Progress reports are currently being handed out in class, they are to be signed and returned to me. ===>I have created a Van Wyck Global Exchange. Students are making entries from Spain, France, and Brazil. If you would like to post entries and/or comments ask me for a username and password. I am moderating all entries. Use your first name only when you add a posting. I am sure you will enjoy your exchanges! +++>Mrs. Basuljevic and I started a "Virtual Literature Circle" wiki/blog in the 2008-2009 school year. We are planning to continue reading this year so, if you are interested let either one of us know. Parents and other staff members are encouraged to read along with us as well. This was an enriching experience for all participants and we encourage you to give it a try! Additional class information: 1) if you have an email address I am happy to correspond! 2) the librarian was in the lab for a few days discussing copyright and plagiarism, as well as, how to use the district online resources for research. 3) software applications are Microsoft products; Photostory, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word. We also use Inspiration and when time allows Thinking Maps software. 4) we will start our correspondence to pen pals from countries around the world. 5) first vocabulary test will be Tuseday Dec 8th. 6) Digital storytelling projects, worth 100 points, have been started and are due the week of Dec 21st. 9) PowerPoint projects, worth 100 points, will be due at the end of the quarter. Also, please reinforce with your student that the Internet access at school is for research and educational purposes only. We do have restrictions for most of the known inappropriate sites. I would prefer not to spend the class time reminding students they should not be using email, listening to music or watching music videos. I have been instructed to write referrals for any student who abuses their Internet access. If it continues then access will be denied here at school. Thanking you in advance for your cooperation, communications and efforts. Mrs. Guerrette 2008-2009 Smitnsonian Art Museum Washington, DC Combined computer application and art classes participated in a video- conference session with the museum. Skype exchanges with Brazil Cultural and community information exchanges took place. 2007-2008 Planet Focus exhanges with Altario School, Canada. Students shared information on endangered species, going green, and other environmental issues. 2005-2006 A visit to Atlanta, Georgia It’s not often in the junior high that we can impress our students or get them to be excited about a lesson but there was excitement in the air on January 26 at Van Wyck. The reason for all the talk in the halls was because the Computer Applications classes took place at the Sprint building in Atlanta, Georgia. We were not on a field trip. We were videoconferencing. After reading a recent article in Educational Leadership the words “technology-rich work environment in which many students will find themselves after graduation” sparked an idea to introduce my students to some new technology that I had just learned how to use. Through the help of Paul Rubeo (WCSD technology teacher), Gil Perez (Sprint technology), Lori Croushore (WCSD parent), Rudy Accardi (Dutchess BOCES) and the Polycom Viewstation this “trip” became a reality. Before our videoconference began our class used Google maps (an internet map tool) to see the distances between New York and Georgia. We also noted the location of Atlanta within the state of Georgia. After the technology equipment and all parties were introduced Mr. Perez took us on a tour. He began with the Sprint rooftop camera, which gave us a 360º view of the surrounding area. In the distance we could see Kennesaw Mountain and then downtown Atlanta. With the help of the zoom feature we got a closer look at the Atlanta skyline. There were some cynics in the group who thought it was the NYC skyline so Mr. Perez gave us all a closer look at the Georgian White Pines. The rest of the tour took us through corporate conference rooms, hallways, and even the dining room. Mr. Perez talked about uses of videoconferencing for Sprint, job opportunities in this “technology-rich work environment,” the importance of continuing their education, and he even showed us a Sprint commercial. There was even some time to allow for student questions, which Mr. Perez was so gracious to answer as many as time allowed. Many thanks from me to all of those who helped to make this possible. Since our first attempt was such a great learning experience we are planning ways to integrate videoconferencing into other projects. In the future we hope to acquire more videoconferencing equipment so that students will be able to make presentations to government or business people as well as children in other schools. They will also be able to hear more from experts like Gil Perez.