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Teacher Talk - 6/14/21

 

Message from Dr. Mary Ann Reilly

Excellent teachers make a significant difference in students´ lives during the year they teach them and beyond. On behalf of the Office of Teaching & Learning, I would like to congratulate all school-based Teachers of the 2020-2021 School Year! We are grateful for your ingenuity, dedication to students, and exemplary practice.  

I would like to acknowledge DeJanee Martinez of Bruce Street School for the Deaf, for being selected as Newark's Teacher of the Year. Congratulations and continue to be the inspiration that you are for all! 

Have a wonderful week.


Dr. Reilly

 
NEW ITEMS ALL TEACHERS    
NEW ITEMS 

Essex County Youth Services Commission - Youth Expo (New)

The Essex County Youth Services Commission - Youth Expo is Saturday, June 26, 2021 from Noon to 3:00 P.M. at The Waterfront Recreation Center, 2 Grafton Avenue, Newark, N.J. 07104.
 
The Youth Service’s Expo will consist of various Non-Profit and Government Agencies that provide Recreational, Afterschool and Wrap-Around Services for young people, ages 8 thru 18 years.

Please share with your students and staff.

Youth Expo Flyer

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2020- 2021 Pay Calendar (Revised) (New)

Contact: Flor Pescoran, Payroll
Email: fpescoran@nps.k12.nj.us


Attached please find the revised 2020-2021 Pay Calendar. 

2020-21 Pay Calendar (Revised) 

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Summer Reading with the Newark Public Library (New)

Contact: Timothy Nellegar, Office of Educational Technology-Teaching and Learning
Email: tnellegar@nps.k12.nj.us

Please see the attached flyers with more information about the exciting Summer Reading Challenges with the Newark Public Library. They have challenges for all ages, birth-adult. Patrons can participate entirely online or entirely on paper and prizes can be claimed at any of the Newark Public Library branch locations.

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OSE Updates, Resources and Information (New)

Contact: Christina Nixon, OSE
Email: cnixon@nps.k12.nj.us

OSE is committed to providing resources to Special Ed. & Gen. Ed. teachers

OSE Updates and Resources

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Discretionary Funds Reimbursement (New)

Contact: Valerie Wilson, School Business Administrator
Email: vwilson@nps.k12.nj.us


All NTU employees whose requests have been approved will receive their Discretionary Funds Reimbursement on January 25, 2021.

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ALL TEACHERS 

“Curiosity and How We Communicate” 3rd Grade STEM Webinar!

Contact: Tracy Cummings, Office of Science
Email: tcummings@nps.k12.nj.us

All 3rd Grade Classes

Please join us for a STEM Webinar on June 14, 2021 at 9 am. 
Webinar Link

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16 Spring and Summer Professional Development Resources for Educators 

Contact: Matt Brewster, Professional Development
Emailmbrewster@nps.k12.nj.us

As the 2020/2021 school year comes to a close and educators start thinking of how they’ll spend their summers, now is a great chance to catch up on some professional development (in between enjoying the summer weather, of course).

Professional development is wonderful for education because it benefits everyone! Educators are introduced to new teaching methods and tools and students benefit by having an engaging educational experience that keeps them excited about learning. 

For spring and summer 2021, we’ve rounded up online resources, upcoming webinars and some of the most exciting education conferences happening all over the globe (while still accessible from our couches). 

CONFERENCES 
Navigating the New Normal: 2021 Early Childhood Education Conference
June 19-29, 2021
$40-$100

This virtual conference helps early childhood educators best manage life in a COVID-19 world. Topics include anti-bias in the classroom, mental health, trauma-informed care, cultural competencies, advocacy and more. The conference also features a keynote on resilience from early childhood education legend Sonia Manzano, also known as “Maria” from Sesame Street.

Online Teaching Conference 
June 21-23, 2021
Free-$150

Pulling together a premier group of faculty, staff and administrators, the Online Teaching Conference will provide educators with tools to create innovative and effective online education experiences. Attendees will also have an opportunity to network and share ideas with other educators at the conference. 

2021 Summer Institute on Education, Equity & Justice (SIEEJ) Virtual Conference
June 28-30, 2021
Free-$25

Like many conferences, SIEEJ recently opened up its annual conference on education, equity and justice to attendees tuning in remotely. This year's theme is Leveling the Playing Field: Intersecting Race and Disabilities and will feature speakers and author talks from various thought leaders. Full recordings of the sessions will be made available to registered attendees. 

PSCC Distance Learning Conference 
June 22, 2021
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST
Free, registration required

Attendees of this conference will learn how to serve the needs of all student populations and all aspects of online learning and teaching. A more detailed schedule of the conference, including speakers, will be released in early June.

WEBINARS AND WORKSHOPS

Financial Education Workshop
Multiple workshop dates through July 1, 2021
Free

While this workshop is not educator-specific, financial wellness is important for anyone, regardless of industry. Topics range from banking, debt, mortgages, investments, ISA's, pensions, retirement, insurance, family financial planning, later life planning, care, estate planning and more. For additional information on financial literacy, read our blog from earlier this year.

