Coweta's Professional Learning
October 2015
Providing high quality, research-based professional learning for CCSS teachers
COWETA COMMITTED TO STUDENT SUCCESS
We believe we are responsible for the success of each student.
We believe we must continuously improve.
We believe we must see students as volunteers in their learning.
What goal have you set for your own professional learning? Which category in our areas of focus does it match?
Relationship Building and Problem Solving
Student Programs & Grants Professional Learning
October 1, 2015 - Jackson Street Location - 8:00am - 9:30am
Teacher Pipeline Diversity Training w/ Mr. Casablanca & Dr. Mullins
October 7, 2015 - Madras Middle School - 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Diversity Training w/ Mr. Casablanca & Mrs. Johnson
October 15, 2015 - Werz Central Office - PLC - 9:00am - 10:30am
District ESOL Professional Training w/ Mr. Casablanca
October 28, 2015 - Arnco Sargent Elementary - 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Diversity Training w/ Mr. Casablanca & Mrs. Vaughan
PBIS Professional Learning Training
October 28, 2015 - Werz Central Office - SD#2 - 8:00am to 4:00pm
PBIS Workshop 4 - for all PBIS selected schools. Participants will learn the systems, data and practices embedded in PBIS implementation. The PBIS School Team will draft school-wide behavioral expectations and rules, create behavioral matrices, develop lesson plans to teach the expectations and rules, and a plan for delivering the lessons. Teams will be provided with implementation and faculty commitment strategies.
October 29, 2015 - Werz Central Office - SD#2 - 8:00am to 4:00pm
PBIS Workshop 5 - for all PBIS selected schools. School PBIS Teams will receive information on the rationale and best practice strategies for developing acknowledgment systems. Teams will develop charts differentiating office‐managed and classroom‐managed behaviors and establish procedures for a continuum of interventions. Strategies on how to involve parents, community, and other stakeholders in the implementation process will be shared and plans started. Throughout the day teams will be provided with implementation and faculty commitment strategies
EIP Teachers Professional Learning
EIP Teachers will discuss research-based strategies and pertinent issues related to education in support of content mastery and instructional support. Presentations will include best practices shared by CCSS Content Specialist Dr. Paula Baker and Dr. Lynn Skinner.
Psychologists, Counselors and Social Workers Professional Learning
October 2, 2015 - Werz Central Office - PLC - 8:30am - 11:30am
Informational meeting with Community Leaders - Representatives from DFCS, CASA and the Legal Community will discuss pertinent issues related to education and the mutual support of all parties.
Special Education Professional Learning
October 15, 2015 - Werz Central Office - PLC - 2:30pm - 5:00pm
ISC Meeting -
October 21, & October 22, 2015 - Werz Central Office - 8:00am to 5:00pm
Mindset Training
Pre-K Teachers & Teacher Assistant Professional Learning
October 20, 2015 - Werz Central Office - PLC - 3:00pm - 4:30pm
Pre-K will continue monthly PL meetings on instructional practices in approaches to play and learning, communication, language and literacy, social and emotional development, cognitive development and physical/motor development.
Assistant Principal Professional Learning
Elementary AP will meet from 8:30am - 11:00am
Middle School & High School Curriculum AP's will meet from 12:00pm to 2:30pm
Both sessions will discuss strategies for continuous improvement, school and district Standards for Quality and closing the achievement gap.
Advanced Opportunities
Math Professional Learning Opportunity
Oct. 6, 2015
Helping Children Make Sense of Numbers (Grades K-2)
Designed for grades K-2 regular/special education mathematics teachers and instructional coaches, this professional learning session focuses on building understanding of and flexibility with numbers as well as building a strong foundation in early operations. (Webinar, 2:45-3:45 p.m.; repeat of session offered in face-to-face format on Oct. 8.) Register by 4 p.m. on Oct. 5, 2015, at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K2Webinar
Oct. 7, 2015
Using GOFAR Resources for Formative Assessment to Drive Instruction
Open to all Newnan Crossing Elementary teachers, this professional learning session will explore GOFAR as a formative assessment tool to inform instructional decisions. (Newnan Crossing Elementary School, 2:45-3:45 p.m.) No registration required.
Oct. 8, 2015 - Werz Central Office - Curriculum Conference Room - 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Helping Children Make Sense of Numbers (Grades K-2)
(Face-to-face session – repeat of virtual session offered on Oct. 6.) Designed for grades K-2 regular/special education mathematics teachers and instructional coaches, this professional learning session focuses on building understanding of and flexibility with numbers as well as building a strong foundation in early operations. Register by 4 p.m. on Oct. 7, 2015, at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K2Oct8
Oct. 9, 2015 Werz Central Office - SD#1 - 8:30am - 12:00pm
Algebra 1 Pacing Guide Review (Grade 9)
Representatives from each high school will review the pacing guides for each level of Algebra 1 offered at the high school level. Separate teams will review Algebra 1 (Year Long), Algebra 1 (One Term), and Accelerated Algebra 1/Geometry A for standards and content emphasis. The three teams will also work collaboratively to ensure the content is addressed in a parallel format. (Werz, 8:30 a.m. - noon) No registration required.
