Wilbur D. Mills Education Service Cooperative

WDMESC is looking for a Technology Assistant. the job description can be found here https://wilburmillscoop.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=1179

Teachers at Lonoke Primary and Elementary Schools worked with Ben Carrigan, Science Specialist, on their new science curriculum. They learned about the anchor phenomenon and performance tasks built in to support three-dimensional science instruction.

WDMESC Dyslexia Specialist, Lauren Ussery, presented a Dyslexia and ATLAS overview at Jacksonville North Pulaski School District today. Their reading specialists are ready to take on the year!

WDMESC Dyslexia Specialist, Lauren Ussery, worked with White County Central K-4 teachers for a 2-day curriculum training. They walked away with knowledge of their new curriculum, as well as reading and writing lesson plans to get the year started.

WDMESC staff had the opportunity to meet with Bradford School District during their first week back. Welcome back Eagles!

Middle and High School Science teachers spent 2 days working through OpenSciEd Curriculum. OpenSciEd is an approved Arkansas Initiative for Instructional Material. Day 1, teachers experienced the anchor phenomenon through the lens of a student. Day 2 consisted of coherence, discourse, assessment and planning.

Mrs. Cathryn Bass led a professional development session today for PE teachers. They learned and laughed, and walked away with new ideas for their students. Thank you, Mrs. Bass for a fun and informative day!

Teachers spent 2 days working with geologists from the AR Office of the State Geologist. Day 1 included a field trip to dig for quartz. Day 2 included information on the provinces of Arkansas, local phenomenon and rock/mineral investigations.

K-12 science teachers met over the past 2 days to understand the AR K-12 Science standards, take a deep dive into the 3 dimensions, brainstorm phenomenon, and make application to assessments that can help teachers understand what students know and prepare for ATLAS. Big shout out to Harding University College of Education for hosting.

Science teachers participated in a GeoFloat and Hike of Sugarloaf Mountain at Greer's Ferry Lake. Teachers spent a day in the field and then met the following day to discuss phenomenon, lesson planning, and incorporating Earth Science in the classroom. Angela Chandler and Camille Gerhart with the Arkansas Geological Survey, provided experiences, insights, resources and a wealth of knowledge to the teachers.

K-5 teachers met together to work through Picture Perfect curriculum lessons and resources. A focus was on STEM, the 5E learning cycle and using picture books in science. Teacher left with lesson plans and access to the hands-on materials to teach.

Ben Carrigan met with K-12 science teachers working through three dimensional science teaching and learning. They began the day by learning through the eyes of their students and finished by taking a deep dive into the science standards, anchoring phenomenon, and lesson planning. Big thanks to Harding University College of Education for providing a great training space.

Due to a train accident and possible chemical spill, and in response to the city of Beebe's request, WDMESC will be closed for the remainder of Monday, June 17th. We will reopen as soon as we can.

Vicki King will be presenting a session tomorrow at WDMESC on School-Based Identification. Join us!

WDMESC wishes to express our appreciation for the outstanding teachers in our schools during National Teacher Appreciation Week! We extend our heartfelt thanks for your dedication to our students!

The DESE Office of Learning Services is seeking literacy coaches that will support teachers and promote evidence-based literacy instruction aligned to the Science of Reading in K-3 classrooms in public schools that have earned the letter designation of “D or F” across the state of Arkansas. The right candidate will have a sense of urgency for improving literacy achievement, a desire to use data to support student growth, and a passion for tailored professional learning and coaching to improve instructional practice. Click this link for more information. https://bit.ly/3UuuhbG

Last week, Brook Singletary attended the 2024 CIRT (Cyber Incident Response Team) Conference in Little Rock. Arkansas is leading the nation in K-12 cybersecurity protocols by establishing the CIRT, comprised of ADE, DIS, and ESC Technology Coordinators. During the 2024 CIRT conference, the team engaged in a hands-on threat hunting exercise, received cyber law updates, and set new goals for the 2024-2025 school year.

Join us for PD in your PJs on June 10th or July 15th. We will start with a 1 hour Zoom for instructions and you'll do the rest at your own pace (1 week to complete). escWorks session numbers are 520445 and 520448.

All are Welcome! Let's Celebrate Teaching!

Update: John Wink Coaching Registration Link is available! https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vSJ0sJEx-aZEWgs8DucQyWr57561aMOwWIyhtc1vsHuTYaPHnoGm6XARpesheUv3K5Z7N_FsyBS7cCZ/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000