Jan. 18, 2012
HEADLINES
ESEA Flexibility Request now open for public comment
The South Dakota Department of Education is seeking public comment on its ESEA Flexibility Request, which is now available online at http://doe.sd.gov/secretary/nexgen_accountability.asp.
Team Nutrition mini grants expand to include opportunities for middle, high schools
A new Team Nutrition mini grant, called Students Taking Charge, will allow middle and high schools to compete for funding that was previously only available to elementary schools.
The grant encourages students to take responsibility for their own health through activities at the school. Students will answer the question: How healthy is your school, and what can you do about it?
Student voice can have significant impact on policy change regarding issues such as smoking, drug use, violence and injury prevention. But of all the significant health issues young people face in schools today, the one they may have the most impact on is nutrition and physical activity. In the United States, one-third of students in grades 9-12 are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight.
This grant is an opportunity to help school administrators see the students’ point of view. Students Taking Charge applications are currently on the Team Nutrition webpage. (http://doe.sd.gov/cans/teamnutrition.asp) The mini grant application is due Feb. 6. Schools can apply for $750 to implement changes in school nutrition environment.
See examples and Toolkit at http://studentstakingcharge.org/index.php/investigate/. For more information, contact Mary Kirk at the South Dakota Department of Education, (605)773-4718.
Applications available for National Youth Science Camp
Applications for the 2012 National Youth Science Camp are now being accepted. Please encourage your top high school seniors to apply for this once in a lifetime, expense-paid opportunity!
The National Youth Science Camp, or NYSC, is one of the nation’s premier programs in secondary science education. Since its inception as part of West Virginia’s Centennial Celebration in 1963, the residential summer program has offered educational forums and recreational activities that encourage the development of thoughtful scientific leadership.
Two students are selected to represent each state, and will spend more than three weeks studying the sciences alongside experts. The camp runs from June 27 to July 21 and students must be available to attend for the entire duration of the camp. The application deadline is Feb. 17.
Successful applicants will demonstrate superior academic proficiency, including recognition in mathematics and/or the sciences; and application of leadership abilities and social maturity through involvement in both school and community activities.
For information on how to apply, visit http://2012.nysc.org/delegates/apply/ or contact state coordinator Sam Shaw.
Grants available to fund after-school programs
Applications for the next round of 21st Century Community Learning Center, or 21st CCLC, grants are now available online. The centers provide students with academic enrichment opportunities and activities designed to complement the students’ regular school instruction.
Grant award amounts range from $50,000 to $150,000 per year, and the life of the grant is five years. While funds are often awarded to schools, other organizations are also eligible to apply. The grants must specifically support programs offered outside of regular school hours.
The learning centers are intended to assist students from high-poverty and low-achieving schools in need of additional support. Funding for this grant comes from the federal government in the form of a formula grant to the states. Because it is authorized under No Child Left Behind, programming must include an academic component and content-specific enrichment activities.
Grant applications must be submitted to the South Dakota Department of Education by Feb. 24.
Find more information and application online. ( http://www.doe.sd.gov/oatq/21cent.asp) Contact Jill Cotton with any additional questions at 605-773-4693.
Not too late to register for Electronic Resources Challenge 2012
The State Library’s Electronic Resources Challenge began earlier this month, but it’s not too late to register if you’re still interested in participating. The online, self-paced learning opportunity began Jan. 9, and runs through March 26. It’s available and recommended for anyone who wants to know more about free online magazines, encyclopedias and genealogy resources provided by the South Dakota State Library.
The 10-week course will examine one electronic resource per week. You can start at any time after Jan. 9; however, the challenge ends on March 26. You’ll want to spend some time each week exploring the resource of the week and answering the discovery question in your blog post, but if you miss a week, no sweat – you can make it up at your leisure any time before March 26.
You can earn up to nine free contact hours toward certificate renewal credit by completing this training opportunity, at your own pace and without leaving the comfort of your own home. If you participated in a previous round of the Electronic Resources Challenge, you will receive weekly Challenge Alumni emails highlighting new features. You may opt out by emailing us if you do not wish to receive Alumni emails.
Read the "Getting Started" post linked on the right hand side of the Electronic Resources Challenge blog found at http://sdlibrarychallenge.blogspot.com. Then simply follow the directions and register your blog as instructed in Step 2 of the "Getting Started" post. You will receive an e-mail welcoming you to the Challenge, and your blog will be listed on the right hand side of the challenge.
