Kaplan Lesson Bank

On November 3rd, there was a wonderful presentation by Ms. Katy Shannon about the Kaplan Lesson Bank.

Here are just a few reminders from that presentation:
1. Type in the address: http://kaplank12.com
2. Click on Program Log In
3. Click on LessonBank" Link

Make sure that you put in your User Name and Password.

The next page you will see is called: Achievement Planner
Click on Get Lesson Plans.

access thousands of standards aligned lesson plans by clicking on: Select by Standard. This will give you access to ELA, Math, Science and Social Studies.

If you click on Select by Topic, you will only get access to ELA and Math.

Alumni Association Hall of Fame Ceremony

Ken McIntyre, the president of the Ralph R. McKee CTE High School Alumni Association presided over the Second Annual Alumni Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony taken by our resident student photographer, Ms. Joelle Connors.

The ceremony, which happened on October 19, 2009, honored McKee alumni Carmine DeSantis, John Nappi, John DePalma, and James Klein in McKee's new state of the art library.

Here are two of the honorees:

Mr. John DePalma





Mr. James Klein.

Parent Conferences - A Busy Night and Afternoon

Every year administrators and staff prepare for Open Parent Night and Afternoon. These pictures represent only a small portion of the planning and dissemination of information that occurs during the event.
More importantly, it is a time for parents to hear the following:
- We hold high expectations and goals for all students and staff members
- We seek input from all stakeholders
- We engage in lifelong learning
- We value collaboration
- We live by the vision: learning is key at McKee


The picture to the left shows parents waiting patiently outside of one of the CISCO teacher's class door for their conference.






Members of the student council, National Honor Society, and peer mediators helped out in a variety of ways: dispensing water, distributing brochures, escorting parents to rooms, and providing a positive atmosphere.

Making McKee Greener Scratch Pads

To: Ms. Sharon Henry, Principal, McKee High School
From: Senior Center of the Church of the Assumption, Chapel of St. Paul
Subject: Making McKee Greener Scratch Pads
Dear Ms. Henry,
On behalf of the Senior Citizens of the Church of the Assumption, Chapel of St. Paul, I would like to express our sincere gratitude for the scratch pads that McKee provided to the senior citizens.
The senior citizens would like to thank Ms. Gina Simas, who led the project, Making McKee Greener. We would like to also thank the following McKee students; Michael DiMartino, Javon Cox and Tyreek Penn for all their time and effort in making the scratch pads.
Also, thank you to Kayla Simas of I.S. 2 and Troy Simas of P.S. 38 for all their assistance in making the scratch pads.
Many of us at the Senior Center are over 70 years old, we all have seen how the changes in the environment affected the way we live and breathe. It is comforting to know that the young people today are concerned about the environment as well. By making pads from scraps of paper that would have been discarded is a positive step in helping the environment.
In closing, once again we would like to thank McKee High School for sponsoring this program and the students for doing their part in helping the environment.
Sincerely,
D. Picciocco

Principal For A Day - 2009

Through the PENCIL Partnership Program, we at McKee were lucky to be paired with our way cool Principal for A Day, Ms. Valarie Contrino. She is the owner and President of Contrino Travel. This year's Principal For a Day celebration occurred on Thursday, October 15, 2009.

Math and Science Teachers Pre-Observation Meetings

In line with our SMART Goals, the subject area assistant principals and myself are meeting with the subject area teachers to discuss the expectations in the classroom so that it is a meaningful pre-observation conference. First up were the math and science instructors. Yes, I took a picture, because collaboration between instructors in swapping advice and technicques is powerful. Our school is taking steps to systemically incorporate time for teachers to meet. The picture above shows the members of the math department meeting and trading strategies to encourage student accountability.

The process was repeated for the science instructors. Particularly insightful moments were going over the elements of Costa and Kallick's questioning techniques, their alignment with Bloom's Taxonomy, and the blueprint to helping students develop their critical thinking skills.

