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April 2021

 

Learning Loss or Learning Gained? 

 
 

(Above) App State students enjoying a moment that might have been taken for granted in the past...

               
Dear Partners, 
 
There's been a great deal of talk around what has been lost in our schools and with our students over the past year. The idea that some students have regressed and that some skills haven't been taught in the same order or to the same degree that they were taught in the past is true to some extent and in some situations. However, I choose to focus on what we have gained this year. Let's be mindful of that...
 
It is not hard to notice the gains in our partnership districts if you are watching and listening. In fact, I find it quite easy to observe you all working overtime to make sure that your communities are gaining information, gaining input, gaining resources, and gaining experiences, to the best of your abilities! 
 
I see students, teachers, and leaders gaining skills in flexibility, in adaptability, in empathy, and in showing grace! I also see gains in student engagement, family involvement, and the use of high-yielding virtual pedagogies.
 
I see gains in appreciation for the small things that mean the most--greeting students in the car lines, student voices in the hallways, gathering on Friday nights for a game on the field...
 
We may have lost time in our buildings this past year, but we gained respect for those in our buildings and the events and memories that make us all human beings!  No matter what your test scores show in May, remember the gains you have made that have allowed you to both survive and thrive! 
 
I have gained so much from the opportunities I have had to work with you this year! Thank you for allowing me to partner with you through it all! 
 
To find out more about how the RCOE supports staff, faculty, and partners in and around our college who are celebrating GAINS at the end of a long year, as well, check out the April RCOE Weekly "Connected" Newsletters, featuring news from our own Dean Spooner each week: 

Dr. Betsy Rosenbalm, NBCT

Director, Public School Partnership/Regional Director, NC New Teacher Support Program

Reich College of Education, Appalachian State University

rosenbalmem@appstate.edu; 704-657-0764

 

Don't Miss Out!

Summer Equity Mini-Grant Opportunity! 

This year, the RCOE Public School Partnership has voted to provide an additional round of mini-grants for the summer of 2021!! These mini-grant funded projects should be focused on EQUITY, DIVERSITY, and/or INCLUSION. 

The Appalachian State University Partnership Mini Grants are intended to build relationships between Appalachian State faculty members by engaging in collaborative projects that are connected to internships, student teaching, professional development of teachers, and/or student learning (P-12 and preservice teachers). The funding should not be used to take the place of current monies, but should be used to expand or refine existing efforts or to begin new initiatives. Partnership districts include Avery, Ashe, Alleghany, Alexander, Caldwell, Burke, Elkin City, Watauga, Newton-Conover City, NC School for the Deaf, and Wilkes.

 Here is the revised Mini-Grant Application for the May 28, 2021 deadline. 

Deadline for Proposals: May 28, 2021 by 5pm!

The following guidelines should be followed in designing a project proposal:

  • The nature of the mini-grant project MUST be focused on equity, diversity, and/or inclusion and executed this summer or in the fall of 2021!
  • The project must be collaborative in nature and include a group of educators working together. 
  • Groups should include public school teachers or administrators, education faculty, and/or pre-service teachers, if possible.
  • Funding for grants is contingent on available resources and number of grants submitted.
  • $500-$1,000 is the funding range. Stipends for teachers are allowed by the University with specific paperwork. Funds may be used for substitute pay, classroom resources, registration, or faculty pay.
  • All funds should be spent by the end of Fall 2021.
  • Applications must be emailed to rosenbalmem@appstate.edu no later than May 28th at 5pm.
  • The Mini-Grant Committee will reconvene the first week of June to evaluate the applications for the Summer of 2021.
  • The rubric used to evaluate and make decisions on funding is located at the bottom of the application as a resource and a guide for our applicants. 
 

 

NBCTApps Update! 

 

On May 10, 2021 from 3:45 to 5:15pm, we will have a "Celebration of Submission" meeting to signify our final support meeting of the year and acknowledge the work of our candidates and our NBCTApps mentors this year!

We would like to publicly thank the following NBCTApps who have mentored NBCT candidates and presented PD at our support meetings this year. We could not have done this without you! We look forward to celebrating being the best in the nation again for the 6th year in a row next year at this time!! 

