Be Hatched

Hi Kennedy Families! I have had several parents contact me asking about Chromebooks as Christmas gifts and what should they be looking for in a model (whether they are purchasing themselves or writing a list to Santa). I am a BIG fan of Google Chromebooks and Google Drive. I earned my Google Certified Educator Level 1, and many of my training sessions when I worked at the Educational Service Center were based around Google Drive and the Chromebook itself as more and more schools move away from iPads and Windows machines to Chromebooks. What is a Chromebook anyways? I often use the phrase "it's the internet in the form of a laptop." A Chromebook uses Google's Chrome OS (not Windows or Mac). It feels a lot like Windows, with the launcher in the bottom left corner and the ability to pin apps to the taskbar. You have to have a Google account (@gmail or @warrenjfk.com are both Google accounts) to log into a Chromebook. A Chromebook runs online apps-- you can'...

I remember this one day, maybe fall of 2007. I was sitting on the floor at my friend's house, reading a celebrity magazine (probably US Weekly), and saying out loud, "I don't get Twitter, what is it?" And mostly in the late 2000s, Twitter seemed to be a way for celebrities to brag about things or people to share pictures of their meals. As time went on, Twitter seemed to be everywhere. It took me until 2012 to create my first account. So now, at my five-year Twitterversary (I may be making that word up?), I can't imagine my professional life without it. I have made networking connections on Twitter, followed the latest in educational technology trends, and have real-time conversations with hundreds of Ohio educators in  weekly "Twitter Chats." All of this is possible with our friend, the hashtag #. So a little social media 101 for anyone that needs it (feel free to skip to the next paragraph if you are #cool and already know about hashtags): A hash...

As a parent, I know sometimes it is a struggle for students to have the day off during the week. However, I want to assure you that our teachers at Upper Campus were hard at work on Friday, learning new things to improve our student experience at Warren John F. Kennedy. I just wanted to take a minute to show you what was going on while your student was away! Last March, after first being hired as the principal, I spoke to many of you at our Just For Kicks Live and Silent Auction . As an introduction to our "5-minute Tech Drill", asking for donations towards Chromebooks for our students, I told you how these devices can change the depth of student learning. Many thanks for your generous donations that put these devices into the hands of our students! Now it is MY turn to give you what I promised that night--a unique and positive student experience because of the addition of these devices.  Half of the teachers' day was spent with a trainer from Nearpod, an...

Welcome back! I hope everyone has enjoyed their first few days back at school. I have loved meeting with faculty and students. It has been a smooth transition as we start the 2017-18 school year in full swing. Of course, there is business to take care of. New Chromebooks are being registered and passed out. Students are finding their lockers, memorizing schedules, and learning their lunch pins. Teachers are ready to dive into their content. I am diligently trying to remember names and not get lost as I walk the halls (I think I have it down finally!). After we are all settled, it is time to put first things first. The most important thing faculty will do this year is building relationships with our students. I hear them doing great exercises with their classes as I pass or stop by. Some are allowing students to come up with their expectations for the class, and even for the teacher. Others are goal-setting for short and long term. Some have built relationships in years past a...

Dear Warren John F. Kennedy Students and Parents, The 2017-18 school year is quickly approaching. I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself to you, and if we have not had the chance to meet yet, I hope we will soon. My name is Alyse Consiglio and I am delighted to be the new principal at Warren JFK Catholic Schools Upper Campus. I am a former teacher, coach, and most recently Curriculum & Instruction Supervisor at Trumbull County Educational Service Center. I am a life-long learner and passionate about education. After teaching for 11 years, I accepted a new type of job at the ESC. Instead of being in the classroom, with 13-year-olds looking to me for answers, I would be doing teacher and administrator professional development (believe me, MUCH tougher crowd). Doing something new and different is always a little scary, but my favorite quote, by C.S. Lewis, in his book Mere Christianity , is: “It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly ...