Professional Development
The PFA is proud to support Professional Development for our Teachers and Counselors
"Teaching is the profession upon which all other professions depend. If not done well, everything else suffers. We need to make an investment in teacher education." Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond of the Stanford University Graduate School of Education.
Please read below testimonials from our teachers and counselors about how attending a conference funded by PFA is benefiting OPHS students.
Football Head Coach, Casey Webb, describes the benefits of attending the Las Vegas Glazier Football Clinic, in February 2022
From February 10th to February 13th the Oak Park Football coaching staff had the chance to go to a football clinic in Las Vegas through glazier clinics. At this clinic there were numerous topics that speakers went over. The goal of going to this clinic is to learn more about the game of football and be able to take what we learn and apply it to our every day at Oak Park. At the Las Vegas Glazier Football Clinic I learned new coaching techniques to make the game of football safer, better ways to organize the program, and ways to get more out of our student athletes in the weight room. We had 7 football coaches go, which is the most we have ever had go to a clinic before. We are super excited to implement new techniques, strategies, and fundamental skills to our football players.
Thank you to the PFA for allowing this to happen!
Casey Webb, OPHS Head Football Coach
Class of 2010 Football Alum, Dylan Sosa, with Head Football Coach Casey Webb at the Glazier Football Clinic, Las Vegas.
Zach Borquez, OPHS Instrumental Music Director, explains the importance of attending the California All-State Music Educators Conference, in February 2022
My attendance at the California All-State Music Educators Conference (CASMEC) each year is such an important part of our annual music department calendar. It is a chance for our honor band and orchestra musicians to have the opportunity to perform alongside the top student musicians from around the state, working with the best university/conservatory and professional conductors in the nation. This year we had two OPHS musicians audition into the All-State Bands, Daniel Kim (flute) and Nick Raney (French horn). In addition to supporting our district’s All State musicians, CASMEC grants me the opportunity to attend numerous professional development clinics over the course of the three day conference. Each year the session topics vary, and span a wide range of topics geared for all types of music educators across the state. Session topics can fall under larger categories of Band/Strings, Vocal/Choir, Technology in the music classroom, General Music, Jazz, etc. Topics within these categories can be as specific as “Clarinet tuning,” “Jazz Rhythm Section Interaction,” “Score Study and Rehearsal Strategies,” and many more. The immediate benefit to our musicians is that they get to try out all the fresh new ideas and strategies upon my return from the conference, for example this year the jazz rhythm section got some very specific tips on how to create a more authentic and transparent accompaniment sound. Equally educational at the conference is my chance to connect with friends/colleagues from across the state (it is rare to see even local colleagues outside of competitions and conferences given all of our busy schedules). Hearing from the mouth of other directors, what they are doing with their groups, what repertory they are performing, and the ability to ask questions of seasoned veterans is so incredibly meaningful—it definitely recharges the “tank” so to speak, allowing me to be the best that I can be for my students.
Thank you again to the OPHS PFA for your support of my attendance at the California All-State Music Educators Conference!
Zach Borquez, OPHS Instrumental Music Director
Heidi Cissell, OPHS Choir Director, talks about her experience at the California All-State Music Education Conference, Fresno, in February 2020
For me, as choir director at Oak Park High School, it is a wonderful opportunity to not only observe rehearsals for all choirs (TTBB, SATB, SSA) under distinguished conductors, but it is also an amazing opportunity to be a part of the CASMEC Music Convention held at the same time in Fresno, whereby I can attend up to 40 workshop/classes held at the Fresno Convention Center ranging from topics such as: “Production Through Performance: A new way to teach tech,” “Think, Create, Escalate! Engaging Students in Transformative Learning.” “Teaching in the Intersections: Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Action,” “Brainstorming for Advocacy and Equity,” “Wander the World with Vocal Warm-Ups,” to just mention a few classes, along with three separate Choral Reading Sessions to help expose directors to new repertoire, and more in depth information of the backgrounds of certain pieces in order to teach music with more depth. In addition to this valuable offering of enrichment, directors have the opportunity to attend and observe college choir performances such as the Vivace Chorus and CSU Stanislaus Chamber Singers. There is also an area for around 100 exhibitors to display their information for choral and instrumental directors – from music publishing companies, travel agencies, music companies, music instrument companies, choral risers/equipment companies, music association/college representatives, representatives for Disney Performing Arts, etc.
That all being said, nothing above can even compare to the excitement and joy that I receive from observing our Oak Park High School Choir Students during the culmination of the Honor Choir adventure – the final concert, which was held on Saturday, February 22 at the Saroyan Theater in downtown Fresno. To hear the excellence of around 100 voices from each choral groups, consisting of the top students in all of California is a breathless experience – not to mention the pride that our Oak Park High School Students feel being a part of this experience and also knowing that they are special representatives of our school.
