Information Exchange Vol. 47 No. 20

Newsletter of the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
May 31, 2019

NEW! State Board to Meet June 6 & 7 in Anchorage

The State Board of Education and Early Development will hold its regular quarterly meeting on June 7 starting at 9:00 a.m. at the Anchorage School District’s Education Center at 5530 East Northern Lights Boulevard. In addition, the board will hold a retreat on June 6 starting at 10:00 a.m. at the same location. The board’s meeting packet is available online.

NEW! Resource for Optimizing Outcomes for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Optimizing Outcomes for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: Educational Service Guidelines, 3rd edition is the recently updated set of guidelines available from the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE). These guidelines cover considerations for the educational needs of deaf and hard of hearing students, what schools and programs need to do in order to serve them well, and shares resources to support those efforts.

NEW! Upcoming CTE Professional Development Opportunities

Coding and Computer Science

• Coding Workshops, Code.org / ASDN, For more information contact Cheryl Bobo. Learn to nurture creativity and problem-solving through coding at no cost.
  • June 11, 2019, Juneau, Elementary, K-5 
  • June 19, 2019, Petersburg, Elementary, K-5
  • August 12, 2019, Delta Junction, Elementary, K-5
  • September 23, 2019, Ketchikan, Elementary, K-3 & 4-5
• Alaska Tech Learners (Computer Science), Prince William Sound College, Asynchronous during FY20, online. For more information contact Steve Johnson.  A curriculum that's a combined PD for certified teachers and dual enrollment for high school students in computer science.

General

• Math for Teachers, Prince William Sound College, August 7-9, 2019, Valdez. For more information contact Steve Johnson. A 1-credit PD that teaches teachers how to use ALEKS and incorporate place-based instruction in math.

Trades

• NCCER Core Training, Prince William Sound College, June 1-7, 2019, Valdez. For more information contact Steve Johnson. Become a certified NCCER Core instructor.
• Small Engines Repair, Lower Kuskokwim SD, September 2019, Bethel. For more information contact Colin Stewart. Learn the basics of small engines instruction. Specifically designed for small, rural schools.  
• Multiple CTE PD Practicums, AVTEC, Ongoing, Seward. For more information contact Deb Burdick-Hinton . Participate in 1-week drop-in practicums in multiple content areas to improve content or pedagogical skills. 

Natural Resources

• Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, CASE Institute, July 21-30, 2019, Fairbanks / UAF. For more information contact Susan McCullough or visit AK Ag Teachers website. Teachers who attend will be guided through a full year of curriculum and leave with the over 180 lessons in AFNR. This curriculum is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards.

Last call! 8SAVES Curriculum Seeking High School Student and Educator Participation

The 8SAVES curriculum will be a series of short, interactive films in which the viewers will have to make wise and quick decisions to save someone's life from some of our country's top preventable killers - from heart attacks to opioid overdoses to gunshot wounds to strokes. It will be designed specifically for high school students; one of its primary objectives will be not only to help save lives and promote health education, but also to encourage student interest in STEM careers. High-school students (especially 9^th graders) and educators are invited to participate in the development and testing of this cutting-edge new curriculum. Once the 8SAVES films are created, partner schools will be the first in the country to integrate the films into their science/health curriculum. Schools participating in the development and evaluation of at least 5 films will be given a stipend of approximately $2000 for STEM education, and receive an additional stipend for every film after the fifth. For further information, please contact Dr. Lorrel Brown-Toft  regarding your interest by or before Monday, June 3.

Last call! Public Comment Period for Publication “Swimming Pool Guidelines for Educational Facilities”

DEED has revised its publication Swimming Pool Guidelines for Educational Facilities. The publication is sited in regulation 4 AAC 31.020(a) and establishes department criteria to apply to AS 14.11.013(d) and AS 14.11.100(h). This draft moves towards a more clear and prescriptive document that provides maximum pool tank sizes and maximum facility sizes based on the number of students in the approved instructional learn-to-swim program. June 3 deadline to provide public comment.

Last call! Resilient Educators: Growing Your Best Self Workshop Happening June 10-11 at Alyeska Resort

Educators think regularly about student resilience, but don’t often get the time and support to focus on their own. In these beginner and advanced workshops by Brightways Learning, you’ll learn to amplify personal and professional strengths and satisfaction. CEUs, lodging, and airfare discounts are available. Check out the event flyer. 

Last call! AAEC Announces Summer Arts Institutes for 2019

Amplifying Stories through the Arts: Ketchikan Basic Arts Institute, June 3-14, Ketchikan High School, $500 member district teachers, $600 non-member district teachers, 20 Sealaska scholarships available to teachers from Ketchikan, Juneau and Yakutat, 4 Ed 590 credits available.

