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Secondary English Weekly #4

VOLUME THREE, ISSUE FOUR /September 28-October 2, 2020

SecondaryEnglish Weekly #4VOLUME THREE, ISSUE FOUR /September 28-October 2, 2020
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MLK Breakfast Speaker Contest



CONTEST INFORMATION

CCS will select one student speaker to represent the district at the 2021 Martin Luther King Breakfast, held virtually on January 18, 2021. The competition to become that speaker is open to all students in Grades 6-12. The CCS Superintendent Dr. Talisa Dixon will introduce our student speaker at the event. Once chosen, our student will be professionally photographed and recorded during the week of December 7th for the event.

HOW TO ENTER

Students should write their speeches, then send/share/message a recording (link to the recording) of themselves delivering the speech to Carla Mae Phillips (740-228-1509 or cphillips3865@columbus.k12.oh.us). Students/teachers may alternatively make a request for Carla Mae Phillips to record the speeches via her Zoom room and that will be scheduled.

DETAILS
Please put “MLK Breakfast” in the Subject Line when sending/sharing recording link and include the student's name, school, grade, student & parent contact information,

and the teacher’s email & phone number.

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A Closer look at the StudySync Benchmarks

If you have students loaded into StudySync in Grades 9-12, you will be using the StudySync Benchmark Form 1 as the BOY, Benchmark Form 2 as the MOY, and Benchmark Form 3 as the EOY. You have until October 23rd to give your students the Benchmark Form 1. Grades 6-8 are not required to use these Benchmarks since iReady is being used for testing in those grades, but may use them for classroom/student information if they choose.


Since the Benchmarks are leveled across the school year (as indicated below) it is not as important for students to show improvement in each test, but rather that the teacher sees growth with relation to the grade-level standard items, and maintained success with the below grade-level standard items in Benchmarks 1 and 2. In other words, a student that maintains a consistent score from Benchmark 1 to Benchmark 2 would be showing growth, even if their percentage score is below 80%.

  • Benchmark 1: 33% of items on grade-level standards, 66% of items below grade-level
  • Benchmark 2: 66% of items on grade-level standards, 33% of items below grade-level
  • Benchmark 3: 100% of items on grade-level standards.


The StudySync Gradebook indicates that “At or above proficiency (Green)” is a score of 80% or above (see Benchmarks and Gradebook link below). These cut-offs are the preset recommendations in StudySync. It should also be noted that teachers should pay careful attention to skill/standard views of the score to better understand and analyze areas in which a student is showing strengths as well as needs for remediation. Teachers can see standard and standard mastery views.


Please see these items for additional information about the StudySync Benchmarks/Gradebook.


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Call for nominations: Performance Standards Confirmation Committees for Ohio’s State Tests in English language arts

The Ohio Department of Education is calling for nominations to the new Performance Standards Confirmation Committees. The committees will evaluate the appropriateness of the performance levels (cut scores) adopted for each of Ohio’s State Tests in English language arts. Applications to serve on the committees are due Oct. 9 at 4 p.m. The selected members will meet virtually on Nov. 17-18, 2020, from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For all eligible meeting participants, costs for substitute teachers will be reimbursed directly to school districts. Educators interested in participating on one of these Performance Standards Confirmation Committees should complete this application. Applicants selected to participate will be notified during the week of Oct. 26. Applicants must provide an active email address for notifications.

Questions and Answers

Here are some of the questions I have been asked via email/survey that you may also have been asking. Answers are included:) If you do not see a topic you want to know more on, check the other sections of this newsletter (e.g. StudySync).


-Can an Instructional Assistant or Tutor have access to my StudySync classes? Yes. First, the admin at the building needs to make the teacher a secondary teacher in IC with rosters. Then, teachers listed as secondary teachers in IC should have access to the McGraw Hill platforms. The file has been updated and appears to be working correctly. Contact Tim Wangler if you need any clarification.

-How do I link my Google Classroom in StudySync? Use these videos to understand the process.

Teachers: Linking Your Account with Google Classroom

Students: Linking Your Account with Google Classroom

Webinar: StudySync Google Integrations

-How do I rename my classes in StudySync? StudySync-How to Change Course Names

-In StudySync, is there a way to reopen assignments for whole classes at once (in order to go over them and have students change/fix answers, for example) instead of having to go to each student individually and reopen the assignment? At the current time the only way to open assignments is by individual student. This topic/suggestion has been shared with the StudySync product enhancement team.

