June 20, 2022
Jenny Lent
Keystone Diploma: Is the “Keystone Diploma” option only valid for 21-22 School Year? Act 1 is intended to begin in the '22-'23 school term with Keystone Diplomas being utilized in Summer 2023.
PVAAS Gap Year Infographic: https://pvaas.sas.com/support/pa/s/main/Understanding-PVAAS-Growth-Reports-in-2021.pdf. How can SAS EVAAS measure growth with gaps in state assessments? Although most assessments were not administered in 2019-20, instruction continued in many varied and non-traditional forms. Most students were able to take assessments during the 2020-21 school year, and PVAAS growth measures can be calculated despite the unique circumstances. The calculations and interpretation are slightly different than in a typical year but still provide insights into student learning. Please see the PVAAS Gap Year Infographic for more information.
PDE Recruiting and Hiring Toolkit - https://www.iu13.org/school-improvement/human-capital-resources/remote-recruiting-and-hiring-toolkit/
Training Video Creation Resource: https://www.synthesia.io/?via=redirect
Ron Gallagher
Accelerated Learning PD
PVAAS
Local Assessment data - Submitting Local Assessment Data Year 2 is continuing. CDT automatically uploads.
Acadience Math and ELA
AIMSweb Math and ELA
CDT Math, ELA, Algebra I, Biology, and Science
DIBELS ELA
EasyCBM Math and ELA
Exact Path Math and ELA
FastBridge Math
i-Ready Math and ELA
MAP Math and ELA
STAR Math and ELA
Link to Interpretive Guide coming soon
Unfinished Teaching and Learning - Compares projected score with actual score on state assessment
Resources
Roster Verification
Final submission due June 24, 2022
Yield PVAAS Teacher Specific Growth Measure
One-Year Composite
Two-Year Composite
Three-Year Composite
Available first-time Fall 2024
Available for use on Act 13 rating forms
NEW: Yield %P/A Teacher Specific Achievement Measure
Single Year Measure
Available Fall 2022
Use on Act 13 rating form OR LEA can calculate locally
Pre-populated in PEERS, LEA can choose to enter locally calculated %P/A
ACT 13 Training Opportunities
PEERS is now available for Act 13 evaluations.
The Excel rating forms has been taken off SAS, and PEERS will be the exclusive place for PDE forms (blank forms can be printed from PEERS).
Recordings and slide decks of past training sessions are now available on the Educator Effectiveness page on SAS under the Recorded Sessions tab.
Summer training sessions have been scheduled. Full description and links are found on the Educator Effectiveness page on SAS under the Training Schedule tab.
Act 13 Office hours - July 21, July 28, Aug 4, and Aug 11 from 12-1
ACT 49
Fall of March 2024 would be the new two year induction requirements.
The IU1 Induction will reflect these changes starting next year.
3 Key Areas
Ethics - Pennsylvania Model Code of Ethics for Educators, as adopted by the Professional Standards and Practice Commission
Cultural Awareness - Understanding, consideration, and Integration of Individuals’ Culture, Language, Heritage, and Experiences (CR-SE)
Structured Literacy - Systemic, explicit instruction that provides: strong core in foundationals skills in the language systems of English; integrates listening, speaking, reading, spelling, and writing; and emphasizes the structure of language across the speech sound system (phonology), the writing system (orthography), the structure of sentences (syntax), the meaning parts of words (morphology), the relationships among words (sematics), and the organization of spoken and written discourse.
ACT 158 Update
At the May 2022 PA State Board of Education meeting, the board approved a resolution to extend the Act 158 COVID-related extenuating circumstances waiver through the graduating class of 2024 and 2025. Act 158 remains in effect beginning with the graduating class of 2023, and no additional changes to the composite have been approved.
Office Hours will resume in August
Comprehensive Plan Updates
May 1, 2022
School Reconfigurations
Due July 31, 2022
Bullying Policy Report*
Due July 31, 2022
Fire Drill & Security Drill Report*
Due July 31, 2022
Safe Schools Annual Report*
Due July 31, 2022
* Included in Safe Schools when assigned in the Admin tab.
School Improvement Plans (CSI and A-TSI)
Due August 31, 2022 (UPDATED)
It is expected that all schools will have the “Ready” and “Set” sections and the Analyzing and Goal Setting components of the “Go” section completed by June 30th.
Schools have been given two options for submission of School Improvement Plans.
Finish the entirety of the “Go” section, Approvals & Signatures, and Plan Communications, and submit by June 30, 2022. If this option is selected, the Department is committed to reviewing and responding to the School Improvement Plan by August 31, 2022.
Finish the entirety of the “Go” section, Approvals & Signatures, and Plan Communications, and submit by August 31, 2022. If this option is selected, the Department will review and respond to the School Improvement plans as expeditiously as possible.
For detailed information on this change, please click here.
Esports
Congratulations to West Greene for winning the IU1 Spring Rocket League tournament.
