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December 4, 2021

Hawaii DOE | Waiakea High School’s Whitney Aragaki named 2022 Hawaii State Teacher of the Year

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) today named Waiākea High School teacher Whitney Aragaki the 2022 Hawaiʻi State Teacher of the Year. Aragaki received the state’s top teaching award from Gov. David Ige and Interim Superintendent Keith Hayashi during a virtual awards ceremony this afternoon.

Aragaki will represent Hawaiʻi in the National Teacher of the Year program. The honor is presented annually to a classroom teacher selected from more than 13,000 HIDOE educators. Aragaki was among 15 Complex Area Teachers of the Year and the Charter School Teacher of the Year recognized today.

“Whitney’s innovative approach to teaching offers students meaningful cultural and place-based learning opportunities that are both rigorous and relevant to our young learners,” Interim Superintendent Hayashi said. “Science can be an intimidating subject for students, but Whitney successfully engages her students in exciting and empowering ways.

Aragaki has been teaching at Waiākea High for 10 years and currently serves as a 10th-grade biology and Advanced Placement (AP) Environmental Science teacher. Her classroom activities are known to put students in touch with their local communities and are designed around learning through problem solving. Beyond science, Arakgaki’s educational activities offer students opportunities to elevate their leadership and civic responsibility within the community.

In 2018 the Department awarded Aragaki an innovation grant to support her proposal for Science Buddies, a program where AP science students could make an impact on the next generation of science learners in their own community by creating standards-based lessons for elementary classrooms. What resulted from the program were hands-on, locally based, and academically rigorous activities for over 250 students in grades 3-5.

While challenging, Aragaki’s methods of teaching have invited students to explore the world of science. “Mrs. Aragaki perseveres on a daily basis to provide her students with the proper experience, knowledge and environment they need to open up to being willing to engage in STEM,” Waiākea High alumna Lela DeVine shared. “The honesty and transparency throughout the classroom that allows her students to feel safe and inclusive is what sets Mrs. Aragaki apart from any teacher I have ever had.”

Also an alumna of Waiākea High, Aragaki has worked to further improve her school community through the creation of the peer-to-peer Warrior Professional Learning Community (PLC). After noticing a large turnover of teachers at her school, Aragaki initiated this teacher induction and mentoring group for those both new to the school and new to the profession to help foster a greater sense of school culture and belonging. Through the New Warrior PLC, new teachers receive training on career academies, how to support future first-generation college students, classroom technology integration, and other professional development sessions by school-based teacher leaders.

“Mrs. Aragaki’s commitment to excellence goes far beyond her teaching and the four corners of her classroom,” Waiākea High Principal Kelcy Koga said. “She sees the benefits that a sound education can provide, and is willing to go above and beyond the call of duty to not only serve her students but her colleagues and school community as well.”

In addition to her classroom teacher role, Aragaki has taught AP Environmental Science, AP Statistics and AP Computer Science Principles for the statewide Hawaiʻi Virtual Learning Network’s E-School since 2013. She is the lead teacher of the Waiākea High Public Services Academy, which was recognized as a National Model Academy under the National Career Academy Coalition in 2018. A National Board Certified Teacher, Aragaki was also a 2019 and 2021 state finalist for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST).

The full list of finalists honored today are, in alphabetical order:

ʻĀina Akamu, Ka‘ū-Keaʻau-Pāhoa Complex Area, Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.
Wesley Capdepon, Honoka‘a-Kealakehe-Kohala-Konawaena Complex Area, Honokaʻa Elementary.
Cara Chaudron, Public Charter Schools, SEEQS: The School for Examining Essential Questions of Sustainability.
Trisha Gibson, ‘Aiea-Moanalua-Radford Complex Area, ‘Aiea Elementary.
Wendy Gumm, Nānākuli-Waiʻanae Complex Area, Nānāikapono Elementary.
Ashley Ito-Macion, Pearl City-Waipahu Complex Area, Kanoelani Elementary.
Corrie Izumoto, Kaimukī-McKinley-Roosevelt Complex Area, Kawānanakoa Middle.
Jim Kunimitsu, Campbell-Kapolei Complex Area, Pōhākea Elementary.
Richard Lau, Kailua-Kalāheo Complex Area, Kalāheo High.
Theresa Malone, Kapaʻa-Kauaʻi-Waimea Complex Area, Kalāheo Elementary.
Jeni Miyahira, Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua Complex Area, Mililani High.
Miyuki Sekimitsu, Castle-Kahuku Complex Area, Kāne‘ohe Elementary.
Wendy Shigeta, Farrington-Kaiser-Kalani Complex Area, Haha‘ione Elementary.
Bill Tatro, Hāna-Lahainaluna-Lānaʻi-Molokaʻi Complex Area, Lahainaluna High.
Lisa Yamada, Baldwin-Kekaulike-Maui Complex Area, Wailuku Elementary.

