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May 2008 "Just for Teachers" Newsletter

Message from DOE Teacher Liaison, Nicole Flesvig

Whether you are preparing for a much-needed break or on the lookout for professional development opportunities this summer, “Just for Teachers” has something for you. This end-of-year issue contains information ranging from summer opportunities for teachers to recent changes in legislation resulting from the 2008 Florida Legislative Session. Don’t forget that many of the money-saving offers provided during Teacher Appreciation Week are valid into the summer and beyond. If you missed the Teacher Appreciation newsletter earlier this month, these opportunities are always available for you via the “Just for Teachers” Web page, located at http://www.fldoe.org/justforteachers. Just click “Money-Saving Offers.”

During the summer break, the “Just for Teachers” monthly newsletter will be on hiatus; however, a variety of resources are always available to you via the “Just for Teachers” Web page located at http://www.fldoe.org/justforteachers. Once the school year resumes, you can look forward to more news and resources from the Florida Department of Education.

The Florida Department of Education is committed to ensuring that Florida educators have access to news and resources to keep you informed and maintains avenues to enable you to provide feedback to the Department. Your input, whether given via surveys, focus group discussions, committee participation, e-mail, or other contact, plays an important role in shaping educational policy in Florida.

On a personal note, I wanted to let you know that I have chosen to return to Collier County, where I began my K-12 teaching career. Although I will no longer be serving in the role of Teacher Liaison for the Florida Department of Education, I will serve teachers on a local level in a position with the Education Foundation of Collier County. It has truly been a pleasure serving you these past two years. During my time at the Department, I have had the opportunity to meet with many of you, and have been inspired by your passion and dedication to Florida’s children. Having come directly from the classroom to the Department, I am happy to say from experience, that the Commissioner and Department staff are exceptionally committed to Florida students and educators.

Spotlight on New Legislation

SB 1908: Designation of High School Grades
Passed during the 2008 Legislative Session, Senate Bill 1908 expands the criteria for grading high schools to include: graduation rate, graduation rate of at-risk students, performance and participation in accelerated learning (AP, IB, AICE, etc.), postsecondary readiness, and end-of-course exams.

The bill stipulates the following:

  • Allows the use of “rigorous, statewide, standardized” end-of-course exams developed or approved by the Department of Education.
  • Allows an AP, IB, or AICE exam to count as an end-of-course exam.
  • Increases the rigor of the Sunshine State Standards.
  • Expands eligibility for the School Recognition Program to include schools that improve more than one letter grade and sustain that improvement the following year.
  • By 2010-11, moves back the FCAT reading and math testing dates one month later in the school year with results back before the end of the school year.
  • Prohibits FCAT “frenzy” (e.g., suspending classes for practice tests).
  • Establishes credential levels (i.e., gold, silver, and bronze) for Ready to Work certification in statute.
  • Creates designations for high school diplomas (e.g., major area of interest, AP, IB, AICE, dual enrollment, Ready to Work)

Sunshine State Standards

Social Studies Standards Available for Public Comment
The proposed revisions to Florida's social studies standards are now available for public comment at the Social Studies Standards Review Web site at http://tools.fcit.usf.edu/ssreview. To ensure that the standards are clear, concise and accurate, the Florida Department of Education invites you to rate each of the benchmarks and provide your feedback to the writers. Please submit your comments no later than July 16. If you would like to explore the source materials from which these standards were derived, please review the Social Studies resources used by the framers and writers of the proposed standards (http://etc.usf.edu/flstandards/ss/resources.html).

Resources

The Orange Grove K20 Repository: Digital Resources for Educators
The Orange Grove K20 Repository is a digital resource management system serving all Florida educators. It provides a central location for you to share files or Web sites with colleagues, locate and modify existing content to meet your instructional needs, or re-use resources as they are -- for online or classroom instruction. You can use the Repository independently or as part of your learning management system.

The Repository houses a range of free resources including documents, videos and images, complete or partial lessons and Web sites -- with more being added daily. Each resource is described and searchable with fields such as: keywords, age/grade level, subject, or statewide standard number, among others. The Repository also interacts with other collections and repositories, giving you access to worldwide resources from your desktop.