Virtual Teacher Workshop: Using Photographs in Teaching about the Holocaust
June 16, 2021
6-7 p.m. EST

The workshop will use a range of contemporary images taken before, during and after the Holocaust to explore how these historical sources can be used effectively in the classroom. Part of the workshop includes a close look at ethics behind photographing victims, context behind the photographs, the photo editing process and other ways to reflect upon the ways in which photographs can be used to deepen school students’ understanding of the Holocaust without compromising the humanity of the victims.

Education TEDTalks

The TED brand, which was founded in 1984 with the TED conference, has become a phenomenon, due to the fascinating ideas shared by its high-caliber speakers. TED Talks - the name given to those speeches - have racked up roughly three billion views. In 2013, TED hosted eight talks on education, which are all accessible here

ONLINE RESOURCES 

EdWeb.net

This website is a professional online community for educators and offers free webinars nearly every weekday. EdWeb.net also has professional learning resources, edFocus Fridays, the opportunity to join professional-learning communities and connect with other educators and much more. 

Edutopia

Edutopia was founded by the mind behind Star Wars. That’s right, George Lucas is heavily involved in education and in 1991, Lucas founded Edutopia and Lucas Education Research. Edutopia’s mission is to highlight education best practices and provide resources on how to implement these innovative practices. 

BookWidgets Blog

The BookWidgets Teacher Blog features an average of two posts a month that are full of tips, ideas and resources. 

KQED For Educators

KQED is a free, media literacy and teaching hub. Provided by the nonprofit public media station KQED, educators have access to professional development courses, classroom resources and unique tools. A portion of KQED is MindShift, which explores the future of education.

Free Technology for Teachers

Founded by high school computer science teacher Richard Byrne, Free Technology for Teachers connects educators with the now-necessary tools for distance learning. Byrne writes plainly about technology and applying it to the classroom, making the blog an accessible resource for any level. Included in the blog are plenty of tutorials and links to technology resources to incorporate into teaching.

Learners Edge

Get lost in the multiple webinars on demand Learners Edge features. The website also has an informative blog, which has recently tackled topics such as bullying, how to clean up your Google Classroom, financial tips for teachers and more. 

If you’re considering following your dream of teaching, Rutgers Alternate Route can offer you the support and training you need to succeed. Be sure to follow Rutgers Alternate Route on Twitter and sign up for Alternate Route’s monthly newsletter for more information and stories from the field of education.

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 Mentorship Log Submissions for 20-21SY 

Contact: Certifications
Email: Certifications@nps.k12.nj.us

Mentor logs should be completed and submitted to the Office of Human Resources Services upon completion of the required 30 weeks of mentorship no later than June 25, 2021. Please note, mentorship logs should NOT be submitted to certifications@nps.k12.nj.us or mentorship@nps.k12.nj.us (address no longer exists).

Please submit logs via Google Form.

Be sure to save mentor logs as "[Mentee ID] [Mentee Last Name] –Mentor Logs - [School Year]" or "54321 Smith - Mentor Logs 2020-21".

Mentor Logs Template 

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2021 - 2022 Pay Calendars 

Contact: Randy Schrader, Employee Services
Emailrschrader@nps.k12.nj.us

Attached please find the 2021-2022 Pay Calendar for each paygroup (see below)

Pay calendar goals (updates for 2021-2022):
• Standardize pay dates and periods for all employees
• Pay employees for time worked, after it is performed (Holdback)

Example: Time worked 9/11/2021 through 9/24/2021 paid 10/1/2021

P10 10 month NTU Staff, Food Service Workers, Bus Drivers, School Physicians*
P11 Nurse’s Aides, Security Guards
P12 12 Month Employees
P22 LPNs*
P23 VPs and DCs *
P24 Sr. Cooks and Food Service Workers *

*moving to holdback*

Contact: Gigi Pescoran - fpescoran@nps.k12.nj.us


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Office of Mathematics - Office Hours

Contact: Darleen Gearhart, Office of Mathematics
Email: dgearhart@nps.k12.nj.us


The Office of Mathematics is hosting weekly, one-hour sessions in which unit overviews from curriculum guides will be reviewed with emphasis on students’ conceptual understanding and resources for student engagement.

The session will be divided into two parts: first, the Summaries of Key Learnings will be reviewed and, second, teachers and coaches will have an opportunity to engage in a question-and-answer session. Join us Tuesdays & Thursdays from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm. See the attached flyer for details.

Math Office Hours Flyer


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Revised Reconciliation period for the End-of-year (2020-2021) 

Contact: Elizabeth A. Haden, OPPET - SIS
Email: ehaden@nps.k12.nj.us


In support of determining the students’ expected final grade for 2020-2021, the teacher gradebooks are unlocked for all grading cycles so that teachers can update previous cycle grades. Teachers will provide the Historical Grade Change Form to the Scheduling VP who will then edit the Historical Grade in PowerSchool.

Please remember that the teacher’s Gradebook is a legal document and is the authoritative source of a student’s grade. The student’s final grade in a course is determined by what the teacher has in the gradebook for the cycle and exam grades.

