SDP Educator Weekly
newsletter
January 29-february 2
in this issue
Opportunities for:
quicklinks
Good morning colleagues,
Today I want to spotlight two opportunities to celebrate colleagues for their relentless work on behalf of students, families, staff, and the communities we serve. Being acknowledged by peers who have a deep knowledge of what we're doing each day can be some of the most meaningful recognition. There are two ways that you can do that in the immediate future!
- Lindback Award Nominations: Since 2011, Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation of Philadelphia has been recognizing and rewarding educators who have made significant leadership and humanitarian contributions to their school community. The Lindback Foundation will award 60 distinguished teachers from the district for their work to improve the intellectual and character development of students. You can nominate a teacher on our website by noon on February 12th.
- School Counseling Week: School Counseling Week takes place next week, February 5th through February 9th, and I encourage school teams to think about how they can recognize their counselors for the ways in which they go above and beyond for their students and school community.
And finally, you'll notice an update to our weekly newsletter next week where we have a section to highlight information that is specific to our paraeducators.
Have a wonderful week,
Meredith
Action Items
Student Well-Being Survey Window 2 opens February 12- 23, 2024!
We ended the 1st Window with nearly 80% overall student participation across the district! We ask your help to maintain that momentum, in appealing to our students to share their voice and help to improve their school communities with it. Please see the Student Well-Being Survey Webpage for the most updated information related to the Survey and resources to support you from preparation through operationalizing the data results, specifically a stepper on how students can access the survey and sample Community Meeting slides to pre-teach the survey to students across grade bands.. Thank you for all you do!
Next Steps:
Please allocate time for all students to complete the Student Well-Being Survey for the survey Window 2. School staff with access to Qlik can also track participation using the tracker throughout the survey window. Please email Helen Ford, hford@philasd.org, with any questions.
General Announcements
National School Counseling Week 2024
National School Counseling Week 2024 takes place February 5th-9th to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems and how students have increased success as a result of the work school counselors do. Please use the resource linked below to find ways to acknowledge the work your school counselors are doing and look out for counselors highlighted on the SDP webpage and social media throughout the week. Resource can be found HERE. Questions? Email Meghan Smith at measmith@philasd.org.
2nd Annual Rosa Parks Brithday Celebration- Black History Month Event
Join us at the School District of Philadelphia's Second Annual Rosa Parks Celebration. This significant event will take place in the Skyline room at the Free Library of Philadelphia Parkway Central Library Branch on February 9, 2024.
As we gather to honor the legacy of Rosa Parks, a pivotal figure in the fight for civil rights, it is an opportunity for us to come together as a community committed to fostering inclusivity and understanding. The celebration will feature insightful discussions, impactful presentations, and a shared reflection on the lessons we can draw from Rosa Parks' courageous stand. Limited Space Available. Register at bit.ly/RosaParksBDay. Questions? Email Ismael Jimenez at ijimenez@philasd.org.
Unapologetically Black Education: Strategies for Dismantling Systems of Domination Black History Month Event
Join us for a thought-provoking panel discussion, "Unapologetically Black Education: Strategies for Dismantling Systems of Domination." Gain transformative insights from a diverse panel, including scholar Dr. Christopher Rogers, high school educator Hannah Gann, elementary educator Tia James, and parent activist Martiza Guridy, as they collectively share strategies to challenge and dismantle systems of domination within the education system. Acquire unique perspectives on promoting an unapologetically Black educational experience that empowers and liberates, contributing to a vision of equity and justice in education. Register at bit.ly/DismantleEdu. Questions? Email Ismael Jimenez at ijimenez@philasd.org.
Professional Development
Teaching Inner Strength Training Program
SDP teachers, counselors, climate staff and other student support personnel are warmly invited to participate in Teaching Inner Strength, a school mindfulness teacher training brought to you by our partner organization Inner Strength Education. In this 14 week course, you will learn 7 evidence-based mindfulness tools and how to incorporate them into a public school classroom. You will also learn the trauma-sensitive mindfulness approach, compassion building techniques, the basics of the period of adolescent brain development and more. The course is held live, via Zoom, and includes the opportunity to participate async. Inner Strength has brought programs to 23 of our SDP high schools, reaching more than 25,000 students and PD Stress Management programs to more than 3,000 of our staff. There are a limited number of full scholarships. For more click HERE and check out the linked flyer HERE. Questions? Email Lauren Thomas, lkthomas@philasd.org.
Building upon the Power of Student Voices and Ideas 02/24/2024: Black History Month Event
Hosted by the School District of Philadelphia and Jubilee Voices Publishing House in collaboration with GSE, our event will showcase a presentation and dynamic discussion led by Jubilee School's esteemed sixth and seventh-grade alumni. These accomplished individuals played a crucial role in founding Jubilee Voices Publishing House and are the authors of three of the six books to be presented. These literary works were crafted by talented Jubilee students in fourth through sixth grades, adding a unique perspective to the narrative.
Attendance is free and open to everyone! To secure your spot, please register through cornerstone or at bit.ly/VoicesIdeas. Let's unite in celebration of Black History Month and contribute to the ongoing journey of unraveling the true narrative of our history. Questions? Email Ismael Jimenez at ijimenez@philasd.org.
Graduate credit (ACT 48) PD courses
Graduate academic (transcript) courses available spring session '24 through Misericorida University that meet ACT 48 requirements for license renewal and salary advancement. More information can be found HERE. Please email Jeanette Nash at jeanette_nash@virtualeduc.com with any questions.
Opportunities for Students
Philadelphia Regional Media & Design Student Competition!
