District Wide Information

Writing to Improve Reading http://carnegie.org/fileadmin/Media/Publications/WritingToRead_01.pdf

According to the authors of this research study (Graham and Hebert, 2010) this report from the Carnegie Corporation shows writing practices that improve students' reading ability.  Practices include

• having students write about texts they have read (through analysis, interpretation, personal reflection, or summary, or by creating or answering questions to improve comprehension through the act of students' reflecting on ideas presented in the text and putting those ideas in their own words). 
• explicitly teaching spelling and how to write sentences and paragraphs,
• and increasing how much and how often students write.

District Wide Information

Welcome back to school!

Media Centers will not open until Monday, August 30th unless the media assistants and I can get things in order before then. Media assistants start work tomorrow (Monday, August 23rd and only work on student contact days). Please know that if possible we will open the media centers as soon as possible.  An announcement or email will be sent if the media center is able to open before next Monday.
Some things that need to be done before the media centers can be opened...

• new student and teacher library accounts
• AR rosters updated
• library decorations completed

Like last year, this blog is my way of sharing ideas, websites and media information district wide throughout the school year. I post every Sunday evening and then send an email reminder to all in the district to check out my blog.

Last year I asked teachers and staff to comment on my blog or send me an email comment so I had some interaction with teachers asking to provide constructive comments about the postings. I kept track of everyone that sent comments and I had a monthly drawing for those that sent comments to win a prize.
Please send me a comment if you'd like me to continue the comment option to win a prize (last year I gave away a USB drive each month!) I look forward to hearing from you!

For those of you new to reading my blog, I have many great websites you should check out. Some include information about reading strategies, some are about internet safety and much more. Also note that I have my schedule posted on the left side of the blog as well as the names of the media assistants in each building. I will be updating the dates as to when the book fairs will be held at each building.

At the Middle School and High School I will be contacting teachers about library media orientation.  At the high school, I would especially like to meet with 9th grade students at the high school.  At the elementary buildings proper care of books and check out procedures will be taught at Story time and at the first library media lessons.

I will be in touch with teachers at the elementary and middle school levels about library lessons for the school year.

I look forward to a great year and enjoy working with you and the students in Marshall Public Schools!

District Wide Information

Thank you and More to come in August 2010
This will be my last posting for Marshall Media Info Bits for the 2009-2010 school year. I want to express my gratitude to all teachers, staff and school district personnel that have commented on my blog or sent an email with comments. I appreciate your feedback about things that I've posted. Tomorrow I will announce the May winner for the Media Info Bits blog comments.

I hope you will continue to read my weekly blog postings next year. Have a great summer break!

Grants & Funding Opportunities

Public Welfare Foundation: Grants for Organizations that Serve Disadvantaged Communities
The Public Welfare Foundation supports organizations that address human needs in disadvantaged communities, with strong emphasis on organizations that include service, advocacy, and empowerment in their approach -- service that remedies specific problems; advocacy that addresses those problems in a systemic way through changes in public policy; and strategies to empower people in need to play leading roles in achieving those policy changes and in remedying specific problems. The foundation provides both general support and project-specific grants. The foundation is currently focusing on three program areas: criminal and juvenile justice, health reform, and workers' rights. Maximum award: $50,000. Eligibility: public and private entities, including nonprofit organizations and for-profit organizations. Deadline: June 26, 2010.
http://www.publicwelfare.org/ApplyGrant/Guidelines.aspx#deadlines

Finish Line Youth Foundation: Grants Program
Finish Line Youth Foundation Grants fund organizations that provide opportunities for youth participation in athletic programs promoting an active lifestyle and team-building skills, and established camps that emphasize sports and an active lifestyle, especially those serving disadvantaged and special-needs kids. Maximum award: $5,000. Eligibility: 501c(3) organizations that serve youth 18 years and younger. Deadline: June 30, 2010.
http://www.finishline.com/store/youthfoundation/youthfoundation.jsp

Dow Jones News Fund: High School Journalism Teacher of the Year
The DJNF High School Journalism Teacher of the Year program identifies outstanding high school journalism teachers. The winning teacher addresses the Journalism Education Association/National Scholastic Press Association, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the American Society of News Editors, and college journalism educators. Maximum award: a laptop computer; travel and lodging expenses and a per diem for substitute teacher fees during address and seminar; a quarterly column for the fund's newspaper, Adviser Update; and attendance at a seminar at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies in St. Petersburg, Fla. A senior student at the winning teacher's school will receive a $1,000 college scholarship to major in news-editorial journalism based on his or her performance in a writing contest. Eligibility: high school journalism teachers with at least three years' experience who have done exemplary work in the 2009-2010 academic year. Deadline: July 1, 2010.
https://www.newsfund.org/PageText/Prg_HomePages.aspx?Page_ID=Prg_Te...

