Tech Tuesday -- Study Blue

John Higgins will be presenting Tech Tuesday tomorrow on a new 'electronic flashcard' application called Study Blue.  John has been using this program in the classroom and will be showing us how to use it.

Join us at 7 AM or 2:30 PM.

Friday Focus #9: 10.21.11

• Thanks for your help and patience in making this a fun Homecoming Week for our students.  

• A discussion on in-service came up at our recent department chair meeting.  I would like to do a variety of professional development on our scheduled in-service day (November 23rd).  Please make suggestions in the comment section of the Friday Focus.  

• Tech Tuesday next week will be titled: "Sharing with Google Docs".  We will be discussing the ins and outs of sharing documents with each other and your students.  Included will be a way to see changes made by individual students.  Join us at 7 AM or 2:30 PM. 

Also... Remember that we will have an afternoon "Movie Maker" session on Monday for those of you that were interested in Movie Maker last week but were unable to make the morning session.  

• A quick note about our bells: periodically, the clock that rings our bells is not in sync with the Dukane clocks in your rooms.  Please do not release students early when the Dukane clock indicates the period is over... always go by the bell!

On a somewhat related note, some students have been complaining that there is not enough food during their lunch (especially during C lunch) and may be trying to convince you that they need to leave early for lunch.  For what its worth, their is PLENTY of food... however, we may run out of pizza periodically.  Please do not let students leave for lunch early as this will create issues in the hallway and lunchroom.  Also, if you see students running, please tell them to stop!   

• If you haven't seen this video about vodka soaked gummy bears, you should take a few minutes to watch it now.  Something to watch out for among our students. Click here.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY...

10/29     Bruce Boley
10/30     Dave Maurer

Upcoming Events

10/22  Homecoming Dance, 8 - 11 AM
10/24  OGT -- Reading
10/25  PAY DAY
          GRADES UPDATED IN PROGRESSBOOK
          OGT -- Math
          Tech Tuesday: "Sharing Google Docs"
10/26  OGT -- Writing
10/27  OGT -- Science
10/27  Marching Band Concert, 7 - 8:30 PM, HS Gym
10/28  OGT -- Social Studies
          Pep Assembly 

Assembly Schedule & Tech Tuesday

The assembly schedule was posted under Friday Focus #8 on the staff blog last Thursday afternoon.  It is accurate.  I will also be linking a Google Doc under the Schedules menu across the top of the staff blog later today.

Also, Tech Tuesday for this afternoon will be postponed and rescheduled for NEXT MONDAY after school.  Please vote on the NEW poll on the right sidebar for the next Tech Tuesday topic for next Tuesday.

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Tech Tuesday -- Movie Maker

Tech Tuesday for 10-18-11 will be Movie Maker.  I will cover everything you can learn about Movie Maker in 20 minutes.  Join us!

Friday Focus #8: 10.13.11

Good morning.  Not sure how everyone else feels, but I sort of think short weeks go slower than long weeks.  This was no exception!  Regardless, no matter how you spend your day tomorrow, try to get re-energized for the next run of 5+ weeks until the end of the 1st trimester and break from school!

Just a couple of quick notes and reminders today:

• Remember that grades should be updated in Progressbook by the 10th & 25th (Pay Days) of each month.  Of course, you can update more often (and most of you do), but this is just a good guideline for those checking grades to know that they are the most up-to-date.  

• OGT Make-up week is approaching.  More details will be coming from the guidance office next week. 

• Tech Tuesday this week... check out the poll on the right hand side of the blog.  I will do a Tech Tuesday based on the vote.  Winner to be announced Monday afternoon. 

• If you haven't yet completed the bloodbourne pathogens training, I think Friday is the deadline.  To help you out, click here to access the online training. 

• Blog troubleshooting: I have deleted the old feed and recreated it.  I also took down the password protection on the blog and made it visible ONLY TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE LINK.  The blog is STILL PRIVATE... as long as no one shares the link.  You no longer have to log in to read the blog.  You will not be able to find the staff blog unless you know the exact address -- a search engine will not find it.  I am hoping this will also help in the email subscription option.  I think it wasn't sending the email because of the password protection.  SO... TRY SUBSCRIBING AGAIN if you want email notification of blog posts.  

• The Homecoming Assembly Schedule for Wednesday is as follows: 

1st period     7:25 - 8:30

2nd period    8:35 - 9:40

ASSEMBLY 9:45 - 10:15 

3rd period    10:20 - 11:25

4th period     A     11:30 - 12:00

                    B      12:05 - 12:35

                    C      12:40 - 1:10 

5th period    1:15 - 2:20  

 

 

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY...

