Catt-Allegany Teacher Center Newsletter

Please join us for the 5th annual Riding the Digital Wave Conference – sponsored by Cattaraugus/Allegany BOCES, Erie 1 BOCES, Erie 2 Chautauqua Cattaraugus BOCES, Orleans/Niagara BOCES, Greater Southern Tier BOCES, the Western NY Technology Director Groups, the Far West Teacher Center Network and the Western New York Educational Service Council.

The cost of the conference has remained at $35.00 per person. We can’t wait to see you there!

Everyone will register online through the event management registration system. You will be required to download and print the PDF form attached to the registration and then have your technology coordinator/director sign and fax the form to the number listed.

Click on the link provided to be taken to the registration form.

http://www.e1b.org/wps/portal/Erie1/Registration?eventID=11021
8:00 – 8:35 a.m. – Registration
8:35 – 8:45 a.m. – Welcome
8:45 – 9:45 a.m. – Keynote – Patti McClain – Internet Safety
10:00 – 11:15 a.m. – Session 1
11:15 – 12:00 p.m. – Lunch
12:00 – 1:15 p.m. – Session 2
1:30 – 2:45 p.m. – Session 3
2:50 – 3:00 p.m. – Closing and Prizes
All sessions and descriptions can be found at http://www.wnyric.org/digitalwave

PLEASE choose ONLY one hands-on session for the day.

project-wet-workshop-for-teachers-and-youth-educators

Project WET is an international, interdisciplinary water education program for teachers and youth educators. The goal is to facilitate the awareness, appreciation, knowledge and stewardship of water resources. A Project WET activity guide will be given to each workshop attendee upon completion. The guide contains 91 activities for grades K through 12 that are hands-on, easy to use, and fun. Activities incorporate a variety of formats, such as large and small group learning, whole body activities, laboratory investigations, discussions on local and global topics, and involvement in community service projects. Each activity is written in lesson plan format. The appendices include cross-referencing by topic, subject, time required, grade level, setting, and teaching methods. The appendices also cover assessment strategies and a skills chart.

Project WET activities can be used to address the new learning standards in New York State within the scope and sequence of existing education programs. This workshop is not just for science educators, as many of the activities can be incorporated into several different subject areas.

The free, 3 hour workshop is available by request and we can conduct them at your teacher center or at a school in your district. Please contact Amy Kochem at Rogers Environmental Education Center to schedule a workshop.

For more information visit the Project WET website www.projectwet.org

Amy Kochem
Water Education Specialist
Regional Project WET Coordinator
Rogers Environmental Education Center
2721 State Highway 80
Sherburne, NY 13460
Phone (607) 674-4017 ext 628
Fax (607) 674 2655

Hi folks,

With the state budget crisis, It’s been a tough couple of months for Teacher Centers. Back in late November, the governor proposed cutting this year’s TC budget by almost 40%, so we had to put a hold on all grants. That problem has been cleared up, so we have access to this fiscal year’s funds. If you have a professional development project that you’d like to fund either for yourself or a group, please let me know and I’ll review it. We have approximately $35,000 remaining to use.

We’re not sure on next year. Teacher Centers were not included in the governor’s budget proposal for 2009-10. Our friends at NYSUT are working very hard to keep funding in place for the program, and we appreciate all their efforts. The next month or so will be critical for the survival of the Teacher Center program. I appreciate all the letter writing by member unions and teachers in an effort to keep the program in the minds of our legislators.

Here is something you can do right now if you haven’t already:

Go to www.NYSUT.org website and send web letters:
Click here for a direct link to the letter supporting Teacher Centers. You can have this letter automatically faxed to your state legislators. There are also letters for support of the Mentor Teacher Internship program and community college funding support.

Thanks for all your help in support of the Teacher Center program.

NYSUT’s Journal of Best Practices in Education, Educator’s Voice, Volume III will focus on the theme of “Expanding Literacy for Adolescents in all Content Areas, Grades 7-12.” The Editorial Board especially encourages proposals from teams of content teachers and from partnerships between higher education faculty and school based teachers from grades 7-12.

For editorial guidelines and proposal application forms go to www.nysut.org/educatorsvoice. The deadline to submit a proposal to write an article for Educator’s Voice Vol. III is February 9, 2009.

The New York State Historical Association and the Royal Netherlands Embassy are pleased to present a New York State Quadricentennial Essay Contest for the 2008-2009 school year.  New York State students in grades 4-12 are invited to celebrate New York’s 400th birthday by investigating its early colonial history and developing an engaging historical essay.  Students are encouraged to explore New Netherland and learn how the Dutch have had a lasting impact on America’s culture and heritage.

Click here for more info: www.nysha.org/node/1402