Galtier Community School embraces design thinking for greater flexibility in learning

Earlier this year, during two sweltering days in late June, students, their parents, and teachers from Galtier Community School in Saint Paul decided to revolutionize education. Their methodology? Design thinking. —TheLineMedia.com.

Read the full story here:http://www.thelinemedia.com/features/galtierschool111313.aspx

Information Week: iPad Changes Education: For Better, Or Worse?

As a growing number of schools adopt tablets, students and teachers need to hold on for a bit of a bumpy ride during the implementation phase.—InformationWeek.com
Read the full story here:
http://www.informationweek.com/mobile/mobile-devices/ipad-changes-education-for-better-or-worse/d/d-id/899724?

Personalized Learning Contacts

Do you need help with training needs for our district enterprise level digital tools?

Contact a Personalized Learning Specialist from the Office of Personalized Learning to learn about upcoming training opportunities and ways to use digital tools like iPads, SPPS Apps, MOODLE, Promethean Boards, SMARTBoards, and Nooks and Achieve3000 to engage students and transform your lessons and Twitter to connect with your colleagues within and beyond the district for professional development and building your personal learning network.

The goal of the Office of Personalized Learning is to "Use a racial equity lens to raise achievement for all students and to interrupt institutional practices that result in predictably lower achievement for students of color."

Upcoming Training Schedule

Looking for more instructional technology trainings?  Check out the schedule below for additional trainings.  Please sign up in PDExpress.

*Any changes to dates, times, or locations will be updated in PDExpress.

Learning Platform Development Training

It's here! The Learning Platform Development Training will kick off on Monday, October 14 with 2 sessions and 5 more sessions on Tuesday, October 15.

If you were contacted about being part of the Learning Platform Development Training, please sign up in PDExpress ASAP.

Check back on the blog to stay up-to-date with information about the Learning Platform.

School CIPA Plans Due

All school CIPA Compliance Contacts need to fill in their school CIPA
(Child Internet Protection Act) Plan here.  You will need to log into your SPPS Apps account first and then click the link to access the form.

All schools should have a plan in place at this point on how the CIPA lessons will be presented to all students by the November 1 deadline.

When a school has completed the lessons with all students, click here to fill out the School Completion Log.

CIPA Training

Every school in Saint Paul should send a representative to the

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CIPA Compliance Contact training on September 9 to learn more about the Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and CIPA curriculum requirements to be covered with every student in Saint Paul Public Schools.

The training will be offered at 345 Plato from 2:30 to 4:00 or from 4:30 to 6:00.  School contacts should attend the training that best fits their school schedule.

Please check with your principal if you would like to be the designated contact for your school and register in PDExpress under Personalized Learning: CIPA Compliance Contacts.

SMARTBoard Intro Training

Did you have a SMARTBoard installed

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in your classroom over the summer or did you move into a room that has an existing SMARTBoard already installed?  Are you looking for training and tips on how to get started using your SMARTBoard and Notebook software in your classroom?

SMARTBoard Basics Intro training will be offered Thursday, September 12 from 4:30 to 6:00 at 345 Plato.

Please register in PDExpress under Personalized Learning/MLR(V): SMARTBoard Basics Intro.

Promethean Board Intro Training

Did you have a Promethean Board installed in

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your classroom over the summer or did you move into a room that has an existing Promethean Board already installed?  Are you looking for training and tips on how to get started using your Promethean Board and ActivInspire software in your classroom?

Promethean Board Intro training will be offered Wednesday, September 11 from 4:30 to 6:00 at 345 Plato.

Please register in PDExpress under Personalized Learning/MLR(V): Promethean Board Intro.

New Teacher Orientation

Two hundred and forty new teachers attended the New Teacher Orientation on August 21.  New teachers attended sessions on Personalized Learning and learned about access, use, and safety; instructional technology; communication and access; professional learning; and digital tools and resources available in Saint Paul Public Schools.