MRVED Business

FACS Meeting Update
The FACS teachers gathered at the MRVED on March 11 for their 2nd meeting of the year.  The morning was spent on completing program approval forms.  In the afternoon the group participated in a 21st century skills activity and networked.  There was much laughter and great ideas shared all day long with this great group of women!

Communication Briefings
This week's tidbit is entitled:  Nonwords

You might be surprised to hear this, but some of the words that you hear—and, perhaps, use—every day are not really words, in the strictest sense. Here are a few “words” in common usage that you will not find in the dictionary:

• Nevermind. If you mean “disregard” or “do not consider that any longer,” use two words: never mind. As one word, nevermind is an outdated American noun that means heed, as in “I never gave that any nevermind.”
• Irregardless. The correct word is “regardless.”
• Alot. Use two words: a lot.
• Alright. Again, use two words: all right. Alright is a nonstandard version that is gaining acceptance but has not yet achieved legitimacy.

— Adapted from “Words That Aren’t Words,” Grace Fleming, http://homeworktips.about.com.

Upcoming Meetings
March 17  CEO meeting
March 18  Guidance Counselors
March 20  Social Workers
March 21  Business
March 25  Pathways to Postsecondary
March 26  Superintendents' Council
March 28  MRVED Professional Development Day - trainings at LQPV and Dawson-Boyd (contact Brandon Raymo - braymo@mrved.net - to register or for more information on these trainings.)

First Days of School - How to Help All Students Succeed

"The most important day of a person's education is the first day of school, not graduation."  These words are the basis of Wong's book and ring throughout every chapter.  Although we are nearing the last quarter of school, many of the tips Wong gives are not only important on the first day of school, but throughout the whole year.

First Days of School - How to Help All Students Succeed

As we mentioned last week, we are starting a new series centered around Harry and Rosemary Wong's books, The First Days of School.  Wong outlines the three characteristics of an effective teacher as:

• Has positive expectations.
• Is an extremely good classroom manager.
• Knows how to design lessons for student mastery.

For the first couple weeks, we will focus on positive expectations.

How to Help All Students Succeed - Chapter 7

How to Welcome Students to School (Wong, p.47)

• Organize a first day of school celebration.
• Stand at the bus stop and welcome them.
• Stand at every entrance to the school.
• Hang a welcoming banner.
• Have guides in the hall.
• Have your name and room number clearly visible.
• Make sure the first message over the loud speaker is a welcoming one.

A second quote in this chapter that is really powerful is, "School is a concept wherein students are welcome to learn and enhance the quality of their lives without fear of intimidation or harm..." (Wong, p.48)

The bottom line is students need to feel welcomed, cared for, and safe in order to even begin to be successful.  Sometimes, as educators, we overlook some of our students most basic needs and don't understand why he/she is not understanding material or staying caught up in class.  Sometimes we need to stop and think about how the student feels in your environment.

Resources

20 Tips for Creating a Safe Learning Environment

Fostering a Healthy, Safe, and Supportive Learning Environment: How High Poverty, High Performing Schools Do It

PBS Kids Writers Contest Deadline Approaching

Pioneer Public TV is teaming up with public television stations around the country to once again offer the PBS Kids Writing Contest to promote the advancement of creativity and literacy skills in the Pioneer Public Television region.

The contest is designed for students from kindergarten through third grade. Contest rules are available by visiting www.pioneer.org/writerscontest or by calling the station toll free at 1-800-726-3178. In addition to the writing, contestants are required to submit at least 5 illustrations to go along with their entry. Prose, Poetry, Fact or Fiction and invented spellings -- all are accepted in this contest.

The deadline for submitting contest entries is March 31, 2014. The winner will be selected by a panel of poets, teachers and writers from the Pioneer Public Television region. The winning entry will have a video of the story posted to Pioneer Public TV's web site. Cy Robertson-Hare, a 3rd grader from Vermillion, South Dakota, was the winner of last year's contest and his story "A Boy Named Jonathan" can be viewed online at www.pioneer.org/writerscontest.

The winning entry from Pioneer Public Television will in turn be entered into a national contest where a panel of judges will select the top 12 winners. National winners will be announced during the summer of 2014. Several prizes are being offered to the winners in the national contest including tablet computers, e-readers and gift cards.

Tech Tip

Google Tools
Google is a lot more than just a search engine.  Here is a list and description of a variety of Google tools you can use:

• Google Docs - Word processing, presentations, spreadsheets, drawings, forms
• Google Drive - Cloud storage
• Google Calendar - Online calendar
• Google Cultural Institute - World Wonders Project, Art Project, Historic Moments
• Google Storybuilder - Create your own story video
• Google Keep - Voice memo's and checklists
• Google Scholar - Search scholarly online materials
• Google Books - Buy and rent books
• Google Sites - Create websites
• Google Alerts - Setup email alerts whenever a word or phrase is found online...like your name or school!
• Google Cloud Print - Print from anywhere
• Blogger - Create a blog
• Google Play - App, Music, Movie store

March 28 Offerings

LQPV & Dawson/Boyd will be offering a couple training opportunities for all teachers in the MRVED on March 28, see details below:

Typical or Troubled Training at LQPV from 7:45-8:45

• Early identification of mental health problems and the importance of intervention. 
• An overview of mental disorders and the key warning signs. 
• The impact of a mental health issue on the teen and school community, why getting appropriate care and treatment is critical, and the difference between 'typical' and 'troubled' behavior. 
• The role school personnel (or other adults in the community) can play in helping a teen get help - and why taking action and referring is important. 
• An overview of how the school's referral system works and the steps to take action to connect a student to help. 
• How to talk to and engage teens, parents, or school counselors.
• For more information visit the American Psychiatric Foundation website.

ACE's Training at Dawson/Boyd from 12:30-3:00

• An Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) describes a traumatic experience in a person's life occurring before the age of 18 that the person recalls as an adult.
• 55% of Minnesotans report experiencing one or more ACE in childhood.
• For more information about ACE visit the Minnesota Department of Health website.

Both of these opportunities are open to all MRVED schools.  If you are interested in participating please contact Brandon (braymo@mrved.net) at the MRVED for more information and/or to register.  There will be limited spots available.