Click here to see a lesson plan template that was an outgrowth from the career and technical education subject area meeting courtesy of Mr. Robert McGillicuddy. Note, it is color coded. In addition, the career and technical education standards and technological literacy standards are also included. This is a starting point for teachers to have discussions as to which standards are the most crucial links between subject areas.

Community Service Offer to Clean Up & Plant Daffodils

You are invited to join The Tompkinsville Restoration Project & St. George Civic Association for a clean-up and daffodil planting at Tompkinsville Park & World War II Memorial.

This community service opportunity will occur on:
Day - Sunday
Date - October 18, 2009
Time - 9:00 am – 12:00 pm.

For more information or to answer your questions contact:
Tompkinsville Restoration Project
www.tompkinsville.org | info@tompkinsville.org
voicemail 309-415-7823

A Neat Note in the SI Advance

The most surprising things happen over the weekend. Who knew that months later, the coverage would still continue regarding the work we are doing at McKee to help teenagers make healthy choices.
Click here to see the article written in the SI Advance on October 5, 2009.

Design Your Future with the ACE Mentor Program

The ACE Mentor Program, thousands of high school students around the country get an opportunity to design real-life projects under the direction of some of the nation's top engineering and design professionals.

What is it?

It is an after-school program that gives a student hands on introduction to architecture, construction management, and engineering. Through joining ACE, students have a chance, with the help of a mentor's guidance, to discover his or her career.

The ACE Program is looking for students who are motivated and willing to commit to showing up at the bimonthly meetings. Juniors and Seniors are preferred. Applications are due, Friday, October 2, 2009. To fill out the application, please visit the website at www.acementor.org. Please note - no paper applications are issued or accepted. For questions contact ACE at 212-696-1207 or email: greaterny@acementor.org.

All City Auditions

Student auditions for the All-City High School Chorus, Orchestra, Concert Band, Marching Band and Jazz Ensemble will begin October 10. Rehearsals will be held on Saturday mornings throughout the school year, culminating in a series of concerts in May. Please click here for additional information. If you have any questions, e-mail Ralph Guarnieri at rguarnieri@schools.nyc.gov.

CASIO Calculator Fair at McKee

30 students took advantage of the unique opportunity to buy graphing calculators at the discount price of $47.
Ms. Kish-Martinez, the assistant principal of Math/Science, (center)reached out to CASIO and together the representatives and her organized a first of its kind opportunity for our McKee students. The CASIO Calculator Fair occurred periods 3 to 7, Sept. 25, 2009, in the cafeteria. Several of the students were also recipients of gifts from the company. How did we accomplish this event? Teamwork.

Vote for McKee High School

Come on Soaring Seagulls. Vote for McKee by clicking on the link below.

Our Dynamic PTA Executive Board

Here is the new PTA Executive Board for 2009-2010.
From Left to right: Pat Manley (President), Jeanne Johnson (Co-President of SI Parent Association); Theresa Keane (Secretary/Treasurer); Manny Innamorato (Vice-President).

What Do I Look At In A Satisfactory Lesson?

1. Teacher monitoring student entrance into the classroom. Stating expectations at each major point of a lesson.

2. Aim, & Do Now,
Collect previous day's homework plus an indication of the expectations
.
3. Motivation of 5 minutes in the form of a visual, audio selection, journal entry, or connection to the lesson
.
4. Mini Lesson in which the skill is modeled, and the content is discussed
.
5. Distribution and explanation of the rubric and/or handouts
.
6. Explanation of the group work, or differentiated instruction with designated group roles. Steps should be pre-posted on chart paper, or transparency, on PowerPoint, or on a handout
.
7. Monitoring the progress of the students by taking anecdotal notes as to who is exceeding expectations, meeting expectations and who is below expectations

8. Students respond to or use questions from Habits of Mind and Blooms Taxonomy to share out core understandings that build toward answering the aim
.
9. Final summary provided by the students either verbally and with an EXIT PASS. Pupils can either repeat, or elaborate on the answer to the aim
.
10. Homework assignment.

