Teacher Appreciation Ideas & Continued Remote Learning Support

Erica Peron School Leadership Resources

Continuing Support During the COVID-19 Situation:
  • The Step Up for Students Office of Student learning is offering a free webinar series for administrators- “Modeling Resilience Through COVID-19.” These 30-minute weekly webinars are a chance for administrators to discuss the challenges and needs of their schools while networking with others experiencing the same issues. Webinars are held on Thursdays at 10:00 & 11:00 a.m. Click the links below to register for next week’s sessions!
  • The National Association of Elementary School Principals is featuring some excellent ongoing webinars for administrators. Topics include engagement, parent communication, teacher support, and even question & answer sessions. Click here to explore the free webinars and videos.
  • The National Association of Secondary School Principals also has webinars, videos & resources available to support administrators during the COVID-19 Crisis. Click here to explore the NASSP resources.
  • Don’t forget! The Office of Student Learning has also gathered a list of tutorials, resources, & programs to support remote learning. Check out those resources here!
Teacher Appreciation:
  • Did you know? The Step Up for Students Office of Student Learning is giving away a document camera to one lucky teacher in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week. The giveaway ends on May 13th, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. so don’t miss it! Limit one entry per person, only complete entries will be entered to win. Click here to enter!
  • Honor Teachers All Month! Explore these ideas from WeAreTeachers to celebrate your staff “virtually” all month long!
  • Check out this excellent toolkit from National PTA to help celebrate your teachers from afar all month long!

To view all previous School Leadership Resources postings, click here.

Tutorials & Set Up Help for Online Learning

Erica Peron School Leadership Resources, Teacher Resources for Success

Many teachers have been asking for ideas, tutorials, and support in setting up their digital classrooms. We’ve answered some of the frequently asked questions below.
How can I send materials, lessons, & communications to students?
  • The following FREE online platforms are some of our favorite user-friendly options for setting up online learning. Click the link below for set up tutorials!
    • Schoology (attendance tracking feature)
    • Google Classroom
    • Zoom
    • Canvas (attendance tracking feature)
    • Class Dojo (attendance tracking feature)
    • Remind
    • Padlet

* Click here for tutorials & set up help for all of the above online platform options.

How can I record lessons or videos?
How do I find resources for the grade level & subjects I teach?
  • The links below are sorted by subject area and are broken down into elementary and middle & high school levels. Remember, you can link the resources you find here into a digital classroom (see tutorials above)!

  • The site, WideOpenSchool.org, was created by Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that rates education and entertainment content for children, with help from dozens of partner educational companies. The site brings together content from some amazing companies to help students, teachers and families find free, quality resources while school buildings are closed.

Who can I reach out to about purchasing devices for my students?
  • Demand is high for devices at this time. We will update this section with more contacts as we find them. Check back in regularly to see what options are available.
    • HP®-Click here to join the Step Up for Students HP® Private Store. Fill out the registration information to gain access to exclusive offers on HP® Computers, Printers, Accessories and Original Ink & Toner. Sale pricing going on now!
      • Enjoy free standard shipping site-wide and a 30-day hassle free return or exchange policy.
      • For large order requests or unique inquiries please contact stepupforstudents@hp.com to be connected with a dedicated Account Manager.
    • Microsoft®- Email Dave.Patel@microsoft.com to inquire about devices & pricing options from Microsoft as well as free licenses for Office 365 Education that include Microsoft Teams!
Questions or Need Assistance?

Online & Remote Learning Options for Teachers

Erica Peron School Leadership Resources, Teacher Resources for Success

Due to the unprecedented situation nationwide, we know you are most likely in the process of exploring & implementing online and remote learning options for your students in the coming weeks. To help with this planning, we’ve compiled resources that may help you to navigate these uncharted waters. Feel free to walk through the steps below as you and your school decide what plan will work best for your students & families.
*Please note: We will continue to update the links below as we find new information and resources. (Updated on 3/26/20)
Step 1: What should I know about online learning before I jump in?
Step 2: What platform do I want to use to communicate with my students?

