Friday Memo 3/20/15
Happy Friday! Read below for important information.
Course Evaluations
Congratulations! The student evaluations for the 1st 8 week classes have been submitted. The Education Division had a 75.41% return rate. The overall average for the institution was 73.62%. Thank you for encouraging your students to complete the evaluation. If you taught a 1st 8-week class, please take a few minutes to read your evaluations. As educators we should value their thoughts and opinions. Please know that I will be reading every student evaluation. If you do not hear from regarding your course evaluations, assume that I am pleased. If I read an evaluation that concerns me, I will let you know.
Performance Assessment for Counselors
Jan Speck, Mary Ann Conaway, and I met to discuss the progress of the Counselor Performance Assessment pilot in which our students are participating. School Counseling students are participating in the tasks in the internship class. Ethan Taylor at ETS has been helpful through this process as issues have arisen.
Troops to Teachers
Our programs have been highlighted in the latest Troops to Teachers newsletter. Check your email for a copy of the newsletter.
Pillsbury Wainwright Recital Hall Dedication
Thanks to all of you who were able to attend. The ceremony was wonderful and the pianist, Dominic Cheli, impressed all in attendance by his incredible abilities.
Technology Committee Meeting
Jerry McKittrick and Tyler Pitts invited me to present at the Technology Committee meeting. I shared with the group information compiled regarding tablet initiatives being implemented at other teacher preparation programs across the state. This information was also shared with the division mobile learning initiative group. Discussions continue to take place regarding how the Education division and other divisions on campus have and will embrace mobile learning in the classroom, in addition to determining how we will acquire the devices either through Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) structures or piloting in a certain program with devices purchased through grants.
We all agreed that faculty professional development regarding mobile learning is critical. We discussed the possibility of offering workshops during the summer and/or during in-service meetings.
Search Committee Meeting with President Lacey
I had the pleasure of meeting with Dr. Lacey to discuss the policies and procedures about search committees. As the search committee chair for a number of faculty searches I appreciated the opportunity to review and discuss the board policies about the selection process. We discussed what needs to take place prior to, during, and after the search. It is important that we conduct thorough searches that have been posted in a variety of venues. We also discussed the make-up of the committee, the selection process, and the importance of the candidate being an effective instructor and a committed Christian. I told Dr. Lacey the following, "I believe that my most important duty is the selection of full-time faculty."
Potential partnership with Notre Dame University in Lebanon
Dr. Tonia Crane will be going to Lebanon in April to share with a group of Lebanese teachers about Applied Behavior Analysis. Tonia has expertise in this area and the Lebanese teachers are hungry for this information. Lebanese schools are behind in meeting the needs of children with special needs. The Consortium for Global Education is taking the lead in offering professional development opportunities to increase awareness of the need for teachers to know how to differentiate instruction and meet the needs of all learners. Dr. Dykstra, Tonia, and I phone conferenced with Carolyn Bishop, president of CGE, and Dr. Nabile Costa, for initial discussions about a possible partnership with Notre Dame University in Lebanon regarding offering online courses in the area of ABA. More information will be coming regarding this partnership.
Digital Citizenship with Twin Oaks Christian School
We have been approached by the administration at Twin Oaks Christian School, a PK-8 private Christian school in Ballwin, to present a professional development workshop on April 17 to their faculty regarding Digital Citizenship. Sharon Sumner, Director of MET, will be sharing her expertise with the teachers. This is a great opportunity for us to fill a need within the community. I would like to see our division lead out more in this area. We need to take advantage of opportunities to present in local schools.
Singapore Math Institute
I am excited to announce that MBU will be the host site of the Singapore Math Institute this summer. We are working through the details of securing rooms and lodging for the week-long institute, in addition to mapping out the details of offering graduate credit to the 100+ attendees. This a great opportunity for us to host a large number of elementary educators from across the region and expose them to our campus and our programs.
Assistive Technology Professional Development
At our division faculty meeting on Tuesday, we have an excellent opportunity to hear from Malinda Cavallo, Assistive Technology Computer Access Facilitator at Special School District. She will be presenting an overview of Assistive Technology (AT). This is an important topic in which all of us in the division need to be familiar so that we can share the latest information with our students. I expect ALL full-time faculty to be in attendance, adjuncts are welcome to attend.
Upcoming meetings and events:
Tuesday, March 24 10:15am - 11:45am Division Faculty Meeting/PD Field Conf. Room
Wednesday, March 25 1:00pm - 2:30pm Curriculum Design Task Force SRC 115
Saturday, March 28 8:30am - 12:00pm Ed. D. Orientation for new cohort Recital Hall
Monday, March 30 3:30pm - 4:30pm Faculty Meeting Recital Hall
Tuesday, March 31 10:30am - 11:30am Director's Meeting Field Conference Room
Tuesday, March 31 12:00pm - 1:30pm Advisor Certification Update Meeting Field Conf.
I would like to leave you this Friday afternoon with the following scripture that reminds us the importance of wisdom and understanding. Thank you for your work helping students gain wisdom and understanding.
Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
Proverbs 4:5-7
Enjoy your weekend!
