• Published and displayed our Week in Review Animoto Video highlighting best practice educational experiences that take place in our school. 
  
• Created and disseminated the first edition of the Bulldog Bulletin that provides district staff with five best practice resources to explore on a weekly basis. 
  
• Read and discussed with a few colleagues an article from AMLE Magazine related to using primary source documents and digital resources to understand the Lewis and Clark Expedition. 
  
• Observed middle school students in our Innovation and Design Class working on their Westward Expansion Robot Project in the halls. 
• Observed middle school students in our Computer Application Class filming scenes for their SAT Word Project in the halls.
• Discussed piloting blended learning tools such as Blendspace, Nearpod, and Educreations in Art Class.
• Watched a student created video on the topic of math using the Educreations App on the iPad mini. 
• Updated our school's website, Pinterest Board, Facebook Page, and Twitter Handle. 
• Received an email from a parent congratulating me on making a list of top education bloggers in New Jersey. 
• Helped out an elementary teacher utilize a Web 2.0 Tool called Smore for an upcoming lesson. 
• Observed an elementary teacher successfully implement Sokikom as a way to help students focus on their Common Core math skills. 
• Observed an elementary teacher break down a piece of nonfiction text with students in a small group setting. 
• Participated in a Student-Staff basketball game to end the day on a high note. As a fundraiser before the game we taped one of our teachers to the wall and had people watch via Facetime in the gymnasium. One of our terrific students organized the entire broadcast production. 

Have you ever tried an online book talk? Pretty interesting stuff, especially with a real life pirate! That's exactly what happened in early 2013 with over thirty staff members of the Chester School District in Chester, NJ who volunteered to participate in an online book talk with author Dave Burgess. The focus was on his critically acclaimed book Teach Like a Pirate. The web tool of choice to house the conversation: Edmodo. The insight provided by our staff on a variety of topics including passion, anticipatory sets, and making learning fun were tremendous.

The initiative provided participating staff members with an opportunity to understand the inner workings of a terrific virtual classroom of sorts. Edmodo enables users to create a virtual learning environment that can hold discussions, assess knowledge, analyze resources, and most importantly allow collaboration to flourish. Throughout the experience we read a few chapters and then responded to posted questions in the virtual class that was created in Edmodo. The best practice ideas shared were tremendous, especially from the author himself Dave Burgess.

The online book talk provided several opportunities for staff members. First and foremost it enabled staff to truly understand how passionate their colleagues were about educating our youth. Secondly, it exposed teachers to a best practice Web 2.0 tool in Edmodo as well as other fabulous resources. Last but not least, it put everyone in contact with a great educator in Dave Burgess. In fact, to kick off the 2013-2014 school year we had Dave keynote our In-Service. The entire experience strengthened our committment to do what's best for kids each and every day.

The students at Black River Middle School in Chester, NJ are incredibly talented, especially when it comes to art work. That is why we take great pride in making sure their voice is heard by providing them with opportunities to beautify the school. It's so important that they make their learning spaces a true reflection of what is important to them. Sticking a few posters from a project onto a bulletin board doesn't cut it anymore. It's imperative that we tap into student's artistic ability in order to strengthen school culture. With the guidance of our outstanding Art Teacher, Mrs. Sarah Smith, Black River Middle School students have turned blank wall spaces, ceiling tiles, and outdoor columns into vibrant decor. Check out some of the phenomenal pieces of work.....,.