Fwd: Scheduling Workshop is coming up

-- Gary Ackerman, Ph.D.

Begin forwarded message:

From: nelms@nelms.org
Date: October 30, 2014 at 10:39:14 AM EDT
To: "Dr. Gary L. Ackerman" <gary@hackscience.net>
Subject: Scheduling Workshop is coming up
Reply-To: NELMS <nelms@nelms.org>

NELMS and Keys to Literacy Fall Literacy Event:
Essential Literacy Instruction for Middle
School Teachers

December 8, 2014 and January 7, 2015
Wyndham Andover Boston
Andover, MA

A  small investment in your time can result in developing student literacy skills that will last a lifetime.
Join us on December 8, 2014 and January 7, 2015 for our workshop series – Essential Literacy Instruction for Middle School Teachers and learn how to immediately apply instructional strategies needed to develop effective student thinking, reading, and writing skills. These strategies are based on the most current research and give educators the tools they need to implement the Common Core.
The workshop series consists of four instructional routines – Comprehension, Close Reading, Content Writing, and Argument Writing. Discounts are available for attending multiple sessions or having multiple teachers attend from the same district.
Each day consists of two day-long instructional workshop options. Attend one or both days.

For more information and/or to register please click here.

 

NELMS Middle Level Scheduling Workshops

ARE YOU…
Challenged by your schedule?
Looking for ways to create a schedule that "works" for your particular school?
Then NELMS Scheduling Workshops are designed for you!

Attend this workshop to:
gain information about components of a middle school schedule
look at a variety of schedule types
think about the pluses and minuses of your current schedule
take time to identify your school's non-negotiables
identify priorities
share challenges and solutions with colleagues
begin the work of revitalizing your schedule

November 14, 2014–Hampstead Middle School, Hampstead, NH

December 5, 2014–Littleton Middle School, Littleton, MA

January 23, 2015–Medomak Middle School, Waldoboro, ME

February 6, 2015–Essex Middle School, Essex Junction, VT

April 9, 2015–East Lyme Middle School, Niantic, CT
For more information about these workshops and/or to register please click here.

 

NELMS Branded Clothing

For the Annual Conference this year the NELMS theme was "Magic in the Middle". Now you can own a bit of 'magic' with the purchase of a tee shirt, polo shirt, or fleece jacket with "Magic in the Middle" sewn on.
Click here to go to the NELMS bookstore and check out the styles.

 

Interested in presenting at the 2015 NELMS Annual Conference?

If so please click here for more information and/or to apply.
 

Scholarship opportunity from Walden University

Are you considering earning your bachelors, masters or doctoral degree online?
NOW is the perfect time to consider Walden University!
10% discount for NELMS members!
Limited time only: Scholarships are available for NEW students who enroll and start classes between July 14 and Dec 31, 2014*!
• No application fee • Free transfer of credit evaluation • Rolling admissions
For a complete list of degrees offered at Walden University CLICK HERE.
If you would like to receive information about a program and learn more about the available scholarships, CLICK HERE to request information or contact your Walden representative Kim LaMontagne, at Kimberly.lamontagne@waldenu.edu or call 603-479-2415

Essential Literacy Instruction for Middle School Teachers
NELMS &
Keys to Literacy
Andover, MA
October 14, 2014
To learn more
click here

 

34th Annual Conference
Providence, RI
March 23 & 24, 2015
To learn more
click here

Join us on Facebook and Twitter

©2012 New England League of Middle Schools.. All Rights Reserved

 

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Fwd: CFP Reminder #2

NEERO is an excellent organization for beginning researchers to gain experience. 

Also their annual C&I conference is in Portsmouth! 

-- Gary Ackerman, Ph.D.

Begin forwarded message:

From: "NEERO President" <neero.conference@gmail.com>
Date: October 26, 2014 at 1:03:56 PM EDT
To: "gary@hackscience.net" <gary@hackscience.net>
Subject: CFP Reminder #2
Reply-To: neero.conference@gmail.com

Web Version  |  Update preferences  |  Unsubscribe Like Tweet Forward New England Educational Research Organization NEERO 2015 Reminder: Call for Proposals Hello NEERO Friends, This is a reminder that the deadline for submitting a proposal for the 2014 NEERO conference is rapidly approaching.  Proposals must be submitted electronically via the following website: https://www.openconf.org/neero2015/openconf.php. The Call for Proposals with full submission details are found on the NEERO website at http://www.neero.org. The deadline for proposal submission is Thursday, October 30, 2014 at 11:59pm. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me at neero.conference@gmail.com.  We are looking forward to seeing you in Portsmouth, NH in the spring! Julie Zoino-Jeannetti, Ph.D. NEERO Membership Director Edit your subscription | Unsubscribe

Fwd: VAMLE E-News

Some excellent resources for bullying prevention from Vermont. 

