Welcome to 2019!!
Everyone at MCSS wishes you a Happy New Year, a prosperous finale to the 2018-19 academic year, and an abundance of exuberant students, good health, and restful weekends. MCSS has been very busy – thanks especially to the constant hard work of Gorman Lee, our Director of Professional Development, and Kathy Babini, our Executive Director – and we want to keep you informed of what lies on the horizon for MCSS and the entire Social Studies Community (not only here in Massachusetts but throughout New England and the northeast states). So you might want to take some notes and/or place on your calendar: ? NERC 49 is coming faster than we realize. March 18 & 19 at Framingham State University in the McCarthy Center. We have a fully packed program of workshops & clinics, some great Keynote Speakers, and a few social gatherings just to lighten the load. All program and registration information is here on the MCSS website. PLEASE JOIN US!
- NERC VOLUNTEERS needed – we will have a need for some volunteers at NERC to serve as guides, attendance checkers, and liaisons with our vendors. This is a great way to get started with MCSS and open some doors to understanding just what goes into creating and managing a conference like NERC. If you are interested, please let us know (contact me, Gorman Lee, or Kathy Babini via the MCSS email address).
- AWARDS – MCSS takes great pride in recognizing the best among us. Each year we give out awards for Outstanding Social Studies Teachers at the High School, Middle School, and Elementary levels; Outstanding Teachers in Geography, Economics, Civics, and Psychology; Outstanding Supervisor; Outstanding New Teacher (less than 5 years), and our Annual Janna Bremer Friend of the Social Studies Award. All the info is here on our website and the nomination process is all handled online. Please consider nominating a colleague.
- Professional Development in Massachusetts is expanding due to Gorman Lee’s efforts. NERC is getting bigger and better than ever. Our Summer Content Institute continues to attract other organizations to help us create terrific offerings. In the summer of 2019 with the help of Revolution 250, we will be hosting a summer institute on “Underrepresented Voices of the American Revolution”. More details will be posted on the MCSS website later this spring.
- Professional Development opportunities will also be available via our 1-Day Conference in the Fall of 2019 and at NERC 50. We plan on returning to Boston for NERC 50, and it is exciting to know that the Social Studies Councils from New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine have already expressed their enthusiasm for this notable event. I am sure this is a conference you will not want to miss.
- DESE Assessment update – will be offered at NERC 49 in March at Framingham State University from 2:30 – 4:00 on Tuesday, March 2019. This is important for all SS educators to be up to speed on what is ahead in SS education/assessment.
There is much more for us all to deal with as Social Studies educators, and it is both exciting and challenging to have such full plates. Let’s embrace the opportunity to collaborate and make each other stronger and therefore further our students’ Civic and Social Studies education!
Regards, Norm Shacochis MCSS Acting President, 2018-19
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