Step Up For Students: Success Stories
Volume 3 Issue: 6                                                        January  2015

I am resolved to have no resolutions this year! 

 As we exit one year and head into a new one, I hear people all around me talking about their New Year's resolutions.  It should come as no surprise that researchers say the top resolutions made and broken by Americans each year are to lose weight, quit smoking, learn something new, eat healthier and diet, get out of debt and save money, spend more time with family, travel to new places, become less stressed, volunteer, and drink less.  

 

It also is not a shock to learn that there are a myriad of ways offered to help me keep my resolutions or make me more likely to have a higher level of success in attaining my resolutions.  Scientists say that if I just pick one thing, plan ahead, anticipate problems, pick a start date, just go for it, accept failure, and plan rewards I am much more likely to keep my resolutions.  There are even hundreds of apps to assist me in my battle.  So, with so many options for resolutions and so many ways to help me stick to them, why would I not want to have a few this year?

 

To answer that question I have to be honest.  History has proven that I am not very good at keeping my resolutions.  Just like many others, I tend to be lazy, self-centered, and procrastinate whenever possible. So, each year I find myself reverting back to my typical self after a few short weeks, despite my best efforts.

 

Then it hit me!  The difference between resolutions and goals.  I can hear you now, aren't goals the same as resolutions?  To that I answer No!  Why?  Resolutions tend to be short-sighted in nature and focus on the outcome within a specific time span, whereas goals may be long-term and focus on the journey that gets me to where I want to be.  

 

Goals tend to be directed at becoming a better person and less on NOT doing something.  Goals help me focus on the good qualities I already possess and how I can improve on who I already am.  Goals have no fixed time line, so when I hit a bump in the road it becomes a little easier to make adjustments.

 

My goals center around implementing times that I sit back and contemplate every area of my life and what I want to keep the same and what I wish to do differently.  It then drives whatever systems or processes I have to put in place to reach my goals over a much longer period of time than one year.

 

So, all of this is to say: 

You may want to consider setting a few goals this year and leave the resolutions in 2014!     

 

-Dr. Scott Beck, OSL coordinator
YOU ASKED - WE LISTENED! 
"Rather than scrolling down through these interventions to remember what I want to select for each parent conference, I would love to have them in an easy-to-read list. Can you help me?"
 
 
Here is the document that you have been requesting! It lists all Instructional Strategies, as well as Academic and Behavior Interventions, and you can easily save it on your desktop or print it. (4 pages) 
 
Thank you for all your wonderful suggestions as we work to improve the TLE.

For the first time, the entire Khan Academy library is available on your iPad!

Download their app and experience the brand-new ways to learn math and more:

 

Download for iPad now

 

Sharpen your skills: Over 150,000 interactive exercises with instant feedback and step-by-step hints for each question.

Flex your muscles: Get interactive math exercise recommendations tailored just for you.

Show your work: No need for paper or typing -- use our touch scratchpad to work through math problems! Once you have your answer, just write it with your fingertip and we'll recognize it!

Track back: Your activity 'auto-magically' syncs between your iPad and khanacademy.org, so your progress and recommendations are always up-to-date, anytime, anywhere.

 

We hope you enjoy Khan Academy being, quite literally, at your fingertips!

Matt Wahl and the Khan Academy Mobile team 

 
Attention Jacksonville area educators! 
    RSVP and receive more information and details: Contact Dr. Tammy Ryan 
Does your Parent-School Partnership shine? Let your OSL coordinator know about the wonderful things happening at your school! We want to spotlight YOU in an upcoming newsletter.  Contact information is at the bottom of the newsletter. 

LA PROGRESIVA STUDENT SPEAKS AT HISPANIC CREO SUMMIT AND STARS IN A SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL
 

Carol and Valentin at the commercial shoot


Erica and Carol at La Progresiva

 Valentin Mendez said his struggles began when he moved into sixth grade at a public middle school in Miami. He was bullied. He couldn't focus. He began to flounder academically. His mother, Jeannethe Ruiz, said he also struggled with English. His problems got so bad at one point that she pulled him out of class for two weeks, and started looking around for other options.