I wish to extend a very special thank you to our PFA for graciously providing the monetary support in order for me to attend the CASMEC Music Convention and witness the amazing concerts for State Honor Choir, which was an excellent professional development opportunity. Below are pictures of our three young men who attending Regionals and State honor Choir this year.
Heidi Cissell, OPHS Choir Director
Amit Maish, David Shiang & Koby Yousem arrive in Fresno.
Amit Maish, David Shaing & Koby Yousem at break in between rehearsals at Fresno State College for State Honor Choir 2020.
TTBB (All Men) State Honor Choir Performance, Amit Maish & Koby Yousem among those performing above.
SATB State Honor Choir Performance 2020, Koby Yousem among those performing above.
Kevin Buchanan describes how the PFA funded trip to the Henry Kemp Shakespeare Festival in February 2020 benefits OPHS student members of the International Thespians Honor Society.
The International Thespians Honor Society is a program that adds prestige to our students' theater arts experiences and we have had an official ITS Troupe for 5 years now. I am the OPHS ITS Advisor and students must achieve a certain level of theater performance experience before being eligible to join ITS. The troupe is required to perform service to the school and community and they accomplish this by organizing the therapy dogs who come on campus at least twice a year, producing a play, and feeding the homeless.
This is the fourth year of our group being accepted to compete in the annual Henry Kemp Shakespeare Festival held at Chapman University each Spring. We are one of only 25 schools invited to perform scenes and monologues as well as designing costumes and set presentations. Our students compete against other schools' theater arts programs and are judged on a number of criteria by the Chapman University theater professors. There are also a range of workshops that our students attend while there. These are usually Shakespeare related such as monologue techniques, Commedia Dell'arte, or other stage related techniques. An awards ceremony recognizes the best performances in the various categories and we also attend a play that is produced by the Chapman students and faculty. This year it is "9-5 The Musical".
Many of our students are considering majors in the arts and this experience puts them on stage performing Shakespeare in a college setting. We receive the judges scoring sheets and comments shortly after the festival which we use to improve our work for the following year. This year we are hoping that we can perform the scenes at MCMS. We are currently rehearsing scenes from King Lear, Henry IV, and Comedy of Errors as well as presenting a set design for Midsummer's Night Dream. In the past, we have performed scenes from Antony and Cleopatra, Macbeth, Henry the Fifth, Twelfth Night, and Richard the Third among others.
Thanks to PFA funding, counselor, Julie Ross, attended the Somatic Attachment Therapy conference February 19, 2020
I learned wonderful information regarding how to best assist some of our more troubled students. This information will help all of the counselors!
Thank you, PFA!!
Julie Ross, OPHS Counselor
Dr. Kathy Schultheis explains the importance of attending the AP English Conference in November 2019.
On November 16, 2019, I attended an AP English conference at Norwalk High School sponsored by the College Board. For the last twenty years, it has been my custom to attend these yearly conferences, as AP teachers must be alert to changes in the format of the test. This year there were a stunning number of changes.
For over three decades, the AP test was designed to measure the student's facility for writing in three domains of composition: argumentation, exposition and synthesis. The first of these areas -- argumentation -- has undergone a radical shift. No longer is the student asked to grapple with a complex ethical or philosophical issue, to analyze the issue and then mount a protest or submit an affirmation. Now the student is given a simple meme to write more or less anything about. It is a sad state of affairs. The AP test was once-upon-a-time the gold standard of excellent writing. Now it is more or less a test of basic literacy.
The six-hour seminar provided the teachers with the new materials, introduced the new AP portal and provided sample essays from last year's AP test. All in all, the conference was valuable insofar as it provided information that will radically alter what teachers do in the classroom to put students in the best possible position to provide the sort of answer the College Board is looking for. But the actual test is truly the objective correlative of the decline of literacy in what has become known as the post-Gutenberg culture, that is a culture wedded to digital images, not words.
Sincerely,
Kathy Schultheis Ph.D. , AP English Teacher
OPHS Journalism students hopped on bikes to ride to the Newseum in Washington D.C.
Journalism Convention brochure and ticket to the Newseum, Washington D.C.
English Teacher, Kathie (Rohlfs) Leggett, sent us a live update from the National High School Journalism Convention 2019 in Washington D.C.
Good Morning!
I am "Hot-Spot"ting while at the Marriott in Washington D.C.
11 journalism students are at their first sessions, and I am actively watching them type in their session notes via a shared Google Doc as well as keeping tabs on their locations via GroupMe chat/text.
There are over 6000 students attending this conference!!!
It is crazy busy, but positive/exciting bustle with laptops, cell phones, and cameras all around.
Yesterday, we tried to take a bus to the Newseum = epic fail. The bus lady really led us astray.
