![page background](https://cdn.smore.com/_fr/handwritten06.92a7be6c.jpg)
![Logo](https://cdn.smore.com/u/thumbs/f1ee/thumb-019259e3fa1a0b5cd3199d784c1cf42b.png)
Secondary English Newsletter-4
Volume Six, Issue Four/December Issue 2023-24
The JustWrite Ohio Columbus City Central Region Tournament Winners!
Poetry Winners for Division One
Tournament Grand Champions-Fort Hayes
Poetry Winners for Division Two
Division One-First Place Fort Hayes
Division One-Second Place Independence
Division One-Third Place CAHS
WINNERS ANNOUNCED
On December 2nd, students from CAHS, Eastmoor Academy, Fort Hayes, Independence, and Northland competed in the first JustWrite Ohio Columbus City Regional Tournament. Students were challenged to respond to one poetry prompt prior to the competition and three creative writing prompts during the competition. Students were divided into two divisions: Division One (9-10th graders) and Division Two (11-12th graders). Students in Division One wrote in Narrative Nonfiction, Fantasy, and Historical Fiction genres. Students in Division Two wrote in Realistic Fiction, Classic Horror, and Science Fiction genres. Awards were given for top individual poets, top individual creative writers, top Division teams, and best team in both Divisions. Below are the winners. The six poetry winners automatically qualified to move onto the state competition on May 9th at the University of Findlay. We will know within two weeks which creative writing winners will also be going to states.
INDIVIDUAL POETRY WINNERS
Division One
1. Cadence Hensel, Fort Hayes
2. Jayah Hunt, Fort Hayes
3. Ryder Caudill, Fort Hayes
Division Two
1. Lucie Miller, Fort Hayes
2. Brillyant Moore, Northland
3. Saja Al-Hashemi, CAHS
INDIVIDUAL CREATIVE WRITING WINNERS
Division One
1. Shyla Nutt, Fort Hayes
2. Cadence Hensel, Fort Hayes
3. Niciya Austin, Fort Hayes
4. Amaya Brown, Fort Hayes
5. Caren Adjei, Independence
6. Ryder Caudill, Fort Hayes
7. Makayla Kitt, Independence
8. Rejoyce Barber-Martin, Independence
9. Jayah Hunt, Fort Hayes
10. Beatrice Watson, CAHS
Division Two
1. Fennic Milner, CAHS
2. Sloan Mercerhill, Fort Hayes
3. Saja Al-Hashemi, CAHS
4. Lucie Miller, Fort Hayes
5. Houley Koundourou , CAHS
6. Amaiya Moorer, Eastmoor Academy
7. Akilah Bayless-Sizemore, Eastmoor Academy
8. Kim'Mya Byrd-Green, Eastmoor Academy
9. Leila Glanton, Fort Hayes
10. Ellie Morris, Fort Hayes
11. Brillyant Moore, Northland
12. Seth Beckhon, Northland
TEAM CREATIVE WRITING WINNERS
Division One
1. Fort Hayes
2. Independence
3. CAHS
Division Two
1. Fort Hayes
2. CAHS
3. Eastmoor Academy
Combined Divisions Grand Champion: Fort Hayes
Division Two-First Place Fort Hayes
Division Two-Second Place CAHS
Division Two-Third Place Eastmoor Academy
Individual Creative Writer Winners Division One (10th to 1st)
Two of the Poet Laureate Judges (Sandra Feen, 2022-24 Ohio Beat Poet Laureate and Dr. Anna Soter, Professor Emerita, The Ohio State University)
Individual Creative Writer Winners Division Two (12th to 1st)
CJIT 2024 Registration is Open
COLUMBUS JOURNALISTS IN TRAINING 2024
There are 30 slots available for Columbus City Schools 9-12 graders for CJIT 2024. Students will be selected based on interests in English, journalism, creative writing, podcasting, broadcasting and similar topics. Participants will experience intensively interactive exercises while being coached by media professionals at four Saturday sessions: Jan. 20, Feb. 3, Feb. 17, and March 2 from 10am-2pm at Fort Hayes Construction Arts Building. Students will be paired with sets of at least two journalists from the print/digital and broadcast media. Teams will serve as mentors and help students complete a final project that will be presented on Saturday, March 16th from 10am-1pm (location TBD) and can be used by Columbus City Schools and/or Dispatch.com. See this video invite from Amelia Robinson, Columbus Dispatch Opinion and Community Engagement Editor, and flyer below for more information.
APPLY HERE: https://tinyurl.com/CJIT2024! Applications DUE JANUARY 3rd!!
Power of the Pen Tournament NEW COACH/JUDGE Session and Circleville Tournament
Power of the Pen and the National Writing Project-Kernels of Wisdom: Honoring Creative Writers
This session is recommended for new Power of the Pen coaches and judges! Veteran faculty are also welcome. Tap into strategies for strengthening your team and learn how to holistically judge on December 2nd from 9:00-12:00 via Zoom. REGISTER HERE.
POWER OF THE PEN-Coach Information for the Central District 1 Tournament
Good Luck to all of the schools/coaches/students who are preparing for the Power of the Pen Central District 1 Tournament at Circleville High School (380 Clark DriveCircleville, OH 43113)!!
