BI-COUNTY BRIEF - FEBRUARY 2010
| Volume 7, Issue No. 7 | February 2010 |
STATE MANDATES CHANGES IN TEACHER/PRINCIPAL EVALUATIONS
Illinois has joined Obama's "Race to the Top" initiative to get its share of a $4.35 billion stimulus package to improve education. At the request of the Illinois State Board of Education, Senate Bill 315 was "fast tracked," passed through the legislature and signed into law in January by Governor Pat Quinn. The new law states that "effective teachers and school leaders are a critical factor contributing to student achievement" and that "many existing district performance evaluation systems fail to adequately distinguish between effective and ineffective teachers and principals."
Requirements include:
· School districts must incorporate the use of data and indicators on student growth as a significant factor in rating teaching performance and teacher evaluation plans. This requirement will be phased in, beginning in 2012 with Chicago schools and including all other districts by 2016.
· A joint committee of district personnel and teachers will agree on the use of data and student growth in teacher evaluation plans or be subject to a model evaluation plan developed by ISBE.
· After September 1, 2012, all tenured teachers and principals will be rated excellent, proficient, needs improvement or unsatisfactory.
· Within 30 days of a needs improvement evaluation, a professional development plan must be submitted.
· After September 1, 2012, data and student growth must be used to rate a principal, based on a system developed by ISBE.
· School districts must submit teacher and principal performance evaluation data to ISBE.
Read Senate Bill 315 in its entirety at www.ilga.gov.
TRIP TO DAUPHIN ISLAND SEA LAB IS SET FOR SEPTEMBER
Regional Office of Education personnel, high school biology teachers and their students will be returning for a sixth time to the Dauphin Island Sea Lab later this year. On September 24, 2010 the group will begin its 5-day trip to the lab, which is located at the mouth of Mobile Bay. The ROE is pleased to continue this collaboration with researchers of Dauphin Island because it's an opportunity for bi-county students to travel, learn and rub elbows with scientists on the cutting edge of marine research. Anyone interested in being a part of this September trip should contact Mary Ann Quivey, trip coordinator, at mquivey@roe45.org.
EXPERIENCED SUPERINTENDENTS HIRED INCOLUMBIA AND RED BUD
Recent school board actions have resulted in the hiring of new superintendents for the Columbia and Red Bud school districts. Dr. Gina Segobiano, who is currently superintendent for Harmony-Emge School District #175 in Belleville, has been hired to replace Mr. Ed Settles, who is leaving Columbia CUSD #4 to take the head position for Jersey CUSD #100 in Jerseyville. Mr. Rick Goodman, who is currently superintendent for the Thompsonville CUSD #174, has been hired to replace Mr. Steve Harsy, who is leaving to take over the Stewardson-Strasburg School District #5A. We welcome Dr. Segobiano and Mr. Goodman to Monroe and Randolph counties as they take over their districts on July 1, 2010, and our best wishes go to Mr. Settles and Mr. Harsy as they begin working in their new districts this summer.
5TH ANNUAL RANDOLPH-MONROE TRANSITION FAIR IN MARCH
All high school–aged special education students, recent graduates, teachers and parents should attend the 5th Annual Randolph-Monroe Transition Fair Wednesday, March 10th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at SWIC's Red Bud Campus. Over 40 agencies/organizations will be at the fair to provide information regarding the services available to students and their families, and a special feature of this year's fair will be guest speakers throughout the day from SWIC Job Placement Specialist/Financial Aid, Guardianship and Advocacy, Education and Developmental Center, Transit District, Southern Illinois Case Coordination (SICC), New Visions and the military. For additional information contact Crystal Deterding at Perandoe Special Education at 282-6251, ext. 107.
RESOURCES AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
Do you know about the resources at your fingertips? The Resource Library at Red Brick School is available to all Monroe and Randolph County teachers and can be accessed online or by phoning Sue Schram at 618-282-7722. Online go to the ROE website www.roe45.org, click Resource Library on the right, create an account and click View Resource Library. To get a long-g-g list of all resources, just click Search. However, you can narrow your search by choosing a category . . . and still be amazed by the number of available resources.
