Spotlight - New York City Department of Education

I Teach NYC Bulletin: Educator Opportunities
February 2015
About this Edition
This edition of the I Teach NYC bulletin includes the latest career development and professional
learning opportunities for educators. You'll also discover resources and information on grants and
financial support for teachers. Click on each opportunity in the table of contents below for more
information and links to applications and registration pages. Would you like to receive the I Teach
NYC bulletin via another email address? Sign-up here!
Table of Contents
Professional Learning Opportunities







Check Out the After School Professional Development Program Catalogue (All teachers)
Attend an Open House: The Teacher Leadership Program (TLP) (All teachers)
Discover How to Make Your School More Sustainable (All teachers)
Thinking of Incorporating Devices into the Classroom? This Program Can Help (All teachers)
Learn More about "Fifty-Four Miles: The 1965 Selma March" (All teachers)
Support Diverse Learners through "A Shared Path to Success" (All teachers)
Last Chance! Discover Promising Practices at a Showcase School Visit (All teachers)
Career Development and Leadership Opportunities



Bring Your Idea to Life or Recognize a Colleague: The School Technology Summit (All teachers)
Explore the Library of Congress's Collections During the Summer Teacher Institutes (All teachers)
Work Alongside Science and Tech Researchers this Summer (Middle school science teachers)
Teacher Resources & FYIs






Design Formative Assessments with a New Resource (All teachers)
Learn More About Advance and Check Out New Resources (All teachers)
Find Tips and Strong Practices: Family Engagement Strategies (All teachers)
STARS Classroom Updates (All teachers)
New Financial Feature in NYCAPS Employee Self-Service (ESS) (All teachers)
March 2: Deadline Approaching for Teachers Choice Submissions (All teachers)
Please note:


Attendance at events and workshops that occur during school hours requires your principal's
approval. Please coordinate the necessary approvals and classroom coverage with your
principal prior to registering.
Hyperlinks to web pages on the DOE intranet require readers to log in with their DOE ID and
password.
Professional Learning Opportunities
Check out the After School Professional
Development Program Catalogue for Spring





Open to: All teachers
Opportunity at a Glance: The After School Professional
Development Program (ASPDP) is excited to announce more than 140 classes this spring and
invites you to explore the course catalogue. All courses are aligned with the Common Core
Standards, the Danielson Framework for Teaching, and the NYCDOE Citywide Instructional
Expectations. All online and in-person courses can be credited toward salary differentials, and
may be used by teachers toward the New York State requirement of 175 hours of Professional
Development with your principal's approval.
Event Date: New classes begin Monday, February 16.
Take Action: Register for a class today. Deadlines are on a rolling basis.
For More Information: Visit the online course catalogue or email the After School Professional
Development Program.
Return to Table of Opportunities
Attend an Open House: The Teacher Leadership
Program (TLP)


Open to: All teachers
Opportunity at a Glance: TLP is designed to challenge and




support teacher leaders across the city in developing the content knowledge and facilitative leadership
skills needed to guide instructional improvement in schools. Upon completion of the program,
participants may choose to remain in teacher leadership roles within their schools or consider applying
to a principal preparation program to prepare for roles as school leaders. Program applications require
one administrator and a team of teachers from each school. If you are interested, visit the TLP webpage
and speak with your school leaders.
Event Date: Tuesday, March 10, at 4:30 p.m.
Location: Manhattan
Take Action: Register by Monday, March 9. (Program application will be available on March 11.)
For More Information: Visit the TLP webpage for additional details on the program.
Return to Table of Opportunities
Discover How to Make Your School More
Sustainable






Open to: All teachers
Opportunity at a Glance: The Office of Sustainability offers training for all school personnel to
support the NYCDOE's goals for energy and water conservation, waste management, ecology,
and the integration of sustainability concepts into curricula. The day-long training includes roles
and responsibilities, classroom activities, resources, and key information. (You do not need to
be your school's sustainability coordinator to participate; substitute coverage will be subsidized
by the training program.)
Event Date: Thursday, March 12
Location: Manhattan
Take Action: Complete this survey by Tuesday, March 3, to register.
For More Information: Visit the Office of Sustainability website, email the team, or call (718)
349-5738.
Return to Table of Opportunities
Thinking of Incorporating Devices into the Classroom? This
Program Can Help.





