Happy Teacher Appreciation Week May 6-10. Arno is so lucky to have top talented teachers to help our kids excel each and every day!
I am so proud of the work that you all do here to make a better tomorrow for all of our kids!
Coming soon to Arno…
May 2
Cougar Cash Lunch (Steve)
6th Grade Orientation 10:30
ALICE Final drill (Lock down, evac walking to and past the church) 1:30
PTA Meeting 6:30
May 3
ER 11:30 Teacher PD
May 6-10
Teacher Appreciation Week!
May 7
3/4 ELA M-STEP
Super Cougar Lunch
Communication/Attendance 8:00
May 8
5th Grade Jan Richardson testing
PBIS 8:00
Reading 8:00
May 9
Teacher/Staff Appreciation Lunch 11:00-12:00
Bid pool 4:00
May 10
2nd Grade Metro Parks
May 13
3rd Grade JR
Kindergarten Roundup 6:30
May 14
Ad Council 9:30
May 15
2nd Grade JR
3rd grade Metro Parks
SIP 8:00
PBIS District Meeting 1:30
May 16
1st Grade JR
Safety Committee 9:30
May 17
4th Grade Metro Parks
May 21
4th Grade JR
Knudsen Cougar Lunch 11:15
May 22
5th Grade HIV Lesson
Kindergarten JR
Kindergarten Metro Parks
Math 8:00
May 23
1st Grade Metro Parks
5th Grade Puberty Lesson
Staff Meeting 7:45
May 24-27
No School- Memorial Day
May 29
5th Grade Metro Parks
Cougar Cash Lunch (Steve)
Warneck/Harrison to Roosevelt Lanes
May 30
SPED to APMS
Final Teacher Data Day
SEL 8:00
May 31
Kindergarten to Zoo
Mentor Celebration
NWEA Celebration Assembly
ARNO MISSION
ARNO ELEMENTARY…INSPIRING STUDENTS TOWARD ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE.
ARNO VISION
ARNO ELEMENTARY PROVIDES A SUPPORTIVE HIGH QUALITY ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE TO INSPIRE ALL LEARNERS TO ACHIEVE THEIR PERSONAL BEST.
ARNO COLLECTIVE COMMITMENTS
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Academics are student-centered, which allow for various learning styles to showcase student achievement.
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We will develop and maintain a positive, respectful relationship with each student by using flexibility and adaptability to meet individual needs
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We will foster safe learning environments that allow students the opportunity to establish a growth mindset
Staff Appreciation Lunch
The staff appreciation lunch will be on May 9th this year from 11:00-12:00 in the Arno Ballroom. Please see the link below for a copy of the hour lunch schedule. The PTA will have many goodies throughout the week as we celebrate all of our wonderful Arno staff!
Staff Appreciation Lunch
Committee Updates
PBIS: The team discussed our most current data and some planning to end the year.
Communication/Attendance: The Team discussed modifications to the current plan for attendance incentives.
SIP: The SIP has submitted our Title I documentation, and well as our MICIP goals for next school year
Math: Continued focus on the math website development
Reading:
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The majority of the staff have been trained in UFLI.
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Many teachers are dabbling in the UFLI program.
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Third- fifth grades are wrapping up all of their M-Step prep.
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Staff reminder: You can discard any and all past reading program materials.
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Summer reading program does not appear to achieve its intended goals. Perhaps a software subscription, ex. EPIC
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Discussed May P.D. pacing guides
SEL:
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For May we are discussing Compassion/Self-Compassion. As students are entering the testing season, it is critical for them to demonstrate self-compassion. Studies show that students who practice mindful breathing exercises reduce anxiety and perform better on exams.
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“The research about the effects of self-compassion are very similar to what we see about the effects of living a mindful lifestyle. There is less likelihood of anxiety, depression, and fear of failure – and greater reports of well-being, psychological health and overall life satisfaction.”
