Category Archives: Teachers – Elementary

Interested in National Board Certification? Attend an Info Session on September 20!

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NBPTS LogoIf you have three years of successful teaching in one or more early childhood, elementary, middle, or secondary schools, consider joining Wendy Eckerle and Tessa Pehanick on Tuesday, September 20, at Baker-Butler Elementary School for an informational meeting about the National Board Certification process and benefits provided by Albemarle County Public Schools. Learn more »

  • Elementary school teachers: Please join us from 3:30 to 4 p.m.
  • Middle and high school teachers: Please join us from 4:30 to 5 p.m.

Planning to attend? Please RSVP to weckerle@k12albemarle.org.

PowerSchool Introduces New Gradebook

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PowerSchoolPowerSchool has released a new gradebook that is available for teachers to use with our current version of PowerSchool. The new gradebook is web-based (think “no more Java” and “accessible from almost any web enabled device”). It was designed from the ground up to be a gradebook that works the way teachers do. For the 2016-17 school year, teachers have the option to use either the new PowerTeacher Pro (PTP) gradebook or the traditional PowerTeacher Gradebook (PTG). The SIS Support team has compiled a variety of resources to help teachers decide whether PowerTeacher Pro is right for them and help them learn more about how to transition to the PTP gradebook. Continue reading →

How to Request Blackboard Classes for 2016-17

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BlackboardACPS Educators: Follow the steps below to request Blackboard classes for the 2016-17 school year.

(1) Complete the Blackboard Class Request Form and submit it to your school’s SIS contact. Your SIS contact will be required to use this form to set up your Blackboard classes. Today, August 17, DART will turn on the integration between PowerSchool and Blackboard, and new Blackboard classes will begin showing up. Continue reading →

Division-Level Meetings for Teachers – August 18

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Teacher MeetingDivision-level meetings for teachers will take place this Thursday, August 18.

Elementary meetings will take place at Brownsville Elementary School, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Meeting schedule »

Secondary meetings will take place at Henley Middle School, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. (U.S. History and American Studies will not meet.) Meeting schedule »

Questions? Contact Alison Dwier-Selden.

How to Reinvent Project Based Learning to Be More Meaningful

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Project-Based LearningProject based learning “continues to be misinterpreted as a single teaching strategy rather than as a set of design principles that allow us to introduce the philosophy of inquiry into education in an intelligent and grounded way. It’s plagued by misunderstandings about when it should be used, and when not, and to what extent it can fulfill the mandate of a standards-based system. Too often, it ends with enthusiastic students delivering mediocre work — and teachers aren’t sure what went wrong or right.” Keep reading in MindShift »

Paramount Arts Education Teacher Reception – August 18

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The Paramount Theater invites ALL school division employees to their annual Teacher Reception on August 18, from 4:30 to 6:30 in the evening. Come mingle with fellow educators, preview the 2016-17 arts education season, and learn about using The Paramount as a classroom resource. Open the invitation as a PDF »

Paramount Art Education Teacher Reception

Toshiba America Foundation Wants to Help Teachers Make Math & Science More Engaging

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Toshiba LogoToshiba wants to provide K-12 teachers with additional funds to increase student engagement in math or science instruction:

Applications for grades 6-12 for grants less than $5,000 are accepted anytime. For requests of more than $5,000, deadlines are February 1 and August 1. Learn how to apply »

K-5 teachers are invited to apply for a $1,000 grant to help bring an innovative hands-on project into their classroom. Applications are due on October 1 each year. Learn how to apply »

Brooklyn Elementary School Creates Test Alternative to Assess Students

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DNAinfo LogoThe Brooklyn New School, a progressive lottery-based elementary school in Carroll Gardens, has taken a stance against the state’s standardized math and English tests: Roughly 95 percent of its families opted out this year.

While the school — which is one of the city’s most sought after — has made clear that it opposes standardized tests, it’s now working on clarifying what it supports when it comes to measuring student progress, principal Anna Allanbrook said. Keep reading in DNAinfo »

Summer Work Opportunities

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ACPS Summer Work OpportunitiesThe Department of Instruction currently is lining up summer work opportunities in support of various curricular projects that are ongoing or will be started. If you’re interested, please visit the Summer Work 2016 form and let us know! You can find more detailed information, including dates and pay for each opportunity, by clicking on the “Summer Work Chart” link within the form.

Literacy Leaders’ Summit – RSVP by June 8

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Literacy Leaders' SummitAre you passionate about the literacy development of students? Join a team of ACPS educators on June 22 to reset the vision and mission for literacy teaching and learning in our school system. RSVP to this special event »

For more information about this voluntary summit, contact Maureen Jensen at mjensen@k12albemarle.org.

“An organizational mission statement reflects the shared vision and values of everyone within the organization; it creates a great unity and a tremendous commitment.”

(Click on the image to enlarge it.)