    *Use the survey to let us know what you are looking for so that we can reach out with support!*

Step 3: Once I’ve chosen my communication platform, how do I find resources for my grade level & subject area?
Step 4: What resources can I share with parents to help support them with technology & many other issues during this difficult time?

To view all previous Teacher Resources for Success postings, click here.

Free Resources to Support Evaluating Your Curriculum

Erica Peron School Leadership Resources

Administrators, it’s the start of Spring and a great time to look ahead! Have you taken some time to reflect on your school’s current curriculum? Are you considering a change? This month’s resources aim to help you reflect, explore, and plan for any possible curriculum changes next year!

Does the curriculum need to change?
What are we looking for in new curriculum?
Lay out the action plan and create your timeline.
Need more support?
Don’t forget to register for the Step Up for Students Choice in Education Conference this June! Click the image below for more details.

To view all previous School Leadership Resources postings, click here.

Professional Learning Ideas to Improve Cultural Responsiveness at Your School All Year!

Erica Peron School Leadership Resources

As you know, February is Black History Month. We know that school leaders are always looking for new ways to lead their school communities to positive change and growth.This month we hope to connect administrators to inspiring resources that encourage cultural responsiveness and inclusion not just in February, but all year!
Check out the articles, webinars, and professional learning options below and be sure to share them with your teaching staff!

To view all previous School Leadership Resources postings, click here.

Resources for Planning & Reviewing Your School’s Budget

Erica Peron School Leadership Resources

We know that January marks the time for many school administrators to examine their budgets for next school year. This month’s resources aim to help any new administrators that might struggle with this process and inspire those veteran administrators to find new creative ways to do more with limited resources!

For Assistance with Budget Reviewing & Planning:
Advice on Doing More with Less:
Don’t Forget to Nominate a Student for the Rising Stars Awards! Nominations close on January 31st. Click here to learn more & nominate today!
Registration for the 2020 SUFS Choice in Education Conference opens on January 28th! Click here to learn more.

Your First Faculty Meeting of 2020: Planned with FREE Resources Here!

Erica Peron School Leadership Resources

As the holiday break draws near, we know your focus is turning to the new semester ahead. This month’s post contains resources to help you plan a powerful faculty meeting to kick off the New Year! Explore the meeting agenda template, the semester in review activity, and the options for team building exercises linked below. Happy planning!
The Agenda

At the first meeting of a new semester, you will want to keep it simple and inspiring while still helping your faculty set intentions and lay the foundations for a fantastic new year.

The Semester in Review

This activity is designed to help your teachers reflect on the first semester in key areas that impact student learning and growth. The third page will be turned into you the administrator to give you insights into the goals and needs of your staff. Encourage teachers to discuss their answers!

Team Building Activities: 
Resource Alert! Have you heard about Algebra Nation?
Teachers, School Administrators and Principals:

You’re invited to join the Step Up For Students SuperFans program. Become a social ambassador for Step Up and help us spread awareness of our scholarship programs.

When you sign up, we will send you our most exciting news through email to share with your friends and followers. You choose where you share our content. You can share it through email, on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or all of the above. Sharing our posts helps not only spread the word about Step Up to those who need it most, but it could also benefit your private school.

The best part? The more you share and participate, the more points you’ll earn towards a monthly giveaway. This month we’re giving away a $20 Target gift card and one Step Up’s new promotional items of your choosing (from a selection).

To join now, click on the link below and connect with one of your social networks.

JOIN STEP UP FOR STUDENTS SUPERFANS

To view all previous School Leadership Resources postings, click here.

3 Simple Actions to Improve STEM at Your School

Erica Peron School Leadership Resources

Improve Technology at Your School without Breaking the Bank
  • Microsoft has partnered with many of our schools to offer affordable options for purchasing or leasing devices & software.

– Questions? Want to talk with someone about technology at your school? Contact Wildaliz Ramos, our Education Expert from Microsoft at wiramo@microsoft.com.

– Microsoft is offering a Minecraft Cart Bundle complete with 30 laptops, the Minecraft STEM aligned educational program, and Microsoft 365 for Education. Click here to learn more!

