smart-schools.com » Charter Schools

“School Pride” on NBC

Smarty — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:50:27 +0000

NBC fishes for new ratings by testing the public’s interest in education. Schools in Los Angeles were part of the episodes. Let’s hope the interest spurs NBC to renew the series. You can watch some episodes here.

http://www.nbc.com/school-pride/

So Cal Educators to Learn About Newest Apps, Best Innovations for Schools

Smarty — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 23:42:27 +0000

Oct. 15 Ed Tech Event at CSULA is Among the State’s Biggest

Hundreds of teachers, technology coordinators, school and district administrators, and select students from around Southern California will gather at Cal State L.A. for a special conference that will explore the innovative and effective ways technology is being used at K-12 schools.

The 21^st Century Learners Symposium, which is sponsored by the Los Angeles County Office of Education, will feature workshops by top consultants and technology specialists on successful and “hot” classroom uses, trends, services and applications. Topics will include mobile technology, digital textbooks, netbooks, open source, Google, and Web 2.0 tools. The conference is one of the largest education technology events in the state.

WHAT: The 21^st Century Learners Symposium of 2010

WHEN: Friday, Oct. 15, 2010 — 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

WHERE: CSULA Golden Eagle Conference Center, 5151 State University Dr., L.A. 90032

NOTE: Media parking available by checking in at the Welcome Center/Kiosk on

Paseo Rancho Castilla (campus map: www.calstatela.edu/univ/maps/cslamap.php)

WHO: Participants are K-12 educators, staff and students from public and private

schools throughout Southern California. Featured presentations:

All Day: Special hands-on product and demonstration sessions

All Day: Student multimedia projects by Hollywood High School (LAUSD)

and Rowland Avenue Elementary School (Covina-Valley USD)

9:30 am: Leadership keynote: Cheryl Lemke, CEO, Metiri Group

12:50 pm: Afternoon keynote: Milton Chen, George Lucas Ed Foundation

Symposium is presented by the L.A. County Office of Education’s Instructional

Technology Outreach and California Technology Assistance (Region 11) Project.

INTERVIEWS / VISUALS:

Nearly 600 attendees are expected. In addition to open interview opportunities with presenters, experts and participants, there will be numerous displays and demonstrations by product and service vendors, including Troxell Communications.

Document Cameras & Projectors: Cool Use #17 “Compare and Contrast”

Smarty — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 19:22:42 +0000

COMPARE AND CONTRAST ————————————————————–

CONTENT AREA: ANY

GRADE LEVELS: ANY

Learning to compare and contrast requires high-level cognitive analysis. Comparing

and contrasting is a skill used in many different disciplines at all levels of education. Using an

document camera can help students practice using different graphic organizers

collaboratively before being asked to use them independently.

MATERIALS

- Document camera

- Projector

- Whiteboard or large sheet of paper that students can write on

- A drawing of a graphic organizer used for comparing and contrasting, such as a Venn

diagram, double bubble map, or a T-chart

PROCEDURE

BEFORE

1. Decide the compare and contrast topic to assign students.

2. Prepare a drawing of the graphic organizer to be practiced, such as a Venn diagram.

DURING

3. Project the compare and contrast diagram using the document camera.

4. Call students to the board to complete different areas of the compare and contrast

diagram.

5. Discuss notes as a class, changing and adding as necessary.

6. Have all students copy the collaboratively designed notes.

AFTER

7. After creating notes together as a class, assign an independent project such as an essay

that discusses the topic in depth.

8. Choose a different compare/contrast method of organization to demonstrate to

students each day for several days.

ADAPTATIONS

- Assign a compare and contrast topic and a method of organization. Allow students to

work collaboratively or independently to complete the notes. To review the topic and

check for accuracy, choose student products to project with a document

camera.

- Allow students to choose how they will organize notes for a graphic organizer. After

students have completed their notes, show the class different ideas by projecting

student samples using a document camera.

