11/7/07 UPDATES

TAPP has been receiving assignments by email and even faxes of PLU transcripts that do not have candidate names on the assignment or the fax. Like many of you in your classrooms, I now have a stack of papers without names sitting here and I am unable to tell who should receive the credit. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU PUT YOUR NAME ON ALL ASSIGNMENTS AND ON ALL FAXES SENT TO TAPP!

CSRA RESA will host Differentiation in the Content Areas for high school teachers on December 10, 2007. Sessions will be held in the morning and repeated in the afternoon in the areas of Science, Math, Social Studies, and English. Content specialists will offer practical differentiation strategies using the Georgia Performance Standards. Sessions will be held at CSRA RESA and there is no cost for registration. Sessions are 2 ½ hours in length, and PLU credit will not be awarded. Registration and course information can found on our website at www.csraresa.org. Please click on the "Differentiation in the Content Areas" link, located in the box in the center of the page. If you have questions about the sessions, please contact Debra Smalley at dsmalley@csraresa.org.10/31/07

10/31/07 UPDATES

1) ALL ACTIVE CANDIDATES, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YEAR YOU ARE IN OR WHAT YOUR CERTIFICATION AREA IS, ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND THE TAPP UPDATE MEETING AT CSRA RESA ON MONDAY NIGHT, DECEMBER 10, 2007, FROM 5PM - 9PM. PLEASE BE PRESENT AND ON TIME!!!

2) Rick Beal will be working with any TAPP candidate needing extra guidance on Classroom Management this coming Saturday, November 3rd, from 9am - 2pm. Any active TAPP candidate is welcome to attend. Rick assured Karen that he would have you out in time to watch the GOOD afternoon football games!

3) Only a few people have responded to Karen's request for documentation of any professional learning credits you have received through your system or other college work you may be completing as you work on an advanced degree. This information is critical so that you do not have to take coursework that you have already taken. Professional learning transcripts can be obtained in many cases by logging in to your system's website and accessing your records. Many school secretaries can also pull these records for you. IF YOU HAVE NOT YET DONE THIS, PLEASE DO THIS NO LATER THAN NEXT Wednesday, NOVEMBER 7TH, 2007. FAX IT TO KAREN OR ESTHER AT 706-556-8891.

4) Karen has notified some 2nd & 3rd year candidates of the pedagogy and other work that must be completed for TAPP course credit. Other courses will be taking place in the upcoming months and candidates are being notified by email of these course requirements.

5) Please remind your mentor and your principal that you must have all required documentation from meetings and observations ready to submit on December 10th when you come to class. (Remember, your mentor only has to do 3 observations during the semester, not 4 as some papers may say. Make sure each of these people completes the Candidate Disposition Form that was mentioned to them during their orientation training.

6) Karen has held Orientation Meetings with most systems at this point. If your mentor and/or administrator did not attend, he/she needs to contact me to obtain the necessary responsibilities, guidelines, and forms. Many of these can also be found on the TAPP website.

7) Please remember that Karen and Esther can only be of help to candidates if they are aware of issues and concerns. Please stay in contact with them on a frequent basis, especially if you need specific help or are feeling completely overwhelmed.

8) Please let Karen know if you have special events planned for your students so that she can come out and take part if possible. We would like to take pictures of these events to share with our Board Members and to display at RESA. We would also like to be notified if you are honored for some reason, or if you win any type of teaching award (Teacher of the month, Golden Apple Award, etc). We want to share in your successes!

9) While we think most of our email issues have been resolved, it would be wise to check all email you send to CSRA RESA to make sure that it went through. Most email properties include a way to be notified of whether or not each email is delivered or has delivery problems.

10) 2nd & 3rd year Candidates who took Gail Duggan's pedagogy courses (Science or General Pedagogy) last year, who also used that unit as the one you submitted to TAPP last May, should have received feedback from Gail that would help you as you complete your unit that is due in November. Other candidates who submitted units in May should receive feedback Karen within the next week. One scorer has returned all the units she scored and the other scorer should be finished by the end of this week.

10/8/07 UPDATES

There will be NO CLASS this Thursday night, October 11th, for candidates who are finishing up the Fall Initial Training. All assignments that are due that night are to be submitted at the next class, Monday, October 15th, along with your first lesson plan as we discussed in class last Friday. Please be prompt in arriving for class so that we can get all assignments accounted for.

