Leaders play a critical role in the implementation of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in schools.  As a reminder, there are 5 competencies of SEL, they are as follows; self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and decision making.  Several leaders from around the region gathered on March 10th to spend the day with Dr. Maurice Elias of Rutgers University to learn about just how significant their role is in the task of prioritizing and expanding SEL in our area schools.   
 
Although SEL has been an educational priority for decades, attention to such learning has increased a great deal recently.  Why?   One reason is the mounting scientific evidence that proposes that SEL skills play a vital role in success in school and life beyond school, including one’s ability to understand and manage their emotions.  Throughout the day, school leaders reflected on the significant impact that mental health and trauma have had on their students, families and communities, as well as the urgent need for SEL within the context of the school day. Additionally, interpersonal skills are in high demand from businesses around the world.  Employers want people that are able to communicate and interact well with others.

So what do school leaders need for effective SEL leadership?  First and foremost, they themselves must possess or improve upon their own SEL skills and SEL leadership skills.  In the words of Dr. Elias, “The future of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Social Emotional Character Development (SECD) depends more than ever on the quality of leadership within schools and school districts, both generally and as focused on SEL/SECD.” Additionally, a clear vision, an understanding of the interrelationship between school climate and SEL, a current climate assessment, the ability to manage improvement/change initiatives and finally, the ability to inspire.

Despite all of the learning that took place around the leadership role of comprehensive SEL implementation in early March, our leaders collectively realized that while we have many strengths in this area, we have work to do.  No improvement initiative is simple, it cannot be remedied with a “quick fix,” it takes time and persistence.  Some of the actionable goals for leaders that are vital, include, infrastructure development, school identity clarification integration, climate/culture/skills assessments, promotion of student voice, connection to existing mandates and making connections with schools/districts that are “walking the walk.” 

We look forward to facilitating meaningful, collaborative experiences that center around SEL Leadership and Implementation to continue the necessary steps towards improvement.  Together, we must guarantee that students are in a positive school climate and will systemically learn social-emotional competencies and character virtues essential for life, this cannot be optional.

By: Katie Mendell, CA BOCES Community Schools

​What do you see in this picture? 

​A leaf? What happens when we get closer? 

3rd Grade students at Salamanca Prospect were able to get a closer look to a assortment of natural items. Acting like scientists, the students given a tool (Jewelers Loupe) and were presented with the task of trying to discover the different and natural ways things form. Students generated conversations as to how this could hurt or benefit that natural item. In the process of investigating and exploring, students uncovered that this work is being done in the real world by scientists and researchers and it’s called Biomimicry. 

In the process, students were able to appreciate how nature has an extraordinarily effective way of surviving and functioning.  Scientist are trying to harness that understanding to put it to use on our design and production of materials, structures, and systems.

Looking at our leaf, scientists have uncovered in their research that the way a leaf is constructed, can make fluid or electricity may flow much more effectively through a system. Can you think about how this can be used in a manmade system?
​
This is just one of the many Environmental Science programs that CA BOCES has to offer! For more information on this program or others available to you through Environmental Science please feel free to contact Lance Feuchter at (716) 376-8379 or [email protected].
 
By: Lance Feuchter, CA BOCES Learning Resources

Wow!  That’s about all I can say.  

Our ISS team has been working around the clock to be “part of the solution” as our districts  work to provide home instruction to students.  We quickly realized we could help our region prepare for home instruction by doing what we do best, providing online professional development to regional educators.   

Over the past eight days, we have convened job-alike educators in online sessions (viz Zoom technology) to share how districts will provide home instruction, to learn new methods and technology tools, and to serve as a "support group" for teachers who are, like their students, trying to make sense of what is happening in our world.
 
Our first sessions were packed with teachers working from home.  And each day since, attendance has grown.  So far, 2,641 participants have signed into sessions!

Working online has been so very rewarding.  Our facilitators “passed the mic” to almost every teacher to build community with a large groups of strangers.  It has been amazing to see our region at kitchen tables and in living rooms trying to take a step forward…and, as you know, any step forward right now feels so good.  We have heard time after time the resolve that teachers have to attempt to connect with their students and to continue their learning.  It has been so inspiring. 

Our support will continue through this journey with new sessions starting on Tuesday (3/31).  Contact your local administrator for our session schedule and connection information.  

By:  Tim Cox, CA BOCES ISS

Teachers and students in the Cattaraugus and Allegany County region have all-access to many high-quality online resources.  Check out our guide.  All resources can be accessed at http://resources.caboces.org  Contact anyone on our team for username and password assistance.  

It seems so much of our world has gone online and so many of us are using Zoom more than ever before.  With that in mind, I thought it would be helpful to share some of Zoom’s security features so that any of your hosted meetings are as secure as you’d like them to be. 

