WIN A MEDIA ROOM MAKEOVER FOR YOUR SCHOOL!

Need a new media room? Just answer 1 question, submit a few photos, and your media room could get a total makeover!

The Grand Rapids Griffins and Farm Bureau Insurance are teaming up to provide a media room makeover for one deserving elementary or middle school in Kent County, Ottawa County, Allegan County or the Thornapple-Kellogg district, through their fourth annual Media Room Makeover contest.
Click here to submit your entry.

Depending on the winning school’s needs, its media room makeover could consist of a variety of new resources for its existing media room, computer lab or library, such as computer hardware, software, books, furniture, paint, carpet and light construction, with a value up to $15,000.
Following the application deadline on April 6, all entries will be reviewed by the Griffins and Farm Bureau Insurance and narrowed to a pool of three finalist schools, each of which will receive a site visit as part of the final selection.

The Griffins and Farm Bureau will choose the winning school by April 30, assist school officials in the makeover of the school’s media room this summer, then host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the start of the new school year in August or September. The two runner-up schools will each receive $250 toward upgrading the amenities of their current media rooms.

Check out the link for details.

#media

hackGVSU – Coming April 14

 

The eLearning and Emerging Technologies department invites you to the “hackGVSU” event at the main campus of Grand Valley State University.

This will be held on Saturday, April 14. The goal is to provide opportunities for students and teams to work together on programming projects. There are HTML, LTI, and REST API integration possibilities with Blackboard providing training on these during the event.

More information is available at: http://www.gvsu.edu/elearn/hackgvsu

#gvsu

MI Coding 2018-19 professional learning cohort registration is open!

The Michigan Math Science Centers Network and Code.org are bringing free professional learning and curriculum resources to educators to implement AP® Computer Science Principles and Computer Science Discoveries.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2018-19 professional learning cohort. Click here to view the application and visit http://micoding.weebly.com/professional-learning.html for more information on the program.

The professional learning for teachers is FREE and includes two components:

• Summer, 2018:Teachers attend a 5-day in-person, conference-style workshop designed to introduce the CS concepts from the curriculum and core teaching practices. There are no registration costs for this event. Lodging, breakfast, lunch, and materials will be provided free of charge.
• School Year, 2018-19:Teachers continue with 4 job-embedded workshops held in Michigan and online modules focused on supporting teachers in their first year of implementation.

There are two steps to the application:

1. Teachers fill out and submit the application.
2. Administrators receive an automatically generated email with a link to complete the application process.

Accessible Materials Made Right workshop to be held at Berrien RESA!

Accessible Materials Made Right is a regional workshop intended to help equip participants with the skills and understanding needed to begin creating accessible materials and to train others to do likewise. Topics include:

• Why accessibility matters
• Principles and components of accessibility in Word, Acrobat, and PowerPoint
• Creating accessible material from the start

To help facilitate the learning process and guide teams toward effective implementation, the workshop has been split into three non-consecutive days. Participants are expected to attend all three days. The workshop alternates between lecture, hands-on practice, and group discussion. Upon completion, everyone will have had hands-on practice creating basic-level accessible:

• Word documents
• PowerPoint presentations
• PDFs

Who should attend?
Intermediate school district teams, or local district teams, of at least two people who are responsible for, and will be, training others on the creation and remediation of accessible materials on publicly facing websites are invited to apply.  Please refer to the Accessible Materials Made Right Information Guidefor guidance on selecting a team.

When and where is the training?
Location: Berrien RESA
Dates: January 11, February 2, and February 15
Interested teams must first submit an application.  Successful applicants will receive registration information upon acceptance of the application.
Application deadline: December 15

For more information, please see the Accessible Materials Made RightInformation Guide. Questions can be directed to accessibility@altshift.education

#accessibility

Got a great idea? Slam It!

The Idea Slam ’18, sponsored by the METS Group and REMC Association of Michigan, is scheduled for Wednesday, March 7 from 7:00 – 10:00pm.

The Idea Slam is a fast-paced “pitch fest” and networking event for educators. Selected projects will be presented and attendees will vote on their favorite ideas. The winning project will receive a minimum of $1,500 towards their innovative educational idea.

