June Staff Newsletter

 

 From the Desk of Dr. Cotton

What a way to finish 2015! Our Sliding Into Summer family summit provided connections to summer learning for many of our students, we were able to honor our support staff by serving them at an appreciation luncheon, and our first Teaching and Learning Conference offered us all the chance to think deeply about what we do and how to improve our practice. As you enjoy a well-deserved break this summer and begin thinking about your 2015-2016 classes, remember to pull from the strategies your colleagues provided at the conference. Many of the conference resources have also been shared on the HCPS website for your reference. Enjoy your summer...we can't wait to hear about it in August!

Congratulations!

Congratulations to the final 2014-2015 Exabyte Challenge winners! Ashley Cox, Daina Campbell, Nataline Coleman, Kasey Davis, Lisa Eanes, and Amber Adkins are now eligible for a flat panel TV for their classrooms. Want to earn an Apple TV and learn more about the next phases of the Exabyte Challenge? Visit the Tech This Out page today!

What a Great Idea!

Fourth grade teachers at Sanville facilitated student research and writing of autobiographies as students assumed the identity of a famous person. Students dressed up and shared a piece of history as peers from other grades and parents pushed a red button for them to talk and tell their stories. Josh Kendall, art teacher, also incorporated self portraits using symmetry into the project. What a great way to end the year with history coming to life!

Teacher to Parent Communication Pays Off!

Teachers who wonder if their messages to parents make a difference will be pleased to know that a new study justifies their efforts. Researchers at Harvard and Brown University have found that regular, personalized communications from teachers to parents can in fact have a significant impact on struggling students’ chances for success in their classes. Their study, part of a series on low-cost school improvement strategies, sought to “examine the effects of a light-touch communication intervention” aimed at helping parents better support their children in school. Parents were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) Receiving a weekly message on what students were doing well; (2) receiving weekly messages about what students needed to improve; and (3) a control group receiving no messages. Students of those receiving messages were 41% less likely to fail, with the highest passing rates recorded among those whose parents received messages about suggested improvements. (NSPRA)

Planning Effective Communication

Thinking about ways to engage families in supporting your students? "Millions of conversations on everything from behaviour to bullying are now happening online." Consider offering frequent communication via free apps like Class Dojo, Edmodo, or Remind. Learn more about using each of these (and some other fantastic communication tools) in your classes here.

Teacher Blog Connection

Summer. Time to take a few days to rest, rejuvenate and revamp for next year. The myth of summer vacation for teachers is one that many outside of education believe. What will you be doing this summer to prepare for 2015-2016? It is very likely that you will find yourself participating in at least some of what Heather Wolpert-Gawron describes in this Edutopia article: "The Myth of Having Summers Off."

Using Twitter for the first time this summer? Follow these tips.

Upcoming Events

July 28-30  New Teacher Orientation
August 1    Starting Strong Family Summit at Jack Dalton Park
August 3    Teachers Return to School
August 6    Back to School Night
August 10  First Day of School

Want to share great resources with HCPS colleagues? Send your recommendations to mhatchet@henry.k12.va.us.