Faculty NTI Update
Erpenbeck Elementary
Update for April 23rd
From Your Principal, Mrs. Pass
***NEW INFORMATION***
MAY 8th - NATIONAL FIELD DAY
Google Meet Updates
Google Meet has launched some very welcome improvements today, including a built-in grid mode (yay!) and an automatic noise-cancelling mode (double yay!). Other improvements are coming soon, such as improved video-sharing quality. Let’s all celebrate!! Read the full article here: Tech Crunch article on Meet
Math Talk
Looking for a way to spice up your google hangouts? Check out these interactive Math Talk riddles already made into Google Slides. They can be a fun way to integrate previously taught skills and reinforce number sense. Click the link and scroll down to find the appropriate levels.
Beware of Phishing Emails
Beware of phishing!
Many folks received an email like the below. When end users click the link, it directs them to a page that “appears” to be the Boone County MUNIS Self Service website. We have had reports of several employees entering credentials to this phishing site and now have their credentials compromised. Please DO NOT click on ANY links in emails if you don't know the sender, or if you are not sure if it's real. Example pictured below.
Please, please, please do not enter information on a site from an email – regardless of how real it may look. Some of the folks who entered credentials don’t even know the person sending the email. This is scary, folks. We cannot blindly just be entering credentials. If this had been a link that exposed student data, financial data, etc. we would be reporting a data breach right now. None of us want to be doing that and none of us want our data exposed.
We are all living online right now and scammers know this. We have to be extra careful.
***REPEAT INFORMATION***
Last Day for Staff
Certified Employees:
Per the Board of Education and the Boone County Education Association (BCEA), Tuesday May 19, 2020 will now be a regular work day for teachers. Closing Day for certified employees working 187-day contracts will now be Thursday May 21, 2020. If you worked March 13th to prepare for NTI days, your Closing Day will be Wednesday May, 20, 2020. Certified employees who work days beyond 187 will do so from the applicable date. 12-month certified employees are not impacted by this date and must work their regular schedule.
Classified Hourly Employees:
For all classified hourly employees working 180-day contracts (school-based support staff) Tuesday May 19, 2020 will now be a regular work day. The final contract day will be Wednesday May 20, 2020. Employees who are contracted to work days beyond 180 will do so from this date. Classified employees who work 244-day or 260-day contracts are not impacted by this date and will work their regular schedule.
Class Placement for 20-21 School Year
Mrs. Neace will be sharing your current class roster with you in a google sheet. You will be asked to add any behavior concerns, any students that they should not be placed with, any special services received, and reading/math levels. Additional directions on how to determine their reading/math level will be included in the email you receive. This information will be utilized in making class lists for the next school year. Please email Mrs. Neace if you have any questions related to this process.
For Support/ Classified Staff
An Overview of the Functions of Behavior
This training discusses the ABCs of behavior and describes models for understanding the functions of behavior. Also included are strategies to promote positive relationships with students. (2 hours of PD credit; EILA credit is available)
Children's Inc Programs
Reading PD Opportunity
Hi everyone!
I wanted to be sure to highlight this new PD opportunity. Amelia Brown has recorded the first two “Foundations for Learning to Read” sessions. This is the same Professional Learning we offered “face to face” prior to transitioning to NTI. It is a great training for teachers or paras working with young or struggling readers.
NEW!!! The Foundations for Learning to Read online module_ How-To (1) (003).pdf
PD Hours for Certified & Classified Staff
Technology Information
Flipgrid
Flipgrid has just added a "screen recording" feature! I wish they had this 3 weeks ago... but so happy they have added it. If your students need to do a Google Slide presentation, this is a great way for them to present to the class. Here is a how-to video:
Mystery Science on Google Classroom
Mystery Science now has Google Classroom integration. Assign lesson to GC directly from Mystery Science! See photos below:
KET Resources
Below is a list of at-home-learning experiences, interactive online lessons teaching real-world skills like financial education, social-emotional learning, STEM, career readiness, health & wellness:
- KET Classroom: KET and PBS Learning Media K-12 free resource(s) include accessible content with integrated assessments and insights to supercharge reading engagement and learning in every subject. KET Classroom covers topics students care about, that connect to core curriculum, and are aligned to standards.