-Is Achieve3000 available this school year? Yes. Achieve3000 is the Tier II Intervention resource for Secondary English. (StudySync is the Tier I Instructional resource.) Achieve3000 should be used in the College and Career Ready courses, can be used in Core Enrichment, and may be used for targeted intervention. Tim Wangler can help with Achieve3000 usage.

-Are we integrating iReady lessons into any of our plans? No. iReady is only being used for testing in Grades 6-8 and is not being used as curriculum.

-How long do I have to give my 9-12th graders the StudySync Benchmark Form 1 BOY? You have until October 23rd.

-How long to I have to give my 6-8th graders the iReady BOY? You have until September 30th.

-Will the testing dates for StudySync Benchmarks be put into the Curriculum Maps? No. The windows change each year and are especially fluid this year due to remote teaching. You will see that the Benchmarks are listed in the Curriculum Maps for English 9-12 at the beginning of the year, at the end of Unit 2, and at the end of Unit 4. That is the suggestion for placement by StudySync but may or may not coincide with CCS testing windows. You can see the "Assessments" section of this newsletter for the latest information.

-When will we have access to Canvas? No date has been set for that. It will be a slow phase in for this product.

-Is it possible to make a middle school newsletter and a high school newsletter? Not at this time:) Although some information is grade-level specific, most is applicable to all grades.

Monday, September 28th
  • StudySync Webinar: 1-1:45 PM Plan with Confidence: Design Instruction for Any Hybrid Scenario Register Now
  • StudySync Webinar: 4-4:30 PM Set the Pace: Guide your year with Standards-based backward-mapping. Register Now
  • StudySync Webinar: 7-7:30 PM Create Custom Units: Build Thematic Units to Target Highest Priority Standards Register Now

Tuesday, September 29th

  • THURBER HOUSE YOUNG WRITERS' STUDIO (GRADES 9-12) 6:30–8:30 pm ET on Zoom

    • Register HERE

Wednesday, September 30th
  • TeachingBooks Webinar: Enhance Independent Reading with TeachingBooks 10am Register

Thursday, October 1st

Friday, October 2nd

  • CCS TECH Office Hour: 9-10am; These office hours facilitated by Jesse Ireland are meant to support district personnel in implementing instructional technology to have the highest impact on teaching and learning. Waiting Room is enabled to assist in controlling the flow of people in breakout rooms. https://ccsoh-us.zoom.us/j/95949814314?pwd=OGllcUwvR3Nsa2R2UGpsOFFYdTIrUT09
  • StudySync Webinar: 4-4:30 PM Enhance Social Studies & Science with SyncBlasts Register Now

Saturday, October 3rd

  • ILA (INTERNATIONAL LITERACY ASSOCIATION) NEXT BEGINS

    ILA Next (October 3–29) is a new professional learning experience for literacy educators across the globe. REGISTER HERE

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What do I have access to for teaching secondary english?

CCS Adopted, Supplemental, and Intervention Resources List


-You can find the curricular and district items on the ELA 6-12 Webpage by clicking on the curriculum Quick Links for your grade level.

Scroll down to see all of the Grade Levels/Courses and to see the Guiding Documents for all Grade Levels once you are on the Curriculum/Instructional Resource page for your grade level.

-Here are some short videos to acclimate you to the new Curriculum Docs/Folders and show the correlation between the maps and the adopted digital resources. These are available at the bottom of each of the Curriculum/Instructional Resource page in the CCS ELA Guiding Documents section.

NOTE: To access many curricular and district, you must be logged into Google using your CCS credentials and not a personal account.

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Assessment Information for Columbus City Schools SY20-21


  • In Grades 9-12, the Benchmark Assessments (Forms 1-3) in StudySync replace NWEA MAP/Reading Inventory testing for the BOY, MOY, and EOY. .
  • Teachers in Grades 6-8 will use iReady to replace NWEA MAP, but are free to use the StudySync Benchmark Assessments for their own classroom information. NOTE: iReady is NOT a curriculum tool for middle school. It is only being used for testing.
  • The BOY window for iReady (Grades 6-8) runs through 9/30.
  • The BOY window for StudySync Benchmark Form 1 (Grades 9-12) runs through 10/23.
  • The testing calendar includes two Reset Readiness Benchmarks from the ODE testing portal for courses that have an OST. These allow students to do full-length tests in the same portal as they will on the OST. These may/may not be required for ELA as talks are still ongoing.
  • StudySync comes with a full suite of assessments that you have available to you. None are mandated by with the exception of the Benchmark Forms 1-3 in Grades 9-12 for the BOY, MOY, and EOY. You can see them all here: StudySync Suite of Assessments.
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Newest Resources from the Ohio Department of Education

You can check out the latest tools from ODE for the Standards and OST in their Student Readiness Toolkit. It seems that the link to the student testing site on the last page of this document on the ODE site is not working. HERE is the link for that site.


