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| Last Best News, May 30, 2017 article by Ed Kemmick |
Read more about Baily and her accomplishment in the Last Best News article by Ed Kemmick.
GO COLTS! GO FILLIES!
MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!
"Get out in front and stay there!"
Friday, June 9, 2017
Making Dust! Baily Menahan Secondary Student of the Year Award
by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski
Although it may seem late, I want to congratulate our very own Business Professionals of America Chapter Advisor Jennette Barreto and the work that she and the students have done to "spread their wings" at a national level. Colstrip Senior Baily Menahan was the very first student to be named Student of the Year at the National Conference of Business Professionals of American in Orlando, Florida. I can't think of a better example for "Making Dust" than the recognition that Baily received. Congratulations Baily Menahan!
Read more about Baily and her accomplishment in the Last Best News article by Ed Kemmick.
Read more about Baily and her accomplishment in the Last Best News article by Ed Kemmick.
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Colstrip Supports Its Kids
By Robert "Bob" Lewandowski
Special Thanks to the Colstrip Community for their support of the KIDS in our community! Both levies passed!
Unofficial Results:
High School General Fund Levy
FOR - 237
AGAINST - 147
Elementary General Fund Levy
FOR - 240
AGAINST - 141
Authorization to sell IBCLC
FOR - 322
AGAINST - 60
WAY TO MAY DUST COLSTRIP!
No doubt, Colstrip has always been supportive of its schools and provided the best education possible. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN OUT IN FRONT when it comes to educational support.
Thank you!
GO COLTS! GO FILLIES!
MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!
"Get out in front and stay there!"
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
Vote for Colstrip Kids!
by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski
The community of Colstrip has traditionally passed an "additional school levy" in both the High School and Elementary Schools. Colstrip has been a very supportive community when it comes to its kids. The School District Board voted to present two general fund levies at this year's election to help pay for operational costs to the Elementary District and the High School District.
Traditionally the district has optioned to levy the maximum amount allowed by the State Funding Formula in order to maximize its budget authority within the General Fund. Even more important is the fact that this community has traditionally supported these levies without fail. Our community here in Colstrip has not only made an annual commitment to the needs our youth, but has also made education a priority by passing these annual levies.
The bottom line is that the district is presenting these levies to the public so that it can continue to provide Colstrip the high expectations and excellence it has always known. The District is also aligning its practices with its Core Purpose. In addition, the district wants to improve and maintain what we already have from the pool, fields and courts to the classrooms. No doubt, Colstrip has always been supportive of its schools and provided the best education possible. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN OUT IN FRONT when it comes to educational support, SO LET'S STAY THERE! Get out and VOTE! MAKE DUST!
Traditionally the district has optioned to levy the maximum amount allowed by the State Funding Formula in order to maximize its budget authority within the General Fund. Even more important is the fact that this community has traditionally supported these levies without fail. Our community here in Colstrip has not only made an annual commitment to the needs our youth, but has also made education a priority by passing these annual levies.
The bottom line is that the district is presenting these levies to the public so that it can continue to provide Colstrip the high expectations and excellence it has always known. The District is also aligning its practices with its Core Purpose. In addition, the district wants to improve and maintain what we already have from the pool, fields and courts to the classrooms. No doubt, Colstrip has always been supportive of its schools and provided the best education possible. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN OUT IN FRONT when it comes to educational support, SO LET'S STAY THERE! Get out and VOTE! MAKE DUST!
GO COLTS! GO FILLIES!
MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!
"Get out in front and stay there!"
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
The HIGH Road and the LOW Road of Learning and Memory
by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski
How does the brain function? How do we learn? Understanding the basic path of learning and memory is a key to a better understanding of teaching and learning. The basic path of information and how the brain processes it using the concept of the HIGH road versus the LOW road gives teachers and learners an edge in getting information processed into long-term memory.
What is important is that by avoiding student exposure to FEAR, ANXIETY, STRESS and THREAT, learning can take place at a high level.
The HIGH road and LOW road as shared by John Parks Le Tellier and Quantum Learning.
By ensuring students are exposed to information that will be processed on the HIGH road, the better chance the information has to become WORKING MEMORY that can be converted to LONG-TERM MEMORY. See the infographic for details of this conversion.
How does the brain function? How do we learn? Understanding the basic path of learning and memory is a key to a better understanding of teaching and learning. The basic path of information and how the brain processes it using the concept of the HIGH road versus the LOW road gives teachers and learners an edge in getting information processed into long-term memory.What is important is that by avoiding student exposure to FEAR, ANXIETY, STRESS and THREAT, learning can take place at a high level.
The HIGH road and LOW road as shared by John Parks Le Tellier and Quantum Learning.
Sensory information (Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic) from the outside world enters the brain and is first sent to the THALAMUS. This part of the brain acts as a relay station and transfers information TWO directions at the same time.
One direction is called the HIGH road where information is transferred to the appropriate SENSORY cortices. The sensory information then converges to WORKING MEMORY in the prefrontal cortex. Working memory can only focus on ONE thing at a time. Our goal as teachers is to capture and hold WORKING MEMORY.
