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CCPS Fine Arts2014-2015 Kickoff

Speed dating, Arts Teacher Style• Find a person in the room that you don’t know particularly well• You have two minutes to each share the following:

• One thing you enjoy doing outside of your job• One thing people might be surprised to know about you• And…what career would you have chosen if you were not a teacher?

Lather, rinse, and repeat with two more people. (NO CHOOSING SOMEONE FROM YOUR BUILDING. That’s like speed dating with a family member.)Listen for the bell for when to find a new partner.

First, an apology.Today, you’ll be hearing a lot of me talking.I realize it’s not optimal for your engagement or learning, but for this first meeting….it’s the fastest and best way to get info out to you.

So….here we go…..

Meet the new folks…• Marisa Jacobson, Chorus at PHS• Amy Foster, Chorus at SMS• Ashley Woodside, Instrumental Music at PPES

Not new to the county, but in new positions or buildings:

• Beth Lanier, Chorus at WHMS

• Maria Miller, Art at HHS• Breanne Smith, Dance at

PHS

• Allen Price, Theater at PHS• Cortney Costello, Theater

at CHS• Rachel Sparks, Theater at

NHS

Who’s got something great to share?

• Engagements?• Marriages?• Births?

• Grandbabies? • New Houses?

• Fabulous vacations?

So what’s the General been up to?

Linda has been busy this summer spending a lot of money on her house. New roof, new gutters, repairs to drywall, weeding and trimming of shrubbery….as she stated to one teacher….she’s had a lot of men in

her house! Every time I talk with her she seems to be cleaning. She’s also been fielding a million questions from two fine arts

supervisors. Between her daughter Stephanie and I she may feel as though she has never left!

In addition, she’s got a fabulous trip scheduled for the fall – traveling across Canada via train.

She would love to stay in touch with you – if you’d like her contact information just let me know. She would be delighted to have coffee or

lunch with any of you.

So, who is this new Supervisor? Are we doomed?

A little about me…..

The Serious StuffMy name is Jessica Valadie, and I’ve been an employee of

CCPS since 1998. I started at Calvert High as the band director (who also taught 3 sections of math), and have

taught elementary band and strings at a number of schools in the county as well. I became a dean in 2008 at Appeal

and Patuxent Elementary Schools, and transitioned to being Vice Principal at St. Leonard Elementary in 2012…and then I

promptly took a year off to spend with my children.

Other Items of Note• I taught general music for a year in Virginia prior to coming to CCPS. • My background is primarily instrumental (French horn is my major

instrument). I was heavily involved in both theater and chorus as a high school student, and had I been able to fit them in my schedule, I would have continued to take art classes. And while I’ve got rhythm…you probably don’t want to see me dance.

• I am a proud 1996 graduate of James Madison University (Go Dukes!). I also have a master’s degree from McDaniel College. I’ve never set foot on the campus.

What’s important to me?My husband, Daniel, is a percussionist in the US Air

Force Ceremonial Brass. Recently, he’s been named the Assistant Drum Major for the group, which

means he comes home with stories that remind me of being a school building administrator. He also

designs and writes marching band shows and works with a number of bands.

He would absolutely hate that I’ve put this photo of him up here, so let’s not share that with him.

Harper, age 7(going on 15….)

• Yes, she is taking piano• But her real love is art…

• And she seems to have a flair for the dramatic….

Quinn, Age 5

• The older twin by two minutes• The most introverted of the Valadie children• And stubborn….he gets that from his father….• Enjoys chicken nuggets and superheros

Rhys, Age 5

• NOT introverted (he does NOT get that from his father. Not sure where that comes from….)• Fashion challenged

• Wears bifocals and has some eye crossing action that we are working on correcting

• Loves mac and cheese and superheros

Other Random items of note about me…

I pretend to be a runner. A very, very, very slow runner. Sometimes mixed with being a walker. I love spin class,

too!

I collect Vintage Pyrex and Enamelware!

And therefore I love a flea market, a yard sale, or an antique shop.

I love to cook and bake!

We’ve been eating a lot of vegan and vegetarian fare. I am that girl that knows what chia seeds are and how

to use them.And this is all way better than it sounds….

So why spend this time telling you about myself? Shouldn’t we be talking about the new National Core

Arts Standards or something?• I believe that what’s important to us strongly affects how we show

up in the classroom as educators. • I also believe that it’s important for us to know each other as

people. • Outside interests are important to our happiness and overall well

being.• And….those of you that don’t know me probably were wanting at

least a bit of reassurance that I wasn’t some kind of crazed lunatic.

