Russ’ World

From the CPS IMPACT Weekly Digest…

The IMPACT team is pleased to bring teachers a training presentation titled “Gradecast: IMPACT Gradebook Training for Teachers.”

In preparation for the upcoming school year, the IMPACT team has put together an online training presentation specifically designed to help teachers understand and learn to use common Gradebook functions before the start of school.

Starting Wednesday, Aug. 27, Gradecast will be available on PD Central at

https://pdcentral.cps.k12.il.us

and CPS ON-Demand at

http://cpsondemand.cps.k12.il.us

In this presentation, teachers can view a brief introduction to Gradebook, as well as informational videos on Gradebook setup, attendance, and grade entry. (Note: This presentation has audio voiceover; please make sure that your speakers are turned on.)

If you have any questions regarding CPS ON-Demand or PD Central, please contact the 3-EXCL Service Desk at (773) 553-3925, option 6.

Also…

Interested in free lesson plans, worksheets and tips to help keep your classroom cleaner?
Click Here

Izzit.org offers a free DVD on your birthday or other day of your choosing for teachers of grades 6-12. They ask that you give them feedback after using the DVD in your class. They also have other offers for teachers including other DVDs and even free ice cream. 
Click Here

The USEPA is offering a variety of free posters. Although the free posters are great for the classroom, anyone in the US can order them. You can order up to five free posters. Many of the posters are available in English or Spanish versions.
Click Here

The deadline for Technology & Learning ’s Digital Photo Contest for Kids Sponsored by Adobe Digital Kids Club has been extended to October 17!  Click here.

Best Buy has a program for k-12 schools, asking eductors to create programs focusing on kids using technology to learn standards-based curriculum, rather than on teaching students to use technology.

Click below to find out more.

Rewarding Schools for Engaging Students

Right out of the CPS IMPACT Weekly Digest …

Some important news for schools!

Reminder: Elementary Schools Must Schedule in SIM Prior to Using Gradebook

The scheduling process must be complete in IMPACT SIM in order for scheduling information to move to Gradebook.

Please ensure that individuals with SADMIN or SSCHEDULE roles at your school complete these functions after homeroom assignments have been made and subjects are scheduled. For more information on assigning students to homerooms and subject scheduling, please reference the document Elementary School Setup and Scheduling.

Completing the elementary school scheduling process

1. Ensure homeroom and subject framework items have been assigned.
2. In IMPACT SIM, under ADMIN select Scheduling.
3. Under Step 5, select Create Student Schedule. This will load classes for students. This process should be duplicated when new students are enrolled into the school.
4. Once the Create Schedule Students link is selected, it will yield a dialog box. If you wish to refresh scheduling for multiple students, select All Students. If you wish to update for recently scheduled students only select students with no auto-scheduled classes.
5. Once the appropriate selection is highlighted, click OK.

Scheduling for individual students

1. From the student’s Demographic page, in the control bar, select Schedule.
2. Click the Assign Default Classes button located in the top left hand corner of the page. This will load the new student’s schedule.

Please direct questions to the IMPACT Help Desk at (773) 553-3925, option 2, or impact@cps.k12.il.us

Interesting viewpoint…

Well here is their little secret. A policy that wasn’t in place in 2000 but is now. Any student who did not show up for the 1st day of school was un-enrolled in the school system. The only students that were marked absent are students where the parent actually called the school informing them of a bona fide reason for the student to absent, i.e. illness, dental or medical appointments.

The CPS will only re-enroll these students if and when they finally show up. It is a perfect plan to inflate the 1st day of school attendance percentage.

Mayor Daley, not knowing how many students were going to participate in Rev. Meeks’ school boycott was hedging his bet to insure a great 1st day of school attendance number and to minimize the importance of Rev. Meeks’ boycott.

Truth or fiction?

• Primaries, Voting, and Elections
  Lesson plans, Internet sites, and curriculum ideas will help your students understand the impact of elections.
  http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson202.shtml
• Presidential Election Coverage: Vote 2008 | Lesson Plans
  Students examine the growing field of candidates and analyze the role of the Internet in the race for president.
  http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2008/lessonplans.html
• Elections Lessons and Teacher Resources
  Features a large collection of lessons plans to teach your students about elections.
  http://www.lessonplanspage.com/Elections.htm
• By the People: Election For Kids, Parents, and Teachers
  Young people who do vote often do so because they learned about the importance of elections when they were kids and they grew to believe it was an honor and a privilege.
  http://www.pbs.org/elections/kids/
• Ben’s Guide: Elections
  These pages explain the election process for Federal officials. Designed for grades 3-5.
  http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/election/index.html
• The Electoral College
  When Americans are casting our votes for the presidential candidates, we are actually casting our votes for electors, who will cast their votes for the candidates.
  http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/government/theelectoralcollege.htm
• The Steps to Elected Office
  Create a sequence chart and run-for-office board game.
  http://etgredirect.1105web.com/redirect.aspx?id=80

From EduHound’s Classroom Tools & Tips