Document Cameras & Projectors: Cool Use #10 “Map It”

Smarty — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:14:40 +0000

MAP IT ——————————————

CONTENT AREA: GEOGRAPHY

GRADE LEVELS: ANY

Being able to correctly label a map with key features is an essential skill in geography.

Using a document camera to project a large image allows students to collaboratively practice their recall of geographic places large enough for everyone to see.

Simple - Yet Effective

MATERIALS

- Document camera

- Projector

- Outline map of target geographic area

- Whiteboard or large sheet of paper that students can write on

PROCEDURE

BEFORE

1. Prepare a paper with an outline map of the target geographic area.

DURING

2. Project the image of the outline map using the document camera.

3. Call students to the projected image and direct each student to add another feature to

accurately to the map, i.e. continent, country, city, state, capitals, mountain ranges,

lakes, rivers, oceans, etc.

4. Discuss as a class, making corrections to student labels as necessary.

AFTER

5. Review with students by covering key features and names with removable sticky

notes. Lift the notes to reveal if students have given the right answers.

6. Create a quiz by covering target feature with removable sticky notes with numbers

written on them. Have students write their answers on their own paper and turn in.

ADAPTATIONS

- Instead of labeling with words, students can draw in geographic features, cultural

highlights, and landmarks onto the map. If students have drawn on a large sheet of

paper, the image can be saved and posted in the classroom.

- Using a document camera virtually eliminates the need to purchase costly

classroom maps that may quickly become outdated. Use a document camera to project

maps of any kind for students to use.

- As an icebreaker activity in a class of English Language Learners, have students pair

with a partner, interview each other about their culture, and add their partner’s name

to the correct location on a world map as they introduce their partner to the class.

And don’t forget the great Web 2.0 tools like Google Earth and Microsoft Worldwide Telescope, which augment the above process and are especially useful on interactive whiteboards (IWBs).

LAUSD School Choice Reform Board Decision Results

Smarty — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:29:06 +0000

February 23 2010

The tally:

NEW CAMPUSES (24 )

-19 teacher-district proposal

-4 Charters

-1 Mayor’s Partnership for Los Angeles Schools

____________________________________

EXISTING SCHOOLS (13)

-10 teacher-district proposal

-2 Mayor’s Partnership for Los Angeles Schools

-1 Youth Policy Institute

-0 other charters

____________________________________

1. There was an election, involving parents, students, community members, employees.

2. Superintendent Cortines made his recommendations

3. Board made final decision

____________________________________

Challenges for Charter Management Organizations:

Vernerable charter organizations, Green Dot, ICEF, Alliance proposals not approved.

Charter parcel tax, and Proposition 39 issues remain.

____________________________________

We wish the best to all!! Innovation is afoot!

New KCLS Series: The Teacher’s Hour: Response to Instruction and Intervention

Smarty — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:15:02 +0000

ANNOUNCING the NEW KLCS SERIES!

The Teacher’s Hour: Response to Instruction and Intervention

The first broadcast is tomorrow night, Wednesday, February 24, 2010,
beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Tune in to your local KLCS station to view best practices happening all
over LAUSD!

This Wednesday’s show features Cienega ES, Van Nuys MS, South Gate HS
and how they are addressing students’ needs through a multi-tiered
framework of instruction.

During the show:

Call in to ask questions at: 1-800-527-8839 or 1-800-LA-STUDY
or
Submit your questions and/or comments at:
http://sites.google.com/site/lausdrti/

Won’t be near a TV? The show may also be viewed live by webstream at:
http://sites.google.com/site/lausdrti/

Mark your calendars for the next three The Teacher Hour shows:

       March 24, 2010, 7:00 p.m. Topic: Problem-Solving Process
       April 28, 2010, 7:00 p.m. Topic: Data-Based Decision Making
       May 26, 2010, 7:00 p.m. Topic: Academic Engaged Time

Document Cameras & Projectors: Cool Use #9 “Jigsaw Notes”

Smarty — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 05:09:19 +0000

JIGSAW NOTES ———————————————————————————–

CONTENT AREA: ANY

GRADE LEVELS: MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL

Students can work together to write the complete notes for any given topic. Rather

than only giving a report verbally, a document camera allows students to

collaboratively produce valuable notes for the class.