When I ask you questions about yourself, your family, your hobbies, and what it is that

YOU value…

I truly do want to know! Don’t feel compelled to share things with me that you’d rather not have

known, but do know that I am interested in each of you as a person – and that means your life inside

and outside of work!

On a somewhat related note – it is vital for each of you to take care of yourself. I know it’s not easy, but….• Find time to do something physical every day• Eat good food (not the stuff in the vending machine…and

don’t forget to eat lunch during the day.)• Engage in an activity just for you for at least a short part of

each day• Laugh. A lot.

Long story short - • I’m extremely happy to be here in this role and to have the opportunity to

work with such a talented group of arts educators. • Although I often like to package things in a fun format (who wants to sit

through dreadfully dry in service meetings?) – I do take my obligation to you and your students quite seriously. Please don’t misinterpret my levity as a lack of seriousness and purpose about the incredibly important job we all do as advocates for and teachers of the arts.

• I’m here to help you and your students – so don’t hesitate to contact me if there is something I can do to assist you! My contact letter is in the welcome letter I sent via email, as well as in the informational file on Office 365.

General announcements and things you need to know

There are lots of new principals, vice principals, and deans this year.• Don’t assume that something that a previous administrator agreed

to is going to be a-ok with the new admin. You need to talk to them and get their approval. But NOT NOW. They are swamped and probably feeling overwhelmed. (Not that I would know anything about that.) I suggest scheduling an appointment with them sometime after the first two weeks of school.

• Remember that you may be the most incredible, hard working, and team playing arts teacher known to man – but your new administrator(s) doesn’t know that yet. You’ll have to show them, and win their trust and respect.

The Code of Conduct has some major changes. Go read it.

• Make up work – you must grade and give credit, even if the absence was illegal. The student must still request the work from you.

• Cell phones and electronic devices – students may bring them to school. You can still say they may not be used in your classroom. The camera function may NOT be used unless for instructional and/or academic purposes AND with the prior approval of administration.

• Changes were made to the lookalike weapons possession policy and procedures.

More Code of Conduct changes:• The state guidelines regarding suspensions have changed. It is

much harder to suspend a student, and more levels of response and intervention are required before this can be considered – except in the case of firearms. Educational services must be provided through access to daily classwork and assignments for students who are serving a long term or extended suspension or expulsion.

• ISS will still exist but will function a bit differently. • Overall, there is no more zero tolerance except for firearms, which is

mandated by law.

Be smart about email.• Remember that it is very difficult to determine tone on email.• DON’T TYPE IN ALL CAPS. YOU ARE ESSENTIALLY SHOUTING

AT THE RECIPIENT. (I apologize for the yelling here.)• Don’t email parents with sensitive information regarding their

child. It’s always best to call or set up a conference. • And remember – anyone could be reading what you are typing

on email. If you wouldn’t want your principal, your mother, or the superintendent to read it, don’t email it.

If you get an angry email from a parent:

• Do not respond immediately. Take time to think about the situation and to allow your blood pressure to return to normal.

• Get your ducks in a row (i.e. your data if it’s a grade issue)• Call them or invite them in to a conference to discuss the issue. Do not

email them. It is best to have someone listen in on the phone call, like your principal, vice principal, or dean. At a minimum, have a colleague listen.

• Save the email as documentation. Take notes on any conversations that take place regarding the concerns. (You should do this anytime you talk to a parent on the phone or have a conference in any case – keep a log.)

Social Media. It’s great. And it’s terrible.

• Be very, very, very careful about what you post regarding work. It is all too easy to be misinterpreted, and people you never dreamed would see it will miraculously find it. (Cell phone screen shots travel faster than the speed of light.)

• Don’t accept friend requests from students. My personal policy is that I won’t accept a friend request from a former student until they have graduated from high school – and even then, I think carefully about it.

• If you have friends that you know from outside the school system (such as a teenager that goes to your church, etc.) – keep in mind that even though you may not have taught that child, you may have taught (or be teaching) their friends. The webs on social media are complex, and even when you think you’ve got your settings arranged so as not to have the wrong people viewing your stuff – there are often ways around them.