-- Gary Ackerman, Ph.D.

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Sue Gee" <director@vamle.org>
Date: October 23, 2014 at 8:12:07 PM EDT
To: "Schoolwires Alert Recipients" <alertrecipients@schoolwires.com>
Subject: VAMLE E-News

Call for Beyond Bullying Action Plan feedback We have heard from two of the 19 schools—thanks to Essex Middle School and Barre City Elementary. We know action plans are happening – let us in on the good news! We'd like a few schools to make presentations at the March 10, 2015 Annual Conference. Contact Sue Gee at director@vamle.org 802-522-7180 and share an update on these important projects for creating a culture of respect and inclusion and a safe learning environment for all students.

PSB Resources: October is National Bullying Prevention Month Vermont PBS now offers PBSLearningMedia,™, a free media-on-demand service that gives educators, parents, and students FREE access to the best of public media. Explore the 87,000 plus research-based classroom-ready digital learning experiences, aligned with National and Common Core Standards. Sign up is free and easy. Visit: http://vermont_pbslearningmedia.org/  Contact: Chuck Pizer at 802-654-3688

• Resources on bullying – what it is, how to prevent it, and what to do if you witness or take part in it. Not In Our Town/NIOT/ Ages 6-13+; Bullying/Self-paced lesson, Grades 5-8; NFL Bullying Case Sparks Debate/ PBS NewsHour, Grades 7-12.

 

Vermont Education Law Institute Workshop: Bullying and Harassment Workshop to look at the rapidly changing legal issues related to bullying and harassment, especially student behaviors off campus and in cyberspace. Real case scenarios will be discussed.

Audience: teachers, administration, interested members of the community

Presenters: Sam Abel-Palmer, Esq. Ph.D., Director of Vermont Law Help at Vermont Legal Aid Bernice Garnett, Sc. D., Assistant

Call for Beyond Bullying Action Plan feedback We have heard from two of the 19 schools—thanks to Essex Middle School and Barre City Elementary. We know action plans are happening – let us in on the good news! We'd like a few schools to make presentations at the March 10, 2015 Annual Conference. Contact Sue Gee at director@vamle.org 802-522-7180 and share an update on these important projects for creating a culture of respect and inclusion and a safe learning environment for all students.

PSB Resources: October is National Bullying Prevention Month Vermont PBS now offers PBSLearningMedia,™, a free media-on-demand service that gives educators, parents, and students FREE access to the best of public media. Explore the 87,000 plus research-based classroom-ready digital learning experiences, aligned with National and Common Core Standards. Sign up is free and easy. Visit: http://vermont_pbslearningmedia.org/  Contact: Chuck Pizer at 802-654-3688

• Resources on bullying – what it is, how to prevent it, and what to do if you witness or take part in it. Not In Our Town/NIOT/ Ages 6-13+; Bullying/Self-paced lesson, Grades 5-8; NFL Bullying Case Sparks Debate/ PBS NewsHour, Grades 7-12.

 

Vermont Education Law Institute Workshop: Bullying and Harassment Workshop to look at the rapidly changing legal issues related to bullying and harassment, especially student behaviors off campus and in cyberspace. Real case scenarios will be discussed.

Audience: teachers, administration, interested members of the community

Presenters: Sam Abel-Palmer, Esq. Ph.D., Director of Vermont Law Help at Vermont Legal Aid Bernice Garnett, Sc. D., Assistant Professor at UVM November 21, 2014 For more information: http://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=1617296  

 

Professional Development Opportunities:

• The Inspired Educator, The Inspired Learner – A change in dates! Now on November 19, 9:00am-4:oopm, Jen Stanchfield, Author and presenter.

Exploring a variety of brain-based approaches to engage and motivate students The Vermont Learning Collaborative, Dummerston, http://www.learningcollaborative.org/stanchfield_fall2014

 

• Strategies to Transform Peer Aggression Among Girls Sponsored by "Vermont Works for Women: Change the Story" Workshops that teach educators, administrators, youth service providers, coaches, parents—all adults—how to identify, address and prevent peer aggression among girls. Cost: $50.

