leadership in high schools

On February 2, 2009, Tom Duffy a trainer for the Model Transition Grant administered by the University of Buffalo, funded by New York State, visited the Hewes Center and conducted staff development around the topic of teaching self-determination and self-advocacy for students.  Our Erie 2 CC BOCES is part of this grant which monitors the growth and progress of students with disabilities in terms of their post- secondary goals and transition to adulthood. 

Our teachers were taught the meaning of self-determination and self-advocacy in light of life in general, their own needs and desires.  Following this curriculum for this was discussed, shared and referenced.

The Hewes Center Special Education Team focused on  indicator 13 and indicator 14.  Summary conclusions included

1  all students grades 3-12+ will be invited to their CSE meetings. 

2.  Students will bring class work samples with them and will be schooled to speak about their future goals and ambitions.

3.  Focusing on indicator 13 and 14 of the SED requirements that are now monitored for IEP development, students will be involved in the writing of their IEPs, understand what an IEP is and why they have one;  know the difference between and IEP diploma and a Regents High School Diploma.  These latter differences are a huge impact in terms of future employment and post-secondary training for students. 

We have received word from the Arts Council of Chautauqua County that our instructional programs have been successfully awarded a grant in the amount of $1, 119.00 to support the development and production of a puppet show at our Hewes Center by Das Puppinspiel. 

I am now awaiting my contact with Kevin Kuhlman, of Das Puppinspiel, who will plan with the teachers and I for the best time for this production work to be unvieled this school year.  As we did last year, we shall invite as many teachers, parents and members of the public to participate in the final stage show. 

Thank you to Dru Cole, Valerie Deleon, Laurie Wilcox, Jamie Monaco and Amy Stormer for helping write this grant. and to Jim Hedlund and Rose Dorey, high school teachers, who underwrote/endorsed the continuation of this program from last year. 

It is my hope that we can have funds set aside by our division next year that will support the ARTS in Education programs next year at our Center. 

Digital Cameras & Video

Keep a digital camera in the classroom and you’ll most likely use it on a daily basis. Emailing photos is a great way for new teachers to build instant rapport with parents. Think of creative uses: Record the different stages of a science experiment, go outside and capture examples of geometry in nature and architecture, chronicle class events and projects throughout the year. You can post photos periodically on the web and also at the end of the year in a culminating slide show.

Get kids in on the action too. As roving reporters they can take photos for a classroom or school newspaper and later upload and format them on the computer. Students feel more invested in their work when given creative control and the leeway to learn-by-doing when it comes to technical equipment. Just make sure to begin with a lesson about gentle handling of digital cameras and establish rules about use.

Video can add a whole new dimension to student multimedia presentations, teacher-led lessons and school-related websites. Look for new handheld camcorders with on-board software for easy uploading to your computer or to video-sharing sites. They’re surprisingly affordable and a whole lot of fun!

For more information visit the “Digital Gadgets” section of Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators:
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/gadgets.html

Wireless Labs

Wireless technology is the ultimate way to integrate high-tech directly into the classroom. Portable wireless labs make sense for many districts. Make a case for getting your own school up to speed. Portable labs save space and money by sharing equipment throughout your school. Plus they give teachers and administrators greater flexibility when it comes to scheduling classes. Browse the CDW-G website for ideas. http://www.cdwg.com/ A typical wireless lab includes the following:

• 20 tablet PCs
• 3 wireless access points
• 1 mobile cart
• 1 interactive whiteboard
• 20 whiteboard responders
• 1 video projector
• 1 document camera
• 2 digital cameras
• 2 camcorders
• 1 laser jet printer

 Multimedia Software

Multimedia software facilitates active, self-directed learning. Students can make connections and discoveries on their own or collaborate with others in the classroom. They learn how to integrate a variety of content from a variety of media to create effective presentations, and they learn how to sift through and process the barrage of information thrown at them on a daily basis. Multimedia is much more than bells and whistles—it is a new way of teaching and learning that encourages critical thinking, problem-solving, and communications skills.

Discovery Education streaming

http://www.discoveryeducation.com/products/streaming/

Looking for a video clip to illustrate a key concept? Or to enliven a lesson on social studies, science, math, literature, fine arts or foreign languages? Discovery Education Streaming is just the ticket. You get what you want, when you want it—whether you’re used to planning ahead or spur-of-the-moment. Discovery Education Streaming is a huge time-saver for teachers accustomed to scrambling around to find the right videos to fit the curriculum.

With thousands of high-quality curriculum-aligned clips for K—12, Discovery is the only digital video-based learning resource scientifically proven to increase student achievement. And it’s one of the most convenient and efficient ways to integrate technology into your curriculum on a daily basis (if we do say so ourselves).

University of Buffalo Professor of Social Work, Mansoor Kazi visited the Hewes Center on Monday, 1/26/09 in the company of Melody Morris, Chautauqua County Mental Health.  Present at this meeting were the School Nurse, School Resource Officer, School Counselor and a Teacher/  The purpose of this visit was to solicit information concerning student mental health, school response/interventions and community overlap in responding to crisis amongst students in a K-12 school setting.  This 9 million dollar, 6 year study funded by the State Department of Education in collaboration with University of Buffalo is aimed at discovering Community Crosswalks between schools, home and agencies employed to address mental health and mental health crises in the community. 

The goals of  our school are focused around this 6 year study are to seek trained, professional mental health therapists who can monitor the state of crises within our school setting, study our responses, document these and input this data into a computerized system.  Over  time the findings of Dr. Kazi it is hoped will enable schools to document,implement and develop documented workable, response strategies to student crises within schools and in the community. 

To this end, we at the Hewes Center have agreed to allow the study access to student disabilities, discipline records, family social histories, anecdotal notes of the school resource officer, counselors/social workers, nursing information provided to the school health office and correlate these records with the Department of Probation and Social Services including county mental health.  Obviously this level of access will require Board and parent approval but in the interim it is our hope that 2 county mental health therapists can be assigned to our educational center to assist our school in beginning the preliminary work that is necessary to garner local support and understanding for this huge project. 

Mansoor A. F. Kazi Research Associate Professor and Director, Program Evaluation Center Office: 232B Parker Hall Phone: (716) 829-3991 x 161, Fax: (716) 829-3992 Office: 671 Baldy Hall Phone: (716) 645-3381 x 232 Email: mkazi@buffalo.edu