Oct. 20, 2015
Teaching with Three-Act Tasks (Grades 6-8)
Dan Meyer pioneered Three-Act Tasks, using the high-interest techniques of good story-telling to engage students in mathematics. Participants in this session will learn the framework of this approach, get a spreadsheet linked to already-created tasks, and work through a task to see how it can be implemented in the classroom. [This session was originally scheduled for October 13 but had to be delayed.] (East Coweta Middle School, 4-5 p.m.) No registration required.
Oct. 21, 2015
Cross Grade Level Focus Group – Number Talks
This Professional Learning Community at Western Elementary is focusing on Number Talks as a means for improving base-ten understanding. Strategies and resources will be shared. (Western Elementary School, 2:45-3:45 p.m.) No registration required.
Oct. 22, 2015
Building Numeracy: Subtraction (Grades 3-5)
Subtraction is often still difficult for students in the upper elementary grades. This professional learning session is designed for regular/special education/IEP teachers in grades 3-5 as well as instructional coaches to help students develop models and strategies for building numeracy skills in subtraction. (Webinar, 2:45-3:45 p.m.; repeat of session offered in face-to-face format on Oct. 27.) Register by 4 p.m. on Oct. 21, 2015, at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/35Webinar
Oct. 27, 2015 - Werz Central Office Curriculum Conference Room - 3:00pm-4:00pm
Building Numeracy: Subtraction (Grades 3-5)
(Face-to-face session – repeat of virtual session offered on Oct. 22.) Subtraction is often still difficult for students in the upper elementary grades. This professional learning session is designed for regular/special education/IEP teachers in grades 3-5 as well as instructional coaches to help students develop models and strategies for building numeracy skills in subtraction. Register by 4 p.m. on Oct. 26, 2015, at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/35Oct27
Oct. 29, 2015
Strategies for Improving Number Sense (Grades 9-12)
A lack of strong number sense adds an extra layer of difficulty to learning abstractions required for thinking algebraically. This professional learning session explores ways high school teachers can help students build number sense while still focusing on the course content. (East Coweta High School, 4-5 p.m.) No registration required.
CPR Training
October 21, 2015
October 28, 2015
Designated schools (TBA) and Central Office locations (TBA)
Leadership Academy Professional Learning
October 20, 2015 - Werz Central Office - PLC - 4:00pm to 6:00pm
INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP - Technology and the digital age, Instructional scheduling practices and managing the curriculum marathon will be topics for this month's session.Goal Setting
Professional Learning for Physical Education Teachers
Webinar 1 is a brief update for this school year. The webinar revisits the assessment and assessment procedures.
We ask that all physical education teachers administering the FitnessGram assessment attend webinar 1 (General Fitness Assessment Information for 2015- 2016 School Year) and enter their school and system name. **At a minimum 1 physical education teacher from every school should attend the webinar**
Audience: All physical education teachers administering the FitnessGram assessment - General Fitness Assessment Information for 2015- 2016 School Year
General Fitness Assessment Information for 2015- 2016 School Year - Every school should have at least 1 PE Teacher to attend
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6370133134939946242
Webinar 2 is an overview of the assessment in greater detail about FitnessGram assessment.
Audience: New Physical Education Teachers and those wanting a refresher.
Fitness Assessment 101
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/511771354608361218
Assessment Uses
October 19, 26, 27 2:00-4:00 pm
Elementary Teachers will discuss research-based strategies and pertinent issues related to student learning through the effective use of achievement data to promote content mastery with balanced assessment. Presentations will include best practices shared by CCSS teachers Cristy Fogle, Heather Dailey, Lindsey Haralson, Cheryl NIcolls, Monty Potts, Elizabeth Rance, and Amber Sambdman, and the Director of Assessment and Accountability, Dr. Julie Raschen
Elementary Music Teacher Professional Learning
Joshua Tate is facilitating the the meeting in order to build better communication and instructional support for the counties music appreciation in our Elementary Music Departments.
Google Professional Learning
October 13 Google docs intro - Werz Central Office - PLC - 4:30pm - 6:00pm
Please bring chromebook
October 14 Google and chrome extensions - Werz Central Office - PLC - 4:30pm - 6:00pm
Please bring chromebook
October 15 Google forms and the classroom - Werz Central Office - PLC - 4:30pm - 6:00pm
Please bring chromebook
October 19 Google classroom - Werz Central Office - PLC - 4:30pm - 6:00pm
Please bring chromebook
School Bus Safety Week
School Bus Driver Appreciation Day - October 19, 2015.
Cyber Safety Week
October 12-October 16 will be Cyber Safety Week for Coweta County students.
Please schedule a time for your students to view the age-appropriate video concerning Cyber Safety. The videos are linked on the CCSS homepage as well as below.
http://www.cowetaschools.org/index.php/departments/technology-services/260-cyber-safety
Thank your for your help in making sure we meet this CIPA (Children's Internet Protection Act) requirement.
Facilities, Operations, and Safety Professional Learning
The first Tuesday of every month - Food Service Conference Room - 7:30am to 8:30am
All CCSS operations based maintenance, school based maintenance, and grounds maintenance personnel will meet to learn about and discuss topics relevant to these areas of responsibility. Topics will include technical instruction in the various trades, workplace safety, and updates/reminders regarding the assignment, completion, and documentation of work orders. Previous meeting topics include ladder safety, lifting safety, changing a fluorescent light ballast for non-electricians, getting started with google, the proper fire extinguisher for the job and its use, and working around asbestos.