For more information, contact the Electronic Resources Challenge Team, Jane Healy and Julie Erickson, at sdlibrarychallenge@gmail.com or 1-800-423-6665.
Sweepstakes winners receive their prizes
Winners of this fall’s sweepstakes have been announced. The contest was held to help familiarize students and educators with SDMyLife Network, a new feature of South Dakota MyLife that connects students with real South Dakota businesses and companies.
During the month of October, any student who saved three South Dakota companies to their SDMyLife profile was automatically eligible to win an iPad or iPod Touch. During the same time period, educators who worked with their students in SDMyLife Network, went to Twitter, described what they did with students in regard to SDMyLife Network and tagged SDMyLife (@SD_MyLife) were automatically entered to win an iPad or an iPod Touch.
Between students and educators, there were nearly 2,100 entries! The winners of the SDMyLife: My Future, My Network Sweepstakes include:
Educators
iPad: Laura Meile, Washington High School
iPod Touch: Mary Schneider, Armour High School
Students
iPad: Samantha, 10th grader at Huron High School
iPod Touch: Hunter, 9th grader at Madison High School
iPod Touch: Mikena, 12th grader at Sioux Falls Christian High School
If you haven’t done so lately, log onto SDMyLife.com and check out the Network feature. There are currently 116 South Dakota companies from across the state covering all career clusters and industries, with new companies being added regularly.
Fuel Up to Play 60 promotes physical activity, nutrition programs
Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical education program that encourages students to consume nutrient-rich foods and achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. The program provides funding to schools for projects that promote nutrition and physical activity.
South Dakota has more than 300 schools participating in the program. This program is sponsored by the National Dairy Council and the NFL.
There will be an informational webinar about Fuel Up to Play 60 on Thursday, Jan. 26, from 3-4 p.m. (Central Time). This is a free webinar that will feature two Fuel Up to Play 60 Program Advisors - teachers who will talk about their experiences running the program. To register for the webinar, go to https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/801386082.
Childhood Obesity rates have reached epidemic levels. Helping ensure children have access to healthy foods, and an opportunity to get physical activity at school is critical step in fighting this epidemic.
Fuel Up to Play 60 empowers students to implement sustainable, positive changes for their own health and inspire long-term healthy changes in their schools. Students have the opportunity to participate in fun challenges, track their healthy eating and physical activity, and earn fun rewards!
For more information, check out www.fueluptoplay60.com.
For more details about the application process, go to http://school.fueluptoplay60.com/funds/funds_for_futp60.php. The next deadline is Feb. 1.
Contact Mary Kirk in the Department of Education with any questions.
Last chance to nominate the next National History Teacher of the Year
Nominations for the Gilder Lehrman National History Teacher of the Year award must be made by Feb. 1.
The top winner of the award, given by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, receives a cash prize of $10,000. State winners are awarded $1,000, and their school receives an archive of books and other resources to use in the classroom. In addition, each winner is honored during a ceremony in his or her home state.
The National History Teacher of the Year is chosen from outstanding teachers of American history in each state, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and Department of Defense schools. Nominations for the National History Teacher of the Year can be made by any student, parent, colleague or school administrator familiar with the teacher’s work.
Elementary school teachers (K-6) and middle and high school teachers (7-12) are recognized separately, in alternate years. In 2012, middle and high school teachers (7-12) will be honored.
To learn more about the award or to nominate a teacher, visit www.gilderlehrman.org/nhtoy or contact state coordinator Sam Shaw at the South Dakota Department of Education.
Investing in Teachers
During last week's State of the State address, South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard unveiled additional details about his Investing in Teachers Initiative, which seeks to attract and reward effective teachers, as well as provide support to educators and administrators as they address today's issues in moving education forward.
To learn more, go to http://www.doe.sd.gov/secretary/investinginteachers.asp.
UPCOMING EVENTS
IEP Workshop
Jan. 27, 2012, Sturgis
The IEP Workshop will take you through all the essentials needed to provide students with a program that results in educational achievement. Presenters will cover all areas of special education, from referral to placement to IEP development. This interactive workshop will help you analyze data and write appropriate IEPs for students with varying disabilities.