If you have a social media page or account that is affiliated with your program:

• Please let me know what it is so I can join the page or follow you.• You need to be monitoring activity on that page like a hawk (once every 24

hours, minimum.) Personally, I would be checking it more often than that. One inappropriate post and things can blow up quickly….

• While the school system and individual schools have been instructed to not use Facebook as a means of communication, there is as of now a gray area that exists in terms of things like sports teams, clubs, marching bands, etc.

• Consider using other means of communication with members of your clubs or groups, such as Edmodo or Remind 101.

General things to remember when it comes to communication with students• Students should not be calling or texting you. It is a

slippery slope and students can cross a line of appropriateness before they even realize they have done it. Just don’t do it.

• I realize that there are times you may need to give out your cell number, particularly when dealing with things like marching band –This number should be used only for emergencies. It is preferable that your number is given to boosters or parents rather than students.

Observations, hooray!• I will be doing walk throughs of every fine arts classroom starting in

the last week of August and running through September. This is simply an opportunity for me to see each of you in action with your students. When I walk in your room, just continue teaching. I won’t be able to stay for the entire class, even though I would love to.

• Tenured teachers that fall into a particular cohort will be observed this year (it used to be years 1 and 4 of your license cycle), as will non-tenured teachers. We will again be using the Danielson model. Domains 2 and 3 will be covered during your observation, and Domains 1 and 4 will be covered during your summative.

Don‘t assume your administrators know everything that you do.

• Domain 1 deals with Planning and Preparation: knowledge of content and pedagogy; knowledge of students; setting instructional outcomes; knowledge of resources; designing coherent instruction; designing coherent student assessment

• Domain 4 deals with Professional Responsibilities: reflecting on teaching; maintaining accurate records; communicating with families; participating in a professional community; growing and developing professionally, demonstrating professionalism

• Plan to provide evidence in these areas to your administrators – particularly domain 4. If you aren’t sure what kind of evidence, talk to me or your administrative team at school and we can provide some clarification.

So what am I looking for during an observation?

First and foremost, I’m looking for the things that are on the Danielson rubric in Domains 2 and 3. Specific things that I look for?• Effective and efficient use of time (A pet peeve of mine is wasted instructional

time. Teach your students how to transition in and out of class, how to get set up for class quickly, and what your expectations are during class. Even secondary students need explicit instruction on routines and expectations.

• Engagement from all students (which means differentiating for a variety of needs)

• Consistently communicated high expectations for your students

What about lesson plans? Are you expecting to see lesson plans like I wrote as a college student?

• No, but…..• I expect to see that you have some written documentation of what you are planning

to do in that class. Even for a rehearsal of a musical ensemble, there should be evidence of written planning. I don’t care about the format, do whatever works for you.

• You should be able to tell me what standards are being addressed by your lesson. If you can’t articulate that to me, then you should plan to have that written down.

• If you are newer to the profession or have a specific area that we need to target for improvement, I may ask you to write more explicit lesson plans. This is both for your development as a professional, and so that I (and your building administration) can more readily see your thinking and help guide you.

Here’s what I want you to remember about observations.

• Observations are not meant to make you sweat bullets or fear for your job security. It’s an opportunity to look at your teaching practice, consider what’s good, and improve upon what could be better.

• You may get a 1 in an area on your observation. This doesn’t mean you are a terrible teacher. It means there is an area that needs work. On the old form, this would have been a comment under one of the areas. The Danielson rubric is much more specific than was our previous observation tool.

Curriculum Woes• I am aware of the fact that much of our curriculum is in desperate need of

revision. • However – the new National Core Standards for the Arts were released in early

June. I would like to wait to hear from the state as to how they are planning to integrate those into the state curriculum before we proceed with revising the CCPS curriculum. Once I have a better idea as to where Maryland stands, we will come up with a plan for how and when we will revise curriculum.

• If you haven’t checked out the new standards yet, you should! Go to http://www.nationalartsstandards.org/. One item of note is that the national core standards include standards for Media Arts (a sort of synthesis of the other areas that incorporates digital media along with other art forms)

Fine Arts Assessments - • In 2013-2014, performance and written assessments were

administered in the following:• Grades 2 and 5 – art, general music, and instrumental music (grade

5 only)• Grade 8 – chorus, band, orchestra, and art

No high school assessments were given last year. The plan was to give them this year, but….

The glitch with HS assessments….

