Hello AP/IB Boosters!

Contents

• U.S. Dept. of Education Webcast, Improving Access to College: Preparing for Education Beyond High School - Tuesday, January 17, 2006
• Washington State GEAR UP Scholars Project
• College Board Online Events
• UW World Language Day for High School Students Sign Ups
• School Leaders Push for Science Majors, Seattle Times Article
• IB World Magazine Online
• Inglemoor HS IB Info Night, February 1, 2006
• OSPI AP Initiative
• Sample WASL 10^th Grade Math Question
• 315 Washington teachers achieve National Board certification
• Math Article, Seattle Times
• Fordham Article on "Discovery" Science
• PBS Series: The War that Made America, to be aired January 18^th, 2006
• Chinese New Year Celebration in Seattle, February 4th, 2006
• Levy and Bond on the Ballot on February 7, 2006

 

We hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and/or a Happy New Year’s Eve celebration.

It is now 2006. Let’s get down to business.

 

U.S. Dept. of Education Webcast, Improving Access to College: Preparing for Education Beyond High School - Tuesday, January 17, 2006

"A college education is more important than ever, and too few Americans, especially too few African-Americans and Hispanics, have one. As a nation, we’ve always answered the call to extend the promise of higher education to more Americans. We must look into the future…what legacy will we leave?"

--Margaret Spellings, U.S. Secretary of Education

"The January broadcast of Education News Parents Can Use will explore such issues as:

• What is the Secretary’s Commission on the Future of Higher Education and how is it working to improve and reform postsecondary education in the United States?
• Why is a college education more important than ever before? What federal, state and local strategies are helping us to meet this demand?
• How accessible is higher education? And how can we make it more affordable?
• How can we help students, especially minority youth, prepare for and succeed in college?
• When should parents and students start thinking about saving for college, and what programs and resources are available to help?"

 

http://registerevent.ed.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewer.description&intEventID=192

http://www.connectlive.com/events/ednews/

 

Washington State GEAR UP Scholars Project

"The Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) invites applications from selected school districts to participate in a Washington State GEAR UP Scholars Project. GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) is a federally-funded program created to help low-income, disadvantaged students prepare for and succeed in college."

"GEAR UP is a partnership of the Higher Education Coordinating Board, Office of the Governor, University of Washington, Washington Education Foundation and a number of national, state, and local organizations. GEAR UP stands for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs."

http://www.hecb.wa.gov/CollegePrep/gu/guindex.asp

Getting Ready for College & Careers, A Handbook for Grades 9-12

http://www.hecb.wa.gov/GEARUPHandbook.asp

How to Go to College: The College and Career Planning Handbook for Grades 8 and 9

http://www.hecb.wa.gov/Docs/manuals/Gearup_booklet_8-9.pdf

How to Go to College: The College and Career Planning Handbook for Grades 6 and 7

http://www.hecb.wa.gov/Docs/manuals/GearupBooklet_6-7.pdf

 

 

 

College Board Online Events

For teachers:

Introductory Workshop in AP English Language, January 21, 2006, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (ET)

Pre-AP: Advanced Topics for AP Vertical Teams in English – Grammar, January 28, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (ET)

http://apcentral.collegeboard.com

 

UW World Language Day Sign Ups

"Today's high school juniors and seniors have the opportunity and the challenge of living in a world whose boundaries are becoming smaller and smaller. It is more and more essential, as well as mind-opening, to learn other languages and to become familiar with the cultures of our world."

http://www.outreach.washington.edu/k12/wld/default.asp

The UW World Languages Day for high school students is not until March 3^rd 2006, but students need to sign up soon. This event will sell out early.

Some of the events planned for attendees:

All About Nepal and Napali Language

Czech It Out!

Films on Language Learning (LLC)

Islam in War and Peace

Mini Language Lesson in Greek

Mini Lesson in Persian

Spanish Language in the United States

World Issues 101

Demystifying and writing Chinese Characters

German Diversity: A Look At Cultural Influences effecting German life

How Can I be a Global Citizen?