Today’s virtual ceremony included:

Honorariums to each finalist by Hawaiian Electric Co.
A one-year lease of a 2022 Subaru Impreza courtesy of Subaru Hawaii to the winner.

November 30, 2021

Laguna Blanca honors physical education teacher Andra Wilson

COURTESY PHOTOS
Andra Wilson, a health and physical education teacher at Laguna Blanca School, has received the 2021 Faculty Excellence Award. Andra Wilson is known for her dedication to keeping students healthy through her physical education classes.

Andra Wilson has received Laguna Blanca’s 2021 Faculty Excellence Award.

Ms. Wilson has taught physical education, health, wellness and personal development since 2006 at the school, which has campuses in Hope Ranch in Santa Barbara and Montecito.

She also has served as assistant athletic director, P.E. coach at Camp Cito day camp and coordinator of the Middle School Advisory Program for several years.

Mostly recently, Ms. Wilson became Laguna’s Challenge Success coordinator.

“Andra infuses energy and excitement into every role she has on campus,” Laguna Blanca staff said in a news release. “Her love for health and wellness extends not only to Laguna students but to the faculty and staff as well. She was instrumental to bringing bi-weekly on-campus workouts to campus for Laguna employees through Reveal Fitness.”

During the pandemic, Ms. Wilson helped students before they were allowed back on campus. She presented 20 one-minute virtual fitness challenges that kept students and faculty healthy during the pandemic. “It was the perfect example of her athleticism and the joy she brings to teaching,” Laguna Blanca staff noted.

“This year alone, Andra stepped into a multitude of challenges and added COVID responsibilities to her plate in order to best serve her students,” said Melissa Alkire, head of the Upper School. “This was evidenced in the Middle and Upper athletic training program that she began when all other schools in the county were neither in-person nor able to maintain in-person afternoon activities for their school.

“Andra’s work across every single grade at Hope Ranch ensured that our students were finding balance and joy after their early days of remote school,” Ms. Alkire said in the news release. “When sports began, Andra supported Director of Athletics Jason Donnelly fully as he worked to unpack the COVID guidance, which was evolving each week. She was his teammate and demonstrated her strong character in this role.”

In addition, Ms. Wilson partnered with Pacific Pride Foundation to hold inclusive conversations about relationships and gender identity.

“I wish we could have an entire faculty full of Andras,” colleague Tara Broucqsault said. “She has thrived at each level at Laguna. Her pure heart inspires all those fortunate enough to call her teacher and a trusted colleague.”

Ms. Wilson grew up in Malvern, Pa., and earned a bachelor’s in health and physical education at West Chester University in West Chester, Pa. She began her career as a collegiate-certified athletic trainer before completing her Pennsylvania teacher certification in 2003.

Then she worked as a health and physical education teacher in Pennsylvania’s Central Bucks School District before moving in 2006 to Santa Barbara and teaching at Laguna Blanca School.

email: [email protected]

November 26, 2021

Hawley Elementary School teacher grateful to be alive after tragic field trip accident

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – Gooseberry Falls is a popular Minnesota state park. But it’s also dangerous. A quick google search brings up article after article of hikers falling to their death.

Beau Lofgren is one of those people who fell off over the waters edge while trying to save a child– and today he lives to tell the tale.

