REPORT ON WHAT’S WHAT

Today’s assignment is to e-mail me a report of the following:

1.  Your list of four teachers/staff members with a note beside each of COMPLETE (you’ve sent all the stuff needed to update them to Taylor&Rachel), PARTIAL (you’re in touch with the teacher but not finished), or NOTHING (you haven’t heard from the teacher at all).

2.  A report on what you have left to do on your regular assignment.

3.  A report on what sort of maintenance your regular assignment will need.  For example, if you’re in charge of updating the teachers’ pages, that won’t need maintenance once you’re finished.  If you’re doing the athletic pages, you will need to put in scores every now and then.

You may also work on your assignments if you’re not finished today.

Assignments for week of September 14

This week you are to continue working on your committee assignments from the previous week.  Additionally, please do the following assignments today (Monday) and write your responses in two different blog posts — one marked “Response to Justice Cunningham” and one marked “Goals for this week.”

1.  Read this opinion piece from the Lexington Herald-Leader : http://www.kentucky.com/589/story/930668.html.  Respond in a blog post — do high schools only emphasize college prep?  Should our school act differently in advising students?  Don’t name names or criticize individuals, but what should our school do — the same as it does now, more emphasis on vocational education, or another option?  Call your post “Response to Justice Cunningham.” 

2.  In your second post, “Goals for this Week,” set goals for yourself you intend to achieve this week.  I will ask you to write a blog post evaluating how you did on Friday.

Standing Committees and Assignments

Website Photos and Proofreading:   Shannon Carter and Anne Wilson

Please post an update on your blog each Thursday stating what you have done that week AND putting links to any completed/published work next to your writeup of it.  I will check your work on Fridays.  By October 2, you should do the following: 

a.  Turn in (in proper format) the page information for your four staff members (each) to Rachel and Taylor.

b.  Go through the photos currently in our photo display for the DHS website and remove any outdated ones (students no longer at DHS).

c.  Go through the various picture depositories we have and collect good horizontal pictures of current students and staff (see Mr. M for where to look).  Add them to our online pictures on the website.

Website Calendar:   Joe Belamede and Brooke Lange

Please post an update on your blog each Thursday stating what you have done that week AND putting links to any completed/published work next to your writeup of it.  I will check your work on Fridays.  By October 2, you should do the following: 

a.  Turn in (in proper format) the page information for your four staff members (each) to Rachel and Taylor.

b.  Add in the information from each of the activity calendars I give you to the website calendar.

c.  Pass each calendar along to the Athletics or Organizations editors so they may add it to those pages.

 Newspaper monitors plus Website sections Curriculum/Gravely/Technology:   Olivia McBee and Tyler Vatter

Please post an update on your blog each Thursday stating what you have done that week AND putting links to any completed/published work next to your writeup of it.  I will check your work on Fridays.  By October 2, you should do the following: 

a.  Turn in (in proper format) the page information for your four staff members (each) to Rachel and Taylor.

b.  Each day, check the Advocate-Messenger for any positive stories about Danville High students.  Cut and paste those to the front page of the website. 

c.  Go back in the A-M archives to the end of June and add those stories as well.  Make sure that the front page of the website displays in chronological order — newest on top to oldest on the bottom.

d.  Visit each page on the Curriculum/Gravely/Technology drop-down menus on the DHS homepage, see if anything needs updating, and either describe it on your blog and why it does NOT need updating, or update it.

 Website Athletics:   Leslie Walker and Dustin Sparrow

Please post an update on your blog each Thursday stating what you have done that week AND putting links to any completed/published work next to your writeup of it.  I will check your work on Fridays.  By October 2, you should do the following: 

a.  Turn in (in proper format) the page information for your four staff members (each) to Rachel and Taylor.

b.  Obtain the calendars for each sport from the Calendar team and post each with that sport’s page.

c.  Talk to the coach and the Photos crew and get photos on each sport’s page.  See if the coach wants any other links or info on the page.

d.  As sports move through their seasons, keep updating their scores — either on their schedule or on a new scoreboard page you keep running.  All five fall sports should be up-to-date on October 2.