10/20  Erika Draiss
10/21  Lynne Ray
10/22  CJ Puthoff
10/22  Toma Hainline

Upcoming Events

10/14  No School
10/19  Homecoming Assembly
10/19  Picture Retakes
10/22  Homecoming Dance, 8 - 11 AM
10/24  OGT -- Reading
10/25  OGT -- Math
10/26  OGT -- Writing
10/27  OGT -- Science
10/28  OGT -- Social Studies
10/28  Pep Assembly 

Trial #4

hello

Email Subscription Trial #3

OK... here it is.  This time I tried the equivalent of uplugging it and plugging it back in.  I deleted the old 'feed' and re-did the whole process.  No one should get an email this time -- except me.  I just set this up and have a new email subscription window on the right (although it looks the same).  I will try this and then let everyone know if it works!

Email Subscription Trial #2

I guess the best way to solve any technology problem (after you unplug it and plug it back in) is to use trial and error.  I am trying a process of elimination to determine the issue with the email subscription option.  If you are signed up to receive emails when I post, then I hope you receive an email after this post.  Please comment below one way or the other.

Thanks for your patience!

You Tube for Educators

I don't know much about it yet, but I just came across You Tube for educators. This is not supposed to be blocked by filters (according to You Tube). Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/education.

Give feedback on how this works.

Friday Focus #7: 10.10.11

Better late than never!  Here is the Friday Focus that didn't make it out last week!

Netbook distribution went well.  All but 4 freshmen received the netbooks on Thursday.  Freshmen are excited (and upperclassmen maybe a little angry!).  So far, there seems to be very few problems.

No Tech Tuesday this week.  We will resume next week.  If you have a topic you would like to hear more about or something you can present, please comment below!

HAVE A GREAT SHORT WEEK!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY...

10/10  Connie Opperman
10/11   Jason Andrew
10/12   Kim Koesters

Upcoming Events

10/12  PSAT -- Juniors
10/12  Stratford Trip Departs -- return on 10/14
10/13  Spirit March
10/14  NO SCHOOL --WOEA DAY!

Parent-Teacher Conferences

The time is upon us... tonight, we meet with parents to discuss their child's progress.  Since this is most often a conversation about how/why their child is struggling, it is important to remember to always say at least one positive.  I always try the sandwich method with parents:  i.e. say something positive, give the bad news, then finish with a positive.

New teachers (and all teachers) benefit from the advice of others.  If you have a strategy or other piece of advice on parent-teacher conferences, please share in the comment section below.  Feel free to ask questions here also!  Great place to share...

For more tips and tricks for parent teacher conferences, check out the post from last October on the same topic.  Some great comments from our staff!

The conference log will be completed online this year via Google Forms.  Click here for the form, or visit the Parent-Teacher Conference tab at the top of the page.  You will need to submit the form once for each conference.  Give me feedback afterward on how the form worked.  Remember to include any other recent forms of communication with parents as well!

My College Options

My College Options is a survey for all 9th - 11th grade students.  We will be administering this survey during advisory period on Wednesday.  It takes about 10 minutes... you will receive the surveys in your mailbox this afternoon (if you need extras, they are in the office).  Here are the directions:

• After announcements, please distribute the survey to EVERY student (students should not be dismissed with passes until the survey is completed). 
• Explain to the students that the survey helps colleges learn more about potential students and will help match student interests and needs with specific universities and/or career choices.  
• Let students know the survey is voluntary (but no one leaves until all are completed!).
• Ask students to print clearly using a No. 2 pencil or pen with blue or black ink.
• Tell students: 
• Write the last name of their advisory teacher in the box that says "teacher's last name". 
• If students provide a parent email address, their parents will receive a copy of their college matches.  However, only the student will receive a personalized, confidential password for the My College Options website. 
• For school names (Q. 15), fill out the complete name of the school, not abbreviations (i.e. Ohio State University, not OSU). 
• Collect all completed surveys and return to the office by the end of the day. 

Staff Blog Updates Via Email

Good morning!  Hope everyone is having a great start to the week!

I have had some recent concerns that the automatic emails from the Staff Blog posts have not been received recently by those that have subscribed.  This post is a test.  Please let me know if you are receiving these emails by going to the blog and commenting that you have / have not received the email from this post.

THANKS!