JCISD LEARNING SERVICES UPDATE
Volume 3, Issue 8
(Click the image above for more information)
We are excited to announce that Dr. James Harris and Dr. Horacio Sanchez are keynote speakers for our August 19th, "Virtual Professional Learning Day."
Dr. Harris's presentation will be a two-part presentation beginning in the morning and then continuing in the first session of the afternoon. His session will discuss demystifying how the pandemic has impacted us and includes guidance on helping to reconnect, reteach, and reinforce in order to take back control and return to "normalcy" for our students. This presentation will also include practical PBIS and MTSS information and strategies. After the morning break, Dr. Sanchez will share three steps for promoting good mental health and resiliency, offering practical strategies that will lower stress, promote homeostasis, and restore the brain's chemical balance.
In addition to the continuation of Dr. Harris's morning session, there will be two other breakout sessions in the afternoon. Dr. Sanchez will discuss poverty's impact on the brain. He will identify the structural and functional changes poverty is causing to the brains of the poor and will discuss modifications educators can make to have better academic and behavioral outcomes for disadvantaged students. He will also help explain how bias related to poverty is influencing the behaviors and attitudes of teachers undermining student success and will identify strategies that minimize the negative influences of poverty bias. The afternoon will wrap up with Dr. Harris delving into the psychology of parent interaction as parents navigate their own feelings and predispositions regarding school.
If you would like to learn more about our keynote speakers, please visit their websites listed below:
Click here to register!
Jackson READS is a new approach to literacy in Jackson County. In partnership with the Jackson District Library and our local school districts, the Jackson County ISD Learning Services and Special Education departments were able to provide book sets to 600 students. Students (ages 3-9 years old) were given access to ten (10) free, grade-level/age-appropriate, specially curated books. Families picked up their student’s books on May 8th (or had the books delivered to their school).
Students and their families were encouraged to increase their love for literacy by accessing the new “Jackson READS” website. The website was launched to the public on May 8th and includes videos by the authors of some of the same books that were included in the student’s book sets. The site also includes support resources for parents, families and educators, and much more. Jackson Reads is intended to repeat and expand in the years to come.
Congratulations to Our 2021 Green Schools
As we begin to close on the 2020-21 school year, we would like to extend our congratulations to all of our local schools that were able to participate in the Michigan Green Schools program. The Michigan Green Schools program is dedicated to assisting schools achieve environmental goals which include protecting the air, land, water and animals of our state along with outreach through good ecological practice.
For a given school year, awards can be earned for the completion of a certain number of activities. The evergreen status is awarded to any school completing at least 20 approved activities. The emerald status is awarded to a school completing at least 15 activities, and the green status for completing at least 10 activities. Even though this school year brought many hurdles to overcome, the following schools were still able to participate in this year's program and achieved the following designations:
Evergreen School
Columbia Upper Elementary School
St. John the Evangelist
St. Mary Star of the Sea School
Emerald School
Columbia Options High School
Dibble Elementary School
East Jackson Elementary School
Grass Lake High School
Grass Lake Middle School
Parma Elementary School
Green School
Bean Elementary School
daVinci High School
Hanover Horton Elementary
Hunt Elementary School
Jackson High School
Keicher Elementary School
Lyle A. Torrant Center
Middle School at Parkside
Thank you for all of your hard work this year. Have a great summer and we look forward to seeing what you all have planned for us next year!
**If you would like to learn more about the Michigan Green Schools program, please visit michigangreenschools.us.
Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA)
Refresher Training
Teacher Refresher Trainings Are Now Open For Registration
Teacher Refresher Training will provide teachers who have already participated in the initial training in previous administration years with a synchronous review of the KRA, including how to administer the KRA throughout the day and utilize the data for instruction. Teachers can also complete the Teacher Recertification Content Assessment asynchronously through the KReady system.
Below are a date of upcoming trainings:
Thursday, August 12, 2021, from 9:00 am to 10:00 am
Thursday, August 12, 2021, from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Tuesday, August 18, 2021, from 9:00 am to 10:00 am
Tuesday, August 18, 2021, from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Wednesday, August 19, 2021, from 9:00 am to 10:00 am
Tuesday, August 24, 2021, from 9:00 am to 10:00 am
Please register at: kra-in-mi.org.
Calling All Preschoolers!
