PCHS PARENT eNews
January 12, 2018
How Do We Define the Co-Taught Learning Environment?
Over the past two years, PCHS teachers have been provided more and more opportunities to combine their talents and expertise through co-teaching experiences. The co-taught classroom does look and feel different to the student who has been conditioned to a 25 to 1 ratio in a traditional environment. When you look at the pupil-teacher ratio in a co-taught classroom, it still achieves that 25-1 ratio and, most often, reduces that ratio due to there being more than two teachers in a room with fifty students. While fifty may sound like a lot of students, when you add more instructors you have the opportunity to work with smaller student groups, conduct individual conferencing, and students have more freedom to partner with peers for a variety of projects and presentations. The skills that students practice when afforded these experiences will cultivate success-ready learners for college and career opportunities beyond high school. (please also read the article: 10 ways to help students become "future ready") 10 Ways to Help Students Become Future Ready
We wanted to share the strategies and techniques that are used in the co-taught environments to help parents and students understand HOW the professionals work to better identify and fill the specific learning gaps while creating experiences to extend thinking and learning with our students. As you will see, these research-based techniques provide teachers the tools necessary to individualize a student's learning experience.
What is co-teaching?
Co-teaching is typically perceived as two educational professionals working together to service a group of heterogeneous learners. The most common teams of educators found to engage in co-teaching relationships are:
- special and general educators
- paraprofessional and a special or general educator
- two general education teachers
- speech/language pathologists and a special educator or general educator
- social worker and a special educator or general educator
- other support personnel (volunteers) and special educator or general educator
- elective teachers (P.E., music, art, computers, foreign languages, etc.) and a special educator or general educator
These teams come together for a common purpose, typically to meet a wide range of learners more effectively. These teams may have a long-term agenda for working together (an entire academic year) or short-term agendas such as completing a unit together or preparing students for some specific skills (e.g., state testing, science project). Despite the numerous co-teaching relationships that can exist, PCHS has been focusing on two general education teachers (cross-curricular and same course content) working together to meet the individual needs of each learner. Our co-taught, cross-curricular (Blended) courses include:
AP Government & AP Language Arts (now in 2nd year)
Government & ELA 3 (now in 2nd year)
World History & ELA 2 (now in 2nd year)
American History & ELA 1 (new in 2018-2019)
Honors American History & Pre-AP English (new in 2018-2019)
Counseling Center
Parents:
Planning for your student's future: Don't Roll the Dice - attend the January 18th Event to assist you and your student in planning for their future.
Parents of Freshmen-
It's time to start thinking about the 18-19 enrollment. On Monday, January 8, Freshmen were shown a short video about enrolling for classes for the 18-19 school year and given a copy of their 18-19 enrollment form. School Counselors will begin meeting with students about their course choices the week of January 15 during their American History class. Please visit with your student to see that they have chosen classes, received teacher initials, and have your signature. Enrollment into the course choices will happen during Spring parent/teacher conferences on February 28 as done the last two years. Below you will find the video the students were shown on the 8th, a blank copy of the 18-19 enrollment form, and a link to the 18-19 course guide.
Northland CAPS Information Meeting -
Join us for an Open House on Tuesday, January 23rd at Gladstone Community Center - 6901 N Holmes - Gladstone, MO.
Presentation will begin at 5:30 pm.
You will have an opportunity to learn more about the program, ask questions and visit with staff.
Visit their website for more information:
Northland Career Center (NCC) -
Northland Career Center (NCC) is very excited to offer 12 quality career and technical education programs for students in the Northland including students from Platte County High School. Over the past few years, NCC has grown its programming and enrollment to meet real market demands of business and industry present in today's world.
Students that attend NCC have a variety of exciting options after graduating from high school. Students can take their technical training and seek immediate employment, further their education at a post-secondary institution, or enlist in the military. Yes, our students do go to college, however, we define this a little differently. Some of our students seek to earn a four-year degree while others attend a post-secondary institution for a single or multi-semester certificate.
Check out the career opportunities showcased in this video for Platte County students entering the 11th and 12th grade. The tuition cost is free to all Platte County High School Students and required fees are minimal. What is your plan? How might we help define future college, career, and life ready success for your student?
FCCLA to Host Blood Drive
If you would like to donate please sign up for an appointment ttp://redcrossblood.org and enter: PlatteCountyHS to schedule an appointment.
Coat, Clothing and Food Drive
FBLA and Hillcrest Host BINGO Community Night
Theater Department Presents RUMORS
Platte County Pirate Booster Club Online Store
Looking for some more spirit wear? The Platte County Pirate Booster Club online store, www.pchsboosterclub.com features our 17-18 line as well as some of our favorites from last year.
The online store contains a “shopping cart” for convenient, safe, and secure purchases, and has special features, such as the ability to select different sizes, color, and other product details.
All purchases will be handled securely through PayPal and orders will be picked up at the PCHS Welcome Center.
For more information, contact: Jerri Spores, 816-858-2822 x1238.
PTSA
UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS: (Meetings are held in PCHS Library)
- Feb. 8, 6:30
- Mar 8, 6:30
- Apr 12, 6:30
- May 10, 6:30
CONNECT WITH PTSA
- FACEBOOK: PlatteCountyHighSchoolPTSA
- TWITTER: @PTSAPCHS
- eMAIL: ptsapchs@gmail.com
Bullying and Safety Concerns
Safety is one of our district’s top priorities and to help safeguard our school community, our district is now using SafeSchools Alert, a tip reporting service that allows students, staff, and parents to submit safety concerns to our administration.
You and your child can easily report tips on bullying, harassment, or any safety issue you're concerned about through SafeSchools Alert.
Every tip SafeSchools Alert receives about our district is immediately logged in the system and our administration is notified so that they can investigate and take appropriate action. And, tips may also be submitted anonymously if you prefer.
Together, using SafeSchools Alert, we can make our district a safer place to learn!
Click the link below to submit a tip or concern.
Mark Your Calendar
January:
- 15 - NO SCHOOL, President's Day
- 18 - "Don't Roll the Dice" Planning For Your Future, 6:00 pm Barry School
- 18 - JOINT CONCERT - Wind Ensemble and Sound Express, 7:00 pm, WPAC
- 18 - BOARD MEETING, 6:30 pm, DEC
- 22-26 - SCHOOL BOARD RECOGNITION WEEK
- 23 - NCAPS PARENT INFO NIGHT, 5:30, Gladstone Community Center
- 24 - PLC DAY
- 30 - FCCLA BLOOD DRIVE
February:
- 6 - BINGO COMMUNITY NIGHT, 6:00-8:00 pm, at Zona Rosa
- 8 - COURT WARMING
- 9 - NO SCHOOL, District Inservice
- 19 - NO SCHOOL, President's Day
- 21 - JOSTENS: Senior Announcement Delivery, 7:00 am
- 22-24 - SPRING PLAY, "RUMORS", 7:00 pm WPAC
- 26 - JOSTENS: Additional Sr. Announcement Delivery, 7:00 am
- 28 - PLC DAY
- 28 - PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE
Click here to view the full Platte County High School calendar on our website.
Upcoming Community Events
Thank you to our Pirates ROCK Star business partners!
Platte County High School
- Dr. Chad Sayre, Principal
- Shari Waters, Assistant Principal
- Matt Messick, Assistant Principal
- Phil Dorman, Activities Director
Email: sayrec@platteco.k12.mo.us
Website: www.plattecountyschooldistrict.com/plattecountyhs
Location: 1501 Branch St, Platte City, MO, United States
Phone: 816-858-2822
Facebook: facebook.com/PCR3HS
Twitter: @PCHSHalls