ESC TODAY
Timely Information and Resources for Region 11 Schools
January 17, 2018
ESC TODAY is published twice a month on the first and third Wednesdays throughout the school year except during holiday breaks and summer break.
Spring Conference-Style Opportunities
- February 28, 2018 - STAART Your Engines! Rev Up for a Winning Assessment Season
- March 28, 2018 - Assistant Principals and Counselors: Managing the Present - Shaping the Future
- April 18, 2018 - From Primer to Promise: Laying the Foundation for Literacy in the Early Grades
- May 7, 2018 - 8th Annual Administrative Assistants/Secretaries Conference
Download the Save the Date flyer for additional information on all of these outstanding conference-style events!
7th Annual North Texas Eduphoria Users Conference
The 7th annual North Texas Eduphoria Users Conference is set for February 14, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. This will be a great opportunity to learn and network with other Eduphoria users from our area.
The conference is offered to our Eduphoria districts at no cost! Please share this with anyone in your district who might be interested in attending.
Where: Arlington ISD Mac Bernd Professional Development Center, 1111 W. Arbrook Blvd., Arlington, TX 76015
This is what you can look forward to:
- an update on new and future Eduphoria features;
- sessions from districts on how they use different Eduphoria applications;
- Eduphoria and ESC trainers showcasing different features, tips and tricks; and
- a variety of topics and levels of expertise covering many of the Eduphoria applications.
Register here. Conference sessions will be posted soon.
e-Merge Digital Learning Vendor Fair
This spring, ESC Region 11 is merging two popular events into an amazing day of learning. e-Merge, our one-day event for digital learning specialists, and the Digital Learning Vendor Fair will be combined on March 21 and held at the service center.
Join us for this one-day expo featuring innovative learning sessions led by rock-star digital learning specialists, along with booths and presentations from vendors showcasing the latest and greatest digital learning solutions. Register today!
Do you have a success or amazing lesson to share in an hour-long session? We would love to learn from you! Please complete the session proposal form linked below. Don't be shy; what's obvious to you is A-MAZ-ing to someone else! Session Proposals
More information about vendors and sessions will be available soon.
2018 DMAC Showcase
DMAC districts are invited to join us for the 2018 DMAC Showcase on Tuesday, March 6, 9 a.m. The DMAC team will discuss the latest enhancements to the software, new updates, and more. This is a free event, so please share with anyone you feel would benefit from attending. Register here.
Call for Presenters for the Texas Social Media Conference
The 6th annual Texas Social Media Conference is on April 17, and the call for proposals is open. The conference is for anyone in K-12, higher ed, research, innovation, and municipalities. Sign up to share your knowledge and skills about anything pertaining to social media, then send this information to anyone else who may be interested. We are partnering with Tarleton State University's Texas Social Media Research Institute (TSMRI).
ESC Region 11 Offers Survey Services
ESC Region 11 offers specialized survey services that allow your district, campus, or charter to meet your total survey needs. A wide range of customized online or paper surveys is available, including staff satisfaction surveys, student/parent/community needs assessments, school safety surveys, and federal programs compliance surveys. We provide detailed assistance in the design and development of the survey, as well as comprehensive data analysis and report preparation - all at a very reasonable cost.
For more information, contact Shari King, 817-740-7633.
PGC Network Improves Instruction for Students with Disabilities in the General Education Setting
Did you know that the Progress in the General Curriculum (PGC) Network is responsible for providing professional development and technical assistance to school districts, schools, and charter schools focused on students with disabilities who are involved in and showing progress in the general curriculum? The PGC Network provides resources for curricular and instructional adaptations in the least restrictive environment, such as:
- Individualized Education Program (IEP) Annual Goal Development Q & A
- The Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Q & A
- Grading and Progress Monitoring for Students with Disabilities Working with Paraprofessionals: A Resource for Teachers of Students with Disabilities (English and Spanish)
- Guidelines for Co-teaching in Texas
- Specially Designed instruction Resource
- IEP Development in Texas (online course)
Clients may also access webinars and additional resources to support teachers as they work to meet the needs of students with disabilities in the general education setting.
College Day for Students at ESC Region 11
#ESC11CollegeDay | @ESCRegion11 | Friday, January 26, 2018 | 9-11 a.m.
High school students have a great opportunity to attend a daytime college fair on January 26 at ESC Region 11. Community college, four-year university, and military recruiters will be on hand to interact with and provide information to your students. This come-and-go event is brought to you by your friends at the Texas Association of Collegiate Registrar and Admissions Officers (TACRAO) and ESC Region 11. Register your high school students by completing the form in the Counselors Update flyer below.
