WSWHE BOCES

Sign up today for any or all of these opportunities:

4/2 STEM/EdTech Cohort AM Session, PM Session, Lunch and Learn

5/5 On the Farm STEM - Join the Waiting List

See the entire WSWHE BOCES catalog here.

What is KnowAtom?
KnowAtom is a comprehensive K–8 science curriculum designed to ensure every student engages in meaningful, hands-on science. Built around real-world phenomena, students actively investigate, analyze evidence, and communicate their thinking. This approach develops deep content knowledge and the habits of scientists and engineers.

Key Features:

• Coherent, Standards-Aligned K–8 System – A vertically aligned curriculum that builds scientific understanding and reasoning year over year.
• Hands-On Investigation in Every Lesson Routine — Materials Included – Structured, student-driven investigations are embedded into each lesson routine, with all classroom-ready materials provided to ensure consistent, equitable implementation across schools.
• Built-In Teacher Supports & Assessment – Detailed lesson plans, content background, differentiation strategies, and embedded formative and summative assessments support reliable implementation.
• Integrated Literacy & Academic Language Development – Lexile®-certified nonfiction texts and structured discourse routines strengthen reading, writing, and evidence-based communication.

For districts, this means reliable science instruction, reduced teacher planning burden, and measurable student growth across schools.

Learn more:

• NY K-8 Unit Map (scope and sequence and standards breakdown)

• K-8 Sample curriculum (Teacher Unit + Student Reader)

• K-8 Phenomena and Hands-on Learning Overviews

• Program Overview brochure

• Video: What Teachers are saying [1 minute]

• 2024 Partner School Success: here and here

If any school administrators would like to explore further, I’d be happy to connect for a quick 15-minute Zoom. They can schedule here or reach out via email. Feel free to share out my contact information.

Kami has rolled out an improvement to the Prediction tool that better supports phonetic spelling—helping students who spell based on how words sound get more accurate suggestions as they type.

Over the next few weeks, this will be on by default as part of a broader predictive text update, and Companion will officially be moving out of “beta” in the toolbar.

For now, you can access this by updating the extension and turning on Spelling Assist in Settings (I’ve included a screenshot attached showing exactly where this lives).

I also wanted to share a few quick resources you can use or pass along:

• Kami Companion General Flyer
• Kami + UDL Flyer
• Kami for Multilingual Learners

The Thinkering Collective NY Inspired Fellowship is igniting a statewide movement of educators who are turning bold ideas into real-world impact for their schools and communities. Through mentorship, collaboration, and access to a powerful cross-sector network, fellows launch passion-driven projects that reimagine what learning can look like across New York. This is where innovation becomes visible, connected, and built to last.

The next cohort begins April 6. Explore the Fellowship and be part of the movement.

If needed, here's few subject lines/newsletter title sections we are leaning into:

-New York Educators: Be Part of the Learning Transformation
-A Statewide Fellowship to Reimagine What School Can Be
-Be Part of New York’s Connected Learning Movement
-From Ideas to Impact: Join the NY Inspires Fellowship

Application: https://forms.monday.com/forms/3be50cfed86c810a8d324ba49bc7eced?r=use1

Effective credit recovery programs don’t happen by chance—they’re built with intention. One

powerful planning tool used in education is the logic model, which clearly connects a program’s

resources, activities, and outcomes. By mapping out how each component works together, schools

gain a shared understanding of what success looks like and how to achieve it.

Logic models help educators identify student challenges, align resources strategically, and monitor

progress over time. From defining the problem and identifying key inputs to tracking short‑ and

long‑term outcomes like improved attendance or graduation rates, this structured approach

promotes thoughtful decision‑making at every stage. There are eight points to consider when

creating a credit recovery logic model for planning: 1) Problem Identification 2) Inputs 3) Activities

4) Outputs 5) Short-term outcomes 6) Long-term outcomes 7) Assumptions 8) External factors When

implemented well, logic models ensure that credit recovery efforts are purposeful, data‑informed,

and aligned with student success goals.

For more Credit Recovery Planning visit our website: Edmentum Credit-Recovery

Toolkit

Planning an Effective Credit Recovery Program:

To be successful, credit recovery content must be engaging for students while

remaining flexible enough to meet the changing needs of today’s learners. Our course

credit solutions were designed with those goals in mind.

It’s Spring testing season, and we’re all focused on the same goal: making sure students feel prepared, confident, and supported when it matters most.

To help districts accelerate standards mastery during these final months with minimal cost and complexity, we’re offering FREE access to Exact Path Proficiency from Feb 27 to May 31. You can gage effectiveness and student engagement with no risk or obligation.

This FREE access gives you immediate access to ready-to-assign, NY standards-aligned assessments and practice to use right away—no diagnostic required and no lengthy setup:

· Core coverage across grades 3-12 and assignable instruction

· Formative practice that mirrors state test rigor, not generic skill drills

· Instant, district-to-classroom insights to address standards gaps before test day

· Built-in challenges and rewards to motivate mastery and celebrate success

Exact Path Proficiency: Year-Round Achievement and Accountability

We’d love to partner with you so your team can start using Exact Path Proficiency!

Reach out to your Edmentum representative: sheila.miller@Edmentum.com to activate the free trial!

Brisk is my favorite AI tool for teachers! Sign up for a Brisk account using https://share.briskteaching.com/mcIKNrp and get 1 month of premium features free.

Wakelet has a versatile platform for educators and students to curate, organize, and share digital content in a visually engaging way. By allowing users to gather everything from research articles and videos to social media posts and original documents into structured collections, Wakelet fosters critical thinking and digital literacy. It empowers students to take ownership of their learning through personalized portfolios and collaborative projects, while providing teachers with a streamlined method to deliver resources and interactive lessons. With its seamless integration into existing educational workflows, Wakelet bridges the gap between disparate digital tools, creating a cohesive and inclusive learning environment that prepares students for success in a media-rich world. Use code LAURIE20 to get 20% off the annual plan.

This year the ISTE+ASCD Conference is coming to Orlando and a great opportunity to attend one of the world’s leading education innovation conferences.

Whether you are a district leader, school administrator, instructional coach, or classroom teacher, there are sessions designed specifically for your role. Attendees will explore the latest in artificial intelligence, digital learning, leadership, and innovative instructional strategies-all focused on practical implementation in schools.

Participants will leave with:

• Actionable strategies to improve teaching and learning
• Insights into AI and emerging technologies shaping education
• Connections with educators and leaders from across the country
• Resources and tools that can be immediately implemented in classrooms and districts

Take advantage of this opportunity to learn, connect, and bring the future of education back to your schools.

Here are the details:

ISTELive 26 | June 28 - July 1 | Orlando