Open To: All teachers
Opportunity at a Glance: More schools are considering the inclusion of
mobile devices in the classroom starting in March, pending the vote by the
Panel for Education Policy on February 25. The NYCDOE's Innovation Partner
Professional Development (IPPD) Program supports teachers with a unique set of offerings that connect
you with strong practices for using technology as a tool in the classroom.
Event Dates: Various offerings are available.
Take Action: Complete the IPPD Central Application by Monday, February 23, to register for any sessions
of interest.
For More Information: View more information on the offerings, watch this IPPD informational video, or
email the Office of Digital Engagement & Professional Learning.
Return to Table of Opportunities
Learn More about the "Fifty-Four
Miles: The 1965 Selma March"






Open to: All teachers
Opportunity at a Glance: Learn how to use
the powerful photographs of Stephen
Somerstein, a documenter of the Selma to Montgomery Civil Rights March in March of 1965, in
your classroom. Expand your content knowledge and enrich your use of primary sources
through this interactive, Common Core-aligned program.
Cost: $15 per person, includes pizza and light refreshments.
Event Date: Tuesday, February 24
Take Action: Complete this form to register. Admission is confirmed on a rolling basis.
For More Information: Email the New York Historical Society's professional learning team, or
call 212-485-9256.
Return to Table of Opportunities
Support Diverse Learners through "A Shared Path
to Success"


Open To: All teachers
Opportunities at a Glance: You are invited to participate in a variety of professional learning
opportunities presented by the Special Education Office, including:
o Adapted Materials to Support Diverse Learners in the Least Restrictive Environment (Grades
K-5): Learn how to adapt and modify classroom and individual materials in order to ensure
access to curriculum for struggling students, with and without Special Education services, in
Least Restrictive Environments.
 Dates: Monday, March 16
 Location: Manhattan
 Registration: Click to register
o Crafting Quality IEPs Series: Looking Closely at the Present Levels of Performance: Unpack the
most important component of a quality IEP: the triangulation between Present Levels of
Performance (PLOP), SMART goals and Recommended Programs and Services.
 Date: Thursday, February 26
 Location: Manhattan
 Registration: Click here to register
o Understanding Dyslexia: Explore the current research and best practices for successfully
teaching reading to students with dyslexia and related learning disabilities.
 Date: Wednesday, March 11, and Wednesday, April 29
 Location: Manhattan
 Registration: Click here to register for March 11, and here for April 29

For More Information: For more details on these and other PD opportunities, visit the Special Education
Office PD Catalogue (DOE log-in required), or email the team.
Return to Table of Opportunities
Last Chance! Discover Promising Practices at a
Showcase School Visit

Open to: All teachers





Opportunity at a Glance: The Showcase Schools Program promotes collaboration and the sharing of
promising practices. Seventeen schools have opened their doors to demonstrate and discuss strong
structures and strategies in a specific area of learning. Teachers are invited to attend a visit and be part
of this unique learning opportunity. (Want to hear what teachers thought of these visits this fall? Check
out Teacher Notes.)
Event Date(s): Visits are being offered through March 2015.
Location: All five boroughs
Take Action: Review this form to select and register for a school visit. Please register early, as space is
available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
For More Information: View the Showcase Schools flyer, or email the team.
Interested in additional upcoming opportunities?
Check out the NYCDOE's Teacher Page for up-to-date events and learning opportunities.
Return to Table of Opportunities
Career Development &
Leadership Opportunities
Bring Your Idea to Life or Recognize a Colleague: The
School Technology Summit






Open To: All teachers
Opportunity at a Glance: The School Technology Summit is an annual,
day-long event that brings together NYCDOE employees for workshops
and demonstrations around education-related technology.
o Interested in submitting a proposal for a workshop topic, or in being a speaker,
presenter, or coordinating a panel? Visit the Summit's website to complete a
workshop proposal.
o Know a teacher, or school-based staff member, who applies strong practices in
technology and education? Anyone who works in an NYCDOE school can be nominated
for the Excellence in Technology Award. (Self-nominations are permitted.)
Event Date: Wednesday, July 29
Location: Manhattan
Take Action: Submit a proposal or a nomination by Friday, March 6. (Registration to attend the
event begins in March.)
For More Information: Visit the Summit webpage to learn more about this year's event.
Return to Table of Opportunities
Explore The Library of Congress's Collections During the
Summer Institutes