The IU1 regional esports league will host two tournaments next year. Both tournaments will be held at Waynesburg University's new esports arena. Along with inviting the players, we would like to invite any students interested in careers in esports, including shout caster, streamer, event organizer, and more. These students could job shadow the college students during the event.
IU1 Summer Institute
Resources
Alcohol and Other Drugs
The target audience is school districts that want to host the 1 hour (plus 15-30 minutes for live Q+A after) virtual event for their parent community. This program educates parents, teachers and social services providers on indicators of drug use/abuse, alcohol use/abuse, and other poor lifestyle choices among teens. The goal is to identify a child who may be in crisis and intervene before the crisis is reached. Hidden refers to stash devices meant to hide and conceal; High refers to drugs in 2022 including THC, CBD, vapes, and paraphernalia; Hammered refers to alcohol infused items and deceptive alcoholic packaging meant to attract a younger consumer.
Mental Health
What can parents do to support the mental health of their children who are away at college? Experts, including Dr. Sarah Cain Spannagel, offer advice on making a plan and keeping the lines of communication open.
As many as 1 in 5 children and youth will experience some form of mental health problem. The toll that takes, not only on the children but on parents, too, is enormous. This guide focuses on parents, with practical tips and information on how to prioritize wellness and start making things better for them and their families.
The United States is experiencing an extreme teenage mental-health crisis. According to a new CDC study, from 2009 to 2021, the share of American high-school students who say they feel “persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness” rose from 26 percent to 44 percent. This is the highest level of teenage sadness ever recorded. The government survey of almost 8,000 high-school students conducted in the first six months of 2021 found a great deal of variation in mental health among different groups. More than one in four girls reported that they had seriously contemplated attempting suicide during the pandemic, which was twice the rate of boys. Nearly half of LGBTQ teens said they had contemplated suicide during the pandemic, compared with 14 percent of their heterosexual peers. Sadness among white teens seems to be rising faster than among other groups.
A new report by The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and mental health organization for LGBTQ young people, explores the mental health and well-being of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) LGBTQ youth. This report is one of the first to analyze the mental health outcomes among youth who are both AAPI and LGBTQ.
The Cultural Inclusiveness and Equity (CIE) Well-Being Information and Strategies for Educators (WISE), CIE WISE for short, is a Companion to ClassroomWISE. This training is intended for educators who want to know more about how to support the mental health needs of students through use of classroom practices that are culturally inclusive and equitable. CIE WISE is a 4-hour, self-paced, educator mental health literacy course, developed by a partnership between the MHTTC Network, the Danya Institute, and the National Center for School Mental Health. This course presents foundational knowledge on how social injustices and educator biases impact student mental health; describes how educators can engage in culturally inclusive action to promote student mental health and it provides concrete action steps for educators to support students experiencing distress from a cultural inclusiveness, anti-racist and equity lens. CIE WISE will be available soon! Modules include:
Understanding How Social Injustice Impact Student Mental Health
Understanding How Educator Bias Impacts Student Mental Health
Engaging in Culturally Inclusive Action to Promote Student Mental Health
Applying a Cultural Inclusiveness and Equity Lens to Support Students in Distress
Trauma ScreenTIME is an online training course on how to screen children for trauma. The Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut (CHDI) developed the training in collaboration with families and national experts based on best practices. The ScreenTIME course provides staff working with children and youth the knowledge to effectively screen children for trauma and connect families with their preferred supports and services to help children recover from trauma exposure. The ScreenTIME course is available at no cost to child-serving professionals. Additionally, continuing education credits are available. Keep up the great work, CHDI!
Designed for all child-serving professionals exposed to details of traumatic events and individuals suffering from post-traumatic distress in the context of their work. Through the content in this course, participants will learn the risks associated with working with individuals suffering from traumatic stress symptoms, strategies to reduce the impact of secondary traumatic stress (STS,) and how to support wellness in staff. Finally, this course addresses how STS is an ethical mandate for organizations and individuals working in trauma-exposed environments.
Without policies to ensure young parents have access to mental health services, preventing intergenerational trauma can be a challenge. Elizabeth Aparicio, University of Maryland assistant professor in the university’s public health school, conducted research that found children born to young parents are at an elevated risk of abuse and that young moms coping with stress from trauma need support to meet the needs of themselves and their children. This includes mental health treatment and essentials like food, housing, and diapers, but the two are often treated as separate.
Published by OnlineMSWPrograms.com, this resource defines the difference between self soothing and self care, and provides activities to engage the five senses to promote calm and relaxation.
Violence Prevention/Safety
This guide is intended as a resource that school staff can utilize to help students following a traumatic event in the school system.
Bicyclists of all ages should wear properly fitted bike helmets every time they ride.
Children should always be buckled in age-appropriate car seats, booster seats and seatbelts.
Children should be taught to look both directions before crossing the street and pay attention to sidewalks, crosswalks, and traffic signals.
Set up a reminder system to check the back seat prior to exiting and never leave a child alone in a vehicle.
Ensure teens have sufficient driving experience and follow the Graduated Driving Licensing laws in their state.