- KET Early Childhood: Focusing on early learning and readiness for kindergarten with a variety of resources, including educator trainings, family workshops and hands-on children’s activities.
- KET Adult Education: Information on FastForward; program offer high school equivalency and workplace preparation for those in need of immediate access.
- KET Tech Teaching Tips: recognizing that to meet the needs of a rapidly changing, technology-driven world, people will need to access education and learning platforms throughout their lives.
- KET Arts Education: find high-quality lesson plans and other resources in dance, drama, visual arts, and music, all designed to help you integrate the arts into the classroom experience.
- KET STEM: aims to help provide high quality resources for the jobs of tomorrow with high-quality digital STEM and workforce resources and related professional development.
YouTube
Lots of questions about getting videos shared properly and quickly. For me the fastest way to do this is using You Tube. If you list the videos as “UNLISTED” as shown in the video, they will not appear on your channel and can only be accessed with the link.
I’ve created two videos if you are interested in learning how:
1. Uploading videos to YouTube https://youtu.be/wt9_tW_xW44
2. Uploading straight to YouTube from Screencastify https://youtu.be/pE3Id-zajA0
If you have any questions let me know.
Technology Webinars
Google Help
Creating a Google Form Quiz - https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/google-classroom/using-forms-with-google-classroom/1/
Assigning and tracking Google Form Quizzes in your Google Classroom - https://youtu.be/56j9Es0m8Yg
Retaking/Re-Assigning Google Form Quizzes for Individual students - https://youtu.be/-7PpXRxHNYM
Making PDFs or hard copies into editable worksheets.
Okay guys,
I’m trying to limit what I send in emails, but I think this is a gem that could really save you a lot of time if you’re trying to create google docs that look like worksheets you already have. Thank you Viki Baker for finding and sharing. If you have things from TPT or workbooks that you want digitized, feel free to send them my way and I can start working on them. If you want to try on your own, see below.
This video shows you how to turn a PDF or hard copy worksheet into an editable worksheet for students that you can add to your google classroom. https://youtu.be/sd_QN3Jcnao
IMPORTANT: At the end, she mentions telling your kids to make a copy before they type into it, but you can force that option for them. When you paste the link in, you just delete from the end up to, and including, the word “edit” and then just type “copy” (examples below)
This is an example of a link that does not force a copy. If one kid types into it, it will replace what the last kid wrote.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1JvZvKa9zXnshPaKVIeg0iOXzVbKO3jFUNLusMCU9Q_4/edit?usp=sharing
This is an example of a link to the same thing, but it will force them to make their own copy before they start typing into it.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1JvZvKa9zXnshPaKVIeg0iOXzVbKO3jFUNLusMCU9Q_4/copy
Shannon Smith
Instructional Coach
Google Classroom Tutorials
Screencastify to Record your Screen
NTI Resources and Tutorials
If you need to locate a video tutorial (for you or parents), or other resources that have been shared with you through email, you can find them all at this link. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bWMtPdDa9lK6a1yVii9QoajTgYHg8Lb2
Shannon Smith
Instructional Coach
FREE Video-Taped Reading & Writing Mini Lessons
Important Info on Video/Picture Permissions
o If you have students without video/picture permission, I would recommend contacting the parent to ask if it is OK for the students to participate “in class” with their video on knowing that the lesson may be recorded and available to students to play back at another time.
o Reports have been made that students are entering meetings after the official meeting has ended and having their own conversations. To prevent this, teachers can remove the meeting link from their classroom, website or wherever it was posted.
o There is great importance in students seeing each other and having their video cameras enabled; however, we just don’t want to put ourselves in a bad situation when a parent has not agreed to video/picture permissions. We are most likely educating many parents on this online learning too!
Smekens Remote Learning Webinar
Per district office, teachers and Staff should not discuss any health concerns with students during NTI, whether it be their own Covid19 health concerns or the health concerns of others. As more virus testing produces more diagnosis, we want to be clear with staff what is appropriate when talking with students. All specific questions about this should be directed to Kathy Reutman.
Google has heard teachers and made changes to Hangout Meet!