-Dr. Kristin Roush
May Assessments
In addition to the ever-popular M-STEP, we have our universal screening going on in May. NWEA is your choice of dates, Beth will let you know on FAST, and JR dates are below- this round is for all students.
Please continue to assess as needed so that your students are getting the proper small group lessons that they need for their current level.
5th Grade May 8
4th Grade May 21
3rd Grade May 13
2nd Grade May 15
1st Grade May 16
Kinder May 22
Teacher Data Meetings
Our data meeting of the year will be May 30 per the signup schedule. Please remember to bring copies of your final Jan Richardson testing documentation. We will be starting a new format in the fall that will include more in depth discussions on JR testing information.
May signup
FYI- PLEASE BE SURE THIS IS UP TO DATE
School Supply Lists are out and ready to go…
This year we are using Teacherlists.com to post all of our supplies. You can access the lists down below from the click-button, or you can access from our Arno site off the main APPS website. This feature also allows you to choose a store, if you wish, which auto sets up the list for purchase and lets you finish the process without ever setting foot in a store.
https://www.teacherlists.com/schools/31210-arno-elementary-school
SUPPLIES
If you have special requests for supplies, please get them to Cathy by Wednesday, June 12
Class Lists 2024-2025
If you can believe it, time to start thinking about those lists for next year. We will meet with the entire SPED team and grade levels on Tuesday, June 11.
Class List Schedule
12:45-1:00- Kindergarten
1:05-1:20- 1st grade
1:25-1:40- 2nd grade
1:45-2:00- 3rd grade
2:05-2:20- 4th grade
Class List Folder
FINAL EVAL MEETINGS/DATA MEETINGS
We will have our combined final eval and final data meeting together on June 10. If we are unable to finish while we wait for final data, then I will schedule something separate with you to wrap this all up.
Final Eval Schedule
End of the year Checklist
Please be sure to check out with Cathy before leaving on the last day
Checklist
SENIOR CLAP OUT
Please mark your calendars for the Senior clap out on June 7 @1:30pm (ish). We will start at the 5th grade doors, and walkthrough to the main doors- Kindergarten can join in the main hallway.
Tech Time
AI Chatbots: Free for the Foreseeable Future
Since December 2022, we’ve seen a big shift in how we can teach, thanks to AI chatbots, also known as Large Language Models (LLMs). These are free tools that can transform teaching and learning so we’re all paying attention, right? You’re probably familiar with how these sophisticated systems, trained on huge datasets, can understand and generate text just like we do. ChatGPT started the trend, and now there are several others, each with their unique strengths. Since it’s likely you’re not as familiar with them, let’s take a quick dive into the LLMs that are currently available and what their advantages are.
ChatGPT: A Game Changer in Education
ChatGPT, from OpenAI, was THE pioneering AI chatbot, opening the doors to AI-assisted education… think “Khanmigo” and how amazing it was when you first saw the Khanmigo TED talk. It’s a star at creating relevant content and offers personalized help in language learning. The Chat-GPT 3.5 version is still available for free, although gaining access can be tricky as there are millions and millions of users around the world. And because its training set is currently cut off at January of 2022, according to ZDNet, it’s not great for current events.
Google’s Bard AI: Your Go-To for Up-to-Date Information
Google’s AI chatbot is Bard AI, although they may may call their rose by other names. Also free, it has the coolest trick up its sleeve – it integrates with Google Search, Workspace apps, and maybe even Classroom (if your admin allows it). Because its results can include contemporaneous information, Bard AI can supplement classroom instruction with accurate, up-to-date information, making it a potent tool for enhancing student research projects and broadening their understanding of complex topics. If you’re a Google user like I am, the infiltration and proliferation of Bard across the Googleverse is much anticipated, albeit somewhat slow…
>>Check out Richard Byrne’s video on using Bard for Quizzes:<<
Claude 2: Elevating Language Skills and More
Claude 2, Anthropic’s Ai Chatbot, is amazing for language arts and communication classes. It understands context and nuance, making it great for advanced language lessons and critical thinking. Founded by former Open AI developers, it may have a lower hallucination rate than other chatbots, possibly making it a little more reliable. Plus, it’s GDPR-compliant, which is a big win for privacy in the EU. Amazon is its biggest backer so developers can expect integrations across the AWS universe.