Six months ago while on a school field trip — the Hawley Elementary teacher’s life changed forever.

“The next thing I knew is we, we both made a 30 foot ball down the set of waterfalls,” Lofgren said.

He broke 4 vertebrae and his tailbone, while trying to help a young student who had waded to close to the edge. Lofgren spent 4 days in the hospital, months in a brace, and even longer relearning how to walk. He still isn’t 100{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf}. The physical part of recovery was hard. But, he says, being back at school has helped him recover, mentally.

”It was like instant adrenaline knowing that okay, these are the kids I get to work with. And that really helped me here to get better here so I could be here today,” he told his students before dismissing them for lunch.

Lofgren teaches his 6th graders all kinds of serious life lessons, from student’s losing their little brothers– to his accident.

He stands at the front of the room, brace in hand, showing it off to his students, “And this was my brace honest and my brace that I thought you know, and it’s so funny because this was such a part of my life for you know, three months.”

He says his students are like medicine him– and says that talking to his students is not only helping him recover, but it’s helping his students be vulnerable about their struggles, too.

The accident has given him a new outlook on life. This Thanksgiving, he says he’s more grateful than ever.

“And I’m just thankful to to experience all that life has to offer everyday living and Hawley. I just I can’t say that enough,” Lofgren said.

But most of all, he’s just glad he’s still here for his family.

“I’m thankful for the opportunities I have to teach, to coach, to be a husband, to be a father,” he explained.

And they’re grateful he’s still here, too.

“I love when he drives us to school in the morning — spending that time before school. Coming home after school just seeing him really makes me happy,” his son, Jonathan said.

Lofgren wanted to made sure I told you just how thankful he is for his church, the medical staff at his hospital, and everyone who’s played a part in his recovery.

November 20, 2021

Heather Geoghan Named MAHPERD High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year

Heather Geoghan, a Large Faculty Bodily Schooling Instructor at Greely Large College in Cumberland, has been named the Maine Association for Health, Bodily Instruction, Recreation, and Dance (MAHPERD) 2021 High College Bodily Education and learning Teacher of the Yr.

Heather functions to assure that learners are learning all areas of the method, and with any luck , significantly additional than movement abilities, match strategy, and exercise ideas. She addresses the Form The us studying standards in each and every class, instructing a extensive variety of motor competencies and movement patterns as properly as enabling college students enough option to follow these abilities.

Heather has up to date the physical education application to enable learners to select from a large assortment of offerings, allowing them to test a little something new or extend on present-day awareness in a unique space of curiosity to them. Learners continually share with Heather how astonished they are that they were ready to make sizeable gains in the course of the semester.

A single of her key objectives is for pupils to leave the semester with sufficient knowledge and a toolbox of nominal or no-machines exercises that they can create and continue on on their very own soon after class finishes. 1 of Heather’s common course expectations focuses on student’s attitude, effort and hard work, and inclusion of all. She will work hard to make sure that the gym, area, keep track of, pool, and court docket are a places that all pupils experience comfy and welcome. She firmly thinks that classroom administration and the atmosphere comes from the tone set from the instructor.

In response to the pandemic, Heather developed an overall curriculum through Google Classroom, in which learners had been equipped to effectively complete assignments at house and demonstrate their function by means of knowledge, images, video clips, and conditioning log completion for each assignment. She gathered above 20 GPS physical fitness trackers and watches from close friends and neighborhood members who had been inclined to donate their gadgets so that learners could keep track of perform at house.

Heather has shown a impressive capacity to link with youthful persons, a eager and unique potential to build and instruct actual physical education curriculum, and an structured and detailed strategy to schoolwide matters. She is an energetic and passionate teacher of physical education and learning with a shown focus on assembly learners where they are, receiving to know them, and setting anticipations for them in collaboration with their fascination, skill, and determination.

Maine Association for Health and fitness, Actual physical Training, Recreation, and Dance (MAHPERD) Honor Awards are introduced to MAHPERD customers in recognition of their excellence to their job by demonstrating excellent determination to their pupils and profession. To understand additional about MAHPERD pay a visit to maineahperd.org.