Pictures from the Welcome Back Breakfast

We had a blast at the Welcome Back Breakfast on Saturday, September 12, 2009. As the parents sat and gnoshed on fruit, coffee, tea, and bagels, the staff shared information about the school goals.

Next our intrepid man who covers the budget, Mr. Velija, indicated to the parents the impact of the budget on the school and encouraged the parents to fill out contact sheets with both their cell phone and email addresses and to turn in lunch form. It is all part of the process of letting the parents see how the return of paperwork helps the school pay bills.

Next, Ms. Mullen reviewed the safety and security procedures in place at the school. She also went over the fact of how we use progressive discipline and the newly formed conflict resolution program

Ms. Kish-Martinez spoke about how post-secondary institutions have increased their standards. College representatives have made it very clear to high schools that they are "out of the remediation business". We at McKee want to make sure that our students are fully prepared for their post secondary experience. Students are expected to take 4 years of math and 4 years of science, English, and social studies.

Happy Opening Day!

What a great opening day! The students entered and immediately the building is infused with energy. I enjoy the aroma of bulletin board paper, polyurethaned wooden floors, polished staircases, and the hustle and bustle aura of teachers preparing their rooms.

Click here to see the "Welcome Address" to the faculty to rev them up for the 2009-2010 school year.

Let's Start At the Very Beginning - State Expectations

The goal of every classroom is to develop students who are responsible, motivated and highly engaged in meaningful tasks.

How can this be done. Post the guideline, skill, attitude or traits that all students are to learn to exhibit. At every point in the lesson, use the word expectation.

There are three levels, just like the Quality Review. The student is exhibiting a skill, attitude, behavior or trait that is:
1. exceeding the expectation
2. meeting the expectation
3. below the expectation

See the pattern. Students need consistency. Students need to know what you want them to do at each step of the lesson.

Put the word expectation into every major transition of a lesson. Stick with it. It makes the conversation objective and about the facts. It is specific, observable, constructive statements. Its not about letting emotions cloud one's vision.

I learned about C.H.A.M.P.S. from a wonderful educational leader, Arisleyda Urena, principal of the Academy for Language and Technology. C.H.A.M.P.S. is a positive method to instill routines and rituals in the classroom. It is a tool to help both teachers and students remain poised. Remaining poised is essential to maintaining control, especially in a classroom situation.

Click here for the PowerPoint on How to do C. H. A. M. P. S.

Click here to help one use C.H.A.M.P.S. for a classroom activity.

Click here to help one use C.H.A.M.P.S. for a transition in the lesson.

McKee High School's SMART Goals: 2009-2010

Attached is version 1 of our SMART Goals for 2009-2010. This is our blueprint to help us see how we are helping our students achieve. Throughout the year we will look at the outcomes to see our progress.

If you visit our school you will see our SMART goals in the lobby, by the department offices, on the school website, and wikispace, .

Click on the title or right here to check out McKee High School's SMART goals for 2009-2010.

Who needs to know about the Quality Review? We All Do!

1. The entire school needs to know about the Quality Review.
2. Our school gets money if we do well on the Quality Review.
3. The Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, the mayor and the chancellor give money to schools that do well on the Quality Review.
4. The money goes towards academic programs, and technology.

Why should the whole school care about the Quality Review?
1. It is in the best professional interest of the staff to know about the Quality Review.
2. The reviewers are people who have great influence in the NYCDOE.
3. A student who is learning should know the components of getting a "well developed" on the Quality Review.
4. A satisfactory teacher should know the components of getting a "well developed" on a Quality Review.
5. A satisfactory assistant principal should know the components of getting a "well developed" on a Quality Review.
6. A satisfactory principal should know the components of getting a "well developed" on a Quality Review.

