Welcome Back to School Region 7 !

I hope that this school year is off to a great start for each of you. We have had a terrific summer of professional learning and look forward to a new academic year serving Region 7 and Alabama.

Each of our respective initiatives have hosted sessions this summer, continued with their own professional learning, and are ready to serve YOU! If you need a contact for specific services, please reach out to me to make a connection.

Please be sure to read through this newsletter to view all the happenings in Region 7 and statewide updates from ALSDE. There are new opportunities for principals and assistance principals, ACIP writers, text book teams, grant opportunities, etc. As always, we look forward to serving you this year!

Thanks,

Brooke Hughston, Ed.S.

UM-RIEC Director

UM Regional Inservice Education Center

Wills Hall, Station 6450

Montevallo, AL 35115

205-358-8543

UM-RIEC Website

Please view the new site for OSL. Dr. Melissa Shields updates this site regularly. You can also find information for each section under OSL. OSL SITE

Dr. Melissa Shields, NBCT

Assistant State Superintendent

Office of Student Learning

Alabama Department of Education

mshields@alsde.edu

X: @AlabamaAchieves @ALSDEOSL

Facebook: AlabamaDepartmentofEducation

• All C&I Meetings will take place around the state on the same day.
• Each meeting will be exclusive to the Region!
• C&I Coordinators will receive slides and video presentations prior to the meeting date.
• Come to the meeting armed with questions for ALSDE.
• ALSDE staff will be on hand and ready for your questions.
• After lunch, if you choose, you will be provided a collaborative space to engage with other C&I Coordinators in Region 7.

Be on the lookout September 1st for a needs assessment in your INBOX!

• The Alabama Reading Initiative visited and supported all Summer Reading Camps in Region 7. We saw impactful instruction grounded in the Science of Reading which included multisensory strategies, immediate, corrective feedback, and intentional vocabulary and writing instruction. Many schools were increasing student attendance by utilizing themes and incentives during their Summer Reading Camps.

• Teachers attended professional learning at the Regional Inservice Center to deepen their own learning of dyslexia, sound walls, grammar instruction, and fluency instruction.

• Back to School Newsletter - 2025

ARI Beyond Grade 3 is a key component of Alabama’s comprehensive literacy initiative, designed to enhance literacy achievement beyond third grade by extending established structures and supports that promote data-informed decision-making aimed at increasing proficiency outcomes. Grounded in the Alabama Multi-Tiered System of Support (AL MTSS) framework, this initiative focuses on differentiating tiered literacy instruction to meet the needs of all students—particularly struggling readers, as outlined in the Alabama Literacy Act.

Over 400 math coaches across the state will be supported by AMSTI this year. Our specialists are up for the challenge and will work in collaboration with OMI to meet the needs of students. To view all of AMSTI-UMs offerings, please check out the website.

Robotics Grants are now available. The applications are due by 9/30/24.

1. Read the grant announcement memo.

2. Review the grant guidelines.

3. Review the Frequently Asked Questions below.

4. Prepare responses for Part 1: LEA Information, Part 2: Students and Teachers Impacted, and Part 3: Budget Spreadsheet: Function, Program & Item Codes, Item Description & Unit Cost. You should prepare to copy and paste them into the online application. ​

5. You will need the following names and correct email addresses to begin the DocuSign Form Submission process: Project Manager, LEA: Technology Coordinator, Chief Financial Officer, and Superintendent. Please ensure that you enter the email addresses carefully, as each signer will receive an email invitation to sign this document. Failure to provide accurate email addresses or alter required signatures or approvals may affect grant eligibility.

Angela Clark

Wills Hall Office 111

University of Montevallo

aclark@atim.us

• Alabama Standards for School Leadership - Alabama Standards for School Leadership define the nature, quality of work, and expectations that current research and best practices indicate are critical to student learning and other positive school outcomes. The Standards are organized around the 5 Domains of Principal Effectiveness with a series of indicators which elaborate the practices that are necessary to meet the Standard.

Standards:

1. Visionary Leadership. Effective visionary leaders facilitate the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a shared vision that guides the learning of every student.

