Opening In-service 2014-2015 Subtitle – “Gee, that slide looks familiar…”

1. Opening In-service2014-2015Subtitle – “Gee, that slide looks familiar…” Wednesday, August 20, 2014

2. APPLAUSE! • Many thanks to Coach Seiler and Coach Kerwin and the Trojan Booters, Male and Female!

3. New IT Provider - CAIU • CAIU Technician In-House – Dennis Morgan • Some messages about computing from Dennis, including helpdesk@caiu.org

4. Opening Remarks • Evan P. Williams, Superintendent • Welcome • Our mission - to empower our students to be lifelong learners in order to reach their greatest potential • Everyone wants students to achieve! • “They send us the best they have.”

5. What is “Success”? • Students and their parents must know what success looks like, what it is, and how it is accomplished. • Use rubrics so expectations and grading are clear. • If we give kids a clear pathway to succeed, the grand majority will do just that!

6. Grades and Grading • Grade students on demonstrated learning. Try to avoid “zeroes.” • Certain kids will even request zeroes. In cases such as this, we are grading the student’s sloth, not his or her achievement. • Try to insist on a demonstrated process achieving production and give credit for it.

7. Character Initiatives - “Character is who you are when no one is looking.” • A rephrasing of the following: • “The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.” John Wooden

8. Character Initiatives • The Discovery Process – develop students’ character. • Create a Discovery Process program in the UDA Middle School yoked to a UDA Elementary School initiative. • Ultimately, this will take form in UDA High School

9. The Future • UDASD needs to completely assimilate the Commonwealth’s initiatives. The important part is the constructive use of data. • “Make curriculum skill centered.” John Landis, Apple • Elementary school gives students the skills and foundation for content learning. • Middle school refines those skills and begins the assimilation of content and critical thinking.

10. Project Based Learning – UDA Leads • UDA Leads is a curricular program I named which is designed to give our students the opportunity to explore in greater depth the world around them; to create individual learning opportunities combining academics, community services, and vocational experiences; to identify and investigate career opportunities in the form of internships and apprenticeships. • UDA STEM Leads is the initial program in development to be followed by • UDA Arts Leads • UDA FBLA Leads • UDA Citizenship Leads • UDA Fitness Leads

11. UDA STEM Leads • Through a commitment to STEM programs in concert with vocational agriculture and career awareness, Upper Dauphin Area intends to enhance its capacity for research and project driven learning in the secondary schools. UDA intends to augment its computer stations so students may have more opportunities for research, particularly in practical applications, like robotics, hydroponics, aquaculture, biotechnology, and career awareness. Our students live in a farming community, and through research and the act of reporting on that research, authentic assessments, in writing and in presentations, we wish to empower students to express themselves and demonstrate their learning. The ability to thoroughly explore projects which seek to analyze and improve rural living and productivity is an invaluable skill for our students who go forth to join other communities and those who return to improve this community.

12. What does this looks like? • Students tie their various projects together and integrate completely their work in the "hard" sciences with their projects in the "applied" sciences. • For example, a chemistry teacher and a biology teacher will have the opportunity to work with students on aquaculture projects, math teachers will be able to work with construction trades and cabinetry students on design, and a physics teacher will be able to work with mechanics students on engine rebuilding.

13. Concentrations • The UDA Leads framework will allow students to concentrate in their areas of interest: • Business, UDA FBLA Leads • Fine arts, performing arts, and the Humanities, UDA Arts Leads • Community management, law, societal well-being, UDA Citizenship Leads • Wellness, Health, and Fitness, UDA Fitness Leads This may make scheduling more predictable!

14. We are taking what we already successfully do to the next level. • give our students the opportunity to explore in greater depth the world around them; • create individual learning opportunities combining academics, community services, and vocational experiences; • identify and investigate career opportunities in the form of internships and apprenticeships.

15. Introduction of New Teachers • Adam Downing • Kristen Quisenberry • Tammy Osenga • Cory Shade • Brian Leiter • Bob Miller • Pam Lazar

16. UDAES Kristen Quisenberry and Cory Shade

17. UDAMS Adam Downing and Brian Leiter

18. UDAHS Tammy Osenga and Bob Miller

19. UDASD district wide • Pam Lazar

20. And a new Principal, again… • Jared Shade UDA Middle School

21. And a new/former Principal • Dermot Garrett UDA High School

22. And more help for the high school! • Megan Shade Magician

23. And teaching assistants and personal care aides Lisa Hoffman Ruthanna Bordner Erin Leach Christina Teeter

24. New Food Service Supervisor and a New IT Technician Dennis was too busy to have his picture taken. Drat! Jamie Shiko, Nutrition Group

25. Employee Recognition • First, thanks to the custodians and the secretaries for all the work they have done over the summer to prepare the buildings for the coming year, • And, thanks to all our wonderful teacher assistants who support our needier populations. • Unfortunately, there are never enough words to honor all the good things people do for the schools and the district.

26. District Goals, 2014-2015 Goal #1: Improve communications with the community, particularly parents and school personnel, both in volume and effectiveness to enhance an environment of mutual respect. Goal #2: Use Student assessment data to support instructional decision-making. Goal #3: Ensure the use of differentiated instruction at all grade levels to maximize student learning as evidenced by increased active engagement. The mission of our district is to empower our students to be lifelong learners in order to reach their greatest potential.

27. Teacher Effectiveness System Redux • 50% of evaluation observation based on the Danielson Framework • 15% based on Building Level Data – PSSA, PVAAS, Graduation, Promotion, Attendance, PSAT/SATs • 15% Teacher Specific Data – PVAAS mostly, IEP, Locally Developed Rubrics • 20% Elective Data/SLOs – District designed measures, National standardized tests, Industry certs, Student projects and portfolios

28. And on! • The observation system is what counts! • Make sure you create an SLO which you can use! • Each teacher will receive a binder including the Framework congruent to Teachscape. • Teachers should use their binders to collect examples of the great things they do throughout the school year.

29. Legal Updates • Responsibilities • Title VII - Harassment • Confidentiality Guidelines

30. USDE: Missions of all schools • Schools will educate all students. • Schools will provide a safe and orderly environment for all students. • Schools will protect the health, safety, and welfare of all students and staff. Therefore:

31. Decisions! • Schools (teachers/administrators) actions may not be arbitrary, capricious, or deliberately indifferent • Avoid the appearance of • Malfeasance - mal (evil) faire (to do) • Misfeasance - misdo; improper exercise of authority • Nonfeasance - omission of some act which ought to have been done

32. Keep Yourself Safe! • Are you aware? Child A has a knife. • If so, did you investigate? Question the student. • Did you make a decision? Call the principal. • Did you take appropriate action with no intent to harm the child? Escort the child to the office: call parents and police. • Throughout the process, inform those who need to know! In this sample, school authorities need to know, parents need to know and so do the police, even if the parents refuse to allow their child to be questioned by the police unless they are present!

33. Avoid “Deliberate Indifference” Defining the issue of Deliberate Indifference • Being aware of a troubling situation and doing nothing about it • Being aware of a troubling situation and taking a totally inappropriate action

34. Avoiding Deliberate Indifference Complaints and Charges • All complaints must be taken seriously • Processes and procedures must be systematic, not event driven • Respond in a timely manner • Keep detailed records and document every step taken • Avoid making foolish statements

35. Harassment - defined in the Pennsylvania Code • ｧ 2709. Harassment. • (a) Offense defined.--A person commits the crime of harassment when, with intent to harass, annoy or alarm another, the person: • (1) strikes, shoves, kicks or otherwise subjects the other person to physical contact, or attempts or threatens to do the same; • (2) follows the other person in or about a public place or places; • (3) engages in a course of conduct or repeatedly commits acts which serve no legitimate purpose;

36. Continued… • (4) communicates to or about such other person any lewd, lascivious, threatening or obscene words, language, drawings or caricatures; • (5) communicates repeatedly in an anonymous manner; • (6) communicates repeatedly at extremely inconvenient hours; or • (7) communicates repeatedly in a manner other than specified in paragraphs (4), (5) and (6).

37. Title VII - Harassment Title VII Coordinator – Mrs. Mary Bateman • Harassment is a form of employment discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, (ADEA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, (ADA).