Connect2Texas: Texas State Parks
We are thrilled to announce that theTexas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has joined Connect2Texas for 2017-2018. With more than 95 locations around the Lone Star State, the variety of educational resources available to school districts is massive. Through their distance learning programs, TPWD hopes not only to teach students about nature but to encourage them to “Get Outside!” These programs will show another world that is right here in Texas and inspire children to visit state parks as a follow up to their virtual field trips. Take a look at TPWD's upcoming schedule through May:
- Critter Roundup: Texas Sharks (Grades 3-8)
- Dinosaur Track Talk (Grades 3-5)
- Wetland Wonderment (Grades 3-5)
- Living History: The Hospital at Fort Richardson (Grades 5-8)
- The Bridge Side of Fire (Grades 5-12)
- Wringing-Wet Plants (Grades 3-5)
- In the Field with Migrating Monarchs (Grades K-5)
- Home Improvement: The Beaver Pond (Grades 3-5)
- Critter Roundup: Birds of Prey (Grades 3-5)
- Everyday Ninjas: Leave No Trace (Grades 3-5)
- Critter Roundup: Slithering Snakes (Grades 1-5)
- Chainsaws & Wildflowers: Save the Prairie (Grades 3-5)
- Bug Picking (Grades 3-5)
- Seagrass Science (Grades 4-6)
- Insectigations (Prek-5)
For program descriptions, objectives, state standards, or to register, go to www.Connect2Texas.net. All TPWD programs are FREE!
If you want to take advantage of Connect2Texas resources and bring scientists, experts, and authors directly to your students without leaving the classroom, visit the Connect2Texas website for more information or contact Lori Hamm-Neckar.
In the News
Canvas Mini-Conference in June; Call for Presenters
Take your Canvas training experience to the next level and attend Leveraging Canvas, our first Canvas mini-conference on June 14, 2018 (#leveragingcanvas).
Leveraging Canvas is designed to provide hands-on opportunities for teachers to meet and support district instructional goals through innovative applications of technologies in Canvas.
Call for proposals
Interested in presenting? Leveraging Canvas is also a great opportunity for you to share your expertise and experiences with your peers. Submit your proposal today.
Coming Soon! Mathematics Achievement Academy: Take Two
If you have successfully completed one of the state-sponsored Math Achievement Academies, you are eligible to participate in this blended learning experience, February 2 - April 6, in which students will become the star of the show with award-winning strategies for numeracy.
Program of events:
Act 1 - Zoom Chat (videoconference), February 16, 6-7 p.m.
Act 2 - Face-to-Face session at ESC Region 11
- Grade K-1 teachers - Saturday, February 24, 9 a.m.-12 noon Register here.
- Grade 2-3 teachers - Saturday, March 3, 9 a.m.-12 noon Register here.
Finale - Celebrate Learning (online), April 1-6
Upon successful completion, participants will receive a swag bag of classroom materials.
Student Transition Fair on March 2 - Are Your Students Ready for the "Real World?"
2018 TEKS Conference – Leading the Way to Student Success
The 2018 TEKS Resource Systems Curriculum Conference, July 31–August 2, brings thousands of Texas educators together for three days of collaboration, innovation, and learning.
The annual conference will showcase national guest speakers, informative sessions, and hands-on workshops.Texas teachers and administrators will exchange best practices, discover new ways to spark change, and share strategies to enhance curriculum.The conference will be held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, TX.
Visit tcmpc.org/conference for conference registration and hotel information.
Texas Education Agency News
Share Your Teaching Success Story
Do you work with an exceptional educator who challenges children every day? Do you know a teacher who goes above and beyond to provide exceptional learning experiences for their students? TEA is looking for stand-out stories that showcase how rigorous and rewarding the teaching profession is, and they want to share how educators in your district are positively impacting students every day. To submit a story, go to TEA's #IAmTXEd Campaign Submissions page.
TEA Launches STAAR Interim Assessment Pilot
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has launched the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) Interim Assessment Pilot, an optional TEA tool to help educators tailor instructional practice to address students’ needs. The Spring 2018 Interim Assessments will be a pilot administration working with school districts and charters that elect to participate. All interim assessment items are fully aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), the state’s curriculum standards used in all public schools. Read Commissioner Morath's letter to find out more.
Gov. Abbott’s Directive on Special Education in Texas
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has received a final monitoring report from the U.S. Department of Education with its findings on the delivery of special education services in the state. Gov. Greg Abbott has directed Commissioner of Education Mike Morath to take swift and immediate action to address findings in the report. Morath issued a statement that said (excerpt): "The corrective action plan called for by the Governor will outline the specific steps TEA will take to address all the identified issues. Parent and special education advocacy group representatives will play an ongoing integral role in helping shape this plan, as well as all efforts of the agency in the years ahead. My top priority has and continues to be to improve outcomes for all students in Texas.” Read Gov. Abbott's letter to Commissioner Morath.
Bus Transportation - Train Your Bus Drivers to Pass the CDL
ESC Region 11 is offering a course that will qualify district officials to train their own bus drivers, saving time and money in preparing newly hired bus drivers to pass the CDL test.
Transportation directors, transportation safety trainers, superintendents, principals, and others (must hold a CDL, have a DOT physical, and a bus driver certificate) are invited to attend this new course on February 3, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., at Duncanville ISD.
Call for Proposals for Charter School Summit
TheNetwork (ESC Region 11 in conjunction with TEA) is currently accepting proposals to present at the 5th Annual Charter School Summer Summit which will be held in Austin on June 27-29 at the Westin Domain. The deadline for submission is January 31. Submit your proposal here.
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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