Weekly Updates 1/18-1/22
What's going on in the Lancer Nation this week?
Important Dates/Events
1/18 - MLK Day (no school)
1/19 - Period 0/1/3/5/7 blocks (see below and email sent on 1/14)
1/20 - Period 1 rotation
Wednesday Meetings/Trainings/PD
Principal Hour - Wednesday, 1/20
We will be meeting in departments this Wednesday.
Here is a link to department links from the last meeting. If you are a department chair and your links have changes, please notify Janice so she can update the links:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/17s6jENzWe04nNC2UnUyJJ_p-KV3vi_Un3LYLYhc89PQ/edit?usp=sharing
Wednesday District PD
What counts as Professional Development?
We have received this question many times from administrators and teachers. Please check out this excerpt from our newsletter!
Dear TOSA - I am slightly confused about the weekly Wednesday PD schedule. Can you please clarify if time with my PLC counts as a PD hour? Also, not all the PD offerings feel applicable or useful to my current needs. Where can I find other options?
Signed, PD Seeker
Dear PD Seeker - Many teachers have expressed a desire to meet with their grade level or content area teams to look at student work or assessment results, plan interventions, and engage in a cycle of inquiry. Many teams were engaging in this purposeful process before school closures and have a desire to continue that work. The short answer: communicate with your principal. Principals are encouraging effective teams to continue despite the current circumstances. Yes, a site or district PLC does “count” as PD, as long as your site principal is aware of this. Some teams are now easily meeting across sites - for example, VAPA and PE teachers. This collaboration is invaluable.
We're aspiring to differentiation in our PD model. There are a variety of asynchronous options in the Professional Development for 20-21 course in Schoology - including technology tutorials and adopted curriculum support (e.g., Think Central and Benchmark Universe). Look for the folder labeled "All Asynchronous Mini-Courses."
Just added to Schoology: "Asynchronous Courses From Outside the District". This will allow teachers to attend outside webinars (as many are already doing) and have it noted as meeting the professional growth hour.
Lancer Kudos
Do you see your name here?
Become an AP Reader
If you’re an experienced AP teacher, we invite you to apply to become an AP reader. AP readers evaluate and score AP students' free responses, ensuring that high school students receive AP grades that accurately reflect college-level achievement in a specified discipline.
Readers will:
- Exchange ideas and experiences with a global network of 18,000+ educators
- Earn professional development hours and CEUs
- Score from home in 2021
Get compensated for their work during the reading
Application Deadline: Rolling
Ordering/Supply Needs
Our ordering deadline is early this year. Please plan ahead! Let me know if you have any questions.
Please get those orders in to me no later than February 5th.
-Sara Kelly
LCAP Survey
Reminders will be sent to those who haven’t returned surveys on 1/15, 1/19, and 1/22.
Senior Instructional Material Distribution
Thank you to Caytie Ward and Sara Kelly for distributing novels, and school supplies to our senior class this week Wednesday - Friday. We were safe, physically distant and received a lot of positive feedback from students and parents about how happy they were to see the campus.
We had almost 300 seniors come and pick up their items. The last 100 or so can pick them up any day this week from the main office. We are able to assist them from 8-3:30. Please share this information with your seniors. Thank you!
Tech Tip
Tech Help
Ways to get in-touch with Caytie Ward-Bowden for help:
- Email: CWard@nlmusd.k12.ca.us
- Make an appointment (30 minutes sessions: CLICK HERE
- Text messages: Google Voice (562) 584-8016 (Google Voice) from 8am-5pm