9/17/07 UPDATES

Karen just found out that her email has been blocking mail from yahoo.com and bellsouth.net recently. If you have sent anything to Karen from one of these addresses, please check with her to see if she got it. If not, you will need to resend the email. The problem has been fixed so it should not affect future emails.

9/14/07 UPDATES

1) The second set of portfolio assignments for 2nd/3rd year candidates is due to Karen by email no later than 4:00 pm on Tuesday, September 18th! Karen will email you to let you know she got your submissions. If you do not get a return email from Karen, it means she did not receive your assignments!

2) First year candidates... Are you saving your dimes and nickels??? This is just a reminder that the remaining $750 of your TAPP fees will be due and payable by November 15, 2007. Make sure you are budgeting!!!

3) All Summer 2007 candidates AND 2nd/3rd year candidates who have not PASSED the GACE Content Assessment (or any other previously used Certification Test) MUST be registered for the GACE on October 27th. For those of you that have forgotten to do so, PLEASE EMAIL ME YOUR GACE CONFIRMATION ASAP!!!

4) Fall 2007 candidates, please remember that you if you have not already taken and passed the GACE Content Assessment (or any other previously used Certification Test) you MUST take the GACE Content Assessment for your area in either October 2007 or January 2008! Please email me your GACE Confirmation once you have registered and received it.

5) All 2nd/3rd year candidates, please obtain the most recent copy of your Professional Learning Unit Transcript from your system and fax it to me ASAP!!! I am looking to see if you have completed training with your system that could be used in place of any remaining courses you must take.

6) Summer 2007 Candidates, please remember that your next class will be on Monday, Sept 24th from 5-9pm here at RESA. Please also remember that your Diversity/At-Risk assignments are due by NOON on Sept 28th. They should all be in one MICROSOFT WORD DOCUMENT OR PDF FILE ONLY!!!

9/5/07 UPDATES

1) Please fax GACE Scores to Esther Wells as soon as you receive the report in the mail! (706)556-8891
2) Seminars for candidates who went through TAPP Initial Training in July 2007 are from 5-9pm at RESA on the following evenings: Sept. 10th, Sept. 24th, Oct. 15th, Nov. 5th, Nov. 26th, and Dec. 10th. These meetings are mandatory!
3) First Year TAPP Candidates - Don't forget that you must pay the remaining $750 of your TAPP fees no later than November 15, 2007. Please plan accordingly!!!
4) The next Portfolio Due Date for 2nd/3rd year candidates is Tuesday, Sept 19th! All assignments should be received no later than 4:00 pm that day.
5) ALL Candidates should be meeting weekly with their mentor and scheduling the 3 observations that must be completed during this semester! Don't forget to a) complete the lesson reflection form thoughtfully for each mentor observation, 2) videotape one of the three observations, and 3) complete the video reflection form for the video!
6) As always, please notify Esther Wells of any changes in your personal information such as email addresses, phone numbers, and your home address.

8/29/07 UPDATES

VERY IMPORTANT: Any 2nd/3rd year candidate who has submitted electronic documents for the first portfolio due date of 8/28/07, PLEASE check to make sure your email was actually delivered to me ESPECIALLY IF YOU SENT IT FROM A RICHMOND COUNTY BOE ADDRESS!! We have been making some changes in our server here at RESA and for some reason Richmond County emails were not getting through from late last week through Monday night or Tuesday of this week. If you have any doubts as to whether or not I received your work, please email to ask if I have it or RESEND the documentation ASAP to receive credit without penalty for it being late.

8/15/07 UPDATES

1) Any candidate who has not taken and passed the GACE content assessment for their area MUST take the test EVERY TIME IT IS OFFERED until it is passed. There will be NO excuses for not taking the test!! The next testing date is October 27th and registration for this test ends on September 14, 2007. Once you have registered for this test, please send Karen the confirmation of your registration by email.

2) Any candidates working on their portfolio are reminded that the first due date is August 28, 2007. Items should be submitted electronically as an email attachment to Karen no later than 4:00 pm that day. Late work will not be accepted!!

3) Individual schedules of courses and meeting dates are currently being created. These will be emailed to candidates as soon as they are finalized.

