The Albemarle County Student Council is excited to announce the start of the annual
We Notice Program. This is an opportunity to recognize a teacher or staff member whose work you would like to celebrate. This recognition can be given to any staff member who works in our schools, such as teachers, office staff, building service team members, teaching assistants, cafeteria workers, school nurses, and bus drivers. Please complete the nomination form, including a message that will be shared with the staff member, by March 31.
Category Archives: Teachers – Elementary
Apply for a Shannon Grant by April 22!
The Edgar and Eleanor Shannon Foundation for Excellence in Public Education wants to help teachers and schools implement their best ideas. Two levels of proposals are invited for the 2016-17 school year:
- Level 1 grants, not to exceed $750, will be awarded to classroom teachers for projects that support original and innovative student activities.
- Level 2 grants, not to exceed $5,000, may be awarded to schools for creative projects that enhance student learning across age and grade levels.
Completed applications must be submitted to Tim Shea (tshea@k12albemarle.org), Legislative and Public Affairs Officer, by April 22, 2016. Continue reading
March 1 is “My Choice ACPS” Day for Students
Dear Colleagues:
What do Post-It Notes and Gmail have in common? Both products were invented during a time that 3M and Google set aside for employees to follow their passions during the workday. On their ‘time off,’ employees of 3M developed many of their 22,000 patents, and Googlers came up with other lucrative products such as AdSense and Hangouts.
On March 1, the day when schools will be closed for the presidential primaries, we’ve declared a My Choice ACPS day for all students. We’re encouraging students, while they are at home, to choose a challenge or problem to solve, an idea to explore, or a dream to turn into reality as part of an independent learning experience for that day.
Feedback Wanted on the TPA Process – Participate by Feb. 26
As part of our continuous improvement plan, the school division is asking teachers and administrators to provide feedback on the teacher performance appraisal (TPA) process through a brief survey. The survey is open now and will stay open until the end of the day on Friday, February 26. We anticipate the survey will take about 10 minutes to complete. Participate in the survey »
If you have questions about the survey or the process, please contact Patrick McLaughlin, Strategic Planning Officer (pmclaughlin@k12albemarle.org), or Clare Keiser, Assistant Director of Educator Quality (ckeiser2@albemarle.org).
10 Must-See Documentaries on Creativity & the Future of Education
We now have the technology to make education accessible to everyone—anywhere they are in the world—and the digital tools to enhance the way each of us learn, work and create. But this new era requires we teach a new set of skills.
Check out 10 education documentaries featured on DIY Genius that provide a glimpse into the future of education, the skills that are needed for 21st century living, and how we can use technology to enhance individuality, increase creativity, and teach the process of innovation.
Elementary Teachers: Get Your Free Oral Health Teaching Kit
Delta Dental of Virginia wants learning about oral health to be fun! To support this effort, they are making their Smart Smiles In School oral health teaching kit available (through a two-week loan), free of charge, to any Virginia elementary teacher or school nurse. The kit provides a turnkey curriculum complete with teaching tools and audiovisual resources to educate students on how to form good oral health habits. Learn more and reserve your kit »
Teacher Design Day/Engineering Teaching Kit Workshop – February 20
Teachers of STEM, engineering, CTE, robotics, technology, and enrichment: The University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science cordially invites you to attend a FREE Teacher Design Day/Engineering Teaching Kit Workshop on Saturday, February 20! Attendees will participate in a series of standards-based, hands-on engineering design/build/test projects that integrate science, math and technology. The projects are scalable throughout K-12, and participants will be provided with lesson plans (Engineering Teaching Kits). Don’t delay: Registration closes on Monday, February 15, at 5 p.m. Get registered »
Digital Learning Day Is February 17: Join the Celebration!
Digital Learning Day is one day out of the year dedicated to making a difference for digital learners around the world. This year, Digital Learning Day is February 17, 2016. We encourage all of our teachers and librarians to join the celebration.
We observe engaging digital learning activities every day in our schools, and this is a great opportunity to share our experiences and our successes in a global way. Continue reading
You’re Invited to Participate in a Research Study: History, Qualities & Beliefs of a Maker Educator
In collaboration with Albemarle County Public Schools, you are invited by Dr. Amber Simpson and Dr. Adam Maltese with the School of Education at Indiana University of Bloomington to participate in a research study: History, Qualities, and Beliefs of a Maker Educator. The purpose of the research study is to gain an understanding of the attributes and beliefs that are common across K-12 educators (e.g., teachers, instructional coaches, and support staff) who self-identity as Maker Educators, and how these commonalities distinguish them from K-12 educators who do not self-identify as Maker Educators. Continue reading
March 1 Is Now a Green Work Day
At the request of the Albemarle County Electoral Board, our School Board voted last evening to close all schools on Tuesday, March 1, 2016, in response to the large number of voters who are expected to participate in the dual presidential primary election that day. March 1 now will be a Green Work Day for teachers and other eligible employees. Read our news release »
On Tuesday, March 1, 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.
Continue reading