Facts about Memorial Day

Did you know --- I know I did not --- that in 2000 Congress established a National Moment of Remembrance which asks Americans to pause for one minute at 3 p.m. in an act of national unity.  The time was chosen because 3 p.m. "is the time when most Americans are enjoying their freedoms on the national holiday."

Please help spread the word about this little known fact about Memorial Day and remember to remember those who defended our country and are no longer with us and those who are currently defending our country.


Now some additional facts courtesy of CNN.com:

It started with the Civil War.
General Logan made it official.
It was first known as Decoration Day.
The holiday is a franchise.
It was James Garfield's finest hour - or maybe hour-and-a-half.
Not even the Unknown Solider can avoid media scrutiny these days.
Vietnam vets go whole hog.
Memorial Day has its customs.
There is still a grey Memorial Day.
Each Memorial Day is a little different.

For more information and explanation about these facts, see Ten facts about Memorial Day on CNN.com., History Channel's Memorial Day page, and TIME NewsFeed's 7 things you didn't know about Memorial Day.

Webinar - Revising Curriculum and Teaching: The purpose of common core-aligned assessments - FREE!

Join, Dr. Heidi Hayes Jacobs, on Thursday, May 16 for a webinar I'm presenting in conjunction with School Improvement Network where I'll share best practices for examining student work in strategic grouping patterns in order to inform and improve curriculum and teaching approaches. The focus will be particularly on assessments aligned to the Common Core.

Takeaways:

• Approaches to evaluating student learning and using evaluation results to improve student performance
• Strategies for strategic grouping of staff to respond to student work
• Methods for unpacking assessments
• Collaborative inquiry protocols for reviewing work
• Examples of revision methods for improving maps

This webinar is free and open to all who register.

Revising Curriculum and Teaching: The Purpose of Common Core-Aligned Assessments Presented by Dr. Heidi Hayes Jacobs Thursday, May 16 3:00 PM EDT | 2:00 PM CDT | 1:00 PM MDT | 12:00 PM PDT (Please note the later time) Click here to save your seat!

National Teacher Day - Teacher Appreciation Week!

Happy National Teacher Day, May 7th and Happy Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6th-10th!

Check out NEA's website for National Teacher Day info!

Check out neatoday's blog for Teacher Appreciation Week and National Teacher Day info!

Check out PTA's website for Teacher Appreciation Week info!

If nothing else, say THANK YOU to your Teachers and let them know you APPRECIATE them!

Exceptional Children's Week - May 5-11, 2013

This week is Exceptional Children's Week celebrating children and youth with exceptionalities and the educators who serve them! 

CEC has designed a special website in honor of Exceptional Children's Week.

Check out the website for resources (Tim Lewis and Chad Rose of the University of Missouri produced an anti-bullying guide entitled "Addressing bullying behavior through school-wide positive behavior support", which includes a list of resources and a School-wide PBIS Bully Prevention/Intervention Action Plan and a tutorial podcast is also available for the action plan), recognize achievements of your students for a Yes I Can! Award, CEC's Exceptional Children and ways to celebrate.

Free Webinars from AbleNet University!

Okay, sorry, you are going to miss the first one which was TODAY!  Don't know how I missed the email listing these webinars ---- I am pretty sure ---- that you will be able to view the first one as an archive or recent held webinar ----

AAC Developing Participation:  Part 1:  Getting started, April 30, 2013, CST 12 pm to 1 pm
AAC Developing Participation:  Part 2:  Building Fundamentals, May 9, 2013, CST 12 pm to l pm
AAC Developing Participation:  Part 3:  Making Connections, May 21, 2013, CST 12 pm to l pm
Customizing iPad Content for Students with Special Needs, May 22, 2013, CST 11 am to 12 pm
iPad for AAC in the Community, May 22, 2013, CST 12:30 pm to 1 pm
AAC Developing Participation:  Part 4:  Bridging Skills, June 4, 2012, CST 12 pm to 1 pm
AAC Developing Participation:  Part 5:  Maximizing Participation, June 25, 2013, 12 pm to 1 pm

You do have to register to participate, follow the links attached to the titles!

Celebrate Arbor Day in Connecticut - April 30th!

In 1970, President Richard Nixon proclaimed the last Friday in April as National Arbor Day!  In 2004 Oak became America's National Tree! 

Arbor Day is celebrated throughout the U.S. on different days depending on the State.  This year Connecticut celebrates Arbor Day on April 30th --- The White Oak or Quercus alba is Connecticut's State Tree!

Planting trees native to our region is a good idea ---- they will be able to stand up to our "wacky" weather - you know ---- hurricanes in September followed by recorded snow storms in October!

Go out and plant a TREE! 

For more information, visit Arbor Day Foundation for a tree guide, neat tree wizard that will help you pick the right tree by answering some simple questions, tree benefits calculator, right tree/right place guide, free landscape design ideas, hardiness zones (Connecticut is a Zone 6), and trees for wildlife.