 

Jeannethe found the Step Up Scholarship and enrolled Valentin at La Progresiva Presbyterian School in Miami. She doesn't want to think where Valentin might be now if she had not had the Step Up Scholarship and La Progresiva.  Valentin is now in tenth grade, making all A's and is a leader in the school. He plans to attend FIU after graduation, majoring in either medicine or business.

Ruiz and Mendez spoke at a press conference at the start of the Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options annual summit in December.

Last Friday, Dr. Carol Thomas and Erica Peron were on hand at La Progresiva as  Valentin and his mother filmed a Drop-the-Lawsuit commercial with Sachs Media, which will be shown in select Florida markets during the Super Bowl!  
Spotlight on St. Pius V Catholic School
 

Sister Cynthia Shaffer at St. Pius V in Jacksonville sends communication folders home weekly. One pocket says "Return to School" and the other says "Keep at Home" so parents know which documents to keep and which to send back to the school. There is even a "Schoolwork Assignment Schedule" where teachers list homework due and provide comments. Parents can also comment and sign that homework has been completed. Both parents and teachers are happy with the way this has increased school-home communication. 

  
 
  
Spotlight on Masoret Yehudit School
 

Tzippy Richmond, principal of Masoret

Yehudit Jewish Day School  shared that at

their staff meeting in December they reviewed their draft PSPP's from their first

meeting in August and added to them. 


 

"One idea that we had come up with in our August meeting was that we realized that most of our parents use WhatsApp (a group texting service) on a regular basis.  All the teachers created WhatsApp groups for their

classes and use them as a way to share homework, upcoming events and

activities & reminders.

The WhatsApp groups have been extremely helpful in finding a way to reach the parents through a medium that works for them."
Spotlight on Winter Haven Adventist Academy 
 
Vicki Turner, principal at Winter Haven Adventist states that the Winter Institute training in Tampa was fantastic. She is very enthusiastic about all the modules and is very excited to implement what she has learned. In fact, she said last night she had a training with parents and teachers using the Compass Points activity. "It was great fun and worked so well."


Spotlight on New Port Richey Adventist Christian Academy 
 

New Port Richey Adventist Christian Academy has an active Home and School Association under the leadership of Olive Hicks.  In October and November of 2014, Olivia designed a fantastic and successful way for students, parents and staff to interact.

 

"We implemented the Muffins for Moms program by allowing moms and their students to meet with female teachers from 7:30 - 8:00 am in the dining area.  Here they were served warm muffins and drinks and allowed to socialize in a relaxing atmosphere.  Conversations were pleasant, and positive while real feedback and suggestions were shared in the same arena."

 
Spotlight on Kingdom Academy
 

Kingdom Academy teachers, students,

and parents participated in Operation Christmas Child.  Families filled a

shoebox for a special child in need. Michelle Ulvila, Elementary Department Lead Teacher, tells us that parents and teachers delivered the shoebox to the local church.  Every shoebox gift helps Samaritan's Purse

reach children worldwide with the true meaning of Christmas.

 

Spotlight on Masoret Yehudit School 
 
Tzippy Richmond, principal of Masoret Yehudit School reports that their kindergarten always does a Chanukah show for the parents. 
 
 "When working on the PSPP's at our last training, the kindergarten teachers came up with the idea to have a menorah building workshop instead.  The parents were invited to build a menorah with their children.  Instead of sitting and watching a show, they were active participants in the program.  It fostered a whole different level of participation and was enjoyed by all!"
Spotlight on St. John Paul II Catholic School  
  

Principal Chris Meyer at St. John Paul II Catholic School invited parents to join them for Module 3 Anthropological Dig - during the walk around the school, lots of good conversation, interest and excitement occurred.

 

Spotlight on New Port Richey Adventist Christian Academy
 
Keith Nelson, principal at New Port Richey Adventist Christian Academy, relates how grades 5-8 went to Camp Kulaqua in High Springs, FL.  Here they worked with the camp and ran a few days of outdoor education.Teachers have opportunities to encourage students to try new things and discover an interactive side to science that is more challenging to identify in the confines of a traditional classroom.
 
Office of Student Learning Contacts  
Jeff, Erica, Meredith, Andrea, Carol, Lauren, Kaethe, Scott