Learning Together December 2022

As November comes to a close, the break provided the time and space for us to pause and give thanks to each of you and your commitment to our students and each other. Teaching and learning are at the center of everything we do and it takes an entire team throughout the district working hard and remaining dedicated to the work to ensure our students receive a comprehensive education. Through rigorous expectations, you work to ensure that our students achieve high levels of personal and academic success daily. I hope you have a few minutes to view the video below that captures so many of the amazing ways you impact our students’ lives. Be sure to reflect and celebrate the impact you have made and will continue to have on the success of our students. Although it may not be actualized today, tomorrow, or even this year, know that you are making a difference in our student's lives every single day!

From the Office of Instruction, thank you and have a wonderful holiday season!

We have finished our first round of faculty meetings in each building, and we are looking forward to meeting with you again in January & February. Please remember to bring a picture, artifact, or lesson idea that demonstrates and example of rigorous teaching and learning in your classroom.

Upcoming Road to Rigor Meetings:

High School – January 3rd

Middle School – January 10th

Neil Armstrong – January 11th

Florence Brasser – January 18th

Walt Disney – January 25th

Paul Road – February 1st

Spotlight on Inquiry

Inquiry is one component of rigorous instruction in Gates Chili. What does inquiry look like in your classroom? What have you seen or heard in your colleagues classrooms? As you are planning units and lessons, think about how and when you are providing opportunities for students to formulate questions or respond to open-ended prompts. What routines and structures are in place for them to respond and discuss with their teachers and peers? Inquiry and discussion helps keep students engaged and can deepen their understanding of the content you are teaching. Having students develop and respond to questions is one way to promote active participation in your classroom.

The pictures below highlight an example of inquiry in action that we spotted at the high school recently! We'd love to hear about or see more examples from YOU! Use the button below the pictures to tell us about how you and your students have engaged in inquiry recently!

Click on the image in each section to learn more!

An easy, low prep strategy that engages students by having them demonstrate thinking skills and collaborating with a small group

Old habits die hard, particularly when they are part of the unexamined norms of schooling. In Why Are We Still Doing That?, the best-selling authors of Total Participation Techniques lead a teacher-positive, empathetic inquiry into 16 common educational practices that can undermine student learning.

New Library Resource in ClassLink: instructional videos with built-in assessments and resources!

Every child feels different in some way, but Thuy feels double different. In this picture book, the author explores how one little girl handles her feelings about being bullied at school.

If you have books, bits and bytes to share, please reach out to our coaches!

Jen Christensen, K-5 Literacy Coach | @GCReadWriteGrow
Matt Harvey, K-12 Library Media Coach | @GatesChiliLibs

Mike Munski, K-12 Innovation Coach @MikeMunski

Wendy Taylor, K-12 Innovation Coach | @GC_WendyTaylor

Did you know that Professional Learning opportunities are always available and are continuously being updated?

From our own Gates Chili District Catalog, to BOCES 1 and 2, to regional and national conferences, there are so many ways to deepen your knowledge and expand your own learning. There are also NYS requirements, registration processes, and forms to complete to attend or lead a professional learning opportunity. The trick is to know where to start…and the good news is, there is a new Professional Learning Website on our intranet that is a great place to begin.

Whether you are trying to understand your individual NYS CTLE and language acquisition requirements, interested in attending or leading a professional learning opportunity, or looking for links to the district or BOCES catalogs you will find it all on the website! You will even find a step-by-step guide to leading a PL and a flowchart to help you understand the process for attending a PL and when you can earn hours or get paid. Also included is information about past and future Superintendent’s Conference Days.

We hope this website will become your go-to for all things professional learning! It will continue to be updated and have even more helpful information added in the coming months. If you are unable to find what you need, you can easily access the PL office contact information there as well, so feel free to send along your questions if you can’t find the answers you are looking for!

How many people were honored with the GC Pride Award in the 2021-2022 school year?

The first three (3) staff members to submit the correct answer by clicking the image to the right will receive a prize!