Director of Transportation Dolores Flores and her TUSD Transportation Department staff have hard at work the past few weeks preparing for a future reopening of schools. Some of the health and safety measures they have put in place to reduce COVID-19 risk for students and staff:

Two TUSD buses have already been deployed to provide transportation for small, learning groups at Brown, Cunningham, and Earl and they fives buses are being utilized to expand Child Nutrition meal distribution sites. Keep up the great work!

TUSD EdTech Byte A new segment I would like to introduce is called TUSD EdTech Bytes. In these segments, we provide quick ed tech tips to hopefully make your life as an educator navigating this digital world a little easier. In our first installment, we are going to look at Google Forms. When creating a Google Form, do you hate having to toggle on the “question required” for each question? There is a fix for that! When in a Google Form, go to the vertical ellipsis in the top right-hand corner and then choose “Preferences”.

What is it? GoGuardian is a program that the district has purchased for each teacher, which allows us to see our students' screens while they are working on their district chromebook. GoGuardian helps teachers to manage digital learning, helping students stay focused and safe. Teachers can filter out websites, eliminate distractions, and even use interventions like opening up tabs and websites for students, making distance learning easier for both students and parents, allowing teachers to keep students focused on today’s learning goals.

How Do I Access? GoGuardian is already loaded onto your Teacher Clever Page! Log into Clever with your turlock.k12.ca.us email and password you set up, then look for the GoGuardian Logo! If it is your first time entering GoGuardian, you will need to follow some quick guiding directions in order to get started with monitoring your class and keeping your students engaged and focused during distance learning. Watch a quick video below on how to get started!

Now What? Ready to explore and find out what more GoGuardian has to offer? Talk to your site Lead Tech Teacher! They are trained and ready to go and to help you with all of your needs. If you need some specific 1 on 1 time or want to set up a PLC training, feel free to reach out to me, Sitara Ali, your EdTech Instructional Coach at sali@turlock.k12.ca.us and we can set up a time to meet, either virtual or in person!

How long have you worked in TUSD? 8 years

What is your job title? 10^th and 11^th grade English teacher

Where did you work prior to TUSD? I worked as a nanny.

I teach 10^th grade Bridge and 11^th Grade College Prep English and am the advisor for the Black Student Union. In an average day I’m working hard to find ways to help my students connect the content in English to the content of the own lives and the world around them. 

Things you are most proud of? I’m incredibly proud of my family and the resiliency and love we show for each other. Last year I completed my Masters while pregnant, working full time, and being a mom to three littles at home. I’m not sure how we survived but I’m proud of myself and family for making it through!

Challenges? Finding the time and energy to maintain my favorite self-care practices like yoga and watercolor painting.

Favorite memory/story? A number of former students have been involved in activism and organizing within our community this past year. Showing up to an event and being able to participate side-by-side with them was deeply moving to me and something I will never forget.

Non Fiction – Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain by Zaretta Hammond

Fiction – Wild Beauty by Anna Marie McLemore

I’m pretty thrilled that there is finally a new season of The Great British Baking Show on Netflix.

The early Harry Potter movies and the film, Chocolat, are always my go to pick-me-up movies.

Anything surprising we may not know about you? My husband and I are also in the process of turning our backyard into a mini farm and would really like to have a couple mini goats, but 4 children, 6 chickens, 2 dogs and 1 cat is probably enough to take care of.  

Anything about your personal life you’d like to share? I love baking and I love spending time outside with my children (7, 5, 4, and 7 months old.) Pre-COVID one of my favorite things to do was host porch nights. Each week I would take a poll on Instagram l to see what dessert I would bake to share with friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, and graduated students who would could hang out in our front yard and just enjoy a sense of community.