Resources particularly useful in the science classroom are the MASH—Math And Science Hands-on—Kits. These kits include everything needed to explore interesting and relevant science topics on three levels: primary (K–3), intermediate (4–6) and middle school (7–9). Students work in cooperative groups to investigate and solve problems. They read, talk and write about the exciting science activities they are doing and often apply mathematic operations to answer questions. A unit test can be given in a pre-post format or to assess students' understanding afterward. Just some of the 55 different kits are Rocky Business, We Dig Dinosaurs, All Trashed Out, Pathways of Light and The Forces of Flight. Remember, order online or phone Red Brick, and our interschool courier Juanita will deliver your order to Randolph County the next Friday or Monroe County the next Monday.
TRS REPS AVAILABLE MARCH 4, 2010
The Regional Office of Education, in cooperation with the Teachers' Retirement System, is scheduling telephone conferences in Monroe and Randolph counties on March 4, 2010, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. in 15-minute intervals. Members of the Retirement System who have questions about their benefits may request a telephone conference with a TRS counselor. To speak with a TRS benefits counselor, phone the Regional Office at 939-5650 to complete a request form that must be returned to the Regional Office no later than February 2, 2010.
SWIC SUMMER TEACHER APPLICATIONS DUE FEBRUARY 16
SWIC-Belleville is offering teachers the opportunity to teach one-week classes in art, science, foreign languages, reading and math enrichment, jewelry making, space travel, and business in its summer enrichment program. Teachers choose the topic and age level for classes that run from Monday thru Thursday from 8:00–11:30 or 12:30–4:00 on June 14–17, June 21–24, June 28–July 1 and July 12–15. Applications, due February 16th, can be found at www.swic.edu/community.
BE WATER AND ENERGY WISE
Register at http://eeweek.org/water_and_energy_wise to be right in the thick of things during National Environmental Education Week April 11–17, 2010. Join a national network of educators dedicated to increasing the environmental literacy of K–12 students and receive monthly e-newsletters packed with resources, access to an online library of environmental curricula, opportunities to network and participate in EE Week's spring 2010 webinar on new EE resources and discounts and special offers for educational materials. All should learn to recognize the importance of conserving both water and energy to protect the planet and reduce costs.
KIRSTEN PETERSON AND ANNETTE RAU JOIN MASTER TEACHERS
Kirsten Peterson, visually impaired teacher in the Perandoe Special Education District, and Annette Rau, art teacher at Waterloo Jr. High School, are the bi-county's two newest Master teachers. Both are to be commended for the hard work and dedication that earned them this recognition.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS Principals' Meeting 8:30 a.m. -
February 5, 2010
SWIC, Red Bud - Rm. 152
8:30 a.m. -
10:30 a.m.
February 8, 9, 10, 2010
Team Quest
Hope Christian Church
8:30 a.m. -
2:30 p.m.
February 9, 2010
Gifted Education Seminar
SWIC, Red Bud - Rm. 152
8:30 a.m. -
3:30 p.m.
February 17, 2010
Gifted Education Seminar
SWIC, Red Bud - Rm. 152
3:30 p.m.
February 18, 2010
Gifted Education Seminar
SWIC, Red Bud - Rm. 152
8:30 a.m. -
3:30 p.m.
February 19, 2010
Art du Jour
SWIC, Red Bud
8:00 a.m. -
2:15 p.m.
February 19, 2010
Superintendents' Council
TBA
9:00 a.m.
February 25, 2010
Best Reading Practices, Grades 4-12
SWIC, Red Bud - Rm. 152
8:30 a.m. -
3:30 p.m.
February 25, 2010
SmartBoard Workshop
Red Brick School - Ruma
4:30 p.m. -
7:30 p.m.
March 4, 2010
TRS Telephone Conferences
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