Strategic Plan Update
Juvenile Services Education System of MSDE
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE STRATEGIC PLAN VERIFICATION TEAM!
The Strategic Plan Verification Project Newsletter: December 2016, #6
What's Next in UMD Strategic Plan Support?
Within the next month or two, the Team will be sending a survey via email to leadership, teachers and staff. Please be on the lookout for this survey link and make your voices heard. We look forward to your responses.
The first report of the Strategic Verification Team will be released in January. Our findings will be published and shared with JSE at that time.
STEM AT NOYES VIA UNJAMMED INITIATIVE
In July of 2016, four JSE schools participated in CEEAS (Center for Educational Excellence in Alternative Settings) year long Blended Learning Initiative called Unjammed. As a part of their participation in Unjammed each facility received a bundle of Maker-Space tools. Recently the Alfred D. Noyes school put on a STEM day and the Unjammed teacher fellows introduced a lesson centered around Little Bits. This lesson allowed the students to build familiarity with and identify and understand the functional grouping of the four color-coded Bits: powers, inputs, outputs, and wires. They made connections between Bits and real-world applications by creating an electronic synthesizer and circuit car.
Teaching Tip – CNN News Activity
During our site visits, we saw good use of interactive white boards as teaching tools including the showing of CNN Student News http://www.cnn.com/studentnews, the daily 10 minute news update for classrooms. Teacher Laura Carlisle at Green Ridge Youth Center has a particularly good activity that links watching current events with English skills writing (CCSS Literacy.W.9-10.1) and listening skills (CCSS-ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1). In addition, the news requires integration of knowledge and ideas (R.H.11-12.7). Even math and science are covered in some broadcasts.
Ms. Carlisle is intentional about her use of CNN News, “I tell them what the news stories for the day will be after I preview the news because sometimes the stories are two sides of the same issue, talk about a specific event and then educate students about the topic, or run into one another. I give them what I tell them would be the "headlines" [as] if they were reading a newspaper..." Ms Carlisle writes headlines on the white board for them to copy onto their sheets as they take notes about the day's show. This activity is their "Bell Ringer" so that they come in, get their folders, and start to work. Before she starts the news, she gives her students additional information they might need, such with directions such as, "Listen for a specific time they expect Hurricane Matthew to hit the United States," or "How many debates will be held?" The weekly handout she gives them has sections for each day’s notes, a personal reflection for each day, and a “Before We Go” topic.
Similar to the Scholastic News Magazine – CNN News is topical, relevant and engaging. CNN News can be more instructional and related to CCSS when used with scaffolding like that provided by Ms. Carlisle. With it, students are asked to listen, remember, consider and reflect. The CNN site also includes a transcript (for vocabulary and topic development), a printable weekly quiz and a podcast feature.
Strategic Plan Newsletters Have a Link
This is the 6th edition of the Strategic Plan Update, newsletter published as a part of the partnership of MSDE/JSE and the University of Maryland. Many of you have received the link to the newsletter on the website, www.smore.com, via email. To reach more viewers (and those that may have gone to SPAM) we have made the newsletter available through the JSE homepage (tab to the left – University of Maryland Partnership) where pdfs of Updates will be archived. We hope you read and tell others to view updates on the Strategic Plan implementation, JSE news and events. Find out more here:
http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/programs/Pages/JSE/index.aspx
We will continue to archive Updates and periodic project reports.
Post-Secondary Education
One of the (myriad) of objectives in the Strategic Plan includes “provide access to postsecondary programming, including college and career/technical education, that prepares students for a successful transition to adulthood “(4.5). The first indicator of this is to “continue collaboration with DJS to fiscally support Backbone College program”. This post-secondary programming is figuratively and literally the backbone of JSE efforts!