 Website Organizations/Departments and DHS Marquee Outside:  Jon Kenyon and Stacy Nesselrotte

Please post an update on your blog each Thursday stating what you have done that week AND putting links to any completed/published work next to your writeup of it.  I will check your work on Fridays.  By October 2, you should do the following: 

a.  Turn in (in proper format) the page information for your four staff members (each) to Rachel and Taylor.

b.  Obtain the calendars for each activity from the Calendar team and post each with that activity’s page.

c.  Talk to the coach and the Photos crew and get photos on each activity’s page.  See if the coach wants any other links or info on the page.

d.  As the competitive activities move through their seasons, keep updating their scores — either on their schedule or on a new scoreboard page you keep running.  For the non-competitive activities, be sure to keep posted on the Calendar (send to Calendar committee) and the activity’s page any big dates that activity has (music concerts, club activities like dinners, trips, etc.).

e.  You must also keep up with the marquee outside — use the calendar each week to figure out something new to post on each side at least once per week.

 About Us:  Rachel Ricker and Taylor Satterly

Please post an update on your blog each Thursday stating what you have done that week AND putting links to any completed/published work next to your writeup of it.  I will check your work on Fridays.  By October 2, you should do the following: 

a.  Obtain everyone’s 4 staff members’ info and update/create pages.

b.  Complete pages for the staff members not assigned out (see Mr. M for list) using the guidelines you and the other students followed to update staff pages.

c.  Go through the directory in the lobby and make any corrections needed.

d.  Go through the rest of the About Us pages and make notes of any that need work or editing.

 Videographers and “Stealing Ideas from Other Websites” Coordinators:  Joe Nedvidek and Ben Ray

Please post an update on your blog each Thursday stating what you have done that week AND putting links to any completed/published work next to your writeup of it.  I will check your work on Fridays.  By October 2, you should do the following: 

a.  Turn in (in proper format) the page information for your four staff members (each) to Rachel and Taylor.

b.  Arrange training with Ms. Rightmyer on how to operate the digital camera and how to use the editing software.

c.  Each week after the first week (which is your training week), you must post a short video highlighting something at the school — from an activity, a feature on a particular class or unique event.  This should be on a unique place on the home page you need to develop.  See Mr. M with your ideas before you film anything.

Teacher Page Update Assignment

Each of you has been given four teachers or staff members to create/update pages for.  Here are your instructions on what to do.

1.  Browse to the DHS website:  www.danvilleschools.net/dhs

2.  Point over About Us and then click on Faculty and Staff from the drop-down menu.

3.  Scroll down the page to the appropriate person and click on his/her name.  If you are working with a new employee, you will have to ask for all the information normally listed (see other listings) as well arrange to take a picture.  If working with someone who is not a teacher, some of these instructions may not apply.

4.  Write an e-mail to the staff member.  Very nicely explain who you are and that you are updating web pages for the Contemporary Communications staff. 

5.  Using the Master Schedule, list what you think that person’s daily schedule is (period and class taught) and ask for verification it’s correct. 

6.  Cut and paste the URL for their current page and ask them to click on it to verify the information currently there is correct. 

7.  Ask the employee if s/he would like to keep the current picture, would like to arrange for you to come take another one, or if that employee might have a picture already that s/he might like to use.

8.  Ask the employee to send you electronic copies of the syllabi for all his/her classes (to be posted under Classroom Documents).

9.  If a teacher, ask the teacher if s/he would like to post homework assignments on his/her page.  If so, we can activate the homework calendar and turn that on for them.

10.  Ask the employee if there are any other documents s/he would like you to post on his page, any famous quotations or links to other websites, etc.  Be very pleasant and helpful. 

11.  Wrap up your e-mail by thanking the employee for the time spent with you and for assistance in making the DHS website the best it can be, etc.

JAZZING UP YOUR BLOG AND REVIEWING THE GREATEST HITS OF HIGH SCHOOL WEBSITES

To make your blog even better:

