Embedded Files
Ron Gallagher
IU1 Curriculum Department
IU1 Curriculum Department
Discussion
Discussion
Accessibility of Digital Educational Resources
Save the Date
Save the Date
AI Resources
AI Resources
FRCPP/Comp Plan
FRCPP/Comp Plan
Bus Evacuation Report- Due April 10th
Schoolwide plans (CSI,ATSI,TSI, and Title 1) and Comp Plan (Phase 1) applications are now open.
FRCPP OFFICE HOURS:
Beginning February 5th, open office hours for FRCPP support will be held from 2:30 - 3:30 pm on the 1st Wednesday of each month via Teams.
To join a session, click here. (No registration required.)
Online Testing
Online Testing
Assessment Updates
Fusion Updates
Fusion Updates
Act 45 Updates (Carol)
Act 45 Updates (Carol)
Updates on principal induction anomalies; 4-5 year principals can sign up for in person June session. PDE-SAS (Have to log in and go to PD Center)
Do not need to attend the location closest to them, but attempt to geographically spread out opportunities.
Next set of opportunities will be published in beginning of April
PVAAS
PVAAS
Roster Verification SY24-25: The countdown is on!
Staff- Student- Subtest Collection was due yesterday.
PIMS Admins can run a Validation Report of the SSS Template as an early look
LEA/District Admin & School Admin can review and revise what was submitted by their LEA via the SSS during the Preview Phase, opening April 17.
Important Dates:
Preview: Thursday April 17, 2025 - Wednesday April 30, 2025
Teacher Verification: Thursday May 1, 2025 - Wednesday May 14, 2025
School Verification: Thursday May 15,2025 - Wednesday May 28, 2025
LEA Verification: Thursday, May 29, 2025 - Friday June 20, 2025Grade 5 Science will be rostered this year.
If you need support with roster verification, please reach out to us.
Roster Verification: RA-DDQDataCollection@pa.gov
Ready, Set, Roster: Friday, April 11 @ 9:00am or Tuesday, April 15 @ 1:00pm
Data in PVAAS to Support English Learners
ACCESS for EL's will be added to the PVAAS dashboard
New for local assessments: We’re now accepting LAS Links!
Demo on PVAAS
CDTs
CDTs
Thoughts of Firefly
What schools need to do for successful online assessment transitions
Regular Practice with Online Assessments
Preparing Students for Online Testing
Teacher and Staff Preparation
Technical and Infrastructure Readiness
Organizational and Leadership Strategies
PDESAS Toolkits
PDESAS Toolkits
New Toolkits
Personal Finance Toolkit (In revision) - PDE will be adding a few videos in the future.
PA Firefly Resources
PA Firefly Resources
Firefly Scores
Students are given an overall score as well as a score for each category. Based on the score, students receive classifications of Support Needed, Near Target, or Prepared for their overall school as well as each category.
Categories are aligned with the Reporting Categories for the PSSA/Keystone exam students they are taking in that grade level.
Firefly Reports
Firefly offers individual two types of reports currently: Individual Results and Batch Downloads
Individual Results are similar to what you would see in CDT. There are columns with name, school session, categories, scores, etc. which can be filtered based on need.
Batch Downloads allows you to access scores to a group of students and print them, if needed.
Up and running till April 18th (Over 120,000 users)
Legal
Legal
If you would like to receive notifications about legislation, you can sign up here: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/login/
Act 1- Ensuring education for instability
Center for Schools and Communities is working on materials and templates - coming soon!
Esports
Esports
We are very excited to be hosting the 2025 Spring Showdown tournament on May 27th! Once again, this event is being cosponsored by TEC and IU1. The tournament will be open to Rocket League and Super Smash Bros. teams. The Smash tournament will be held in our new console gaming arena! It is under construction right now but will be complete in time for the tournament! This will be an in-person event and will be open to the first eight teams to register. If you would like to participate in one or both games, please complete this registration form as soon as possible. Once you have sent in a registration form, you will also need to have your players complete an individual player registration form which will be provided to you at a later date. We hope to see you here!
Registration – https://shorturl.at/WHfbV
Rocket League Rules:
Double elimination tournament
Teams consist of 3 players, no subs
Matches are Best of 5 (5 minute games)
Finals (time permitting) are Best of 7 (5 minute games); otherwise it will be Best of 5
Super Smash Bros. Rules:
Double elimination tournament
Teams consist of 4 players, no subs
Matches consist of 4 games / first player to take 3 stocks wins the game / each team rotates to the next player
First team to win 3 games wins the match
If there is a tie at the end of four games, another 3-stock game will be added – coaches will choose the player
Finals (time permitting) will be best of 3 matches; otherwise it will be same as above
Newly Released
Newly Released
On September 12, 2024, the State Board of Education approved final-form amendments to 22 Pa. Code Chapter 4. Collectively, the five documents listed below comprise the final-form rulemaking that was approved by the Board.