Berwick, Coach: Amy Huber
Champion, Coach: Elizabeth Stanley/Kerry Carter
Columbus Africentric MS, Coach: Laura Henry
Columbus Online Academy, Coach: Traci Cottrell/Jennifer Harvey
Dominion, Coach: Tara Cooper/Pattie Niese
Indianola, Coach: Gina McGowan
Ridgeview, Coach: Donella Braddix/Betty Maxwell
Woodward Park, Coach: Nicole Fontaine
World Language, Coach: Sam Leopold
-Each registered middle school can send two teams (6 students for a 7th-grade team and 6 students for an 8th-grade team) with their coach/coaches to a competition. At the tournament, each student will response to one or more prompts. Students who do well in regional tournaments advance to state competitions.
- Here is the Central Region Tournament Page.
- The Coach's Corner area has information about the genres and rubrics to help you prepare for the tournament. Here is the Coach Manual.
- Merch is available.
- Be thinking about how many judges you will bring to the tournament. You need one judge per team (one for 7th and one for 8th). Thus, if you have two coaches and two teams, you are set. If you only have one coach, see if you can get another adult to be a judge.
January 16th English 6-12 PD Day Registration
Registration is Open!!
Tuesday, Janary 16th, is the third District Professional Development Day of the school year. All English 6-12 teachers will have their sessions at the Fort Hayes Campus in Buildings 110 and 101. Please Register Here: #69088 English 6-12, January 16, 2024 PD Day for this in PD Planner as soon as you can prior to the end of the day on Thursday, January 12th to be sure your name will be on the sign-on/out sheets and you are in the running for some cool giveaways! Sign-in/out will be in Building 110. SEE FLYER HERE.
NOTE: ATTENDEES MUST BRING THEIR OWN ELECTRONIC DEVICES!!
Sessions from internal, community, and vendor facilitators will be offered, as well as independent- and team-led learning via on-demand and planning sessions. This PD Day will feature:
- An opening orientation session to tour through the choices for the day and be introduced to items from Academic Services and SEL
- The second part of a four-part Literacy Chat series focusing on Comprehension
- Dyslexia Law/Screening training for 6th-grade teachers
- Achieve3000 training for 9-11th teachers
- Third Space English session for those who teach this Columbus State course
- Snippets sessions for StudySync (fluency) and Canvas (syncing grades)
- Creating Comics in the Classroom sessions facilitated by a former student
- Live and on-demand sessions for building capacity around curriculum resources & literacy tools from CCS, StudySync, and the Ohio Department of Education
- Some working rooms for building-based content teams to collaborate and plan for student learning
- Opportunities to check out and play classroom board games with English themes
- Winter Wellness Activity
- and more!
2023 OST Report with Recommended Actions
The CCS 2023 OST Report with Recommended Actions is available on the English 6-12 Webpage at the Standardized Testing Quick Link. Take a look at it to see how the district is performing on the ELA 6-8 & 10 Tests. Here are a few overall data points.
- When comparing the 2023 data to pre-pandemic numbers, it should be noted that students taking the ELA 7 & 8 tests matched or exceeded the 2018-19 proficiency results (7th-36%; 8th-30%) with the ELA 8 scores being the highest recorded on the OST at that grade level, and the students taking the ELA 10 test were only 1% behind the scores in 2018-19. This growth is exciting, but still does not mean our students are college and career ready. The writing scores for both the argument and information essays are bleak. Out of a possible 10 points on the essays, our students are averaging 3.45 points on both their Argument and Informational compositions.
- While the state scores in Grades 6-8 & 10 average at 59% proficiency, CCS averages at 30% (up slightly from 28% in 2022). This means that an average of 70% of our students at all grade levels (6th-75%, 7th-64%, 8th-70%, 10th-71%) are scoring at the Limited & Basic levels and only 9-13% of students (6th-13%, 7th-18%, 8th-10%, 10th-9%) are scoring Advanced or Accelerated.
- The percentage scored on single Reading questions on the OST ranged from 13% to 73% and averaged 46% for Literary Text and 40% for Informational Text on Released Questions.
- The weakest area in the writing section of the 2023 OST for all grade levels was EVIDENCE/ ELABORATION (worth 4 points on both the Argument and Informational Essay Rubrics).
More Newer Items & Events
StudySync Five Days of Giveaways
End-of-Year Cheer
It's time for some end-of-year cheer! The 5 Days of Giveaways will run from December 18th through December 22nd. Through daily emails, you will have the opportunity to win gifts like document cameras, StudySync swag, and a grand prize of an iPad/Green Screen/Tripod. StudySync thanks you for all that you do for your students and districts and hopes you have a wonderful winter break!
The prizes this year are:
- A copy of StudySync author Dr. Doug Fisher's Teaching Students to Drive Their Learning: A Playbook on Engagement and Self-Regulation, K-12
- StudySync swag
- Document cameras
- $300 towards your classroom library via bookshop.org
- An iPad/Green Screen/ Tripod bundle
If you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to receive each day's entry details and participate in the fun. Emails will be sent at 7 am ET, and each day's giveaway will close after 24 hours. You must fill out the entry form each day to be entered to win that day's giveaway. All winners will be randomly selected and notified by 9 am ET on December 22nd via email.
