Elementary Collaboration: January 24th

We are looking forward to our upcoming elementary collaboration this Wednesday from 2:30 PM-4:00 PM. The focus will be on implementation of our new elementary math materials.

K-5 Teachers and Building Principals (Classroom, Title I Math, Special Ed., TAG, EL, Instructional Coaches): Please report to Clay Elementary by 2:30 PM. We will have presenters from iReady facilitating sessions requested by teachers.

Everyone K-5 will be assigned to a mixed grade level group based on their choice session. Teachers will remain in the same room for the entire PD session.

• Part 1: Everyone will analyze diagnostic growth data (K-5) and plan next steps. (45 min.)

• Part 2: i-Ready presenters will lead the teacher choice session (45 min.)

Please bring: Laptop, i-Ready’s Teacher Learner’s Notebook given to you at a previous i-Ready training session (if you have one), and a writing utensil. 

Room Assignments: Click on the link(s) to find your name. We were able to give everyone either their first or second choice. These lists will also be printed for each room in case you arrive and don’t remember which room is assigned to your session. 

Group 1 Attendees: Analyzing Prerequisite Data (4th Grade Room: Ms. Arnold)

Group 2 Attendees: Fluency Flight Orientation (4th Grade Room: Ms. Schroeder)

Group 3 Attendees: Math In Action (4th Grade Room: Ms. Rampton)

Group 4 Attendees: Monitoring and Responding to Personalized Instruction (4th Grade Room: Ms. Svestka)

Group 5 Attendees: Monitoring and Responding to Personalized Instruction (3rd Grade Room: Ms. Thompson)

Group 6 Attendees: Student Data Chats (3rd Grade Room: Ms. Norton)

Group 7 Attendees: Try-Discuss-Connect Interactive Video Study (3rd Grade Room: Ms. Conn)

Other teachers will continue their collaborative work and will report to the following locations:

PK Teachers: TLRC

Core+ Teachers (Art, Music, PE): Centennial Elementary (Core+ Teacher Rooms)

Reading Specialists: Centennial Elementary (Library)

Counselors: Centennial Elementary (Counselor’s Room)

Teacher Librarians: Centennial Elementary (Large Conference Room)

Nurses: Will meet January 31st for ACHIEVE training

We are looking forward to collaborating and learning together.

District Professional Development: January 15th

We are looking forward to a day of professional learning on Monday, January 15th.  Below is the schedule for elementary and secondary staff as well as information on dyslexia training through the Iowa Reading Research Center.  District PD for elementary staff will begin at 8:00 AM.  District PD for secondary staff will begin at 12:30 PM. Your building principal will provide specific times for additional learning opportunities throughout the day. 

Elementary

AM: District PD    PM: Building PD

Focus: Implementation of elementary math materials

All classroom teachers will report to Clay Elementary at 8:15 AM.  Teachers from Southeast Polk will be providing sessions on implementation of iReady Math.  

Teachers of Art, Music, PE, Reading Specialists, Title I Reading, Teacher Librarians, ESOL will attend a professional learning session on AI and Seesaw in the classroom. You may begin at your home building and report to Four Mile Elementary Library at 9:15 AM.

Preschool teachers and counselors will meet as collaborative teams at 8:15 AM.  Preschool teachers will report to the TLRC, counselors will meet at Centennial Elementary, and nurses will meet at Delaware Elementary. 

Secondary

AM: Building PD       PM: District PD

Focus: Alignment of new collaborative teams

For district PD, secondary teachers will meet as a building team and as collaborative teams as we continue to prepare for grade level realignment in the 24-25 school year.  Middle School (grades 6-7) teachers will report to the Spring Creek cafeteria, Jr. High teachers (grades 8-9) will report to the JH Auditorium, and High School teachers (10-12) will report to the HS Auditorium.  Secondary district PD will begin at 12:30 PM. 

Dyslexia Training

The following educational personnel are required to complete the IRRC Dyslexia Overview Module by 7/1/2024 or within one year of employment after 7/1/2024. 

• Prekindergarten through grade 3 classroom teacher (100, 103, 106)

• PK-K early childhood special education (262)

• Special education (260; 263; 264)

• English as a second language (104)

• Title I reading teachers and reading specialists (102; 148; 176)

To take the training, sign into the Iowa Reading Research Center Dyslexia Module. Below are some ideas to note as you complete the training:

• The training must be taken individually

• Teachers should plan on 75-90 minutes to complete the module

• Teachers should email a copy of their certificate of completion to your building principal

• Anyone who has taken the training from the IRRC after July 1, 2020 has met the requirement

Teaching Resources for MLK Day

As we prepare to celebrate MLK Day, today's blog has some resources to help learn more about Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life, his impact on the Civil Rights Movement, and his significance to American culture and history.