The rest of the evening is an informal meet-up with fun conversations and delicious offerings from the new Downtown Grand Rapids venue, the Knickerbocker, owned by New Holland Brewing Company.

What makes the Idea Slam possible and successful?

YOUR IDEAS! Submit a proposal by clicking the link below. If chosen as a finalist you will be assigned a pitch coach to help you prepare for the event.

Idea Slam Pitch Rubric

Please contact the METS group at metsgroupmi@gmail.com if you have any questions!

Pitch proposals are due February 9, 2018 at midnight.

#idea, #mets, #slam

REMC Association Communications Job Posting

The REMC Association is seeking to contract with an individual to assist with developing communication/marketing resources focused on Association supported projects and activities. These resources will be in formats suitable for social media, newsletters, inclusion in email, etc.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Post items to various social media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook
• Write posts or articles highlighting a REMC project for the MACUL Community blog and other blogs or newsletters
• Subscribe to and monitor educational and leadership blogs, twitter accounts, YouTube, and other social media from Michigan and national organizations to find relevant tie-ins to existing REMC projects for the purpose of “mining” and sharing and sharing the best REMC resources.  
• Work with the Association’s public relations firm on the drafting and posting process as well as maintaining the organization image/messaging
• Send information to be shared publicly to the Executive Director for review
• Create a presence/knowledge of REMC offerings (indiv. and state) and help with communicating these out through social media (e.g. when a local REMC has an event.)
• Expand REMC participation in Twitter chats by supplying local REMCs with a guide outlining Twitter chat expectations, tips and a list of chats in which to participate. Coordinate/lead Twitter chats (within existing chats)
• May be asked to provide trainings to REMC Directors on implementing these same social media skills and tools to help with our REMC/ISD marketing to local constituents.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Background in education
• Experience with public relations/marketing/communications
• Established social media presence
• REMC Association awareness and understanding
• Independent learner
• Must be motivated and able to work with minimal supervision
• Strong verbal and written communication and organizational skills
• Skillfully uses technology to accomplish work related tasks
• Knowledgeable about and able to use social media aggregators/social network automation applications
• Understand the role social media plays in outreach/messaging for the Association

Working Conditions and Compensation

• Work 6 – 8 hours a week for the first six months. The number of hours required will be evaluated at the end of the first six months
• Year one – Nov. 1 – June 30, 2018 – then depending on evaluation of need, become an annual contract, with options to renew on a yearly basis
• The need for this position and the quality of the work will be reviewed annually by the REMC Association Executive Board
• Home office environment. Selected candidate will provide the tools (computer, internet) and resources/supplies.
• Contract amount: $20 per hour
• Subscription to specific required tools will be provided to make posting to multiple sites easier/automatic
• Reports to REMC Association Executive Director

Application Deadline: October 27, 2017

Applications should be submitted online at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJzwK2RGs4NdtiQ_cprigjsYkkghC2oIAKGvQQT4RD0xhjkQ/viewform

Questions should be directed to Sue Schwartz, Executive Director, sueschwartz@remc.org

#remc, #remcam

The Mi Moot! Learn about best practices in blended learning

Registration is now open for the MI MOOT – Transforming Classrooms on August 1 & 2, 2017 at Lansing Community College West.

This energizing and impactful event is focused on best practices in blended learning. Attendees will explore blended learning resources, discover the latest trends, practice new skills, network with like-minded educators, and have some fun.

More info is at: mimoot.org

#blended-learning, #innovation, #learning

$1,500 MACUL Grants Available

Each year, the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL) awards grants of up to $1,500 for technology integration projects in classrooms.

This is a fantastic opportunity to fund things that you learned at the MACUL conference, or have been wanting to do for your students, but lacked the resources.

The grant worksheet, rubric and application are available at the MACUL website. Make sure to get working on it today, as the deadline is Monday, May 15, 2017.

 

2017 KCTC Summer Career Exploration Camps Registration Open!

These are not your typical summer camp sessions! Kent County students who are entering 6th, 7th, or 8th grades have the opportunity to jump start their career and explore ones they might not know about!

During this fun week, students will learn about a career area of their choice, learn some skills, visit a business/industry site, and complete a project.