O’Connor Institute Ambassadors Civics & Debate Club
Calling all high-school-age leaders! Want to impress colleges, sharpen your leadership talents, connect with other driven students from around the country, enhance your civics knowledge and civil discourse skills, and debate the most important civics topics facing our communities and nation?
Look no further: The O’Connor Institute Ambassadors Civics & Debate Club is for you.
- Compete for a $5,000 college scholarship
- Hone your speech and debate skills
- Deepen your understanding of civics and how American government works
- Get involved and make a difference in your community
- Engage in online civics-related discussion and debate students from across the country
- Earn a cord for graduation
And . . . it’s totally free!
The O’Connor Institute Ambassadors Civics & Debate Club is a free, online program for 9th through 12th-grade students presented by the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute for American Democracy. O’Connor Institute Ambassadors promotes the O’Connor Institute’s three pillars: civil discourse, civics education, and civic engagement. Learn More: https://oconnorinstitute.org/ambassadors/
Benefits of being an Ambassador:
- Ambassadors allows students to demonstrate to colleges their commitment to self-improvement, extracurricular learning, and civic mindedness
- Seniors can compete for a $5,000 college scholarship
- Seniors can earn an Ambassador high-school graduation cord
- Ambassadors facilitates productive online discussion and debate between student leaders from around the country
- Students gain the opportunity to build their civics knowledge and related skills
To be an Ambassador, students:
- Create Your Account Here!
- Participate in monthly online Ambassador civics and debate club meetings
- Volunteer for at least ten hours each school year for a nonprofit organization in their community
ANTI-BIAS EDUCATOR PD AT HUDSON
PAR PD Presents: How to be Anti-Bias Educator
● Being an anti-bias educator means engaging in ongoing self-reflection, as well as advocacy for equity and social justice both in and outside of the classroom.
● Anti-bias work provides teachers a way to examine and transform their understanding of children’s lives and also do self-reflective work to more deeply understand their own lives.
● In this PD we will explore how this work translates to your classroom. We will leave with an understanding of how to ensure we have equitable learning environments supporting each student.
The PD will take place on Tuesday, December 12th from 4:30-6:30 at the Hudson Library. Register on PDS. PDS #52786 .2 CEUs Available
HOLOCAUST WRITING CONTEST
Echoes & Reflections is proud to partner with Chapman University for this year's 25th Annual Holocaust Art & Writing Contest: Answering the Call of Memory: Choosing to Act.
Middle and high school teachers can register now for this unique learning opportunity, which allows students to explore how survivors’ memories can inspire them to take action and engage in acts of tikkun olam, healing the world, even in small ways. Chapman University welcomes schools throughout the U.S. and abroad and invites them to submit up to three entries per school in any combination of the following categories: art, film, poetry, or prose. Submissions via postal mail are due by February 2, and digital submissions are due by February 5, 2024.
Engage Students with Digital Activities to Inspire Submissions: These dynamic activities combine the power of Holocaust survivor and witness testimony with inquiry-based learning pathways to encourage critical thinking, reflection, and understanding of this vital history and its ongoing meaning.
STUDYSYNC DIGITAL LITERACY UNITS
PRINCETON SUMMER JOURNALISM PROGRAM
The 2024 Princeton Summer Journalism Program application is now open!
The application for the 2024 Princeton Summer Journalism Program is now open and due on Thursday, February 15, 2024. PSJP is a free, year-long college preparation program for current juniors from limited-income backgrounds who are interested in journalism. Participants complete a multi-week journalism intensive during the summer after their junior year and receive personalized college application help during their senior year. Prior journalism experience is appreciated but not required. Successful applicants tend to be interested in writing, politics, current events, history, social justice, service or civic engagement, identity, art, culture, and/or economics. Review the eligibility requirements to determine if your students are eligible and nominate an applicant today!
-----------------
Princeton Summer Journalism Program Educator's "Coffee Hour" - Information Session
There is a virtual information session just for educators and program coordinators to answer questions about what the program is, who is eligible, why they should apply, and how we can help you support your students through the application process.
Dates: Thursday, December 14, 2023; 2:00pm ET or Monday, January 8, 2024; 2:00pm ET
Register today. Visit psjp.princeton.edu to view our full calendar of informational sessions for students, families, and educators or nominate an applicant today!
MOY WINDOW OPEN
The MOY Window runs from November 27-December 19. The District assessment is i-Ready and should be given in English 6-10 and Humanities English 9-10 classes. See your building Testing Facilitator for more information.
COLUMBUS CITY SCHOOLS WINTER READING CHALLENGE FOR K-8 STUDENTS
The District is partnering with Scholastic to reward students and top schools who read the most books over winter break.
From December 20 through January 2, elementary and middle school students are invited to log into their Clever dashboards and LiteracyPro to access any one of the thousands of e-books waiting for them. Students who log the most time reading books over the winter break challenge will win prizes from Scholastic, as well as earn prizes for their school. In addition to a personalized digital bookshelf, LiteracyPro also gives students access to online activities to enhance their reading experience and get a deeper understanding of their favorite books.