ACT 45 Opportunity
ACT 45 Opportunity
Leaders through Design (Virtual)
Social Studies-Jordan Lozosky, Curriculum Specialist
Free Asynchronous Course! (Act 48 Awarded Upon Successful Completion)
If you are seeking additional resources or any information related to enhancing your existing social studies curriculum, please contact:
Jordan Lozosky, Curriculum Specialist
Phone: 724-938-3241 ext. #405
Email: jordan.lozosky@iu1.org
Gifted & Induction Updates-Jordan Lozosky, Curriculum Specialist
District Induction Schedule 2024-25.pdf*Participants must register on the hyperlinks on the flyer via Frontline.
**District Participation Form Linked Here**
More Info Available on Our Website As Well!
*We are currently offering the final induction courses for the 2024-25 school year.
*We are currently offering the final induction courses for the 2024-25 school year.
*the 2025-26 Induction Calendar will be released in June of 2025 for planning purposes!
*the 2025-26 Induction Calendar will be released in June of 2025 for planning purposes!
IU1 2024 Gifted Bootcamp is being held today! (46 registered participants)
Click Here To Register for the Gifted Email Listserv
Regular Ed Teacher Slide Deck (It will force them to make a copy. That way they can make changes to the slides.)
New Information
There will now be GIEP clinics for case managers/gifted teachers 4 times a year (virtually) .
This is an excellent opportunity for them to review the needed components of the GIEP and ask some questions of both of us and their colleagues across the state.
You can register for the final one this school year by clicking here.
Date: April 2 @ 9:00am
Math- Samuel Taylor and Teresa Brown
Please click on the Monthly Math Newsletter to see what's new with IU1 math!
ELA - Tracey Czajkowski and Dave Dunham
May 8th ELA Professional Development at Redstone Campus
May 19th ELA Professional Development at Central Campus
April - National Poetry Month
National Poetry Month
National Poetry Month
Poets.org (Academy of American Poets)
Daily poetry activities and lesson plans for all levels.
Features poems, biographies, and audio readings.
ReadWriteThink Poetry Interactive Tools
Interactive haiku generators, poetry organizers, and shape poem creators.
K-2 (Primary Grades)
K-2 (Primary Grades)
Poetry and Art: Have students listen to a simple poem (like "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" or a short poem by Shel Silverstein) and then create a piece of artwork based on the imagery from the poem. This allows students to visually express the poem's meaning.
Rhyming Games: Play rhyming games where you say a word and ask students to come up with words that rhyme with it. This helps younger students develop an ear for poetry and rhyme.
Poetry Bingo: Create a poetry-themed Bingo game with terms like "rhyme," "verse," "stanza," or "metaphor." When students spot these terms in the poems you read, they can mark them off on their cards.
Poetry Jars: Fill a jar with simple lines of poems (from authors like A.A. Milne or Dr. Seuss). Each day, let a student pull out a line and ask the class to guess which poem it belongs to, then discuss its meaning.
Collaborative Poetry: Create a “class poem” where each student adds a line to the poem, building off what the previous student wrote. This promotes creativity and group collaboration.
3-5 (Elementary Grades)
3-5 (Elementary Grades)
Shape Poems: Have students write a poem in the shape of the object they are describing (like a tree, star, or flower). This can be a fun way to merge creativity with structure.
Poetry Scavenger Hunt: Create a scavenger hunt where students need to find examples of certain poetic devices in the environment (like alliteration, rhyming words, or similes). They can search in books, poems, or even outside.
Poetry Performance: Have students choose or write a short poem to perform in front of the class. They can experiment with tone, volume, and expression to convey the emotions behind the words.
Acrostic Poems: Introduce acrostic poetry, where students create a poem by writing a word vertically and making each line start with a letter of the word. This could be their name, "spring," or any relevant theme.
Poetry Puzzles: Write a short poem, but cut it into puzzle pieces. Have students work in groups to reconstruct the poem and discuss the meaning behind it once it's whole.
6-8 (Middle School)
6-8 (Middle School)
Found Poetry: Give students newspapers, magazines, or old books and ask them to create poems by cutting and pasting words or phrases they find. They can then present their "found" poems to the class.
