CSMA Adviser Update

You are now teaching remotely and you may not even be in contact with your students at all... but our members are not going to stop teaching, supporting, advising, and inspiring.

No one knows exactly how to work through the pandemic and the government has so many other immediate concerns right now that challenges like creating online learning systems on the fly may not be very high on the list.

You should have received a listserv message that we are delaying the deadlines for all our spring contests, and pushing back the deadline to get us materials for the All-Colorado summer critiques. The new projected deadline is July 15, but that is still tentative, depending upon how things unfold in the next 2-3 weeks.

The CSMA board is made up of talented, over-scheduled advisers just like you, so you should not be surprised that they are facing the same challenges as you right now. But they are all eager to help you. They welcome you contacting them with questions and ideas. You can find their contact information here.

Jack Kennedy is trying to post daily lesson ideas, inspirational examples, lists of resources, and more each day (heck, he even has produced two podcast episodes -- they may end up being excellent sleep aids, at least). We have a new Category on our site called Quick Hits and we encourage you to stop in regularly (and we would LOVE to use lessons and ideas you are having success with -- our members are eager to exchange practical advice).

Adam Dawkins has added a Category on covering the coronavirus and COVID-19 on our adviser support site, and hopes to add more materials regularly. Again, he would love to be able to share YOUR ideas with a broader audience. He put out a request on the CSMA listserv this week with his contact information.

Best wishes to you and your family as we take on the most chaotic educational and societal situation of our lifetimes. Our money is on you, among the most talented teachers and thinkers we know, to find a way.

Gov. Polis has signed HB20-1062, our amendment to the 1990 Student Freedom of Expression Law. It goes into effect 90 days after the last day of the legislative session (and no one is quite sure when that will be).

But we do know this: our law will add a little more respect and a little more protection for Colorado public school teachers who are helping their students share legal speech with their communities. The final bill is attached below. Consider sharing it with your students, your administration, and maybe making it part of an online lesson (we promise to have something on this on our Quick Hits category on our site soon).

Colorado Student Media Association memberships are by school medium, and we offer four options: print news, yearbook, online, and video media. A single membership is $65. We offer a convenient online membership form, and you can choose either to pay with a school credit card or ask to be invoiced.

Spring is busy for everyone, with lots of scholarship opportunities, individual contests, and much more. Watch for your weekly e-newsletter for details and be sure to check our website for the latest information.

Email: jpkjournalism@gmail.com
Website: colostudentmedia.com
Location: 9253 Sori Lane, Highlands Ranch CO
Phone: 303-550-4755
Facebook: facebook.com/coloradostudentmedia
Twitter: @ColoradoSMA