To register, go to: https://spreadsheets0.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFBCcHpWbTZ3WFR6OWRHZF9zQTdDWlE6MQ.
CTE 101
Feb. 4, Pierre
CTE 101 is a workshop that fulfills requirements to become a qualified CTE teacher in South Dakota, within individual career and technical education content areas. The workshop will explore Career and Technical Education initiatives as well as approved program requirements. Attendees will receive a certificate of completion, and seven CEUs are available. The workshop will run from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Central time. Everyone that plans on attending should bring a laptop computer.
To register, go to: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AlCEHc8Nl3DedGdDb0tZYVJ5MUNkMGVkUGc5WVVmZ2c&hl=en_US#gid=0
Framework for Teaching book studies
Feb. 5 – March 31, 2012, Online
Two online book studies, slated to begin this spring, will focus on two of Charlotte Danielson’s books. Last year, the state adopted Danielson’s Framework for Teaching as the state standards for teaching.
The Danielson book studies allow teachers and administrators to begin interacting with the Framework for Teaching. The first book study, Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching, introduces educators to the framework. The framework identifies aspects of a teacher’s responsibilities that have been documented through empirical studies and research as promoting improved student learning. Participants will read and dialogue online about the framework’s four domains, defining what teachers should know and be able to do in the exercise of their profession.
The second book study, Enhancing Professional Practice: Using the Framework for Teaching in Your School, provides sound advice, step-by-step procedures, and practical tools for using the framework. Instruments and protocols, with their accompanying recommendations included in the text, may save practitioners valuable time in developing their own procedures. Educators will examine the documents and modify them as necessary to suit conditions in their own schools. The primary purpose of this study is to promote professional learning through self-assessment, reflection practice, and professional conversation. Regardless of what purpose the framework for teaching is used for or which instruments and procedures are used, participants will find support for two fundamental goals: evidence-based examination of practice and the professional imperative of promoting teacher learning.
The book studies are sponsored by the Department of Education, in conjunction with TIE and East Dakota Educational Cooperative. Participants will be responsible for purchasing the book prior to the study. The spring book studies will run Feb. 5 – March 31, 2012.
Find more information online at http://doe.sd.gov/secretary/sdteacherstandards.asp.
26th Annual TIE Conference
April 15-17, Sioux Falls
The annual TIE Conference has gained a reputation for having the best classroom teachers, network administrators and education administrators share their strategies, methods and best practices. This year’s event will feature dozens of four-hour, in-depth workshops, nearly 100 breakout sessions, three world-class keynote speakers, an expanded exhibit hall, prizes and much more.
TEACHER FEATURE
Fifth-graders keep Schilling on her toes
Many people might shy away from the upper elementary level, but not Lindsey Schilling, a fifth-grade teacher at McKinley Elementary in Pierre.
“At that age, they have really come into their own personalities and I love learning about each of them. They all have neat quirks that make them fun,” she said. “It's wonderful when they share things about their lives with me.”
Schilling admits that it can be a tough age at times though. “I think the biggest challenge is sometimes getting them to be excited about things we are doing in class. They are at the age where they are trying to fit in, and loving math isn't always what every other kid thinks is cool.”
To keep her students engaged, Schilling uses technology in her classroom activities and tries to make the lessons relevant by connecting them with other students across the country.
“I enjoy having laptops in my classroom, so we do many different research projects. It gives the students a way to learn so much more than just what is in their textbooks,” Schilling said. “One of my favorite things we are doing this year is writing pen pal letters with a former student and her class in Augusta, ME. The students are so excited when their new letters arrive, and we are learning about Maine and our own state of South Dakota as well.”
After graduating from USD, Schilling was a substitute teacher in the Pierre-Fort Pierre area before getting her first assignment with her own class four years ago.
“I became a teacher because I really enjoy working with kids. They amaze me every day and definitely keep a person on their toes,” Schilling said. “I always love seeing a child's eyes light up when they discover something new. The best part, and when I know I have made a difference, is when they come back from the middle school and want to catch up with me.”
Schilling, whose first son is almost a year old, had one piece of advice for new teachers.
“There are so many challenges each and every day, but don't get discouraged,” she said. “Ask those great veteran teachers for help and always remember to make time for yourself.”