Weekly Teacher Download for Feb. 28, 2022

ALL TEACHERS

Social and Emotional Learning: Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Academics through the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning framework. CASEL helps cultivate skills and environments to advance student learning and development. This framework consists of areas in interrelated areas of competence and provides examples of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Check out reThink Ed on Clever under Teacher Resources, which provides lesson plans, activities, guided discussion questions, and more. Locate lessons under each of the competencies to help integrate SEL into your classroom. Also, please refer to this information, which focuses on Self-Awareness.

Student Assessment

DDIS Cohort 2022: Charting the Course—Are you interested in learning more about the Data-Driven Instruction Specialist (DDIS) program? Do you enjoy supporting teachers in PLCs and using data to inform instruction? Student Assessment is hosting the DDIS Cohort 2022: Charting the Course virtual sessions to help develop leadership skills and enhance data-driven best practices in aspiring DDIS.  They are seeking interested candidates for the DDIS cohort and possible candidates for future DDIS support in schools. Apply online by March 8 at http://tiny.cc/DDISCohort2022. Accepted applicants will receive notification on or before March 10, including details about the informational session scheduled for 4:30 p.m. March 22. 

Student Enrollment

Do you know a family with 3- and 4-year-old children? Please help us inform parents that HISD is offering one-on-one support for those seeking help enrolling their child in pre-K for the 2022-2023 school year. All elementary schools will assist parents with the application process for pre-K—available in person, by phone, and online—to ensure families have one-on-one options. The event will take place on Thursday, March 3, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. For applications and more information, see HoustonISD.org/Pkfair.

• In person: Visit any HISD elementary school or early childhood center with all required documents
• By phone: Call the HISD hotline at 713-556-6734
• Online: Join a virtual information session on the Pre-K Fair website or sign up for a 15-minute consultation with a team member

Academic Instructional Technology

Tech Tuesdays: The March 1 sessions include STAAR Review with Kahoot!, Elementary Imagine Math, and Secondary Imagine Math.We will give out swag in certain sessions to random attendees. Register by clicking here. Register for OneSource #1461032. 

Introducing Canvas, the new learning management system: Canvas will provide educators, students, and families with a user-friendly, reliable, and supported teaching and learning experience. Beginning March 21, teachers and leaders can start exploring their own sandbox course, access the Training Services Portal for engaging and informative self-paced and live sessions, and even reach out to the 24/7 Canvas support line. Visit Canvas info for details and updates.

HUB Phase Out Support: HUB access will end in July 2022. The AIT team has created a series of videos and how-to guides as HUB phase out resources, and Educational Technology Specialists will also be hosting weekly open labs each Thursday from 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. to assist with saving content before access to the HUB ends in July. Register for any of the HUB Phase Out open labs in OneSource using course # 1468031.

Free access to Adobe software

HISD is providing high school teachers and their students access to the most popular applications of Adobe Creative Cloud and the premium version of Adobe Creative Express, both at school and at home. HISD is providing elementary and middle school teachers access to the entire collection of Adobe Creative Cloud applications and their students with access to the premium version of Adobe Creative Express, both at school and at home. For Creative Cloud, once you’ve logged in, you can choose the apps you’d like to download. Please visit the website at www.HoustonISD.org/Page/192234 for guides and tutorials. You can use Creative Suite in any browser. To access Creative Express, you can sign in through Clever or from your web browser. Go to www.adobe.com/express/. On the top right corner of the browser select “sign in.” This will bring up a new page. Select “log in with school account” on the right side of the page and enter your school email and password. For Adobe Creative Express, please visit our website at www.HoustonISD.org/Page/192202 for guides and tutorials. You can use Adobe Creative Express in any browser, including Chromebooks.

Office of Special Education Services

Issue #6 of the Instructional Digital Download, which supports teachers, leaders, and staff with timely, relevant research-based instructional strategies, mini-model lessons, resources, and coaching, is now available.

ELEMENTARY TEACHERS

Early Childhood

Informational Meeting for Early Childhood Specialist Positions: PreK teachers and teacher assistants are invited to join us 3:30-4:30 p.m. on March 2 to learn about the Early Childhood department and current job opportunities in the department. Register for OneSource Course #1469089.

Elementary Math

Share your experiences via Twitter and tag @HISD_ElemMath #MathMatters.

Virtual: Campus Administrator Collaborative March 10: Explore research-based ideas and strategies that assist with coaching and developing all math teachers. Collaborate with district math administrators on best practices that support and develop strong instructional mathematical thinking. Register for One Source #1443815. 

Virtual: Math Lead Teacher Collaborative March 10: Math lead teachers are tasked to enhance the school’s instructional math leadership team; participants will serve as liaisons between the curriculum math department and campuses. Participants will engage in activities aligned to district curriculum, assessment, and resources throughout the school year. This course is designed to support appointed elementary math lead teachers, but all math teachers are welcome. Register for One Source #1443822. 

Elementary Science

Spring 2022 Elementary Science Sessions: Sessions will be offered synchronously (facilitator-led) after school. To view spring science sessions, see this link. Share your experiences via Twitter and tag @HISD_ElemSci.

Grade 4-5 Houston Museum of Natural Science Field Experience: In partnership with the Houston Museum of Natural Science, HISD is resuming virtual field trips for grade 4-5 students during the spring semester. Feb. 28-March 11 will focus on exploring the life cycles of plants and animals. Contact Gloria Martinez at gmarti13@houstonisd.org to schedule your campus. 

Grades 5 Elementary Science STAAR 2.0 Item Types from 3:30–5:00 p.m. on March 3: Participants will learn about the new item types, implications for checking for understanding, and practice creating using Google slides. Register in OneSource for #1464076.

Grade 5 Science Instructional Planning: Unit 14, Animal Adaptations and Cycle 5 Cumulative Project from 3:30–5:00 p.m. on March 10: Participants will leverage teacher-facing and student-facing resources to plan for upcoming units of instruction and practice difficult concepts that are noted within data. Please have a video camera on and access to HISD resources in the HUB. Register in OneSource for #1461116.

Grade 5 Backwards Planning using STAAR Release Blueprints from 3:30–5:00 p.m. on March 10: Participants will use STAAR Release blueprints to plan lesson review considerations, leveraging district and/or campus historical data. Register in OneSource for #1467040.

Virtual Learning Opportunities for Students and Families: The Houston Museum of Natural Science and Elementary Science Curriculum & Instruction present a series of videos and activities aligned to tough-to-teach standards in grades K-5. Click here to access these resources. Click here for the Science at Home Symbaloo web mix.

SECONDARY TEACHERS

Career and Technical Education (CTE)

Please view this week’s CTE bulletin, February 2022, Volume IV. Visit the HISD Career Readiness page here for all CTE bulletins.

Spotlight on CTE: To bring awareness to the district’s CTE programs of study and post-graduation opportunities, campus personnel are invited to showcase campus events, student work, and more. Please submit using the CTE Spotlight Form. Submissions will be highlighted on the Career Readiness website and social media platforms (Instagram, Twitter, YouTube). Contact your campus’s designated senior CTE program specialist with any questions.