Middle School Department Meeting Agenda 12/11/13

1. Jellybeans.
2. Clarifications:

• I have no expectation that you, or your students, are tweeting or blogging. 
• I do expect that we continue to use our best practices to impact the lives of our students and continue to grow as professionals.
• I do expect you to take your time completing the Flinn videos. The certificate is due to me by July 1. You can sign up for 1 or 2 sessions on the January PD day and there are 5 meetings that have been given back to you so you can complete the video modules on your own time whenever it is convenient for you. In two years time, we can re-evaluate how we as a department will comply with training everyone based on the regulations and time constraints. If you have suggestions, please reach out!
• Please continue to reach out to me whenever you have a concern.

3. Review the stations of our edcamp-style model of PD 

In our January-March department meetings we will be coming together to talk about the things that matter most to us: our interests, passions, and questions. These meetings have been designed to provide us with greater flexibility and autonomy and truly focus on areas that we have identified for continued growth. 

• The Danielson Framework (Group members will review the rubric and develop a document detailing specific classroom strategies that mirror the expectations in the Framework.)

• Tech Ninjas (The kickoff session will begin with Alan Johnson and Sharon Feig sharing information on the district initiative and the long-term plan. Group members will then develop ways to use technology and Google Apps for Education in the science classroom.)

• Standards-based Grading (Group members will be developing strategies for implementation in their respective courses.)

• Next Generation Science Standards (Group members will discuss ideas for implementing the science practices of the NGSS and create a document that will be shared with all science teachers.)

• Vertical Articulation (Group members will focus on how the core concepts spiral 6-12 and the best practices to increase student proficiency in science.)

• Common Assessment review (PLCs will review the shared work of their students in order to determine if the students have demonstrated proficiency on the common tasks and develop ways to differentiate based on the data.)

You will have the opportunity to either stay with a group for the three sessions or to switch if you are interested in one or more of the other sessions. 

If none of the above choices are appealing to you, please make a recommendation. You will be able to select based on how you would like to grow professionally.

Please sign up on the Google Spreadsheet to sign up for only one of the sessions in January. You will have the opportunity to sign up for additional sessions in February and March as well. 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AnbU-Lg-UoWSdFFySVdaNG94ckxKd3hSOHBCTjh0dEE&usp=sharing#gid=0 

4. 20 things we should say more often. 

Have a great Winter Break and continue to be awesome. Our January meeting is on the 15th with all 6-12 teachers.