Summer STEM Opportunities for Jackson County Students
Kids Who Code by INNOVATE Albion
Cryptography by Jackson County ISD
CO2 Dragster Engineering Online by The Shop Rat Foundation
The Science of Sound: Make a homemade harmonica by Jackson District Library
Basic Arduinos by Spring Arbor University’s Engineering Dept.
AND MUCH MORE!
Sessions begin June 21st!
Learn more and register at i3jackson.com.
Mental Health Crisis & Suicide Prevention Hotline
Michigan aims to have 24/7 statewide coverage of 988 calls, chats, and texts. Those who contact 988 can be connected to community crisis services and local resources, and call center staff can follow up with callers to ensure they have the support they need. The State is partnering with the current network of certified crisis centers providing suicide prevention and intervention services, as well as the Michigan Crisis Access Line (MiCAL). The 988 planning coalition is examining the state’s current system and capacity for mental health crisis calls, reviewing model legislation for establishing a consistent statewide system for 988 calls, and providing other input on potential funding models and sources. By working together with those with lived experience, Michigan hopes to create a comprehensive and effective crisis line for people in need.
If you are interested in reading the Suicide Prevention Commission Initial Report (March 2021) and learning more about 988 crisis line, click here.
SCECHs - Important Information
NOTE: Pay special attention to the programs that have been loaded to your educator profile in MOECS. MDE's MOECS system has a known glitch and is randomly loading programs in duplicate to an educator's profile (unbeknownst to the SCECH Coordinator). This means that an educator could have more hours appearing on their profile than they have truly earned. MDE's technology team is working to remove these as promptly as possible. It is always the educator's responsibility to ensure they are accepting (and calculating for recertification) the appropriate SCECHs. If you have questions, reach out to your district SCECH Coordinator or email Angela.Maddox@jcisd.org.
ADDITIONAL LINKS & NEWSLETTERS
Professional Learning & Day of Discovery Website
Other Helpful Links
LEARNING SERVICES TEAM CONTACT INFORMATION
Director of Instruction and Learning Services
- Tovah Sheldon, tovah.sheldon@jcisd.org, (517) 990-3612
- Dan Luciani, dan.luciani@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5238
Data and Assessment
- Jennifer Fox, Jennifer.fox@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5212
- Deb Spencer (Support), deb.spencer@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5175
Early Childhood (Birth to Grade 3) / Great Start Collaborative / GSRP Preschool
- Jean Allison, jean.allison@jcisd.org, (517) 990-6710
- Wendy Bell, wendy.bell@jcisd.org, (517) 990-8046
- Christina Blackwell, christina.blackwell@jcisd.org, (517) 990-8015
- Catherine Brubaker, catherine.brubaker@jcisd.org
- Kelly Friedland, kelly.friedland@jcisd.org, (517) 990-3625
- Kelly Sheppard, kelly.sheppard@jcisd.org (517) 768-5281
- Deb Spencer (Support), deb.spencer@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5175
Literacy
- Maeghan McCormick, maeghan.mccormick@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5191
- Sandy White, sandra.white@jcisd.org, (517) 990-6718
- Darcy Heselschwerdt, darcy.heselschwerdt@jcisd.org
- Amanda McCabe, amanda.mccabe@jcisd.org, (517) 990-8049
- Tammy Minder (Support), tammy.minder@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5158
Mathematics / Science
- Heather Holshoe, heather.holshoe@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5151
- William Montgomery, william.montgomery@jcisd.org, (517) 990-6717
- Angela Maddox (Support & SCECHs), angela.maddox@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5251
School Improvement
- Jessica Bucklin, jessica.bucklin@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5759
- Jennifer Fox, jennifer.fox@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5212
- Dan Luciani, dan.luciani@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5238
- Deb Spencer (Support), deb.spencer@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5175
Whole Child / School Health / Project AWARE / Attendance and Homeless Programs
- Janelle Buchler, janelle.buchler@jcisd.org, (517) 787-5903
- Eric Swihart, eric.swihart@jcisd.org, (517) 990-3623
- Rebecca Hurst, rebecca.hurst@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5189
- Caitlin Williams, caitlin.williams@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5264
- Kelsea Jabkiewicz, kelsea.jabkiewicz@jcisd.org, (517) 936-2836
- Angela Maddox (Support), angela.maddox@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5251