Attention all Administrators, Social Workers, Counselors, and Teachers!

DFACS and Child Safety in the age of COVID-19?

In this episode of #GAELSTRONG, we sit down with Jeffery Brown, Region 4 Director of Georgia's Department of Family and Children Servies (DFACS), and Holly Line, Butts County, GA, DFACS Director. 

Questions to explore:

1. Are students quarantined in homes filled with the stresses of sickness and job security more at risk of abuse and neglect?

2. How has DFACS adapted and adjusted in this time of social distancing?

3. What are some ways school systems can identify students and families who need assistance or who are in danger?

4. What are some potential dangers and risks that will increase as the incidence of sick parents increases?

5. Who are some potential partners that can become involved and help with this issue right now?

6. Are there some online resources, videos, and messages that government partners and school systems can push out to parents to help them cope at home with their children so that abuse and neglect do not occur? Can school systems produce these resources simply?

7. Can we use online tools like Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams to put partners together in a task force in each community? To bring social workers together from different counties? To bring parents together who need an outlet and community to help them cope?

8. What are some proactive measures that school systems can take right now that will help prevent child abuse and neglect while students stay home...potentially for several months?

Helpful Links:

https://dfcs.georgia.gov/

https://dfcs.georgia.gov/press-releases/2020-03-24/georgia-doedfcs-partner-encourage-families-use-student-tablets-access

https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/behavior-and-development

https://www.georgiainsights.com/coronavirus.html

Georgia's COVID-19 Hotline CENTEGIX Crisis-Alert System

The #GAELSTRONG Podcast did a Zoom call recently with GADOE Deputy Superintendent Garry McGiboney to talk about COVID-19 safety and some of the issues surrounding the challenges faced by GA Public School Systems. 

In this episode we discuss:

1. Preparation and support from GADOE

2. Resource equity issues in GA.

3. Some victories and opportunities and challenges: Digital Learning and Student Feeding programs.

4. Mobile hotspots with buses in the community. 

5. Donation of Personal Protection Equipment from local Health Science Education programs.

6. Some common sense preparations people can be making. (Avoid hoarding!)

7. Flattening the Curve--Slow the spread.

8. Sanitizing, Securing, Shutting Down (and Opening), and Protecting Facilities. Partnerships with Law Enforcement.

9. Cleaning Supply "Supply Chain" support. Contact Garry McGiboney at 678-637-126 or [email protected] ​

10. Abuse and Neglect issues (DFACS) for students at home, support for parents who are adjusting to "shelter in place." #SELatHome

11. State Board Meeting and Waivers coming for school systems on 3/26/20.

12. Collaboration with state agencies and communication. 

GADOE COVID-19 Resources:

https://www.gadoe.org/External-Affairs-and-Policy/communications/Pages/coronavirus.aspx

This episode of GAELSTRONG is sponsored by GSBA Risk Management Services. Contact GSBA RMS for all your needs for Risk Management and Workers Compensation Insurance. Nobody in the state knows public school systems better than GSBA!

GAELSTRONG was proud to host Brian Buffington, Director of Instructional Technology at Georgia's Pioneer RESA, to discuss distance and online learning in the wake of the COVID-19 Virus. 

In this episode, we discuss various resources and strategies to meet the educational learning needs of our 1.8 million students who are at home while GA fights the virus!

Here are various links and resources mentioned in the podcast and a few other resources: 

Brian’s Online Teaching Cheat Sheet - bit.ly/onlinecheatsheet

Pioneer RESA Tech YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/user/pioneerRESAtech

Brian’s Friday Night Facebook LIVE Concert - https://www.facebook.com/events/2349339932030332/

VidAngel - Netflix and Amazon Prime filtering - https://www.vidangel.com/

Zoom Video Conferencing - https://zoom.us/docs/ent/school-verification.html

Google Meet - https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/g-suite/helping-businesses-and-schools-stay-connected-in-response-to-coronavirus

Screencastify - https://www.screencastify.com/

Tech Smith (Screen Recording) https://discover.techsmith.com/remote-techsmith/

StoryBoard That - https://www.storyboardthat.com/articles/e/remote-learning

Canvas - https://www.instructure.com/canvas/

Big Blue Button - https://bigbluebutton.org/

Class Dojo - https://www.classdojo.com/

Updated list of free/discounted online resources - https://campustechnology.com/Articles/2020/03/16/Free-and-Discounted-Ed-Tech-Tools-for-Online-Learning-During-the-Coronavirus-Pandemic.aspx?admgarea=news&Page=5

Brian K. Buffington

Director of Instructional Technology

Technical Director @ RealTalkWithRealTeachers.com

Pioneer RESA www.pioneerresa.org

Tutorials on YouTube: @pioneerresatech

Follow us on Twitter: @PioneerRESATech @brianbuffington

Stay tuned on Facebook: facebook.com/pioneerresatech

This episode of GAELSTRONG is sponsored by:

