We’re So Proud and Excited!

Recently at a principals meeting Union County Schools were recognized for their globalization efforts for 2012-2013 school year.  The staff got the news that our school (Rocky River) was awarded the designation in Union County as an International School for 2012-2013 at a staff meeting and we are excited and proud of this accomplishment.  In order to obtain this designation each school submitted a livebinder presentation showing their globalization efforts throughout the school year then a committee went through the rubric criteria and gave points which were then totaled up and schools were awarded designation for their work throughout the year.  International School is the highest award a school can obtain.  You needed above 85 points for this category.  Rocky River exceeded that total with an average of 96 points.  These are the categories awarded throughout the county.  Just the year before we were a Global Partners School with 84 points.

• UCPS International School                  85+ points
• UCPS Global Partners School              60-84 points
• UCPS Global Affiliate School               45-59 points
• UCPS Goodwill Ambassadors School  35-44 points
• UCPS Global Education School            1-34 points

Throughout the county there were 19 elementary, middle and high schools in the International category.   Our globalization committee is pictured above with the plaque we received.  Below is the banner which is hanging proudly in our main hall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some areas to get points for included International Sister Schools (England and Australia), Cultural Awareness Projects (Irish Dancers and Jaars – Brazil presentation), Speakers ( Vietnam, Canada, Sweden, New Zealand, and Colombia), 21st Century Technology ( Voice Threads, Google Docs, Skyping etc., 21st Century communication (Skyping, Blogging, emails, PowerPoint and Professional Development (globalization), classroom web pages, classroom activities highlighting focus countries for each grade, Environmental projects, Service Projects ( Heifer foundation/Beatrice’s Goat. Red Cross, Blood Drives, Relay for life and others), and  the UCPS global teacher leaders program and Global gateway program with Professional Learning modules).

We couldn’t have done a lot of this without our ties with others in England and Australia and around the USA.  A Room with a View (Middleham, England     http://aroomwithaview.edublogs.org/     ) and Upper Plenty-http://upps45p.global2.vic.edu.au/   and Áine Murphy – Pt Lonsdale Primary School  in Australia, along with Stephen in New Zealand were always eager and helpful in doing joint projects together.  From Skyping to learn about a field trip to London, learning about holidays and customs in Australia and England, reading books and comparing our thoughts (The Boy Who Biked the World, Flat Stanley and Magic Tree Houses books and Julia Donaldson books) were enjoyed by students at Rocky River and our sister schools.   We learned about Superstition Mountain and legends, we learned how to sign the Pledge of Allegiance with buddies in Arizona   http://blogs.goaj.org/gfraher/

This year we are continuing our learning with other students around the world and we continue to enjoy this a lot.  Thank you to everyone that continues to join us in our global learning experiences!  Thank you to everyone who helped make this designation possible for our school both locally and internationally.

 

What do you do to be a global learner?

  We are looking forward to 2014 and delving into some global issues around the world.  If you have any projects you be interested in joining us on let me know.   Water, poverty, environmental, hunger…….