TCS Hosts Parent EdCamp

Click here to see photos from the June 23 TCS Parent EdCamp https://storify.com/aprilpc/tcs-parent-edcamp .

Melanie Dimler Attends AP Summer Institute

Melanie Dimler attended the Advanced Placement Summer Institute for AP Physics 2 at Walton High School in Roswell, GA. This APSI was taught by Dr. Jiang Yu of Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts.

HTMS Science Teacher Attends Space Camp

Abbie Copus, HTMS sixth grade teacher, was selected to attend Space Camp.  Engineer and author Homer Hickam, whose memoir Rocket Boys inspired the feature film "October Sky," former shuttle astronaut Wendy Lawrence, and author Ed Buckbee were among the notable speakers . Participants learned about the history of space travel, as well as new information about the cutting edge technologies at work in the new era of deep space exploration. Abbie shared that we are teaching the generation who will take America to Mars, and she is excited to share with her students what is going on right now with NASA and its partners.

In addition, Abbie participated in many sessions demonstrating innovative, STEM/project-based learning opportunities. Participants received resources to go along with these lessons, and were also invited into the NASA Educator Resource Center, where they were given additional resources to use freely in their classrooms.  

Participants were able to experience all the simulators, mock missions, and training that young space campers experience while at camp.  Alabama is underrepresented as far as students who attend Space Camp, and Abbie plans to encourage students to apply, with first-hand knowledge of the wonderful things space camp has to offer.  

Abbie shared that Space Camp was overwhelmingly beneficial to her as an educator. She feels better equipped now to create a more comprehensive learning environment for her students. In her report, Abbie said, "I feel blessed to have come away with the experiences and resources I now have, as well as the network I was able to build with fellow educators with whom I can continue in collaboration.  

Thank you all for your continued support for educators at TCS. I'm so proud and blessed to work in this system, and I appreciate all that you all do on a daily basis to make TCS the best."   

Abbie's Space Camp Team, Destiny
(Note the guide dog who spent the week with the team)

TCS Math Coaches Present at UNA

TCS math coaches, Jana Walls and Lisa Lothspeich, were asked by the University of North Alabama Regional Inservice Center to present at their annual Professional Development for Teachers and Administrators, June 15.  

During their three hour session, Jana and Lisa shared best practices for developing and assessing multiplication fact fluency.  They demonstrated strategies for introducing the facts, expanding conceptual knowledge, facilitating connections, and the methods for building fact fluency.  

CPR Training for SpEd Teachers and Paraprofessionals

Special education teachers and paraprofessionals are receiving training today on CPR by the Trussville Fire Department.

8 Ways to Encourage Family Engagement in Secondary Schools

Read the informative article from Edutopia about engaging families in educating children.  The author of the article, Heather Wolpert-Gawron, states that it is vital for schools to actively search out all families with determination.

According to DropOutPrevention.org, studies show that with more family engagement:

There is greater student achievement.
Student attendance is higher.
Graduation rates are higher.
Alcohol abuse is lower.
Students from diverse backgrounds and who are farthest behind benefit.

So how does a school walk this tightrope of asking for age-appropriate involvement? Here are eight ways to engage families:

1. Engage Families in Their Elementary School First
2. Create a Parent Advocacy Group
3. Take School Information on the Road
4. Utilize Your Local Businesses
5. Find Out What Your Families Need
6. Reach Out to Families Just to Build a Relationship
7. Provide Trainings
8. Host an EdCamp for Parents

We know that in every school there are the families who will always be involved and there are those who, for whatever reason, might not be. The school, however, can no longer be a part of the reason for this split.

Trussville City Schools has a plan in place for actively reaching out to parents.  We are looking forward to hosting our first Parent Edcamp, June 23, at HTHS.

To read the entire article, click here.

TCS Well Represented at AETC

Multiple TCS teachers and administrators attended the 2017 Alabama Educational Technology Conference this week at Hoover High School.  Several participated as presenters, co-presenters, and facilitators of sessions.

The keynote speaker Wednesday was Jeff Utecht, whose topic was, "Respecting Students and their Culture."  Utecht says, "It is a new digitally connected world and 'I'm not good at technology' is no longer an excuse educators can afford to hide behind."  He says schools must meet students where they are, and increasingly that place is in devices.  He also said in his speech that teachers are not facilitators;  they must be creators of learning experiences.

You can follow Jeff Utecht on Twitter.  @jutecht

April Chamberlain welcomes participants to her Technology Playground

Stephanie Rosetta helps participants with Makerspace circuitry

April Chamberlain facilitates programing Spheros 

Wiring up a Makey Makey piano!

Lara McLendon explores in the Technology Playground

Jennifer Cardwell and Stephanie Rosetta share how TCS uses Google Forms

Dr. Autumm Jeter, CLAS Leadership Award Recipient

We are proud to announce that Dr. Autumm Jeter was given the overall recognition of CLAS Leadership Award Recipient at an awards luncheon in Mobile today. Dr. Jeter was recognized and honored along with other outstanding school leaders from across the state. CLAS awards one individual overall for their outstanding work with CLAS, their affiliate (the Elementary Association for Dr. Jeter) and advocacy work on behalf of public education. 

