Joining Forces: Tapping Teacher Specialists to Serve All Students Adams 50's Steve Sandoval—a 2016 Education Week Leader to Learn From—created an "interventionist framework" out of frustration that his district's talented education specialists were isolated by separate certifications, regulations, and funding streams. The framework helps to "cross-pollinate" teachers of special education, English-language learners, and gifted students, to identify common strategies and target interventions for all students. The approach has helped dramatically raise student achievement in the district during a time of demographic change, and has helped make possible Adams 50's switch from traditional grade levels to a competency-based-leveling system. Join us for this webinar from our Education Week Leaders To Learn From virtual events series. This annual Leaders To Learn From special report shines a light on forward-thinking district leaders who seize on good ideas and execute them well in their school systems. Throughout 2016, we'll host webinars, live chats, and more virtual events related to this year's Leaders. Find out more at leaders.edweek.org. Underwriting for this webinar has been provided by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Guests: Steve Sandoval, executive director of special services, Adams County District 50, Westminster, Colo., and member of the Class of 2016 "Leaders To Learn From" Chad Anderson, principal, Scott Carpenter Middle School, Adams County District 50 Sarah Gould, principal, Hodgkins Elementary School, Adams County District 50

This webinar will be moderated by Sarah D. Sparks, assistant editor, Education Week
REGISTER HERE

IDEAs That Work Site

On the IDEAs That Work site, there is information and resources under each one of these major topics:

Teachers - Academic - College and Career Ready Standards (CCRS) are rigorous academic standards that build from kindergarten through 12th grade to support students' preparation and success upon graduation from high school.  There are many factors that directly contribute to a student's academic success.

Teachers - Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Skills - In order to be successful and meet college and career standards (CCRS), students need support from their families and teachers who work collaboratively to meet both their instructional as well as their social, emotional, and behavioral needs.  In addition, the contect in which they are learning and developing is important, so creating a school climate where a student can feel engaged and connected is critical.

Families - Academic - College and Career Ready Standards, or CCRS, lay out the knowledge and skills students must have from kindergarten through twelfth grade.  The CCRS set high expectations for students and build on previous years’ knowledge and skills.  CCRS are designed to prepare students for college and careers after high-school graduation. You can support your child’s academic success by learning more about CCRS, even if your child has a disability that makes learning challenging.

Families - Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Skills - Your child’s engagement in school, and his or her social, emotional and behavioral learning play an important role in educational success. Explore these links for family resources to support your child’s engagement, growth, and transition to postsecondary education and employment.

Resources - Additional Resources - Teachers and parents may find these additional resources useful as they partner to support students in achieving college and career standards (CCRS).

Teachers and Librarians ---- Do you know about a couple of 'special gems' around the state like the SERC Library - but not like the SERC Library!

If you do not already know or are hearing about for the first time --- there are two 'special gems' like the SERC Library available to borrow resources from if you are a teacher or librarian in the State of Connecticut ----

The Library Service Centers located in Willimantic and Middletown!

Check out their web site and specifically - Service Center and Collections:  About the Service Centers

In addition, check out their social media sites for information:

https://twitter.com/csldld

https://www.facebook.com/CSLDLD

https://www.pinterest.com/csldld/

The State Library's new website is:  http://ctstatelibrary.org/

The Division of Library Development's website is:  http://libguides.ctstatelibrary.org/DLD/home

More resources to explore in addition to all the resources at the SERC Library -  The SERC Library loves to share additional resources available for teachers and librarians to help educate the children in the State of Connecticut ---- what are you waiting for ---- CHECK OUT THE LINKS ABOVE!

Check out this site and it is free you just have to sign up!

Personalized learning-made smart, easy and free.  ---- We like free ----

Why Study with Knewton?

It's like having the world's smartest tutor at your fingertips.

Knewton pinpoints the exact pieces of content that are best for you from their every-growing open library.  Different sections for Teachers, Students and Parents!

Teacher's Checklist for Managing Food Allergies

FARE - Food Allergy Research & Education - on their FARE Blog offered the Teacher's Checklist for Managing Food Allergies as a FREE printable PDF!

