk
Community School District
 The North Polk School District is implementing a virtual reality program, called Virtual Reality Educational Pathfinders or VREP, to create student-designers who develop and share virtual reality learning environments that assist others in their learning (i.e., students will create projects that assist teachers in teaching content). This program provides students with self-directed, interest-driven, project-based, rigorous learning in an environment featuring both independent and collaborative opportunities, where they can learn and demonstrate technical skills, content expertise, teamwork, discipline, and 21st century communication and employability skills.
This program is transitioning the role of the teacher as "director of learning" to the role of "facilitator of learning experiences" through developing a student-led program. Recently, North Polk received a $4,500 Community Betterment Grant from Prairie Meadows to further develop this program through purchasing additional software to improve the quality of graphics and sound, as well as a program which challenges to build, fly and compete with virtual airplanes. In addition, grant monies will be used to purchase computer parts which students will use to build two additional high-powered work stations.
The Virtual Reality Education Pathfinder (VREP) is an educational initiative and partnership among government, education, and industry, creating an ever-growing consortium of schools and businesses committed to bringing a new kind of learning and teaching to schools across the country. VREP works by capturing student interest through the use of Virtual Reality and 3D.
VREP is self-directed, giving students the freedom to decide what areas are of interest to them and what technologies to use. Working with peers within their own school and across the VREP consortia, students complete projects, research and design their own virtual programs, and create 2D and 3D imaging that is then transferred into stereoscopic displays to create immersive virtual environments. Students and other viewers can then interact with the virtual environments, providing learning opportunities that engage today's learners.
Students in VREP are charged with creating virtual reality and 3D models, simulations and projects that serve several purposes around accelerating student learning:
- Projects demonstrate their understanding of key, high-level national and state educational standards and expectations.
- Projects are connected to curriculum areas and grade- level expectations providing the opportunity for other students to understand key concepts and ideas through the use of VR and 3D. For example, a high school student may construct a 3D model of the solar system that allows an elementary teacher to show her/his students the rotation of the earth and how the positioning of the sun and moon creates day and night and the phases of the moon. The elementary students can then interact with this environment to position themselves in different places to better understand why the moon looks as it does and why it can be daytime in Asia and nighttime in North America.
- VREP projects are connected to national and state standards and available via a secure on-line library (think of combination of amazon.com and Netflix.com) to all VREP schools and students, thus rapidly expanding the availability of high-quality VR and 3D applications for schools and children.
The program is demanding and students are expected to be  able to provide presentations and clearly articulate what they have learned on short notice. Students must show a willingness and desire to be independent learners and be willing to work in an environment where self-discipline and maturity are expected.
For more information, please contact Kevin Vidergar at North Polk and explore the VREP web site.
|
|
Iowa ASCD President/Superintendent Ellingson Recognizes the Power and Impact of "Learn. Teach. Lead." on Students and Staff
 As President of Iowa ASCD, Jason Ellingson is "proud of our members who learn from one another, teach their students and lead in their communities." Furthermore, as superintendent of Collins-Maxwell Schools, he gets to see each and every one of the educators meeting ASCD's slogan of "Learn. Teach. Lead." He takes this opportunity to highlight three educators in his district who are learners, teachers, leaders.
Dr. Lois Gross is a thirty-four-year veteran of the Collins-Maxwell district. She grew up in the district and has lived there all her life. "She is a walking encyclopedia of town knowledge, so it is no wonder than she loves Iowa history - and teaching it to her fifth graders."
This fall, Collins-Maxwell began a major 1:1 initiative. Each student in sixth through twelfth grade received an iPad to be used for learning. The district also purchased twenty-five iPads to be shared for each grade level in the elementary.
Dr. Gross was one of the first teachers to express concern about learning to effectively use the iPad with her students. Throughout the summer, each educator had the opportunity to work with the iPad. Dr. Gross took advantage of this learning opportunity and worked with the technology director, Kris Corbin, to understand and use the iPad and various apps. In the fall, she and the other teachers in the district, participated in professional development sessions, created to further support the teachers.