1.  Upgrade to a different color scheme/theme.  Log in to wordpress.com, then click on My Dashboard if you don’t automatically go there.  Click in the middle on Change Theme.  Under Browse Themes, click on A-Z and look through the 76 options you have.  When you find on e you like, you can click Preview to see what your blog will look like in this theme.  When you’ve made your final selection, click Activate.
2. You may want to create a Gravatar, which is an Avatar of yourself.  Many of you did this or started it last week.  A free site to do this is www.madmenyourself.com .  Once you have finished your avatar, save it into your folder on the DHS network.
3. To upload your avatar, go back to your website’s dashboard and scroll down to the Settings link on the bottom left.  Click on General settings.  On the right, you will see an option to upload an image of yourself on the right.  Click on the browse button  and go to your avatar in your file on the DHS network and upload it.
4. Go back to your website’s dashboard, click on the Theme or Manage Theme option, and click on Widgets.  You can add widgets to your blog here by dragging them over from the center section to the right.  If you want to add your avatar (called Gravatars by this program), drag it over.  You can then edit the caption under your Gravatar by selecting the drop-down menu that is under the word Gravatar.  You also have a few other options for that widget.  Once finished, save it all and go up to the top center of the page and click on the Visit Site button to make sure it looks as you wished it to.  Edit as needed.
5. You may wish to add other Widgets to your blog as well.  Check them out and add as you like.

 

Once you have finished jazzing up your blog, go to my blog and work your way through the blog roll of our class’s blogs.  Read their entries about other schools with good sites.  Select your favorite in-state and out-of-state site.  Send me an e-mail with your pick for each (and the link to it).  I’ll tally our class favorites and share them with you next week when we review what we’ve discovered so far.

Course Description — Contemporary Communications

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This class increases students’ knowledge about current events and the methods used to communicate them.  As a part of the course, students will be responsible for collecting and compiling school announcements, maintaining the school website and school marquee, and creating school-wide e-mail distribution lists for students and parents.  Additionally, students will explore contemporary issues and how modern media and technology can affect them.  Students will watch daily news reports and maintain blogs about contemporary events.  In addition to keeping up with current events and the ongoing school communications work, the class will be divided into three twelve-week units of study: 

August – November               

From the Front Page to Facebook:  Media & Technology Basics

November – February             

My Old Kentucky Home & the Media: Danville & Kentucky

March- May                           

Independent Projects: ideas range from assistance with the World Equestrian Games and local festivals to projects involving specific media outlets /  internships / studies of a particular program or network.                                                                                                        

MATERIALS  REQUIRED FOR THE CLASS

Writing utensils (your choice) and paper.  I suggest you keep a separate folder or section of your notebook for this class as well (so you can easily access materials I hand out and your assignments).  You must also retain computer usage rights to the Danville Schools network to complete this class’s coursework, so don’t do anything to cost you those rights.

BLOGS

Each of you will be required to maintain a blog online.  In this blog, you will not only complete entries about our latest Media Monday work and current event assignments as they are given, but you will also have a chance to give feedback about the course, assignments, and what’s going on in the world.  Our classroom blogs will function via the website WordPress.com.  You will also be required to access my blog, The Man Upstairs, on this site for assignments, links, etc.  http://themanupstairs.wordpress.com

  

GENERAL SCHEDULE FOR CLASS:

Daily:

We will view CNN’s daily ten-minute news program, CNN Student News.  On Fridays, students will take quizzes about the week’s news written by staffers at CNN.  These quizzes are very specific, and as the quizzes are a bit pickier than I think necessary for a general awareness of world events, they will be graded on a curve:  60%  correct is considered a perfect paper; extra points are added to the grade in this section of the course and configured at the end of the nine weeks (capped at 100%).   This allows students who miss class to make up points for broadcasts missed with extra attention on other days.  These quizzes will be graded weekly, and the grades will count as 25% of the course grade.  If you miss class, you can watch the current day’s broadcast or the prior day’s broadcast at www.cnnstudentnews.com.  Quizzes will be given on Fridays to everyone present (and to students absent on the first day they return to class).

Media Mondays:      

On Mondays, we will deal with media coverage of current events through CNN and PBS specials, New York Times and Newsweek stories and activities, and newspaper coverage of contemporary stories.  It will be a weekly time for us to address specific issues  (mainly national and world events); we will especially focus on how communications affects these issues.

Tuesdays and Thursdays:

These will be days devoted to work on our three major units of study (see prior page) in class – either instruction or time to work on specific projects and assignments.  Additionally, some Tuesday time may be used to finish Media Monday viewing/projects as need be.

Web Wednesdays:

No major instruction will take place on these days (aside from the CNN broadcast); time will be given to students to work on their blogs, projects, etc.  This is a laboratory day; students who abuse this structured work time will be given detentions to make up for wasted time.