Click here to know the components of getting a "Well Developed" on the 2009-2010 Quality Review.

Quality Review - 2009-2010 - Phase 1

It always takes me a while to wrap my mind around what is being required when I come back from a principal's conference or workshop or meeting or session. I work through the process by writing about it, marking the text, asking questions, creating visuals, and working collaboratively with the school community.

Let's get it started with 5 take away points from the Quality Review Principal Feedback session:

1. The Quality Review has been in existence for 3 years.
2. The rubric for the Quality Review has been modified for the 3rd time.
3. The Quality Review has 3 levels:
--Underdeveloped with proficient features,
--Proficient, and
--Well developed
4. The school community, 90% at least, should be able to use one or more of the accountability tools, on a daily basis.
5. The accountability tools are: Inquiry Teams, ARIS, 8cfi.com, Periodic Assessments.

Educational Geek Moment:
- Two educational researchers - Costa and Kallick created Habits of Mind which is part of the language used in the Quality Review
- Douglas Reeves wrote a very famous book called Making Standards Work which also seems to influence the structure and the next steps for the growth of the inquiry teams

Richmond Choroal Society Youth Chorus Auditions

· Do you like to sing?

· Would you like to improve your music skills?

· Would you like the opportunity to meet other young choral singers and perform with them?

Richmond Choral Society Youth Chorus is looking for you!!

Call Louise at (718) 448-3656 for more information and to schedule an audition

Wednesdays, Sept. 2nd and 9th, 2009, 4-6 p.m.

New Dorp Moravian Church Parish Hall, 2205 Richmond Road, Staten Island, NY

No previous experience or preparation necessary

This program is made possible, in part, by a grant from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) and grants from The Staten Island Foundation and Northfield Bank Foundation.

Click on the title or right here: www.richmondchoral.com

How a Wii Remote Controller Can be an Educational Tool

TED.com website is cool. There is an engineer named Johnny Lee who added $10 worth of additional hardware to the $50 Wii remote controller and was able to show educators how to make it an interactive whiteboard. Click here to check out Johnny Lee demos Wii Remote

Click here for step by step instructions on Projects with Wii Remote Controllers. Dr. Lee provides user friendly, visual instructions on how to make the Wii remote a conduit to creating a low-cost whiteboard to tracking one's head motion to create a virtual environment.

For a Brain Blast - TED.com

TED.com is this really cool site that features many visuals, videos and talks by activists, artists, politicians, and thinkers who speak about different themes on a weekly basis. It is a great way to connect with the world. It's also a great way to take a mental break when proofing a dissertation proposal.

Green Construction Training Program - August 7th

If you are between the ages of 18-35, check out the Green Construction Training Program at STRIVE.

One can also click on McKee Money to get information about STRIVE.

McKee's Health Curriculum Covered by the SI Advance

The Staten Island Advance covers McKee's Health curriculum in using the infant simulators from Reality Works. Click the title or right here.

I feel as if the title of the article should be, "Child's Play is Unusually Hard Work."

By the way, 2 health classes, which means 40 students, were exposed to the pilot infant simulator program. Mr. Paulucci and Kim Watson were the physical education teacher and counselor, respectively, who conducted the pilot program in the second health class.

Interesting how the article ends. The subject of teen pregnancy is so terribly touchy. As long as we do not have the difficult conversations about the topic, the more we, as a society, will be blindsided by uncomfortable consequences.

Staten Island Advance Covers McKee's National Honor Society

Here's the scoop from the Staten Island Advance about McKee's reactivated chapter of the National Honor Society.

NYC Schools on Facebook and Twitter

Just to show you how ubiquitous it is to be online:

NYC Schools is on Facebook

NYC schools is on Twitter

SI Advance Covers a Seagull Grad on his Skateboard

Click here to see an article in the Staten Island Advance about Andre Cofield, a recent McKee graduate, sailing on his skateboard .