By the time grades are stored for the end of the year, there should be no results when running the gradebook vs Stored Grades report. [Please refer to the link attachment]

 If you have questions or concerns, please consult with your administrator(s) and or PowerSchool clerk.

Historical v. Gradebook 


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 Revised Calendar for SY 2020-21 

Contact: Principal

The school calendar has been revised for this school year with the last day of school for students and all 10-month employees on June 25, 2021.  Graduation ceremonies will take place no earlier than June 25, 2021. Dismissal time for all other students on the last day of school is noted on the calendar as 1 pm.  If you can close-out by that time, then you will also be dismissed at 1 pm.

The revised school calendar needs to be distributed to families and students.


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Calendar for SY 2021-22 

Contact: Principal

The school calendar has been approved for next school year. The school calendar needs to be distributed to families and students.  We are also including the NJ State Board of Education List of Religious Holidays.


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Summer Arts Enrichment Programs 

Contact: Margaret El, Visual & Performing Arts
Email: mel@nps.k12.nj.us


The Arts Office looks to support the artistic growth of students through expanded Summer Arts Enrichment Programs located at Arts High School. Share the appropriate flyer with students/families and encourage enrollment for this fun and engaging arts enrichment program.

• Middle School Summer Visual and Performing Arts Academy-current grades 5-7 only (dance, instrumental music, vocal music, theatre and visual art)
• High School Musical Theatre-current grades 8-11 only (singing, acting, dancing, stage design and lighting)
• High School Visual Arts-current grades 8-11 only (art studio atmosphere)

Summer SVPAA Flyer 2021
Summer HS VPA Flyer 2021 


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Escrow Reminder 

Contact: Maribel James, Human Resource Services
EmailNPSCompensation@nps.k12.nj.us

Dear Employee:
 
We hope that you and family are continuing to remain safe and healthy. 
This is a reminder for those enrolled in the Escrow Program that the deductions will be ending on Friday, May 28, 2021. The refund dates are as follows:
 
>>>One Check Option – issued in one (1) lump sum on Friday, June 11, 2021
>>>Four Check Option – issued in four (4) equal installments on July 9th, 23rd, August 6th and August 20, 2021.
 
Escrow Open Enrollment –May through July 15th of each year, if you are interested in enrolling, switching options or discontinuing from the Escrow Program we ask that you do so through ESS (Employee Self Service).  We are excited to introduce our ESS (Employee Self Service) way of enrolling in our Escrow Program this year!!  Please see attachment quick reference on how- to- enroll “Enrolling in the Escrow Program through ESS”.


Enrolling In Escrow Instructions

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Principal Certification and Graduate Program Survey 

Contact: Matthew Brewster, Staff Development
EmailMBrewster@nps.k12.nj.us

 

As we continue to build various pipelines, we know there are teachers and other instructional personnel with master’s degrees from accredited colleges/universities who hold NJ Principal certification or a Certificate of Eligibility. Individuals in that category who have not submitted their principal certification information to HRS can do so by sending an email to certifications@nps.k12.nj.us.
 
You can access and download your certification by visiting the NJDOE Teachers Certification Information System.
 
Additionally, so that we may provide you with some important information and resources, we ask that you complete the Principal Certification Survey linked below:
 
Principal Certification Survey
 
We also know that some of you are currently enrolled in a master’s program at an accredited college/university that will lead to a NJ Principal Certificate of Eligibility. If this describes you, please complete the survey below so we can share some important information with you.
 
Graduate Program Survey


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Register for NGSS Summer Institute 

Contact: Kathleen Tierney, Office of Science 
Email: ktierney@nps.k12.nj.us

The Office of Science is offering a free professional development experience for a select group of middle school science teachers interested in exploring how to use the tools provided by the NGSS to best support students. Please see the attached flyer for additional information. Anyone interested in this opportunity should submit the google form linked below. Once individuals have been selected, the Office of Science will complete the registration process for the district to attend the NGSS Summer Institute.

Registration Link
NGSS Summer Institute LIVE ONLINE


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$1000 Referral Bonus for NBOE Staff 

Contact: Nadia Khan, HRS
EmailNkhan@nps.k12.nj.us


Do you know an amazing BILINGUAL or ESL Teacher who would be a perfect match for the Newark Board of Education? If you are a current employee and you refer someone who gets hired as a full-time Bilingual or ESL teacher for the 2020-21 or 2021-22 school year you can earn $1000 per hire. Find out more about this opportunity here.

*Some exceptions may apply.


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NBOE Now Hiring for the 2021-2022 School Year 

The Newark Board of Education will be opening three additional schools for the 2021-2022 School Year. The district will also be creating additional grade levels in eight schools! With the additional schools and grade expansions, there will be a multitude of positions that will be available for hire. WE NEED YOU!

The applications for the various titles are NOW LIVE!  Interviews will be scheduled and held virtually. We are looking for dynamic candidates that will personify the culture of each of our new schools. If you know someone who is ready to join our growing district, share this announcement.

Take a look at the schools’ overview below and Apply Today!

November Special Edition Teacher Talk Newsletter 

 

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  • The submission deadline is 5:00 p.m. on Thursday.

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