Arizona Career Ready: Engaging All Students in Post-Secondary Planning
This on-line course will cover how to successfully implement ECAPs (Education and Career Action Plans) at your school. Topics include the significance of educator involvement in career and post-secondary planning through ECAPs, how to engage students academically by understanding the relevance of current coursework with future career pathways and ideas for implementation and lesson planning. Participants can expect 4-6 hours of work per week consisting of readings, discussions and assignments, and may earn 20 CEU’s.
This course is provided by the Arizona Department of Education for educators and administrators. Cost $50.
Creating a Community Statement on AZ Science Standards
Participate in a discussion to create a collective community statement from organizations and individuals on the proposed revisions to the Arizona Science Standards by the Department of Education.
According to the Educational Commission of the States (http://vitalsigns.ecs.org/state/arizona/demand), jobs in STEM fields are projected to grow by 21% by the year 2027. We have an opportunity to help support the students in Flagstaff and Arizona to become scientifically literate and inspire them to consider STEM careers.
From this event, Mary K Walton, Assistant Superintendent of Flagstaff Unified School District will present the Flagstaff’s community message to the Arizona Board of Education at their regularly scheduled meeting on June 25, 2018.
Please email your RSVP to Ms. Walton at mwalton@fusd1.org, or send a statement that you would like shared with the Board to the same email.
Education News
Arizona Science Standards Revisions Raise Concerns
Arizona Science Standards Revisions Raises Concerns
FLAGSTAFF (May 25, 2018)
In September 2016 the Arizona Department of Education began a review of the Arizona Science Standards for K-12 education. The education standards along with proposed revisions were made public in late March 2018 and have generated a strong reaction by many educational subject-matter experts.
Three changes in particular are primary sources of the greatest concern:
- The “scientific method” is replaced with “science and engineering practices”
- The theory of evolution gets a new definition and is framed in a context of “belief”
- “The Big Bang” is removed entirely from the Earth and Space Sciences section
Read more “Arizona Science Standards Revisions Raise Concerns”
AZ Legislature Session Wrap-Up Webinar
Join the Arizona School Boards Association’s government relations team and the Arizona Association of School Business Official’s Chuck Essigs to recap key legislation passed during the 2018 session of the Arizona Legislature that will be effective for the 2018-2019 school year.
This FREE webinar will be held on Wednesday, May23, from 10-11a
They will also cover provisions of the budget bills not covered in their previous webinar on teacher pay increases.
Flagstaff Community Town Hall on Funding pre-K – 12…
Flagstaff Community Town Hall on Funding pre-K – 12 Education
LAUNCH Flagstaff has partnered with the Arizona Town Hall organization to convene a Flagstaff Town Hall event on October 1, 2017 at Coconino Community College. This half-day event will bring together one hundred and eighty community leaders, policy makers, educators, students and other community members around the topic of Funding for preK-12 Education. The results of our event will help inform the state-wide 110th Arizona Town Hall in November.
Participation requires pre-registration.
Flagstaff Town Hall Tentative Agenda: October 1, 2017
12:30-1:00 pm Check-In and Networking
1:00-5:00 pm Town Hall Process
- Welcome by Coconino Community College President, Dr. Colleen Smith
- Presentation of Colors by Girl Scouts Arizona Pine Cactus Council
- Education overview and background by NAU President, Dr. Rita Cheng
- Overview of the process by AZ Town Hall staff
- Small group discussions (10-12 people) and creation of action-plans
- Small group reports with full group discussion
- Final action steps and consensus building
- Closing by Flagstaff Mayor Coral Evans
5:00 – 6:30 pm Post event dinner
As a result from the promotion of and participation in the Flagstaff Town Hall, community members will be more informed about the issues impacting our educational system related to public funding of preK-12 education in Arizona. Additionally, the community will be more aware of the collective impact efforts of the LAUNCH Flagstaff partnership in creating a communitywide culture of world-class education for all Flagstaff’s children and youth. With this awareness, community members will be better prepared to take action not only at a local level, but also a state level when it comes to educating Arizona’s future.
$25* Registration (dinner included)
*limited scholarships available for students and teachers
Major funding provided by:
with additional support from:
Kindergarten Readiness CAN
Agenda:
Introductions
Discussion: Do we want to refer to our group as the Kindergarten or School Readiness CAN?
Approve Parent Questionnaire draft to send to LAUNCH data for review
- Purpose: Find out what supports are most helpful to families? Are they choosing preschool? Why or why not? What is their understanding of kindergarten readiness skills?
- Are these the right questions to get the answers we want?
Discuss Methodology
- Paper/tablet?
- Focus Group at various K sites?
- In K registration packets (FUSD, other?)
- Do we want to partner with other community programs to obtain surveys? (Healthy Families, WIC, Head Start, Parents As Teachers)
Discuss our role in developing collaboration among local preschool and kindergarten teachers
- Inviting to participate, especially to our next meeting on October 17th
- Adopting a community wide K readiness assessment tool
- K Transition plan template
- Feedback on training and resource needs/assets
Review annual work plan and provide feedback
| Summer
(June, July, August)
|
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| Fall
(September, October, November)
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Invite Prek-K teachers and admin to:
Ø LAUNCH for October’s KDI presentation Ø ASCC Early Childhood Symposium, Saturday November 4th: LAUNCH presentation on the Community Wide K Transition Plan template Ø Connect to and participate in LAUNCH School Readiness CAN
Reflect on data and common threads of “K Ready”
|
| Winter
(December, January, February)
|
Invite programs to connect to and participate in K Readiness CAN
Promote K registration Parent Questionnaires in registration packets · December: Invite Prek-K teachers and admin to participate in a LAUNCH 101- School Readiness potluck · January: Discuss preference for common K readiness assessment tool; outreach plan to advocate for wide spread use · February: Transition Plan Template Intro (goals, feedback, current strategies, needs)
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| Spring
(March, April, May)
|
Promote K registration
Parent Questionnaires in registration packets Connect programs to training on (adopted) kindergarten readiness tool · March: Review of transition plans being used in our community: strategies, training needs and requested resources; Brainstorm strategies to address needs
|
Next Steps:
Next meeting:
- Tuesday October 17th 3:30-5pm, Family Resource Center. NOTE DATE CHANGE
Become an Education Advocate
LAUNCH Flagstaff is pleased to partner with Expect More Arizona in co-hosting a free workshop to help you become a better education advocate.
Join us for an informative training on the legislative process and the tools you can use to help yourself and others impact what becomes law in Arizona. Topics that will be covered include important legislative terms, how a bill becomes a law and what you can do to engage others.
When:
1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Where:
East Flagstaff Community Library
3000 N. Fourth Street, Suite 5
Flagstaff, Arizona 86004
Register now:
Please RSVP to jennifer@ExpectMoreArizona.org or Register on the Event Facebook page by February 24.
Expect More Arizona is a statewide nonprofit, nonpartisan education advocacy organization working to ensure every child receives an excellent education every step of the way from the early years before kindergarten until they enter the workforce.
LAUNCH Flagstaff is a cross-sector partnership of community stakeholders representing schools, businesses, government agencies, service organizations, private education providers, non-profit groups, and concerned citizens who share a common agenda toward improving educational outcomes through a framework of collective impact.