Weekly Teacher Download for December 4

ALL TEACHERS

15 Days of Code: In celebration of Computer Science Education Week, join Advanced Academics for 15 Days of Code starting Dec. 1 to Dec. 21. Teachers can find coding activities for every grade level that will engage students in a new coding experience each day.  To learn more about how to get your students engaged in basic computer programming, click here.  You can also send pictures to news@houstonisd.org, or post your coding event using #HISDecoded.

Digital Literacy Moments Challenge: The Education Technology team invites students K-12 to work as teams to produce a 60-90 second digital animation and/or video, highlighting important tips about how to be safe online. “Digital Safety Moments” can be produced in any format, including live video, animation or a sequence of narrated images.  Click here to view previous submissions and review possible topics.              Deadline for submissions is Mar. 29, 2018 and should be sent to http://tinyurl.com/DigLitMoment.

Group 1 Automotive VIP Services: HISD is excited to offer a new program giving all members of Team HISD access to a “VIP experience” when purchasing or leasing a new or used car.  Together with Group 1 Automotive, the new VIP Services program offers a personal shopping experience that grants employees access to exclusive pricing, inventory access, and special concierge services at their more than 170 dealers located throughout the country.  Learn more about the program, here.

Innovation Grant Program: Thanks to the generous donations from local community members and business partnerships, the HISD Foundation has launched an Innovation Grant program to provide funds for teachers and schools to purchase equipment, supplies, and other items to innovate teaching and learning in the classroom. The foundation will award $150,000 in Innovation Grants for the 2017-2018 school year and is open to all teachers in grades Pre-K through 12. It’s not too late! Apply now, here.

Attendance Best Practices:  Each day, teachers are required to take attendance and monitor accruing excused and unexcused absences. With attendance serving as a gateway to identifying services that better serve student challenges, the Student Initiatives Department encourages all teachers to learn about Attendance Works, a national non-profit organization designed to promote attendance and help teachers identify methods that achieve student success. Learn more about the program and best attendance practices, here.

ELEMENTARY

Professional Development: The Elementary Curriculum and Development Office is pleased to offer a variety of professional learning opportunities for teachers during the month of December, including literacy training to support Literacy by 3 (OneSoure courses #826004, #826005, #826006, #826007).  For more info, click the course list here.

Robert’s Rules for Kids and Big Kids:  Elementary campuses are invited to participate in “Robert’s Rules for Kids and Big Kids”, a pilot program that teaches students through experiential lessons about rules of order and parliamentary procedure. The pilot also consists of a free professional development session for the campus to support implementation of parliamentary procedure including differentiated lessons per grade level and a copy of the book Robert’s Rules for Kids and Big Kids. For more questions and to RSVP by Dec. 8 contact mjohns64@houstonisd.org.

SECONDARY

Strategic Reading and Writing Monthly Meeting: Join the Secondary Curriculum and Development Literacy Team at the next Strategic Reading and Writing monthly meeting Jan. 11 at Lanier Middle School from 4 – 5:30 p.m.  Teachers will learn how to focus on the implementation of literacy practices in reading, writing, and small-group instruction for students in need of intervention. Register now in OneSource using course #171003. For more information, click here.

College Board AP Readers: The Advanced Academics Department encourages all Advanced Placement teachers to apply as College Board AP Readers. College Board provides onsite AP Readers with an honorarium (last year was $1,639) as well as travel expenses to respective subject-area readings. Apply today, here.

National History Day: The Office of Advanced Academics is excited to support and coordinate the 2018 National History Day (NHD) competition for grades 6 -12.  NHD expectations strongly align with HISD’s Social Studies disciplinary practices and give students the opportunity to act as historians. If your school would like to participate or learn more, contact Suzanne Acord at suzanne.acord@houstonisd.org and visit nhd.org. HISD’s districtwide competition will take place on March 24, 2018 at Hattie Mae White.