 |
|
Message from Commissioner King
Dear Colleagues,
My deepest sympathies to all those impacted by Hurricane Sandy. The devastation and suffering caused by the storm are heartbreaking. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families still struggling to recover. I know it will be a long time until some sense of normalcy returns.
Some schools have not reopened, and many schools suffered severe damage that will force them to remain closed for the foreseeable future. Those schools that have reopened face the daunting task of providing a haven from the storm-wrought chaos with which their communities are dealing while at the same time returning to the task of preparing those students for college and careers. And teachers and principals have to deal with damage and power outages at home as well. Last year, educators showed remarkable courage and professionalism in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, and now educators from a different region are responding in the same way to Hurricane Sandy. It's just further evidence of the extraordinary dedication of the teachers, administrators and staff who serve our students everyday all across New York.
We're working at SED to provide whatever assistance we can to schools that have been impacted. Please let us know if there's any additional help we can provide.
On a different note, traffic to our EngageNY.org website has been tremendous. Since the EngageNY.org launch last year, the website has logged more than one and a half million visits and seven million page views. If you have not logged on to EngageNY.org yet, you don't know what you're missing. EngageNY.org has resources to provide the support you need to bring the Common Core Learning Standards to life in your classrooms. Our goal is to prepare all students for college and careers, and we have developed and posted professional development and curriculum resources on EngageNY.org to support this hard work. The site is a tool box chock full of videos, curriculum exemplars, sample assessment items, and other tools to help educators make the shift to the new standards. And it's just going to get better. Keep visiting EngageNY.org throughout the school year to stay on top of the growing collection of great new resources.
At the State Education Department, we're working hard to provide information to you in the most accessible ways possible. We've revamped News and Notes to provide news from the State Education Department to a broader audience. As you'll see, there are now ways to manage your subscription and share this newsletter with others via social media. And as always, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook for the most up-to-date information.
Again, our thoughts and prayers go out to all those impacted by Hurricane Sandy. New Yorkers always respond to a crisis with courage and optimism, no one more so than the teachers and principals who help our students achieve their goals no matter what obstacles arise. We will get through this tragedy.
Sincerely,
John B. King, Jr.
Commissioner
Follow me on Twitter @JohnKingNYSED |
 2013 New York State Teacher of the Year
Congratulations to Gregory Ahlquist, a high school social studies teacher at Webster Thomas High School in Webster, on being named the 2013 New York State Teacher of the Year! Ahlquist was presented with a certificate of recognition by Board of Regents Chancellor Merryl H. Tisch and Education Commissioner John B. King, Jr. (both pictured with Ahlquist in the photo above) at the October 2012 Board of Regents meeting. Ahlquist was also presented with the Thomas Sobol Award and the David Johnson Award, both created as annual gifts for recipients of the Teacher of the Year award.
"Teachers like Gregory Ahlquist give selflessly to their students and communities everyday," Commissioner King said. "Great teachers help make great students, and Gregory Ahlquist is one of those great teachers. He deserves to be recognized as Teacher of the Year. Our goal is to make sure every student graduates ready for college and careers. Everyday, Gregory Ahlquist's unwavering dedication to teaching and learning moves his students closer to that goal."
Read more about the 2013 New York State Teacher of the Year here. |
 The Empire State in the Civil War Exhibit at the New York State Museum
An Irrepressible Conflict: The Empire State in the Civil War opened last month at the New York State Museum, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. The pivotal role New York State played in the war is the focus of this 7,000-square-foot exhibition.
"As the nation commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, it is important that Americans everywhere are aware of the critical role New York played in this defining moment of American history," said Museum Director Mark Schaming. "This expansive exhibition, together with a wide array of educational programs and web-based resources, will present the rich and complex story of how New York led the way in the fight for national unity and freedom for all."
An Irrepressible Conflict will be open through September 22, 2013 in Exhibition Hall. For more information about the exhibit, click here. If you are interested in taking your 7th-12th grade students for a guided tour of the exhibit, click here for more information about registration and classroom materials. |
|
2012 Summer Reading at New York Libraries Reaches 1.7 Million Children & Teens
New York State Librarian and Assistant Commissioner for Libraries Bernard A. Margolis announced that 1.74 million children and teens throughout New York State participated in the 2012 "Summer Reading at New York Libraries" at their local libraries. This year's program saw a 5% increase over 2011.
"Public libraries, through their summer reading programs, put books in the hands of children. Access to books and library programs over the summer results in more reading which, in turn, results in improved reading skills," said Margolis.
To find out more about "Summer Reading at New York Libraries", click here. |
|
|
|
|
|