THURBER HOUSE FLIP THE PAGE
Flip the Page is written, staffed, and produced by Central Ohio teens who have a passion for creating and sharing their work with others. Our mission is to provide a showcase for the work of young local writers and offer opportunities to learn about everything that goes into a publication, from the submission process, to critique, editorial design, and the final printed publication of the journal. All accepted writers and artists receive a complimentary copy of the journal, which is sold on Amazon. Flip the Page is a great way for young writers to find a community that is full of support and inspiration. The deadline to submit will be January 28th, 2024. Note: Flip the Page is a free program. Questions about Flip the Page? Email Katie Warner at kwarner@thurberhouse.org.
How to Submit Your Work
- CLICK THE SUBMIT BUTTON and create an account on the submission portal. Remember to keep your login information handy for the next time you use the submission portal.
- Navigate to "My Entries" and read the instructions.
- Click "Start Entry" to begin your entry form. When you're finished with your entry form, click "Submit Entry" to add it to your cart.
- In the cart, complete the "check out" process to officially send your submission for consideration. If you'd like to submit multiple pieces, complete another entry form and add it to your cart before checking out.
Writing Submission Rules
- Must be a resident of Central Ohio (Franklin, Delaware, Union, Madison, Pickaway, Fairfield, or Licking counties)
- Open to teens ages 13 to 19 years old
- We are interested in short stories, poems, songs, essays, and play excerpts
- Maximum of 800 words per piece
- Limit of two entries per person
- Accepted formats are Word documents and shareable Google documents
OHIO POETRY ASSOCIATION HIGH SCHOOL POETRY CONTEST
The Ohio Poetry Association (OPA) sponsors an annual high school poetry contest, offering prizes and publication to winners in nine categories. A grand prize-winning poem will be published in Common Threads. Eligible poems will be sent to the Manningham Trust Student Poetry Contest sponsored by the National Federation of State Poetry Societies. The OPA contest is open to any student in grades 9–12.
Contest Categories & Sponsors
- Free Verse – A poem of 12 lines on any subject. Sponsor: Jessica Weyer Bentley
- Nature Poem – A poem of any style, up to two pages in length, about seasons, animals, weather, trees, climate, or anything else that expresses an appreciation of the natural world. AI-generated work is not acceptable. Sponsor: Kerry Trautman
- “A Seasoning of Sensations” – A free verse poem of up to 32 lines. Sponsor: Sandra Rivers-Gill
- Poem About Place – Write about where you live. Any length, any style. Sponsor: Jonie McIntire
- School Days – A poem of any style, titled, and one page in length about some aspect of school. AI-generated work is not acceptable. Sponsors: former classroom teachers and poets, Sandra Feen and Rikki Santer
- Meter and Rhyme – Write a poem in any form that has meter and rhyme. Examples include the sonnet, the limerick, the rondeau, the ballad, and the villanelle. 30-line limit. Sponsor: Mark F. Stone
- Lyric Poem – Any subject, i.e., sonnets, villanelles, pantoums, ghazals, elegies, odes and dramatic monologues. Sponsor: Simple Simons Press
- Ethos – Ethos is a Greek word defined as the distinguishing character, sentiment, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a person, group, or institution or the fundamental character or spirit of a culture. Write a poem that reflects in some way your own ethnicity or cultural heritage. Any form. 30-line limit. Sponsor: Chuck Salmons
- Surrealism – Write a free verse poem using surrealist elements, max 40 lines. Surrealist elements include dream-like or strange imagery and symbolism, distorted language, offbeat or unique effects created by the text, and illogical juxtapositions. Take note: surrealist pieces should exhibit their own internal logic, even if that logic heavily departs from the norm. Sponsor: Jeremy Jusek
Get all of the submission, prize, and contest information HERE.
SEJONG WRITING COMPETITION 2024
Deadline: February 29, 2024
Sijo category The goal of this sijo category is to introduce students to a lesser-known style of poetry, the traditional Korean sijo. Read about how to write sijo, or see last year's winning entries. The sijo is a traditional three-line Korean poetic form organized technically and thematically by line and syllable count. Using the sijo form, participants will write one poem in English on a topic of their choice. Only one entry per applicant is permitted. For examples of sijo, more information, and teaching materials – including teaching guides for sijo, please visit this website for more information.
Adult division (age 19 & older); Pre-college division (age 18 & younger)
Essay category Focusing on introducing students and young adults to Korean culture and history through literature, this essay category utilizes folk tales and contemporary literature to explore Korean culture, past and present.
Adult division (age 19-30 years): Contestants are to read Kim Bo-young's short story “I'm Waiting for You,” and write an essay in response to the provided adult division prompt.
Senior division (grade 9th - 12th): Contestants are to read Kim Bo-young's short story “I'm Waiting for You,” and write an essay in response to the provided senior division prompt.
Junior division (grade 8th and younger): Contestants are to write an essay in response to one of two provided prompts regarding a folktale of the contestant's choice. Contestants must choose one of the stories listed on the folktales page.
