Region Four Newsletter: UA/UWA RIC

As we begin to near the end of the semester and approach the season of Thanksgiving, the UA/UWA Regional Inservice Center wants every educator in our region to know that we are thankful for your service. It's often said that teaching is "an act of the heart," and we completely agree. The support, structure, care, and not to mention, learning opportunities, are planned and provided daily because you care. Thank you for caring for the students in Region Four! Thank you for leaving a legacy each day as you mold and shape our next generation.

Our newsletter below outlines many opportunities for November and December but also shares information regarding upcoming opportunities for second semester.

In addition to the sessions that are open to all educators in our region (found on our newsletter below), we also offer targeted professional learning opportunities designed for individual schools or districts. Administrators, please contact the center directly via e-mail (hgmorgan@ua.edu) or via the following link to request targeted support.

Continue to review our social media pages on Facebook (@uauwaric) and Twitter (@UofARIC) for updates from our sessions. As a reminder, you may find any of our newsletters at: https://inservice.ua.edu/professional-learning-opportunities.

Best wishes for the holiday season!

Dr. Holly Morgan

Director, UA/UWA Regional Inservice Center

Calling all school counselors in West Alabama!

Join us on February 9, 2024 at the Bryant Conference Center for the 2024 West Alabama Regional School Counselors' Conference! This conference is open to all K-12 school counselors in the UA-UWA region.

Register via PowerSchool Section #488550 or via the following link: https://alsde.truenorthlogic.com/ia/empari/learning2/registration/presentRegistrationDetails/488550

UA/UWA In-Service Center

The 4 Pillars of Digital Productivity

ACLD-PLU Opportunity

Join us for four virtual sessions facilitated by best-selling author Dr. Frank Buck!

In this hands-on intensive ACLD PLU, participants work with the instructor via four 90-minute to 2-hour Zoom sessions, each focused on one of the four pillars of digital productivity. Following each session, participants implement the techniques they learn in their roles.

The UA/UWA Regional Inservice Center supplies each member with a copy of Get Organized Digitally! The Educator's Guide to Time Management.

This ACLD-PLU opportunity is open to any educator in LEAs affiliated with the UA/UWA Regional Inservice Center.

Dates: November 6, 2023

November 8, 2023

December 4, 2023

December 6, 2023

Times: 3:30 – 5:00 PM

Register via PowerSchool PL Section # 485896

A Zoom link will be added to the notes section of the PowerSchool listing and will be shared with you via e-mail approximately two days prior to the session.

***SESSION IS BEING RESCHEDULED DUE TO LOW ENROLLMENT. LOOK FOR A NEW DATE TO BE ADDED SOON!

Join Dr. Nisha Warbington, UWA faculty, for a two-part virtual session on strategies for supporting students' mental health needs. Topics covered will include anxiety, depression, trauma, and other childhood concerns.

November 7 and 14, 2023

4:00-5:30 pm

Virtual Two-Part Session via Zoom

Register via PowerSchool section #488484

Join us virtually on November 9 from 5:00-7:30 pm as we take a deep dive into the requirements of Component 2. Register via PowerSchool PL Section #471517.

A zoom link will be included in the PowerSchool information, and you will also receive a reminder email approximately two days prior to the session.

Alabama Technology in Motion at the UA-UWA Inservice Center is partnering with Firia Labs for two Computer Science PLGs. The elementary is for teachers who teach CS to 4th and 5th grade students, and the secondary is five days of state-approved TEAMS PD! See the flyers or click the link for more information! www.uatim.org/cs24.html

If you are an NBCT candidate in the UA/UWA Region, join us on Tuesday, November 14 for our fall writing retreat. Candidates will work on their analysis of evidence and written commentary. Full-day substitute reimbursement will be provided for each participant (as long as the educator teaches in Region 4, UA/UWA).

Fall Writing Retreat

November 14, 2023; 8:30 AM-3:00 PM

Location: UA/UWA Regional Inservice Center, 260 Kilgore Lane, Tuscaloosa

Register via PowerSchool Section # 471530

Alabama Technology in Motion will be offering a new ACLD PLU starting in November on the topic of artificial intelligence. The PLU will be hosted in two full days, one on November 16, 2023, and one on January 9, 2024. Topics include the AI Disruption in Schools, The Future of AI in Education, and Effective AI Integration. Register via PSPL: https://alsde.truenorthlogic.com/ia/empari/learning2/registration/presentRegistrationDetails/486870

If you are a K-5 teacher, literacy coach, interventionist, or special education teacher in Region Four, please join us for Beginning Sound Wall Training offered by 95 Percent Group (formerly Tools4Reading).