From Dan Gardner’s 2016 graduation announcement, “The Backbone College Program began in September 2006 and represents the tireless dedication and vision of many people. Believing youth to be powerful assets for positive social change, and recognizing the benefit of higher education in the prevention of recidivism, Garrett College and the Department of Juvenile Services worked in earnest for several years to create collegiate opportunities for youth. In December 2006, ten students from the Backbone Mountain Academy were the first group graduated from Backbone College Program, several of them extending their stay in Garrett County in order to complete the program.” As of fall 2016, 259 students have earned college credits in courses taught off-site by Garrett College staff.
Students qualify by receiving a high school diploma or its equivalent. At Backbone student get help filling out FAFSA and take college entrance tests. The students take two courses: Introduction to Sociology and Leadership for 6 total Garrett College credits. Credits can then transfer to other area community colleges. During the semester, professors from Garrett come to Backbone on Fridays and students go to Garrett College on Wednesdays. During other school days, students work on assignments, study and take tests with help from JSE teachers.
Building on this success, the Strategic Plan tasks JSE to “Establish new partnerships with local higher education across the state”. Efforts are underway to unite Cheltenham with Prince Georges Community College. Staff from Chesapeake Community College bring a “resume van” to Carter Center periodically for all the girls to hone their pre-professional skills. Virtual learning might be a possibility for other locations in concert with Frederick Community College online. These efforts will require JSE to promote continuing education, high school credits and credit recovery, and GED preparation and testing. Those successful in those endeavors should get help with FAFSA, College Board testing (free SAT test prep through Khan Academy, ACCUPLACER) and college applications all which can lead to greater achievement within JSE and in the community after release.
Hickey Hosts Amazing Poetry Cafe
Poem (S. H.) This is where Im from
Im from Reisterstown were everyones nice,
Im from a town were Getto birds fly at night.
Im from Dad is mom coming back,
Im from 15 finding out she smokes crack.
Im from no friends in most of my life,
Im from my blood on my razors and knife.
Im from Whats up to a punch to my face,
Im from God take me out of this place.
Im from 2 sisters a dad and a brother,
Im from no food so I starve for my others.
Im from the dollartree stealing my meals,
Im from a Vic now go make those deals.
Im from crying nights and all day,
Im from a mask that hides all my pain.
Im from struggles to selling some bags,
Im from drawstrings to a black MCM bag.
Im from Goodwill to bags from the mall,
Im from no team to squad in the halls.
Im from stealing Ramen and small TV dinners,
Im from nothing to being a winner.
Im from a winner that picked the wrong friends,
Im from a cell locked up once again.
Im from my room to 20 days in a cell,
Im from Free Heavens to locked up in hell.
Poem (P. G.) Where Im From:
I am from the city that BLEEDS hate and jealousy.
I am from where there is no hesitation to pull the trigger.
I am from purple ravens and blue crabs
From academic intelligence & street smarts.
I am from, “For God so loved the world…” on early Sunday
Mornings and MARIJUANA on late Monday nights.
I am from cigarette smoke and Uncle Peanut’s Jail stories.
From foxes, gorillas and wolves.
From, “Power to the people” and a strong, black, single mother.
I am from EBT cards and vacant housing.
From Burberry shirts and no rent money.
From fat rats in the back alley and thieving roaches raiding
My kitchen.
I am from the Slave Trade and discrimination.
From BRONZE skin and achieving
the impossible.
I am from survival and bloodshed.
I am that Roso that grew from concrete.
Poem (E.G.)
“I am from”
I am from the trenches
I am from packed houses and ghetto family
I am from noodles and jelly sandwhiches
I am from fights and shootouts
I am from beatings and punishment
I am from “don't get up till you finish your food”
I am from Section 8
I am from the struggle
I am from “wash your hands before you go in my fridge”
I am from fried chicken and stringbeans
I am from family reunions and cookouts
I am from Early mornings at church
I am from dirtbikes and mopeds
I am from playgrounds and backyard football
I am from CherryHill
The Strategic Plan Verification Project
Email: miji.cosmo@verizon.net
Location: University of MD, College Park, MD, United States
Phone: 410 707 7912
Twitter: @MiJiKim3