Apollo's Robotics "Team 3244 - The Granite City Gear Heads" has their website up and running. The site is in its infancy; more content will be coming soon. The students are doing great, and their robot held their own at a recent pre-invitiational put on by Eagan H.S. I am pleased to report Apollo's team held their own against all the larger and more experienced metro teams, and had a record of 4-1 overall for that competition.
The official regional competition is fast approaching and the team has the lofty, yet attainable goal of advancing to nationals in Atlanta, Georgia. The kids are dreaming big, and at the rate they are going they just might pull it off!
We are working hard to find sponsors and creative ways to raise funding. I recently challenged my team to raise enough money to convince me to do something crazy like dye my hair purple, etc. (we'll see what they come up with...). I probably should be scared! If Team 3244 makes it to nationals, we will need to raise a significant amount of funding.
If you or anyone you know would be remotely interested in helping the cause in any way, please forward this link. Feel free to inquire via email or phone, and I also would encourage you to check out www.usfirst.org as well. I hope to hear from you; all ideas are welcome. Let's put St. Cloud on the map!
www.apollorobotics.com
Thanks!
Mark Weimer
Apollo H.S. - St. Cloud, MN
Technology Education Teacher - PLTW
Robotics Coach
Monday, March 8, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
SCHOOL MESSENGER
We were recently provided an overview of the training that will be needed for the implementation of School Messenger in District 742. The District has purchased the training, which will bring a trainer on site. Prior to the trainer coming in, a webinar will be held for our Student Information System staff. Some file setup has already been done, and it will be a fairly easy installation. The onsite training will be for those that will be sending messages, i.e., Principals, Assistant Principals, Directors, and District-Level Administrators. The training will be one day for all groups. Currently Apollo and Tech are using a school messaging system for their attendance dialer.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
FEBRUARY 17TH DISTRICT 742 PUBLIC FORUM ON INTEGRATION
On February 17, 2010, community representatives, board members and staff met to dialogue about the traits desired in children after 12 years of public school education.
Intellectual traits included the ability to problem solve, find information, use technology and other learning tools to locate information and communicate with one another. Intellectual skill in literacy and numeracy ranked high. The pursuit of intellect will require creativity and imagination and lifelong learning must be founded upon a love of learning. Knowledge of the career investigation process throughout life, was also listed as an important lifelong skill. Utilizing information as a foundation for making and evaluating decisions, managing time and money are important prerequisites for learning to deal with new and different experiences.
Social-emotional traits included confidence, ability to get along with others, ability to be a team player, communicate. Being able to self-regulate emotions through resourcefulness and coping skills were important foundational skills in developing a vision of aspiring to be the best.
Moral and civic outcomes include a well-developed sense of service, knowing the right thing to do and having a shared vision of equity and global dependence. Pride in one’s history and a “new image of equality” are critical assets in one’s ability to positively contribute to “community.” Effective citizens, who are able to work with others, have empathy toward others and the ability to work with change will also require curiosity and perseverance to thrive and find joy in living.
Opportunities was a key theme, and although not necessarily an “outcome,” the best opportunities to learn intellectually, socially, physically and emotionally, would hopefully result in the outcomes listed in the above paragraphs. Involving the community is essential in providing opportunities.
Continued c0nversations led to dialog about what we need to consider, continue and stop doing to find ourselves successful with the above collective thoughts.
