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Dear Colleagues,
I hope you are enjoying the fall. October is National Principals Month, and I'd like to take the opportunity to thank all principals for your hard work and leadership to support your schools, teachers, and students. All month, we are recognizing principals on our Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow along with us, and don't forget to thank your principal!
This week, the Board of Regents and the New York State Education Department (NYSED) had the pleasure of honoring the National Rural Teacher of the Year, Scott Jordan! Jordan, a science teacher at Cuba-Rushford Central School District, presented a wonderful video about the district's unique CRCS Outdoors program. In the video, Jordan says it is important to give students responsibility, and notes: "Creating opportunities is the most important thing."
Also this week,
the
New York State Archives announced the winners of the 2018 Annual Archives Awards. We are proud to honor organizations and individuals who work every day to manage records to ensure accountability, efficiency, and openness. We also applaud the student winners for their outstanding use of historical records in their research and encourage all students and educators to explore New York's rich history at archives, libraries, and cultural institutions across the state. Congratulations to the winners who do this remarkable and inspiring work!
Below are updates on:
Thank you for all you do.
Sincerely,
MaryEllen Elia
Commissioner
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 New York State Archives Announces 2018 Annual Archives Award Winners
In celebration of American Archives Month, the New York State Archives announced the
winners of the 2018 Annual Archives Awards. This annual awards program recognizes the outstanding archives and records management work of individuals and organizations in New York State.
The New York State Archives Partnership Trust awarded Laura Chodos - a former member of the Board of Regents, education advocate, and Saratoga Springs-area philanthropist - the Lifetime Achievement Award. During her 17 years of service on the Board of Regents, she was the first woman in over two centuries to head its Committee on Higher Education and the Professions. Throughout her career, she advocated for funding to strengthen services for the state's libraries, archives, and museums. As Regent Emerita, Chodos and her husband established an endowment for the annual New York State Archives Student Research Awards for student research using primary source materials.
At a ceremony this week in Albany, two individual students and one student group received New York State Archives Student Research Awards for their use of historical records in research projects.
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Spring 2018 Grades 3-8 ELA and Math Assessment Results
In September, NYSED released the results of the 2018 Grades 3-8 English language arts (ELA) and mathematics tests. In ELA, 45.2 percent of all test takers in grades 3-8 scored at the proficient level (Levels 3 and 4). In math, 44.5 percent of all test takers in grades 3-8 scored at the proficient level. Due to the State's new two-session test design and performance standards, the 2018 Grades 3-8 ELA and math results cannot be compared with prior-year results. The new baseline established this year will enable comparisons with student scores in 2019 and 2020.
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Resources Now Available to Better Support Students in Foster Care
Resources designed to better support students in foster care by increasing opportunities for them to remain in the same school are now available to schools and social services agencies. Building on the requirements of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act and the Education of Children in Foster Care State law passed in 2018, the toolkit and guidance are a culmination of 18 months of collaboration among State agencies, local departments of social services and educational providers.
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Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education Project
NYSED and the State Office of Mental Health will be awarded $1.8 million to increase mental health support in schools, the agencies announced last week in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Week. The grant, funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is a 2018 Project Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education (AWARE) award and is intended to expand the capacity of states to detect and respond to mental health issues in school-aged youth.
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No-Cost Children's Eye Exams, Glasses and Resources
Research shows that one in four school-age children has a vision disorder which impacts his or her ability to properly learn. Students at schools across New York are receiving no-cost eye exams and glasses again this year through a partnership between NYSED, the New York State Optometric Association (NYSOA), VSP Global, and the New York State Society of Opticians (NYSSO). This marks the second year of this effort to raise awareness about providing accessible vision care and resources to those who are in need, as well as the critical role clear vision plays in children's physical, cognitive, and social development.
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Grant to Conserve Historical Records from Revolutionary War Era
The New York State Archives and the Archives Partnership Trust have received a $125,760 "Save America's Treasures" grant from the National Park Service and the Institute of Museum and Library Services for the conservation and digitization of historical court records and other important documents of the Revolutionary War era. The documents are eligible for the grant because of their national significance and their poor and fragile condition. Upon the completion of the grant project, which begins November 1, the documents will be conserved, digitized and placed online on the New York State Archives website for research use.
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NYSED Recognizes Employers of Individuals with Disabilities
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)! This month, NYSED is celebrating NDEAM by recognizing employers of individuals with disabilities from across New York State. NYSED's Office of Adult Career and Continuing Education Services (ACCES), with the help of the NYS Department of Labor and the NYS Commission for the Blind, will host several events across the state to recognize businesses that do an outstanding job of employing individuals with disabilities. This year's NDEAM theme is "America's Workforce: Empowering All."
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Lunchtime Talk Series "Brain Food for the Curious"
New York State Museum historians and scientists will share their knowledge and research in a series of lunchtime talks this fall and winter. "Brain Food for the Curious" will be held on select Tuesdays in October through March, from 12:10 - 12:40 p.m., in the Huxley Theater at the Cultural Education Center in Albany. Each program includes a 20-minute talk with a State Museum historian or scientist followed by a question-and-answer period. Attendees are encouraged to bring their lunch.
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