Poetry Slams: Host a poetry slam in class where students perform their own original poems. You could also invite local poets for a virtual or in-person slam event.
Poetry Analysis: Have students pick a poem they enjoy (e.g., from poets like Langston Hughes or Robert Frost) and analyze it, focusing on theme, tone, and poetic devices. Then, have them present their analysis in small groups or to the class.
Thematic Poetry Anthology: Have students select a theme (e.g., nature, friendship, dreams) and curate a collection of poems that fit the theme. Each student could present one poem to the class, explaining why it was chosen.
Rhyme & Free Verse Challenge: Challenge students to write a poem that uses rhyme (like a limerick or rhyming couplets) and then write a free verse poem on the same theme, emphasizing the freedom of free verse.
9-12 (High School)
9-12 (High School)
Poetry Analysis & Comparison: Have students read and compare poems by different poets, such as Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson, or modern poets like Amanda Gorman and Rupi Kaur. Discuss the different styles and themes, like nature vs. identity.
Poetry and Music: Explore the connection between poetry and music. Students can choose a song lyric they like, analyze it like a poem, and then discuss the similarities between songwriting and poetry.
Persona Poems: Have students write a poem from the perspective of someone (or something) other than themselves. They could write from the perspective of a historical figure, an animal, or even an object, practicing empathy and creative voice.
Poetry Journal: Encourage students to keep a daily poetry journal throughout April. Each day, they can write a short poem or free verse reflecting on their thoughts, feelings, or the world around them. At the end of the month, they can share their favorite entries.
Poetry & Social Justice: Engage students in reading poems that focus on social issues and have them write their own poems on topics such as equality, climate change, or personal experiences related to social justice.
Poetry Film Project: Challenge students to create short films inspired by their favorite poem or their own written work. They can focus on capturing the imagery, themes, and emotions of the poem through visuals.
Career Readiness--Elizabeth Meerdo
WQED Film and Media College Fair
On April 10th from 5-8 p.m., WQED will be hosting its 6th annual Film & Media College Fair! The fair will be held at Penn Hills High School (309 Collins Drive, Penn Hills, PA 15235) as well as virtually via Zoom. Top film and media schools locally and around the country will be joining to share information about their programs.
The event will culminate in a live and virtually broadcast peer-led Q&A designed to allow high school students and families to ask candid questions and engage with current college students, including WQED Creator Academy (formerly known as WQED Film Academy) alumni.
This is a great event for high schoolers to meet schools and universities with prestige in film, media, content creation, and beyond. Students can register for the College Fair here!
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email Milton Cohen (mcohen@wqed.org) or Lu Cooper (lcooper@wqed.org) for more details. For more information on the event and to view a list of the joining schools, please visit their website.
WQED Film and Media Career Fair Flyer
World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh
The World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh is excited to announce the launch of applications for our 2025-26 Youth Board and Youth Fellows program, which amplifies youth voice and provides PAID leadership and career development for high school students in the Pittsburgh region.
Please share the application and FAQ linked below with any high-school students you serve and colleagues who work with high school-aged youth. Applications are due by 11:59 PM EST on March 30.
Please contact Alicia Cagle at alicia@worldpittsburgh.org if you have any questions.
picoCTF Outreach--Cybersecurity Activities from Carnegie Mellon University
picoCTF Outreach Flyer--Carnege Mellon University
picoCTF Outreach offers free, engaging, and accessible cybersecurity education to middle and high school students through workshops led by Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) student ambassadors. Their goal is to empower students with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to navigate the digital world securely and explore pathways in cybersecurity and technology fields.
Through hands-on, challenge-based learning, students will:
Gain real-world cybersecurity skills using interactive problem-solving challenges
Learn from CMU student ambassadors, who bring expertise and mentorship
Explore academic and career opportunities in cybersecurity
Develop critical thinking and technical skills that apply to any STEM discipline
With in-person and virtual workshop options tailored to learners needs, picoCTF makes cybersecurity education available to all students—no prior experience required!
Workshop Content Adaptable to Meet Learners Where They Are--Recommended for Grades 6-12, University, Educators, and Nontraditional Learners
Workshop topics that are available include:
Overview of cybersecurity (e.g., fundamentals of cybersecurity, ethical hacking, network security, reverse engineering, pwn, etc.)
Deep dive into CTF categories and competitions
Emphasis on interactive, challenge-driven modules via picoCTF’s extensive catalog
Insight into education and career pathways
Adaptable curriculum that grows with students’ proficiency
Train-the-Trainer workshops for educators
For more information, please contact: educator@picoctf.org or Taylor McCampbell at tmccampb@andrew.cmu.edu
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