In this episode of #GAELSTRONG, we sit down with Claire Suggs from the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE). Claire serves on the legislative affairs team at PAGE as a Senior Education Policy Analyst, and we spent an hour discussing a very controversial topic in GA:

Private School Vouchers

In our discussion, we survey the history and current status of voucher programs in GA and questions that parents, taxpayers, and legislators should be asking about their implementation:

1. How can tax money be tracked and audited by the citizens of GA for private school vouchers?

Local up your local legislator at this link from PAGE and send him/her an email TODAY:

http://www.ciclt.net/sn/pol/po_districtlookup.aspx?ClientCode=pageinc&State=ga

This episode of #GAELSTRONG is sponsored by:

AIG Retirement Services (VALIC) https://www.valic.com/

GSBA Risk Management Services https://gsba.com/member-services/risk-management/

Centegix Crisis Alert https://www.centegix.com/

Breaux & Associates Architects https://www.bxarch.com/

The GAELSTRONG Podcast is so proud to have Baruti "Principal" Kafele discuss leadership with us this episode! Principal Kafele will join us at Winter GAEL on January 26-28, 2020, in Athens, GA. Not only will he provide the keynote on "fueling our leaders," but he will also stay to lead two break-out sessions! Register at http://www.gael.org!

In this Part 1 Episode, we discuss:

• Preventing leadership burnout

Episode 5 of #GAELSTRONG is sponsored by:

GAEL sits down with Sherry St. Clair, national author (#Coaching Redefined) and instructional leadership expert, to talk about the art and science of instructional coaching, leadership, and support. We are so excited to have Sherry lead 3 breakout sessions at Winter GAEL this January 26-28, 2020, in Athens, GA, and we encourage you to register now and book your hotel rooms quickly!

• Instructional Coach is not a title, but a role of all school leaders

Whether you are a superintendent, principal, AP, or teacher leader, you will get a lot out of this talk with one of the best instructional coaching minds in the country! 

This episode of #GAELSTRONG is sponsored by

Teacher Retirement System (TRS) Executive Director Buster Evans joins the GAELSTRONG Podcast Show for Episode 3!

In this episode, we explore:

-A very important piece of trivia about the TRS system that will either scare you or cause you to smile. 

-The importance of GAEL and its affiliates to professional growth and collaboration for educational leaders. (Buster discusses his history with the GAEL and GSSA organizations and the teams he brought to GAEL conferences of the past and what it means about leadership). 

-The legacy of what TRS means to the state of GA and our teachers.

-The legacy left by every Governor and General Assembly of GA since 1943 in protecting TRS and what it means for the recruitment and retention of the educational workforce of our state.

-The current status and health of TRS. 

-Current bills concerning TRS.

-Retirement tips from the man himself.

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Register now for #WinterGAEL2020 in Athens, GA, on January 26-28 at www.gael.org. 

Special guests:

-Principal Kafele (every registrant at the conference will receive a complimentary copy of Kafele's book Is My School a Better School BECAUSE I Lead it?)

-College Football Hall of Famer/UGA Bulldog Kevin Butler

-Sherry St. Clair--Nationally renowned expert and author on improving school academic results AND culture through the art and science of Instructional Coaching from a school's leaders.

-Georgia Adjutant General Tom Carden

-National Superintendent of the Year Dr. Curtis Jones and NASSP Principal of the Year Kerensa Wing

-And...4 strands of professional learning in 3 rounds of break-out sessions! (Instructional Leadership, Teacher Recruitment and Retention, Climate and Culture, and Operations!)

GAEL hosts Georgia State Superintendent Richard Woods for Episode 2 of GAELSTRONG. In this talk, the Superintendent discusses:

--Military families in our schools (Thank you to our state's Veterans and their families!)

--His reasons for running for State Superintendent

--The evolution of the state department of education

--GADOE's relationship and collaboration with the Governor and GOSA

--Thoughts on CCRPI 

--Victories in Public Education in GA

Retired Executive Director and Past President Dr. Jimmy Stokes joins the GAELStrong Podcast to talk about leadership, GAEL history,  and advocacy with Georgia's elected leaders.

Don't miss the rich discussion on:

--Tell-tale sign of a great leader

--What split in the 1970s led to the formation of GAEL

--Thoughts on vouchers, TRS, and much more

Register for Winter GAEL at www.gael.org!

If we are going to feed the needs of our teachers, students, and communities, we Educational Leaders need to be fed as well! GAEL announces its upcoming new Podcast: #GAELStrong, all things Educational Leadership that feed our members! Stay tuned this fall for interviews and resources regarding professional growth, leadership, legislative advocacy, and a network of #EDLeaders to help you thrive. #GAELStrong