Finished Fridays:

In addition to the weekly CNN quizzes, students will make presentations of their week’s work on Fridays as appropriate. 

Ongoing Committees:

As part of the first major class unit, students will learn how to assemble and present daily announcements as well as maintain the school marquee.  Additionally, the school’s website will be examined, expanded, and updated.  After this unit is completed, students will work in committees to maintain these outlets of school communications.

GENERAL CLASSROOM POLICIES

1.  Be respectful of others.  Common courtesy is expected of teacher and students at all times.  Violations of such courtesies will be handled as stated in the Student Handbook.  Minor classroom disturbances will be handled by Mr. Meadows and parents (as needed).

2.  Be honest.  Any academic work you submit is expected to be your own.  Any work which is found to be dishonestly produced will be given a failing grade at all levels of development (meaning all drafts if it is a paper, etc.).  Parents will be called in for a conference at any time academic dishonesty is discovered.  Honor societies will be notified, if applicable.  Additionally, you will be denied a recommendation from me of any kind.  College recommendations already written will be retracted.

3.  Be on time.  Makeup work is the responsibility of the student (to obtain, complete, and turn in).  You have as many school days as you were absent to make up the work.  Late work will be accepted at 20% off for one day late (and it is late if not turned in when I take it up) and 40% off for two days late – no late work is accepted more than two days late.  Presentations are not accepted late.  Computer problems including “the e-mail didn’t come” and “my printer wasn’t working” are NEVER excused.  Get the paper to me on disk, on a jump drive, by e-mail, or copy it out by hand.  Students are also expected to be in class on time.  Tardies will be handled in the manner described in the student handbook.

4.  Recycle.  ‘Nuff said.

  

QUOTATION

Weekly, I post a quotation of some thought or humor.  I depend on the students to provide me with these quotations.  To turn in a quotation(s), please write down the quotation EXACTLY along with the author/speaker (if known) and your name. 

Example:

         “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”

                          –Benjamin Franklin                          (Stella Student)

EXTRA HELP

I am always happy to help you with problems with the coursework (or in other areas).     Please don’t hesitate to ask for help.  Let’s have a great year!

Contemporary Communications Calendar

W        8/12     Course syllabus, discussion of how we get information about schools and the world.  Discuss theschool marquee and announcements.Th        8/13     Power Point:  alphabet from advertising – discuss how the media can change behaviors.  F          8/14     Create blogs in class for each student.   M         8/17     Begin CNN Student News.  Afterward, read SALON.COM article about teenagers and the Internet and create a blog entry (Title: Response to SALON.COM) responding.     http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2008/03/14/kids_and_internet/index.html T          8/18     Three-day assignment examining the DHS website (due 8/20 — handout) W        8/19     See 8/18 Th        8/20     See 8/18 F          8/21     Quiz; jazz up your blog (assignment online here:  http://themanupstairs.wordpress.com/2009/08/20/jazzing-up-your-blog-and-reviewing-the-greatest-hits-of-high-school-websites/ )   M         8/24     Review class favorite websites and DHS site T          8/25     In four groups, evaluate the class responses to the tips and make proposals for each plus                         list anything else we need to be sure to include on our website; prepare to present. W        8/26     Present class findings, divide into standing committees for communications work Th        8/27     Ann Rightmyer guest lectures on how to use SchoolWires; meet in lab F          8/28     Double CNN; quiz; begin committee work M          8/31 to     Th  10/1    See Assignments listed here http://themanupstairs.wordpress.com/2009/09/01/teacher-page-update-assignments-the-e-mail/ http://themanupstairs.wordpress.com/2009/09/14/assignments-for-week-of-september-14/ http://themanupstairs.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/report-on-whats-what/ http://themanupstairs.wordpress.com/2009/09/28/to-finish-the-teacher-pages/ http://themanupstairs.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/summer-vacation-abridged/   M         10/12   to         Th        10/15 After CNN Student News each day, research and work.  Keep track of your research on a running Works Cited page.  http://themanupstairs.wordpress.com/2009/10/11/research-into-technology-presentations/  F          10/16    Works Cited page due; news quiz.  M         10/19  Last day to work in class  T          10/20   and      W         10/21  Presentations to class