These AI chatbots/LLMs are giving rise to a whole class of products, often referred to as wrappers, that are rapidly offering targeted AI tools for many academic subjects and grade levels. Though wrapper tools may be free at this time, the companies behind these tools will have to make money at some point. Why? Because they have to pay to use Chat-GPT or Bard or Claude. >>Here’s one we wrote about<<
There are a couple of tools that are built on Chat-GPT that have strategic value to Open AI because they make its LLM smarter. There’s only one that is likely to remain free for the long haul, and that’s Bing Chat.
Bing Chat: Making Research Skills Fun
Bing Chat combines search engine smarts with AI conversation. This tool is perfect for teaching students how to research online, effectively and critically. Plus, it’s free and user-friendly. Microsoft is the largest backer of Open AI. That relationship paved the way for Bing Chat and continues to aid Open AI’s development.
AI Chatbots Are the Ultimate Free Toolbox for Educators
All these chatbots share some cool features that make our jobs as teachers exciting and efficient. They’re fantastic for creating content like lesson plans and quizzes and even tailoring materials for individual student needs. Plus, they’re great for suggesting resources, translating languages, and keeping us up-to-date with educational trends. And best of all, students are mesmerized by them.
Did you try an AI chatbot and think “meh”? It’s time to try them again. Learning to prompt these chatbots is the key to success. It is a skill that you have to develop, but you do so by spending time chatting with one and seeing how it responds. It really is mostly about time in the game, so start playing because… it’s really cool!
While wrapper tools are proliferating like bunnies, knowing how to work with the LLMs directly will enable you to incorporate AI into your teaching practice at no cost.
EduEase: A Free AI Quiz from Any PDF
Hey Educators, Check Out This Free AI Tool!
We’ve all been there – drowning in paperwork, lesson plans, and the never-ending quest to make our classes more engaging. Then comes another buzzword – AI in education. But before you roll your eyes about another technology you don’t have time to explore, hear me out. Because EduEase.ai is a real time-saver, and let’s face it, who among us isn’t looking for a shortcut now and then?
Generate a Quiz Off of Any PDF
EduEase is like that cool gadget you didn’t know you needed. You’ve got a PDF? Boom – it’s now a quiz. Sign up (for free, yay!), upload your PDF – and sit back. The AI does its thing and creates a multiple-choice quiz. No more late-night question framing!
Fast and Easy – Just How We Like It
This tool is speedy. In just a couple of minutes, you get an interactive quiz that you can give to your students online. This is great for those times when you need something quick for your class, like a low-stakes quiz to keep them on their toes.
A Pinch of Customization
Sure, the AI does most of the work, but you’re not totally hands-off. You can add your twist to the questions, tweak them a bit, or throw in a few of your own. And be sure to read over everything… because you never know when an hallucination might occur.
Share and Care
Once your quiz is ready, share the link with your students. Pop it into your LMS, send it via email, or however you like to communicate with your class. And there’s a preview option, so you can see what your students will experience beforehand.
The Real Talk – Pros and Cons
Okay, let’s break it down. EduEase isn’t perfect. The quizzes are multiple-choice only, which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Also, the grades don’t come in a super convenient format, and let’s be real, students could find many ways to cheat.
But here’s the good stuff – it’s a massive time-saver, it’s super easy to use (no need to become an AI expert), and it’s free – at least for now. It’s perfect for those quick, low-stakes quizzes you want to throw into your course without spending hours on them.
See It In Action
So, while it’s true that EduEase won’t revolutionize your teaching, it will give you a bit more time to breathe. And in your busy world, that’s a win. Watch Richard Byrne of Practical Ed Tech on his YouTube channel showing you how easy it is to get started.
