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2007 Back-to-School Newsletter

Message from DOE Teacher Liaison, Nicole Flesvig
Welcome to the “Just for Teachers” 2007-2008 newsletter series from the Florida Department of Education. This monthly newsletter is sent to you via e-mail to keep you up-to-date on state-level education initiatives. The newsletter also keeps you informed of opportunities to provide feedback directly to the Department of Education and provides a variety of free resources via the “Just for Teachers” Web page at www.fldoe.org/justforteachers. You can have an impact on educational policy in Florida by responding to online surveys, taking part in roundtable discussions, and providing your feedback on topics of importance to you. Newsletter information remains archived on the “Just for Teachers” Web page, so you always have access to valuable resources at your convenience. Remember you always have a direct connection to the Florida Department of Education. Drop me a line any time at JustforTeachers@fldoe.org.

While you can expect another newsletter from me shortly that will contain the latest “news you can use” for Florida teachers, I wanted to kick off the school year with a warm welcome and some back-to-school resources. In this special back-to-school issue of the “Just for Teachers” newsletter, I have compiled some resources, which may be useful to teachers of all experience levels and subject areas at the start of the school and throughout the year. Best wishes for a wonderful year.

Sunshine Connections
This online tool – created exclusively for Florida teachers by the Department of Education and Microsoft – offers resources for curricular areas, strategies for classroom management and differentiation of instruction, conference information, educator training and professional development. In the future, teachers will have password-protected access to additional features such as online collaboration tools, student performance data, and more.

Helping New Teachers to “Start with Success”
Here you'll find resources and information at your fingertips on how to deal with many of the challenges and questions you have today. Do you feel confused about how to manage your classroom? Does working with parents make you feel unprepared and nervous? Could you benefit from some techniques to boost the effectiveness of your instruction? Well, you've come to the right place. Information on these issues and much more is available at www.startwithsuccess.com.

Tips for Starting the Year off Right!
Take a look at these articles courtesy of the National Education Association (NEA). A complete listing of articles, in addition to those mentioned below, is available at: www.nea.org/teachexperience/archive.html

Understanding Florida’s Public School System: Your Child, Your Public Schools
Whether you are a teacher, a parent, or both, understanding Florida’s education system is critical to student and teacher success. The Department has developed an informational DVD and Web site designed to provide information about parental involvement, family resources, school choice options, as well as lesser-known information about state testing, school grades and more. “Your Child, Your Public Schools” is a free DVD that can be obtained from your district volunteer coordinator or viewed online!

Florida Trend’s NEXT: for High School Students and Teachers
Florida Trend's NEXT: Your Future After High School is an annual magazine for Florida teens about career and educational opportunities. It is the only magazine that connects with Florida teens in their own schools – from those just starting to consider future options to those on the brink of making pivotal life choices. Because teachers play an important role in the choices of their students, Florida Trend’s NEXT magazine and Web site also provide resources for teachers to assist in classroom use of the magazine. Teachers can explore the “teacher’s lounge” and also take advantage of a free downloadable classroom activity guide. The magazine is also offered in Spanish for Spanish-speaking students and teachers, which can be a useful tool for foreign language classrooms! Florida Trend's NEXT magazine is free for all students and is delivered directly to schools throughout Florida. Look for a copy at your school. To access the Web version of the magazine, just click the title of this article.

Resources “Just for Teachers”
The “Just for Teachers” Web page offers a variety of instructional resources including links to free presentation materials such as audio and video files, clip art, photos, fonts, Keynote & PowerPoint help, and presentation help. The site also offers links to financial resources including low interest home loans, apartment assistance, grants, and more! Looking for legislative updates? It’s all covered on the “Just for Teachers” home page.

Breakfast: Good for Kids, Good for Teachers! Free Toolkit & Essay Contest
The MetLife Survey of the American Teacher 2002 looked at factors impacting student accomplishment and found that eating breakfast is a key indicator of success, stating that “students who receive higher grades eat breakfast more frequently and are not as distracted by hunger during class.”

Studies have shown that eating breakfast can:

  • Increase student grades.
  • Increase standardized testing scores.
  • Increase classroom concentration.
  • Increase attentiveness.
  • Decrease tardiness and absences.
Through innovative breakfast service in the classroom and with traditional cafeteria breakfasts, schools provide a healthy and balanced start so that students can navigate their day. To raise awareness about the availability of breakfast for all students at school and to draw attention to the link between eating a good breakfast and cognitive growth, the Florida Department of Education Office of Food and Nutrition Management has developed a Breakfast Toolkit. Included in the toolkit are breakfast bookmarks illustrating to students that selecting healthy breakfast items is as easy as A-B-C, as well as a new book titled “James Wakes Up to Breakfast.” Other resources are available through the Florida Department of Education’s Food and Nutrition Management Resource Center at 1-800-504-6609, via e-mail at FNRC@fldoe.org, or on the Web site at www.fldoe.org/FNM/resource/.

The week of September 17-21, 2007, has been designated as “Florida School Breakfast Week.” This year, the celebration week will have a sports theme encouraging students to eat a healthy breakfast and engage in regular physical activity that will build a breakfast habit that lasts throughout the year.

Essay Contest for Fourth Grade Classrooms
The Department’s Food and Nutrition Management section and the Dairy Council of Florida are sponsoring an essay contest as part of the 2007 Florida School Breakfast Week. This essay contest is open to all fourth graders in Florida. Students are asked to respond to the following expository question:

“There is a well-known saying, ‘Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.’ Explain why eating a healthy breakfast would help you during school.”

Only one essay may be chosen by each teacher and submitted to represent a classroom. Prize packages retailing at $200 for first place, $150 for second place, and $100 for third place will be awarded by a special guest. Top essays should be postmarked by Monday, October 1, 2007. To download the essay instructions, cover page, entry form, and complete essay rules, go to www.fldoe.org/FNM/natlschoollunch/essaycontest.asp.