The Ohio Department of Education and Cambium Assessment will be hosting two webinars for educators to learn more about the Restart Readiness Assessments and Centralized Reporting System on Sept. 28 from 2-3:30 p.m. and Sept. 30 from 9-10:30 a.m.

The Restart Readiness Assessments are a suite of optional assessment tools for students in grades 3 through high school that have been developed by the Ohio Department of Education in collaboration with Cambium Assessment, Inc. Comprised of two components, Benchmark Tests and Checkpoint Assessments, the purpose of the Restart Readiness Assessments is to provide schools and districts with actionable performance data using assessments that have been aligned with Ohio's Learning Standards and built using items from Ohio's State Tests. Data gathered by these new assessments will be available for analysis using the Centralized Reporting System. Similar to the Online Reporting System used for Ohio's State Tests, the Centralized Reporting System provides a platform through which assessment data can be analyzed.

Using the Centralized Reporting System, districts or regional data leads will be able to conduct an item level analysis at the district, classroom or student level; review individual student responses for every item on every test; compare performance across a wide variety of contexts and categories; and much more.

You can register for the Sept. 28 webinar here and the Sept. 30 webinar here. A recording of the webinar will be placed on the Restart Readiness Assessment Portal.

The Adopted Curriculum Resource for English 6-12

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STUDYSYNC ACCESS

-You AND your students access StudySync via the Clever icon or http://clever.com/in/columbuscity. Click on the McGraw Hill icon. Then, launch the StudySync App.

-Your classes are marked with X and Y. The X classes are for first semester and are the ones you should be using now. The Y classes are for second semester. If you want to change the names of your classes in StudySync, follow this guide: StudySync-How to Change Course Names

-Here is the demo code for StudySync in case you have a co-teacher, building coach, or admin that wants to see the platform and they do not have a class aligned in Clever/IC.

DEMO: my.mheducation.com

UN: StudySync2021

PW: study2021

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Pathways to Success Teacher Feature

TEACHER FEATURE: PATHWAY TO SUCCESS

  • Learn how teaching StudySync’s Core ELA Units transformed one teacher's benchmark scores, and why she never loses sleep over standards. Pathway to Success
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StudySync Tutorials

There is a tutorial for everything! When you are in StudySync, you can get to the Help Center by clicking on your name at the top, right. In the dropdown menu, you select "Help Center." Then type in what you want to know about and it will populate the tutorials. Also, the speech icon in the lower, right gets you access to a live help desk during office hours.


Some of the most popular tutorials and supporting documents are linked below.

Student-Facing Tutorials

  1. How to Use Scaffolds with StudySync
  2. Linking Your StudySync Account with Google Classroom
  3. StudySync Mobile App - How to Find Your App Key & Set up the App
  4. How to Find a Text in the Library


Teacher-Facing Tutorials

  1. StudySync Walkthrough PDF
  2. Google Integration Video
  3. How to Change Course Names (relabeling your course in StudySync for clarity)
  4. Sub-Groups & Differentiation (video)
  5. Navigating a Student Account (video)
  6. Mimic a Student (video)
  7. Distance Learning: The Basics PDF
  8. Top 5 Ways to Engage Students Through Remote Learning PDF
  9. Tips for Creating Instructional Videos
  10. Small-Group Discussion Planning Document
  11. Facilitation Strategies for an Online Discussion
  12. Design a Three-Part Flipped Lesson
  13. Create and Customize an Assignment from a Core Unit (video)
  14. Create an Assignment from the Library (video)
  15. Create an Assignment for multiple classes (video)
  16. Edit an Assignment (video)
  17. Preview an Assignment (video)
  18. Deactivate an Assignment (video)
  19. Search for an Assignment (video)
  20. Copy an Assignment (video)
  21. View Inactive Assignments (video)
  22. View a Report of Student Work (video)
  23. Grade Student Work (video)
  24. StudySync Gradebook & Data Analysis (video)
  25. Navigating Digital Library (video)
  26. Culturally Relevant Instruction (video)
  27. Blasts in Detail (video)
  28. Create a Blast (video)
  29. Teaching a Blast – HS (video)
  30. Teaching a Blast – MS (video)
  31. Show a Blast with Live Data (video)


Parent-Facing Supports

  1. 6–12 Parent Support (video)
  2. English Parent Letter (PDF)
  3. Spanish Parent Letter (PDF)
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StudySync Webinars, Office Hours, & PD

Webinars

Office Hours

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StudySync Recorded Trainings from This Summer

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StudySync Teacher and Student Books

-If you did not pick up a Volume One StudySync Teacher Edition this summer, please have your school's building book person request it from the Hudson Warehouse. The warehouse has sent out the student consumables (Reading and Writing Companion), but will send out the TEs based upon requests from the building since so many of you already picked them up. Volume Two of the TE will be automatically sent to the buildings from the warehouse.

