ESC TODAY
Timely Information and Resources for Region 11 Schools
May 24, 2017
ESC TODAY is published twice a month on the first and third Wednesdays throughout the school year except during holidays and summer break.
Charter School Summer Summit - June 28-30
Charter school staff, please make plans to attend the Charter School Network’s fourth annual Charter School Summer Summit, June 28-30, featuring two New York Times best-selling authors as keynote speakers, 40 breakout sessions, and many networking opportunities.
Visit the Texas Charter Network website for more details.
Connect2Texas: What Teachers Are Saying
McDonald Observatory connected to more than 4,000 students over four days with its Observing the Sun programs. During these programs, students viewed the Sun through telescopes equipped with special video cameras and solar filters, and learned about solar features through unique science demonstrations.
Here's one comment we received from a Grapevine-Colleyville ISD teacher about the program:
"Glenhope Elementary first graders loved the Observing the Sun program with McDonald Observatory. The kids were engaged the entire time. I loved the incorporation of kids sketching what they were seeing live. Students couldn't believe it was live! The presenter was very enthusiastic, and it transferred over to the kids. They couldn't wait to go home and share their new knowledge with their parents. Who knew the sun was equal to 109 Earths? Amazing! Thanks for the program." Tiffani Griffard, Glenhope Elementary, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD
We hope you will use Connect2Texas programs in 2017-2018 for unique learning experiences brought directly into your classroom.
ESC staff member earns recognition from Cisco Networking Academy
iChampion Summit - Accepting Presentation Proposals AND Registration
Stephenville ISD's iChampion Summit will be held at Tarleton State University in Stephenville on July 25-27. Educators have the opportunity to hear two well-known keynote speakers, learn more about the use of technology integration and innovation, and participate in Google Educator Certification training.
Days one and two of the conference will include sessions on modeling innovative practices for both PK-12 and higher education classrooms. Day three has been reserved for Google Certification Training, Educator Level 1 and 2.
Presentation proposals are being accepted through May 26, and presenters (one per session) will receive free conference registration. The Google Academy registration is an additional cost.
Math and Science Teachers from Texas Regional Collaborative Complete Program
Congratulations to the 2016-17 Math and Science Teacher mentors from the ESC Region 11 Math and Science Collaborative. A grant from Texas Regional Collaborative (TRC) provides funding for math and science classroom teachers to receive 100 hours of research-based professional development, and these dedicated professionals have completed the yearlong program to improve their mathematics or science content knowledge, and explore proven pedagogical strategies in order to increase student achievement in their districts!
View photos from the event on our Facebook page.
Math4Texas.org Provides Parent-Friendly Help for Math Concepts
Math4Texas.org is a FREE K-8 website that provides parent-friendly explanations, example problems, digital tools, and videos by grade level to help parents understand the math concepts and skills that their children are learning.
Please add the Math4Texas.org link to your website and include it in communications to parents.
Online Courses from Texas Virtual Schools Network Help Students Meet Goals
Districts and open-enrollment charter school students have access to more than 300 course options to assist them in meeting their specific educational goals. The Texas Virtual School Network (TXVSN) offers 90+ high school, Advanced Placement (AP), and dual-credit online courses approved by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and led by appropriately credentialed teachers trained in best practices for online instruction.
The TXVSN teacher serves as the teacher of record. TXVSN courses may be taken for initial credit or credit recovery. Students are not required to be physically present on campus during instruction to be eligible to generate Foundation School Program (FSP) funding for a TXVSN course. Districts and charter schools can earn these funds based on a student's successful completion of the TXVSN course, regardless of where the student is located while receiving instruction. More information is available on the TXVSN website. Approved courses continue to be added to the Course Catalog throughout the school year, so check often.
If you have any questions or need information about how to get started as a receiver district, visit the "Get Started" tab on the TXVSN website, or contact Shari King, (817) 740-7633.
School Nurses
A free nursing CE conference on STIs in teens and young adults will be held on Thursday, July 20, 7:30 a.m.-3:45 p.m. at Texas Christian University. Hosted by Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences at TCU, the conference will provide information on current trends in STI epidemiology, diagnoses, testing, and resource referral for area teens and young adults. Attendees may earn up to six contact hours.
Sports Symposium Presented by Cook Children's
The Cook Children's Sports Performance Orthopedic Rehab Team Specialists (SPORTS) program's eighth annual symposium on June 21 will provide evidence-based methods for preventing, treating and rehabilitating sports injuries in young athletes. The symposium is designed for athletic trainers, school nurses, physical therapists and those who work with kids from 4-21 years of age who sustain injuries from sports.
Summer Digital Math Academy: K-8 Teachers
STAARting with the TEKS: Math for the Digital Age will be held this summer in three cohorts based on counties. Join us at a location near you for one of three face-to-face sessions in June and July. K-8 teachers completing 18 CPE hours of face-to-face collaboration and six CPE hours of blended learning through Canvas will receive a $150 stipend. Space is limited, so please visit the Math website for more information and registration details.
TEKS Resource System Conference
The 2017 TEKS Resource System Curriculum Conference, August 1-3, is the premier professional development venue for Texas. Whether you're a teacher or an administrator, this conference has something for everyone. Attendees will experience a variety of sessions related to academic content, leadership, assessment, differentiation, and instructional coaching. The keynote speaker is Aric Bostick.
Registration details are available on the TEKS Resource System Conference website.
Write4Texas Summer Conference for Secondary Content-area Teachers
Join Our Social Community
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ESC Region 11
Email: communications@esc11.net
Website: esc11.net
Location: 1451 Cherry Lane, White Settlement, TX 76108, United States
Phone: (817)740-3600
Facebook: facebook.com/ESCRegion11
Twitter: @ESCRegion11