OVERVIEW

Designed for all K-8 Indiana school educators teaching across all subjects, the Integrating Computer Science professional development workshop is designed to equip teachers with the knowledge and instructional strategies to integrate computer science into existing coursework.

The workshop will provide an intro to computer science, pedagogy, overview of the online curriculum, teacher dashboard, and strategies for teaching “unplugged” classroom activities.

The day will consist of learning, engaging with your peers with meaningful discussion, and gaining strategies to implement in the classroom.

Free PD / Free Lunch / Sub Fees Reimbursed

Space is limited. Be sure to register today!

 

 

Bring your tech staff to the second annual cookout to celebrate your successes in another year of edtech support. Meet area school tech staff for a day of team building, fun games, friendly competition and a lot of laughs!

On-Demand Professional Development with IDOE

IDOE hosts PD with IDOE every Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET on a variety of topics in the Indiana Learning Lab. January’s workshops are all available on-demand:

• Grab a Cup of Coffee and Let's Discuss Compassion Fatigue vs Burnout
• What You Need to Know About Accommodations for Spring 2023 Assessments
• Why We Stay: A Fireside Chat with Some of Indiana's Top Teacher Talent 
• New Year, New You: Tech Tools for 2023

  Attend future live sessions and view other on-demand content in the Indiana Learning Lab. Contact IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning with any questions. 

Click below to view recordings:

Tech Purchasing

Train Your Tech Staff with Stormwind!

For the 3rd year in a row, we are partnering with Stormwind to offer steep discounts on user licenses.  Attend unlimited live classes from the comfort of your own office or watch the recordings anytime! Gain access to over 150+ Industry-standard courses with a 12-month license per user with our service center discounted pricing. 

Our Indiana ESCs are working together to develop partnerships with a wide variety of organizations to support the needs of our member districts. The value brought to our members includes savings in both purchasing cost and employee time, which equates to even greater cost savings.

Modified Logic provides Laserfiche electronic forms, process automation, and records management solutions to K12 school districts to increase efficiencies and reduce operational costs.

By automating business processes, we create alignment and transparency between departments district-wide, increase accuracy across systems, prevent delays, eliminate data silos; all departments can be more productive and put an end to manual processes!

Laserfiche’s flexible electronic records management empowers users to operate with greater freedom without sacrificing the control needed to keep student, employee, and administrative information secure and compliant.  Laserfiche records management can help your district reduce cost and labor associated with maintaining documents, and enable improved organization of information to make faster, better decisions accelerating district services.

ILEARN Biology End-of-Course Assessment (ECA) Winter 2023 Testing Window Opens Monday, February 6: The paper-and-pencil and digital testing windows for the ILEARN Biology ECA Winter 2023 assessment open Monday, February 6, and close Friday, February 17, for paper testing, and Friday, February 24, for online testing. Refer to the ILEARN Biology ECA Test Window Checklist for an overview of tasks prior to operational testing. Contact the Indiana Department of Education’s (IDOE’s) Office of Student Assessment with any questions. 

College Board Secure Browser for MacOS 13: A new College Board Secure Browser version for Mac workstations running on macOS 13 has been released. Secure Browser version 15.5 is now available on College Board’s Digital Testing Portal. Version 15.5 is only required if student devices have been updated to macOS 13. These downloads will continue to be available by OS on the Digital Testing Portal. Contact College Board with any questions.NEW: School Health Report

The New School Health Report application can be accessed via the LINK portal. Once in the portal, navigate to the School Health Report tile. Note that beginning Monday, February 6, in order to have access to the School Health Report tile, a School Health role is required. Please work with your Security Coordinator to make sure that this role is configured for the nurses who will need access to the School Health Report. For more information on how to access the school health report via the LINK Portal, click here. 

The transition to the new Ed-ID portal is now complete. Ed-IDs for students (also known as STNs) as well as Ed-IDs for staff (also known as SPNs) can now be requested through the portal. This process replaces the old approach to generating IDs for educators and students and allows for more versatility in the generation and use of IDs. It will also improve the management of IDs through a centralized service. More information is available in this memo. Details are now posted on the Ed-ID website. Contact link@doe.in.gov with any questions.

IDOE is participating in the E-Rate Match Program for special construction projects. Available to any Indiana public school for fiscal year (FY) 2023 (July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024), the program increases the discount rate for special construction charges for high-speed broadband that meets the FCC's long-term connectivity targets up to an additional 10% to match the state funding on a one-to-one dollar basis. Full application details are available here. Contact Brad Hagg with any questions.

Designing for Impact Next Level Computer Science Grant Now Available: IDOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning launched the Designing for Impact Next Level Computer Science Grant to eligible entities providing PK-12 professional development in computer science to expand access to engaging and empowering computer science education for students. Answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) can be found here to assist applicants in considering the scope and development of proposed grant activities. See here for grant guidelines and the online application. The application deadline is Friday, February 3. Please contact IDOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning with questions.

Attendance Reporting - Exempt Days: While reviewing the 2022-2023 attendance data submissions, it is clear that the “Exempt” attendance code is likely being overused. The “Exempt” attendance code has very specific reasons spelled out in statute and should not be used for expulsions, field trips, or unexcused absences. Please see this memo for the specific allowable reasons to utilize the “Exempt” code. Contact Cathy Danyluk with any questions.

 

STEM EDUCATOR NETWORK 

Sign up today to join this NEW developing network of STEM focused educators to share resources, discuss state-wide initiatives and meet professionals from area districts.  This fall we will develop meeting format, dates/times and contacts.  

Northern Indiana Tech Coach Network

Are you a Digital / EdTech Coach in your district who is looking to create a collaborative network of professionals that are responsible for digital integration in the classroom?  Sign-up to be part of our NEW Northern Indiana EdTech Network that will carve out time to collaborate on effective practices empowering today's classroom teacher.  You don't have to do it all alone...don't miss out on the first meeting coming this fall!

 

 

Gathering Technology Directors from the North & Northwest area to focus on the challenges presented to school technology leaders and discuss solutions directly impacting education.  

 

Feb 10th: Wa-Nee Schools

Mar 10th: John Glenn School Corp

May 12th: Concord Schools

Jun 15th: Summer Cookout @ Plymouth Middle School

 

NEISSC Tech Study Council (Northeast Indiana Area) meeting information can be found here

Gathering school network administrators to chat about challenges schools face with providing a stable, reliable network in the ever-changing environment of school technology.  

 

 

Interested in staying up to date on school cybersecurity tools, in-depth discussions on protecting schools from external and internal threats, and available resources?  Join our monthly cybersecurity roundtable, where we gather virtually to discuss the impact of insurance requirements, policy updates and more! 

 

 

Calling all State Reporters to this newly formed study council that meets virtually every Tuesday morning to discuss the state reports due, error rectification and chat up those who use the same SIS.  Whether you are new to the position or have been around for years, this group has found most value in "I am not the only one who..."   

Every Tuesday  @ 9:30am EST

 

SPECIAL NOTE: There will be a special session at the HECC Conference on Friday, November 11th at 9:45 in Victoria Station AB for all State Reporters Meet & Greet / Round Table Discussion.  Come make new friends and chat about your role as a State Reporter.

Darlene Kennedy

Director of Technology Integration

NIESC & NWIESC

Email:  dkennedy@niesc.k12.in.us

Phone: (574) 254-0111 ext 104

56535 Magnetic Drive
Mishawaka, IN 46545

 

Phone: (574) 254-0111
www.niesc.org
www.nwiesc.k12.in.us