This fall, Dr. Gross demonstrated Keynote (an app similar to PowerPoint) to her students to use for their Iowa History projects. The students were excited to use the iPads, so Dr. Gross worked with our teacher-librarian, Melissa Goering, to also use the students' "Tech Time" for support with the iPad history projects.
Because Dr. Gross decided to try new technology - and worked collaboratively with her colleagues - to support her students' learning, she was asked to present to the school board this October. Dr. Gross and two students shared their Keynote presentations on key moments in Iowa History. The board was impressed with the work of the students and the staff in using technology to deepen student learning.
Iowa ASCD President and Superintendent Ellingson recognizes that Iowa ASCD works to build the capacity of each of its members. "I am thankful," he shared, "we have members like Collins-Maxwell's own Dr. Gross, Mrs. Goering, and Mr. Corbin working together to build their own capacity as well as supporting each other."
You may contact Jason Ellingson for additional information on the implementation and impact of iPads and Iowa ASCD in their learning for students.
|
|
Okoboji Middle School Focuses on Student Leadership
Okoboji Middle School principal Ryan Cunningham and teachers Connie Jones and Jeanne Fisher collaborated with all educators in the building to implement a new approach this year to the traditional Student Council. Formerly, three students from each grade level were elected by their peers to serve on the student council. Today, based on the building's commitment to goal of student engagements and its values focused on creating, collaborating, communicating, and contributing, 90% of the student body (235 of 265 students) have signed up for leadership roles based on their interests. There are 24 teams of leaders, each sponsored by an adult in the building. Each team of five to twelve students is addressing issues, programs, problems, initiatives that make a difference in the school and community. - The Ambassadors assist with special event nights (e.g., recitals, concerts, DARE Graduation, science fair, Awards Night). They serve as greeters, pass out programs, and complete preparation and support for and during the events.
- The Announcement Team is in charge of reading daily announcements and making the visual presentations of those announcements colorful.
- The Bleacher Creatures are in charge of helping clean up after sporting events at OMS.
- The Book Club meets twice per month during the lunch period, when they discuss and recommend books. They also create posters and books for OMS students, set up special book/reading displays, and promote special reading/author events.
- Twelve students serve on the Character Counts Team, providing leadership in the activities of celebration.
- Classroom Critters are middle school students who help teachers within their classrooms - filing papers, creating bulletin boards, rearranging the room, organizing the bookshelves.
- The Concession Stand Workers are seventh and eighth graders who sell concessions during middle school sporting events.
- The Fifth-Grade Parties Team plan the three parties (i.e., fall, winter, Valentine's) in the 5th-grade classrooms.
- The Hanging in the Hallways Team are 7th and 8th graders who assist in hanging and showcasing student artwork, bulletin boards, etc.
- 8th Grade Awards Team assists in preparation for this special night, including choosing colors, creating and stuffing invitations, choosing processional song, and giving the speech.
- E-Pals assist the students and teachers in grades 5 and 6 on 1:1 computer needs.
- Fitness Helpers maintain the fitness areas and equipment throughout the year.
- Hallway Helpers assist the homeroom teachers in grades 5 and 6. They hang student work, create bulletin boards, pass out items, etc.
- The Lost and Found Team organizes the lost and found in the lobby and finds ways to track down owners of lost items. They also provide announcement slides and find places to donate unclaimed items.
- The Magazine Sales Team plans, promotes, and organizes magazine sales. The profits are used to support the ideas and plans of all the other teams/groups.
- The Maintenance Crew assists the custodians in multiple ways, including moving tables and picking up trash.
- The Mentors are eighth graders who assist 5th and 6th graders during FLEX on a daily basis.
- The Recognition Team works to promote the accomplishments and participation of Okoboji Middle School Students.
- The Recycling Team is in charge of collecting the recycle bins weekly.
- Reading Buddies are 7th and 8th graders who support 5th graders with the AR concepts and testing; they provide other assistance in reading as well.
