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In this issue... |
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Teacher Feature I have been teaching in Newfields for the past 15 years. I taught Special Education for the first 7 years and have been teaching either 4th or 5th grade since then. For the past two years I have been teaching a combined 4th/5th grade and love it! What is your experience with
technology? How would you define WebCT
to teachers who are new to this tool? How did you hear about WebCT? How did you learn to use
WebCT? What level of technology
skills are required to use WebCT? What do students think of
WebCT? What do parents think of
WebCT? What types of resources are
you using in your WebCT site now? What future plans do you
have for your WebCT site? What recommendations do you
have for teachers who are thinking about using WebCT?
Dinosaurs roamed from second grade to kindergarten last spring at Main Street School as teachers used technology to enhance their science unit on dinosaurs. Second grade teacher, Nina Baillargeon, kindergarten teacher, Janet Boggess, and Director of Instruction, Jane McCaffery used the equipment they had purchased last fall through a grant they had received from AT&T for $3000. As a part of the prize, they received a digital camcorder to record the unit for AT&T. They purchased a Destination presentation computer, two webcams, and microphones. Second graders used technology (including the Internet, Kids Pix and Powerpoint) to research and document their dinosaur information. They then became experts as kindergarteners asked them questions through the webcams. It became a high point of their day to have a “webcam” time. The video was also used for a Booktalk episode. After the Booktalk, the trio took video, pictures, slides, and information they had gathered and created a CD to submit for the National AT&T Emerging Technology Award. There were many parts of the experience that were character-building, but the bottom line was that the kids will never forget this unit. The group will be honored several times this fall and will have the opportunity to present their information at the Christa McAuliffe Conference in Nashua in December. They have a LOT of plans for how to use the $10,000 they won!! More information available at: http://www.exeter.sau16.k12.nh.us/specialevents/att/attaward.htm
Are you looking for ideas to better integrate the use of the computer(s) that are currently in your classroom? Take a look at the following web resources to see what other educators are doing in their classrooms. One Computer Classroom Ideas Strategies and Applications for
One Computer Classroom Using Technology in the Classroom:
The One Computer Classroom The One Computer Classroom
The expectation for all SAU 16 professional staff is that they will use e-mail as a communication tool. As public employees, we are all subject to the provisions within Chapter 91-A: Access to Public Records and Meetings. E-mail messages are not exempt from this law and certain messages must be retained in order to comply with requests for information. A new policy that provides guidelines for saving and deleting e-mail is currently under review by all SAU 16 school boards. A copy of the draft policy can be viewed here: Draft E-Mail Retention Policy. Frequently Asked Questions Q: Should I stop
using e-mail? Q: Should I contact
parents by e-mail? Q: Should I use
e-mail for all communications with staff and parents. Q: Is there anyway
to protect myself from the possibility of sending a message to the wrong
person? Instructions for adding a disclaimer to your e-mail signature Recommended Articles
How to write an effective e-mail message
http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9905/12/effective.idg/
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 Educators throughout the State of New Hampshire are asking questions about the recently adopted reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), also known as "No Child Left Behind." A website sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education has a wealth of information on this legislation (click on the "No Child Left Behind" picture to access the website). |
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| Answers to common questions |
The Facts FAQs |
| Department of Education Presentation: Closing the Achievement Gap in America's Public Schools |
Individual pages:
http://www.nochildleftbehind.gov/next/closing/index.html PowerPoint presentation: http://www.nochildleftbehind.gov/next/closing/closing-the-gap.ppt Adobe Acrobat Reader format: http://www.nochildleftbehind.gov/next/closing/closing-the-gap.pdf |
| Implementation dates | Key dates: http://www.nochildleftbehind.gov/next/key/index.html |
SAU 16 Technology Plan Approved by SAU 16 Joint School Board
The SAU 16 Joint School Board unanimously approved the adoption of a new SAU 16 Technology Plan that will guide the implementation of technology in the district through June 2006. District and school-level technology committees will now begin work on the goals and action plans described in the plan. More information can be obtained at: http://technology.sau16.k12.nh.us/techplan/index.htm
AlphaSmart has introduced a new product called Dana which combines the keyboard of the traditional AlphaSmart with the Palm operating system. Dana runs on the Palm operating system which allows a user to select from over 10,000 software titles. This product is truly a low cost alternative to a laptop computer. Education pricing starts at $369 per unit. More information is available at: http://www.alphasmart.com/products/index.html
FirstClass Update
New SAU 16 E-Mail Addresses
When providing your e-mail address to
users outside of our network, you can use either of the following naming
conventions:
FirstInitialLastName@sau16.k12.nh.us
--or-- FirstInitialLastName@sau16.org
E-mail sent to either of these addresses will arrive
in your FirstClass mailbox.
Taming Your Reply Button
Have you ever replied to an email only to find that you have sent a message to
20, 30, or hundred other people by accident? This problem is created when
a message is sent to a group of people and then one recipient replies to the
entire group. You can avoid this problem by deleting all of the addresses
from the To address box after creating a reply. However, there is a
way to configure FirstClass so that it will reply only to the sender and not the
an entire group.
Changing Default Reply Settings
1. Open your FirstClass desktop
2. On the menu at the top of the screen, click on Edit and then
select Preferences
3. Click on the tab called Messaging and them make sure you are
on the page called Mail Rules
4. Near the top of the page you will find a box titled "Reply
Preference"
5. Click on the drop down menu and change the setting to "Reply
Sender"
6. Click on the Apply button at the bottom of the page and then
on the "OK" button
You have now changed the default FirstClass setting to reply only to the sender
of a message. If you would like to reply to a all addresses listed in the
To or Cc box then follow these directions:
Replying to All Recipients of a Message
1. Open a message that you have received
2. Click on the menu at the top of the page called Message, select
Reply Special, and then, Reply All
There are many new technology workshops available to SAU 16 staff on our Fall Professional Development page.
A number of organizations offer technology training in our area. To find more information about these opportunities, visit the following link: Regional and Local Professional Development.