Contest and Application Pages
HERE IS THE CONTEST PAGE. There are several helpful links in the body of this page and in the left column index.
HERE IS THE APPLICATION PAGE. Please let students know that they may edit their entries and applications until the competition deadline.
AUTHOR STUDY WITH KWAME ALEXANDER AND JUDY BLUME
On Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at 1:00pm ET there will be an Author Study with Kwame Alexander and special guest, the legendary Judy Blume, recently named as one Time’s 100 Most Influential People of the Year in 2023! The 45-minute virtual livestream session is a unique opportunity to engage with and learn from two dynamic #1 New York Times best-selling, award-winning authors. Kwame will read from his National Book Award long-listed novel, Booked, then speak with Judy on how she creates such compelling characters throughout her beloved collection of 29 best-selling books that have sold more than 90 million copies in 39 languages. They’ll also do a character writing mini-craft lesson, followed by a LIVE Q&A, taking questions from select attendees in the chat! This event will also include an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter.
- Classroom / School / Library Registration: $375
- Title I Classroom / School or Homeschoolers Registration: $250
In order to give participants a unique and more personalized experience, space for this virtual livestream event is limited. Register today to secure your spot!
WINTER BOOK FESTIVAL
On December 7th, join Penguin Random House, Library Journal, and School Library Journal for a Winter 2023 virtual book and author festival program, a free day-long event celebrating reading, authors, and librarians everywhere! Enjoy a day packed with author panels and interviews, book buzzes, virtual shelf browsing, and adding to your TBR pile. You’ll hear from many of your favorite authors, whose work runs the gamut from Picture Books to Young Adult titles to the best new Fiction and Nonfiction for adults. There is something of interest for every reader. Attendees will also have the opportunity to check out the virtual exhibit hall, access eGalleys, and enter to win prizes and giveaways. EVENT HOURS: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET; REGISTER HERE.
Check out the lineup of amazing authors — including both beloved bestsellers and exciting debut talent — and start planning your day. Can’t make it on the 7th? The entire event and all of its sessions will be available for three months. There’s no excuse to miss out!
MICROFICTION CHALLENGE
The 250-word Microfiction Challenge is Open for Registration! The 5th annual 250-word Microfiction Challenge kicks off on Friday, December 8th, and will challenge writers worldwide to create very short stories based on genre, action, and word assignments in 24 hours. Feedback from the judges is provided for every submission, writers keep all the rights to the stories they create, and there are thousands in cash prizes for the winners. Learn more, register, and read previous winning stories at the link below. Good luck, writers! Learn More & Register.
DICKENS DAY ON WRITING: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INVOLVING YOUR STUDENTS & COMMUNITY
If you are interested in bringing the Dickens Day on Writing to your building/school community, check out the opportunity here: https://teachers.ucsc.edu/dickens-day-of-writing/host-a-day-of-writing/
BUCKEYE CHILDREN'S AND TEEN BOOK AWARDS
The Buckeye Children’s and Teen Book Award Council is pleased to announce the winners of the 2023 Buckeye Children’s and Teen Book Awards:
- Grades K–2: Pizza and Taco: Too Cool for School by Stephen Shaskan
- Grades 3-5: Endlessly Ever After by Laurel Snyder and Dan Santat
- Grades 6-8: Play Like a Girl by Misty and David Wilson
- Teen: Heartstopper (Vol. 4) by Alice Oseman
Each of these books won the highest number of votes out of the five nominees in its category, in an online voting process by young readers all across the state of Ohio. Nominations for the 2023 Buckeye Children’s and Teen Book Awards were accepted from March 15, 2022 to March 10, 2023. Eligible books are those published in the United States in the previous two years, and not part of a series that has previously won the award. Voting was held between September 1 and November 10, 2023. Nominations are open now for the 2024 awards at www.bcbookaward.info
NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNERS
The National Book Foundation has announced the 2023 recipients of the prestigious National Book Awards, which celebrate the best of American literature. This year’s awards were marked by the exceptional achievements of authors of color, showcasing the rich diversity and breadth of American literature. We want to give a round of applause to the talented authors and artists behind these remarkable books:
- Justin Torres took home the Fiction prize for his novel Blackouts (FSG), about two friends on their deathbeds, discussing topics such as sexuality, being shunned by family, their Puerto Rican heritage, and movies.
- Ned Blackhawk won the Nonfiction category for The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History (Yale University Press), which upends conventional historical narratives.
- Craig Santos Perez secured the Poetry award for From Unincorporated Territory [åmot] (Omnidawn), a collection giving voice to the Chamorro people of Guam.
- Bruna Dantas Lobato’s translation of The Words That Remain (Black Cat) received the Translated award for bringing Stênio Gardel’s novel about two gay men in Brazil’s little-known hinterland to English-speaking audiences.
- The Young People’s Literature prize went to Dan Santat for A First Time for Everything (Quill Tree Books), a poignant graphic novel about experiencing life’s adventures.
See more about the winners and the finalists HERE.
