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Dear Colleagues,

It's hard to believe the Thanksgiving holiday is already upon us. I'd like to take a moment to thank you and all of our educators across the state for the tremendous work you do every day. Your commitment to our students and school communities is admirable. Wishing you and your families a wonderful, restful holiday.

Sincerely,
 
MaryEllen Elia
Commissioner
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AIMHighNY Common Core Standards Survey
Last month, NYSED launched AIMHighNY, an online survey that allows New Yorkers to provide detailed feedback on the State's English Language Arts (ELA)/Literacy and Math Common Core Learning Standards for prekindergarten through grade 12. The survey will be open through midnight on Monday, November 30, 2015, and the results will help inform changes made to the standards. If you haven't already, please take the time to enter your feedback into the survey and make your opinion known!
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New York State Toolkit featured in Social Education
Social Education, flagship journal of the National Council for the Social Studies, contains a balance of theoretical content and practical teaching ideas. Published six times a year, the most recent issue features a special section on the New York State Social Studies Toolkit. The Editor's Notebook explains the articles that are included in this special section. April Francis, a middle school teacher at Lawrence Road Middle School, is featured on the cover and is the subject of an interview. April served as a member of the Teacher Collaborative Council and describes her experiences using one Inquiry.
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Videos: Commissioner Elia on the Road
Since taking the post in July, Commissioner Elia has traveled more than 16,000 miles across New York to meet with teachers, administrators, parents, students, school board members, and community groups. In the first video, she makes her first visit to a P-TECH program at the Hamilton Fulton Montgomery BOCES, one of 26 P-TECH programs in the state. In the second, she visits three districts in Western New York and discusses high standards with teachers, administrators, and students.

Commissioner Elia in a P-TECH classroom

Commissioner Elia visits Western New York schools
 
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Assessments Toolkit
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This toolkit is intended to help superintendents communicate with parents and educators in their districts about the value and importance of the annual Grades 3-8 English Language Arts and Math Tests. The toolkit is completely optional and contains customizable materials such as a letter to parents, a PowerPoint presentation about the higher learning standards and assessments, and sample Twitter and Facebook posts. Superintendents are encouraged to check out these materials and use them if they would be an effective way to reach their parents and educators. Additional resources will be added in the coming weeks and months, so please check back often.

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Global History and Geography Regents Exam Development Survey
The development of the new Regents Exams in Social Studies continues to be a partnership between the New York State Education Department (NYSED) and the Social Studies Content Advisory Panel composed of New York State teachers. Information on the draft overview of the new Global History and Geography Regents Exam is now available, and survey responses will be used to inform the continuing development of this new assessment. At a later date, NYSED will release sample questions and additional information about the assessment so educators can provide additional feedback.

The Global History and Geography Regents Exam Development survey will be available until midnight on November 30, 2015.
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Recent Funding Opportunities
2016-2021 Extended School Day/School Violence Prevention Program Competitive Grant Application
The primary purpose of the ESD/SVP Program is to award competitive grants to provide support to students through extended school day activities and/or school safety programs which promote violence prevention.

Persistently Struggling Schools Grant (PSSG) Application Education Law 211-f and Commissioner's Regulation 100.19
Beginning on July 1, 2015, schools identified as Persistently Struggling will be eligible for a portion of $75 million to support and implement turnaround efforts over a 21 month period.
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Summer Reading 2015 Reaches 1.99 Million Children & Teens
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New York State Librarian Bernard A. Margolis announced that 1.99 million children and teens throughout New York State participated in Summer Reading at New York Libraries at their local libraries during the summer of 2015.

Research has shown that children who continue to read during the summer vacation perform better in the fall when school resumes, and that reading for simple summer enjoyment helps children with literacy skills, while helping prevent learning losses.

For more information on the positive value of public library summer reading programs, see The Importance of Summer Reading: Public Library Summer Reading Programs and Learning.
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Every Student Present
Every Student Present websiteEvery Student Present resource materials are designed to help parents understand the detrimental impact that chronic absence has on their young children's school success and to direct parents to resources that can help them with issues that may impede their children's school attendance (e.g., school anxiety, health, or academic challenges).

We invite school administrators and staff to visit the Every Student Present resource page where they can:
  • download posters that can be displayed throughout school buildings and at after school and youth programs;
  • find code that will allow them to embed the Every Student Present web tile on school websites so parents can click on the image and be directed to the Every Student Present parent website; and
  • download the parent tips sheet that can be shared with families.

For more information about Every Student Present, contact Mary De Masi or Cate Bohn.

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EngageNY Updates
Curriculum Updates
Mathematics modules 1 and 2 for all grades have been updated. See the Curriculum Module Updates chart for details.

All mathematics modules will be updated in the coming months. Check back at the Curriculum Module Updates chart for details.
 
Translated mathematics modules are now posted. Additional translations will be posted as they become available.

Social Studies Update
The development of the new Regents Exams in Social Studies continues to be a partnership between the New York State Education Department (NYSED) and the Social Studies Content Advisory Panel composed of New York State teachers. Information on the draft overview of the new Global History and Geography Regents Exam is now available, and survey responses will be used to inform the continuing development of this new assessment. At a later date, NYSED will release sample questions and additional information about the assessment so educators can provide additional feedback.

The survey will be available until midnight on November 30, 2015.

Teacher/Leader Effectiveness Update