Alyssa Moore
Pennsylvania Science Education Leadership (PennSEL) Network
In collaboration with WestEd and PDE, IU1 has built a regional science network to support the rollout and implementation of PA’s Science Standards.
PennSEL Network Members
Alyssa Moore, IU1
Thomas Podpora, IU1
Ashley McCutcheon, Uniontown Area School District
Carla Lowden, Uniontown Area School District
Monica Denney, Uniontown Area School District
Robin Taylor, Central Greene School District
Erin Cunningham, Central Greene School District
Intermediate Unit 1 PennSEL PAsmart Grant Objectives:
Establish a broader Southwestern PA Science Leadership Team
Develop a strong and effective communication channel
Create a shared repository for educators to share K-12 content specific science lessons, units, and activities, and equitable practices aligned to the new PA Integrated Standards
Engage in lesson design activities.
4-session series (50 minutes each)
Topics covered: Overview of the new standards and their components, designing your science education vision, and 3-Dimensional Teaching and Learning through Phenomenon-anchored instruction.
Please select 1 teacher from your district to attend these sessions to be covered by the grant.
Teachers registration fee for all four sessions will be covered
Teachers will receive a $200 stipend for attending. (They must attend all four sessions).
More teachers are welcome and encouraged to attend, but only 1 per district will be supported through the available funding
Letter of Support to Alyssa Moore by Friday, July 22, 2022
Monthly Science PLC Virtual/ In-person Sessions Coming Year 2022-2023
Resources for Administrators
A Framework for K-12 Science Education- FREE Download
National Academies- Guide to Implementing the Next Generation Science Standards- FREE Download
Summer Institute for Climate Change Education
Communitopia and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History are proud to be partnering with Climate Generation and NOAA as the hosts of the Pennsylvania cohort for the Summer Institute for Climate Change Education on July 18-20. If you're an educator (formal or informal) and interested in learning more about how you can implement climate change and environmental justice programming, I encourage you to take part in this professional development opportunity. The first two days (July 18 & 19) will be held virtually. The PA regional cohort day will be in-person at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History on July 20th. Please click HERE to register or LEARN MORE. SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE.- Priority is given to People of Color and teachers in underserved districts.
STEM Opportunities
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is offering two FREE educational outreach programs in September or October of this year.
TRAC™ (Transportation and Civil Engineering) & RIDES (Roadways In Developing Elementary Students)
Both programs designed by the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) for use in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) classes.
TRAC is for students in grades 7-12, and RIDES is for students grades K-8. The hands-on activities in both programs introduce students to the work world of transportation and civil engineering and inspire them to consider careers in those fields.
Both programs are aligned with national standards and currently being aligned with the Core Curriculum Standards of Learning. These programs are flexible and can be customized to best suit your school’s requirements.
The purpose of this survey is to determine whether your school is interested in participating in one of these two-day programs and if so, on which of the following dates:
September 20 & 21, 2022
or
October 3 & 4, 2022
Both trainings are being offered at the same time, and will take place at PennDOT’s Riverfront Office Center located at 1101 South Front Street, Harrisburg, PA 17104
PennDOT will provide schools with the applicable curricula and resources for each program, which include technical advisors to serve as guest speakers, teach hands-on activities, and/or talk to students about the importance of math and science in preparing for their future.
Those who choose RIDES (K-8) will receive training in units titled Transportation and Energy, Roadway Geometry, Humans and Nature, and Designing Ways. (Please see the flyers below)
Those who choose TRAC (7-12) will receive training for the Bridge Builder and Connected and Automated Vehicle modules. (Please see the attached information)
Please use the survey at this link to respond to this initial inquiry.
More information about TRAC™ & RIDES is attached and located on AASHTO's website at tracrides.transportation.org. Specific questions about the programs may be directed to Jan Huzvar at jhuzvar@pa.gov.
PennDOT Education Outreach Flyers
Remake Learning Updates
Remake Learning Rural Event Request
I am looking to highlight and uplift you! Please fill out this form to indicate your interest in co-hosting a Remake Learning Event with Alyssa Moore, Remake Learning Rural Outreach Coordinator.
Are you a Member of the Remake Learning Network?
Although your district may be a member, it is always great to add yourself as an individual.
Click here to add yourself to the network, it's FREE!- please share with all of your district teachers as well.
Questions about Remake Learning? Contact Alyssa Moore, alyssa.moore@iu1.org or alyssa@remakelearning.org
Rob Baier
Dave Dunham
News-O-Matic is an educational resource for readers in grades K through 8. Every weekday, News-O-Matic publishes interactive daily news content that teaches children 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, media literacy, and global awareness. Thousands of schools incorporate News-O-Matic articles into their literacy, science, social studies, and social-emotional learning curricula. News-O-Matic is available across the web and all mobile devices, facilitating learning anywhere and anytime.
An introduction to the science of reading and a discussion of its importance as a foundation to our instruction.
Elevate your reading instruction by creating your very own decodable texts for your students.