Melanie
Course Evaluations
Congratulations! The student evaluations for the 1st 8 week classes have been submitted. The Education Division had a 75.41% return rate. The overall average for the institution was 73.62%. Thank you for encouraging your students to complete the evaluation. If you taught a 1st 8-week class, please take a few minutes to read your evaluations. As educators we should value their thoughts and opinions. Please know that I will be reading every student evaluation. If you do not hear from regarding your course evaluations, assume that I am pleased. If I read an evaluation that concerns me, I will let you know.
Performance Assessment for Counselors
Jan Speck, Mary Ann Conaway, and I met to discuss the progress of the Counselor Performance Assessment pilot in which our students are participating. School Counseling students are participating in the tasks in the internship class. Ethan Taylor at ETS has been helpful through this process as issues have arisen.
Troops to Teachers
Our programs have been highlighted in the latest Troops to Teachers newsletter. Check your email for a copy of the newsletter.
Pillsbury Wainwright Recital Hall Dedication
Thanks to all of you who were able to attend. The ceremony was wonderful and the pianist, Dominic Cheli, impressed all in attendance by his incredible abilities.
Technology Committee Meeting
Jerry McKittrick and Tyler Pitts invited me to present at the Technology Committee meeting. I shared with the group information compiled regarding tablet initiatives being implemented at other teacher preparation programs across the state. This information was also shared with the division mobile learning initiative group. Discussions continue to take place regarding how the Education division and other divisions on campus have and will embrace mobile learning in the classroom, in addition to determining how we will acquire the devices either through Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) structures or piloting in a certain program with devices purchased through grants.
We all agreed that faculty professional development regarding mobile learning is critical. We discussed the possibility of offering workshops during the summer and/or during in-service meetings.
Search Committee Meeting with President Lacey
I had the pleasure of meeting with Dr. Lacey to discuss the policies and procedures about search committees. As the search committee chair for a number of faculty searches I appreciated the opportunity to review and discuss the board policies about the selection process. We discussed what needs to take place prior to, during, and after the search. It is important that we conduct thorough searches that have been posted in a variety of venues. We also discussed the make-up of the committee, the selection process, and the importance of the candidate being an effective instructor and a committed Christian. I told Dr. Lacey the following, "I believe that my most important duty is the selection of full-time faculty."
Potential partnership with Notre Dame University in Lebanon
Dr. Tonia Crane will be going to Lebanon in April to share with a group of Lebanese teachers about Applied Behavior Analysis. Tonia has expertise in this area and the Lebanese teachers are hungry for this information. Lebanese schools are behind in meeting the needs of children with special needs. The Consortium for Global Education is taking the lead in offering professional development opportunities to increase awareness of the need for teachers to know how to differentiate instruction and meet the needs of all learners. Dr. Dykstra, Tonia, and I phone conferenced with Carolyn Bishop, president of CGE, and Dr. Nabile Costa, for initial discussions about a possible partnership with Notre Dame University in Lebanon regarding offering online courses in the area of ABA. More information will be coming regarding this partnership.
Digital Citizenship with Twin Oaks Christian School
We have been approached by the administration at Twin Oaks Christian School, a PK-8 private Christian school in Ballwin, to present a professional development workshop on April 17 to their faculty regarding Digital Citizenship. Sharon Sumner, Director of MET, will be sharing her expertise with the teachers. This is a great opportunity for us to fill a need within the community. I would like to see our division lead out more in this area. We need to take advantage of opportunities to present in local schools.
Singapore Math Institute
I am excited to announce that MBU will be the host site of the Singapore Math Institute this summer. We are working through the details of securing rooms and lodging for the week-long institute, in addition to mapping out the details of offering graduate credit to the 100+ attendees. This a great opportunity for us to host a large number of elementary educators from across the region and expose them to our campus and our programs.
Assistive Technology Professional Development
At our division faculty meeting on Tuesday, we have an excellent opportunity to hear from Malinda Cavallo, Assistive Technology Computer Access Facilitator at Special School District. She will be presenting an overview of Assistive Technology (AT). This is an important topic in which all of us in the division need to be familiar so that we can share the latest information with our students. I expect ALL full-time faculty to be in attendance, adjuncts are welcome to attend.
Upcoming meetings and events:
Tuesday, March 24 10:15am - 11:45am Division Faculty Meeting/PD Field Conf. Room
Wednesday, March 25 1:00pm - 2:30pm Curriculum Design Task Force SRC 115
Saturday, March 28 8:30am - 12:00pm Ed. D. Orientation for new cohort Recital Hall
Monday, March 30 3:30pm - 4:30pm Faculty Meeting Recital Hall
Tuesday, March 31 10:30am - 11:30am Director's Meeting Field Conference Room
Tuesday, March 31 12:00pm - 1:30pm Advisor Certification Update Meeting Field Conf.
I would like to leave you this Friday afternoon with the following scripture that reminds us the importance of wisdom and understanding. Thank you for your work helping students gain wisdom and understanding.
Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
Proverbs 4:5-7
Enjoy your weekend!
Melanie
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