Friday Focus--Professional Learning

It is important for educators to have regular opportunities to learn from each other.  Ongoing professional development keeps teachers up-to-date on new research, curriculum changes, and provides access to technology tools for the classroom.  Our teachers at Southeast Polk take full advantage of learning opportunities provided throughout the school year.

By the Numbers

This school year

• 157 K-12 teachers took a Writing to Learn class
• 140 elementary teachers participated in an Iowa Core course

--and countless workshops, conferences, and classes before, during, and after school.

Schoolwide Writing Prompt at High School

"Should a state legislature consider a bill that revokes a driver's license if a student does not earn a high school diploma?"

     On Friday, April 20th, each high school student was asked to write an essay stating their position on this issue and support their claim with evidence.  The following Wednesday, during the late start, high school faculty came together to collaboratively score the essays on content, organization, and conventions.  While many teachers noted significant improvement in student writing this year, their collaboration during scoring helped them identify areas for a common focus, including supporting claims with evidence, organization of writing, and applied conventions (spelling, punctuation, grammar).

     This effort was a culmination of a year-long study to increase the amount and quality of non-fiction writing in all classes.  The high school staff engaged in professional development this school year that focused on writing to learn across all content areas.  Dr. Douglas Reeves, head of the Leadership and Learning Center, calls non-fiction writing "one of the most powerful practices that impacts student achievement".  High school teachers worked together to implement techniques such as quick-writes, exit slips, brainstorming, summary writing, and writing frames.  Professional learning sessions provided opportunities for sharing, reflection, and planning. 

     Writing is a critical skill that highly correlates with student success.  While this describes the work at the high school, the Junior High, Spring Creek, and several elementary schools have also begun a study of writing to learn.    The commitment and continued emphasis on this initiative will provide students an opportunity to clarify and extend learning, and teachers an opportunity to gain insight related to how students learn and process information.  We have seen many successes this year and we are looking forward to continued work with student writing. 

Summer Professional Learning Opportunities

     This summer, many teachers will be working with leadership from the curriculum coaches to articulate curriculum and design assessments to align with the Iowa Core.  In addition, the curriculum team will be offering 2 courses.

Foundations of Quality Teaching and Learning

Dates: June 19-20th

Location: Southeast Polk

Time: 8:00-4:00

This course will provide an overview of the foundations of district curriculum goals.  These components include a review of district curriculum and an overview of the gradual release of responsibility model, instructional techniques that support student engagement, including technology integration, authentic literacy tasks to be implemented across all grade levels, and a comprehensive assessment plan.  This course is for PK-12 teachers, and we will group sessions by level.  Registration must be completed by May 11th.  This course is available for graduate or staff development credit.

iPads in the Classroom

Dates: (Four Different Opportunities)

May 30-31

June 11-12 
June 13-14 (New session--just added!)

July 23-24

August 8-9

Locations: Southeast Polk

Time: 8:00-4:00

This course will support teachers in using the iPad to meet curriculum standards and enhance teaching. Please note that iPads will not be provided--you will need to bring one from your building (if available) or a personal iPad. There is no registration deadline, but there is an enrollment cap, so please register as soon as possible. This course is available for staff development credit only.

To Register:

Registration information is through Heartland AEA.  Directions for registration may be found in Googledocs in the shared collection "Summer Professional Development" or you may search in Googledocs by course name.

Teacher Quality Funding

Both of the above courses are eligible for Teacher Quality funding (up to $300). These district courses are pre-approved for funding. Once you register, no further action is needed. You will complete payroll sheets onsite at the completion of the course.

If the courses offered above do not align with your content, you may take a course outside the district. To do this, complete the proposal found in Googledocs. (Teacher Quality Course Application Form) PLEASE MAKE A COPY OF THIS FORM BEFORE YOU COMPLETE IT--DO NOT FILL OUT THE ORIGINAL FORM!!

This form is due May 11th.  A committee will review all requests on May 14th and let you know the status of your proposal.  Once you receive approval and the course is completed, you may submit evidence of participation (transcript, etc.) for payment.

You only need to complete this form for courses outside of the district, not for the Foundations of Quality Teaching and Learning or iPads in the Classroom.

Shout-outs

Congratulations to the students who represented Southeast Polk in an outstanding manner at the SkillsUSA State Competition last Friday at DMACC.

1st place--Diesel Technology, Medical Math, Nurse Assisting, Photography

2nd place--Health Knowledge Bowl, Carpentry TeamWorks, Medical Math

3rd place--Preschool Teaching, Photography

Thank you to Jason Kurth, Director of Technology, and Keith Lyles, Information Technology Systems Administrator, for serving on the ITEC board (Iowa Technology Education Connection). Your work will continue to advocate for the use of technology in educational settings. ITEC Board of Directors

It was great to see first grade students using technology in their math classes at Four Mile Elementary!

The Junior High staff engaged in their first schoolwide writing prompt.  The results will continue to guide our work!

Next Week

• Learning Walks--Mitchellville, Runnells, Willowbrook
• May 9th Professional Development--Focus on transitions for 2012-2013 school year
• Kindergarten and 1st Grade--Curriculum Unit Design

"There are no silver bullets in education. But writing—particularly nonfiction writing—is about as close as you can get to a single strategy that has significant and positive effects in nearly every other area of the curriculum. Nonfiction writing is the backbone of a successful literacy and student achievement strategy".

--Dr. Douglas Reeves, "The Write Way"