For any Subject or Content Area

MATERIALS

- Document camera

- Projector

- Paper with subtopic headings listed and space to write notes in each section

- Index cards or paper cut to a similar size

PROCEDURE

BEFORE

1. Decide which subtopic within a given topic to assign for review, i.e. causes, effects, characteristics, and possible preventions for erosion.

2. Prepare a template paper divided into sections with subheadings listed.

DURING

3. Assign small groups of students to each subtopic of the topic to be reviewed.

4. Direct students to consult their notes, textbooks, and other resources make concise notes for the subtopic assigned to them.

5. Collect each group’s notes, and assemble them together under the document camera.

6. Project the image of the completed notes, discuss as a class, and direct all students to copy completed notes.

AFTER

7. In addition to preparing written notes for the subtopic assigned to them, have students become subject matter experts by presenting the topic to the class.

ADAPTATIONS

- As a final review of important concepts, repeat the activity, assigning different groups to different subtopics.

Classroom 2.0 Seminar for L.A. School Principals

Smarty — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 05:31:06 +0000

How do teachers integrate 21st Century technology into a seamless learning and teaching environment? … including interactive whiteboards, document cameras, student responders and countless other tools?

It’s easy to see the benefits of many of the 21st Century learning tools & techniques, but having an effective integration plan and knowing what tools, when to use them and how to integrate it into curriculum, effectively, is not easy.

This seminar, designed for School Principals and Administrators, will host a continental breakfast.

It will be a morning of current & relevant content for the K-12 education environment in Los Angeles, which is both very demanding and very budget weary.

Tuesday March 23, 2010

Embassy Suites Los Angeles-Glendale

800 N Central Avenue

Glendale, CA 91203

8:30 -9:00 AM Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:00 am to 12:00 pm Classroom 2.0 Seminar

Seminar designed for School Principals, Key Administrators and Technology Leaders.

How do you define 21st Century Learning?

How can technology increase student engagement?

Are your teachers 21st Century educators?

How do you seamlessly integrate 21st Century technology into the learning environment?

Seminar for Registered Guests. Hosted by Troxell Communications & Presented by Eduscape Learning.

Document Cameras & Projectors: Cool Use #7 “Active Reading”

Smarty — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:58:56 +0000

ACTIVE READING —————————————————————

CONTENT AREA: ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, READING

GRADE LEVELS: MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL

Reading strategies such as underlining and taking notes in the margin help students

process texts for high-stakes reading tests. However, students are frequently issued reading

textbooks that they are not allowed to write in, vastly limiting the opportunities to practice

active reading strategies. A document camera can make active reading possible for

any text!

MATERIALS

- Document camera

- Projector

- Text selected for analysis

- Whiteboard or large sheet of paper that students can write on

PROCEDURE

BEFORE

Choose the text to analyze in class.

DURING

2. Project the text selected for active reading analysis using the document camera.

3. Direct students to decide, either cooperatively in small groups or individually, what is

the main idea of the chosen selection.

4. On their own paper, students should write which key words and phrases they would

underline, and what notes they would take in the margin.

5. Choose students to write directly over the projected image which text they have

marked and what notes they would write in the margin.

Help Students Prep for Reading Tests

6. Discuss accuracy as a class.

AFTER

7. Using a document camera, project a text selection that students have not seen

before. As bell work, review, or assessment, have students write on their own paper

which key words and phrases they would underline, and what notes they would take

in the margin.

ADAPTATIONS

- For practice reading poetry, assign students to bring in a copy of appropriate song

lyrics. Project the image of the lyrics and discuss poetry conventions such as

figurative language, meter, and rhyme scheme together as a class.

