Pam's Pages
Week of May 23 - 27
TECHNOLOGY
LAPTOP ISSUES (from the Ed Tech department)
SBISD has a serious issue concerning laptops that is easily preventable. This school year, there have been 21 laptops stolen. Of those 21 laptops, 13 laptops were left in personal vehicles that were broken into by thieves. That means 62% of all laptops stolen were stolen from employees cars.
This translate into:
Your car being broken into and damaged by thieves who do not care about your property
Filing police reports
Filing insurance claims
Being without a laptop for a few days
Worrying about what data thieves can glean from your laptop.
Possibly leading to Identity Theft and years of fighting to repair your credit status. In order to prevent all of this from happening to you, when transporting your laptop in your car lock up your laptop out of sight of thieves. Lock up your laptop in your car trunk when you begin your journey and leave the laptop in the car trunk while you shop, dine or play. Replacement of laptops cost the District over $1200.00 per laptop to replace. The cost of laptop replacement is now greater than $25,000.00 dollars. By locking up your laptop, employees could have saved the district almost $16,000.00 dollars. Those are funds that could have been used for:
Personal Development
More classroom equipment
Upgrades for existing older equipment
Funding a position
Please continue to take your laptop home and utilize your computer to develop better learning systems for our students. When you do take your laptop home, be mindful there are people waiting and watching for any opportunity to break in a car to make a quick buck.
By thinking smarter, we can reduce the number of laptop thefts and use those funds to benefit the children and employees of the district.
SYMBALOO LESSON PLANS (can be used for personalized learning)
Symbaloo Lesson Plans has officially launched. This is a free tool that is designed to impact the way you teach and learn.
http://lessonplans.symbaloo.com/
You can create your own lesson plan in the Lesson Plan Builder, or find one that is created by educators. Any online material can be used in the lesson plan: videos, articles, quizzes, educational games, etc.
In the Lesson Plan Marketplace, there are lessons available published by educators. You can revise them for your needs.
Students can access and use the Digital Lesson in a gaming-style environment, and you (the teacher) can get their results.
REMINDERS
- Fill out the Class Creator information by end of the day on Monday 5/23. There is no need to fill out the spreadsheet. This software has what we need to create classes.
- Complete end of year testing and report cards.
- Complete the End of the Year checklist.
- We have not received anything from Operations about having to completely clear the rooms out. However, if you do leave things on the shelves, be sure you wipe the shelves down before you store things - and also again when we come back in the fall.
- As I have done in prior years, I will send out letters over the summer with updated information, with the expectation that you will read the information ahead of time. This will alleviate the need for us to spend time the first few days going over that information.
- For purposes of planning, please remember that SPIRAL will be on Fridays next year.
IMPORTANT DATES
- June 3 - Last day for teachers (we will have our sendoff breakfast/brunch and you will be able to check out after that time)
- June 10 - Beginning Friday, June 10th, all district facilities will be closed on Fridays through the end of July.
- June 30 - Last day for me, Shirley and Susan. School Closed.
- July 18 - First Day for 16/17 for Principal, Assistant and ADA
- August 11 - First day to return for 16/17 school year - teachers and paraprofessionals
- August 12 - Convocation for all SBISD 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- August 19 - Meet the Teacher Hour (2 to 3)
Teacher Summer U
Meadow Wood Elementary
Email: pamela.redd@springbranchisd.com
Website: mwe.springbranchisd.com
Location: 14230 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX, United States
Phone: 713-251-6200
Facebook: facebook.com/meadowwoodelementarysbisd
Twitter: @pam_redd