Mindfulness Demonstration for Students

Why not take some time to learn about the benefits of mindfulness on this snow day?

Mind in a Jar - Planting Seeds: The Power of Mindfulness for Children MOVIE!

Planting Seeds: The Power of Mindfulness for Children MOVIE! Help us caption & translate this…

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Let's not start over but keep moving forward!

I was fortunate to be able to attend Commissioner Pruitt's first State of K-12 Education in the Commonwealth Address: Focusing the progress we have made and the challenges we face. I especially like the commissioner's response to Common Core(@1:03).
Thanks to the teachers' voice, we own the work and revisions of KY Core Academic Standards. Let's not start over but keep moving forward!

http://mediaportal.education.ky.gov/…/state-of-k-12-educat…/.

State of K-12 Education in the Commonwealth | KDE Media Portal

http://mediaportal.education.ky.gov/leadership/commissioner/2016/01/state-of-k-12-education-in-the-commonwealth/

 

NKCES P.O.P. Tours (Problem of Practice Tours)

During our ISLN meetings, instructional leaders shared the problem of practice (i.e. What instructional concerns keep you up at night?) that they struggle with in their district. At a follow-up meeting, the group also had conversation around what is working in specific areas in response to the questions. NKCES has compiled these problems of practices and possible solutions into a Livebinder
for your review. P.O.P. and Successful Strategies Compilation
We will also begin scheduling visits to some of the schools that shared strategies to the problem of practice. The first one is coming up this month and will focus on the Problem of Practice: What are the strategies and next steps that are being implemented to build continuous improvement for PLC work for our schools?
Our first visit will be on January 20th at Glenn O ‘Swing to see PLCs in action. If you are interested in this visit, please contact Michele Augsback A.S.A.P. as space will be limited. Sharing practices such as this, we can become stronger as a region ( #NKY~TheBestPlaceToLearn).

                               

NKAGE AND NKCES PARTNERING FOR REGIONAL IMPACT: DREAMFEST

The regional kick-off meeting was a huge success with 100% representation from our NKY districts. The conversation about future endeavors and potential leadership for key positions was very productive and progress was made. The next meeting with be held at NKCES on January 22nd at 12:30p.m.
The Northern Kentucky Association for Gifted Education, NKAGE, is planning Dreamfest, a day for our students who are identified as gifted and talented in math, science or the visual and performing arts. It is truly a day that many of the region’s students look forward to each year! This year, Dreamfest will be held on the campus of Northern Kentucky University on Thursday, March 10, 2016. We would like them to have a hands-on, active experience in a topic that interests them while it employs and encourages their talent.

Mindfulness in the New Year

Mindfulness in the New Year

There is a great mindfulness in education movement underway. With growing distractions and the need to engage students in learning, mindfulness provides a key for educators. Not only does it create a stronger awareness but the benefits to brain development are many.

“The picture we have is that mindfulness practice increases one’s ability to recruit higher order, pre- frontal cortex regions in order to down-regulate lower- order brain activity,” she says. In other words, our more primal responses to stress seem to be superseded by more thoughtful ones. MRI scans show that after an eight-week course of mindfulness practice, the brain’s “fight or flight” center, the amygdala, appears to shrink. This primal region of the brain, associated with fear and emotion, is involved in the initiation of the body’s response to stress. As the amygdala shrinks, the pre- frontal cortex – associated with higher order brain

functions such as awareness, concentration and decision-making – becomes thicker.

The “functional connectivity” between these regions – i.e. how often they are activated together – also changes. The connection between the amygdala and the rest of the brain gets weaker, while the connections between areas associated with attention and concentration get stronger. –Tom Ireland

Read more: What does mindfulness meditation do to your brain? Resources: http://danielrechtschaffen.com/mindful-classroom/

NKCES has Mindfulness Resources you can review to see how this strategy can strengthen student learning. Of course, let’s not forget what these strategies can do for educators who are caught in a fast-paced world ....check out whil.com or headspace.com for an easy to use mindfulness tool!

 

WORLD SAVVY

Global learning is no longer a luxury, but is essential preparation for a changing world. #WorldSavvy @danamortenson @nkces.org  

Check out WorldSavvy.org

http://nkces.org/news-release-commissioner names program review task-force/

Today, Commissioner of Education Stephen Pruitt named a task force to study Program Reviews and consider solutions to address challenges related to the Program Review process. ​

Those among the named to the Commissioner’s program are NKCES Executive Director, Amy Razor and Jay Brewer, Superintendent of Dayton Independent Schools.

See news release​ for more information.

NKCES NEWS

http://nkces.org/nkces-teachers-for-visually-impaired-take-show-on-the-road

TOP Ten #SandlinStrong

The following TOP TEN list is in memory of a great educator who positively impacted many students, colleagues and his community.  As I reflected on Thanksgiving Day, each memory made me smile and even laugh aloud through the tears. This is simply a few of my memories put into a format Dave would appreciate. I'm sure you could add your own memories to this # list!

#SandlinStrong

 

 

TOP TEN #SandlinStrong

 

10   #LittleThingsMatter

Dave has a memory like an elephant:  I was Michael's second grade teacher during my fourth year of teaching. Dave would share explicit details from that year (from stories Michael wrote to our Nutcracker Production) that most people wouldn't have remembered....but he knew the little things mattered. If you began a conversation with Dave on one of his beloved topics such as family, Campbell County Schools, Reds or the Bengals…you can be assured he would know the dates, names and other key facts like no one else!

9 #WhateverItTakes

Dave was always willing to go the extra mile to get the job done.  You can see that by all of the posts as past students are telling their Mr. Sandlin stories. Sometimes it was extreme:   At one conference, we were in a glass elevator and without notice Dave hit the ground and began doing the army crawl. It's a long story but at that time he felt like it was a "whatever it takes" moment and he embraced it!  How else do you blend in while riding a glass elevator?!?  Those who have heard the story are saying, “Only Dave”! 

8  #LaughterAtAllCosts

If you were ever around Dave for long, you couldn't help but end up laughing.  Probably the funniest memory was the time we were at a CCS Retreat and the guest speaker began singing with a recording that had back-up singers.  He thought it was Connie and I singing and tried to get us to stop.   Needless to say, it was a moment that you had to be there....to this day I still get random mailings and references because of Dave's retelling of the event. He would go a great lengths to make others smile....I am sure we could crash FB if everyone posted a Dave's Humor Story!

#FallMulching


7  #TemperaturePrank #NeonFlashlight  #mulching
        (Only a few of you may get number 7 but I am confident that you are smiling! I had to add the recent text for effect for those who understand that Dave can remember an inside joke 8 years plus!)  @Dan.Razor @Mark.Hegyi  @Scott.Melton  @Renee.Boots @Julie.Hubbard @Tony.Mazzei @Kim.Visse @Pam Cade 

6   #InTheFight

 I have never witnessed anyone fight illness more than Dave Sandlin.  He put 110% into fighting his battle and always found the positive.  He even tried to help others who were battling cancer.  In order to keep his body as healthy as possible, he began making juices (with Anne's recipes) to provide the best nutrition for himself.  We even had a juicing “gathering” at my house where he taught others how to make Kale and Banana Drinks.  I think I had more fruit and veggies in that 3 months of juicing than I had in my entire life!

 5  #CardinalTOCamel

Many of you know that Dave is a loyal Camel but did you know he was also a Grant's Lick Cardinal?  As a past GLE student, teacher and principal, I loved sending our students to the middle school where they would be in the hands of a leader who understood the value of their elementary school. Each year he would come to our 5th Grade graduation and tell the story of making his first shot off the wooden backboard into the basketball hoop in the gymnasium.  He would also surprise them by knowing "Cardinal Pride" and promising to flash them the "pride" symbol when he passed them in the hall.  How lucky was it to have this kind of historical view and dedication to Campbell County Schools?

4    #Loyalty

Webster’s dictionary defines loyalty as a strong feeling of support or allegiance. Dave's friendship knew no distance or time (or situations).  No matter where I was in my career, I could count on Dave to always be a cheerleader. Out of the blue, I would receive random texts, messages and even songs written on the current educational topics.  He found creative ways to make sure you knew he was supporting you in good or bad times. Loyalty is definitely a word that describes who Dave was to many who had the privilege of receiving one of his texts or phone calls to let you know he was cheering for you!

3  #Family1st

Dave was always so proud of his kids (and now granddaughter)...One night we were out together celebrating one of his milestones and he got a call that one of his kids needed him.  Without hesitation, he jumped up and ran out. Anne had just met all of us but we promised him we would get her home! He also talked non-stop about being able to walk his daughter down the aisle for her wedding—this became a milestone for him as he was recovering. These memories stick out in my mind, despite all that he was dealing with—his family came first.

2    #Educator Impact   

As educators we often talk about giving 100% or putting students first but Teacher Sandlin, Counselor Sandlin, Principal Sandlin....gave 110%.  He was consumed with being a Camel and this impacted students beyond belief.  His strength wasn't curriculum (sorry Dave)....his strength was something even more important. He knew the value of relationships.  Remembering names, stories and checking in with students and past colleagues was his strength....he did this better than anyone! Follow Dave's example....you never know what impact you are making. I hope he is able to see all of the posts from past students and colleagues that show how great his impact was throughout his career.

1  #Unwavering Gratitude
Despite many hardships, Dave truly found ways to focus on what he was grateful for in his life.  Each time another obstacle would come around the bend, he would set another goal or make a new plan to fight the battle.  When he received his transfusion he had a birthday party at the hospital and the walls were covered with posters, cards and letters.  He focused on those messages and not the procedure that was about to occur.  He never held on to the negative that would make his heart bitter, instead he focused on the positive and to those watching him(take a look on the Sandlin Strong Page….a grateful heart was evident.