• It seems that there are no performance or written assessments that have been created for Chorus or Art. (Let me know if this is not the case!)

• In addition….I can’t find anything in my files to indicate that critical content and exit expectations were completed for any of the high school art courses. (Again, if this is not the case, tell me!)

As of now, here’s the fine arts assessment plan…

• We will revise the assessments given last year in grades 2, 5, and 8 at one of our fall in service days, and will administer them again this spring.

• We will administer the high school assessments that have been created, which to the best of my knowledge is Band, Orchestra, Theater (written only), and Dance.

• We will create the choral assessments (both performance and written) at one of our fall in service days. A theater performance assessment will also be created. If these are ready in time, we will administer them in Spring 2015 with the assessments listed above.

• We cannot create assessments for art if we have not tackled critical content and exit expectations, which I plan to schedule for Summer 2015. So, no art assessment for this year.

“But I don’t waaaannnnnaaaa give countywide assessments. This is a waste of my time and the time

of my students.”• If that is truly the case, then we aren’t administering effective

assessments. We need to be gathering useful data to help drive our instruction.

• These assessments, when done correctly, offer important information on whether we are teaching the things we say we are, and how well we are teaching it.

• Data is power. It also has a lovely side effect of providing some sense of legitimacy to the arts in the mind of a naysayer. That should never be the driving factor in giving an assessment, but it is a helpful side effect for us.

UDL (Universal Design for Learning)

You’ll be hearing more about this in the upcoming

year. In the arts, we already do a great deal of

this as a matter of practice. Keep thinking of ways that you can provide

multiple means of representation, action,

expression, and engagement. It benefits all of your students, not just a

few.

Random things of note that don’t fit neatly elsewhere:

• Keep in mind that I don’t have the institutional knowledge that Linda possessed in regards to how things have been done. You may hear a bit more of “I’ll have to get back to you on that” than you have been used to hearing, particularly this year.

• If there is an upcoming date, event, activity, etc. that you think I may not know about – tell me! If there is something Linda used to do for you that hasn’t been done – tell me! If there is something you think I should know “just because” – tell me! Don’t be concerned that you might be stepping on my toes – you won’t be. I’d rather know than be blindsided at the last minute by being unaware of something I should be doing.

Office 365 – Where your beginning of the year info is being housed!

• See handout for directions on how to get into Office 365 and where to go to find the fine arts folder.

• One folder says “Beginning of the Year Information”. This contains lots of calendars and other documents with information you will need during the course of the year. You need to go into this folder and read everything in the “All Fine Arts teachers” folder as well as the folder specific to your content area.

• Another folder says “Beginning of the Year Documents to Return”. Read the document that says Directions for Documents to Return Folder and it will tell you how to complete and return them to me.

And now for some content area specific

information….

Art Teachers – Content Specific Info

• The schedules for displayed art at the board in the hallway, art for the board room, and other requests for artwork are in the informational folder on Office 365.

• We have had requests for photography to put in the media center at the Board of Ed, as well as more artwork to be hung in instruction. (We would even like a little bit of ceramics!) If you have something that would fit the bill, please let me know.

• If you received an Arts Council grant last year and have not turned in your final report yet, it is due ASAP. Check your email.

Survey time!• I will be asking for a great deal of feedback from all of you

this year. • Today I am asking you to give me feedback on:

• Professional development needs • Possible social activities• Out of content teaching, both in the upcoming year and past years

And now to wrap up…..• Please complete the survey and return it to me. Once it

has been turned in – you are free to leave!• This is the time to ask me any questions specific to you

and your teaching situation.• Thanks in advance for all you do for your students to help

them become successful in visual art!

Music, Drama, and Dance – Content Specific Information

• Andy and Vince – I have music for the groups you are managing. Please get it from me before leaving today.

• If you are managing a group – I have a limited supply of folders right now. I am working on getting more. Contact me soon if you will need some for the group you are managing.

• I have many, many blank cassette tapes in my office. If anyone wants them, let me know. Otherwise, they are going into the dumpster.