4) EVERY candidate needs to submit their class schedule and mentor information to Esther Wells ASAP. Please print the forms from the website (schedule form is in the portfolio section and mentor information form is in the mentor section), complete the required information, and fax them to Esther at 706-556-8891 no later than Friday, August 24th. ****Your mentor should hold the same certification as you are seeking, and SHOULD NOT be an administrator at your school. If this is a problem, please email Karen.

5) This is a reminder that we must have copies of all score reports from the GACE assessment, even if you didn't pass. If you have not submitted these forms, please do so immediately by faxing them to Esther at 706-556-8891.

6) Special Education Candidates are reminded that they must submit ELROY grade reports to the TAPP office EACH semester. We must have these forms to ensure that you are making adequate progress. If you have not done this in a while, please submit these reports immediately by faxing them to Esther at 706-556-8891.

7) Unit Plans submitted by candidates in May/June are in the process of being scored. Karen will notify you when your feedback is ready. If you did not submit a Unit Plan at the end of last school year, along with a video, observation forms, mentor meeting log, and your yearly evaluation from your principal, please do so immediately!!

8) To clarify an issue related to 3rd year extensions, please be reminded that you are not GUARANTEED a 3rd year extension. The 3rd year extension is granted to candidates who a) have had a medical condition or family crisis that has caused them to need more time, b) have been completing and submitting requirements in a timely fashion but are still receiving guidance to adequately meet the Proficiency level, c) who may have started TAPP during 2nd semester of the 2006-2007 school year, or d) have completed everything except passing the GACE content assessment. The 3rd year extensions WILL NOT be granted to candidates who have wasted time and/or failed to meet portfolio due dates and other requirements as scheduled for reasons other than those listed above.

8/7/07 UPDATES

Please click here to download the 2007-2008 GACE registration schedule.

8/3/07 UPDATES

1) TAPP candidates who began training on July 9th can access the study guide for the Assessment to be given on August 11th by clicking HERE.

2) Training Dates for candidates who will begin training in September are September 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 22, 29, October 5 & 6 from 9am - 4pm each day. Also, September 20, 27, and October 4 from 5-9 pm. All classes are mandatory to participate in TAPP.

3) All candidates: We are experiencing various computer issues at CSRA RESA at this time. Candidates with Comcast email accounts may not be receiving email at this time. We are working on the issues and hope to have them all corrected shortly. All information regarding TAPP will be relayed through this website. Continue to check it often.

4) The final Portfolio Training date for candidates entering their 2nd or 3rd year of TAPP is set for Tuesday, August 7th, from 5-9pm. It will be held in the Auditorium at CSRA RESA.

5) Daily Schedules and Mentor Information for all candidates is due to Esther by August 17th.
 

7/11/07 UPDATES

Due to a scheduling conflict, the final Portfolio Training scheduled for July 20th has been postponed. Keep watching this website for the rescheduled date.

6/26/07 UPDATES

1) Any candidate who will be completing their portfolio during the 2007-2008 school year who did not attend the May or June portfolio training MUST attend the makeup training which will be held on Friday, July 20th, from 9am - 3pm. Failure to attend this training WILL result in immediate dismissal from TAPP.

2) All candidates returning to TAPP for the 2007-2008 school year MUST attend the TAPP seminar scheduled for July 31, 2007, from 5pm - 8pm. Anyone having a LEGITIMATE reason for missing this session must have the absence approved by Karen Murdock no later than Monday, July 23, 2007.

3) If you have not done so already, please fax copies of your GACE score reports to Karen IMMEDIATELY. This is required regardless of whether or not you passed the GACE.

4) Any candidate who has not passed the GACE Content Assessment for their area of certification is REQUIRED to take the test on August 4, 2007. Everyone taking the test this day MUST email Karen a copy of their GACE Admission Confirmation no later than July 1, 2007.

5) Any candidate who has not submitted the required mentor observations, mentor meeting logs, video and unit plan at this point is in jeopardy of being released from TAPP. If this is YOU, please email Karen immediately to clear this matter up.

6) Any Secondary/P-12/6-12 candidate who has not received credit for the Diversity/At-Risk course must submit all assignments no later than Friday, June 29, 2007. Remember that it was stated earlier that there would be NO EXTENSIONS for this due date!!!

7) Esther Wells will be assuming many of the duties Nancy took care of as Program Assistant. Her email is esther@csraresa.org should you need to contact her about payments, personal information updates, etc.

