Fine Arts
Art * Music * Theatre * Dance
May 2020 - issue 4
Hope you have a relaxing and safe summer!
We appreciate everything you have done, especially this last quarter during the distance learning. You all handled this new adventure with grace and determination.
Don't forget to fill out the Thought Exchange so the district can hear your ideas and concerns about opening up in the fall. Communications sent a No Reply email on Wednesday, May 20 @ 3:02pm with the link for the Thought Exchange.
Enrichment Opportunities
We have collected and put together a variety of enrichment ideas and opportunities for some of the fine arts. Feel free to share some ideas with students and parents if asked or you feel it will be beneficial.
Attention Teachers and Instructional Coaches: A Message from ARM
On Thursday, June 4, and Friday, June 5, 2020, Focus Groups will be conducted providing the opportunity for instructional staff members to share ideas and thoughts related to instructional coaching in PCS.
A process will be used to identify participants from a list of volunteers who want to participate and represent Title I and non-Title I schools. All those invited are encouraged to participate, however taking part in the Focus Group is voluntary.
All information collected during the Focus Group meeting will be confidential and all comments will remain anonymous. Trends will be reported as a peer group.
If you are interested in participating, please indicate by completing this form.
The deadline to complete this form is Thursday, May 28 and those selected to participate will be notified Friday, May 29. Please note the Focus Groups are 45 minutes in length and will be scheduled over those two days (specific times TBD).
Free Canvas Online Conference
The annual conference for Canvas users has shifted to a virtual conference this year. It's FREE, and you can register here:
Distance Learning High School Honors Courses
Students enrolled in 2 course codes but only in 1 Distance Learning course
We have students who are enrolled in multiple course codes that are being covered under one distance learning course. Since these students will be earning multiple grades/credits a plan has been developed to cover these areas.
- Fine Arts - a project has been developed that students are required to complete in order to earn the credit/grade for both courses and is available here. To determine which assignment is appropriate for the course codes the student is enrolled in, review the fine arts tab here.
The completion of the projects for these students is required. Teachers will need to use myStudent to indicate the project has been completed. This will be done by creating an assignment without a points value and using the checklist feature in myStudent. Please view these screenshots to assist.
New Opportunities for ESE Points
Through the use of our new Functional Behavior Assessment platform: Insight’s to Behavior, we have the opportunity for new online training. There are over 38+ different workshops available for staff to participate in online. The e-learning workshops range from less than 1 hour up to 2 hours. Each workshop has a corresponding course that has been created in MyPGS. When staff complete the e-learning workshop on the Insight to Behavior website with a 80% or higher, they receive a certificate of completion that can be emailed to wcrosley@pasco.k12.fl.us and in-service/training points are awarded.
Please click HERE for a power point for additional information and click HERE for a listing of all e-workshops with topic descriptions and time needed to complete. If you have any questions, contact Anna Randazzo via email: arandazz@pasco.k12.fl.us
SEL/Compassionate Schools
It’s important to maintain your relationship momentum with your students during this last stretch of learning for this school year. Consider ways that you can empower students to wrap up their learning. Could a student lead a virtual class lesson? Could a group of students create a reflection activity based on what they’ve been learning? By allowing for student voice and choice in their learning, you’re showing them that they are a valuable member of the class and that you believe in them and their abilities.
Focus for the Week: Compassion, Grace and Flexibility
As we move in to week three of Distance Learning there are so many lessons we have all learned through this experience. Most importantly, we have learned that the human connection is more important than ever and that each of us faces different circumstances and situations during this time. While it is incredibly important that our students continue to pursue high levels of learning at all times, we also realize and recognize that working with students in this manner is very different and takes a lot of adjustment and getting used to. We trust you to make decisions that work best for you and your students. We trust students and families to prioritize learning time, subjects and assignments based on what is manageable and feasible. Included in this week's newsletter you will see additional information on what Compassion, Grace and Flexibility mean in Pasco County Schools during this time. Please reach out if you need assistance, we are here for you!
Gradebook Tips Sheet
Included here Gradebook Pro Tips.pdf are some helpful tips to assist you in as you grade and respond to student learning.
Academic Integrity
Regrettably, some students will make a poor decision to submit work that does not reflect their original thoughts and understanding of the course content. Plagiarism and cheating may take several forms, and teachers can use measures (including Unicheck, a plagiarism detection software) to identify work that has been published or submitted before. Subsequent violations will adhere to the Pasco County Schools Student Code of Conduct. Please consult your administration.
Fine Arts Department
Tom Viking - Fine Arts Program Coordinator
Michele Christy - Fine Arts Resource TeacherEmail: tviking@pasco.k12.fl.us
Website: pasco.k12.fl.us
Location: 7227 Land O' Lakes Boulevard, Land O Lakes, FL, USA
Phone: 813-794-2585