Dear Principals and School Staff

Dear Principals and School Staff,

School Support Center School Year Hours:

Monday through Friday: 8am – 6pm

(212) 645-0055

Please note the email color scheme:

GREEN text pertains ONLY to Elementary and Middle Schools

BLUE = Link to Extended Information on KnowledgeBase

More Information on the NV KnowledgeBase:

As an improvement to the PSO Weekly Newsletter, wenow post all in-depth item descriptions and resources to the New Visions KnowledgeBase. An Area of InterestWeb Pagefor the School Support Center contains all the resources and information you need in addition to a Team Work Space dedicated to the PSO Weekly Newsletter.Each week you will receive the Newsletter as an email with the main bullet points of each topic covered on the KnowledgeBase. Please use the KnowledgeBase to learn more about the issues that pertain to your school, as well as ask questions, share tips, deliver news andrelay information. Individual links are provided at the end of each item that has more information or a resource on the KnowledgeBase.

Information and Instructions are included at the bottom of this email, please log in to KnowledgeBase today and get started:

PSO Weekly Newsletter 12.03.2008

Discussion:

DEADLINES

12/02 – 12/17Middle School Fairs and Information Sessions
12/05DEADLINE for juniors to apply for the New Visions Exceptional Junior College

Scholarship

12/10NVPSO School Leadership Convening, Digital Sandbox
12/10Campus Librarian Network Series Meeting

12/11New Visions Career Resource Fair
12/16DEADLINE BESIS Survey
01/31DEADLINE Fund for Teachers Application

Items and Activities of Note

NVPSO School Leadership Convening

Date: Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Time: 8:30am to 11:30am

Location: Digital Sandbox, 55 Broad Street (bet. Exchange Place and Beaver Street), 4th Floor

Agenda:

8-8:30 am: Light breakfast available
8:30-9 am: Welcome and opening - Robert Hughes
9:05-10:30 am:Concurrent presentations by select schools
Session 1: Transcript review workshop with schools by YWLS, Harlem
Session 2: Communication of data to students by HSCA
Session 3: Data driven attendance improvement plans by GEA
Session 4: Quarterly elective classes designed to meet individual student needs (MAP classes) by Lyons Community School
Session 5: Literacy Institute Model & Attendance Approach by ALT
10:35-11:20 am:Concurrent presentations(tentative)
College and Career Readiness
Grading Policies that Impact Classroom Instruction
Sharing Actionable Information
College Access Programming
11:20-11:30 am: Wrap up/ closing - Ronald Chaluisan

For more information, please contact Rachel Yoder at 646-486-8141 or

ARIS – Update

Currently data in ARIS is not accurate – the problem is currently under investigation by DOE
No students have an IEP status listed
Some students are incorrectly listed as LEP, who actually have IEPs
We have some preliminary reports of credit inaccuracies, but the DOE has yet to comment
Please do not rely on the accuracy of the data in ARIS until all errors have been identified and corrected

Budget: Mid Year Adjustments

If theISChas alerted you that you will likely losefunding in the Mid Year Adjustment, please make the necessary adjustments assuming you do not disagree. Do not wait until January to make those adjustments.

If you had special education students on registerin ATS as of 10/31 butthey were not coded correctly in ATS,continue to update and correct ATS to reflectcorrect special ed gradecodes and first attend dates. Review the ATS-CAP reconciliation report in SECto identify discrepancies. If you need assistance running the report or making the corrections, reach out to your ATS application support liaison ASAP or contact the SSC.

If youwould like assistance in planning for abudget reduction, please contact the SSC.

CLN - Campus Librarians Network Professional Development Series

When: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 11:30am-3:30pm
Where: New Visions for Public Schools Office, 320 West 13th Street, 6th Floor, Manhattan
Second of a nine part series focusing on:
Building participants’ capacity as instructional leaders
Strengthening collaborative relationships
Sharing best practices for school/campus libraries in order to ensure students acquire the information literacy skills necessary to be successful in high school, college and career.

Who: Library Media Specialists

For additional information please contact Linda Williams Bowie, Senior Program Officer, Astor Center for Public School Libraries, or 646-486-8103.

For the complete Meeting Calendar, please see the KnowledgeBase Resource Campus Librarians Network Meeting Calendar.doc available at:

FUND FOR TEACHERS: Grants for Summer Professional Development

APPLICATION DEADLINE: JANUARY 31, 2009
New Visions and the Fund for Teachers (FFT) provide flexible grants directly to teachers to support their professional development.
In the summer of 2009, awarded teachers will pursue their FFT projects, returning to their classrooms with new ideas, expertise, and a broader world perspective. Applications for summer 2009 must be submitted by Jan. 31.
For study in Asia, apply for up to $7,500 (individual) or $10,000 (teams).
For all other locations, apply for up to $5,000 (individual) or $10,000 (teams).
SAVE THE DATE: December 17, 2008 4:30PM
FFT Info Session at New Visions
RSVP to Marina Naumovska or 646-486-8118
Additional information:
Apply online:

New Visions Career Resource Fair

When: Thursday December 11th 9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon
Where: CUNY John Jay College, 445 West 59th Street - North Hall Multi-Purpose Room, 2nd floor
Who: An event for HS Guidance Counselors and Parent Coordinators as well as all other interested school-based staff.
What:The Career ResourceFairaims toexpose school-based staff to programs and organizations that promote careerreadiness forin and out-of-school youth across the city.
For more information or to RSVP please contact or (646)486-8525
For an advertising flyer for this event, please see the KnowledgeBase Resource Career Resource Fair Flyer available at: .