- The Service Team identifies quarterly school-wide service projects. They use Learning to Give for ideas and inspiration.
- The Spirit Team promotes school activities through signage, announcements, and encouragement to participate and attend school activities. This team also continues to provide the locker/gym participation signs.
- The Window Decorating Team is responsible in decorating the front windows during the school year.
- The Yearbook Team produces the year book for the seventh and eighth graders.
These students have become active participants in their building's success as well as their own. They have become real-world problem solvers, demonstrating service to others and building their capacity and others to lead. Contact principal Ryan Cunningham and teachers Connie Jones and Jeanne Fisher for additional information. |
|
GreenSchools Grant Winner Develops Real-World Skills of Fifth Graders in Hayes Elementary (Davenport)
In the fall of 2011, two fifth-grade teachers, Mrs. Smysor and Mrs. Welch collaborated with the City of Davenport and applied for and were awarded a grant to be involved in the GreenSchools Program.
GreenSchools is based on teachers and students working together as a team, who identify potential areas at the school site where improvement can be made to reduce the environmental footprint. Two students attended special training with Mrs. Smysor. The two students learned how to perform investigations with teacher assistance around the following areas: energy, water, school site, waste and recycling, and environmental quality. Additional investigations and analyses occurred "back home" throughout the school year and were based on critical thinking and problem solving skills - all to catapult Hayes Elementary to new heights of environmental awareness and improvement.  At the beginning of this school year, the Hayes students presented to the Davenport School Board and more than 100 community members. What a great opportunity this has been for students to address real-world problems right in their own school and make a positive impact on the environment! In addition, think of the communication skills demonstrated during their presentation to the board. For additional information, you may contact the principal of Hayes Elementary in Davenport, Dr. Jake Klipsch.
|
|
Iowa ASCD Call for Presenters: Attention Grade 4 and Grade 5 Teacher(s) - Come Share Your Stories on Teaching for Learning!
The Grade 4 and Grade 5 Practitioner Conferences of Iowa ASCD will be available in April in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The focus is on "Impacting Student Learning with the Iowa Core and Characteristics of Effective Instruction." Dates: April 25 - Grade 4 and April 26 - Grade 5 Please apply to share your expertise in one of the conference strands. - Teaching for Understanding - Curriculum Strand- What do all students need to learn, know and be able to do? How do we in our building/grade level connect our teaching with the students' learning expectations identified in "the core"? Share what's happening in the classroom to achieve the Iowa Core.
- Assessment for Learning - Assessment Strand - How do we know that students have learned? How are formative assessments being used to diagnose students' progress in learning, determine areas of strength and plan for differentiated instruction? How do we adjust our instruction based on the results of the formative assessments? Tell your story!
- Teaching for Learner Differences - Instruction Strand - How do we plan and deliver instruction so that we meet the needs of all learners in our classroom? How do we respond if students struggle or don't learn and how do we respond when students have already learned? Share your experiences, success stories and lessons learned!
WE need YOU to tell your story, share your strategies, ideas and success stories! Explain your ideas for integrating the Iowa Core in the classroom. Share your strategies for using formative assessment to inform instruction. Is your classroom environment focused on differentiated instruction? Share your examples and classroom management processes! Apply as a single teacher or as a teacher team! Click here to access proposal form and more details! See upper right-hand corner of the Iowa ASCD web page. Proposals due December 19, 2012. Complete and return the proposal form soon! We all want to learn from each other. Registration for Conferencs opens in January - Look for updates in The Source!
|
|
Iowa ASCD seeks to keep you informed abut webinars for your learning and the learning of those with whom you work. Check out the following as you prepare for a great start of the 2012-2013 school year. Many of these support the work in your collaborative time and definitely help with implementation of The Core!
