Step Up For Students: Success Stories
Volume 4 Issue: 7                                                   March 2016
 Even Pooh Needs Encouraging
Maybe you remember that plump orange-yellow teddy bear with the black beady eyes and nose and the red short-sleeved shirt that was known for his slow, friendly, lovable, and always hungry demeanor.  Pooh's goal was to always keep his tummy full of honey and would spend his time in the Hundred Acre Woods searching for that next great opportunity to eat to his heart's content.

Christopher Robin, one of Pooh's best friends, would offer the bear some encouraging words.  He would say, "Promise me you'll always remember: you're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

These are encouraging words that every child and even a few adults need to hear.  No matter what you are faced with, always remember that you can attain whatever it is you are working for, you can accomplish whatever goals you have set for yourself, you can complete whatever project you have given yourself, you can achieve your objective, you can fulfill your mission, you can carry out your vision, and do a bang-up job when you set your mind to whatever it is you're doing.

Just like Pooh, be encouraged!  Just like Christopher Robin, pass it on!
Thanks, Scott Beck
TLE WEBINARS: Live Training direct to your computer - at school or at home! 
                                                            
March: 
Personal Learning Plans 
How to build a PLP and use it in Parent Conferences 
All sessions run from 3:30 - 4:30 PM
(join any session, as all dates have same content)
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP! 
T he Office of Student Learning would like to recognize and thank the following schools for participating in our first-ever focus group in January. As a result of this group's input, the Teaching and Learning Exchange will debut some new features for the 2016-17 school year, including a simplified gradebook, a redesigned report card, and progress reports. Our sincere gratitude goes out to:
Stacy Angier, Abundant Life Christian Academy
Rebecca Folsom, Rose Academy
Chris Accorsini, Betton Hills School
Kyle McKenzie, Grace Christian School
Amanda Bleggi, Glad Tidings Academy, East Campus
Anamary Aramillo, La Progresiva Presbyterian School
Chaya Phillips, Masoret Yehudit
Angie Tapia, Discovery Montessori Academy
Lakshmi Nair, Saint Johns Episcopal School
Christopher Simmonds, C.A.R.E Elementary
Monica Carbonell, Villa Preparatory Academy
 Teresia Dulaney, Vision Christian Academy
Ric Speigner, Rockledge Christian School
Carol Hall, The Broach School - Bradenton
Irina Grissom, Edison Academics
Shannon Dolly, Mt. Moriah Christian Academy
Raquel Baldwin, Baldwin Academy

Andy Sojourner, Assistant Principal of St. Andrew Catholic School in Orlando, sent these pictures of their recent Parent Partners for Success night.

 "My son would cry telling me, 'Mommy, my teacher says I'm doing good', but I didn't believe him!" This is the confession of a mom at St. Andrew Catholic School's recent parent meeting on Feb. 11th. The focus of the meeting was on interpreting standardized test score reports, and this mother admitted that she had no idea what a national percentile score meant before this discussion. She assumed that the number 70 meant what it usually means on a test: a C-!
She now understands that it meant her son was in the 70th percentile for reading, and in fact, was scoring higher on his Iowa Assessment than 70% of students in the nation who took that standardized test.

St. Andrew Catholic School is doing great work communicating relevant timely information like this through their well-attended parent meetings.
USF is conducting a series of focus groups for a study "Students with Autism Accessing General Education (SAAGE)" to collect input on a new evidence-based intervention.
What will happen? 
 There will be a two-hour meeting with other parents or educators who share similar experiences and a private space to share your opinions freely. 
Parents and educators who support students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in elementary schools are invited to join this USF focus group.
Interested? Contact Krystal McFee:
813-974-3536 or email [email protected]   
Office of Student Learning Contacts