United Methodist Women: A Brighter Future Grants
The Women's Division of the United Methodist General Board of Ministries offers grants for projects and programs that address the needs of children and young people between the ages of 5 to 18 in the areas of violence prevention, anti-abuse, and relationship abuse. Maximum award: $4,000. Eligibility: small-scale, community- and church-based programs and projects. Groups affiliated with national organizations, hospitals, and organizations with budgets totaling more than $3,000,000 will not be reviewed. Deadline: July 1, 2010.
http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umw/give/grants/brighterfuture/

Broad Center for the Management of School Systems: Superintendents Academy
The Broad Center for the Management of School Systems Superintendents Academy seeks leaders from business, the military, government, education, and nonprofit organizations to make an immediate impact as CEOs and senior executives in urban school districts. Maximum award: participation in the Broad Superintendents Academy. Eligibility: those with significant leadership and management experience at the central office level or the equivalent in another field. Deadline: August 13, 2010.
http://broadacademy.org/join/leaders.html

MHS and Middle School Information

Poll Everywhere
http://www.polleverywhere.com/

TryPoll Everywhere yet this year. This may be a great way to check for understanding or just have fun with this web 2.0 tool using student cell phones in school.

Poll Everywhere is a simple text message voting application that works well for live audiences. People vote by sending text messages (or using Twitter) to options displayed on-screen. The poll that is embedded within the presentation or web page will update in real time.

You can vote by following the instructions shown on the poll when it is displayed. The poll does not need to be displayed to actively receive votes, but it does need to be "started" by the presenter on the edit poll page. In the US, you send a text message to the number 22333 that contains a voting keyword, like 1234, or blue.

The basic plan is free. It allows an unlimited number of polls, and up to 30 votes per poll. The free plan includes really great features: Live PowerPoint polls, web voting, widgets, Twitter, downloadable results, and more.

District Wide Information

KissYouTube: Have you found a great YouTube video to support your curriculum, but could not show it in class because YouTube is filtered? Here are the steps to download a YouTube video at home and be able to play it at school.

1. First, go to YouTube and find a video you would like to use for your class.
2. Next, add "kiss" in the URL in front of the URL address (for example, the URL now reads: www.kissyoutube.com)
3. Once your page has loaded scroll down to the to "Press Run to activate the download option. Then download this video on a USB drive.
4. So name the file as an .flv file type. (for example; dance).
5. Bring the USB drive with you to school and open a Notebook software file.
6. After you open a Notebook Software file, pull your Youtube video through the Notebook Software and play your YouTube video.

Grant and Funding Opportunities:

Mitsubishi: Grants for Youth with Disabilities
Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation Grants Program is dedicated to helping young Americans with disabilities maximize their potential and fully participate in society. The foundation supports organizations and projects within its mission that have broad scope and impact and demonstrate potential for replication at other sites. A major program emphasis is inclusion: enabling young people with disabilities to have full access to educational, vocational, and recreational opportunities, and to participate alongside their non-disabled peers. Maximum award: varies. Eligibility: 501(c)3 organizations. Deadline: June 1, 2010.
http://www.meaf.org/how-to-apply.php

Lindbergh Foundation Grants
Lindbergh Foundation Grants honor Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh's legacy by funding projects that improve the quality of all life by seeking a balance between technological advancements and environmental preservation. Maximum award: $10,580 (a symbolic amount representing the cost of the Spirit of St. Louis). Eligibility: Citizens from all countries may apply. Deadline: June 10, 2010.
http://www.lindberghfoundation.org/docs/index.php/our-grants

America's Promise Alliance/AT&T: My Idea Grant Program
The My Idea grant program will empower young people to help more of their peers to graduate on time, improving outcomes for themselves and their community. Maximum award: $20,000. Eligibility: high school youth concerned about the dropout crisis, and youth service providers that work with them. Deadline: June 11, 2010.
http://www.americaspromise.org/How-to-Help/Young-Leaders/My-Idea-Gr...

American Legion Child Welfare Foundation: Grants to Help Children
American Legion Child Welfare Foundation Grants to Help Children fund proposals that aim to contribute to the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual welfare of children through innovative organizations and/or their programs designed to benefit youth. Maximum award: varies. Eligibility: 501(c)3 organizations. Deadline: July 15, 2010.
http://www.cwf-inc.org/grantseekers/overview/

Verizon Foundation Grants
The Verizon Foundation makes grants that help people to increase their literacy and educational achievement; avoid being an abuser or a victim of domestic violence; or achieve and sustain their health and safety. Maximum award: $10,000. Eligibility: 501(c)3 organizations. Deadline: October 31, 2010.
http://foundation.verizon.com/grant/guidelines.shtml

Marshall High School Information

Project Gutenberg - http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page From this website you can download over 30,000 free ebooks to read on your PC or other portable device such as a Kindle, Nook, iphone or others. These books are free in the United States because their copyright has expired. Some titles include: Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.

District Wide Information - SMART Board Tip and more

SMART Board & a Sharpie...if someone uses a Sharpie or other permanent marker on an interactive white board, spray Aquanet hairspray (available at Casey's gas stations) on a clean cloth and wipe off the permanent marker.


"Net Cetera: Chatting with Kids About Being Online"
This document is published by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). It offer parents and guardians tips to guide youth in learning that the online world includs certain risks such as inappropriate conduct, contact, and content. Help empower youth use the internet in a safe manner while reducing possible risks. http://www.onguardonline.gov/pdf/tec04.pdf