• Let’s start with YOUR account:  I recommend obtaining your Zoom account through CA BOCES because we provide licenses included within our DL COSER…so you might as well get your money’s worth.  Anyone can go to Zoom directly and sign up for a “free” account, but those accounts come with limitations and we can’t support them locally.  If you obtain your account through CA BOCES, we CAN support you locally AND we know they’re always encrypted (there should be a little green lock icon in the upper left corner of your meeting rooms – this means your meeting is encrypted).  There is a wonderful Tech and DL team that is VERY responsive too!  Contact anyone on the team at anytime!  You can tell if your account is running through BOCES in a couple different way.  Ways to tell if your account is through BOCES:
  • Email Carrie Oliver ([email protected]).  She can see all accounts and she will let you know.
  • OR - When YOU schedule meetings, the link will always look something like this: “https://E2CCB-GST.zoom.us/xxxxxxxx”.  If it doesn’t have “E2CCB-GST” in the link…your account is directly through Zoom and is NOT a local account.  Email Carrie Oliver and she can set you with a local account. 
• Explore your Zoom security settings in YOUR account:  You can explore various Zoom security settings that are possible with Zoom accounts so your hosted meetings are as “open” or as “locked down” as you’d like them to be.  To explore how your account is set up and to make changes to your account, follow these quick steps:
  • From a computer, on an internet browser go to https://zoom.us (you can check some of these settings on a mobile device but things will look different).
  • Click on “SIGN IN” located in the upper right corner of the screen.
  • Sign in with your Zoom account credentials.
  • You will see several menu options down the left side of the screen.  To review security settings, click on “Settings”.
  • Once on the “Settings” screen you will see a list of features you can enable or disable to personally design features for meetings YOU initiate or host.   
  • Settings you may want to consider: 
    • Host Video and Participant Video Settings – Enabling either of these features will automatically show video upon meeting entry, rather than manually starting video. 
    • Join Before Host – Disabling this feature will not allow participants to gather in a meeting room until you arrive and begin the meeting. 
    • Various Password Settings – Consider using required passwords so only those with required passwords can access your meetings.  Remember, open meetings use links and anyone can access your meeting if they have or obtain the link.  
    • Mute Participants Upon Entry – Enabling this feature will automatically mute incoming participants to your meetings and you can control any participant’s ability to speak. 
    • Private Chat – You may want to disable private chat.  Doing this may allow participants to focus on the reason for your meeting rather than back-channel chats that you have no ability to see.  There is NO way for the host to access private chat messages. 
    • Allow Host to Put Attendee On Hold – This feature is always on and allows you, as the host, to remove any participant from your meeting. 
    • Allow Removed Participants to Rejoin – Enabling this feature will allow previously removed participants to rejoin your meeting.  You may want to disenable this feature so removed participants CANNOT rejoin your meeting if they’ve been removed.
    • Waiting Room – Enabling this feature will create a virtual waiting room for your meetings where you, as the host, must individually admit participants into your meeting. 

 
There are many settings worth exploring.  And, there is a great team of people that can help you navigate these features.  Feel free to reach out to anyone on our team for assistance:

• Amy, Windus, Program Manager   [email protected]
• Karen Insley, Coordinator  [email protected]
• Carrie Oliver, Technical and Support Specialist  [email protected]           
• Nate Malick, Technician  [email protected]
• Mike Meyers, Technician  [email protected]

​By Tim Cox, CA BOCES ISS

​Did you know that as a part of the Distance Learning CoSer, you have access to 200+ K-12 virtual field trips already scheduled and most are recorded? These virtual field trips are from top fee-based providers scheduled out in advance for you to register for using your school email address. How amazing is that? All you need is a computer with internet access, smartboard or projector, and speakers. Set up is easy! 

FieldTrip Zoom Zone is the live event calendar where you “tune into” live educational broadcast with many other classrooms and interact in real time via the chatbox feature in zoom. How do you access Fieldtrip Zoom? Just follow the simple steps below:

Step 1: Register Your Account

1.  Go to www.fieldtripzoom.com and register your account. Click Free Sign-Up.
2.  Click Register, and an email will be sent to your email address where you will click on it to “activate” your account. Please use your school email address.
3.  Next go back to www.fieldtripzoom.com and Log In to your account. Once logged in you will be asked to complete your profile. This is a one-time set up of your profile.

Step 2: Find Your Live Event
Once logged in, you can navigate to your FieldTrip Zoom Zone calendar of subject areas. Also, you can search for programs by grade range and subject area by clicking from the search menu. Click on any subject area to expand to the program details.
**Make sure you are in the Zone calendar (not class) when booking events.**
Zone Calendar
Step 3: Book Your Event

1. Click on the BOOK button to schedule a program. An email will be sent to your email address with the information to connect to the program.
2. Save the email or add the program to your Google Calendar.
3. You do not have to cancel the event if you cannot attend it. You can view the recording at a later date.
4. You can access the recorded sessions under Zone Recordings.

​Check out the upcoming events for March on FieldTrip Zoom:
https://www.smore.com/3pzbf-field-trip-zoom-zone-march-events
For questions or assistance with Fieldtrip zoom zone, please contact Carrie Oliver.

To see a preview of what the FieldTrip zoom events look like, check out this recorded session: ​https://player.vimeo.com/video/393456875

By: Carrie Oliver, CA BOCES Learning Resources