2. Instructional Leadership. Effective instructional leaders ensure intellectually rigorous and coherent systems of curricula, instruction, and assessment while facilitating productive collaboration and professional learning to drive growth and achievement for all students.

3. Managerial and Operational Leadership. Effective managerial leaders strategically oversee school operations, staff, and resources to foster a safe and productive school community

4. Relational Leadership. Effective relational leaders cultivate a welcoming, supportive, and collaborative learning environment for all students, staff, families, and the community.

5. Innovative Leadership. Effective innovative leaders continue professional growth, actively engage in reflective practices, and apply new knowledge and understanding to drive change. Principals and APs can find the state-approved list in PSPL the following ways:

Search for “aplds” in Course Search (under Course tab)

Click on the “Alabama Principal Leadership Development System (APLDS)” tag (under Course tab)

Welcome to the Preparing Relief Educators Program (PREP) Network, which was designed to provide high-quality, actionable support and resources to emergency-certificate teachers, long-term substitutes, and early service teachers, empowering them to excel in their roles and make a positive, long-lasting difference in the lives of their students.

For this cohort, emergency-certificate teachers from districts with high numbers of non-certified teachers were invited to participate. However, all schools and districts are encouraged to use the slides and/or recorded sessions for turnaround or on-demand training.

Access all Resources for PREP

Please check out the latest newsletter from ALSDE EL Department.

Mayte' Cotton

Region 7 EL Specialist

mcotton@alsde.edu

Charissa Lambert, Ed.S.

Literacy Specialist

Office of School Improvement

Alabama State Department of Education

charissa.lambert@alsde.edu

256.310.6657

OSI Newsletter

The Office of Mathematics Improvement is a proactive catalyst for change in K-5 mathematics instruction.

To impact learning and foster a growth mindset, we will support and monitor the effective implementation of curricula, assessments, and evidence-based practices.

As an accountability partner, we will collaborate with stakeholders to improve mathematics proficiency.

OMI Newsletter

OMI Padlet

Jennifer Towles Ed.S.

Region 7 Coordinator

Office of Mathematics Improvement

Alabama State Department of Education

(205) 213-7537 (Cell)

(334) 694-4967 (Office)

Follow Us Online:

#OMIbettertogether #OMIgetonboard

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/OMIALSDE

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089342809695

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@OMIalsde

Access the Back to School newsletter for Educators

The NASA TechRise Student Challenge empowers teams of sixth to 12th-grade students to design, build, and launch experiments on NASA-supported test flights. Guided by an educator, student teams affiliated with U.S. public, private, and charter schools can submit ideas for experiments to test on a suborbital flight.

Winning teams will be selected to build their proposed experiment. Each winning team will be awarded:

• $1,500 to build their experiment
• A flight box in which to build it
• An assigned spot to test their experiment on a NASA-sponsored flight
• Technical support during the experiment build phase from Future Engineers advisors, who will help students learn the skills they need to turn their experiment idea into reality.

Click here for more information.

Questions? Concerns? Professional Development Requests? Please do not hesitate to contact us using the information below.

August Newsletter

Mr. Jonathan Thompson, Health, Physical Education, and Adapted Physical Education Specialist

334-694-4775

jonathan.thompson@alsde.edu

Twitter: @jt1603

Welcome to The Alabama Social Studies Chronicle for Alabama's social studies teachers! Be

sure to read through our newsletter and learn about the great happenings impacting social studies in Alabama.

Inside you will find brief updates, highlights of teaching, and opportunities for growth.

• Contact Us
• Making Time for Social Studies
• Course of Study Updates
• Focus on Writing: Sentences, the Building Blocks of Powerful Writing
• America 250
• Resource Spotlight: Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
• Professional Memberships in Alabama
• Meet Alabama's 2025 History Teacher of the Year
• Alabama Civics and Financial Literacy Exams

Upcoming Events

View previous issues of The Alabama Social Studies Chronicle by clicking here.

Dr. Blake Busbin, Social Studies Education Specialist

Alabama State Department of Education

(334) 694-4768

blake.busbin@alsde.edu

Have you signed up to be a part of the "Alabama Social Studies" Schoology group? Check out this "one-stop shop" of resources. Use the access code XKGH-KXQ8-MVS6W to join.