Register now for the Philadelphia Regional Media & Design Student Competition! The registration deadline for ALL projects is February 28, 2024.
Participation is open to any student enrolled in the School District of Philadelphia in grades 3-12 as well as those in a private or charter school within the boundaries of Philadelphia or in an approved home school program residing in the City of Philadelphia.
The competition and award ceremony will be on Friday, March 22, 2024 at 440 North Broad 9:00-2:00p. Check out our website for more information: tinyurl.com/PhillyMDC. Check out our MDC 2024 Flyer HERE. Questions? Email Jessica Ross, jqross@phila.org, Director Special Projects.
Family Math Toolkit
Good Morning Math Community,
We are excited for our first family math webinar in the new year happening tomorrow! Please help spread the word to the families you serve by using this Communications Toolkit to share the opportunity with your community!
If you have any questions, please reach out to Jessica Tilli at jlauer@philasd.org.
Sincerely,
The Math Team
16th Annual Black History Month STEM Field Trip
Bring your students out for a fun, interactive and engaging field trip with a focus on STEM and the contributions made by African American scientist. There will be live STEM demonstrations, music, and lots more led by Master Scientist Grand Hank. All interested teachers can find more information in the flyers HERE and HERE. Please email Dr. Charlotte Brickhouse, cbrickhouse@philasd.org, with any questions.
Opportunities for Teachers
Equity in Practice: Philly Truce
On February 21, 2024 at 12:00 pm, The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will be collaborating with Philly Truce for our February Equity in Practice session. In this session, Philly Truce will outline their connection to equity, their services, and share insights on how to equitably support marginalized students, specifically African-American/Black young men.
Questions? Emai Kyle Tribble atl ktribble@philasd.org.
Free Science/History Field Trip
The Wagner Free Institute of Science is currently booking FREE field trips for the spring 2024. Field trips can be scheduled Tuesday-Friday between 9:30 and 4:30. All lessons are NGSS standards aligned. Choose your topic and get your students engaged in science and history. Lessons can be tailored to all academic abilities. Questions? Email Morgan Caswell at Morganc@wagnerfreeinstitute.org.
The Philadelphia Affinity Group Network
Are you an educator of color who wants to connect with other educators of color? If so, Teach Plus is launching a Philadelphia Affinity Group Network in partnership with the School District of Philadelphia that focuses on cultivating authentic, inclusive, intersectional spaces shaped by and for educators of color. These affirming and supportive spaces, rooted in an asset-based understanding of diversity, will support educators in navigating and improving their school environments and will be connected to a larger network to build alliances and address systemic issues. If you are interested in learning more or participating in the network, please take a few minutes to complete the interest form HERE.
You can also learn more about the Philadelphia Affinity Group Network HERE. Please email professionaldevelopment@philasd.org with any questions.
Instructional Resources
Tech Tidbits: Lumio, PDF, Immersive Reader, Oh My!
Lumio just added Editable PDF which means that students can now use Immersive reader on text from a PDF. Immersive Reader can read the text to the student in English or the students can pick another language. Do you want to learn more? Then this Tech Tidbit is for you. For more information, view the video and the stepper HERE. Questions? Email the Office of Educational Technology at edtech@philasd.org.
Term 2 ELA Focus Areas: Syntax and Language Structures: Sentence Expansion (K-5)
Teaching students the sentence expansion strategy: “because…, but…, so…” requires them to engage in specific and focused thinking as well as prod them to think critically and deeply about the content/texts that they are studying. Additionally, it provides the teacher with a more precise check of students’ comprehension. Check out this Infographic from The Writing Revolution HERE. How can you apply these scaffolded strategies to the writing tasks in the ELA Units? Let us know your key takeaways at ela@philasd.org.
Term 2 ELA Focus Areas: Expanding Structured Literacy: Sentence Level Comprehension (6-12)
In order to successfully pass the PSSA or Keystone Exam, students must truly comprehend the content that they are reading. Understanding complex texts starts at the sentence level, where students decode and comprehend the intricate relationship between words and structures. You can help your students navigate through complex text by explicitly teaching students about sentence structures. You empower your students to understand challenging texts by breaking down complex sentences and explaining language nuances, leading to deeper comprehension of complex written materials. In our last professional development session, you were introduced to the Sentence Comprehension Tool HERE. Use this valuable resource to enhance students’ understanding of complex texts and to support them with the process of reading comprehension. Questions? Email ela@philasd.org.
Instructional Resources
Rosa Parks- Black History Month Resource Guide
This Resource Guide in honor of Rosa Parks' birthday on February 4th is a thoughtful blend of historical reverence and educational relevance. This guide, tailored for grades K-12, meticulously examines the life and enduring legacy of Rosa Parks, aligning with the School District of Philadelphia's commitment to excellence in Social Studies education. By strategically incorporating Africana Studies and Black History perspectives, this guide not only commemorates Rosa Parks' birthday but also ensures a meaningful exploration of her contributions to the civil rights movement, promoting insightful discussions among students throughout the district. Questions? Email Shaquita Smith, ssmith5@philasd.org.
Lunar New Year Curriculum Guide
Developed with a commitment to fostering cultural understanding, the Lunar New Year Curriculum Guide for grades K-12 provides a comprehensive framework for educators in the School District of Philadelphia. Through a cross-disciplinary approach, the Lunar New Year Curriculum Guide aims to instill respect for diversity and promote a deeper appreciation for this cultural celebration, aligning with the district's goal of delivering inclusive and engaging Social Studies education. Questions? Email dwei@philasd.org.