The other direction that sensory information travels from the thalamus is called the LOW road to the emotional control center of the brain, the AMYGDALA. One of the responsibilities of the amygdala is to process emotions related to FEAR, ANXIETY, STRESS and THREAT.
When amygdala is high, prefrontal cortex (working memory) activity is LOW.
When amygdala is low, prefrontal cortex (working memory) activity is HIGH.
By ensuring students are exposed to information that will be processed on the HIGH road, the better chance the information has to become WORKING MEMORY that can be converted to LONG-TERM MEMORY. See the infographic for details of this conversion.
GO COLTS! GO FILLIES!
MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!
"Get out in front and stay there!"
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Vote FOR Colstrip Kids!
by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski
The May 2, 2017 Absentee Election Ballots are going out in the mail tomorrow (April 12, 2017). There are 526 absentee ballots being mailed and with that number, we certainly want our voters to be well informed.
The May 2, 2017 Absentee Election Ballots are going out in the mail tomorrow (April 12, 2017). There are 526 absentee ballots being mailed and with that number, we certainly want our voters to be well informed.
There are three items to be voted on:
- High School General Fund Levy
- Elementary General Fund Levy
- Request to Sell the Isabel Bills Community Learning Center
As you may know, it is very important for Colstrip Public Schools to pass the General Fund Levies at both the High School and Elementary School. Your support is critical.
I would like to encourage you to ask questions about the impact of the Levy Funds. I would also encourage you to get out and vote. A vote for the Levy Funds is definitely a vote for the children in which we serve. These Levy Funds are crucial for maintaining salaries, equipments, curriculum, activities and the operational expenses of this district.
This community has taken pride in passing Levy Funds in the years past. This is a community that has traditionally supported its kids. Our teachers and staff members have played a key role in this process. I can't stress enough the importance in passing the Levy Funds. Get the word out and support our kids and see that these levies get a FOR vote. Thank you in advance for any, and all of your effort in seeing this need through.
GO COLTS! GO FILLIES!
MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!
"Get out in front and stay there!"
GO COLTS! GO FILLIES!
MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!
"Get out in front and stay there!"
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Brain Smart Teaching
by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski
At the March 27 Pupil Instructional Related (PIR) professional development our instructional staff learned about the cognitive learning system and how the brain processes, questions and stores information. Quantum Learning's Ted Murcray did an excellent job presenting to the staff as the information presented was not only fascinating, but it provided meaningful insights for effective teaching.
A number of our instructional staff said that this was the best PIR that they have attended. I would agree that its was exceptional.
Because of Quantum Learning presentation I continued my quest to find out more and discovered a blog with an exceptional infographic on the topic that describes Neuroplasticity: Rewiring the Brain for Optimal Learning. I believe that this is a great RE-CAP of the QL Brain Basics and I would like to share it with staff and the greater learning community.
In addition, The Quantum Learning System published Excellence in Teaching and Learning by Barbra Given and Bobbi DePorter. The section on Cognitive Learning and Design Component further describes how we learn as well as remember what we learn through the QL Brain Basics (four powerful neuroscientific educational statements that guide instruction):
At the March 27 Pupil Instructional Related (PIR) professional development our instructional staff learned about the cognitive learning system and how the brain processes, questions and stores information. Quantum Learning's Ted Murcray did an excellent job presenting to the staff as the information presented was not only fascinating, but it provided meaningful insights for effective teaching.A number of our instructional staff said that this was the best PIR that they have attended. I would agree that its was exceptional.
Because of Quantum Learning presentation I continued my quest to find out more and discovered a blog with an exceptional infographic on the topic that describes Neuroplasticity: Rewiring the Brain for Optimal Learning. I believe that this is a great RE-CAP of the QL Brain Basics and I would like to share it with staff and the greater learning community.
In addition, The Quantum Learning System published Excellence in Teaching and Learning by Barbra Given and Bobbi DePorter. The section on Cognitive Learning and Design Component further describes how we learn as well as remember what we learn through the QL Brain Basics (four powerful neuroscientific educational statements that guide instruction):
- Neurons that fire together wire together
- Attention is necessary for learning
- Students make meaning by connecting to existing knowledge and schema
- Mental imaging supports understanding
These concepts on cognitive learning are just the tip of the iceberg for learning how we learn.
____________________________________________
The video below was taken during the training. It exemplifies the QL Success Model of the level of difficulty of a task in relationship to a learners willingness to risk. This is just another layer of the onion in the delivery and design of learning. It is all part of firing neurons using Chunking, VAK and Review.
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Search For Excellence
by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski
The District continues to search for excellence. We are aggressively seeking the best teacher and employees for the students of Colstrip. The ads below are being used through social media channels as well as news print. Please share the information to help attract the very best educators.
The District continues to search for excellence. We are aggressively seeking the best teacher and employees for the students of Colstrip. The ads below are being used through social media channels as well as news print. Please share the information to help attract the very best educators.
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