UPDATED, Aug. 24: Following training and planning for new teachers in the Arlington Public Schools, held Aug. 22 through Aug. 24, orientation day was held Monday, Aug. 28, at the Ottoson Middle School, 63 Acton St.  

New kindergarten teachers also attend "Tools of the Mind" training Aug. 28 and 29. They do not attend the Monday orientation. Principals and school Arlington Education Association representatives are to review with new teachers agenda items missed Aug. 28.

Aug. 28 orientation is the last formal meeting of only new teachers and staff held at Ottoson. All new teachers -- except for new kindergarten teachers -- and staff must attend.

Important district information will be shared with you at that time as well as an opportunity for you to meet leaders, including Dr. Kathleen Bodie, superintendent of Arlington Public Schools; other administrators; those from the Arlington Education Association and town.

Here is the schedule: 

New Teacher Orientation Day  

Monday, Aug. 28, 8-2:30, Ottoson

8-8:30 Morning refreshments, cafeteria

8:30-9 Words of Welcome, Kathleen Bodie, Superintendent of Schools, and a School Committee member

Introduction of the administrative team

9-10 General overview of the role of Special education in Arlington with Alison Elmer, director of special education

10-10:15 Break

10:15-12:15 Arlington Education Association presentation (AEA)

12:15-1:15 Lunch: AEA provides bag lunch

1:15-2 Overview of teacher evaluation system and Baseline Edge

2-2:30  Q & A with the Assistant Superintendent Roderick MacNeal Jr.; Rob Spiegel, HR officer, Marie Janiak, coordinator of mentoring and induction program

Already held: 

Tuesday, Aug. 22, at Ottoson

Room assignments will be posted in the lobby.

Morning refreshments available

Grades K-5: General-education teachers, grade switchers, special-education teachers, general-education math mentors and math coaches, general-education science-support teachers

8-8:30 Overview of the elementary science curriculum with Larry Weathers, director of science; Cory Bavuso, science-support teacher

8:30-11 Overview of math curriculum and assessments with Matt Coleman, director of mathematics, math coaches and math mentors

11-2 Special-education teachers and kindergarten teachers are free to work in their own classrooms.

11-2 Math curriculum planning with math curriculum mentors and math coaches (individual schools/classrooms)

Lunch break one hour -- time will be selected by the group

Wednesday, Aug. 23, Ottoson

Room assignments will be posted in the lobby.

Morning refreshments available

Grades K-5: General-education teachers, grade switchers, special-education teachers, general-education literacy-curriculum mentors and district literacy coaches

8-9 Overview of the elementary social-studies curriculum with Denny Conklin, social-studies director

9-10 Overview of the elementary literacy program with Linda Hanson as well as Tammy McBride and Sandra Bergantz, district literacy coaches

10-2 Kindergarten teachers are free to work in their classrooms

Grades 1-5: Special-education teachers and mentors

10-2 New teachers meet with your special-education mentors in your classrooms for curriculum planning

Grades 1-5: General-education teachers, grade switchers, literacy curriculum mentors

10-11:30 Reading with grade-level literacy curriculum mentor at their school

11:30-noon Lunch break

Noon-2 Writing with grade-level Writing mentor at their school

Grades 6-12: Special-education teachers, staff, mentors

8-2 Curriculum planning in Special-education teachers classrooms with mentors

Lunch break to be selected by the group

Thursday, Aug. 24, Ottoson 

Room assignments posted in the lobby.

Morning refreshments available

ALL NEW STAFF

Technical training

8-10 Prekindergarten to grade 5 general-education teachers, special-education teachers and staff as well as specialists: Power Teacher, acceptable-use policy -- with Susan Bisson, district technology specialist, and Jean Zilewicz, data specialist

8-10 Grades 6-12: General-education and special-education teachers, staff and specialists: Acceptable-Use policy, PowerTeacher, Grade Book, specific Google knowledge and use with Jeff Snyder, instructional technology specialist, Arlington High; Johanna Bradley, instructional technology specialist, Ottoson

10-10:15 Break

10:15-11 HR/benefits/payroll/certification/licensure with Rob Spiegel and Kelly Pigott of human resources

Kindergarten teachers only: 11-2 meet with "Tools of the Mind" mentors in your classrooms

Grades 1-5 General-education specialists (art, music, ELL, physical education)

11-2 Meet with curriculum leaders and/or your mentors

Grades 6-12 Secondary general-education teachers and secondary specialists: (nonspecial-education)

11-2 Curriculum planning with curriculum leaders, coordinators and/or mentors

Working lunch with a break  

ALL Prekindergarten through grade 12 special-education teachers, staff and mentors

11-2 Easy IEP and special-education procedures with Alison Elmer, special-education director, and Special-education coordinators

Grades 1-5 general-education classrooms

11-11:30 Overview of the elementary health curriculum with Guy Schiavone

11:30-2

Grade K-2 Fundations Training with Tammy McBride

Grade 3 Spelling training with Linda Hanson

Grades 4 and 5 Further work on literacy with literacy coaches

This news announcement was published Monday, Aug. 7, 2017, and updated Aug. 24.