New Visions Scholarship Opportunities – For Students

New Visions is facilitating two college scholarships during the 2008-2009 school year
Interested students should apply directly to New Visions
Scholarship for Exceptional HS Juniors
Offered byan anonymous donor to a current HS junior.
Will cover one student’s full tuition costs plus a living allowance.
Students, meeting the scholarship criteria, must be nominated by their principal.
Information mailed to schools on October 23, 2008
Nominations and the required material must be submittedto New Visions; please note: This is a highly competitive process and the time line to submit nominations and identify final candidates is tight.
Deadline for Application: December 5, 2008.
For an a copy of the information mailed on 10/23, please see the KnowledgeBase Resource Junior Scholarship Information and Application available at:
BlackRock-Schlosstein Scholarship for HS Seniors
Offered by Ralph Schlosstein, NVPS Board member, and BlackRock, an investment management firm to up to 5 HS seniors.
Will cover a maximum of $20,000 towards college
More information will be available in November—for the first time at the Fall 2008 Retreat
Students who meet the criteria can apply directly to New Visions.
Deadline for Application: January 9, 2009.
Please call Stacy Martin or Carol Geron at 212-645-5110 with any questions.

FREE NY Historical Society Program – NY Life Learners

New-York Historical Society (N-YHS) invites Elementary, Middle, and K-8 New York City public school to apply to participate in the 2008-09 New York Life Learners program, an educational initiative made possible by a generous grant from the New York Life Foundation.
New York Life Learners program provides FREE packages of activities and materials designed to enhance studies in American History at the elementary and middle school levels.
Classes in participating schools are eligible to take part, at no cost to the school or individuals involved, in special hands-on history programs designed and implemented by educators at the New-York Historical Society.
Only schools where at least 50% of the student population is eligible to receive free or reduced price school lunch will be considered.
Twenty-five schools will be selected, and six classes from each school will participate in the program.
Teachers will be invited to participate in professional development workshops during the school year and will receive educational resources for use with their classes.
If you would like to apply, please contact our School Programs Associate, James Keary at for an application form.

Comment on DYCD Concept Paper

The Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) will soon issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Out-of-School-Time (OST)programs for high school youth focused on helping students graduate, pursue secondary education and training, and obtain relevant work experience.
DYCD is inviting high school principals and/or to provide feedback a Concept Paper that will help shape the RFP.
To read the concept paper please see the KnowledgeBase Resource DYCDHS Concept Paper available at:
Email your comments on or before December 15th to - enter OST HS on the subject line.

Service Learning Mini Grant for NYC Public Schools

The New York City Regional Network of Learn and Serve America is pleased to announce the fifth year of its grant program for schools engaged in service learning. In December 2008, several grants will be awarded for $500 each. Applicants must be a K-12 school in New York City. Public, independent and parochial schools may apply. Selected grantees will be notified no later than December 15, 2008, after which you will receive a check for the implementation of your project.

The grantmaking time frame is as follows:
Applications due: December 1, 2008
Recipients notified: December 15, 2008
Project period: December 15, 2008 – April 15, 2009
Presentation of Project Summary and Results: late April or early May, 2009
Please call Layla Alvandi at 212-598-0973, x107 or email for additional information.
For the grant application form please see the KnowledgeBase Resource NYCRN Grant Application available at:
You may fax your application (with cover sheet) to Ed Doty at 212-598-0975, or you may email your completed application as an attachment to .

Standard Operating Procedures Manual for Special Education Now Available

The Office of Special Education Initiatives has now published the definitive reference manual for all your special education questions regarding referral, evaluation and placement
This manual is almost 300 pages long, so it is best used as a reference guide for any situation when there is confusion around appropriate procedure
Highlights include:
Only Parents and Principals can now make referrals for evaluation, all others must make a request for referral (page 25)
Includes an appendix of all relevant forms needed(pages 164- 297)
The SOPM is available here:

Access the NVPS KNOWLEDGEBASE

New Visions for Public Schools developed the KnowledgeBase to supplement and support the work of teachers, administrators and those in the education reform community in order to improve student performance. The KnowledgeBase is located at:

What’s on the KnowledgeBase?

Over 1200 Resources
Inquiry Process Examples
Data Specialist Help
Attendance Information
PSO Weekly Newsletter and Resources
A Webpage Dedicated To Your School For Hosting Team SpacesAnd Discussion

…andmore.

How do I access the KnowledgeBase?

If youhave already logged in:
Your Login ID is your email.
Click on forgot password by the login area if you cannot remember your password from your previous registration.
If this is your first time:
Your Login ID is your email
Your Password is: 12345

Contact ith any questions.

Visit the New Visions KnowledgeBase for all referenced resources: