May 21, 2024
Jenny Lent
Ron Gallagher
Save the Dates
School Leader Retreat - June 20 and 21. Registration
August 21st PD Day
Kid Writing
Math Fact Fluency
Teaching SS with Primary Resources
Projected CCC Meeting Dates
Discussion topics
Technology Enhanced Items (TEI) implemented into your curriculum.
ChatGPT Prompt of the Month
Esports Rocket League Tournament
Will be hosting a Rocket League challenge for the top 10 teams on May 23, 2024 at Waynesburg University.
Students can register through Waynesburg University here.
ACT 45 Updates
Principals have 5 years from the date of hire, not certification date.
All new principals need an Act 13 training within the first 6 months of employment. NCEE (NISL) is the approved vendor by the state.
Online registration for ACT 45 will be located in SAS. (May 13th)
October 1st all courses will be loaded.
Keystone Scholars
PVAAS Updates
Training on the PVAAS System and PVAAS Reports will occur at IU1 on the following dates:
November 18th from 9-11:30
January 20th from 9-11:30
Resource Alert! SY2023-24
RV Checklist
RV Key Concepts & Topics
Found in online help, https://pvaas.sas.com/support/pa/s/main/PVAAS-RV-KeyConcepts-Topics1.pdf
CDT Updates
Initial phase for CDT Training (Analyze Results and Determining Next Steps)
October 23rd from 9-11:30
November 14th from 9-11:30
Ongoing phase for CDT Training (Determining Growth and Ongoing Actions)
January 29th from 9-11:30
February 17th from 9-11:30
SY 23-24 Roster Verification Phase Dates
School Verification: Thursday May 16,2024 - Wednesday May 29, 2024
LEA Verification: Thursday, May 30, 2024 - Friday June 21, 2024
Note: Phases will now open on Thursdays with a longer 2-week Preview phase!
Roster Verification e-Learning- Check it out to plan for RV season!
Roster Verification webpage updated with current dates, recordings, and webinar registration!
PDE Content Advisors
Comp Planning/FRCPP
FID days for next year will be local decision.
Email was sent to all SD about the changes to new admin in FRCPP instead of EdNA. Changes for admin will be made in school reconfiguration in FRCPP. Must be an admin in FRCPP and the upload of the board minutes showing this hire.
FRCPP>Admin>Reports>State Required Reports>School Reconfiguration
LOOKING AHEAD: Connecting teachers with their currently enrolled students
This could first look like pre-populated custom student reports for each teacher
Challenge: PIMS does not connect any student-teacher linkages until March with the Staff-Student-Subtest file
We will pre-populate custom student reports with the linkages from that file, but the timing of that is not useful to teachers
PHEAA Student Teacher Stipend
CPE Summer Courses
CCBC HS Pathways
Math
Click below to view the 2024-2025 math PD schedule AND to access registration links for sessions
Free Math Nation Textbooks & PD
Math Nation has received a fully-funded extension of their textbooks, online teacher materials, and adaptive intervention online program.
Districts currently using math nation as well as those interesting in adopting the free resources should attend a training on July 16-17 at IU1 to learn about the program's new platform and features. The sessions are free and have a virtual option for those who cannot attend in person.
"Just the Facts" Workshop
Get ready to jumpstart your school year by supporting students of all grade levels in their capacity to recall "basic facts," while also embracing the diverse mathematical reasoning that supports students’ abilities to derive answers. This session will provide an overview of math fluency and introduce low-prep strategies and instructional routines aimed at fostering students' automaticity.
Aug. 21 at IU1 Central Office
Please schedule Act 80/in-service dates for '24-'25!
Districts are currently schedule coaching and consulting days - if you're interested in reserving specific dates for district-wide or school-wide PD workshops, please reach out to secure those dates ASAP!
That last thing we want to do is tell you "no" because we're both booked!
Sign-up for a once-monthly newsletter!
Be the first to know about:
Upcoming math workshops for grades K-12
Student STEM competitions
New and exciting teaching resources and programs
...and other helpful information!
I promise you won't receive more than one email per month! Please encourage your teachers to sign up!
Coming this fall....
Math Fluency PD Series
Join specialist Teresa Brown in a comprehensive math fluency series designed for K-7 teachers (but beneficial for all) starting this fall and running through Spring 2025! We'll overview what it actually means to be fluent in mathematics, clarify how we define math success, and work to support our students' mathematical reasoning from subitizing in kindergarten through multiplication reasoning with decimals and fractions.
Session 1: Making Sense of Number Sense: What is Math Fluency?
Session 2: The Art of Subitizing: What Should Students "Just Know?"
Session 3: From Counting to Additive Reasoning
Session 4: Multiplying Isn't Just Skip Counting
Session 5: Fractions, Decimals, and Percents - Oh My!
Sessions *can* be attended in an a la carte fashion, but it is highly recommended that teachers attend all 5.
24 Game Challenge
While automatic answer recall is NOT math fluency - it is one important component, especially for 4th and 5th graders!
Jumpstart your school year with fact fluency practice in your classrooms, and put your quickest students to the test with our challenge on Oct 24, 2024. (Anticipated start promptly at 9:24 AM!)
Each school is welcome to register and bring up to 4 students until the registration limit is reached.
Jordan Lozosky-Social Studies Curriculum Specialist
Teaching with Primary Sources Eastern Region
Leadership Institute (Waynesburg University)
TPS Leadership Institute
Weekly Live Chats
July 10–August 14, 2024
Wednesdays, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. (EST)
Participants earn up to 25 CEU hours for course completion, with an option to earn ten more afterward.