Open to: All teachers
Opportunity at a Glance: Immerse yourself in the practice of teaching
with primary sources from the unparalleled collections of Library of
Congress this summer. During the week-long program, explore the
millions of digitized primary sources in the Library's collections to
design and refine a primary source activity to use with your students. During the 2015-16
school year, you will share outcomes introducing a primary source-based activity in your
classroom with Institute staff and your cohort from the program. (Qualification for graduate
credit in history is available.)
Event Dates:
o Open sessions (any subject area): Monday-Friday, June 22-26; July 6-10; or July 27-31
o Science focus: Monday-Friday, July 20-24
o Civil rights focus: Monday-Friday, August 3-7
Location: Washington, D.C.
Take Action: Register for the Summer Teacher Institutes by Tuesday, March 24.
For More Information: Visit the Library of Congress website for additional details on the
program.
Return to Table of Opportunities
Work Alongside Science and Technology
Researchers this Summer






Open To: Middle school science teachers
Opportunity at a Glance: Spend the summer working with internationally recognized National Institute
for Science and Technology (NIST) researchers on combination of hands-on activities, lectures, tours,
and lab visits. Teachers are provided with resources and instructional tools for teaching science, with an
emphasis on measurement science and engineering research done at NIST. Led entirely by scientists, the
grant-funded Summer Institute translates the cutting-edge research done in the laboratory to activities
designed to be carried out in the classroom.
Event Dates: Monday-Friday, July 6-17
Locations: Gaithersburg, MD
Take Action: Apply for this grant opportunity by Friday, March 13.
For More Information: Email Kate Rimmer with any questions.
Interested in additional resources?
Check out the NYCDOE Leadership Pathways website and visit the "Leadership Development
Opportunities" section.
Return to Table of Opportunities
Teacher Resources & FYIs
Design Formative
Assessments with a New
Resource
Learn More About Advance
and Check out New
Resources
A new resource, Planning Aligned
Formative Assessments, can
support you in developing your
practice in the Danielson
Framework for Teaching
Component 3d: Using Assessment
in Instruction. This resource will
help you design formative
assessments and includes a robust
bank of assessment strategies. To
access, first log in to Learn using
your DOE user name and
password; then click here.
The Advance intranet is updated
frequently with everything you
need to know about New York
City's teacher development and
evaluation system. Recently posted
resources include Advance at a
Glance for Teachers, which
highlights key dates and best
practices, as well as
the Understanding MOSL
Selections download,
the Understanding Assessment
Data to Track Student
Progress download, and Suggested
Best Practices for Mid-Year
Professional Conversations PDF
Open to: All Advance-eligible
teachers
For More Information: Email
the Teacher Effectiveness team.
Find Tips and Strong
Practices: Family
Engagement Strategies
You and your colleagues deepen
your relationships with families
through effective and useful
activities every Tuesday during
the 40 minutes of parent
engagement time. Check out
Volume 1 of 40 Ideas for 40
Minutes and submit your own
strong practices and ideas for
Volume 2.
For More Information: Email the
40 Minutes team to submit your
ideas.
For More Information: Email the
Advance Support team.
Return to Table of Opportunities
STARS Classroom
New Financial Feature
Updates
in NYCAPS Employee
Self-Service (ESS)
STARS Classroom is a web-based
system where you can view class
rosters, access student data, and
enter grades and comments
which will appear automatically
on student report cards. Several
enhancements to STARS
Classroom were made during the
month of January, including
Teachers may now review or
change their tax withholdings
and/or additional monies
deductions, using the employee
self-service system, NYCAPS ESS. To
learn how to make changes to tax
withholdings using NYCAPS
ESS, click here. For guidance on
logging in for the first time, click
here. And for NYCAPS password
March 2: Deadline Approaching
for Teacher's Choice Submissions
All Teacher's Choice participants
are reminded to complete and
submit a Teacher's Choice
Accountability Form, along with
proof of purchases (i.e. original
receipts) to their payroll secretary
by Monday, March 2. (Check out
the website for all policies and
deadlines, including the process
for returning unused funds.)
updates to grade entry and report
cards and bug fixes.
For More Information: Review
the full breakdown of STARS
enhancements.
resets, employees should email the
team with their name and
Employee ID number. (All password
resets will be sent to DOE email
addresses.)
For More Information: Visit the
Teacher's Choice
website, email the Teacher's
Choice team, or call HR Connect at
718-935-4000.
For More
Information: Contact HR
Connect at 718-935-4000.
Interested in additional resources?
Check out the Teacher Page for the latest opportunities and resources
Return to Table of Opportunities
Would you like to receive I Teach NYC via another email address? Sign up here!
Newsletter Header Image:
The teacher featured in the I Teach NYC header image is Stephen Jackson.
Stephen teaches 7th and 8th grade Science at P.S./M.S. 278, the Paula Hedbavny School, in Manhattan.
To read more about Stephen, check out the Big Apple Awards website.