TCS Hosts Code.org Fundamentals Training

Trussville City Schools hosted Code.org Fundamentals training March 22 for Trussville and surrounding area teachers.  Participants included teachers from Trussville, Shelby County, Cherokee County, Birmingham City, and the ALSDE.  Ashley Waring, Hoover City Schools Technology Leader, facilitated the workshop that focused on computer science standards and resources to support the development of our students.  Computer Science is more than coding, it is a way of problem solving that will help students in many areas of their lives.

We are thankful to April Chamberlain, Technology Coordinator, for bringing this valuable training to our district. 

Science Professional Learning

From:
Phyllis B. Faust, Ed.D.
TCS K-12 Science Coordinator

Secondary science teachers participated in a professional learning experience facilitated by Eric Lambert and Emily Menard with ASIM on March 19^th and 20^th . Teachers participated in an Ice Melting CER (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning) activity and an in-depth ADI (Argument Driven Inquiry) lab.  In order for students to be proficient in science, students need to learn more than terms and facts. ADI incorporates science and engineering practices (SEPs), crosscutting concepts (CCs), and disciplinary core ideas (DCIs). ADI also helps to develop science specific literacy skills so students can read, write, and speak in the context of science.  Having teachers experience this type of inquiry will strengthen the opportunities that are provided to students on a daily basis.

HTHS Science Teachers Participating in an ADI Lab

 HTMS Science Teachers Participating in an Ice Melting CER Activity

Magnolia Teachers Go the "Extra Mile"

Please take a moment to read Melissa Donaldson's email below.  Throughout every single day in our school district, so many people do so many things that go unnoticed.  I am thankful that Melissa shared this great story for everyone to see. 

Good morning,

I just wanted to give some praise and thanks to the awesome staff at Magnolia Elementary.  On Monday when early dismissal was called at 11:30 am, Magnolia decided to not do specials from 11:30 am to dismissal and sent all their specialists to the cafeteria to assist.  They also adjusted their lunch schedule to get the students fed more quickly.  The specialists cleaned the entire cafeteria so my staff could clean the kitchen and be able to leave campus when the teachers did.  I cannot express enough how much this helped and meant to my staff.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

Have a super day,
Melissa

Melissa Donaldson, MS, RD, SNS

Child Nutrition Coordinator

Trussville City Schools

205-228-3034

I will add that when the cafeteria staff finished up in the cafeteria and kitchen, they went out to support teachers in the car line!  What an amazing display of caring and true character.  It was a great example of treating others the way we want to be treated - with kindness! 

Alabama Civics Test

From Dr. Phyllis Faust, TCS Testing Coordinator

Many thanks to Erin McGuyer, Leigh Stovall, Josh Haynes, and Jeff Schrupp for attending the Alabama Civics Test Development Training providing by Scantron in Tuscaloosa today (March 8).  It was an extremely successful day! Terry Grissom with Scantron facilitated the training by teaching how to create an assessment on the Assessment Series website. After this training, teams were given time to collaborate and create a test or leave for the day. Our team of teachers wanted to stay and work. Because of their diligence, I can proudly say that Trussville City Schools is ready to administer the required Civics test in 2018-2019.

Scantron provided a test bank of 175 multiple choice questions of which 100 questions had to be selected for this test. The conversation was very rich between these teachers who you can tell are very passionate about their content! We read through and discussed all 175 questions. I enjoyed listening to the reasoning behind why they thought one test question should be part of the test and another test question should not.  They even found one test question that gave a wrong answer! Our students are definitely blessed to have these educators as their teachers!  Discussion took place about providing this assessment to their students at some point this year to see how well they can do. 

It was a great day for Trussville City Schools!