Mini Language Lesson in Russian

Mini Language Lesson in Chinese

India: A Kaleidoscope of Colors

Thoughts of an International Businessman in a Multicultural World

Sex in Scandinavia: Myth and Reality

Teen Life in Japan

The Everett School District is assisting each one of our high schools so our high school students can take advantage of this outstanding event. Students should see their World Language teacher to register. Spaces are limited, so Upper Level language students have priority, and then it is a first come first served opportunity for other students. The registration fee is $13.00 per student.

Don’t miss it.

 

School Leaders Push for Science Majors, Seattle Times Article

"The county's business and political leaders over the past two years increasingly have called for more math-, science- and engineering-degree opportunities to sustain the region's economic growth and high-tech innovations."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2002721307_burgess05e.html

"I'm really concerned that with our focus on getting students to minimum academic standards, there's nothing being done to encourage the brightest students to pursue math and science careers," Dave Burgess, the superintendent of the Lake Stevens School District, said. "The state should make a commitment that will guarantee us a place in the world economy."

 

IB World Magazine Online

"IB World magazine, published four times a year, brings together the many members of the International Baccalaureate Organization's family.

The focus is on international education. The articles vary widely, from teachers writing about classroom experiences and students sharing their community service projects to philosophical articles about education."

http://www.ibo.org/ibo/index.cfm?page=/ibo/ibworld/ib_world&language=EN

 

 

Inglemoor HS IB Info Night, February 1, 2006

The Everett School District does not have an IB opportunity for students at this time. Hopefully in the coming years that will change. Families with 8^th – 10^th graders may want to consider Inglemoor High School’s IB program. Inglemoor is one of the top rated high schools in the state. Inglemoor’s IB Parent Info Night is February 1, 2006. It will be standing room only as it is every year. Contact Inglemoor for details.

http://schoolcenter.nsd.org/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectionid=19

 

 

OSPI AP Initiative

"The state of Washington, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, was recently selected to receive funds from the U.S. Department of Education to conduct a three-year project to increase pre-Advanced Placement and Advanced Placement (AP) program opportunities for low-income students and disadvantaged student populations in rural schools. Advanced Placement courses are rigorous college-level courses offered in high schools that allow students the possibility of earning college credit after successful completion of standardized examinations. Programs referred to as pre-AP and AP in this bulletin and application include those maintaining the standards of the College Board’s Advanced Placement® Program.

The state project has three important goals. They are:

1) Expand the number and percentage of pre-advanced placement strategies and courses in the core academic areas of English, mathematics, and science at the identified low-income, rural schools;

2) Provide vertical team training in the coordination and articulation between grade levels to prepare middle level students for the transition to Advanced Placement in low-income rural schools; and

3) Support local school districts impacted by special conditions by rural and remoteness and high concentrations of low-income families by developing and providing specialized training and professional development for rural schools through an Advanced Placement Institute Special Session for Rural and Small Schools."

http://www.k12.wa.us/AdvancedPlacement/RuralSchools.aspx

http://www.k12.wa.us/Communications/pressreleases2006/APGrantsFirstRound.aspx

 

Sample WASL 10^th Grade Math Question

Kent is using the scale to compare the weight of various solids.

How many spheres will balance one cube?

1. 2 Spheres
2. 3 Spheres
3. 4 Spheres
4. 5 Spheres

 

http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/WASL/Mathematics/resources.aspx

 

 

315 Washington teachers achieve National Board certification

We AP/IB Boosters support teachers in obtaining their National Board certification. Item 3 in our top 12 list.

http://www.apibboosters.org/GoalsAndObjectives.html

The OSPI released a press notice in December on the recent National Board Certificate recipients.

"Washington’s cadre of National Board-certified teachers continues to grow, with 315 more educators earning this prestigious certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The board announced the latest crop of National Board-certified teachers in late November.

With this latest announcement, Washington has a total of 900 board-certified teachers—placing the state 13th in the nation for the number of National Board certification holders. And Washington ranked sixth in the nation this year for the total number of newly minted board-certified teachers.