5/25/07 UPDATES

1) Any TAPP candidate who has not completed a portfolio MUST attend a portfolio training session on June 7th from 9am - 3pm. (Note that June 5th has been cancelled.) Please bring a sack lunch or snacks because we will work straight through lunch in an effort to finish the training in one day!

2) FINAL REMINDER: I must have the following items from all first year TAPP candidates by May 31st!!!! (Candidates who began with the mini-training in January, skip to update #3)
- All mentor observations with pre-conference form, post-conference form, rating form and completed lesson reflection form for each observation (p. 48 in Danielson)
- Video from ONE of the times you were observed with the video reflection form. (Online)
- Mentor meeting log documenting 75 hours of mentor time. List the dates, times and topics for meetings.
- Minimum 7-day Unit Plan including Step 1 & Step 2 from the Unit Plan Checklist, complete lesson plans for each day of the unit, and ALL handouts, organizers, assessments, etc.

3) For candidates who began TAPP with the mini-training in January, please submit all observation data that you have thus far, and a record of mentor meetings. You do not have to have the video or the unit plan!!

4) Graduates need to be at CSRA RESA no later than 6pm on June 4, 2007 for graduation. The dress is business casual. If you have not replied to TAPP with the total number of people that will be with you, please do so no later than Monday, May 28th, at noon. Please call Karen or Nancy.

5/7/07 UPDATES

1) ALL ACTIVE CANDIDATES (regardless of whether you are graduating or not!!!) are to attend the MANDATORY end-of-the-year meeting at RESA on May 21st from 5-9pm. Candidates not graduating should be released by 7:30 pm or so, and graduating candidates will stay a little longer to discuss graduation plans.

2) First year candidates need to email Karen to let her know whether you will attend the May or June portfolio sessions. The May sessions are May 19th & 26th from 9am - 3pm. The June sessions are June 5th & 7th from 9am - 3pm. This meeting is MANDATORY for all 1st year candidates (except Special Ed candidates) and for any 2nd year candidate completing a portfolio during the third year extension.

3) Final reminder: All observation documentation, lesson reflection forms for each observation, mentor meeting logs, and a video of one of your observed lessons are due on May 9th. Minimum 7 day unit plans with fully developed lesson plans are due on May 31st.

4) ALL FIRST YEAR CANDIDATES: If your mentor has not done so already, please have them complete the Domain I and Domain 4 forms (you can make copies from the ones in your TAPP Handbook), and the Candidate Disposition Form (print from the TAPP website under Mentor Observation Forms) and fax them to Karen at 706-556-8891. These forms are due by May 31st as well.

5) All TAPP fees for first year candidates are due by May 31, 2007 unless you have ALREADY made other arrangements with Karen or Nancy. Failure to pay fees can result in being dismissed from TAPP.

4/17/07 UPDATES

1) ANYONE WITH OUTSTANDING TAPP FEES NEEDS TO CONTACT KAREN OR NANCY IMMEDIATELY!! ALL FEES MUST BE PAID BY MAY 31, 2007 IF YOU PLAN TO REMAIN IN TAPP.

2) The unit plan checklist, rubric, and the lesson plan template are now online. Please remember the May 31st deadline for first year candidates to submit a minimum 7 day plan.

3) First year candidates, don't forget the May 9th deadline for submitting HARD COPIES of all mentor meeting logs, all observations, and a video tape of one of your observations.

4) Please fax copies of the official GACE score reports you receive by mail to the TAPP office at 706-556-8891 ASAP! This applies regardless of whether or not you passed.

5) CSRA RESA is no longer receiving mail at the P.O. Box. Please address all correspondence to 4683 Augusta Hwy., SE, Dearing, Georgia 30808.

6) If you are planning on changing schools for next year, or if you are leaving TAPP for any reason, please notify Karen as soon as possible so that your records can be updated. Karen is preparing status reports to send to the systems and needs this information. Please remember that you must be making adequate progress towards meeting TAPP requirements to remain in TAPP next year. If you have not taken or not received credit for the required courses this year, you may be in jeopardy! Contact Karen if you have any questions.

7) If you have changed your address, phone number or email address, please notify Nancy ASAP so that we can make sure we have the correct information.

8) TAPP Graduation has been set for June 4, 2007 at 6:30 pm. Invitations will be mailed after May 1st to those who qualify for graduation. All replies must be received by Friday, May 24, 2007. Karen will need to meet with all graduation candidates briefly after the May 21st meeting. All graduates must attend this meeting.

1) Any first year candidate who did not attend the March 5th seminar with Karen needs to email her ASAP to explain why you missed the MANDATORY meeting. Handouts from that meeting are now online under the portfolio tab.

2) Portfolio Seminar Dates: All first year candidates (except SpEd folks) MUST attend a two-day summer session related to the Portfolio. There will be two separate chances to attend and NO excuses will be accepted for not attending one or the other. Please note the change in the dates from what we discussed Monday, March 5th, in class. Registration for these sessions will begin after Spring Break. You will not be allowed to come to one day of session I and one day of session II. You must choose either Session I or Session II in its entirety.

Session I: Saturday Sessions held on May 19th and 26th from 9am - 3pm (must attend both Saturdays)

Session II: TUESDAY June 5th and Thursday June 7th from 9am - 3pm (must attend both days)

3) Karen will be out of the office from Thursday, March 8th through Sunday, March 18th. She will return on Monday March 19th. If you need assistance during this time, please call Nancy Traylor in the TAPP office.

4) Anyone who has not taken the Diversity/At-Risk Strategies class with Karen will be registered for this class beginning in Mid-March. Due to scheduling issues, this class will be COMPLETELY online. Karen will email you all the necessary information related to this course no later than March 23rd. Diversity class WILL NOT MEET at RESA on March 19th.

5) The only other courses being held at RESA this semester are General Pedagogy, Lit III/Language Arts for ECE candidates and Middle Grades Reading and Writing for MG candidates. The final update/survey seminar that is MANDATORY for ALL CANDIDATES (regardless of whether you are graduating this year or not) is scheduled for May 21st from 5-9pm.

6) Any seminars shown on your schedule that say "Various Topics" have been cancelled. This mainly applies to SpEd candidates.

7) ALL first year candidates must present hard copies of all mentor meeting logs, the 8 completed mentor observations, and one video of one of the lessons your mentor observed to Karen no later than Wednesday, May 9th, 2007. You also must submit a hard copy of a minimum 7-day Unit (including detailed daily lesson plans) to Karen no later than Thursday, May 31, 2007. Please remember that you must use the Lesson Plan Template and Unit Plan Template your received during initial training. Units not presented on those templates will not be accepted. Make sure you use the rubric you received with the templates to self-assess your unit prior to submission to ensure that you meet the Proficient (3) or Distinguished (4) level of quality for each area.

3/2/07 UPDATES

1) ATTENTION ALL FIRST YEAR TAPP CANDIDATES: This is a reminder that EVERY first year candidate MUST attend the class on March 5, 2007 from 5-9pm. We will discuss required fieldwork and begin discussing your TAPP Portfolio requirements.

2) ANY candidate who has received Praxis II or GACE Content Assessment scores should submit a copy to the TAPP office ASAP!! This applies regardless of whether or not you passed the test.

3) REMINDER - If you have not made adequate progress toward your TAPP requirements (taking courses as scheduled, completing the payment of all TAPP fees, etc.) you could be in danger of being released from TAPP at the end of this current school year. It is absolutely essential that you meet the terms of the TAPP Contract you signed in your TAPP Application. If you are concerned about whether or not this applies to you, please contact Karen Murdock by email immediately!

4) ALL portfolios were due on February 23, 2007 unless other arrangements were made with Karen for an extension. The extension was only allowed in cases of serious emergencies due to personal health or family-member deaths. If you have not contacted Karen Murdock regarding portfolio submission or to request your 3rd year extension, please do so immediately or you may find that a 3rd year extension will not be granted.

5) All Special Education candidates who plan to graduate in May of 2007 must submit a copy of their capstone and an official copy of their final transcript showing the degree statement to the TAPP office upon graduation.

1) Recently, it has been noted that there are children in the building during class time on Monday nights. This is a danger to the children and a liability to CSRA RESA. Therefore, effective immediately, please do not bring any children with you to classes at RESA. Candidates who bring children to RESA will be asked to leave and it will be counted as an absence for the candidate.