Conductors/Group Managers

• Elementary • Marci Fleck, Conductor• Sandy Griese, Accompanist• Beatrice Callis, Manager

• Middle• Jason McFeaters, Conductor• Ransom Denk, Accompanist• Lori Brewer, Manager

• High• Chris Fox, Conductor• Dan Boyer, Accompanist• Josh Gresko, Manager

All County Choruses

Conductors/Group Managers con’t:

• Elementary Band• Kevin Mosay, Conductor• Doug Fraley, Manager

• Middle School Band • Pat Maloney, Conductor• Maloney/V. Brewer, Managers

• High School Band • Rick Humphreys, Conductor• Don Naumann, Manager

All County Bands

Conductors/Group Managers con’t:

• Middle School Jazz Band • Carl Hautmann, Conductor• Julie Cunningham, Manager

• High School Jazz Band • Doug Fraley, Conductor • Andy Ritenour, Manager

All County Jazz Bands

Conductors/Group Managers con’t:

• Elementary • Melinda Thayer, Conductor• Janet Gross, Accompanist;• Marilyn Beeson, Manager

• Middle• Abbie Vanderwest, Conductor• Samantha Jones, Manager

• High School• Anne Lehman, Conductor• Cheryl Blockland, Manager

All County Strings

We host Tri-County Orchestra this year

• Tri County Middle School Orchestra• Sari O’Bryan, Conductor• Christie Cook, Manager

• Tri County High School Orchestra• Peter Perry, Conductor• Sara Moran, Manager

• Auditions manager – Cheryl Blockland

Auditions are at PHS on December 6.

Charles County hosts Chorus

St. Mary’s county hosts Band

Makeup Kits (3) HHS $ 316.61 Cellos (5) MHES, CMS, NMS $ 619 ea SLES, SES Violins (3) NHS, WHMS $209 ea Tuba NMS $4,545 Bass Clarinets PPES, MES, PPMS $1, 267 ea Bari Sax NHS $4,035 Euphonium WHMS $1,245 Trombone Case CES $84.79 Folding Keyboard Stand $99.99 Alto Metallophone BES $720.70 Ukulele/case/bag CHS $329 Cello Rack NHS $755 Parsifal Bells NHS $4,135.95 Orchestra Bells NMS $1,172 Snare, Quad, and Bass Drum Carriers (5) PHS $513.95 Bass Clarinets PPMS, SMS, WHMS $1,715 ea Digital Piano SMS $1102.50 Trombone PHS $2,220 Euphoniums MCMS, SMS $1,245 ea Bass Clarinet BAES $1,267

Purchases that were made in

2013-14

We did lose some $ for the upcoming year, much of it

in the new equipment category.

Things we need to begin considering/changing:

• We need to have more and better communication throughout our “feeder chains”. This gets complicated in our system due to the fact that most of our schools send students to more than one middle or high school – yet and still, we need to start having some honest (and professional) dialogue about what is going on at each level in terms of recruitment/instruction and how it is impacting the next level. This dialogue needs to include some brainstorming for how we might go about improving/fixing things that are issues.

Focus items for the upcoming years• Our dance program needs to be strengthened. There has been a significant decline

in the classes being offered at each high school. (There are glimmers of hope, PHS is offering a dance class this year after a 2 year hiatus. Baby steps.)

• We need to continue working to assure that our middle school students have had significant exposure to grade 3 music prior to transitioning to high school.

• We need to continue to strengthen the theater programs at some of our high schools. We have the staff in place to do it (hooray!) – but rebuilding will be necessary in some buildings.

• We have too many teachers teaching out of field for too many years. We need to look at the reasons for this and determine what can be done to start to course correct. This situation is not optimal for students or for staff.*

Things that I suspect will come up this year:

• Our model for elementary instrumental music

• Our budget

If you received a grant from the Arts Council last year….

• Check your email. If you have not yet turned in your final report, I need you to do that ASAP. If you did not get an email from me on Tuesday (8/12), then you are in the clear and yours has been received.

Play nicely with others.• Often times we need things as music, dance, or drama

teachers. Time in a particular facility or on a particular field. A piece of equipment. A favor. Please hear me when I say this…

If you “play nicely” with others, you and your program will benefit.

Survey time!• I will be asking for a great deal of feedback from all of you

this year. • Today I am asking you to give me feedback on:

• Professional development needs • Possible social activities• Out of content teaching, both in the upcoming year and past years• Music teachers only – suggested adjudicators for performance

assessment (a.k.a. festival)

And now to wrap up…..• Please complete the survey and return it to me. Once it

has been turned in – you are free to leave!• This is the time to ask me any questions specific to you

and your teaching situation.• Thanks in advance for all you do for your students to help

them become successful in theater, music, and dance!