Find Quality Curriculum at a Lower Cost
  • Have you heard of EVERFI? Step Up for Students is excited to share our continued partnership to bring EVERFI’s digital learning platform to your school at NO COST. These free courses are student-paced, grade themselves and come with supplemental lesson plans.
    • The courses address topics such as Character Education, Financial Literacy, Bullying Prevention, STEM education, and many more.
    • Your school is already set up and has full access! 1) Visit EVERFI.com/register 2) Select Florida 3) Type in the first part of your school name to get started. EVERFI also provides training and support to your teachers cost-free. Contact Liam Obrien at lobrien@everfi.com or 241-886-0690 with questions or to schedule a training for your staff.
Offer Free STEM focused Professional Learning Options for Interested Teachers

To view all previous School Leadership Resources postings, click here.

#ThankAPrincipal: Resources for You!

Erica Peron School Leadership Resources

October is National Principals Month! This month, we wanted to provide you with resources to help you learn and grow as an administrator. Explore the webinars, inspirational articles, and resources linked below. Thank you for all that you do to support your schools! #ThankAPrincipal

 

  • Struggling to make changes at your school? Do you feel like the mountain is too high to climb? See how a principal in Vero Beach, Florida transformed her school from an F to a C rating. Watch the video and read the article from NAESP here.
  • No matter what area of school improvement you are trying to impact, the Office of Student Learning has tools and ideas to help you get started! Check out our padlet full of free resources, guides, templates, and checklists for topics like school improvement, fundraising, compliance, safety, achievement testing, and so much more! Click here to explore the resources.
Professional Development Resources to Sharpen Your Saw

As administrators, sometimes we spend so much time and effort on professional learning for teachers, that we forget the importance of sharpening our own saws! Explore these free webinars and online learning options unique to administrators.  

Check out these other exciting free resources for your school!
  • Reading Eggs through Edmentum: Looking for support for your struggling readers aged 2-13? Reading Eggs is an award-winning program that uses games to engage students in learning to read. Reading Eggs is offering a FREE 4-week trial through October 31st.
  • Book It!: BOOK IT! motivates children to read by rewarding their reading accomplishments with praise, recognition and pizza from Pizza Hut. The program is simple, flexible, fun and free to use in your classroom! BOOK IT! was created in 1984 and currently reaches more than 14 million students and 37,000 K-6 grade schools annually.
  • Lead4change: Lead4Change is a FREE leadership program where students identify and use their leadership skills by doing a service project. The ready to use lesson plans will take you through the steps of leadership and service. All resources are available to registered members for free.

To view all previous School Leadership Resources postings, click here.

Be Visible: 3 Tips to Implement Effective Walkthroughs at Your School

Erica Peron School Leadership Resources

Classroom observations often have a negative connotation as teachers dread the designated day when the principal comes in to evaluate their effectiveness. The students are often nervous and rigid, the teacher is wearing his or her best outfit and has planned an extra special lesson. The atmosphere in the classroom is somewhat tense and is usually far from a normal day. So how can an administrator get a better idea of what’s going on in the classroom? The answer: Be visible!

This month’s resources are designed to help administrators transition from only utilizing formal yearly evaluations, to implementing weekly or monthly mini-walkthroughs and check-ins. Explore the 3 tips below to implement effective walkthroughs at your school!

  1. Convey the right message
  1. Set a school-wide goal or focus for the year & keep the visit simple
  1. FOLLOW UP
    • Try a Three Minute Debrief:
      • One positive comment
      • One prompt, suggestion, or question
      • One follow-up piece
    • Communicate your debrief face to face, in a handwritten note, or via email. If you leave a note or an email, be sure to follow-up face to face.
    • Plan a formal sit down with the teacher after 10-12 sessions. Watch how one administrator handled their formal discussion here.

 

We’ve also partnered with two educational companies that are offering discounts to our schools through September 30th. Check out the offers from Reading A-Z and Edmentum here!

To view all previous School Leadership Resources postings, click here.