Our schools should continue:
Teaching and learning strategies:
· Using our data to make teaching/learning decisions
· Jumpstart
· RtI (Response to Intervention and Instruction)
· All Day Every Day Kindergarten
· Stretching the school day/school year/instructional time
· Equity Data Retreats
Resources and Research
· Enhancing all of the positives that are being given
· Celebrating students who are succeeding
· High expectations for all children
· Valuing what children bring to school
· High expectations for all
· Leveraging resources from the community (e.g., Madison Friday classes for Somali families; PAKRAT)
· Authentic relationships
· Cultural Navigators
· Listening to the community
Our schools should consider:
Teaching/Learning Strategies:
· Making sure every child is successful
· Helping children discover their gifts
· Increased strategies to give every student hope
· Stay the course and “turnaround” our schools
· Stretching instructional time
· Taking action on the desired effect, consequences and interventions for drop outs
· “Beefing up Community Education with the highest level of Adult Basic Education/GED
Professional Development and Research
· Study academically successful schools
· Identifying “what’s working” elsewhere; identify best practices and for whom
· Making a commitment to research
· Bringing Geoffrey Canada to St. Cloud
· Recognizing teachers who have great successes
Programs:
· Longer Jumpstart Program (English Immersion)
· Increasing early childhood programs (all children)
· Offering parent education for men and women
· Having Somali literacy classes for adults
Partnerships:
· Improving connections
· Developing a stronger role for the community
· Engaging more with the community through community conversations regarding race
· Focusing on families for conversations about racism and differences
· Model parent conversations through ECFE programs and classroom teachers
· Really listening to each other (community/parents/ school board/ teachers)
· Helping community understand what is at stake if we don’t turn it around
Operations:
· Strengthening our commitment to district goals and the Strategic Roadmap
· Hiring more teachers of color
· Searching for more resources
· Having student focus groups
· Recognize Equity Services
· Research gender impact on learning….read Boys Adrift
· Increasing pressure on teachers for children to perform
Our schools must stop:
· Making excuses about our role as educators
· Blaming others
· Making racist comments
· Silencing community members, who in turn, feel discredited and dismissed
· High Stakes Tests and resulting tension
Intellectual traits included the ability to problem solve, find information, use technology and other learning tools to locate information and communicate with one another. Intellectual skill in literacy and numeracy ranked high. The pursuit of intellect will require creativity and imagination and lifelong learning must be founded upon a love of learning. Knowledge of the career investigation process throughout life, was also listed as an important lifelong skill. Utilizing information as a foundation for making and evaluating decisions, managing time and money are important prerequisites for learning to deal with new and different experiences.
Social-emotional traits included confidence, ability to get along with others, ability to be a team player, communicate. Being able to self-regulate emotions through resourcefulness and coping skills were important foundational skills in developing a vision of aspiring to be the best.
Moral and civic outcomes include a well-developed sense of service, knowing the right thing to do and having a shared vision of equity and global dependence. Pride in one’s history and a “new image of equality” are critical assets in one’s ability to positively contribute to “community.” Effective citizens, who are able to work with others, have empathy toward others and the ability to work with change will also require curiosity and perseverance to thrive and find joy in living.
Opportunities was a key theme, and although not necessarily an “outcome,” the best opportunities to learn intellectually, socially, physically and emotionally, would hopefully result in the outcomes listed in the above paragraphs. Involving the community is essential in providing opportunities.
Continued c0nversations led to dialog about what we need to consider, continue and stop doing to find ourselves successful with the above collective thoughts.
Our schools should continue:
Teaching and learning strategies:
· Using our data to make teaching/learning decisions
· Jumpstart
· RtI (Response to Intervention and Instruction)
· All Day Every Day Kindergarten
· Stretching the school day/school year/instructional time
· Equity Data Retreats
Resources and Research
· Enhancing all of the positives that are being given
· Celebrating students who are succeeding
· High expectations for all children
· Valuing what children bring to school
· High expectations for all
· Leveraging resources from the community (e.g., Madison Friday classes for Somali families; PAKRAT)
· Authentic relationships
· Cultural Navigators
· Listening to the community
Our schools should consider:
Teaching/Learning Strategies:
· Making sure every child is successful
· Helping children discover their gifts
· Increased strategies to give every student hope
· Stay the course and “turnaround” our schools
· Stretching instructional time
· Taking action on the desired effect, consequences and interventions for drop outs
· “Beefing up Community Education with the highest level of Adult Basic Education/GED
Professional Development and Research
· Study academically successful schools
· Identifying “what’s working” elsewhere; identify best practices and for whom
· Making a commitment to research
· Bringing Geoffrey Canada to St. Cloud
· Recognizing teachers who have great successes
Programs:
· Longer Jumpstart Program (English Immersion)
· Increasing early childhood programs (all children)
· Offering parent education for men and women
· Having Somali literacy classes for adults
Partnerships:
· Improving connections
· Developing a stronger role for the community
· Engaging more with the community through community conversations regarding race
· Focusing on families for conversations about racism and differences
· Model parent conversations through ECFE programs and classroom teachers
· Really listening to each other (community/parents/ school board/ teachers)
· Helping community understand what is at stake if we don’t turn it around
Operations:
· Strengthening our commitment to district goals and the Strategic Roadmap
· Hiring more teachers of color
· Searching for more resources
· Having student focus groups
· Recognize Equity Services
· Research gender impact on learning….read Boys Adrift
· Increasing pressure on teachers for children to perform
Our schools must stop:
· Making excuses about our role as educators
· Blaming others
· Making racist comments
· Silencing community members, who in turn, feel discredited and dismissed
· High Stakes Tests and resulting tension
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