Digitally mapping our best practices
The HIDOE, through its Office of Communications, has compiled a digital map of stories and videos to showcase highlights of best instructional and support practices throughout the state of Hawai'i! We must keep sharing the great work happening in our schools. Invite others to view our 'Bright Spots Map' at bit.ly/HIDOE-BrightSpots.
More examples aligned with the high-impact strategies of School Design, Teacher Collaboration, and Student Voice are coming.
Computer Science (CS) supports college and career readiness
Over the past week, schools across Hawai'i have engaged students, parents and their communities in a variety of events as part of Computer Science Education Week. They are a reflection of the shift in HIDOE to a more problem-based, creative, critical thinking instructional approach that our teachers use in classrooms to actively engage students in their learning. These are powerful instructional practices!
On Friday, Principal Doreen Higa of Momilani Elementary School, with the design support of the school's technology integration specialist, Shane Asselstine, held a Computer Science for All showcase at Pearl City High School. Using welcoming and easy-to-navigate stations spread throughout the cafeteria, students and parents could participate in coding activities, networking and security exercises, prosthetic limb design, robot programming, gaming, and dance/movement. Many community partners were on hand to show how technology is used in their fields — law enforcement, Oceanit, Google, Apple, Hawaiian Airlines, and military partners. This was one of many learning opportunities held statewide. Check out this great video wrap-up of our teachers and students on CS education.
Please note, the attention on CS doesn't end with Computer Science Education Week. The HIDOE is committed to providing high quality CS courses for all of our students, and will provide exposure to advancements in technologies through embedded lessons that connect classroom learning to career pathways across a myriad of fields. We often equate computer science with coding, but it is so much more. The study of CS includes software engineering, gaming, communications and information management, data governance, systems administration, computing and so forth, and impacts all industries and areas of study including IT, law, science, music, education, social sciences, and research and development. CS is essentially about how we can apply technology to any problem that is computable for greater understanding, efficiency and accuracy.
Our focus over the next few years will be on adopting CS standards, expanding our course offerings, expanding embedded learning opportunities across content areas, expanding partnerships for applied learning, and providing high quality professional development opportunities for teachers.
The HIDOE CS Work Group was initiated in September out of the Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Student Support, and includes classroom teachers and educational specialists from across multiple disciplines including math, science, STEM, Advanced Placement, and CTE. Bringing their statewide perspective, they will be preparing our first report to the Board of Education in early 2018. Be sure to tune in and stay informed on this important shift in our quality instructional work as the state's premier education team! And continue to share how CS education is deploying in your school with #CSforHI.
Hawai'i Keiki: Healthy & Ready to Learn
Focused, high-quality partnerships are so important to our work, and the Hawai'i Keiki program is a model partnership! The aim of this collaboration among HIDOE, UH-Manoa Nursing, and the Hawai'i Department of Health is to provide quality health services to students within the school, protecting instructional time for students by mitigating health-related impediments that impact school attendance, academic focus, and engagement. This year we are in Phase 3/Year 3 of implementation, which includes the addition of an APRN (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse) to each of our 15 Complex Areas. Their focus is to:
- Provide direct health services
- Analyze data and track trends
- Design Complex-specific supports including health education
With the financial support of the Hawai'i State Legislature for the addition of the 15 APRNs, we are able to coordinate quality supports through Health Assistants, APRNs and Public Health Nurses.
Building toward excellence in Special Education services
Last Monday, in place of a Superintendent's Staff Brief, I issued a memo under my signature around the topic of Special Education Inclusion. During this school year, I will be sending out several memos to encourage teachers across the HIDOE community to engage in continued discourse and share best practices around inclusion.
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