- Title: Mathematics and the Common Core State Standards
- Presenter: Nanci Smith
- Provider: Iowa ASCD
- Date: November 5, 2012, 2:00 P.M. CST
- Register Free
- Title: Common Core State Standards: Bringing Parents on Board
- Presenters: Denise Walston, director of mathematics, Council of the Great City Schools, Wash; and Gina Kilday, K-6 mathematics coach, Exeter-West Greenwich Regional School District, R.I.
- Provider: Educational Week and the Walton Family Foundation
- Date: November 7, 2012, 1:00 P.M. CST
- Register Free
- Title: Critical Strategies for Empowering 21st Century Teachers with Coaching and Capacity Building
- Presenter: Andrew Miller
- Provider: ASCD
- Date: November 14, 2012, 2:00 P.M. CST
- Register Free
Access ASCD's archieved webinars here.
|
|
You Ought to Know That . . .
- Fathers.com - The National Center for Fathering offers a free e-book, 5 Things Every Kid Must Get from Dad.
- The Screen Actors Guild brings you Storyline Online, an online streaming video program featuring SAG members reading children's books aloud. Each book includes accompanying activities and lesson ideas.
- Iowa ASCD provides a great list of Open Education Resources (OER).
- NPR STEM Resources provides opportunities to explore new ideas and new worlds related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning through television and online content. Check out Iowa ASCD website for additional STEM resources for your math and science classrooms - art (STEAM), too.
- Tania Johnson, a teaching veteran who has worked to make a difference for generations of students and fellow educators, is the 2013 Iowa Teacher of the Year, Gov. Terry Branstad announced Wednesday, October 17, in Cedar Rapids.
- Teachers new to the profession may join Iowa ASCD for only $15. This is a great way for your organization to mentor their learning and practices.
- Iowa ASCD really appreciates your membership. Let us know how we can best serve you!
|
|
|
Iowa ASCD - Twitter!
Stay current with learning! Follow Iowa ASCD on Twitter! http://twitter.com/#!/IowaASCD |
Iowa ASCD is the source for developing instructional leadership and translating research into daily practice. Serving more than 850 educators - teachers, principals, superintendents, directors of curriculum, technology specialists, college professors, AEA staff - Iowa ASCD strives to develop the collaborative capacity to impact the learning of each and every student in Iowa. |
|
|
|
|
Iowa ASCD Contacts President Jason Ellingson Past-President Leslie Moore President-Elect Allan Eckelman Membership Information Bridget Arrasmith Secretary Marcia Tweeten Treasurer Lou Howell Members-at-Large Julie Grotewold Ottie Maxey Becky Martin Kevin Vidergar DE Liaison Tina Ross Higher Education Jan Beatty-Westerman Elaine Smith-Bright Advocacy and Influence Pam Armstrong-Vogel Susan Pecinovsky Curriculum Leadership Academy Sue Wood Fall Institute Kelly Adams Summer Institutes and Grade-Level Conferences Kym Stein Planning Chair Cindy Swanson Technology Chris Welch Membership Relations and E-Learning Amy Wichman Executive Director Lou Howell |
|
with Iowa ASCD
- November 3, 2012
- Coffee and Conversation with Dr. Jason Glass
- 9:00 - 11:00 A.M. with registration and networking at 8:30 A.M.
- Meridith Auditorium - Drake University
- Free for Iowa ASCD Members and $15.00 for non-members. Register online today or e-mail/FAX registration to Bridget Arrasmith (FAX: 515.271.2233)
-
- February 5-6, 2013
- "Advocating for Students and Their Learning"
- Presenter: ASCD Director of Public Policy David Griffith
- February 5: 5:30 - 7:30 P.M., Savory Hotel
- February 6: 8:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M., Historical Building and the Capitol
- Focus: training on advocacy "on the hill" as well as update on national and state agendas and tips for influencing your legislators
- April 10 - 11, 2013
- Iowa ASCD Leadership Academy
- 8:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. daily
- Hilton Garden Inn, Urbandale/Johnston
- $250 for members; $295 for non-members
- Focus: strategies and best practices around Iowa Core and RTI for curriculum leads
- Get The Source the first and third Friday of each month.
|
|
