Monday news & updates
Rattler Educator News & Info
April | 4.13.2020
College of Education, the cornerstone for educators, the future of tomorrow...
Today's Highlights
  • Hill Chat Live- Happening Today
  • COE STRIKE Online Teacher Webinar
  • Zoom Apple Pinning Ceremony
  • Undecided Freshmen Engagement- Faculty & Students Needed
  • Tips for Professors During COVID-19
  • Free Your Mind Friday with Dr. Michelle Mitcham
  • Faculty Spotlight of the Week | Dr. Hassiem Kambui
  • Staff Spotlight of the Week | Dr. Alice Scruggs
  • Alumni Spotlight
  • Two COE Faculty Selected for Key Roles | Pitts Bannister & Platt
  • All-American Athlete Re-post
  • FAMU DRS Update
  • Let's Recognize our COE Team
  • COVID-19 and S/U Grading FAQ's Look for More Info on our webpage
  • COE Cares
Hill Chat- Live at Five on Monday, April 13th
Click here for the direct Zoom link.
Melvin Middleton | STRIKE Series
Zoom Apple Pinning Ceremony | Scheduled Times
Save the Dates - Virtual Apple Pinning Ceremony
Wednesday, April 15th | Rehearsal for all participants | 11:00 am - 12:30 pm  | Zoom ID: 598-302-239

Wednesday, April 22nd | Rehearsal for all participants | 11:00 am - 12:30 pm  | Zoom ID: 882-624-506

Friday, May 1st | COE Apple Pinning Ceremony | 10:00 am - 12:30 pm  | Zoom ID: 622-300-814
Undecided Freshman Student Engagement
Faculty Friday moved to "Major Key" Virtual Meetup
The in-person Faculty Friday events for undecided freshmen has been moved to a virtual "Major Key" meet and greet session on Thursday, April 16th at 4 p.m. The goal is to provide a space where undecided freshman can interact with faculty and students from a variety of departments and help them decide on a major before the beginning of fall.

The College of Education is looking for representatives, faculty and upper class students, to participate as panelists for your respective degree program. This is a great opportunity for us to show our COE pride!

Handout | FAMU Business Hours & Safety Measures
FAMU Guidance in Response to a Safer Home Handout
Please see the attached document for information about FAMU business hours and campus operations.

Zoom Support for Working in Isolation Presentation Proposal
Dr. Michelle Mitcham will be presenting a wellness event proposal this Friday via Zoom for our COE faculty and staff members. The focus will be on navigating remote instruction in a wholesome way. Thank you Dr. Mitcham for arranging this proposal!

Date: April 17th
Time: 2:00 p.m.

Click here for the direct Zoom link

Meeting ID: 991 518 3715
Password: COE41720
Professors: tips during COVID-19
Professor Shares Tips on How Faculty Can Navigate COVID-19
With the many changes in our school system it can be difficult for teachers to balance new guidelines and creating an environment for students to learn. Ramon Goings, PhD and professor, knows this struggle and shares tips on how faculty can navigate COVID-19 and support their students in a recent article post on the Interfolio blog forum.

Free Your Mind Friday | Live Mental Health Webinar
Faculty Spotlight | Dr. Hassiem Kambui
Dr. Kambui is dedicated to advocating for the healing power of counseling to be used all over the world. He is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), Qualified Supervisor (FL), Licensed School Counselor (NC), Certified School Counselor (FL), and a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) through the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC).  Dr. Kambui is board certified by NBCC, as a Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC) and an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS).  
 
Growing up in a military family and predominantly in Hawaii, Dr. Kambui has a unique appreciation for diversity and a passion for inclusion,  which connects with his  appreciation for family values. He attributes his strong sense of inclusion, family values, respect for others and love of various cultures to his strong mother, a career military professional and role model. These values have invariably influenced Dr. Kambui’s thematic research agenda and trajectory.
 
Dr. Kambui has been involved in research initiatives locally, nationally, and internationally, to include Florida, North Carolina, Ghana, West Africa, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia.  Dr. Kambui has been involved at local and national levels, as a board member of the Florida Mental Health Counselor Association (FMHCA) and as a multi-stakeholder consultant. 
 
When asked about his Why? Dr. Kambui shared that he does what he does because he enjoys cultivating the skills of diverse students who will make a difference and make an impact in the global, multicultural community.  To that end, Dr. Kambui truly believes that he is a small part of FAMU’s greater vision of empowering students to compete and be change agents in our diverse global society. This African proverb captures his inspiration, “I am because we are.”
Staff Spotlight | Dr. Alice Scruggs
Here are a few highlights from or staff member of the week Dr. Alice Scruggs!

How do you see your role in the College of Education?
I believe my role in the College is someone who is resourceful and knowledgeable because of the number of years that I have been at Florida A&M University. Resourceful in terms of knowing people from many departments, colleges and schools and my interaction with them with administration, staff, and students. My knowledge is rather broad since I have been at FAMU since 1981 up until the present. Since I have been here for many years, I have encountered many people and have learned who I can contact and if someone needs to know a bit of information, I am able to direct them.

What is one of your favorite student interactions this year within the COE?
I have not had the privilege to really interact with students this year mainly because I had been on Family Medical Leave and had not been associated with any students.

What do you like to do in your leisure time?
Sell Paparazzi jewelry, spend time with friends and when I am able to, and watch television.