So, we all hopped on bikes and made it to the Newseum for the afternoon.
The conference allowed us to attend the Newseum for free (ticket is in one pic)!
Conference brochure cover is also in photo - an incredible resource which outlines everything going on. There are anywhere from 25-35 sessions that students and advisers alike may attend, every hour starting at 9am and ending at 4pm.
So wonderful and amazing to have these students become inspired by such strong, confident, "seasoned" journalists, teachers, advisers, etc.
Just wanted to check in a give you a quick visual "pic" of what we are doing at the conference.
My husband Jeff and I are so grateful for the funding to be able to support these students as they attend this conference.
Take care!
Kathie (Rohlfs) Leggett, English Teacher/Yearbook Adviser
The National High School Journalism Convention is a gathering of high school journalists and advisers co-sponsored by the Journalism Education Association and the National Scholastic Press Association. I thought I'd share a little bit of what I have experienced and learned from attending this conference, over the years.
Some convention numbers ...
4 — Pulitzer Prize-winning authors we've met and personally spoken with at the conventions. This includes Sonia Nazario ("Enrique's Journey") and Bob Woodward "All the President's Men" (total journalism geek highpoint in my life)
5 — Number of cities where we've attended, including San Francisco (twice), Orlando, Washington DC, Seattle, Anaheim
6 — Total number of National High School Press conventions I've attended
42 — Number of Oak Park High School students who have attended alongside us
72 (or more) — Number of informational sessions I've attended
COUNTLESS — Number of lessons, ideas, pointers, best practices, life-saving methods, connections with colleagues, reference materials, I've brought back to the classroom.
I cannot begin to express how invaluable these conferences have been for me as an English and Journalism educator.
I am so grateful to have a PFA and district that supports and even prioritizes continued teacher education.
Thank you all so very much for all that you do.
Caitlin Fowler, English Department, Journalism Adviser
Caitlin Fowler and four OPHS students with Sonia Nazario, 2-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author
OPHS students who will attend this year's Journalism convention in Washington DC
I attended the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) conference in November 2017, and will be returning November 2019 as a presenter, thanks to funding from the PFA.
One of the workshops was called “The Right Questions” which had a teaching method/philosophy that can apply to any language. I used this with my American Sign Language (ASL) level 1 students. We went through a successful process of shifting perspectives with their questions. This led the students to higher thinking skills/critical thinking.
I have a few activities I learned from ACTFL in my library which I will tweak my curriculum for the upcoming school year. I especially look forward in trying to “ditch the powerpoint presentation to have students try interactive slides” with google slides for effective language learning!
Because of my experience of seeing no ASL workshops at ACTFL back in 2017, I decided to make a vlog on my Facebook to encourage ASL teachers to send in their proposals. I wanted to see more ASL workshops in the mainstream especially in DC, where there is a large signing community on the East Side. My proposal was accepted in April 2019, and I will be presenting at the November 2019 conference.
I am excited to be able to present with a co presenter, Katie Moore, who was working with me on a project with our ASL 2 students and we have been doing this for 3 years for our students to have signing pals with her students from Jacksonville, Illinois. I will finally meet her in person at the ACTFL next month and there will be more ASL workshops for me to attend to and bring back to California.
I express my deepest gratitude for this wonderful experience to grow into the kind of teacher who will thrive to make effective language learning fun.
Deanne Bray, ASL Teacher
Freshman Counselsor, Janet Svoboda tells us about the "Rewire the Anxious Brain" conference she attended in October 2019
Thank you so much to the PFA for funding my attendance at the "Rewire the Anxious Brain" conference. It was very beneficial to my job as a counselor, as I am often working with anxious students.
This workshop specifically discussed the classification of anxiety disorders, the difference between anxiety and fear, the stress response and its impact on our bodies, as well as techniques for reducing stress and anxiety.
Dr. Azab explained that anxiety is not bad. In fact, in moderation, it helps us to feel more motivated and prepared when faced with challenges. So, the goal is not abolish anxiety, but rather to change the brain by creating a healthy, resilient and hopeful brain. Dr. Azab goes on to discuss the difference between anxiety and fear, which although are related emotions, are also different. Anxiety is a much more complex emotion. It is an apprehension about future events and our ability to deal with them.
The stress response was also a big component of this presentation. The stress response is our body's way to bring us back to a homeostatic balance ( a state in which our body's internal environment is in balance- body temperature, blood glucose level, etc.) A stressor is anything in the outside world that knocks you out of homeostatic balance. The stress response is how our body restores homeostasis.
Techniques for stress and anxiety reduction include: eating right, good mental hygiene, relaxation, mindfulness, breathing.
Thank you!
Janet Svoboda, M.S., P.P.S., OPHS Freshman Counselor