VOTE FOR YOU FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE YEAR
Vote for your favorites books of the year in the Goodreads Choice Awards 2023. Voting closes December 3rd. Winners will be announced on December 7th.
Some Articles & Sites for Your Exploration
Why Main Idea is Not the Main Idea – Or, How Best to Teach Reading Comprehension
Protocols That Get All Students Talking in Class Discussions
Top 10 Most Significant Education Studies of 2023
9 Tips for Using AI for Learning (and Fun!)
North Star: African American history through primary sources and learning activities for students in grades 6-12, educators, and families. (nmaahc.si.edu/north-star)
My Shakespeare: Media-rich, interactive Shakespeare texts and free professional development. (myshakespeare.com)
Rare Historical Photos: Historical photos with brief articles (https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/)
Curriculum for Secondary English Courses
Overview Video
- This ENGLISH 6-12 CURRICULUM OVERVIEW VIDEO gives you an overview for Secondary English Curriculum.
Curriculum Maps & Folders
Every District English course has a Curriculum Map with a Scope and Sequence detailing a pathway through the course using adopted resources, and each course has a Course Folder with standard, novel, language, and strategy resources. You can find the Curriculum Maps and Course Folders in the places listed below.
1-Linked in these Google Docs:
2-On the English 6-12 Webpage: Use the Curriculum/Instructional Resources Quick Links on the ELA 6-12 Webpage for easy navigation to English Curriculum Maps and Folders.
NOTE: The ELA 6-12 Webpage Quick Links offer much more than the Google Doc with Links for your curriculum needs. They offer teaching strategies, guiding docs, and help with standards, testing, and more. To access many curricular and district items, you must be logged into Google using your CCS credentials and not a personal account.
Secondary Literacy Plan
- The CCS Secondary Literacy Plan provides teaching strategies/PD (how to teach) that can be used with the texts/lessons from your adopted resources (what to teach) to address these components of the plan: Academic Language, Reading Comprehension, Writing Competency, and Classroom Discussion. It is rooted in Ohio’s Plan to Raise Literacy Achievement and guided by the Adolescent Simple View of Reading. The plan spans from intermediate literacy that crosses curricular areas to disciplinary literacy that reflects the demands of specific disciplines while allowing for individualized intensive interventions, as needed. Inherent in the plan is that students are reading, writing, and discussing every day in classrooms.
- CCS Secondary Literacy Plan Info Page
Adopted, Intervention, and Supplemental Resources for Secondary English Courses
Course Descriptions and Adopted Curriculum Resources Lists
- Course Resource Spreadsheet with Visuals
- CCS Adopted, Supplemental, and Intervention Resources List
- Course Descriptions Quick Link
Adopted and Intervention Resources
The TIER 1 Instructional Resources
StudySync: English 6-12, Alternate English courses, and some Electives
- StudySync Info Page (access, tutorials, trainings, and more)
- StudySync Webinars (register for live Webinars)
Bedford Texts/Launchpad: Honors and AP English
- Bedford/Launchpad Info Page (access, tutorials, trainings, and more)
- Some Elective Courses will have single resource adoptions.
The TIER II/Tier III Intervention Resources and Courses
Resources
- iReady Pathways (6-8) These are below grade level and based upon BOY and MOY. They should not be used for Core instruction.
- Progress to Success (9-12) You can request copies by emailing Carla Mae Phillips.
- Coming Soon (9-11) The RFP Process is almost concluded for this resource. Announcement will be made after boarding.
Courses
- Core Enrichment (6-8) This course can be used for Tiers II/III Intervention.
- College/Career Ready Literacy (6-12) This course can be used for Tiers II/III Intervention.
- OST Test Prep-English (9-12) This course uses Springboard's Reading and Writing Workshop books. You can request copies by emailing Carla Mae Phillips.
Supplemental Resource
TeachingBooks is the site where the lists of novels available for teacher use from the warehouse, the curriculum office, in StudySync, and in Course Folders, are found.
- TeachingBooks Info Page (access, tutorials, trainings, and more)
- Accessing Novels (Digital and Hard Copy)
Canvas Integration
If you teach English 6-12 or an alternate English credit-bearing course (e.g. Humanities English 9 or 10, Humanities Language Arts 8, Major British Writers Seminar, African American Literature, Women's Literature, Shakespeare's Literature, etc.), you will need to pair your Canvas courses with your StudySync courses. This will give you access to the Curriculum Map divided into Modules and allow for StudySync to sync assignments and grades. Use the orientation video and document below to learn how to integrate Canvas and StudySync.
StudySync/Literacy PD & Professional Articles
STUDYSYNC WEBINARS
DECEMBER
Tuesday December 5, 2023
- 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM How to Plan a StudySync Lesson Register Now
Wednesday December 6, 2023
- 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM Basic Training: How to Navigate Your New StudySync Account Register Now
Monday December 11, 2023
- 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM Basic Training: The Reading Routine - Reading & Rigor in StudySync Register Now
Thursday December 14, 2023
- 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM Assess 101: Ongoing Progress Monitoring with StudySync Assessments Register Now
Monday December 18, 2023
- 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM Project-Based Learning Opportunities in StudySync Register Now
Wednesday December 20, 2023
- 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM Basic Training: Create and Grade Assignments Register Now
STUDYSYNC COACHES' COMMUNITY SESSION-THE SCIENCE OF READING
VALENTINA GONZALEZ-Making Texts Accessible to Middle and High School Students
-February 21, 2024, at 12:00 noon ET
DR. TIMOTHY SHANAHAN
-Watch the live recording of Dr. Timothy Shanahan's session on the Science of Reading.
