A couple of FIRSTS...Early Release Wednesday and the Teaching and Learning Handbook

Early Release Wednesday Schedule

On Wednesday, September 2nd, we will participate in our first ever AISC Early Release Professional Development and Learning.  This time has been thoughtfully planned and organized based on our school-wide Teaching and Learning Priorities and the feedback that was collected in the 2014-2015 Faculty Climate Survey.  I would like to extend a special thanks to everyone who has been involved in the planning and organizing of the afternoon - this is definitely a team effort! The schedule and meeting locations are provided below, please ask if you have any questions about the breakout session you should attend.

Time and Location	Other Details
1:30	School is dismissed.  All students leave campus immediately.
1:45 – 2:45  -FAC Cafeteria	All teachers report to the FAC Cafeteria for first session.   Topic: Creating Opportunities Through Collaboration – “Meeting the needs of a wide range of learners” TAs will receive further directions from their supervisors.
2:45 – 3:00  FAC Cafeteria	Snack Break and Transition
3:00 – 4:30	PE Department - Led by Ryan McFarland -  Room 1301 Sorting and prioritizing CDC health standards to create a PK – 12 scope and sequence.  World Language - Led by Monica Sandifer -  Room 3125 Working collaboratively, the team will unpack an elementary, middle and high school standard and continue working on the 2-10 scope and sequence.    English/Language Arts - 6 - 12 Led by Pepper McFarland - Room 3113 Unpacking CCSS Argumentative Standards and analyzing our written, taught and assessed units. Literacy K-5 - Led by Andrea Morris -  Inner Courtyard Conference Room Unpacking the first reading and writing units of study and aligning them to our CCSS standards and the reporting standards.  Theater/Music - Led by Deb Lee Room 2709 Revisiting the philosophy statement framed by new standards. Beginning PK-12 vertical alignment using the newly adopted standards. Visual Arts - Led by Ed Doherty Room - Ken's Art Room Revisiting new philosophy and using existing unit(s) to incorporate the cross-cutting concept of “investigations” in order to create a new unit aligned to the newly adopted standards. Beginning work on a Pk-12 scope and sequence. Social Studies - Led by Andrew Ranson and Walter Basnight  - Room 2120 Developing a K-12 Social Studies identity Engaging in a guided conversation regarding what Social Studies looks like at AISC K-12. Identifying gaps and ideas for research groups for the Social Studies Innovation Team. Math - Led by Kala Ganeshan and Calley Connelly SHED Revisiting or vertical understanding of K-12 Mathematics at AISC. Investigating Interventions – how can we use a progression of standards to support struggling students? Science - Led by Rebekah Lopata, Jayanthi Ramakrishna and Lori Newman - Room 3124 Understanding the “State of Science at AISK”  K-12 Mapping the K-12 Scope and Sequence  - Understanding the reporting standards and indicators PK Teachers - Led by Kevin Hall  Kevin's Office Exploring the new Creative Curriculum. EAL  - Led by Karen Sumaryono and Paula Peters-Frampton - Hall of Light Continuing ongoing strategy work Counselors and Nigel - MS Counseling Suite Creating a systematic online file storage, and ensuring confidentiality  Designing a supervision structure so we can learn from each other.  IT (coaches and integrators) – Led by Kevin Crouch IT Office and MS CIC
4:30 – 5:00 – ES, MS and HS CICs	New Book Party!  Led by Jet Willette and Peter Jacobson  Exploring and viewing all new materials (including curriculum support and pleasure reading).  Considering materials that need to be purchased in the upcoming budget season.
5:00	Dismissal

And a drumroll please....

We are pleased to present the first AISC Teaching and Learning Handbook.  Please take some time over the next few weeks to familiarize yourself with the handbook.  Your feedback and suggestions on how to make it the most useful resource would be greatly appreciated.  If you have ideas, please let me know.  Many, many thanks to the everyone who helped with compiling, organizing and editing.  A special thanks to Pradeep, Padma and Jason for their ongoing support and contributions.

Click here to access the Handbook