Session I: June 19-22 (9-2) and Session II June 26-29 (9-2) – Cost: $150.00, which includes lunch

IT Game Maker Camp (Camp Session I)
Ever wonder how computers ‘talk’ to each other and to us? Programming code runs all of our digital devices and once you learn to read and write code, you have the power to make computers do what you tell them to do!

You will make a game using GameMaker Studio by YoYo Games. Learn how to create a game on a technical level by creating objects, rooms, backgrounds, and sprites. GameMaker Studio is fun to learn and provides options for beginner and experienced programmers.  At the end of camp, kids will have a game they created themselves.

IT Webmaster Camp (Session II)
Make your own interactive web page! In this camp you’ll learn to use Java Script, CSS and HTML while you take a webpage from an idea, to a skeleton, to a final product. Plus, add in animation, interactions and the words on the page. If you’re interested in the programming side of web page design, this camp is for you!

Sweet Genius (Sessions I & II)
You belong in Sweet Genius if you love baking, especially cake decorating. You will master cake sculpting and fondant work. You will be on the cutting edge of the Japanese “doubutsu doonatsu” trend with your sculpted animal donuts. Candy day will have you making favorites like marshmallows, chocolate and suckers. On ballpark day, you will make old favorites like soft pretzels and cotton candy!

Ultimate Gearhead (Sessions I & II)
Explore what it is like to work on cars, everything from engines to paint. Work your way from welding, repairing dents and painting the outside of a car, to taking apart and reassembling an engine, servicing brakes, and changing oil under the exterior. End the week by taking a field trip to a body shop and auto service center.

Design, Create, Innovate (Session II)
Want to make the world a better place? Come design and build meaningful solutions to real problems. You will bring your imagination to life by computer-aided design and 3D printing, construct and race a solar-powered, model car, solve problems with computer code, use technology to explore and improve ecosystems and more!

Cops & Robbers (Session I)
Want to see what real police officers do? Here is your chance to learn from former police officers using lifelike equipment. Perform police searches, photograph a crime scene, and expose and lift fingerprints to solve a crime. Work together to conquer the challenge course, and you get to visit the local police department.

Young Chefs (Session I & II)
Future chefs, this camp is for you! Work in a real kitchen, just like the pros. You will learn cooking terms, how to work as a team to run a smooth kitchen, how to put together a menu and how to prepare fabulous gourmet meals you can cook for your family at home.

Hurry! Registration is open now, and each of these sessions fill quickly!

 

GET Supports for Autism Conference – Nov. 8 at Kent ISD

Did you know in 2015-16 there were 18,746 students statewide (855 students in Kent County) who meet the educational criteria for having a primary disability of Autism?  

The GET Supports for Autism Conference was designed by teachers and related service providers of students with Autism in effort to increase the success of inclusion for these students.  This conference is a great opportunity for general education teachers to learn practical, hands-on methods of working with students with Autism and even with general education students who may require additional supports.

The GET Supports for Autism Conference, formerly known as the ASD Conference: Hands on Learning for General and Special Educators, was highly attended in its first year.  After reading through the feedback and refining the offerings, the planning committee has come back together and branded the conference as the GET conference, with a focus on General Education Teachers (GET).  Please note that although the focus is general education teacher supports, this conference is open to all educators, related service providers, and administrators.

 We’d love for you to “Save the Date” the 2017-18 GET Supports for Autism Conference which will be held November 8, 2017 at Kent ISD.

 Additionally, if you are interested in presenting a either 1 hour or a 90 minute session at the GET conference on November 8, 2017 at Kent ISD, please complete the form below to submit a proposal.  Topics considered should be evidence based and will include such areas as: behavior modification strategies, visual supports for behavior and/or communication, general tips, social thinking, self-management, peer-to-peer, reinforcement, prompting, video modeling, social stories, etc.  As a reminder, this is a hands on learning conference, and so proposals should include suggestions for hands on learning.

 When thinking about potential proposals, consider presenting with a general education teacher, as we would love to be able to offer Special Education and General Education co-presentations.

 Proposals must be received by May 1 – http://bit.ly/GETPresentation

#asd, #conference