If you would like to check out the blog - click here!

If you would like to check out FARE - click here!

App that can assist teachers and grading

Andy Cahill, left and founders Dante Cassanego and Parul Singh

Check out this article in the Boston Herald about the two recent MIT Sloan School of Management graduates (Parul Singh and Dante Cassanego) who have co-founded a company called Gradeable that is developing an iPhone and iPad app that they plan to launch in January to help teachers with the task of grading.  Singh and Cassanego along with Andy Cahill, Gradeable director of education and training, are using their interviews with teachers to develop the app.  Check out the article for more information.

Real Art Ways is presenting the documentary film, AMERICAN TEACHER

Starting this Friday, October 28th Real Art Ways will be presenting American Teacher, a film that chronicles the stories of four teachers living and working in a disparate urban and rural areas of the country.  Their stories are told through a mixture of footage and interviews with students, families, and colleagues, as well as the teachers themselves.  By following these teachers as they reach different milestones in their careers, the film tells the deeper story of the teaching profession in American today.  Real Art Ways will be hosting a post-film panel discussion on Friday, October 28th after the 7 pm screening.  The film is based on the New York Times bestselling book Teachers have it easy by journalist and teacher Daniel Moulthrop, co-founder of the 826 National writing programs Ninive Calegari, and writer Dave Eggers.  American Teacher is produced by Eggers and Calegari, produced and directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Vanessa Roth, and narrated by Matt Damon.

Real Art Ways is located at 56 Arbor Street in Hartford.

For more information on Real Art Ways and their showings:  http://www.realartways.org/cinema.htm#american-teacher

To RSVP on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=231362310253355

To watch a trailer on the movie, go to the Teacher Salary Project who produced the documentary film:   http://www.theteachersalaryproject.org/index.php

Connecticut Book Festival

The first-ever Connecticut Book Festival, celebrating our State's continuing cultural heritage by focusing on authors, books literary sites and cultural institutions, will be held on the UCONN Greater Hartford Campus in West Hartford on Saturday and Sunday, May 21st and 22nd. Over the course of two days, three dozen authors will talk about their work; there will be performances by DANCEENLIGHT, Mystic Paper Beasts, and five State Troubadours. Children will be entertained at the unique "instrument petting zoos" provided by the Hartford and New Haven Symphony Orchestras and children will have a chance to make chalk drawings with author/illustrator Bill Thomson. Children can also read to pet therapy greyhounds. Parents, teachers,b and students will attend the annual ceremony marking the conclusion of the Letters About Literature program sponsored by the CT Center for the Book. Exhibitors and food vendors will add a "festival" atmosphere. The event is free of charge.

The Festival has been planned over the past two years and is patterned after the National Book Festival held in Washington, D.C. each fall. The festival is sponsored by CT Center for the Book at Hartford Public Library, CT Commission on Culture and Tourism, CT Humanities Council, CT Library Association, CT State Library, Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, UCONN Co-op Bookstore, and UCONN Greater Hartford. More information and details are available at www.ctbookfestival.org.

Fire Prevention Week October 3 – 9, 2010

Did you know that this year's campaign is all about the importance of smoke alarms! Did you know all the neat activities available to parents, kids, teachers and firefighters on the National Fire Protection Association web site? Well if not, what are you waiting for ---- check it out at www.nfpa.org/.

Even though my Dad was both a paid firefighter and then a volunteer and my sons were both volunteers, I did not realize all the neat activities available to learn about fire prevention and yes, they are FREE (do you see a reoccurring theme in some of the SERC Library blog postings)! Okay, I did get distracted by one posting under the Latest News; Do you have a smoking firehouse recipe for chill? Yes, firefighters are good cooks, and yes, often when we stopped by the fire house when Dad was on, the firemen took us kids over to the bakery and bought us donuts (chocolate covered!) and spoiled our dinner, but seriously, who can resist looking at recipes! So just a quick peek at those and then on to the important activities!

AND check your smoke alarms!!!!