2) Any 2nd or 3rd year candidate completing their portfolio that has not heard from Karen concerning your unit plan should contact her immediately!! There was no list showing who has got units back on December 18th so there is no way to track who has or has not received feedback. You need this feedback so that you can make necessary changes prior to the portfolio due date.

3) All candidates should have been observed by someone from RESA (or someone hired by RESA) by January 19th. If you have not been observed or at least contacted about an observation date/time, please contact Nancy Traylor immediately so that she can get this scheduled.

4) Please make sure you are current on all fee payments that should have been made to RESA by January 15th. With January's payment, you should have paid $1100 of the $1500 owed for TAPP. If you are behind on payments, please contact Nancy Traylor immediately to work this out.

11/29/06 UPDATES

1) Due to safety concerns, the front doors at CSRA RESA will be locked at 5:10 pm on class nights. Please remember that class starts promptly at 5pm and you are to be in class by that time. If you are running late, and have not notified Karen of a VALID reason that will cause you to be late (and there are very few VALID reasons!!), you run the risk of not being allowed in the building and being counted absent from class. Please make WHATEVER plans are necessary to be at class on time.

2) Some candidates have not been attending class sessions that are scheduled for them. Please note that you must REQUEST and RECEIVE approval ahead of time for being absent, except in cases of extreme emergency. Just because you have received approval for leave, vacation, etc., from your school does not mean you are automatically excused from class. Karen will be pulling all attendance sheets for classes and will be speaking individually to those who have missed class without permission. This will also be documented on your records and could lead to being released from TAPP, to having your time in TAPP extended into a third year, and/or being denied a clear, renewable certificate. Do not let this happen to YOU!!!

3) Effective immediately, CSRA RESA will no longer accept cash as a payment for TAPP fees. This is for YOUR protection, as we have no way to track cash if a payment is not recorded correctly. Please pay for TAPP fees with personal checks, cashier's checks, or money orders.

4) Observations are underway and you will be observed by someone representing CSRA RESA between now and January 15th. When an observer contacts you to schedule these observations, please respond promptly to their request for information. If you have yahoo or hotmail, please make sure you are checking your Bulk Mail file or Junk Mail file to see if you have mail from an observer that may be viewed as junk or spam by your Internet Service Provider.

5) If you haven't visited the website lately, please read all other updates listed below!!!

11/14/06 UPDATES  

1) This is a reminder that, regardless of area of certification or TAPP entry year, ALL ACTIVE TAPP CANDIDATES are to attend the Mid-Year Survey and Updates seminar on Monday, December 18, 2006. The meeting will start promptly at 5pm in the CSRA RESA Auditorium. First year candidates and all Special Education candidates will be released by 7pm. ANY CANDIDATE WORKING ON A PORTFOLIO TO SUBMIT AT THE BEGINNING OF FEB. 2007 WILL STAY TO DISCUSS LAST MINUTE PORTFOLIO CONCERNS!!!

2) New observation forms have been added to the website and need to be shared with your mentor. These forms are still Domains 2 & 3 from Charlotte Danielson's book, but the rubric is shown on the rating sheets, making them easier to use. PLEASE make sure that anyone using the forms, including yourself, knows that you MUST include specific written 'evidence' of what led you to make a given rating for ANY AND ALL areas that are rated. Do not use general terms such as "good lesson plan" or "nice way to handle student questions". Be VERY specific, such as "by doing _xyz_ you got all students' interested in the lesson". If you have any questions, please let me know.

3) After meeting with the PSC last week, it was determined that only candidates in their first year of TAPP would be added to the new required database system. Only mentors of those candidates will be trained to use the new computer program this fall to log meeting minutes and observations. Those trainings are currently being scheduled.

4) Once again, if you have not sent your daily schedule or mentor information to us, PLEASE do so immediately. We must have the mentor's social security number for state documentation. Please make sure that you (or your mentor) have submitted the necessary forms to us.

5) If you are a Special Education candidate who is finishing in December, please make sure that you have ASU send RESA an official final transcript. You also need to submit a copy of your capstone along with any mentor meeting notes, observations, evaluations, etc. that you may have. We must have this information by the end of January, 2007.

11/02/06 UPDATES  We were experiencing technical difficulty with our BlackBoard server.  The problem has been corrected and we apologize for any inconvenience.

