ODU Educational Leadership Conference for Aspiring & New School Leaders – June 22

Old Dominion UniversityThe Educational Leadership Program at Old Dominion University announces its 4th Annual Working Conference for aspiring and current school leaders on June 22, 2017, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. This year, the focus of this FREE conference is on providing support and development opportunities for new leaders and those who aspire to transition into leadership positions. Open the conference flyer »

Call for Proposals: You are invited to submit a conference proposal that will provide valuable professional learning for aspiring and new administrators. Proposals may be submitted to present in a round table format (25 minutes) or in a breakout session (75 minutes). The deadline for proposal submission is April 1. Learn more »

Calendar Update: March 31 Will Be a Non-Student Day

March 31Recent news regarding a change to the school calendar: At their meeting on February 23, the School Board voted to restore Friday, March 31, as a Green Work Day (non-student day). Previously, March 31 was scheduled as an inclement weather make-up day. Now on March 31, eligible staff will commute via internet and telephone. Buildings will be in “weekend mode,” with reduced use of heating and air conditioning, fuel, and electricity. Students will not attend school. View the Standard Operating Procedure for Green Work Days »

Google for Education @ the Virginia Summit, Mar. 11-12

GoogleGoogle for Education will be featured at the Virginia Summit at Charlottesville High School on March 11-12, 2017. ProfDev@k12albemarle.org has secured 20 registration spots and will add more as needed in conjunction with principals. If you are interested, please complete a row in this Google form NO LATER THAN March 3, 2017. Someone from the Professional Development Team will follow up with you by March 9 to confirm your status.

3rd Annual WinterSongs Benefit Concert – Feb. 25

WinterSongs 2017The annual WinterSongs benefit concert is back! Female vocalists from eight area middle and high schools, along with the University of Virginia’s Virginia Belles, will join together this Saturday, February 25, to raise money for the Shelter for Help in Emergency. This marks the third year of the tribute, which has raised thousands of dollars to assist victims in need. The Shelter provides aid, counseling and protection for victims of domestic abuse.

The concert begins at 5 p.m. There is no admission charge, but donations to the Shelter are encouraged. Doors will open at 4:30. The concert also will be live-streamed! For more details, check out our news release.

YouTube Kids: An Educational Video Resource

YouTube KidsYouTube Kids is an educational video resource targeting pre-K and early elementary school.

What teachers say about it: “Teachers can use videos as supplemental resources, with hundreds of clips and full episodes available from favorites such as Sesame Street, Daniel Tiger, Peg + Cat, and more. In addition, both the “Learning” and the “Music” sections feature scores of educational songs and sing-alongs you could use as whole-class activities.”

Budget Update – Feb. 22, 2017

Superintendent Pam MoranDear Colleagues:

At their February 7th work session, our School Board adopted a funding request for the 2017-18 school year. The interim county executive, Doug Walker, presented his recommended budget, including the School Board’s funding request, on February 17. Based upon Mr. Walker’s presentation, no property tax increases would be necessary for 2017-18. Continue reading

VASCD’s Social-Emotional Learning Institute

VASCDTuesday, March 14, 2017 | 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Jepson Center at Mary Washington

VASCD’s 2017 Whole Child Institute focuses on the importance of social-emotional learning and its place in the classroom and school. Participants will hear from Susan Craig, author of Trauma-Sensitive Schools: Learning Communities Transforming Children’s Lives, K-5, as well as Virginia teachers and administrators whose efforts in this area are making a difference for students every day. Learn more about VASCD’s Social-Emotional Learning Institute »

Current Grant Opportunities

Open GrantsTeachers: Don’t forget to visit the Open Grants & Contests page within the Compass for current opportunities. In addition to highlighting specific funding opportunities, our Open Grants page serves as a portal to websites that maintain a running list of grant opps; for example, Edutopia and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Also, our Open Grants page includes several older posts that are still current! Organizations like Naiku, the NEA, and Toshiba accept grant applications either on a rolling basis or during multiple windows throughout the year.

Ready to apply for a grant? Following these steps will help you develop a strong application.

What Changes When a School Embraces Mindfulness?

MindShift“The program is a blend of neuroscience, social and emotional tenets like empathy and perspective taking, and mindfulness …”

Regarding her K-8 Title I school’s experience with implementation, principal Lana Penley shared, “We’ve seen this huge shift in the overall tone and civility of the school culture.”
Keep reading in MindShift »