-Student Editions were sent from the warehouse to the buildings. In Grades 6-10, students have one consumable (Reading and Writing Companion) for the year with all 6 units included. In Grades 11-12, students have two consumables (Reading and Writing Companion). Volume 1 is for Units 1-3 and Volume 2 is for Units 4-6.

The adopted curriculum resource for honors & AP

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BEDFORD OVERVIEWS AND TRAINING/Tutorial LINKS

Overview Pages and Slideshows


Launchpad Access

-To get to Launchpad through Clever http://clever.com/in/columbuscity, click the Launchpad icon and click on the name of class/textbook.


Recorded Trainings/Slides and Follow-Up Letter from Summer


MORE Launchpad Trainings

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Bedford Honors and AP Teacher Texts

-If you still need an honors or AP teacher edition, reach out to Carla Mae Phillips (cphillips3865) and she will work with the warehouse to get that delivered to you.


-Students have a hardback text and may have a workbook for Honors 9 and 10.

Honors 9: Foundations of Language and Literature

Honors10: Advanced Language & Literature

AP Language: The Language of Composition, 3rd Edition

AP Literature: Literature and Composition, 2nd Edition

Supplemental resource for CCS Book Lists & Novel/Author Items

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As you know, TeachingBooks is the tool that houses the lists of books we have in the warehouse and in the Secondary English Curriculum Office (TeachingBooks Tutorial). It also is a place to get additional novel and author resources. Here are some ideas TeachingBooks wanted to share with teachers since we are teaching remotely.


TEACHINGBOOKS WEBINARS IN SEPTEMBER

Enhance Independent Reading with TeachingBooks Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020 10am
Engage readers with resources to preview titles. Add to your reader's advisory bag of tricks. Register—Register even if you can't attend to get the Sessions sent to you.


TEACHINGBOOKS SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER (BOOKMARKED) ITEMS

September 2020 Edition for Columbus City Schools

  • NEW: Diverse Books Toolkit Want to dive deeply into diversity and inclusion? Check out TeachingBooks' new Diverse Books Toolkit.
  • NEW: Hands-free Book Browsing How are your students selecting books in this age of COVID-19 when shelf-browsing is often restricted? In response to this concern, TeachingBooks has three tools to help students browse and discover books—hands- free! 1: Hands-free Book Browsing: Audiobook excerpts and accessible chapters or passages of books that allow readers to get to know a book without physically having it in their hands. 2: Bitmoji Virtual Classrooms, Libraries, and Bulletin Boards: Provide a welcoming and inclusive virtual learning environment with these templates that are ready to copy, customize, and use. 3: Reader's Advisory: These tools assist in identifying books that match students' interests and needs.
  • Featured Booklist: #OwnVoices Young Adult Literature Diversify your reading list for the 2020-2021 school year with these #ownvoices stories, selected by the Portland Public Library. The #ownvoices hashtag, created by Corinne Duyvis, centers the experiences of marginalized people by promoting stories about characters with marginalized identities written by authors who share those same identities. Explore This Booklist, See other #OwnVoices Booklists
  • Listen In with Matthew Winner & The Children's Book Podcast Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan are co-authors of A Place at the Table (Clarion, 2020). This new middle grade novel in two voices examines the growing awareness of self-identity as we enter middle school. As Saadia and Laura note in this conversation, so many kids want to stand up for what they believe is right, but don’t know how. This story is one answer to that question. Listen To The Podcast, Explore the book on TeachingBooks
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Description: These office hours are meant to support district personnel in implementing instructional technology to have the highest impact on teaching and learning. Waiting Room is enabled to assist in controlling the flow of people in breakout rooms.

Meeting Times/Dates: This meeting will occur each Friday from 9:00 - 10:00 am starting September 11th and running through December 18th and will be facilitated by Jesse Ireland.

Meeting Link:

https://ccsoh-us.zoom.us/j/95949814314?pwd=OGllcUwvR3Nsa2R2UGpsOFFYdTIrUT09

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FREE CORWIN WEBINAR-FISHER, FREY, AND HATTIE ON TUESDAY

Join Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, & John Hattie: Going Deeper With Distance Learning

As we embark on true distance learning, we are learning what works and what doesn’t. School leaders are looking for ways to lead, not just manage. Teachers need guidance about effective practices in virtual environments. Parents want to help, but don’t always know how and may not be well resourced.