I remember when skateboards came out, "back in the day." I gingerly stepped on the platform, and attempted to shift my body weight and lean in to the curve, like I saw on television and in the park. I leaned one way, the skateboard had a mind of its own and went the other way.

Check out Andre's dexterity captured by the Staten Island Advance photographer of the pavement athlete executing a balancing act on the ledge.

Dictionary Builder

Click the title or right here to a great vocabulary builder called Dictionary Squared. It has wonderful graphics, clear explanations, and interactive links that are engaging. The site has a limited free trial period. To permanently get the service, one has to pay a fee. By the way, one of the ways that different tutoring services have indicated are helpful is when a student reviews vocabulary using notecards. Dictionary Squared has a notecards making option.

Diplomas and Report Cards Still Available on Monday 6/29/09

Graduates / 12th Grade:
Diploma and report card distribution will be at 9 a.m. on Monday, June 29, 2009 in the auditorium.

9th - 11th Grade Students:
You will still be able to pick up your report card at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 29, 2009 in the auditorium.

Please note - If you need summer school, it will be indicated on the report card. The location of summer school 2009 for McKee students is at Curtis High School.

McKee Graduation - June 26, 2009

My 2nd graduation as principal on June 26, 2009 at the St. George Theater, and I just enjoy every part of the ceremony. I particularly relish the part where I say the words from the phrase that confers the candidates as graduates. The seniors have just finished singing the alma mater and senior song. Mr. Velija, our Assistant Principal of Organization, says the ephebic oath.

Next, they hear the words, "..you are now graduates..." and the students lose it. Their eyes shine, their heads shake, their hands are clapping, their smiles broaden even further in recognizing that this is the moment when they are young adults who are moving away from childhood and adolescence. There is a tidal wave of positive, electric energy that soars into the rafters and of course the mortarboards fly into the air to punctuate the emotion.

I love the energy.

We Bid A Fond Adieu to Six Seagulls

From left to right: Elena Extramiana (Spanish); Joyce Edel (Special Education); Judy Nock (Attendance); Joy Feldman (COSA, Math); Ida Campanella (Cosmetology); and Van Wilson (Automotive Technology).

How We Feel About McKee?

Mayor Koch used to say: "How am I doing?"

At McKee, just like in every school in the New York City Department of Education, the students, staff and parents weighed in on the question of "How is McKee Doing?"

Click here for the NYC School Survey 2008-2009 Report to find out the answer.

Drum Roll Please - Best Blogs of Spring 2009

Based on digital survey results, here are the standout blogs / websites from McKee High School:


Best Visual Design/Function
-Englishatmckee.com and mrpigis.blogspot.com (tied)
-Mckeepeermediation.blogspot.com
-sites.google.com/site/ralphrmckeelibrary
-mrs.kelly-history.blogspot.com

Best Content for Career & Technical Education Subjects
-mrpigis.blogspot.com
-rmcGill.blogspot.com
-Bpaneng.blogspot.com

Best Content for Academic Subjects
-mckeecoppi.blogspot.com
-mrjacobsblog.blogspot.com
-mrscott.blogspot.com
-monteleon.net
-Mckeeguidance.blogspot.com
-mrlucci.blogspot.com
-missesdonohuelab.blogspot.com
-mrhattonsblog.blogspot.com

Congratulations, keep up the good work. Happy summer. In fall 2009, the blogs, like the teachers will be refreshed.

Applause to P. S. 22's Appearance on GMA

Good Morning America was bowled over with the sweet voices of P.S. 22 on Monday, June 22, 2009. Check it out on the P.S. 22 blog. It is a testament to the power of music.

A Story of Inspiration: Khadijah Williams

I just finished reading a compelling story covered in the Los Angeles Times about a homeless teenager who managed to survive the mean streets of South Central. She graduated 4th in her class, with the help of altruistic counselors, teachers and mentors; and will be attending Harvard in the fall of 2009.
Click here for the article: From Homeless to Harvard.