Back to School - Middle School - 2017

Page 2B • August 10, 2017 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Cimarron Middle School principal honored Cordell Ehrich, principal of Cimarron Middle School in Edmond, has been named the Digital Principal of the Year by the Oklahoma Association of Secondary School Principals (OASSP).

“Cordell Ehrich has provided visionary leadership, both at his own school site and across the district,” said Edmond School’s Superintendent Bret Towne. “He has very purposely led and inspired his teachers and peers to integrate technology in the pursuit of transformative learning.”

Ehrich led a collaborative effort involving the Parent Teacher Organization, teachers and staff members in training and creating a vision and goals for technology at Cimarron Middle School, including “bring your own device” (BYOD) practices for the staff and students.

Starting with a technology team of teachers, Ehrich led training on iPads and relevant apps available for all content areas.

The team then created a list of apps for the staff to use on the iPads when they were checked out for instruction. Prior to the start of school, teachers were trained on using instructional apps through hands-on guided practice.

Implementation of the technology plan at Cimarron Middle School has led to amazing results. “At the end of the year, we saw 35 percent growth for our struggling learners, an eight percent growth for advanced students in reading and a 45 percent increase in eighth-grade math scores on state tests,” Ehrich said. “We have continued to modify and evolve our implementation and use of the iPads in the school and have had increased growth in all of our student populations, resulting in a B+ Report Card grade last year.”

A few examples of the iPad uses include remediation with struggling learners using word recognition, phonetics and fluency applications, music writing and note recognition for music students, computation and calculation applications for math and a wide variety of other applications.

“There is much to admire in Cordell’s lead-

ership style, but as much as anything, I have grown to appreciate his patient, generous spirit of collaboration, especially when it comes to sharing his applications of instructional technology as a digital leader,” said Debbie Bendick, association superintendent for secondary education.

“Effectively using relevant technology for instruction and remediation is necessary for any school focused on improving results for children,” said award sponsor Jan Barrick, CEO of Alpha Plus Educational Systems in Oklahoma City.

“Clearly, Mr. Ehrich uses digital tools to make academic growth a priority at Cimarron, and we are inspired by his efforts.”

Ehrich was honored at the statewide Cooperative Council of School Administrators (CCOSA) Summer Conference June 7-8 at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center in Norman. He is now eligible to be a finalist for the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Digital Principal of the Year Award.

The Oklahoma Association of Secondary School Principals is under the umbrella of CCOSA, an incorporated non-profit organization which establishes close and continuous communication and cooperation between educators, taxpayers and legislators to improve the effectiveness of professional school administrators and to communicate the needs of the schools. CCOSA serves over 2800 superintendents, assistant superintendents, principals, special education directors and central office administrators.

Edmond Life & Leisure • August 10, 2017 • Page 3B

PHOTO BY ANNE SCHMIDT/EDMOND LIFE & LEISURE

Back to School Books Best of Books recommends For over 30 years, Best of Books has been Edmond’s go-to, family operated book store. From current best sellers to thrillers and romance Best of Books carries it all.

They are also known for their section of children’s books, which they have galore. Here are four picks from the staff at Best of Books that are great reads for middle-school-aged children:

Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers who Changed the World It's a scientific fact: Women rock!

A charmingly illustrated and educational book, New York Times best seller Women in Science highlights the contributions of fifty notable women to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from the ancient to the modern world. Full of striking, singular art, this fascinating collection also contains infographics about relevant topics such as lab equipment, rates of women currently working in STEM fields, and an illustrated scientific glossary. The trailblazing women profiled include wellknown figures like primatologist Jane Goodall, as well as lesser-known pioneers such as Katherine Johnson, the African-American physicist and mathematician who calculated the trajectory of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon.

Women in Science celebrates the achievements of the intrepid women who have paved the way for the next generation of female engineers, biologists, mathematicians, doctors, astronauts, physicists, and more!

-- BrainPickings - Best Science Books of the Year

continued on Page 4B

Page 4B • August 10, 2017 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Books

continued from Page 3B Circus Mirandus

Although his great-aunt Gertrudis gets angry at him for this, Micah believes in the stories that Grandfather Ephraim tells him about the Circus Mirandus. A place where there is an invisible tiger, a beautiful birdwoman, and the most powerful magician in the world, Circus Mirandus by The Man Who Bends the Light. When Grandfather Cassie Beasley Ephraim falls ill, he reveals that the Light Bender owes him a miracle.