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November 15, 2021

From classroom to online delivery in 8 weeks: How Louisiana teacher training benefits from a Moodle solution

Answer – Transforming very best apply classroom pedagogy into an online platform in 8 months

Over the study course of two months, MLC (Moodle US) interacted with LRCE on a everyday foundation to style and design and create their on the net finding out platform. They also properly trained LRCE’s training employees and adjunct school in how to use the system and, in specific, how to develop each formative and summative assessments, provide grading and feed-back.

“Over 2 months, they empowered us, and our adjuncts to build out our programs. We ended up often committed to best techniques in our classroom pedagogy, but we wanted the guidance of MLC/Moodle US to translate that into an on-line atmosphere,” says Joyce.

Moodle Workplace was picked as the correct solution given the brief timeline of the project. Michelle Moore, Head of Buyer Good results at Moodle US clarifies, “Because we have excellent finding out layout authorities and community of contractors, we had been equipped to scale to meet the demands of LRCE immediately. As a workforce, we put in a lot of several hours to assistance them start on timetable. They have been adapting their total program on the fly and as they didn’t have the potential to do all of the system development and consumer administration guiding the scenes we ended up able to do that for them.”

MLC/Moodle US assisted the LRCE crew with taking care of and translating databases, developing classes from written content supplied and giving instruction and help as necessary to get them up and functioning as effectively and correctly as feasible. The modern MLC/Moodle US hybrid web hosting option, “unhosting” was selected to deliver LRCE reliability, scalability, ownership and protection of their information. Via the “unhosting” command panel, MLC/Moodle US educational designers ended up also capable to install the essential plugins without hold off on a incredibly time sensitive job.

Joyce claims, “We labored extremely intently with Studying Designer, Ryan Hazen. He speaks equally languages. He understands tutorial design, instructing techniques and pedagogy, but he also understands Moodle quite deeply. So, the mix of working with anyone who understands our educational ambitions as very well as the system intended that we could, and can carry on to, achieve our targets substantially faster. He has a prosperity of encounter and means that he can attract on at a moment’s see.”

Utilising a wide variety of multimodal things to do and methods, LRCE utilises asynchronous supply for the fundamentals and qualifications expertise study course work though are living sessions are committed to the investigation, discussion and rehearsal of training activities. Moodle’s Prohibit Entry feature allows LRCE lecturers to restrict the availability of any action or even a system area centered on a university student assembly specific requirements. This has reached sizeable time personal savings for instructors.

Beforehand, pupils submitted assessments across many platforms but learners now post inside Moodle and this has offered visibility and clarity on, as an instance, complex rubrics with up to 8 sections and 40 rows. Inside of the training certification program, system members are needed to add their lesson strategies, movie footage and the perform their learners entire. This is assessed by the LCRE and adjunct team, and each college student teacher is furnished feedback for each of these factors. In addition to this, the LRCE staff now evaluations the 100 practitioners or college student teacher collective final results against the rubric and then analyses that facts and the suggestions supplied to college students. This lets the staff to identify tendencies, any misconceptions or gaps in mastering and subsequently refine the curriculum and training course design to address individuals gaps – both in the current cohorts program supply and to inform improvements to the curriculum for new cohorts.

The examination of information has also authorized LRCE to develop customized and differentiated articles for training course participants. As an example, college student teachers entire a class on time management as element of their certification system. Nevertheless, there is some time among students completing the program and acquiring themselves in the classroom. LRCE determined that there is a subset of academics who struggle with this significant talent irrespective of finishing the study course. Therefore, they created a tailor-made training course specially developed to review and consolidate time administration capabilities. Again, this has allowed LRCE lecturers to focus additional deeply on comments and engagement while enabling the delivery of differentiated material certain to a subset of students’ demands.

“We also like Announcements and Activity Completion to aid hold our pupils up to day and on observe. Boards seriously aid to really encourage discussion and collaborative learning. We love that there are no boundaries. Other platforms can do six items definitely properly, but if you want to do things outside the house that you may possibly be at a lock. With Moodle it’s, “I’m positive Moodle can do this so let me decide on up the telephone and chat to an individual about how this can be accomplished,” concludes Joyce.

