LI News Blast #1: Logistics and Reminders

Hello PTs!  I hope everyone had a delightful spring break and a strong first week back!  We received a lot of excellent and helpful feedback on the sessions this week that will help us plan for the summer.  Please continue to send your modifications, concerns, ideas, best practices, etc!!


Virtual SBS:

• As discussed in our April 16th meeting, May 9th will be a Virtual SBS via Google Hangouts or Free Conference Call.

• The session for May 9th is now Family and Community Engagement

• The session for May 8th is now Unit Plan Feedback and Reflecting on Professional Growth
• Any PTs who cannot attend the virtual session at the date and time you select should make up the session by Tuesday, May 14 so they are caught up for the next session the following day. If they do not attend the virtual session or make it up as instructed by you, it will count as an absence.
• Whichever platform you choose, plan to practice ahead of time to ensure you are comfortable with the logistics and can communicate clearly to your PTs what they need to do to join the session and actively participate.
• Plan to:
• Schedule the meeting a week in advance and copy the meeting information into an email to share with participants.
• Note that PTs can attend via computer or phone, however, if they plan to call in, they need to let you know so you can send them the slides to follow along. I recommend mandating that PTs participate online so you can more easily track participation. If they cannot do so at the time you schedule, they will need to complete the make-up.
• Freeconferencecall.com will record video and audio from your computer and your screen share. You can upload the recorded session to a google folder for anyone who could not attend.
• Note that participants can type into a chat box but the contents of the chat box will not be saved.
• Share your screen with the session slides open. 
• Make Ups: PTs who are absent from the Virtual Session are required to watch the recorded session (which will include the slides in your screen share), complete the handout and submit it directly to you, and complete the Exit Ticket.  If they fail to complete any part of these requirements, it will count as an absence.

LI Meeting:
Our meeting previously scheduled for Tuesday, May 7th has been rescheduled for Tuesday, May 14th.  Mark your calendars!! We will:

• Look at the rubric for the final portfolio and norm
• Practice entering scores into Blackboard and Teacher Track 2
• Review troubleshooting procedures for Blackboard 
• Preview Gateway 3

Upcoming SBS:
Wednesday, May 8th: Unit Plan Feedback and Reflecting on Professional Growth

• Assignment alert!  Final teaching portfolio due May 16th!
• The feedback process in this session is very prescriptive and designed to help PTs focus on critical aspects of their Unit Plan.  Follow this process strictly while addressing your PTs' individual needs.
• PTs who do not have a complete unit plan should still participate in this process to collaborate and get and give feedback.
• Reserve time for the "Reflecting on Professional Growth" (21 minutes) section at the end.  If you feel your PTs need more time for their unit plan feedback, you can consider making this part "homework," but it is critical that they engage in this reflective practice using the rubric. 

Thursday, May 9th: Family and Community Engagement

• You'll see that in the folder for this session there is a slide deck called "Virtual Family & Community Engagement."  This slide deck is being modified for the virtual session as needed (check the notes). It will be ready early next week. 
• I am in the process of revising a few slides with a new shared document to make them more purposeful for the Virtual Session.  All of the needed resources will be linked in the slide deck and the PTs' handout.