Together with her friend Jenny Mendoza, Micah sets out on a magical journey in search of Circus Mirandus and the man who can save his grandfather. Circus Mirandus won the 2015 Notable Children's Book by the New York Times Review.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon

Most Dangerous

From Steve Sheinkin comes a tense, narrative Every year, the people of the nonfiction account of what Protectorate leave a baby as the Times deemed "the an offering to the witch who greatest story of the lives in the forest. They hope century": how whistlethis sacrifice will keep her blower Daniel Ellsberg from terrorizing their town. transformed from obscure But the witch in the Forest, government analyst into Xan, is kind. She shares her "the most dangerous man home with a wise Swamp in America," and risked Monster and a Perfectly The Girl Who Drank Tiny Dragon. Xan rescues Most Dangerous by everything to expose a government conspiracy. the children and delivers the Moon by Steve Sheinkin On June 13, 1971, the them to welcoming families Kelly Barnhill front page of the New on the other side of the forYork Times announced the existence of a 7,000est, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey. page collection of documents containing a secret One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight history of the Vietnam War. Known as The Pentainstead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with gon Papers, these files had been commissioned by extraordinary magic. Xan decides she must raise this Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. Chronicling girl, whom she calls Luna, as her own. As Luna’s thirevery action the government had taken in the teenth birthday approaches, her magic begins to Vietnam War, including an attempt by Nixon to foil emerge--with dangerous consequences. Meanwhile, a peace talks, these papers revealed a pattern of deception spanning over twenty years and four young man from the Protectorate is determined to presidencies, and forever changed the relationship free his people by killing the between American citizens and the politicians claiming to represent their interests. The witch. Deadly birds with investigation--and attempted government coverups-uncertain intentions flock nearby. A volcano, quiet for that followed will sound familiar to those who followed the scandal surrounding Edward Snowden. centuries, rumbles just beneath the earth’s surface. A provocative and political book that interrogates the meanings of patriotism, freedom, and integrity, And the woman with the Most Dangerous further establishes Steve Sheinkin Tiger’s heart is on the as a leader in children's nonfiction. prowl . . .

Heartland Middle School Fast Facts According to Jason Galloway, Heartland Principal: “Our enrollment will be pushing 975 students this year.

We've had a few stand-out moments in our first year including: • 7th Grade Boys were the undefeated conference champions • Each of our performing arts programs (Band, Orchestra, Vocal) earned superior ratings at contest • Our drama program opened with Mulan in its first-ever musical.

• Nearly all construction and tech installs are complete and ready for year 2.

• Extra-curricular clubs such as TSA, FCCLA, PHOTO BY ANNE SCHMIDT Academic Team, Anime Allyson Smith and Annalie Club, etc... are thriving and Wehmuller checking out their new continue to grow.”

lockers at Heartland Middle School

Edmond Life & Leisure • August 10, 2017 • Page 5B other stores, increasing the chances of finding the right fit. · Select a pack with a waist strap. According to the American Chiropractic Association, the body is not designed to carry items hanging from shoulders. By using the waist strap in conjunction with taut shoulder straps, students can distribute the weight in their backpacks over their hip bones instead of the shoulders. The padded and adjustable shoulder straps should be at least two inches wide. All straps should be used each time the pack is worn. · Backpacks should be loaded properly. Heavy items should be near Finding the right backpack is an essential component of back-to-school shopping. Children may have their own ideas of what's in style, but parents should look for backpacks that are functional before factoring in style.

Marrying form and function together can be challenging, but it's necessary to prevent students from developing back problems. But parents must give consideration to more than just the size of their children's backpacks.

Depending on school schedules, students may be carrying backpacks for up to 10 hours per day, five days per week.

Backpacks may be filled with several pounds of

stuff, such as textbooks, binders, laptops, and other supplies, potentially leading to injury.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, at least 14,000 children are treated for backpack-related injuries every year. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons says that the weight of a backpack should not exceed 10 to 15 percent of a child's body weight.

But many students pack their bags with much more weight than that.

Improperly sized, worn and overstuffed backpacks can injure joints and lead to neck, back and shoulder injuries. They also may affect children's posture.

· Choose a streamlined model.

Select a backpack that will get the job done without much added bulk. Many backpacks have been designed to hold technological devices as more and more schools integrate technology into the classroom. A less bulky bag might be lighter and easy to carry. · Consider shopping at a sporting goods store.

Employees at camping and sporting goods retailers understand how to fit backpacks for hikers and outdoor adventurers. They can help measure a student and find a pack that will fit his or her body frame.

Also, these retailers may have a wider selection of backpacks than some

the center bottom to distribute the load, rather than placed on top. Students should only carry what is

necessary, visiting lockers or desks as needed to lighten their packs.

-MS

Page 6B • August 10, 2017 • Edmond Life & Leisure