 

 

 

It's Mountaineer Readers Time!

Appalachian State University’s Mountaineer Readers initiative began in the Fall of 2007 as a partnership between App State's Reich College of Education and our App State Athletic Department. The purpose of the program is to support literacy among students in the Northwest North Carolina counties of Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Elkin, Newton-Conover, Watauga, Wilkes, the NC School for the Deaf, and our Appalachian State University Academy at Middle Fork.  The highest summer readers in each school, grade range, and PSU receive awards, recognition, and a chance to attend Appalachian State sporting events in person! 

During the summer of 2020, 13 schools and 90 regional students participated in the Mountaineer Readers program, reading nearly 76, 500 pages! You can read about last year's event in this article: Mountaineer Readers 2020 Article. We would love for YOUR students to be involved in this reading initiative this year! 

Information will be sent out to school media coordinators and/or school contacts for this initiative by mid May 2021. If there are any questions about this process, the timeline, or the celebratory events, please encourage media coordinators to contact Dr. Betsy Rosenbalm directly. Thank you for sharing out this information with your schools! 

 

 

 

Calling All Curriculum Experts

and Problem Solvers!

Are you interested in co-constructing learning experiences, assessments, and field experiences for pre-service teachers in order to collaborate for a mutually beneficial relationship between the Reich College of Education and P-12 Schools? Would you be excited about being a part of a problem-solving team with members of the Reich College of Education?

If so, we are looking for P-12 educators and various other students and partners who would be willing to serve on an advisory group (either in the official AppVisory Group and/or on a Program Advisory Team) and meet 2-4 times a year for meaningful, collaborative discussions and planning!

Please fill out THIS FORM by May 7th if you are interested in being on an RCOE Advisory Group for the 2021-2023 biennium!

 

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week from the 

 NC New Teacher Support Program!

 

Would you like a moment to sit back and take a deep breath during Teacher Appreciation Week this year (May 3-7, 2021)? The pre-service teachers in our Appalachian Educator's Club (App Ed) and our NC New Teacher Support Program are working with our Public School Partnership to provide an engaging literacy activity to classrooms for 20-30 minutes during Teacher Appreciation Week! Over 60 teachers in our Public School Partnership took advantage of this virtual learning experience with a really excited, creative, future teacher from App State and signed up for a virtual guest in their rooms! We look forward to ZOOMing into these classrooms next week to read, discuss, laugh, and learn with our fellow teachers and students in the Public School Partnership (PSP)! 

 
We APP reciate our PSP teachers and staff members! May you be appreciated every day for the hard and wonderful work you do! 

 

 

 

Relevant Instructional Resources!

 

Engaging Opportunities for YOU! 

NC PD Opportunities:

NCCAT Summer PD Opportunities: 

NW RESA PD Opportunities:

App State PD Opportunities: 

Mathematics Education Leadership Training (MELT) is offering both face to face and online sessions this summer! melt.appstate.edu

  • Math 1, 2, 3 
  • Matrices in the 4th Level course
  • Mathematics in MIddle Grades
  • Mathematics in Middle Grades 
  • Teaching Math to Special Education Students
  • Mathematics Teaching in the Context of ELL/ESL
  • Desmos (6-8) and (9-12)
  • Teaching CCRG Math

Partnership Leaders Council (PLC) Dates: 

  • June 3rd: 4 to 6pm 
  • July 14-15, 2021: RCOE Conference opportunity (2 day virtual event; responsibilities will vary among participants)
  • Graduation from the Partnership Leaders Council will take place on July 15 at 3pm

PLC Service Projects in Spring/Summer of 2021: 

  • Providing help for parents/families who don't know how to support their students during remote learning (parent nights, tutoring, training for families, etc.)
  • Collecting and distributing needed items for children and families who lack resources (garden vegetables, canned foods, clothes, toiletries, school supplies, etc.)
  • Doing online/virtual story time for children with recorded read alouds of picture books

 App State Events

Commencement and Summer Information:

Covid-19 Information:

 
 
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Mailing address: Appalachian State University, 493 Ridgeway Ave, Statesville, NC, 28677, US