Yolanda Renee King, 15 year old granddaughter of Martin Luther King, Jr.,  has written and published a picture book as a tribute to her grandparents. 

This book was inspired by the poem "I Dream a World" by Langston Hughes, and MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech, delivered in 1963.  Her vision was to give a more modern perspective to the ideals from the poem and the speech to our current and future generations. An interview with Yolanda King is available here, and a copy of the book will be sent to each school. 

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As we celebrate the work of Martin Luther King, Jr., below are some additional teaching resources to use in your classrooms. 

"I Have a Dream"

While Dr. King had many accomplishments, perhaps he is best known for his "I Have a Dream" speech that was given at the 1963 March on Washington for jobs, freedoms, and civil rights. The link below is a primary source resource and includes the entirety of this famous speech.

 

"Virtual Visits"

Our expanded technology can help students understand the context of King’s life with virtual tours of the MLK memorial in Washington, D.C. and King’s childhood home in Atlanta, GA.

• Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial: A virtual tour of the memorial with simple English narration.

• The National Park Service, which administers the national MLK monument and MLK birthplace, share a number of digital resources around historic sites, both in the life of Dr. King and the American struggle for civil rights at large, including the Selma to Montgomery National Historical Trail and the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument.

• National Geographic Kids shares a full outline of the advocate’s life and times in this simple presentation, ideal for covering the basics.

• The National Archives shares sources, discussion questions, and more.

--@TCEA

Teaching Resources

PBS Classroom Resources

Lesson Plans

The March on Washington and its impact

Black American civil rights leader Martin Luther King (1929 - 1968) addresses crowds during the March On Washington at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC, where he gave his 'I Have A Dream' speech. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images)

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 'I Have a Dream' speech as a work of literature

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 'I Have a Dream' speech as visual text

Music and speeches at the March on Washington

Lesson Plans from the National Education Association

Dr. King's Dream
Students in grades K-2 learn about the life and work of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., listen to an excerpt from his “I Have a Dream” speech, and create picture books about freedom for Americans today.

Martin Luther King, Jr. and Me: Identifying with a Hero
Students in grades K-2 learn about the life of Martin Luther King, Jr., record information on a KWL chart, and keep a journal of thoughts and ideas.

How Big Are Martin’s Big Words? Thinking Big about the Future
Students in grades 3-5 listen to a reading of Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and then analyze excerpts from King’s speeches for "big" words, words not necessarily as large in length as they are in importance: Freedom, Peace, Love.

Students in grades 6-8 create found poems based on Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 1968 obituary published in The New York Times.

Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Power of Nonviolence
Students in grades 6-8 investigate Martin Luther King, Jr.'s philosophy of nonviolence and the teachings of Mohandas K. Gandhi that influenced King's views.

Lesson Plan: The Children's Crusade & the Role of Youth in the African American Freedom Struggle

Students in grades 9-12 learn about the role of youth in the Children’s Crusade in Birmingham, Alabama and Civil Rights Movement.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s "I Have a Dream" speech as a work of literature
Students (9-12) analyze the rhetorical influences on and the oratorical devices used by King.

Background Resources

I Have a Dream: Celebrating the Vision of Martin Luther King, Jr.
A source of activities, lessons, and websites.

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Legacy of Racial and Social Justice: A Curriculum for Empowerment

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. WEBSITES

• The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Online

Videos

• Martin Luther King, Jr. "I Have a Dream"
• The History Channel provides a collection of 49 short videos on Martin Luther King, Jr. and his career.

Law Day 2024 Event: Voices of Democracy

Welcome back and Happy New Year to you all.  As we begin this year, we know that the state of Iowa will launch the caucus process for the 2024 presidential election in just a few weeks.  This is a good opportunity for students to learn more about civic engagement and the election process.  Each year, the Polk County Bar Association gives area students a chance to promote civic engagement through writing, poetry, art, and/or technology talents.  

Law Day will be celebrated on May 1st at the Iowa Judicial Building.  There are opportunities for students from Kindergarten through Grade 12 to participate.  There are prizes available, and students can meet local judges and lawyers.  The topic for 2024 is Voices of Democracy.  You may learn more by visiting the Law Day 2024 page.  There you will find guidelines, examples of past entries, and information for K-5, 6-8, and 9-12 students.  The deadline for submitting entries is March 22.