- Use a document camera to project any text that is being read or referenced

during instructional time. This will help all students, especially students with learning

disabilities or English Language Learners, keep up with the lesson. This will vastly

reduce the number of students who will “get lost” during group reading.

Grant Writing Ideas/Best Practices for Public, Charter, Private Schools

Smarty — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:18:37 +0000

Grant Writing Notes Dave Boller | Troxell, Los Angeles, CA

Grants are important than ever, and more competitive than ever. But they are there, and with some smart effort, you can win them.

Once you do the first one, you’ll be doing more grants. Get started.

2 Approaches to Begin

1. RFP Search in specific georgraphical or subject areas

2. Create a Proactive Needs Assessment

Don’t spend time (waste time) on grants that don’t FIT what you want to do.

Don’t let needs assessment get too lengthy

You don’t necessarily need consultants to write it.

Informal needs assessment can work fine.

Steps in Needs Assessment

1. Clarify organizational expectations, goals, or objectives

2. Review current practices and though

3. Collect and analyze data

4. Identify areas of need

5. Determine where to start

Once you know your needs….Search for Solutions

-research and pilot projects

-Professional journals Ed Leadership, Edutopia…

.. pages in back of journals that list grants

-Gov publications, including web sites

(What Works in Public Education website)

-Stakeholder resources

-Software companies

-Be creative

Who (what position ) do you write too a big corporation?…

make a call first, find foundation manager or budget manager.

Additional educational grant information sources

-business

-journal lists

-local grant makers (find their “Mission Statements”)

-state agencies

-foundations

-title programs

-SIGs

Use creative Boolean strategies in search engines. See search engines listed here at smart-schools.com in addition to Google.

Try http://www.zuula.com as you can search all major engines in addition to Google. We will post more on smart web searching later. But it can help you find the “needle in the grant haystack” you’re looking for and increase YOUR chances of scoring the grant.

Be creative in your thinking….get what you want and still satisfy the grant makers.

Getting Organized

Print RFP including all instructions

Form a grant writing team…DON’T DO IT ALONE

Form a list of partners.

Read all instructions, including rubrics and grant-maker goals.

Set up a timeline.

Assign responsibilities.

Gather data.

Begin writing.

Invite an employee from the grant offering company to help !! Great way to keep on-target and build rapport.

Writing process

Divide into sections:

(can get grant writer help..but write the cost into the grant with % to grant writer)

Abstract

Intro

Needs

Goals & objectives

Activities and personnel

Evaluation

Budget

Communicate with your grant maker along the way. Even if you don’t have a serious question…email a question or a call or visit, that way you accomplish them getting to know you…they know you’re working on it, you can bounce ideas off of them.

Utilize resources from nearby colleges/community. Sometimes leverage them for specific projects in their training…help each other

Matching funds….?…

go to local businesses to secure matching funds…

FINAL STEPS

Double check requirements. Don’t risk losing it

Edit one last time

Let the grant maker know that the grant is on the way

Follow submission format

Send multiple copies if requested

Turn in on time

If mailing or facing, request a receipt

Make it happen

Follow the proposal

Stick to the timeline

Spend only the original budget, or request a modified budget

Collect data

Document the project with notes, photographs, video, and testimonials

Celebrate

Give credit

Communicate

Share information

Complete all reports & evaluations on time

Thank partners and the grant maker

Plan for sustainability. Look for ways to sustain the project….it is a personnel and time issue after the grant is all done…keep it alive and plan for it.

Individual schools probably even more eligible than district…more emotional, closer to the source, individual children.

OTHER NOTES

At Risk/poverty and Spec Ed money available ARRA

-research based not brand new..proven as successful

-list WHO will be doing after school program, must have one certified teacher at least to give program credibility . Grant can pay teacher

-“Race To The Top” funds ARRA be distributed on a competitive basis

Hope something here helped you.

Let’s do this!