In this free webinar, the presenters discuss:

  • Cohesive instructional design tools powered by formative evaluation.
  • Tools for supporting school leaders working at a distance
  • Ways to deepen partnerships between home and school

Don’t miss this timely, informative webinar that you’ll walk away from with guidance and examples that you can use immediately to impact your teaching and learning, no matter the setting!
Reserve Your Spot Today for the webinar on September 29th at 3:00pm. Register now

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ACHIEVE THE CORE SELF-PACED CLASS

Registration is open for Achieve the Core Tackling the Text: Techniques to Help All Students Grow (Grades 3-12) fall virtual learning 12-hour course. The self-paced course can be taken anytime between October 6—November 16, 2020 and has a $20 enrollment fee. You'll receive a certificate showing 12 hours of professional learning upon successful completion.

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LIBRARY CON LIVE! NOVEMBER 5TH

Join Library Journal and School Library Journal for the fourth annual LibraryCon Live! They're excited to offer a day-long celebration of fandom-beloved stories and characters, featuring the creators behind mind-bending speculative fiction, innovative comics, and fan-favorite graphic novels. Plus, network online with other fans and explore our virtual exhibit hall where you'll hear directly from publishers about their newest books and engage in live chats with featured authors. Whether you're a public or school librarian, an educator of teens and young adults, or a superfan of graphic novels and sf/fantasy, don't miss this chance to meet and interact with some of your favorite stars across these genres.They are anticipating an unprecedented number of library and education professionals to attend this event, so you may find the environment or live sessions become full during the day. But fear not! All sessions and author chats will be available for viewing on-demand within an hour of their initial broadcast, and the entire event will be available on-demand until February 5, 2021.

The Keynote Speakers are Jerry Craft and John Jennings. REGISTER HERE.

  • Jerry Craft is a New York Times bestselling author-illustrator who has worked on numerous books for young readers, including the Newbery medal-winning graphic novel New Kid. Jerry is the creator of Mama’s Boyz, an award-winning syndicated comic strip. He has won five African American Literary Awards and is a cofounder of the Schomburg Center’s Annual Black Comic Book Festival. He received his BFA from the School of Visual Arts and now lives in Connecticut. Class Act, the companion novel to New Kid, will be published in October 2020. Visit him online at www.jerrycraft.com.
  • John Jennings is the curator of the Megascope list and illustrator of the graphic novel adaptations of Octavia E. Butler’s Kindred and Parable of the Sower. He is a professor of media and cultural studies at the University of California, Riverside.

THURBER HOUSE ADULT WRITING WORKSHOPS (SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER)

  • 9/28 – Going Rogue: Garden Edition
  • 10/5 – True Inflammatory Poems
  • 10/12 – Writing Places and Spaces
  • 10/17 – Here There Be Dragons (Master Class)
  • 10/19 – Capturing Joy Through Poetry
  • 10/26 – Going Rogue: Holiday Edition

Learn More About/Register for Thurber's Adult Writing Workshops HERE


TEACHINGBOOKS WEBINARS IN SEPTEMBER

Enhance Independent Reading with TeachingBooks Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020 10am

Engage readers with resources to preview titles. Add to your reader's advisory bag of tricks. Register


ILA (INTERNATIONAL LITERACY ASSOCIATION) NEXT-OCTOBER 3-29

ILA Next (October 3–29) is a new professional learning experience for literacy educators across the globe. Digital by design, ILA Next offers a blend of live and on-demand learning anchored by a weekly workshop series. You bring the device; they'll bring the PD!
They've zeroed in on the most important issues in literacy instruction, recognizing the challenges facing teachers right now, such as the following:

  • Distance and hybrid learning
  • Equity and access
  • Social-emotional development
  • Trauma responsive instruction

Each week, you'll have access to multiple hours of live presentations plus additional hours of on-demand content. Informal Office Hours sessions give you the chance to interact with select speakers and fellow participants. REGISTER NOW


NOVEL CONVERSATIONS (OCTOBER-DECEMBER)

Novel Conversations, a fan-favorite podcast about classic literature, is returning for its seventh season! And they are kicking it off with a dystopian theme. Get ready for Big Brother, battles with Morlocks, and some apprehensive book burning. Join them every other Tuesday for eight brand new episodes, featuring titles like Fahrenheit 541 and 1984. See below for all eight books and release dates, or follow us for updates on their Twitter and Facebook pages. Enjoy! Listen Now