10/26/06 UPDATES

The following forms have been added to the Active Candidates area of the TAPP Website:

Mentor Observation Forms: 1) Mentor Responsibilities List, 2) Mentor Meeting Form, & 3) Mentor Information Form

Portfolio Information: 1) Daily Schedule Form, 2) Student Release Form, 3) Candidate Information Update Form, 4) Time Log Documentation Form, & 5) Field Experiences Information Form.

10/6/06 UPDATES TAPP UPDATE FOR CANDIDATES WORKING ON THEIR PORTFOLIO ONLY!!!

Several people have emailed me concerning problems they are having with the online Lesson Builder.  Here are my recommendations for dealing with those problems:

1)  Try opening each lesson and saving it to your computer.  Then attach each lesson and the necessary additions for the unit plan to an email and send to me.

OR

2)  Download the Offline Template and recreate your lessons such that they are then housed on your computer and attach them to an email.

OR

3)  Use the format of the Lesson Builder and type the lessons as a word document.  Then attach the word document to an email.

In the future I suggest that candidates use the Offline Template or the Word Document options.  I am not sure what the problem is with Lesson Builder, but know that you are not the only one to have that problem. 

We will discuss this further Monday night, 10/9/06, during the portfolio session. If you still have problems, please email Karen.

9/27/06 TAPP UPDATES  ATTENTION CANDIDATES WHO BEGAN TAPP ON SEPT 8, 2006:  After some consideration prompted by several phone calls and emails, we are extending the due date for the Philosophy of Education assignments until NOON on Friday, October 6, 2006.  Please make sure that your assignments have been submitted electronically to Karen Murdock and Gloria Gabriel, as appropriate, by that time.

9/26/06 TAPP UPDATES  Finally, we have the beginnings of the TAPP website!  Please read all information here carefully, and check back frequently for further updates.  This avenue will be used in lieu of mass emails due to problems with some email programs.  It is your responsibility to refer to this website and to meet the specified deadlines.  If you ever have any questions about what is posted, feel free to email Karen or Nancy at any time.

ASSIGNMENT REMINDER:  ALL CANDIDATES IN YEARS 2 AND 3 MUST SUBMIT A UNIT PLAN TO KAREN ELECTRONICALLY BY OCTOBER 6, 2006.  PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE USED THE FORMAT OF THE LESSON PLAN BUILDER GUIDES AS WELL AS THE UNIT PLAN GUIDES!!

Email Alert:  If you are using an email program such as Yahoo or Hotmail, you may be missing out on emails sent to you.  For some reason, TAPP emails often go to the Bulk or Junk mail files in these programs.  Please check these files for emails that may have been sent.  It is also recommended that you add the names and emails of TAPP consultants to your address book in these programs.  This will help the program recognize that the mail is not SPAM and should send the emails to your inbox. 

Seminars:  If you are a second or third year TAPP candidate, you should have received an individualized schedule of seminars you need to attend.  Please attend the required sessions even if I forgot to put a * by them.  If you did not receive this letter, please contact Nancy.  We may not have your correct mailing address.  If you have questions about the seminars your were told you need to attend, please email Karen. (First year TAPP candidates will get this information very soon.)

Personal Information Update:  Please email Nancy ASAP if you have had a change of school, email, phone number or address.  It is critical that we have the most up-to-date information on you for our files and for the State.

School Information Update:  Please click on the Daily Schedule Form and the Mentor Information Form, print out the blank forms and complete the information on both forms.  These forms then need to be faxed to Nancy at 706-556-8891 as soon as possible.  This information is required for the GaTAPP database.

Mentor Training:  Please let your mentor know that ALL TAPP Mentors must be retrained this year due to the implementation of the GSTAR Database.  The State now requires that all information on mentor meetings and observations be entered into this database by the mentor.  We should have a schedule of mentor trainings by mid-October.  Until that time, please share the mentor requirements found in your handbook with your mentor, and document all mentor meetings/observations.

Portfolios:  2^nd and 3^rd year candidates are required to attend the Portfolio Review seminar on October 9^th from 5 – 9 pm.  Please bring items you plan to include in your portfolio for peer and self-assessment.  This will be a working session!  You may also wish to bring CD’s or a flash drive to save any work you may do during the session. 

The Portfolio Template can be accessed and downloaded by clicking the appropriate link below.