New York State Education Department_ Knowledge_ Skill_ Opportunity
News and Notes
Dear Colleagues,

Happy National Principals Month! I'd like to extend an enthusiastic thank you to all principals for your hard work and leadership to support your schools, teachers, and students. All month, we are recognizing principals on  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow along with us!

graduates holding diplomas
This week, the Board of Regents continued its discussion about New York State high school graduation measures. The ultimate goal is to reaffirm what it means to obtain a diploma in New York State and what that diploma should signify to ensure educational excellence and equity for all students.

The three phases of the graduation measures review include:

Phase I: Information Gathering (November 2019 - February 2020)
  • Regional Workgroups
  • Regional Stakeholder Feedback on Guiding Questions
  • Review of Research and Practices in Other States
Phase II: Blue Ribbon Commission (March 2020 - Spring 2021)
  • Blue Ribbon Commission Meets and Develops Recommendations
Phase III: Regents Discussion (Fall 2021)
  • Board of Regents Presentation and Policy Discussion
Our new Graduation Measures web page provides information about the review process and a link to subscribe for updates . Keep checking back; we will continue to add more details. The specific dates and locations of the Regional Workgroup meetings, which will take place between November 2019 - January 2020, will be added as they become available.

Below are updates on:
11New York State Archives Announces 2019 Student Research Awards Winners

This week, the New York State Archives and the Archives Partnership Trust announced the winners of the 2019 Student Research Awards. This annual awards program is a statewide competition open to all New York State students in grades 4-12. The awards recognize excellence in student research and encourage students to explore the wealth of historical records held in cultural institutions and records repositories across New York State.

At a ceremony this week in Saratoga, Regent Roger Tilles presented students with New York State Archives Student Research Awards for their use of historical records in research projects.

Palmyra-Macedon Intermediate School students
Students from Palmyra-Macedon Intermediate School
Celina Alicea, Ava Burgess, Cormac Denniton, Keira Donaher, Gavin Henning, Jonas Henley, Evelyn Frick, Lura Kersbergen, Megann Lada, and Savannah Langenfeld from Palmyra-Macedon Intermediate School in the Palmyra-Macedon Central School District won the NYS Archives Award for Student Research Using Historical Records, Grades 4-5! Under the direction of their teacher, Karin Thomas, the students created a website detailing the influence of the Phelps family on the community of Palmyra.

Eva Goldfinger from Ramaz Middle School
Eva Goldfinger from Ramaz Middle School
Eva Goldfinger from Ramaz Middle School in New York City won the NYS Archives Award for Student Research Using Historical Records, Grades 6-8! Under the direction of her teacher, Judy Sokolow, Eva wrote a research paper about the role of the Va'ad ha-Hatzalah in the rescue of Jews during World War II.

For the first time, three winners are recipients of the high school category awards. Although unprecedented, the judges strongly felt each of the winning projects were exceptionally exemplary and all deserving of recognition.

Ashley Vincenzo from The Wheatley School in East Williston Union Free School District won first place in the high school category (Grades 9-12). Under the direction of her teacher, Jo Beth Roberts, Ashley researched how the coup staged by the United States and Great Britain to remove the Iranian Premier in 1953 led to poor relations between the U.S. and Iran.

Aarya Ayarnial, Abhinav Goyal, Aditya Lodha, and Prameet Shuh from Herricks High School in Herricks Union Free School District won second place in the high school category. Under the direction of their teacher, Melissa Jacobs, the students researched the history of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and the Z.O.B. (Jewish Fighting Organization) as an example of resistance against Hitler. 

Rahul Ajmera from The Wheatley School in East Williston Union Free School District won third place in the high school category. Under the direction of his teacher, Jo Beth Roberts, Rahul researched the protest by Jewish women against a raise in kosher meat prices in 1902.