Literacy Symposium Replay
It’s time for some (bonus) learning!
The summer may be over, but the McGraw Hill Literacy Symposium bonus sessions are now live and ready to extend your professional learning! Sign in now using your Zoom account to:
- Access 30 on-demand professional learning sessions from the summer event.
- Watch five new bonus sessions on the Science of Reading, writing, tech in the classroom, and more!
- Discover and download resources you can use in your classroom.
Ready to dive in? Join them in the event space and watch the short Welcome video to get your bearings.
- Use the Sessions tab to access, search, and filter content.
- Explore the Exhibitor tab to access the event FAQ and symposium Playbook.
- Download the Playbook to take notes, learn more about the sessions, and find key takeaways and practical tips that you can put into use in your classroom.
- Certificates of Completion for each session are available for download in the individual session resources which can be used to get CEUs in PDS using the External Credit Requests tab.
TEACHINGBOOKS WEBINAR & HOLIDAY PAGE
Dive Deeper into Lists with TeachingBooks
Wednesday, December 20th 5:00pm
Create, share, and combine booklists filled with resources that deepen connections to titles and authors. Register
RECORDED STUDYSYNC PD & ARTICLES
StudySync for New Users (1:58:28)
- Target Audience: English 6-12 Teachers who are new to StudySync (Adopted Resource)
The Reading Routine: Reading and Rigor in StudySync (54:50) Passcode: +p5mbg.M
- Target Audience: English 6-12 Teachers
From Tweets to Tomes: How Students Write in StudySync (60:00)
- Session Resources: Extended Writing Project; Data-driven Decision Making + EWP; Conducting Impactful Student Conferences; Student Generated Questions; Metacognitive Skill Building; Ongoing Self-Assessment Document; Tips for writing every day
- Target Audience: English 6-12 Teachers
Spark Collaborative Conversations Using StudySync (61:00)
- Slides Link and Resources: Slide Deck; StudySync TV; SyncTV 2 Column Chart
- Target Audience: English 6-12 Teachers
Scaffolding in StudySync (63:36) Passcode: kE#d9G6J
- Target Audience: English 6-12 Teachers
STUDYSYNC ARTICLES/RESOURCES
Close Reading Impacts Writing New
Mid-Year Reflection Coaches' Tool New
Spotlight Skills in a Workshop Model New
Getting Started with Foundational Skills New
Explore the Connection between the Science of Reading and StudySync's Close Reading Routine NewStudySync Supports the Science of Reading Video New
Exploring the Role of StudySync Vocabulary in the Science of Reading
Blast + Texts Pairings: Thrilling Tales
Close Reading: StudySync's Routine
Writing Every Day with StudySync: 3 Tips for the New School Year,
Interpreting StudySync in the Classroom
About the AI Series AI Literacy Lessons and ELA Blasts are coming soon, and will explore its history and explain what it means for your classroom.
Visit the StudySync Blog for articles on curriculum resources, program authors' tips, StudySync's pedagogy, and more.
OHIO LITERACY ACADEMY ON DEMAND
Literacy Academy on Demand from the Ohio Department of Education offers easily accessible professional learning about literacy for grades K-12. In each short course, educators will find:
- A short video from a nationally recognized expert on literacy instruction;
- Resources and tools to use in the classroom, coaching sessions or team meetings;
- Reflection questions to help review current practices and implement new learning; and
- Additional resource recommendations to expand educator learning.
Courses should take 30-60 minutes to complete. Users can take one or two courses to learn about a specific topic or multiple courses to get a more comprehensive understanding of literacy instruction and concepts.
Grades 6-12 Courses: All educators in middle and high school, including content area teachers, can play a significant role in improving students' reading, writing and communication. These courses can benefit teachers, coaches, directors and administrators who support classroom instruction, and any educator who wants to learn more about adolescent literacy.
Some Teacher Opportunities
Open Mic Night and Feel Good Writing Workshop
OPEN MIC NIGHT
Friday, December 1 | 6 p.m. | Free
Hosted by Ohio Poet Laureate, Kari Gunter-Seymour, you’re invited to come together in a place of inspiration and reverence, where all voices are welcome and celebrated. This is an open forum for both civilians and Veterans to connect.
Interested in reading your work or performing a song? We’ll have a mic and stand set up with time for twenty people to share. Sign up upon arrival and be prepared to present five minutes of your best work!
FEEL GOOD WRITING WORKSHOP
Saturday, December 2 | 10 a.m.
Unleash your creativity and find joy in the art of writing with a unique writers’ workshop. Ohio Poet Laureate, Kari Gunter-Seymour will guide participants through a journey of self-expression focusing on moments of happiness, capturing the energy of specific spaces and recalling experiences. Through sensory exploration, the group will use eyes, ears, fingers, and noses to connect with the surroundings and express their respective thoughts.