What is a unique skill you have that no one would ever guess about you?
I have technical skills (was a owner and operator of a hair salon/licensed cosmetologist and a nail technician/) along with organizational skills.
Faculty Member Highlights
FAMU Advance Faculty Fellow Program
Congratulations to Dr. Vanessa Pitts Bannister in being selected for the FAMU, National Science Foundation, Advance Faculty Fellows Program. This program is an important part of FAMU and contributes to understanding and narrowing the gender inequities among faculty, specifically in STEM fields.
Judging the State Contest
Dr. Samuel Platt has been selected to serve as a judge in the Florida History Day contest. This contest showcases the historical knowledge of middle and high school students and is an exciting opportunity to be a part of. Congrats Dr. Platt!
Alumni Spotlight
Welcoming our 2020 John Smartt Intern | Tiyana Herring
Tiyana Herring received her B.A. in Elementary Education from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) in 2018. She has recently been accepted into the School Psychology Ed.S program at Florida State University. Aside from early literacy intervention, her research interests include early numeracy intervention, access to technology for educational and social equity, and classroom dynamics and learning environments. She is also a Thurgood Marshall College Fund Teacher Quality and Retention Program Fellow, a program designed to assist with developing and demonstrating research-based educational practices and help teachers analyze current educational policy.

As a school psychologist, she plans to aid schools assess and diagnose students who require special education accommodations, help teachers implement academic and behavior interventions, and help raise awareness to parents and communities about educational resources and mental health. She one day plans to open her own private practice. Currently, she is a 5th grade math and science teacher. When she isn’t in her classroom, she loves to read, be with family and friends, and support Rattler football!

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To learn more about the John Smartt Internship click here. Congratulations Tiyana on all of your accomplishments!

Contents of this article were originally published by Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions (CMSI).
All-American Athlete | Re-post Story
Note from the editor- There was an error in the previously published All-American Athlete article. Since then, corrections have been made and I am excited to share this story once again.
All-American Athlete
Brian Kiprop was announced the 2020 All-American Athlete by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Kiprop runs cross country in addition to being a go-getting student here at FAMU. Dr. Brian Hickey of our Health, Physical Education and Recreation program, said he nominated Kiprop for the award " based on his dedication to strength training in addition to his running, his academic work and his willingness to learn applied exercise science".

Congratulations to the Brian Kiprop for his hard work in and out of the classroom. Read more about the All-American Athlete Award  here.
Dr. Brian Hickey (left), Brian Kiprop (right)
FAMU DRS Update
A Message from Superintendent Micheal Johnson
FAMU Developmental Research School has been working diligently to ensure a smooth transition for parents and students for the remainder of the school term. To read the most up-to-date information regarding meal distribution, student learning, refunds and graduation please click here.
Let's Recognize our COE Team
Send a one or two sentence kudos to a student, faculty, staff team member or FAMU team member to brighten our unit during this time of uncertainty. We could all use a little sunshine to brighten our day! We will post the updates on our social media!

Use the link below to access the form.
Send Us Your Selfies
COE Photo Collage of Online Teaching | Send Us Your Selfie
COE family, we want to share all that you are doing to engage your students. Please send selfies of you in your Zoom or Blackboard Collaborate Classroom, you prepping for class, or your students. We will feature photos in a creative collage and post them on our social media. We need to show others how we continuously demonstrate, "Excellence with Caring". Ms. Bryant is developing a "Rattler Educators Keep STRIKING" campaign to push the momentum for our students. Send us your photos to [email protected]
Faculty Reminders | Important Messages
Posting Grades on Blackboard
Faculty, please make sure you maintain up-to-date grades in Blackboard. This is a crucial time for our students and we want to enable them to make the best decision in regards to the new grading policy. Thank you faculty for supporting our students!
Need Help? Online Resources For You
Monday Wishes Links with All Documents
Please click here to be redirected to our web page with all of the past Monday Wishes newsletters. All links and attachments within the newsletters are active.

Thank you Ms. Andreka Bryant for putting together the web page!
Student Reminders
Take the NSSE Survey

Students please check your emails to complete the National Survey of Student Engagement. Students will have the opportunity to win one of fifteen prizes, including a $100 gift card!

ATTENTION Student Scholarship Portal is Now Open

The scholarship application window is April 15 through June 30, 2020, please encourage your students to apply.

Visit our website or the foundation site to learn more. There will be an essay component and an area where students will need to request recommendations. Please encourage this in each of your classes.
COE Cares!
Candidate Empowerment Center | Zoom Online Tutoring Sessions
April Dates for Zoom Tutoring
Please use the March calendar as a reference for April tutoring sessions. It is the set schedule for the spring semester.
College of Education | STRIKE Vision Plan
S |   STRATEGIC INITIATIVES - The FAMU COE will align closely with the university vision and mission to implement programs designed to increase academic achievement across undergraduate and graduate programs. Increase the teacher pipeline by partnering with our local districts and those across the state.
T |   TRUST -  The FAMU COE will build trust and offer transparency to our internal campus community and external school and community partners. We will build programs and engage others with truthful and meaningful practices.
R |   RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION -  Recruitment and Retention | The FAMU COE will tackle the national and state teacher shortage crisis and implement new strategies to recruit and retain teacher education majors. We will grow our graduate programs and be proactive in identifying the needs and gaps in state certification and test achievement. We will create pathways for gains from our education candidates and follow them into successful careers.
I |   INNOVATION AND RESEARCH -  The FAMU COE will create innovative and immersive learning experiences for our learners will promoting a solid research agenda and providing rich research expertise. We will provide rich teaching and learning with immersive technology for undergraduate and graduate programs.
K |  K-20 SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS -  The FAMU COE will work closely as a key partner with FAMU DRS and surrounding county schools to identify the needs of the educational community and utilize our faculty, staff, and students to meet those needs.
E |   ENGAGEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY, THE STATE AND THE NATION -  The FAMU COE will increase the number of privately funded scholarships to support our students and faculty by promoting our programs and creating forums for exposure and visibility.
Text to Give to the College of Education
TEXT FAMUCOE TO 41444