Toni Stevens-Oliver_ 4th grade teacher at Thornell Road Elementary School in the Pittsford Central School District
Toni Stevens-Oliver, fourth grade teacher from Pittsford Central School District
In addition, the Archives honored Toni Stevens-Oliver, fourth grade teacher at Thornell Road Elementary School in Pittsford Central School District, with the 2019 Bruce W. Dearstyne Archives Award for Excellence in the Educational Use of Historical Records. Toni's knowledge and enthusiasm for learning and her ability to create lasting community collaborations has helped her students understand the importance of community and regional history, why historical records are important, where to find these records, and how to incorporate them into their school work. The Archives also recognizes Toni for her successful efforts to encourage students to locate and use historical records from their local community and to participate in the State Archives Student Research Award program.

See the full list of awardees by visiting our website. Congratulations to all the winners!
3NYSED Participates in World Day of Bullying Prevention

NYSED staff recently joined Interim Commissioner Beth Berlin on the front steps of the State Education Building and stood together to end bullying and cyberbullying on World Day of Bullying Prevention. 

NYSED staff from our ACCES-VR Bronx, Buffalo, and Malone District Offices also participated.
4New York State My Brother's Keeper Program Now Accepting Grant Applications
MBK logo



5New York State My Brother's Keeper Community Network Reaches 25 Communities

happy student sitting on steps outside
The New York State My Brother's Keeper Community Network now includes 25 member communities. The program recently added connections with Peekskill and Monticello, the 24th and 25th communities to join the growing initiative to improve outcomes for boys and young men of color.
 


2New York State Physical Education Learning Standards

happy students running outside in the grass
NYSED is currently seeking feedback on the draft of the revised New York State Physical Education Learning Standards. We are accepting feedback via survey through Friday, November 1, 2019. 

119 New York State Schools Honored in National Blue Ribbon Schools Program

Congratulations to New York's 19 National Blue Ribbon Schools announced recently by the U.S. Department of Education! The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools where students achieve very high learning standards or are making notable improvements in closing the achievement gap.

6First Issue of New York History Journal Published

New York History Journal logo
The first issue of the New York History journal has been published under a new collaboration between the New York State Museum and Cornell University Press. Published twice a year, the scholarly journal presents articles regarding New York State history as well as reviews of books, exhibitions, and media projects with a New York focus.

A recurring article in New York History journal will be "Teach NY," a feature intended for history teachers at either the middle or high school level or university professors. Content will include lessons plans, utilizing primary source materials in a classroom setting, or using multimedia or new technology to teach history.

7National Disability Employment Awareness Month

The Right Talent_ Right Now_ National Disability Employment Awareness Month _NDEAM_
Throughout October, NYSED is celebrating   National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), an annual campaign to educate the public about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of workers with disabilities. NYSED's Office of Adult Career and Continuing Education Services (ACCES), with the help of several partner organizations, are holding events across the state to recognize businesses that do an outstanding job of employing individuals with disabilities. This year's NDEAM theme is "The Right Talent, Right Now."

Sams Club, A+ Towel & Linen Supply, Grandaisy Bakery, Lone Maple Farm, and Buffalo Grave Tenders are the five statewide NDEAM winners this year. Congratulations!
9 Community Schools Webinar Series

Practical Use of Implementation Science to Meet your Community School_s goals
Wondering how to build capacity for Social Emotional Le arning, restorative practices, or other school district and agency initiatives? Need practical and easy-to-use tools to enhance your community school approach? Looking to better align and integrate your current programs and services?

Register for this free webinar series with Caryn Ward, PhD, to learn how effective and active implementation strategies can be used to enhance your community schools approach through the use of case examples and data stories:

Practical Use of Implementation Science to Meet Your Community School's Goals
Caryn Ward, PhD, is Director, State Implementation & Scaling Up Center of Evidence Based Practices (SISEP); Associate Director, Education & Measurement National Implementation Research Network at UNC Chapel Hill.
10"Brain Food for the Curious" Lunchtime Talks at the State Museum
Brain Food for the Curious

New York State Museum historians and scientists will share their knowledge and research in a series of lunchtime talks this fall and winter. " Brain Food for the Curious" will be held on select Tuesdays from October through March, from 12:10 - 12:40 p.m., in the Huxley Theater.
 
Each program includes a 20-minute talk with a State Museum historian or scientist followed by a question-and-answer period. Attendees are encouraged to bring their lunch.

STAY CONNECTED: