Engaging All Learners

Engaging All Learners
Studio Day April 2019

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

#supportinglearnerseveryday

Our official hashtag for Curriculum and Instruction this year is #supportinglearnerseveryday.  The goal of our department is to provide professional learning and support to teachers, administrators, and students.

Today, K-2 teachers were led by Reading Coach Kelly McGough in a discussion of Wiley Blevins' A Fresh Look at Phonics and a discussion of ways to provide the most effective phonemic awareness and phonics instruction for emergent readers in kindergarten, first, and second grades.  The participants will provide turnaround training for teachers at their schools.




During the afternoon, representatives from all five TCS schools met for the District Literacy Team meeting. Participants reviewed literacy and ELA standards, Reading Reconsidered, a book that has led the group's learning for the past two years, and Jennifer Seravallo's The Reading Strategies Book.  This group will provide turnaround training within the month for teachers in each school.  











Monday, September 17, 2018

TCS Twitter Chats


Throughout the 17-18 school year, TCS teachers and administrators participated in monthly Twitter Chats that focused on the TCS Nine Educator Effectiveness Indicators.  This year, we will resume our #edchatTCS with a focus on the TCS motto: Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow.  Questions will focus on how we encourage everyone to learn and lead.

September 24     Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow
October 29         Growing Leaders
November 26     Teacher Leadership
January 28          Leading with Character 
February 25        Student Leadership
April 29              Planning for the Future

The September 24 #edchatTCS will be led by TCS District Administrators.  Here's a head's up on questions for Monday night:


  • Name a historical leader you admire.  Why?
  • Consider someone you know who is a great leader.  What leadership qualities make them stand-out?
  • Describe a pivotal moment when your leadership skills required quick action. How did that moment grow you as a leader?
  • What is something you’ve read lately to grow your leadership skills?  
  • What key advice have you given or received regarding leadership?

We hope you will join us Monday, September 24, at 7:00 P.M.

Thursday, September 6, 2018

HTHS Math Teachers to Utilize Touch Screen Chromebooks

HTHS math teachers received training today on their new Touch Screen Chromebooks.  The math department received two carts with thirty Chromebooks per cart after math teachers requested the touch screen Chromebooks.  Training was designed and provided by Dr. Jennifer Cardwell, April Chamberlain, and Ashley Waring.  Teachers were introduced to a specially designed website that houses the many apps and websites that support math teaching and learning.  Additional training will follow.  




Monday, September 3, 2018

TCS Administrators Collaborate and Learn

TCS Administrator Collaborative met during two sessions August 29 to collaborate and grow as leaders.  The group includes principals, assistant principals, academic coaches and central office personnel.

Objectives of the Collaborative Meetings:
To improve student learning
To improve teacher practice
To provide administrator collaboration
To provide technology resources and support
To develop learning communities in schools that are aligned with the district and state
To use disaggregated student data to determine professional development needs

Learning Targets for the Day:
I can observe a lesson, noting Educator Effectiveness indicators.
I can collaborate with colleagues to provide meaningful, useful feedback to teachers.
I can discuss key concepts and implementation ideas from my book selection.
I can explain the Administrator Effectiveness process.

The leaders observed videoes of an AP Lang lesson and a second grade reading lesson.  The observers completed an observation worksheet independently and then debriefed with the group about each video.  A discussion followed about what meaningful feedback looks like.

Participants are involved in one of four book studies that will span the year.  Each group met and discussed a portion of their book, and then shared key information with the whole group that could be implemented in our schools.  The books include:

Extreme Ownership - How Navy Seals Lead and Win (Willink and Babin)
How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms, 3rd Edition (Tomlinson)
Leading for Instructional Improvement: How Successful Leaders Develop Teaching and Learning Expertise (Fink and Markholt)
Peer Coaching to Enrich Professional Practice, School Culture, and Student Learning (Robbins)