August+2009

Welcome everyone to the new 2090-2010 school year. Obviously, there is a big change with Judy retired, but as you can imagine, a lot will always stay the same. I'm very excited to work with everyone.

=June to August=

**New Department Chairs**

 * Darrell Richard (Mt. Vernon)
 * Lisa Gordon and Robert Rice (Elko)

**SOL Scores/VGLA Scores**

 * Handout ([[file:SOL Report By School Aug 2009.doc]])

**Summer Institutes**

 * Only 1 teacher generated Institute made, foldables. Why?
 * Compacting the Curriculum|History Alive
 * Creating one for SAS, later, over the year

**Textbooks**

 * Varina needs up to 50 Government textbooks and 11 African American textbooks
 * Only doing Textbook Adoption for Middle School. I would like 1 per school for each content area, if I cannot get that, we'll balance it out as best we can.

**Curriculum Writing**

 * Completed by a summer committee, in the LOR
 * How do we get teachers to use them?
 * Focus was 21st Century Skills and Technology

**AP Audit**

 * Have new AP teachers had their syllabi approved?
 * Any new ideas?

**Pat Russo**

 * Positives|Delta Activity. List the positives of HCPS Social Studies and OFIs (Opportunities for Improvement)

**Community Service and Learning**

 * This year CSL is School Board policy. It used to be tradition. It's important that everyone is on the same page. The biggest complaint you hear is, other schools took the points, why won't you?
 * I'll need to know who your CSL folks are: [|go here] and have a meeting with them on Sept. 2
 * [[file:Final Revised Guidelines.pdf]]

=Old Goals=

=

 * Accelerated Program:** This is on-going until March. 6th grade will include 8th grade civics SOLs and 7th grade will include 8th grade economics SOLs. 2010 will see the 7th grade students implement this, 2011 will see full implementation.======

**Planning Guide** ([|Form])
= = =New Goals=

**Rigor and Relevence**

 * Curriculum: how do we show we're teaching more than the SOLs? Student Centered Activities, 21st Century Skills, Assessment? I'd like to redo the frameworks with the 2008 to indicate those additions.
 * Instruction:
 * Assessment: How can teachers do more than just give MC tests? How often does this happen?

**6th Grade**

 * 5 meetings, 1 teacher/school paid to discuss and implement instructional and assessment strategies

**Meetings**

 * Schedule
 * Moving Online
 * Quarterly face to face
 * County wide, content oriented meetings, like 6th grade, will alternate like PGEP.

**SOLs**
=Technology=
 * Remember, we're doing the 2001 Framework only. Don't jump ahead. I know some principals might want to, but Marilyn and Eric don't want that to happen, so let me know if your principals have a different point of view.

**Community Tools**

 * School Space Community Group
 * Google Reader
 * Delicious

**Online Textbooks**
> > This year, if teachers want their students to have access to textbook web sites, they can do this by uploading the students themselves. Textbook companies have come a long way and are very successful with teachers doing this individually. It appears they put all of their development money there. > > Please find directions at the following URLs: > > **Prentice Hall:** [] > **Holt:** [] (click on the “register button” and step through the process. > **McDougal Littel:** [] > > Many sites require an activation code. If teachers have lost the code, they can contact support at the particular company. If teachers need help with this, please have them contact their ITRT, if the ITRT can not help them, have the ITRT put in a ticket via ITHelp and we will be happy to assist.
 * As you all well know, each year Henrico has been sending an upload file to textbook companies in hopes they will upload our students and associate them with the proper teachers. Each year, textbook companies promise to do this. In the end, for one reason or another, textbook companies do not have the man power or the technology to succeed in this task.

Twitter (www.twitter.com/techwarrior)
=21st Century Skills=

What can we do to reinforce them in our classrooms?
=Conferences=

National Council for the Social Studies ([|November 13-15])
=Additional Items=

Staff Devolpment is October 12. It will be at Wilder with about 13 sessions. The sessions are of three types: 1) Training which means you're shown how to specifically do something you have to do (eClass) but for us, it would include VGLA folders for Social Studies Content; 2) Experience which means you're shown how to do things to add depth to your classroom, but there isn't the expectation you'll use it; for example, Google Earth, Discussion Boards; and finally, 3) Professional Development which is long term, there will be follow up, but you'll get extended re-certification points. This would include Promethean Boards, SAS. There will be a sign up soon with expectations listed for each class.

Court Docent: Same as normal. Please let me know as soon as possible if you forsee any issues. When you fill out the Field Trip form, please make sure you're give one month's notice for the use of busses (Policy 9-18-018). Some schools have been only giving 3 days notice.

YMCA Model General Assembly: []