We’re starting our countdown to the Highmark Bright Blue Futures Community Day at the Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Hunt Armory. Through our partnership with the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation, we are thrilled to bring this free event to the community. Join us for a fun morning of skating, games, music, and more as we celebrate the third year of the Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Hunt Armory on Saturday, March 2nd.
The event is free, but registration is required: Click here to register today
With more women than ever responsible for their financial well-being – and the financial well-being of their families – it’s critical that women know how to save and plan for their future.
Horace Mann is a long-time corporate supporter. Join one of their Women and Retirement workshops, designed to empower your future through financial education.
Hope to see you there!
The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered a recommendation, investment, tax or legal advice.
Hey Digital Change Makers,
With so many new trends and challenges popping up on social media, it can be overwhelming to keep up with everything your students are engaging with online. This month’s email update has all you need to keep up-to-date on top social media crazes and what to keep your eye out for online.
ANNOUNCEMENT: It’s not too late to register for the Digital4Good Summit on February 5th, 2024! Watch live project showcases by youth leaders, dive into interactive discussions with Google, and learn how YOU can help make the digital world a safer place. You won’t want to miss our most exciting and inspiring event of the year. Register for FREE to host a watch party for your classroom or school HERE.
Our Train the Trainer Program is going very well this year in school districts. If you would love to learn more on how you could organize for your community of schools, please reach out. Information HERE.
Feel free to copy and paste the above paragraph into your newsletter to spread the word! Now, let’s dive into some of the top trends your students are talking about today.
Top Platform/App: Yubo
Nicknamed “Tinder for Teens,” Yubo was designed to help preteens and teens make friends online. Users can exchange messages and video chat after “swiping right” on each other.
Hit Soundtrack: “Made for Me” by Muni Long
This R&B song that has been trending on TikTok for a month is about finding the person that completes and understands you.
Viral Challenge Alert: “Made for Me Challenge”
Muni Long, a popular R&B artist, recently sang her new song “Made for Me” at the Soul Train Awards. A user dubbed “Blue Pajama Girl” has turned the song into a viral dance challenge on TikTok.
Key Study Spotlight: “An Artificial Therapist (Manage Your Life Online) to Support the Mental Health of Youth: Co-Design and Case Series”
Most participants (aged 16-24) had a positive experience using Manage Your Life Online (MYLO) and found it easy to use, with high usability ratings. MYLO effectively adapted its questioning based on user input, resulting in a significant decrease in problem-related distress and improved self-reported conflict resolution tendencies, suggesting its potential as a valuable tool for users in managing their mental health.
Risky Business: Sugar Moms/Dads
Sugar moms/dads are defined as the people who solicit things from younger individuals in return for money. The National Library of Medicine illustrates the dangerous intentions of these people and illustrates that youth should automatically block any and all accounts these messages are sent from.
Teen Dating Violence Prevention and Response w/ SafeBAE
Discover groundbreaking strategies in teen dating violence prevention with SafeBAE. This insightful session for educators, students, and parents highlights the critical link between dating violence and teen mental health, drawing on findings from the CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Participants will explore SafeBAE's innovative resources, including their comprehensive educational materials, alternative justice solutions, and free youth programs, all aimed at creating safer school environments. Register for this FREE event here.
Thanks for being a part of the Digital4Good family!
#YouRock,
Kim Karr
Show you care with life insurance
It’s not always easy to say, “I love you.” Sometimes your actions can speak louder than your words, though. Like cooking dinner, planning a special trip, or buying life insurance. Yes, you read that right. Purchasing life insurance tells your loved ones you care so much about them that you want to help them be financially secure, even if you’re gone.
So if you really want to say “I love you” through your actions, it’s time to purchase life insurance, or review your current coverage. Horace Mann is a long-time corporate supporter. Contact your local Horace Mann representative today for an appointment and a free life insurance needs analysis.
Horace Mann Life Insurance company underwrites Horace Mann life insurance products. The information provided here is for general informational purposes only, and should not be considered a recommendation or investment, tax or legal advice.
Horace Mann Service Corporation and certain of its affiliates (Horace Mann) enter into agreements with educational associations where Horace Mann pays the association to provide services aimed at familiarizing association members with the Horace Mann brand, products or services. For more information, email your inquiry to association.relations@horacemann.com.
EML-00271 (Dec. 23)
Check out this great story for the season from partner, The HYDE Institute: https://www.thoughtsoncharacter.com/discovery-story-1-never-too-young
Testimonials That Inspire: Meet educators who were once in your shoes, grappling with escalating discipline issues. They took a stand, implemented our digital literacy strategies, and witnessed a phenomenal transformation in their schools.
Dramatic Turnaround: Imagine a school where students are not only disciplined but also digitally savvy and responsible. These are not just dreams; they are realities being lived by educators who dared to make a change.
The Ripple Effect: Beyond better behavior in classrooms, these educators saw an uplifting change in the entire school culture. A harmonious environment where respect and responsibility are the norms, not the exceptions.
The upcoming webinar on Wednesday, 12/13 at 12:30 PM PST is your gateway to this transformation. Hear firsthand from these educators and learn how you can replicate their success in your school.