Benefits – Informing enhanced curriculum shipping and influence throughout the state of Louisiana

Soon after supply to the 2020 summer months cohort, My Understanding Consultants did an audit of LRCE Moodle classes and offered input on the excellent of shipping and how LRCE could additional utilise attributes available in Moodle to increase tutorial style and design. This has supported a continual approach of ongoing improvement. In addition, the Moodle system has authorized LRCE to extensively utilise details to tell differentiation and enhance curriculum style and design.

The transfer to on line shipping has allowed LRCE to supply classes to a few occasions as several members in teaching certification and supplementary qualifications than it did earlier by conventional classroom supply. In convert, this has enabled LRCE to lengthen its achieve and effects throughout the condition of Louisiana.

Lastly, in providing its systems by means of Moodle, LRCE is aiding academics to acquire their online discovering competencies which is in increasing desire for instructors throughout the United States and globally.

“The fact that our training is delivered by using Moodle inherently aids teachers to comprehend and acquire practical experience in what excellent on the net instruction appears like. When we design and style a course, we want to set up classes that are logical and clear for our learners on what they need to have to do, and how they will be evaluated for it. In our synchronous lessons, our scholar lecturers also get knowledge in how to generate participating and meaningful are living sessions. Broadly, they get publicity in how to create a properly designed Moodle class as well as how to use other platforms or software that we combine with Moodle”.

“Not only has Moodle designed efficiencies and informed advancements in our delivery, we can now have a greater impact on the instructor workforce in Louisiana than we at any time did ahead of,” says Joyce.

Obtain out more about Moodle US and how they function with US primarily based prospects to make sure the achievements of their on the web studying project.

To understand extra about the Louisiana Analysis Centre for Educators, take a look at their web page.

November 2, 2021

Teacher from Youngstown claims gender discrimination in Maplewood lawsuit | News, Sports, Jobs

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YOUNGSTOWN — A instructor in the Maplewood Local School District has submitted a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging gender discrimination when she was moved from her placement of actual physical schooling instructor and was changed by a male.

The lawsuit was submitted on behalf of instructor Jeanne Dana of 29 Shores Push, Youngstown, versus the school district and its board of education.

The motion also accuses the district of violating the Equivalent Safety clause of the 14th Modification to the U.S. Structure and asks that the defendants give Dana again her actual physical education instructing position and award suitable compensatory damages. The plaintiff attorneys Jared Klebanow and Avery Friedman, also find a trial by jury. The case was assigned to U.S. District Decide Bonita Pearson of Youngstown.

Dana is a graduate of Youngstown Condition College with a educating certification in bodily instruction for grades K-12 and for teaching well being in grades 7-12. She obtained an elementary education certification in 1990 and was employed by Maplewood to instruct fourth quality. Dana taught fourth quality at Maplewood from September 1990 through June 2009. Subsequent the retirement of one of the district’s actual physical schooling lecturers, Dana was hired to instruct phys ed at the elementary developing that residences grades K-9. While working there, the criticism states, Dana implemented new systems that enhanced the schooling knowledge of her students.

In August 2017, Dana was assigned to teach phys ed to kindergarten learners and in grades 3-6. In August 2020, Dana was notified three phys ed academics had been no for a longer time needed in the district, and Dana was reassigned to teach third quality.

All through the 2020-21 faculty 12 months, Dana realized that a 3rd phys ed trainer was wanted and the district crammed the location of instructing grade 7-12 phys ed to a person who is not certified to train that subject matter, the grievance states.

“The only woman bodily training teacher was taken out for no reason, other than her staying woman, and replaced with an unqualified male,” Dana’s complaint states.

[email protected] “Dana’s dream work was taken from her due to the fact of her gender.”

Equally get-togethers and their legal professionals met with Pearson in a telephone conference on Oct. 25.

This case was referred to Justice of the peace Choose Amanda M. Knapp for a mediation to conclude no afterwards than March 15.

Lawyer for the university district, Elizabeth A. Braverman, was despatched an electronic mail searching for a response.

[email protected]

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