Weekly Teacher Download for May 16, 2022

ALL TEACHERS

Summer School Opportunities

HISD invites teachers to join the Summer School 2022 team. The dates are June 13–July 7. The Summer School OPT-IN process for teachers and nurses is open through May 20, 2022. For details, see this story.

Social and Emotional Learning

May is Mental Health Awareness Month: The SEL department is recognizing Mental Health Awareness month on May 19. Please share this flyer with your school community. Contact Social and Emotional Learning at 713-967-5235 with questions.

Mindfulness is a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you are sensing and feeling in the moment without interpretation or judgment. Practicing mindfulness involves breathing methods, guided imagery, and other practices to relax the body and mind and help reduce stress. Here are three practices you can incorporate immediately. 

• Accept yourself
• Live in the moment
• Focus on your breathing

Please consider registering for the last virtual Mindfulness Adult SEL session on May 26 (One Source #1460111). Take care of yourself and each other.

Academic Instructional Technology

Adobe Creative Challenge: We know our students are “more than a score.” The AIT team, in partnership with Adobe, invites students to show all the things that make them special by participating in our Adobe Creative Challenge. Adobe will be offering prizes to teachers and students! Click here to learn more.

HISD Summer STEM Camp: AIT is now recruiting teachers and students for the 2022 HISD Summer STEM Camp from June 15-29. The deadline for students to apply is May 17. This three-week program includes HISD students in grades 3-12. The program for grades 3-8 will emphasize student knowledge and skills in STEM while introducing them to the collaborative world of coding, LEGO Spike Prime robotics, and a unique field experience. High school students will learn the fundamentals of design, story mapping, recording, publishing, and video promotion through a partnership with Adobe and utilization of their Adobe Pixar in a Box curriculum. Students will interact with a professional artist and experts in the entertainment industry, all culminating in a final video project. For deadlines, locations, and the application process for teachers and students, visit the HISD STEM Camp website.

Introduction to Canvas Learning Series: The AIT team is facilitating the Introduction to Canvas Learning Series, multiple one-hour live virtual workshops that include modeling and guided practice of foundational skills to help you start strong with Canvas. Sessions will be held each Tuesday and Thursday through the end of May (excluding Focusweeks). Begin with Canvas 101: Getting Around by registering via OneSource for course #1470019, and visit the Canvas info website for details and updates.

Growing with Canvas is another training option for teachers and leaders interested in getting a jump start learning the Canvas Learning Management System. It is a series of self-paced modules that leads participants through foundational and advanced skills in Canvas. Once the coursework is complete, participants will receive six hours of OneSource credit, as well as badges we received through Canvas. Register for OneSource #1471008.

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.

Office of Special Education Services

Issue #17 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

CIRCLE EOY Assessment: The EOY (Wave 3) Testing Window is April 28-June 1. There are NO extensions granted during EOY, so please complete all required subtests within the assessment window. If you have questions, please contact Claudia.Azcarate@houstonisd.org. EOY (Wave 3) required subtests: HISD ABC Names, HISD ABC Sounds, Rapid Letter Naming, Rapid Vocabulary, Syllabication, Onset-Rime, Alliteration, Rhyming I, Words in a Sentence, Rote Counting, Shape Naming, Number Discrimination, Number Naming, Shape Discrimination, Counting Sets, Operations, and Observables.

Elementary Math

To view HB3 Math Academy Grade 2 and Grade 3 asynchronous sessions, click this flyer.

Upcoming Assessments Windows

• Kindergarten TX-KEA EOY: April 28 – June 1, 2022 
• Kindergarten, Grades 1 and 2 District Pre-Approved Assessments (DPA): May 2-27, 2022

Elementary Science

Grade K-5 Science Curriculum Feedback: Reflection and Preview. Join us May 31 from 4:30–6:30 p.m. for the next lead teacher collaborative session. Participants will preview modifications to 2022-2023 school year documents to provide feedback, revisit STAAR 2.0 item types, and preview proposed changes to the new science TEKS. This event will be held face to face at Alliant Group Headquarters (3009 Post Oak Blvd., Suite 2000). Register for OneSource #1473013.

19th Annual Summer Institute for K-12 Educators: July 18-22: The Summer Institute is an annual award-winning PD conference where Texas teachers are introduced to innovative, educational modules. The SI workshops feature integrated (STEM, health, LA, social studies, and GT) modules and hands-on activities. For more information, including workshop descriptions, schedule, FAQs, and online registration, visit www.k12summerinstitute.org. Registration is free.

2022 Region 4 Shell Science Leadership Collaborative: The shared objective with Shell is to inspire more students, especially girls and minorities, to pursue careers in science and STEM. By improving the content knowledge and instructional practices and skills of district science leaders, they are better prepared to influence programs that provide opportunities for students to access quality and equitable science and STEM education. Click here to apply.

2022-2023 Texas K-8 Mobile STEM Lab: To learn more about the Texas K-8 Mobile STEM Lab, complete the Texas Mobile STEM Labs Interest Form before May 27.

Virtual Learning Opportunities for Students and Families: The Houston Museum of Natural Science and HISD 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 HomeSymbaloo web mix.

SECONDARY TEACHERS

Fine Arts—Dance

Middle and high school students are invited to participate in the Dance Connect Film Fest 2022 from Frame Dance Productions. The deadline to submit dance films is May 20, and the screening/awards will be held at 6 p.m. May 31 at Meyerland PVA Middle School. Music for the films should be copyright-free; more information and a list of copyright-free music can be found at Dance Connect Film Fest. For questions, contact Frame Dance Productions or HISD Dance Curriculum Specialist Sanja Korman at skorman@houstonisd.org.

Career and Technical Education: See this week’s CTE bulletin, May 2022, Volume II. 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.