No prior writing experience is necessary.
OCTELA 24 CONFERENCE
Raising Our Voices: How Place and Space Shape Us as Writers and Thinkers
Saturday, March 2, 2024 with an evening event on March 1; Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center
- Tom Romano, Friday Evening Speaker
- Kelly Gallagher, Saturday Morning Speaker
- Robin Echols Cooper, Saturday Luncheon Speaker
- Dave Lucas, Saturday Afternoon Speaker
Learn more at the Conference Registration page.
EVENTS & MORE FROM FOLGER
Lady Macbeth
Isabelle Schuler discusses her debut novel, Queen Hereafter, which takes place in 11th-century Scotland and attempts to fill in a backstory for Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth. Listen to the Episode.
Quiz: The Winter's Tale
There’s a bear, a jealous husband, two young lovers, a miraculous twist…. hmm, what else? Take our quiz to see how well you know The Winter's Tale. Take the Quiz.
Evie Shockley,The Emily Dickinson Birthday Tribute, December 5, 2023 | 7:30pm (ET)
Virtual on Zoom
Poet and literary scholar Evie Shockley will read from her writing and the poems of Emily Dickinson in this annual birthday tribute. Get tickets
Winter Tales: Paired Texts to Fire Up Your Students Free Zoom PD Wed, Dec 13, 2023, 7-8pm Register Here Dig into two juicy texts from Ishion Hutchinson and William Shakespeare for your students to fully engage with. Come chat with us more about how to expose your students to the sweep of literature – and how to get through December!
Camille T. Dungy, BLOOM: A Virtual Poetry Workshop, February 26, 2024 | 6:30pm (ET)
Virtual on Zoom
In this virtual workshop acclaimed poet and essayist Camille T. Dungy, along with a horticulturalist, will present a generative poetry workshop with a botanical theme. Sign up
UPCOMING AUTHOR EVENTS
- Tuesday, December 5th, 7pm Between Two Worlds. Join noted historian and author Robin Judd as she launches her book, Between Two Worlds: Jewish War Brides After the Holocaust. Dr. Judd will be in conversation with Birgitte Søland, an expert in European and women’s gender history. Get tickets!
- Ta-Nehisi Coates (see below) Tickets
COLUMBUS METROPOLITAN LIBRARY AUTHOR TALKS
The Sesquicentennial Author Series: Author Talks at Main Library
- Jason Mott, Sunday, Dec. 10 | 2 p.m. Jason Mott is a poet and a National Book Award-winning novelist. Read more about the author here. REGISTER NOW
LIT CON: COLUMBUS
LitCon, the largest K-8 literacy conference in North America—now in its 39th year, is being held in Columbus on January 27-30! The conference is brought to you by the Reading Recovery Council of North America (RRCNA) for the broader literacy education community. Attendees will be among the first to know about current research findings, critical news, and leading practices in K-8 literacy education that go beyond theory to actual practice. Engage in LitCon to tap exclusive resources and build special bonds to move childhood literacy and Reading Recovery forward. Jason Reynolds is the Keynote Speaker. Check out the LitCon Conference Site for information about other speakers, sessions, registration, etc.
Some Student Opportunities
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Oratorical Contest 2023
-The MLK Youth Oratorical Contest is Saturday, December 9th, at the Columbus College of Art & Design.
-The Theme is "The Dream Deferred? Where do we go from here?"
-For details on how to enter, click https://www.columbus.gov/MLKOC2023/.
-The Submission Deadline is 5pm on November 27th!
-Please contact Gale Gray for questions or additional information. (GAGray@columbus.gov or call 614-645-1950)
MADLAB SHORT PLAY CONTEST
SUBMISSIONS DUE BY JANUARY 7TH FOR
YOUNG WRITERS SHORT PLAY FESTIVAL 2024!
- Each playwright may submit only one play.
Plays must run approximately 10 minutes.
All plays should include a cover sheet that includes play name, playwright's name, your teacher's name, and your high school's name; a list of characters; set and prop needs.
For complete Young Writers Short Play Festival 24 play submission guidelines and for details on how to submit your play, click this link.
Any questions? See the MadLab site or E-mail MadLab Artistic Director James Blackmon directly at JamesB@MadLab.net.
NCTE STUDENT WRITING AWARDS
Student Writing Awards
Achievement Awards in Writing (for 10th and 11th grade students)
This school-based writing program encourages high school students in their writing and publicly recognizes some of the best student writers in the nation.
Deadline February 15
Promising Young Writers (for 8th grade students)
This school-based writing program stimulates and recognizes student’s writing talents and emphasizes the importance of writing skills among eighth-grade students.
Deadline February 15
Song for December
Contact Information
Carla Mae Phillips
Southland Center, Suite 125
Previous Newsletters are available on the CCS ELA 6-12 Webpage.
Email: cphillips3865@columbus.k12.oh.us
Website: https://www.ccsoh.us/English6-12
Location: 3700 South High Street, Columbus, OH, 43207, USA
Phone: (380) 997-0463