Secondary Literacy

We have twelve weeks left of the school year! Consider the moments of impact that you create, those opportunities are when students springboard into knowledge building. Holdfast to your one word.

If you have information or a highlight you'd like me to share in an upcoming newsletter (or you're interested in being a guest columnist!), don't hesitate to reach out!

Sincerely,

Your #PascoLiteracy Team

We are looking forward to seeing you all again for ERD on 3/9. Please see the quick links below for materials and Zoom links.

Resources from ERD can be found here.

Zoom Links for all sessions can be found here.

You can "reopen" all assignments. Here's a quick video to demonstrate.

StudySync - Close Read: So where are you from? - Assignment Report - Watch Video

​What's the Connection between the Focus Skill, Close Read, and Spotlight Skill Lesson? (2 min 33 sec)

Finding Grammar Skills Lessons and Printing Options (1 min 36 sec)

Hello awesome educators,

We would love the opportunity to hear from you about ways to strengthen our grading practices work in Pasco County Schools. We are currently planning to facilitate focus groups via zoom the last two weeks in March. These focus groups will include 6-8 participants in each and will last approximately 45-60 minutes with options to participate either before or after school.

We are seeking individuals with the following characteristics:

· See the benefits of standards-based grading practices and how it impacts student achievement

· Have implemented standards-based strategies independently and/or with PLCs

· Open to discussing concerns and strategies to strengthen standards-based grading practices

· New teachers and veteran teachers

· Teach at the middle and high school levels

If you are interested, please click on this link to provide us some initial information. Although, we are seeking as many teachers as possible to participate, it is important to note that everyone who desires to participate may not be selected. If selected, you will hear from us via email the week of March 7th. Focus groups dates and times will be shared at that time. We look forward to hearing from you!

Please contact, Melissa Caruso, at mlcaruso@pasco.k12.fl.us, if you have any questions or concerns.

Thank you,

OLL Team

Do you wish you had more time to go to the library to check out a good book? Well now you can do it from anywhere, with the click of a button. You and your students have access to Pasco County Libraries through myPascoConnect. You can browse and check out ebooks based on a variety of topics and genres. It is important to provide students with access and opportunity to read books they want to read, so please share this app with your students and challenge them to read a book over Spring Break.

• The Office for Leading and Learning is hosting the second official #PascoStudentsSpeak event for all students. We are excited to invite all schools and students to showcase their speeches, projects, and positivity. The event will take place at the WCHS Performing Arts Center on Saturday, 4/2.

• The theme for this year is Contributing to a Better Society: The Future Depends on It

  
  

  • In secondary students can use the work from their History Project: Debate & Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, Consequences
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• Each school's representative to participate in the district #PascoStudentsSpeak must be submitted to the district no later than Friday, March 11, 2022. The student PPT is due to the district by 3/30.

• This notebook includes general information about the event, as well as resources for teachers and students as they engage in preparing for this important work and showcasing it at the #PascoStudentsSpeak event.

• The Pasco Students Speak project is an opportunity for students to engage in learning tasks aligned to Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards for English Language Arts, building knowledge, communicating through writing, researching, and speaking. The culminating event provides students with the opportunity to share their discoveries of their personal inquiry topic.

• Keep in mind topics should be age-appropriate and taken into consideration when approving or recommending a topic. Avoid controversial topics as it can distract from the experience and opportunities for students.

All around the world teachers do fantastic work. They don’t just teach a curriculum – they instil values, encourage, support, befriend and truly impact the lives of their students and colleagues around them.

The Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards is a global competition in which you can nominate a current primary or secondary teacher for something wonderful they have done.

Use this link to nominate and share your story. Nominations close March 11th, 2022.

About the Nomination-Anyone can nominate a current teacher - whether you are a pupil, parent, or even another teacher. However, please remember that it is one nomination per person and we will not accept nominations for relatives, partners, or spouses sorry.