Read more about the training in the attached flyer!

Register via PowerSchool Section #488251 or via the following link: https://alsde.truenorthlogic.com/ia/empari/learning2/registration/presentRegistrationDetails/488251

For a listing of districts served by the UA/UWA region, please visit https://inservice.ua.edu/region.html.

If you are a secondary coach in Region Four and have not registered for the December and January sessions, please register via the links below. You will need to register for each of the sessions separately in order to reserve your space. More information will be sent to you after registering for the sessions.

December 12, 2023

January 11, 2024

Feel free to contact Dr. Holly Morgan at hgmorgan@ua.edu with any questions.

The mission of the Scholastic Writing Awards Alabama Region is to identify students with exceptional literary talent and present their remarkable work. The 2023 Alabama Scholastic Awards are now open for entries!

Key Details:

· Eligibility: Students in grades 7-12 (age 13+)

· Entry Fees:

· $10 for individual entry

· $30 for portfolio entry

· Fee waivers are available!

Important Dates:

· Submissions Open: September 1, 2023

· Deadline: December 14, 2023

Entry Categories:

· Critical Essay

· Dramatic Script

· Flash Fiction

· Humor

· Journalism

· Novel Writing

· Personal Essay & Memoir

· Poetry

· Science Fiction and Fantasy

· Short Story

· Writing Portfolio

How to Enter:

1. Create an account at www.artandwriting.org.

2. Upload the student's original work.

3. Complete entry by uploading a signed entry form and payment or fee waiver by December 14, 2023.

How Entries Are Judged:

Entries undergo a fair and anonymous judging process. Here's what you need to know:

· Blind Adjudications: Judges do not know the student's identity, ensuring a fair evaluation.

· 3 Core Criteria: Entries are evaluated based on three essential criteria - Originality, Technical Skill, and the Emergence of a Personal Voice or Vision.

Need Assistance? Contact Us:

If you require additional assistance or have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to us at 334-670-5978. Visit www.artandwriting.org to get started and mark your calendar for the submission deadline on December 14, 2023. Good luck, young writers!

The following sessions are open to any teacher in the UA/UWA region:

• NUMBERS: Fractions and Decimals (3-8), December 5-6, 8:30 – 3:30
• NUMBERS: Ratios and Proportions (6-8), December 7-8, 8:30 – 3:30

Please register for any AMSTI regional sessions using the following website: https://amsti-ua.wixsite.com/amsti-ua/professional-development

Please contact Sara McGee (smcgee@ua.edu) if you have questions or requests for other professional learning support.

• ASIM Biology Training and Support (Lisa Clark, lclark@ua.edu)

• ASIM Chemistry/Physical Science Training and Support (Brooks Moss, moss020@ua.edu)
• ASIM Physics and Earth/Space Science Training and Support (Julie Covin, jcovin@ua.edu)

Contact our specialists today to request on-site instructional support as you return to school! We are here for you!

Join our session series listed in the flyer below; all are TEAMS-approved PD sessions!

Summer Learning Planning

Join us during our Summer Learning Planning virtual office hours. See dates and times below. Participants should register in PowerSchool using PowerSchool #311710. A link to join the session will be delivered via email.

Virtual office hours are at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on the following dates:

• October 27
• November 17
• December 8
• January 26
• February 16
• March 15
• April 19
• May 10

Each date focuses on different topics for Summer Learning Planning.

Monthly Smore Newsletter

2023-2024 Science of Reading Spotlight Schools

The Alabama Reading Initiative has the goal of ensuring all students can read by the end of third grade. Science of Reading Spotlight Schools bring a lab experience to literacy leaders in K-3 schools so they can see, envision, and implement Science of Reading structures other schools and districts have put in place to move data outcomes in a positive direction.

OSI Docs and Tools

• Alabama Coaching Framework - Coaching Framework Presentations and Documents
  
• Principal Calendar - Presented at Mega
• OSI Mega Sessions - Presentation Links
• Secondary ELA COS Resources
• OSI Website

• ACIP Support Site

• ACAP/ACT Resource Page

• Youtube (Recorded PL)

Visit the new OSL website at the following link: https://sway.office.com/x6GMkvnr5n1z2O6F

Ongoing updates are continuously added at the following link: OSL Updates

The following sessions are being offered by the ALSDE Department of Special Education. Please contact Gwen Preston (gpreston@alsde.edu) with any questions. The flyers attached contain PowerSchool registration information.