Reminder: Save the Date: Alaska School Safety & Well-Being Summit Happening September 18-19, 2019

DEED will be hosting a comprehensive statewide School Safety & Well-Being Summit, September 18-19, 2019 at the Egan Center in Anchorage (pre and post conference days are being planned around different topics TBD). Each district will be provided travel funding to bring in a team that may include administrators, teachers, school counselors, parents, community members, and school board members. DEED has planned the Summit to accommodate teams of up to six from each district. More information to come. Contact: Sharon Fishel.

Special Feature: AASB Digital Books Showcase Local Stories, Language, and Culture

Yupiit, Yukon-Koyukuk, Copper River, and Hydaburg school districts have collaborated with the Association of Alaska School Boards (AASB) to create a collection of 15 interactive digital books featuring Yup'ik, Denaakk'e, Ahtna, and Haida languages.

Each book was created during a series of two-day 'Book Slam' workshops held in schools during the 2018-19 school year. Students, teachers, elders, community members, and district staff were involved in illustrating, translating, and narrating the books, which include history, stories, and Native languages of the communities in which they were produced, often from the first-hand accounts of local elders.

eLearning Continuing Education Units Now Available

DEED is pleased to announce we are now offering one CEU for the completion of eligible eLearning courses. All eLearners who hold a current five or ten-year Alaska teaching, administrative, or special services certificate can earn one CEU for 15 hours of completed coursework. The eligible coursework includes courses required for school district personnel and teaching certificates. Please visit our eLearning page for more information on the eligible courses, and how to submit your information for certification.

Coming this Fall: Google Student Contest to Develop Open Source Software

Google Code-in is a contest to introduce pre-university students (aged 13–17) to open source software development. In the fall, Google chooses more than a dozen open source organizations to participate. The organizations create an extensive list of three- to five-hour tasks for students to work on. The tasks are categorized as Code, Documentation/Training, Outreach/Research, Quality Assurance, and Design. Competition begins in the fall; check the website for details.

Lessons from State Teachers of the Year
The ‘Lessons from Teachers of the Year’ videos series is a partnership between Google for Education and the Council of Chief State School Officers that aims to elevate the teaching profession and capture the thinking of some of the United States’ best educators. Google recently released the videos from the 2019 State Teachers of the Year. Learn more about their personal passion projects, their thoughts on the future of education, and how they intend to use their platform to improve the education system in their state.

Alaska College of Education Offering Summer Courses for Teacher Certification

The Alaska College of Education will be offering two courses in July in Anchorage required for certification: Alaska Studies and Multicultural Education. Complete both courses in three weeks.

Alaska Communications Summer of Heroes Program Seeking Nominations

Alaska Communications is seeking nominations for their 9^th annual Summer of Heroes initiative, honoring Alaska’s youngest heroes: individuals ages 6–18 who are making a difference in their communities through acts of generosity, courage or achievement. Five winners will each be awarded a $1,500 scholarship. Nomination period closes June 28.

School and District Report Card Feedback

Recently, DEED released the 2017-2018 Report Cards to the Public for each school district and school in Alaska. This new user-friendly website aims to provide clear, common information about all public schools and districts in our state. DEED has created two separate surveys – a District/School Personnel Feedback Survey and a Parent Survey. These links have been added as a tab to the Report Card site. Thank you for your participation in this survey and sharing your thoughts and experience with us.

District/School Personnel Feedback Survey

Parent Feedback Survey

2017-18 Report Cards Now Available on DEED Website

The 2017-2018 report cards are now available online. The report cards provide parents and the public with important information on state, district, and school performance and progress. U.S. ED has issued a Parent Guide to State and Local Report Cards that may be a helpful resource.

AAEC Announces Summer Arts Institutes for 2019

Liitukut Allringumi: We are all learning together: Kodiak Multicultural Arts Institute, July 28-August 2, $249 member district teachers, $350 non-member district teachers. Email Barb Short with questions.

U.S. Census Bureau Offering 2020 Census Statistics in Schools Program

The Statistics in Schools (SIS) program aims to increase awareness of, and overall public response to, the decennial census by engaging administrators, teachers, students, and their parents/guardians in public conversations about the census. The program provides materials that use Census Bureau data for students in pre-school through 12^th grade such as lesson plans, data tools, fun facts, and more.

Info Exchange Housekeeping:
This newsletter is available weekly and in archived form at DEED Information Exchange. To submit news items, call 907-465-6535 or email Erin Hardin.