Please tell us about a specific time your teacher did something that you really appreciated - it can be as big or small as you like, just make sure to tell us why it meant so much to you. To help, we have given you four different categories when thinking about what your special teacher did:

- Going above and beyond – e.g. giving up spare time, or charity work
- Fantastic pastoral care – showing empathy, care and personal support
- Making the ordinary, extraordinary – innovative lesson ideas and practices
- Opening up the world – preparing students for their futures beyond school

To nominate, submit a written entry of no more than 150 words or a video no longer than two minutes. What are you waiting for? Tell us about your favourite teacher now!

FSA Writing Supports

FSA Writing PD/ Screencasts

• Academic Writing Training
• FSA Writing Rubric Training

Stacking the Deck- for use with conferencing during writing to push writing to the next level

All SAT and ACT Resources

ACT 6 Hour Prep Resources

Here you will find the office hours schedule for second semester. Office hours are an opportunity to connect with OLL Supervisors, Senior Specialists and Program Coordinators regarding your curriculum questions. We look forward to seeing you.

Quick link to the Assessment calendar

Sign Up Here

Registration is open

We’re pleased to announce that the Improving Reading for Older Students course is back by popular demand! The self-paced course covers literacy accelerators designed to improve literacy outcomes for students in grades 4-12 who are reading below grade level.

The session will run from February 1, 2022 - March 15, 2022. Participants who complete the course work within that window will receive a certificate showing 12 hours of professional learning credit. Once you have your certificate you can submit it on myPGS to receive in-service points, myPGS course #4291 section #31065.

Individual registration is $20 (+ sales tax)/person –- or only $10/person if you sign up as a group of four or more. Last time the course was offered it sold out almost immediately, so register early to secure your spot!

We look forward to learning with you on February 1!

The USF Stavros Center Presents a New Free Webinar!

Film Clips for Financial Literacy: Discovery, Disney, and Decision-making

Date: Monday, March 28

Time: 6:00-7:30 P.M.

Webinar: Teams link provided upon registration

In preparation for April and Financial Literacy Month, our partners in education, USF Stavros Center, will provide this session to engage students with financial literacy activities that use film clips. These include connections to a variety of Disney film clips, with ready-to-use decision activities. In addition, we will present some activities connected to Discovery Education’s Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids series, which map some of the videos to Florida Standards. These videos include music videos to share financial literacy concepts. Using these videos and a new Disney song, we will also illustrate how to work with your students to create their own lyrics about Financial Concepts. Professional development points will be provided. Please register using this link.

This program is a Florida state approved program that leads directly to educational leadership certification. With affordable tuition, built in FELE prep sessions and guest speakers from Pasco County Schools, this program will prepare you to be “assistant principal ready!”

Check out the details in the attached flyer below!

For anyone wanting to pursue an endorsement by taking the K-12 Reading Test, you can register for the Reding Endorsement Prep Course in myPGS section #30847. If you only need a few courses, there is still space in the UF Literacy Matrix, and you can register using this link. Lastly, If you prefer the district online courses, you can access that schedule here. Any questions about the preparation course or reading endorsement classes, please reach out to Danielle Varcardipone.

Educators can sign up for these sessions on our Website Programs Page.

Literacy Specialist, 9-12

Email: tlima@pasco.k12.fl.us
Twitter: @TressaLima

Literacy Specialist, 6-8

Email: dcabrera@pasco.k12.fl.us
Twitter: @damien_cabrera

Sr. Instructional Specialist

Secondary Literacy

Email: crhernan@pasco.k12.fl.us
Twitter: @herncas22

Sr. Instructional Specialist
K-12 Literacy Intervention and Achievement

Email: clough@pasco.k12.fl.us
Twitter: @clough6

Sr. Instructional Specialist

Reading Professional Development & Learning

Email: dvarcard@pasco.k12.fl.us
Twitter: @LiteracywithV