Remember, the cost of inaction is far greater than the effort of taking this crucial step. Be the change-maker your school desperately needs.
Pennsylvania Association for Middle Level Education Don Eichhorn Schools To Watch 2023-24 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THREE MIDDLE SCHOOLS RECOGNIZED AS “Don Eichhorn Schools: Schools To Watch” for the 1st time and EIGHT SCHOOLS RE-DESIGNATED ANNOUNCED IN PENNSYLVANIA
Mechanicsburg, PA - Eleven exemplary Middle Grades Schools in Pennsylvania have been recognized as PA Don Eichhorn Schools: “Schools to Watch” (PA STW) as part of a recognition program developed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform. In partnership with the Pennsylvania Association for Middle Level Education (PAMLE), Kutztown University, and the Horace Mann Service Corporation, PA STW has been recognizing schools since 2006-07. The Pennsylvania “Schools to Watch” leadership team has announced that the following schools have met the strict STW criteria and have been recognized:
New Schools
Re-designated for the 1st time. This school was originally recognized four years ago.
Re-designated for the 3rd time – This school was first recognized nine years ago
Re-designated for the 4th time. These schools were originally recognized twelve years ago.
Re-designated for the 5th time – This school was originally recognized 15 years ago
These 11 schools join 38 other Pennsylvania middle-grades schools previously recognized and still active in the STW process. Since our beginning in 2006-07 we have recognized 62 schools across Pennsylvania. Schools opt out of the STW program for multiple reasons. These eleven schools will be recognized at the Pennsylvania Association for Middle Level Educations State Conference on February 24, 25 & 26, 2024, at the Crowne Plaza in King of Prussia. Each of these schools will have a local celebration in either May or June of 2024 in their school. They will also be recognized nationally with all the other recognized STW schools across the country in Washington DC at the National Forum’s National Schools to Watch Conference on June 20-22, 2024.
PA STW State leaders selected each school for its Academic Excellence, Developmental Responsiveness, Social Equity and Organizational Structures and Processes. In addition, each school has strong leadership, teachers who work together to improve curriculum and instruction, and a commitment to assessment and accountability to bring about continuous improvement. Bruce Vosburgh, PA State STW Director, stated, “We congratulate these schools for being places that do great things for all of their students. These schools demonstrate that high-performing middle grades schools are places that focus on academic growth and achievement. They are also places that recognize the importance of meeting the needs of all of their students and ensure that every child has access to a challenging, high-quality education. These schools have proven that it is possible to overcome barriers to achieve excellence, and any middle-level school in any state can truly learn from their examples.”
The Schools to Watch selection process is based on a written application that required schools to show how they met criteria developed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform. Schools that appeared to meet the criteria were then visited by a state team, which observed classrooms, interviewed administrators, teachers, students, and parents, and looked at achievement data, suspension rates, quality of lessons, and student work.
Schools are recognized for a three-year period, and at the end of three years they need to re-apply to continue to be recognized as a STW school. They must also demonstrate progress on specific goals in order to be re-designated. Unlike the Blue Ribbon recognition program, “Schools to Watch” requires schools to not just identify strengths, but to also focus on areas for continuous improvement; thus the three year re-designation. The re-designation process is based on the schools continued growth since their last STW recognition.
Launched in 1999, Schools to Watch began as a national program to identify middle-grades schools across the country that were meeting or exceeding 37 researched based criteria developed by the National Forum. The Forum developed a website https://www.middlegradesforum.org/ that features online tours of schools, as well as detailed information about the selection criteria used in the recognition program. There are now 17 states across the country, which have trained Schools to Watch State Teams, with more than 650 schools recognized across the country.
The National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform began as an alliance of 65 educators, researchers, national associations, and officers of professional organizations and foundations dedicated to improving education in the middle grades.
Information about the STW program can be found on the website of the National Forum as well as on the PAMLE website.
https://www.pamle.org/Schools-to-Watchhttps://www.middlegradesforum.org/
Contact person:
Bruce Vosburgh, Director, PA STW bvosbur@comcast.net
Hey PAMLE friends! Check out this great new book, Teaching Joy, about creating a joyful middle school classroom, recommended by #PAMLE22 keynote speaker, Kelly Weaver! A great gift, just in time for the holidays!
https://www.gabrielyanagihara.com/book-order-teaching-joy
We are pleased to be a new participant in Grand Canyon University’s Canyon Educational Participant program (CEP). This program provides PAMLE members with a variety of benefits, such as:
If you are interested in learning more about online degree programs, please contact GCU’s local University Development Counselor, Mariah Drenth-Cormick, Mariah.DrenthCormick@gcu.edu. The local University Development Manager is Haylee Bunnell and can be contacted at Haylee.Bunnell@gcu.edu.
If you would like to learn more about GCU’s traditional campus, you can reach the local University Admissions Counselor at 1-855-GCU-LOPE. If you are interested in learning more about GCU’s doctoral programs, email doctoral@gcu.edu.
Please note that if you are a current GCU student, the scholarship will apply to all your future classes as long as you are continuously enrolled in the program. The 15% scholarship for paraprofessionals and classified staff is available to new students only.
To learn more about GCU, please visit gcu.edu.
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