38. Defined • Harassment is unwelcome conduct that is based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, and/or age. Harassment becomes unlawful where 1) enduring the offensive conduct becomes a condition of continued employment, or 2) the conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive.

39. Clarification • Petty slights, annoyances, and isolated incidents (unless extremely serious) will not rise to the level of illegality. To be unlawful, the conduct must create a work environment that would be intimidating, hostile, or offensive to a reasonable people.

40. More Clarification… • Offensive conduct may include, but is not limited to, offensive jokes, slurs, epithets or name calling, physical assaults or threats, intimidation, ridicule or mockery, insults or put-downs, offensive objects or pictures, and interference with work performance. Harassment can occur in a variety of circumstances, including, but not limited to, the following: • The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, a supervisor in another area, an agent of the employer, a co-worker, or a non-employee. • The victim does not have to be the person harassed, but can be anyone affected by the offensive conduct. • Unlawful harassment may occur without economic injury to, or discharge of, the victim.

41. Note… • Bullying is a form of psychological harassment. • The most common form of psychological harassment is verbal abuse, meant to humiliate or weaken the morale of individuals or groups. • Remember the slide on “Deliberate Indifference.” • Make certain you investigate claims of bullying and report them to your principal! • Parents reporting claims of bullying often look upon the faculty and the administration as fools because they think we know everything! Please help us – report what you know.

42. UDASD… • Must strive to create an environment in which employees feel free to raise concerns and are confident that those concerns will be addressed. • Must inform the harasser directly that the conduct is unwelcome and must stop. Also, Employees should report harassment to management at an early stage to prevent its escalation.

43. What are Open Public Records? • Records may be accessed unless, • Release would incur loss of federal or state funds, • Would result in a risk of physical harm or security, • Would threaten homeland or military security, • Would result in a security risk to a physical structure • Would jeopardize computer security, • They detail threat assessments, etc., • They contain personal identification information or records of individual medical, psychiatric, or psychological history • They contain performance reviews, ratings, letters of reference, or test scores,

44. More exceptions… • A record pertaining to labor negotiations: this doesn’t apply to signed contracts, • Any exhibits from arbitration hearings or the transcript of an arbitration decision, • Or the draft of a bill, resolution, regulation, policy, management directive, ordinance, or amendment prepared for or by an agency. However, email is a public record! Do not forget that text messages never, ever go away!

45. An Open Records Officer… • Receives requests and fills those valid, • Requests must be in writing on the required state form, • Sensitive information may be redacted from certain documents for a fee, • “Requesters” must pay for copies. • UDASD must respond within five business days.

46. Fees • “Requesters” pay $.25 per page for copies. • If sensitive documents must be copied and information must be edited, “redacted” from those documents, the redacting fee is $28.42 per hour or $15.00 per page. • Any district employee who receives an Open Records Request must immediately forward it to the Open Records Officer. • The Business Manager is the unfortunate Open Records Officer.

47. Upper Dauphin Area School DistrictConfidentiality Guidelines During your employment with the Upper Dauphin Area School District, you may have access to confidential information regarding students, staff members, or other District-related matters. All employees are expected to only access, use, or share confidential information, as needed, in order to fulfill their legitimate job responsibilities. Employees may not access, divulge or make copies of confidential information in the District’s possession for non-job related reasons; disclosures of confidential information to others for non-District purposes is strictly prohibited. This policy is not intended to prevent disclosures where disclosures are required by law. Employees must exercise good judgment and care at all times to avoid unauthorized or improper disclosures of confidential information. If employees do not know whether certain information is considered confidential, they should confer with their immediate supervisors before making any disclosure of such information. In addition, employees should be sensitive to the risk of inadvertent disclosure and should, for example, refrain from leaving confidential information on desks or otherwise in plain view and refrain from public discussions confidential information if the conversation could be heard by unauthorized persons. An employee’s duties to respect the privacy of confidentiality information continues after employment ends, and he or she shall return, at the request of the District, all documents, papers, and other materials, regardless of medium, which may contain or be derived from confidential information, in his or her possession.

48. Break Time! • Fifteen minutes

49. And just a little more! • Safe Schools Website – CARRT Training • Policy 816 – Use of Cell Phones • Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate

50. Policy 806 Child/Student Abuse