Teachers are seeking this validation of their knowledge and skills in greater numbers, and Washington has developed a strong system of support to help teachers as they make their way through the challenging certification process, said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson."

http://www.k12.wa.us/Communications/pressreleases2005/NBPTS.aspx

The National Board process is arduous. It requires teachers to reflect on and improve their teaching. There is a level of prestige associated with the NBCT status. It is much like AP courses and exams for students. And while it is not the primary factor there is a bit of an immediate financial reward (again much like AP exams). Teachers in Washington who obtain the NBCT status receive a $3,500 bonus each year for 10 years. That is $35,000 over 10 years. Not too shabby. We wish all the current candidates the best of luck in their NBCT quest and we are more than happy to assist teachers in this process in tangible ways.

The following link has the names of the Washington State teachers from each district who just received their NBCT status.

http://www.k12.wa.us/Communications/pressreleases2005/2005WashingtonNBCTs.xls

Congratulations to all of these teachers.

 

 

Math Article, Seattle Times

This article is by a teacher on the ongoing math wars topic. The Connected Mathematics Program in middle schools is mentioned.

For interest:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2002684254_nikihayes15.html

An excerpt:

"Simply explained, there are two academic camps in math education. There are those who support including basic skills in math instruction, and those who don't. The second and dominant group — the so-called "progressive" bloc — believes conceptual understanding is interrupted by basic-skills instruction."

 

 

Fordham Article on "Discovery" Science

The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation has a comment (strong opinion) on the "discovery" science pedagogy.

"Discovery learning is getting more weight than it can support in science, mostly due to states' over-eager and misguided application of some pedagogical advice enshrined in the so-called "national standards" propounded by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the National Research Council (NRC). If schools taught nothing else, the school day might be long enough to contain a full measure of lab work and student-directed learning as well as teacher-led instruction in fundamental scientific knowledge, skills, and procedures. Given the tight limits within which science education typically occurs, however, and given educators' affection for constructivist pedagogy rather than traditional instruction, U.S. students run a grave risk of being expected to discover the laws of thermodynamics for themselves and to replicate the work of Newton, Einstein, Watson, and Crick. That's crazy."

http://www.edexcellence.net/foundation/gadfly/issue.cfm?edition=&id=220#2582

 

 

PBS Series: The War that Made America, to be aired January 18^th

http://www.kcts.org/seriesdetail.asp?N1=WARA&Page=0&TimeFrame=Upcoming

"THE WAR THAT MADE AMERICA. On the wild frontier of Pennsylvania in 1754, three great cultures clashed as they struggled to control the most important piece of real estate in 18th-century North America -- the Ohio River Valley. Deemed as the gateway to the entire continent, French and British solders, along with Native Americans, fought desperately to seize the property. It was here that an inexperienced Virginia solider named George Washington would learn the bitter lessons of war. Filmed in High Definition, the four-hour series combines powerful re-enactments, digital effects and profound historical accuracy to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the French and Indian War."

Look for an upcoming online workshop by The College Board on the French and Indian War.

www.thewarthatmadeamerica.org
www.frenchandindianwar250.org

We recommend this series for middle school and high school students.

 

Chinese New Year Celebration in Seattle, February 4^th, 2006

We (AP/IB Boosters) look forward to the day when the Everett School District students have the opportunity (part of the regular curriculum) to learn one or more Asian languages starting in the elementary schools.

http://www.apibboosters.org/WorldLanguages.html

"The Chinatown-International District welcomes you as Bank of America presents the Lunar New Year Celebration on February 4th, 2006 at the Union Station-Great Hall (401 South Jackson Street). There will be plenty of entertainment and fun activities that are sure to delight guests of all ages! Come and enjoy lively musical performances and cultural dances on the Toyota Main Stage. Bring your family and friends to visit our many booths featuring arts & crafts, local businesses, and community organizations. Experience the rich flavors of the Chinatown-International District at our food court. $3.00 food coupons may be purchased at the door.

We look forward to celebrating the Year of the Dog with you!"

http://www.internationaldistrict.org/event_detail.asp?EventID=77

 

Levy on the Ballot on February 7, 2006

We encourage all registered voters to review all ballot issues and vote. Information can be found at

http://www.everett.k12.wa.us/everett/levy/Home