Join Dr. Mayben for his technology sessions this fall! You may find all of his posted opportunities at www.uatim.org/opportunities.

Contact Dr. Robert Mayben at rmayben@ua.edu to support your school or district's technology professional learning needs.

Everyone Counts!/Strong Readers, Strong Leaders-December 6:

Join us for our next Everyone Counts!/Strong Readers, Strong Leaders quarterly session on Wednesday, December 6 from 8:30-3:30 (OMI/MTSS-8:30-11:30; ARI-12:30-3:30) at the New Heights Community Resource Center. Register for the upcoming Everyone Counts! session in PowerSchool using this section number: 483767.

Interested in earning a PLU for the Everyone Counts! quarterly sessions? Register in PowerSchool using the following information:

Title: PLUACLD1164 Office of Mathematics Improvement Everyone Counts!

Section #: 485839

Join Us in Celebrating Numeracy November-Week of November 13-17:

Join us for the Numeracy November campaign, our inaugural celebration of numeracy across Alabama! This weeklong event includes engaging math activities centered on picture books and optional themed dress-up days. We'll provide digital teacher resource books for grades K-5 with daily activities, number sense routines, and math games to make learning fun and exciting for all students.

For more information, contact Amy Tilford at amy.tilford@alsde.edu.

This year, ARI, OMI, and MTSS will collaboratively host Strong Leaders, Strong Readers. Meetings will be held from 8:30-3:30. See flyer above.

MTSS Newsletter

EL Region 4 Specialist: Dr. Stephanie Reynolds (stephanie.reynolds@alsde.edu)

EL Quarterly Newsletter

Alabama ELLevation Education Link- https://ellevationeducation.com/district/alabama

Virtual ELLevation Training Links-

ELLevation Virtual Training Links

AMTESOL Conference Link-Registration:

https://www.amtesol.org/registration

World Languages Newsletter: https://sway.office.com/mBGTFFbn0olsRz7W?ref=Link&loc=play

WIDA PD Self-Paced Workshop Offerings :

Title No. 307843 ; Space limited to 40 seats.

Expanding Reading Instruction with Multilingual Learners (4 hours)

Two 90-minute webinars & online resources

Sign up for TWO sections:

Section No. 479244 Session 1 Online meeting March 6, 2024, from 9:00 am – 10:30 am

Section No. 479246 Session 2 Online meeting March 13, 2024, from 9:00 am – 10:30 am

Title No. 308782 Self-Paced Workshops

WIDA Self-Paced Workshops.

Participants my sign up by individual session. Three sessions are available in Power School PD.

Section No. 482240 Social Studies: Engaging Multilingual Learners through Inquiry (3-4 hours)

Section No. 482237 Newcomers: Promoting Success through Strengthening Practice (3 hours)

Section No. 482236 Home Languages in the Classroom (20 hours)

The attached flyer highlights sessions offered by our PowerSchool coaches in November.

Please also feel free to request specific sessions. To request training for your district or school, either reply to this email or click the link in the flyer and submit an Ed Tech ticket request via the following link: Submit Ed Tech Support Ticket

PowerSchool Coach Quandria Robinson (quandria.robinson@alex.state.al.us)

Monthly updates from Alabama Social Studies Chronicle:

https://sway.office.com/vhXG8BDAWvVIzXQ4?ref=Link&loc=play

Monthly updates from ALSDE Physical Education:

https://sway.office.com/RixMOp6dE3kMPXDf?ref=email

• OSI ACAP/ACT Resource Doc: ACAP and ACT Tools and Resources

ALSDE has developed proficiency scales that can be used by teachers and students. The following link shares how to access those proficiency scales: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15eWbGs3CQ1D2wHZJUww9cl6Y4NjUDjUi/view?usp=sharing

ATLAS is a resource designed for National Board Certification, but it can also be used by teachers for personal growth or incorporated into district teacher induction programs.This resource is open to our full-time, public school educators in Alabama. Please contact Dr. Morgan at hgmorgan@ua.edu for an account.

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Dr. Holly Morgan, Director

Mrs. Tami Barron, Accounting Specialist

Mrs. Tenika Milsap, UWA Coordinator

Email: hgmorgan@ua.edu
Website: www.inservice.ua.edu
Location: 260 Kilgore Lane, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
Phone: 205-348-3319
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uainservice/
Twitter: @UofARIC