TCS Teachers and Admins Participate in Mt. Brook EdCamp

 TCS administrators and teachers attended the Mt. Brook Listen, Learn, Lead Conference and EdCamp June 6-8.  The keynote speaker for the conference was Mike Anderson, author of Learning to Choose, Choosing to Learn.

TCS Administrators Reflect on 16-17 and Prepare for 17-18

TCS administrators and leaders met June 7 to reflect on the 16-17 school year and to think ahead to 17-18.

Learning Targets

1. I can reflect and share top three initiatives or highlights from each school or department.
2. I can reflect on 16-17 data and share with district colleagues.
1. Attendance/Discipline
2. Performance Series/STAR
3. Other
3. I can reflect and revise Educator Effectiveness.
4. I can reflect on and revise the District Continuous Improvement Plan.

The first part of the day focused on data reflection. Mandi Logan and Kathy Burgin gave an attendance summary for unexcused absences. The data shows that new procedures that were put in place positively affected unexcused absences. Hal Riddle gave an update on discipline data for the district. Each School shared academic data and highlights of 16-17.

The administrators reflected on Educator Effectiveness for 16-17, answering what went well and what needed to be changed.

The group revised the district Continuous Improvement Plan, reflecting and discussing the progress made toward achieving the nine goals and needed improvements.

First Day of Vacation a Day of Learning for First Grade Teachers

TCS first grade teachers, including new teachers, Taylor Harrison and Ashleigh Bonovitch, met together at the ALC today with Dr. Faust and Rod Alex to explore and study two of their STEMscopes Science units: Behavior of Light and Sound and  Communication.

Teachers took time to research additional resources that will enhance the topic being taught. Once completed, teachers reviewed the changes and additions made to their specified kit. Some teachers demonstrated the kit activities for other teachers to observe, provide feedback, and suggest any changes. Also, teachers created a list of items (clear cups, tin cans, laminated vocabulary cards, etc.) they would like to see added to the kits. 

The feedback received from today was very positive. Teachers feel more prepared to teach the first four STEMscopes modules. Two additional dates (November 17 and February 16) are scheduled during the school year to meet back at the ALC and explore the upcoming modules in their schedule.

That's a Wrap to an Amazing Year!

This year really is almost a "wrap!"  Very little about this year has been ordinary.  In fact, for the most part, this year has been extraordinary in so many ways.  Because of the opening of the new elementary schools, we pushed the start of school back to a late start, but once we began, we hit the ground running.  We haven't looked back either!  

The people who work for the students and families in Trussville City Schools are the reason things were extraordinary this year.  There aren't words to adequately express our gratitude and appreciation for you ALL.  Our administrators have graciously and effectively dealt with lots of new challenges this year.  Teachers managed to get school started even though the elementary teachers were scrambling at the very last minute to set up their classrooms.  Magnolia teachers had to pack a second time, vacating Paine and moving into their new building in October.  Our support staff has done just that - supported in every possible way.  We opened new lunch rooms, opened up new bus routes, figured out new walking routes, changed the way lunch was done at HTHS, reconfigured computers, telephones, and infrastructures, set up new financial books for new schools, divided tons of books, furniture, supplies, and Chromebooks, and on and on and on.  But as usual, our people got it all done.  In the process, students kept on learning and growing.

Cahaba Elementary 

August 2016

First Day of School for Cahaba Elementary

Magnolia Spring 2016

Ribbon Cutting at Magnolia

October 2016

Opening Day at Magnolia

Paine - Summer 2016

Paine - October 2016

I started reflecting on all the things that were set in motion this year, and I was honestly amazed.  Here, in no particular order, are some really big things we did this year:

• Opened three new elementary schools.
• Removed  all 13 portable classrooms from the Paine Campus
• Built K-5 cultures (as opposed to separate K-2 and 3-5)
• Started Husky Hour at HTHS 
• Began implementing a new framework for teaching reading in grades K-5
• Implemented a new science program - StemSCOPES in grades K-5
• Developed our own science curriculum in grades 6-12
• Replaced science textbooks with hundreds of Chromebooks and the expertise of our science teachers
• Implemented a new teacher evaluation tool and a brand new way to strengthen teachers - TCS Educator Effectiveness
• Created a new evaluation tool for counselors and librarians
• Designed and successfully implemented new strategies for curbing student absenteeism 
• Assembled a district literacy team to focus on improving literacy throughout the district and to develop an internal canon 
• Flawlessly administered literally thousands of state mandated assessments 
• Hired approximately 42 new teachers, adding many new positions including librarians and music, art, and technology teachers
• Won countless student and teacher awards and recognitions

We did much more than just these things.  Teachers, administrators, counselors, and support staff kept things from unraveling when we had challenges, heartache, and tragedies.  And we had our share this year.  For sure, 16-17 will remain in our hearts and minds forever.  We will remember most all of it, but our students will remember the learning, the support, and the love they were shown.  

Thank you for the really big things you did and the thousands of little things you did.  You changed lives.  You know you did.  You gave second, third, fourth chances.  You opened doors.  You provided opportunites for brighter and better futures.  How on earth do you adequately thank someone for that?  You can't. But that's how school people are.  We don't do what we do for thanks.  We know why we do it.

Have a restful, fun summer!  We will do it again in 17-18.