What's New for 2011 ...

With the onset of the second decade of the 21st Century upon us ... I reflect about the present and the future. In the immediate future, the remainder of this school/fiscal year, our plans include (but are not limited to the following):

get the final tax levy for final budgeting and forecast budgeting for the school
planning for "Life Safety" projects like pipes, doors, etc.
planning for collective bargaining negotiations with the teacher's union
reviewing and assessing the myriad of learning interventions associated with the normal course of doing business and the initiatives related to RtI and problem solving and PBIS
reviewing and planning for instructional technology needs at the classroom and school levels
overhauling of the teacher evaluation process and instrument (bringing it up to School Code and Best Practices) - we are seriously reviewing the Danielson Model.
continuation of the coaching approach to teacher effectiveness and staff effectiveness
implementation of a staffing plan for the coming school year
customer service inventories for stakeholders including students, parents, staff, community members
celebrating the excellence at the school
planning, doing, assessing, re-doing, planning some more and doing some more

So - Welcome 2011! We have a lot planned to make this a great year!

The Super Book of Web Tools for Educators

The Super Book of Web Tools for Educators

Wow - what an amazing collection of timely, relevant, powerful, and mostly FREE of charge - web 2.0 (3.0) apps - kudos, thanks, regards, gratefulness - to the authors - amazing administrators, educators, collaborators, tweeters ... a very inspiring reference - thank you!

Worth a read, download and sharing ...

Another video that makes us think ...

TEDxUBC - Jeffrey Piontek - Teaching Jetson Children In Flintstone Schools

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvqy0CAMdCM

Technology - Communication Review/Recap - listing

This year has been a banner year for my professional usage of technology. Exciting and energizing and engaging are the many uses, connections, learning opportunities and growth opportunities that I and my colleagues and coworkers have enjoyed as a result of "technology" ... an elusive term - an evolving term - more of a concept.

Prezi - for "cool" presentations - for faculty meetings and for instruction in jr. high school courses and classes - cost FREE

Voicethread - for engaging discussions, games, communication, partnership - for faculty professional development, for 2nd grade, 5th grade, reading, science, cross-disciplinary connections - cost $1/student

Google - Google Apps for education ... our Exchange Server crashed ... instead of paying to replace it, we went Google - FREE

Gagglenet - free student email

Edmodo -on line collaboration, professional development (voluntary - choice based growth model)

 

Promethean training - initiative from last year 5 IWB's, training, cross sharing, usage K-8

Audio Boo - FREE podcasting

 

Facebook - FREE school information - reaching Facebook users and general public

 

Twitter - FREE school information - reaching Twitter users and general public

Posterous - FREE - pushing information via Auto post to Facebook, Twitter, Supt. Site

 

Mobi - FREE as a result of presentation/demonstration - in use in Art (K-8)