Older Episodes: LISTEN NOW

Ep 3: Advise and Consent by Allen Drury (1959) Oct 6

Ep 4: The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell (1996) Oct 20

Ep 5: The Tenth Man by Graham Greene (1985) Nov 3

Ep 6: The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy by Sterne (1759) Nov 17

Ep 7: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Twain (1889) Dec 1

Ep 8: 1984 by George Orwell (1949) Dec 15


THURBER HOUSE AUTHOR VISITS FOR OCTOBER

*ONLINE* | Historian Phillip Goodrich OCT 7, 2020, 7pm Toss all common beliefs aside that unfair taxation was the sole impetus for the American Revolution. Phillip Goodrich’s Somersett: Or Why and How Benjamin Franklin Orchestrated the American Revolution pieces together the methods and motivations of unlikely leaders who beat the odds against Great Britain by turning the practice of slavery into the call for revolution. The book advances the theory that Benjamin Franklin, using the freeing of a British slave as the catalyst, orchestrated a little-known yet elaborate scheme to spark revolt throughout the colonies and impassion America’s fight for independence from England.

*ONLINE* | GLORY: Magical Visions of Black Beauty with Kahran and Regis Bethencourt OCT 27, 2020, 7pm From Kahran and Regis Bethencourt, the dynamite husband and wife duo behind CreativeSoul Photography, comes GLORY, a photography book that shatters the conventional standards of beauty for Black children. With stunning images of natural hair and gorgeous, inventive visual storytelling, GLORY puts Black beauty front and center with more than 100 breathtaking photographs and a collection of powerful essays about the children. At its heart, it is a recognition and celebration of the versatility and innate beauty of black hair and black beauty.


GRAMERCY BOOKS AUTHOR EVENTS FOR OCTOBER

At Gramercy Books on Main Street in Bexley, they share our love of books and the arts through a broad range of programming and events that bring the community together. There’s something for everyone. Be sure to check out Gramercy's calendar of events, and discover something new. This month features the following:

  • October 22, 7pm Fans of high-stakes tension and suspense don’t want to miss this exclusive conversation between two novelists who have taken the thriller to a higher level: Layne Fargo, author of the dynamic psychological powerhouse They Never Learn, and Allison Dickson, author of the clever and sinister, The Other Mrs. Miller.
  • October 26, 7pm Critically acclaimed master storyteller Alex George will join Gramercy Book Club participants after the discussion of his latest novel, The Paris Hours, an exquisitely written and vivid portrayal of lives intersecting in early twentieth-century Paris. Former Columbus Dispatch Arts Editor Nancy Gilson will moderate the group discussion and interview with George.
  • October 30, 7pm Worldwide bestselling author of Goosebumps and the master of scary stories for young readers, R.L. Stine has written the third book in his new middle grade graphic novel series, Just Beyond: Welcome to Beast Island. To celebrate the publication of this supernatural horror tale, Gramercy Books is hosting the national Halloween book launch for Stine, live streamed on Zoom Webinar, where he will be in conversation with two Bexley Middle School students: Nandni Patel and Ben Stebenne. The audience will get to ask questions as well.


CAMP CORWIN BOOK CLUBS FOR FALL 2020

Sign up for FREE Camp Corwin Book Club to join Corwin authors as they discuss and engage on timely topics. Camp Corwin Book Club Meetings take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 90 minutes. Books are not included and should be purchased separately

Join any of these book clubs here

  • Identity Safe Classrooms September 29th & October 1st 6:00pm
  • Distance Learning Playbook for Parents October 6th & 8th 6:00pm
  • Comprehension October 13th & 15th 6:00pm
  • Equity by Design October 20th & 22nd 6:30pm
  • Engage Every Family October 27th & 29th 6:30pm
  • SEL From a Distance November 10th & 12th 6:30pm
  • Distance Learning Playbook School Leaders November 17th & 19th 6:30pm
  • Building Resilience in Students Impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences December 1st & 3rd 6:30pm


2020 OHIOANA AWARDS MOVES ONLINE (OCTOBER 21)

The 2020 Ohioana Awards, originally scheduled for October 15 at the Ohio Statehouse, will now be presented online on Wednesday, October 21, at 7:00 p.m. The event will feature the presentation of awards to our winners:

  • Fiction: Salvatore Scibona, The Volunteer
  • Nonfiction: Jeannie Vanasco, Things We Didn’t Talk About When I Was a Girl
  • About Ohio or an Ohioan: David McCullough, The Pioneers
  • Poetry: Hanif Abdurraqib, A Fortune for Your Disaster
  • Middle Grade/Young Adult Literature: Jasmine Warga, Other Words for Home
  • Juvenile Literature: Oge Mora, Saturday
  • Readers’ Choice: Kenn Kaufman, Season on the Wind
  • Walter Ramsey Marvin Grant: Brendan Curtinrich

There will no admission charge for the 2020 Ohioana Awards - it is being presented as a free event, open to all Ohioans as a celebration of books and reading. While the event is free, registration is required at this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2020-ohioana-awards-tickets-120406794965

—NOTE: If you missed the Virtual Ohioana Book Festival, the entire festival program is now completely online. You can heck out the panels, discussions, outreach programs, and media interviews, along with drawing and story times for kids, individual author readings, and more. If you did attend the festival, this is your chance to catch something you might've missed - or revisit a program you enjoyed for a second or third time. Go to the schedule page below - click on the title of any linked program and it will take you right there: http://www.ohioana.org/prog…/ohioana-book-festival/schedule/.

You can still purchase books featured at the festival by going online to the official bookseller for Ohioana, The Book Loft of German Village:https://www.bookloft.com


AMLE (ASSOCIATION FOR MIDDLE LEVEL EDUCATION) 2020 VIRTUAL CONFERENCE-OCTOBER 23-25

Class is virtually in session! Just as this is no ordinary year, this is no ordinary conference. You are invited into the #AMLE20 virtual middle school classroom! It’s a space to play, innovate, and be creative. It’s a space to connect with colleagues. It’s a space to contribute and collect tools and resources to meet the needs of your students and your school community. INFORMATION HERE I REGISTRATION HERE


COLLEGE BOARD FORUM VIRTUAL CONFERENCE (OCTOBER 26–28, 2020)

Now, more than ever, educators need to connect and support one another on how to navigate unprecedented challenges due to covid-19. Don't miss the opportunity to join your higher ed and K–12 colleagues at the College Board Virtual Forum, October 26–28.

Attend keynote and panel discussions, colloquia, breakout sessions, roundtable discussions, and networking events, and participate in the annual Forum College Fair. Conference topics will include: Trends in higher education in 2020, Keeping students on track, Addressing the digital divide, Best practices for leaders during covid-19, and Realizing social justice in our work. Register Now I View the Preliminary Program


NCTE (NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR TEACHERS OF ENGLISH) 2020 VIRTUAL CONFERENCE-NOVEMBER 19-22

NCTE’s Convention is the most historic annual literacy convening for teachers and educators. Now celebrating its 110th consecutive year, the historic event connects educators to the most passionate and energetic minds in literacy. Attendees can expect to hear from leading education voices as well as nearly 300 national authors, all engaging together around the pressing topics of the field. Join them to establish new allies in the work of excellent teaching, new connections with luminaries and authors, and enough new books to fill entire shelves in classroom libraries. INFORMATION HERE I REGISTRATION HERE (WILL BE LIVE SOON)


BONNIE CHAMBERS GRANT FOR 6TH GRADE TEACHERS

Recognizing the extraordinary challenges teachers face in the upcoming academic year 2020-21, a one-time $5,000.00 grant will be awarded to purchase books for K-6 students in an Ohio public school building. This Bonnie Chambers Grant is designed to help teachers who strongly promote the use of quality literature in their classrooms. Teachers will use the grant money to select and purchase their own book choices (fiction or non-fiction) dealing with understanding and coping with COVID, racism and equality issues, and/or mental health issues for children and their families.

Application Criteria

  • This grant is open to any* Ohio public school teacher(s) in grades K-6 who demonstrates a need for money in the purchasing of classroom books for their elementary building.
  • If a group of teachers apply, one teacher will apply on behalf of the building and serve as the contact teacher.
  • Need can be demonstrated through free-lunch ratios, recent school-levy results, extraordinary events, etc.

Applications are available and due by December 31, 2020.

Online Application I Print Application

Visit the Bonnie Chambers Grant page for more information: https://www.octela.org/awards/bonnie-chambers/


FREE NEW YORK TIMES SUBSCRIPTIONS.

This could be a great resource for our Publications in Newspaper classes. HERE are the details.


