Swine Flu Blog
We have developed a Swine Flu blog to keep families and community members informed about the steps we are taking to address this health issue.
Back to School Podcast
Two weeks and counting…
We are getting ready to go… The class placements letters are out (except Kindergarten), schedules are ready for pick-up, new staff are being trained, buildings are being prepped, menus are being planned, computers are being tested, bus routes are being laid out and teachers are busy planning the year.
Now my job is to come up with the focus for the “Welcome Back” meeting on August 31st. My problem isn’t what I should talk about, it’s how do I keep it short enough to not be in the performing arts center for hours. Below is visual representation of what is kicking around in my head this week…
Communication
One area where it seems we can always improve is “communication.” Over the past two years we have tried to develop consistent habits related to communication both internally and externally. Some attempts have yielded positive results, for example – the “Community Conversations” have provided me with feedback from parents and community members. We implemented the “Alert Now” automated calling system across the district to share updates with families about all types of building level news. We have worked to keep the website updated, not only with informational updates like Swine Flu, or upcoming events, but also some of the positive activities of our students and alumni.
As we get ready to start a new year, you can expect emails and automated messages from building principals, frequent updates to the district and building websites, and articles in the Saline Reporter about what is happening in and around Saline Area Schools. Please feel free to share your thoughts on our level of communication by commenting here – or sending me an email at gradens@saline.k12.mi.us.
Here is a video of how communication doesn’t always go the way we would like….
Before & After – Saline High School Parking Lot
One of the projects that we discussed during the Sinking Fund/CARES informational campaign this spring was the reconfiguration of the west parking lot at the High School. For those who have been picking up or dropping off at peak times – you understand why this was an important adjustment.
We were able to add paving to connect the northwest lot with the southwest lot to allow for exiting without driving right up next the building. Below is a picture from before and then one from today – after the paving.
Before
After
Saline Zine Interview
I had the opportunity to be interviewed today by a group of students working on Saline Zine. They had great questions about everything from Twitter & Facebook to what is a typical day for a Superintendent.
A movie as an instructional strategy?
This past year we sent a notice to faculty about showing movies in class. The general tone was to remind all of us that we have a Board Policy regarding movies and that they are not to be used as downtime.
However, I do believe there is a time and place for the use of movies and video clips in education. There is a reason that YouTube is the third most visited website in the world behind Google and Facebook. We communicate with video and graphic images now more than ever. We must develop sound instructional practices that use video to engage our students.
A staff member recently sent me a link to an interview with George Lucas who makes some interesting points about using film. The teacher shared information about how for many students – the use of film allows them to understand the concept of “symbolism” and then they apply it to the text they are reading. Our students are “digital natives” and we need to consider how we engage them.
I wonder how parents feel about the use of movies to teach?
5 weeks and counting….
I’m not trying to alarm anyone…. but as of today we are 5 weeks away from the first day of school. Time to get busy on your summer reading list, finish off the vacations and start the back to school planning.
A quick reminder – unlike recent years, Open House Nights will be held prior to the first day of school for all first through 12 grade buildings. We are using this format to give parents and students a chance to actually meet their teacher in their new room prior to the first day of school. I am anxious to get your feedback on the new format.
| September 1 | High School Evening Open House |
| September 2 | Middle School Evening Open House Heritage Evening Open House |
| September 3 | Harvest Evening Open House Pleasant Ridge Evening Open House Woodland Meadows Evening Open House |
Saline Area Schools and Twitter
A quick reminder that Saline Area Schools is on Twitter. Sign up to follow us and get updates on the latest school information.
Screenshot of the Saline Twitter page
Project Lead the Way
Along with Jody Gielinski, Matt Hagood, Steve Laatsch and David Raft, I had the opportunity to observe teachers from around the area being trained in the Project Lead the Way curriculum today and Eastern Michigan University. PLTW is a hands-on, problem-based curriculum that began as a school improvement initiative designed to address the shortage of engineers in the United States. The concept is simple – combine a rigorous and relevant curriculum with project-based instruction.
We met with Al Tessmer from EMU who was hosting the training. He was able to share ideas about how could use PLTW to provide students here in Saline with rich and relevant experiences around science, technology, engineering and math. He highlighted several local schools including Skyline High School in Ann Arbor and Plymouth-Canton Public Schools who have successfully implemented this program.
It was an excellent chance for us to learn about the program and begin to imagine the benefits for our students.
Scot Graden's Blog 