Currently, The Orange Grove is adding more than 500 multimedia lessons from the National Repository of Online Courses (NROC: http://www.montereyinstitute.org/nroc/), covering a range of subject areas, such as math, science, and social sciences. All resources are available for use by Florida teachers at no cost. To learn more about The Orange Grove, enter as a guest, or request your free individual account, visit http://www.theorangegrove.org/

For more information, contact:

Susie Henderson
Director, Florida’s PreK20 Digital Repository
Associate Executive Director, Florida Distance Learning Consortium
.

Cathy Alfano
Project Manager, Florida’s PreK20 Digital Repository
Florida Distance Learning Consortium
.

Opportunities for Educators

INSPIRE Counselors Needed
The Interdisciplinary National Science Project Incorporating Research and Education Experience, also known as INSPIRE, is seeking educators to supervise high school students during eight-week summer internships. Positions are available at several locations across the U.S. One counselor will be selected for each of the 10 NASA Field Centers. The position requires a professional educator to coordinate NASA INSPIRE activities within the NASA Center region. The INSPIRE Counselor will be the designated point of contact for INSPIRE participants at the assigned NASA Center. Training will be provided prior to the assignment. The position requires a minimum of a four-year degree in science, mathematics and/or technology education, a valid teaching certificate, and a minimum of three years teaching experience in grades 6-12. A combination of teaching experience and NASA education experience is also acceptable. U.S. citizenship is required. Counselors who are chosen will receive lodging and meals during the eight-week event; travel to and from the NASA field center, and a stipend of $5,800. Oklahoma State University graduate credit is also available to those who are interested. Applications are due May 30, 2008. If you have questions about this opportunity, please contact Richard Adams at . To apply or learn more about this opportunity, visit https://opportunities.nasa.okstate.edu/index.cfm?liftoff=applications.PositionDetails&JobPostingID=20.

Free Tour of Saint Augustine
Considering taking your students on a field trip to Saint Augustine? Each year Tour Saint Augustine hosts free tours for teachers and administrators who would consider bringing students on a school-related excursion to the area. This year these complimentary tours are being offered June 24th or June 28th. In addition, participants are welcome to bring their families. For more information, contact .

Money-Saving Offers
Looking for discounts, promotions, and other money-saving offers for Florida teachers?
Visit the “Money-Saving Offers” page on the “Just for Teachers” Web page at http://www.fldoe.org/justforteachers/Newsletters/2008_TAW/OffersTeachers.asp.

Opportunities for Students

Free Microsoft Software for Students: Microsoft DreamSpark
The Microsoft DreamSpark student program makes a broad range of development and design software available to students at no cost. The program is now available to more than 35 million college and high school students around the world. To learn more, visit https://downloads.channel8.msdn.com/.

Conferences

National Staff Development Council Summer Conference (Orlando)
July 13-16, 2008
The National Staff Development Council Summer Conference is about inspiring, informing, and helping teacher leaders and administrators provide the most powerful forms of professional learning to all teachers with whom they work.


More than 100 sessions address these important issues for teachers:
  • Creating and sustaining school-based learning teams and learning communities;
  • Understanding and using data to improve instruction;
  • Developing facilitation, presentation, relationship, and trust-building skills;
  • Advancing teacher, principal, and central office leadership for school-based professional learning;
  • Narrowing the achievement gap in literacy, math, and science; and
  • Accelerating new teacher competency through mentoring and induction.

Make connections with other educators and form lasting relationships to support your work and improve your school. View the Summer Conference Program to select sessions. Download this registration form and mail or fax your registration to: NSDC Business Office, 504 S. Locust St., Oxford, OH 45056. Fax: (513) 523-0638. Have questions? Call (800) 727-7288.

Money-Saving Offers

Free Pass to Universal Orlando Resort for all Pre-K through 12th Grade Public School Personnel
The free pass to Universal Orlando Resort for all Pre-K through 12th Grade public school personnel is still available. The current offer is good through June 28, 2008, and also provides the opportunity to take up to six friends and family members with you for $49.99 each plus tax. To learn more, visit the “Money-Saving Offers” page at http://www.fldoe.org/justforteachers.

Did You Know?

Florida educators can access news, resources, and other important information from the Florida Department of Education’s Web site at http://www.fldoe.org.