OHIO LITERARY TRAIL

The Ohioana Library is delighted to introduce the Ohio Literary Trail, a new program that will shine the spotlight on Ohio’s unique role in shaping culture and literature worldwide. Ohioana compiled the trail map with more than 70 sites across the Buckeye state, paying tribute to the authors, poets, illustrators, libraries, and creative influencers of the written word who have called Ohio home. The Ohio Literary Trail celebrates Ohio’s diversity through an eclectic range of literary greats who influenced feminism and women’s rights, Black history, religion, LGBTQ+ rights, and American culture through literature. Tourists planning a literary-themed outing, as well as Ohioans who want to discover literary treasures they never knew existed in their own backyard, will find it here: http://www.ohioana.org/resources/the-ohio-literary-trail/


BULK BOOKSTORE GIVEAWAY

On the Bulk Bookstore Facebook page, they are giving away free copies of this fun book The Chocolate Touch. You could be one of six winners of 5 free paperback copies on September 30th.


TEACHINGBOOKS BLOG-CONTESTS AND GIVEAWAYS

HERE are the highlighted contests and giveaways for September 2020.


WE ARE TEACHERS-CONTESTS AND GIVEAWAYS

HERE are the highlighted contests and giveaways.


ASHLAND UNIVERSITY GIVING AWAY DE-COMMISSIONED BOOKS

Because of increasing classroom demands at the Ashland University Columbus Campus, they have been forced to de-commission their Instructional Resource Center. THIS LIST related to young adult literature is the first segment of resources they are looking to give away to interested parties. Because of their historic partnership with Columbus City Schools, we have the first opportunity to gain additional resources for the benefit of students. The listed material will be available to interested parties at the Columbus Center on a first-come first served basis. They ask that you bring your own box(es) to collect materials. If you have questions, please contact Mary Laura Lutz, Ph.D., Director, Ashland University Columbus Center, 614-794-0803, mlutz3@ashland.edu.

THURBER HOUSE YOUNG WRITERS' STUDIO (GRADES 9-12)

  • Tuesday, September 29
  • Tuesday, October 13
  • Tuesday, October 27
  • Tuesday, November 10
  • Tuesday, November 24

6:30–8:30 pm ET on Zoom

What is Young Writers' Studio? Students in Grades 9-12 meet every other week for two hours with author and English professor Robert Loss. They kick off the first hour with quality writing prompts and activities. They wrap up the last hour with the chance to workshop pieces that you or others share. It's a safe, low-key, fun opportunity to enjoy writing and meet others! Register HERE

-A limited number of scholarships are available for this program. Email megbrown@thurberhouse.org for more information.


POETRY OUT LOUD 2020-2021

Poetry Out Loud (POL) encourages students to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary heritage and contemporary life. Created by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, Poetry Out Loud is administered in partnership with the State Arts Agencies of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Teachers, librarians, or administrators register their high schools each year with the Ohio Arts Council and organize contests with one class, several classes, or a whole school. Contests, workshops, and multi-media program materials, including curricula, are free. Poetry Out Loud is aligned with Common Core and National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) standards.

REGISTER YOUR SCHOOL HERE. I Get more information here.


VOTE FOR THE 2020 BUCKEYE CHILDRENS AND TEENS BOOK AWARDS

Voting is now open for your favorite book from the nominees below. Voting ends November 10th. You can also make your nominations for the 2021 Buckeye Children's & Teens Book Awards!

For Grades 6-8

  • Supernova (Amulet book 8) by Kazu Kibuishi
  • Front Desk by Kelly Yang
  • Grenade by Alan Gratz
  • Guts by Raina Telgemeier
  • Inkling by Kenneth Oppel

The Teen Buckeye Book Award Nominees (for grades 9-12)

  • On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
  • Superman: Dawnbreaker by Matt de la Peña
  • Supernova (Renegades book 3) by Marissa Meyer
  • The Toll (Arc of a Scythe book 3) by Neal Shusterman
  • War Storm (Red Queen Book 4) by Victoria Aveyard

Weekly Stress-Break Video

HRVY, Matoma - Good Vibes (Official Video)
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did you miss earlier issues of the secondary english weekly newsletter?

Each week, this Secondary English Weekly Newsletter will be linked in an email sent to ELA and ELA-related teachers in Grades 6-12 and posted on the CCS English Language Arts 6-12 Page (https://www.ccsoh.us/English6-12). It will contain all of the latest information that could prove useful to you and your students. If you know of anyone who needs to be added to the mailing list, please send their name(s) to cphillips3865@columbus.k12.oh. Happy Educating!


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Carla Mae Phillips

Lead Secondary English Curriculum Coordinator

Southland Center, Suite 125

Email: cphillips3865@columbus.k12.oh.us
Website: https://www.ccsoh.us/English6-12
Location: 3700 South High Street, Columbus, OH, 43207, USA
Phone: (380) 997-0463