Monday, October 27, 12:30-5pm, Rutland

Tuesday, November 11, 12:30-5pm, Brattleboro

Thursday, December 11, 12:30-5pm, St. Johnsbury

Contact Kelly Walsh at 802-622-0400, ext. 105 http://vtworksforwomen.org/peer-aggression-workshops

 

• Common Core Implementation Sessions, St. Johnsbury

Sponsored by The Vermont Professional Learning Network, http://www.vermontpln.org/December

December 9 – Springfield College, St. Johnsbury, Facilitator: Judy Carr, Ed.D. Cost: $50 (includes breakfast and lunch) 9am to 3:30pm

Audience: School and SU Leadership, Curriculum Directors, Superintendents, Principals and Leadership Team members

To Register: http://www.lapdavt.org/upcoming-courses/2014

 

• NELMS (New England League of Middle Schools) Announcements The NELMS publication, MidLines is now open to all. Be sure to read this informative newsletter which is solely focused on early adolescents. If you have some special middle level "magic" to share at the 2015 Annual Conference (March 23-24), fill out the Call for Presenters on the NELMS home page. http://www.nelms.org/

Upcoming Workshops:

• Middle Level Scheduling, November 14, Hampstead Middle School, Hampstead, N.H. December 5, Littleton Middle School, Littleton, MA

• Essential Literacy Instruction for Middle School Teachers Workshops cover four instructional routines: Comprehension, Close Reading, Constant Writing, and Argument Writing. For more information, go to: www.nelms.org Day One: December 8 and January 7, Wyndham Andover Boston, Andover, MA

 

Grants, Scholarships, and Student Engagement Actvities:

• Mix It Up Day, sponsored by Teaching Tolerance, is scheduled for October 28, 2014. This national campaign encourages students to identify, question, and cross social boundaries by moving out of their comfort zones and connecting with someone new over lunch. Mix It Up offers free online resources at http://www.tolerance.org/mix-it-up/

 

• Educator Scholarships Available for Fall Conference on the Impact of the Civil War The Bay and Paul Foundations and the Vermont Humanities Council is offering full scholarships to 20 middle and high school educators to attend the Fall Conference, "A Fire Never Extinguished: how the Civil War Continues to Shape Civic and Cultural Life in America." November 14-15 at the Davis Center, UVM. For more information, go to the registration page at http://www.fireneverextinguished.org/ Contact: Max Matthews, mmathews@vermonthumanities.org

 

• Save the Dates

VAMLE Annual Conference– March 10, 2015 at The Davis Center, UVM

VAMLE-NELMS Scholar Leader Dinner – June 3, 2015, Norwich University

Middle Grades Conference – January 10, 2015 at The Davis Center

Middle Grades Institute – June 22-26, Vermont Technical College, Randolph

 

Apple TV as Content Stream

A perennial problem is schools today is how to generate and manage content for the television in the lobby. Over the years, I have tried several options and understand the issues: management from a distance, limiting access to only specific individuals, automating the stream so it runs with minimal intervention, and other problems.

Recently, I found an excellent television with HD capacity and an Apple TV in a school. (The Mac Mini that had been streaming to the Apple TV had failed, and the system was not being used. The Apple TV and television functioned perfectly, and there was no money to replace the Mac).

The principal hoped to stream news in the morning and at lunch... perhaps weather updates when bad weather threatened, maybe sports on occasion. We also wanted to feature video created by the students, art (especially from the digital photography class), and occasional slide shows with announcements and reminders.

Here is an overview of our solution:

1) The Apple TV connects to the administrative wifi (to limit potential hijacking for AirPlay) and the Apple TV is paired with one remote (the location is known by a few teachers and administrators). We also established AirPlay and other passwords to minimize the threat students can access it.

2) For news and similar content, we stream the content from the providers that partner with Apple TV. (Our opinion was that there was a collection that met our goals and that would provide diversity.)

3) For video and other content created by students, we upload content to YouTube.

4) For "PowerPoints," we either save the presentation in a video format and upload it, or save the presentation as a series of images and upload those as a video to YouTube, using the tools in YouTube.

5) Our YouTube content is managed through a playlist... once video is uploaded (using a GAFE account), the URL is sent to the person who manages the playlist. The Apple TV is then configured to play the videos.

So far, we have found this a good solution... our content is easy to manage... we can add content simply by adding to the playlist, then restarting the playlist on the Apple TV.