This course focuses on:
Selecting primary sources from www.loc.gov and utilizing them in day-to-day instruction;
Applying knowledge of TPS materials and methods to your work in peer coaching and professional development presentations;
Adapting and delivering TPS professional development and creating effective coaching relationships that meet the needs of adult learners;
Providing educators with the knowledge, skills, and aspirations to use Library of Congress TPS content in various educational settings;
Using a variety of coaching techniques to support educators in the use of Library of Congress primary sources and TPS strategies.
This asynchronous online class provides educators with an overview of the digitized primary sources and teacher materials freely available through the Library of Congress web site, loc.gov, as well as promising practices for their successful use in the classroom.
Participants independently complete twelve TPS Tutorials and then reflect on and relate learnings to their unique classroom situations through electronic Discussion Board postings. A TPS facilitator provides feedback and suggestions for expanded classroom applications and additional resources. A Certificate of Completion will document twelve hours of continuing education.
We offer an interactive Democracy for Kids program for K-8 students that helps them practice basic civic skills, like respectful listening, creative inquiry and thinking, and community problem-solving.
For high schoolers (Grades 9-12), our Elections & Voting curriculum is a starting point for multiple programs that allow young and future voters to engage with their community. We have many FREE programs that educators and students can participate in to understand and practice engaged citizenship. Check them out!
Make sure to check out my IU1 Social Studies site for more information and resources!
If you are seeking additional resources or any information related to enhancing your existing social studies curriculum, book 2024-25 trainings and more, please contact:
Jordan Lozosky, Curriculum Specialist
Phone: 724-938-3241 ext. #405
Email: jordan.lozosky@iu1.org
Jordan Lozosky-Gifted Education & Other Updates
To Register for the Gifted Email listserv - https://forms.gle/j63SgtjfGTcUALgLA
Regular Ed Teacher Slide Deck (It will force them to make a copy. That way they can make changes to the slides.)
IU1 Will Host Another Gifted Bootcamp in December 2024!
Alyssa Moore
Sign up to receive Alyssa's Newsletter: The Leaflet
Sign up here!
Please share with your teachers
Upcoming Professional Learning Opportunities
July 16-17, 2024-FREE- STEELS Institute for Secondary Science Teachers - Registration:PA STEELS Institute- Secondary Educators (6-12)
July 30-31, 2024-FREE- STEELS Institute for Elementary Science Teachers- Registration: PA STEELS Institute- Elementary Educators (3-5)
August 21, 2024- PA STEELS Immersive Experience Using OpenSciEd
IU1 STEM Pathways: OpenSciEd Middle School Pilot Opportunity
IU1 is updating the longstanding kit distribution program, Science Matters to IU1 STEM Pathways. This exciting announcement means we are updating our resources to best support K -12 educators with access to resources aligned with the PA STEELS standards.
To launch our program, IU1 is announcing a pilot opportunity to begin in Fall 2024. Pilot schools will receive free OpenSciEd kit materials and professional development to support one 6th, 7th, and/or 8th-grade class. Districts may choose to have a teacher participate from one, two, or all three grade levels.
Participation Requirements:
Districts will provide at least one middle school teacher to participate in piloting two OpenSciEd Kits (1 per semester) for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school year
Teachers must attend the Professional Development offered by Intermediate Unit 1 to support implementation
Teachers participating in the pilot will provide pre and post-pilot feedback
Teachers will participate in an end-of-year networking session in Spring 2025 and 2026.
Optional Supports:
Teachers may attend Virtual Networking Sessions offered by Intermediate Unit 1 for ongoing support
If interested, please fill out this application by May 31, 2024.
Once your application has been submitted, you will receive an invitation to join an info session regarding this pilot on Tuesday, June 18 at 10:00 am.
For any questions, please contact Alyssa Moore, alyssa.moore@iu1.org
PA Chief Science Officers
Intermediate Unit 1 is recruiting for the Intermediate Unit 1 Chief Science Officers Program for the 2024-2025 school year. Chief Science Officers, CSOs, are students in 6th to 12th grade selected to be liaisons for STEM and innovation in their schools and community. For the second year of the program, we can accommodate two CSOs per school district. School districts may decide if the two CSOs come from the middle school level, the high school level or one from the middle school level and one from the high school level.
For more details regarding the CSO program, please review this overview and frequently asked questions document . Also, you may wish to watch any or all of the short videos below.
You can also review these flyers for more details regarding the CSO Program.
Click here to get started: CSO 2024-2025! Please complete this form by September 4, 2024 to begin your CSO journey.
Selected students will need to register using this link: Student Registration 24-25.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Alyssa Moore, alyssa.moore@iu1.org!
***Technology & Engineering Resources Aligned to PA STEELS***
About the Program
Design Lives Here is a semester-long engineering initiative that equips teachers and students (grades 5th-8th) to participate in engineering activities within their school or afterschool program. Professional engineers serve as mentors to students throughout the year. Schools who participate are diverse – public, parochial and private – and have the option of making this part of their school day or an extended program. Each spring, all the participants come together for a day of engineering challenges, grouped in new teams to compete for prizes. Design Lives Here activities are inspired by the popular PBS KIDS program and website, Design Squad Nation.
Apply to participate in 2024-2025's Design Lives Here.
Tracey Czajkowski