Anthracite Heritage Celebrated in our Schools

The week of October 20-24, 2008 was recognized as Anthracite Heritage Week at North Schuylkill and other Schuylkill County schools. K-12 teachers crafted lessons throughout the week in ways which helped promote an understanding and pride in the culture and history of the anthracite coal region. This week's celebration was the first of what we hope will become an annual tradition!

2+2+2 Partnership Forged!

The North Schuylkill School District has formed a partnership with Bloomsburg University and Luzerne County Community College which will allow students enrolled in the high school's Computer Forensics course to earn up to 15 credits of advanced standing at the post-secondary level.

The agreement will allow students to transfer 15 North Schuylkill credits to LCCC as they work toward an A.A.S.Degree in Cyber Security Management. These same students can then transfer to Bloomsburg University for four semesters. Their work at BU will allow them to earn a B.S. Degree in Computer Forensics.

By following this path a student can earn two degrees, an associates in Cyber Security and a bachelors in Computer Forensics! If you have questions about this program please e-mail me or contact our high school guidance counselors.

As a FYI, a Computer Forensics summer camp will be offered to middle school-age students this summer (2009). Times, dates and registration information will be announced later this year.

4Sight Testing Introduced Districtwide

School districts have a number of different assessments, in addition to the PSSA, that are used to determine student progress. These assessments are intended to be direct, frequent and directly related to academic standards. These assessments also create more opportunities to deliver the most effective and valuable instruction by providing information about how students are performing. In recognizing that the more data we have the better we can measure how well our students are achieving, the North Schuylkill School District has implemented an additional assessment this school year, the 4Sight Benchmark Assessment.

4Sight Benchmark Assessments are quarterly benchmark assessments in Reading and Math for Grades 3 to 11. Developed by Success for All Foundation with items field-tested in PA Schools, 4Sight mirrors the blueprint of the PSSA and provides an estimate of student performance on the PSSA. 4Sight provides diagnostic information on PA Standards and specific sub-skills to guide classroom instruction and professional development efforts.

4Sight is designed to be useful to teachers and school leaders. With easy-to-use scoring rubrics teachers can quickly determine each child’s strengths and weaknesses. Because they participate in scoring, teachers feel that they own the data and can have confidence in it.

North Schuylkill's 2008-2009 4Sight and PSSA Assessement Schedule can be accessed by clicking on this link.

All NS Schools Make AYP!

For the first time since Adequate Yearly Progress was first reported in 2003, each North Schuylkill school has met its performance targets! The gains the district is making are the result of the effective efforts of our teachers and principals, the support of our parents, district administrators, the board of education and most importantly, the hard work of our students! Congratulations to all!

ACE Program Comes to NS

The North Schuylkill School District and Bloomsburg University recently completed a memorandum of understanding allowing North Schuylkill students to participate in the university's Advance College Experience (ACE) program.

ACE is designed for college-bound juniors and seniors who seek to "jump start" their college careers by earning college credits over the summer or during the school year. Students receive a reduced tuiton rate for both off-campus and on-campus enrollment. The reduced rate for on-campus courses will be 25% of the regular in-state tuition (75% off) and for off-campus courses will be 50% of the regular in-state tuition.

Typical offerings include courses in composition, psychology, public speaking, political science, languages, music, biology, chemistry, math and geography. The course catalogue for ACE courses is found at www.bloomu.edu/ace.

For more information you can contact the JSHS Guidance Office or e-mail me at pcaputo@northschuylkill.net.

The Educational Benefits of Gaming Technologies

The North Schuylkill School District is encouraging the use of gaming technologies as a tool to minimize the "digital disconnect" between students and adults. A survey of 147 North Schuylkill teachers shows they are increasingly becoming interested in use of games to increase student engagement (56%), address different learning styles (67%), focus on student-centered learning (39%), and to develop problem solving and critical thinking skills (39%).

Only 7% of North Schuylkill's teachers do not see any value in exploring gaming within education. Over 48% of the teachers said they would be interested in learning more about integrating gaming technologies into teaching strategies and 39% would be interested in professional development on this. 8% said that they are currently incorporating some gaming into their instruction.

An example of gaming technology available today is PowerUp, a free multiplayer game launched by IBM. The game challenges teenagers to help save the planet “Helios” from ecological disaster. It encourages students to investigate, discover, and try science by linking it to engaging, real-world activities.

For the past two years Math teacher Judi Rakowsky has used e-missions in her Pre-Algebra classrooms. The e-missions allow students to role-play and use their math skills to troubleshoot a pending problem. The two e-missions she has used (M.A.R.S. and Fire Scene Investigation) allowed her 7th grade students to learn math while engaging in a student-centered, team-based, fun, interactive "gaming" experience.

New Science Programs to be Introduced

During the 2007-2008 school year, North Schuylkill's K-12 science program was evaluated and new textbooks and programs were adopted for use at the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year. Among the programs to be introduced is Full Option Science System (FOSS). The inquiry-based science program will be used in grades K-5. It is designed to spark interest in science and help instill important 21st Century skills in our students.

During last year's Speak Up Survey, 445 of North Schuylkill's third to fifth grade students were asked, "Think of your dream science classroom. What would be a part of your classroom? The top answers were fun experiments (76%), using real tools like microscopes (58%), working with other students on projects (53%) and computers with internet access to research interesting topics (53%). FOSS and the 6-12 materials, texts and programs adopted last spring, incorporate these desired elements and more.

NS Curriculum Cycle Explained

In an effort to promote a climate of systematic and thoughtful change and K-12 articulation and vision, the North Schuylkill School District has implemented a 6-year curriculum cycle. During the first year of this cycle, programs are evaluated and text or curriculum selections are made. In year two, the programs are implemented and staff development is offered. In year three, curriculum mapping is begun and common assessments are created. The program is monitored and adjusted in years 4, 5, and 6. The cycle begins anew in year seven.

The curriculum cycle allows our programs to stay current and it provides our students with the tools and resources needed to stay competitive in the 21st Century.

Welcome

Welcome to North Schuylkill's Curriculum and Technology news blog. The purpose of this site is to keep parents, district residents and other stakeholders informed of current or planned district initiatives taking place in our schools. Topics of interest and general curriculum and technology news will also be posted here. We hope you will find this site to be a source you will refer to often to keep abreast of the latest happenings at North Schuylkill.