​Most Importantly... 
​Follow the BCSD Innovation Squad on Instragram and YouTube for tech tips and podcast I'm a part of with my fabulous coworkers as an Innovative Learning Coordinator in Berkeley County School District in Charleston, South Carolina. ​

Thanks for sticking with me!
Ya'll make the educational community so special, so I’m excited to keep sharing with you!
Still have questions? Shoot me a message on X.  I’m always here to chat!

As always, thanks for reading! ~Pam ​

It’s been a while since my last post, and I sincerely apologize for my absence. Y'all know life in education can get busy, but I’m back, and I’m excited to share some valuable resources with you!

As we wrap up the 2024-2025 school year and gear up for 2025-2026, it’s essential to have a solid planning calendar in place. A well-structured calendar helps coaches and educators stay organized, set attainable goals, and maximize student engagement throughout the year.
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This year, I’ve included some FREE fresh templates that you can customize to fit your needs. Check them out below!

• Monthly Overview Template: Perfect for outlining key events, deadlines, and initiatives for the entire year! My team still uses this calendar for EVERYTHING! It basically works as a digital planner for all of us. 
• Weekly Planning Template: Helps you break down your goals into manageable weekly tasks. I plan out all my school visits and projects using this sheet. If I have a to-do list, it's on here as well, including links to the documents and projects I'm working on. Each tab has the entire month displayed horizontally so you can scroll through everything for the month on one tab. ​

1. Set Clear Goals: Use your templates to outline specific, measurable goals for the year.
2. Stay Flexible: Remember that plans may change, and being adaptable is key to success.
3. Collaborate: Engage with colleagues to share ideas and resources that can enhance your planning.

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I hope this updated planning calendar and the new templates offer you a solid foundation for the upcoming school year. Let’s make 2025-2026 our best school year yet!
I have an extra sheet layout for reflections (using the SWOT strategy) and PD tracking if you're interested. Just fill out this form and I'll send you an updated link that includes that page. 
I hope y'all finish out your year well and have a wonderful summer! Please reach out on your favorite social media platform if you have any template requests or ideas for a new blog post. 🤩Pam 

Every year, I create two calendars that I use EVERY DAY! Since it takes some time to set up, I always share so others don't have to do the same thing.  #SharingIsCaring
If you are interested, click on the images below to make a copy for yourself! If you find it useful, please leave a comment or share this post on social media. 😀​

The BCSD Innovation Squadcast Podcast is a platform where educators and innovators come together to discuss and explore various topics related to education, technology, and innovation. The podcast is led by Innovative Learning Coordinators in the district, featuring conversations with experts in the field, sharing insights, strategies, and best practices to enhance teaching and learning experiences. Topics often include educational technology integration, innovative teaching methods, student engagement, professional development, and more. Tune in to gain valuable knowledge and inspiration to transform your educational practices.
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We are always looking for guests, so please reach out if you'd like to join the conversation on any given Monday! BCSD Educators can get professional development credit for listening, so we try to keep the content new and relevant! Give it a listen and let us know what you think! If you enjoy the podcast, please share it with an educator friend. Happy listening! 

If I could have two #1's, I would say Technology and People are at the same ranking! That may just be the extrovert in me talking though. 😜 The connections you make at conferences is awesome! You end up in a place where everyone has at least 2 things in common... education and the love of technology. I've always enjoyed talking to people in the exhibit halls, during sessions, and at social events held during the conference. Once I joined Twitter (now X) back in 2014, conferences changed forever! Social media has made conferences huge social networking and sharing events. I would post a picture or share an aha moment from a session using the event hashtag and realized that I'm sitting in the same room as someone that I follow - instant friends! Then you meet up with the same people from year to year like you've been friends forever. Now, I know "friends" is a strong word for someone you have just met, but the connections you make at these events are invaluable when it comes to being an educator and life long learner. Being an educator can be a lonely job, but that world is made so much smaller when you know exactly who to reach out to (thanks to social media) when you need ideas! Another perk is to meet the authors that inspire you to be a better educator!
​Below are all of the ones I've met over the years. Every one of them have made my life as an educator better in one way or another! 

When I go to a conference, I am always inspired to try new things and change my mindset in some way! Great speakers have an amazing talent that I often wish I had, to make you feel like you can do anything if you just try! Even though you probably have a few people in your life that can make you feel the same way, it's more powerful when they work in the same field as you. Educators who tell their stories can make other educators feel like what they do is worth it! We need to feel that way in our, often under appreciated, career choices.  
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My favorite conference is FETC, usually in Orlando, Florida. Besides being my hometown, it's an amazing place to go to in January! Usually it's pretty warm and they don't call it the Sunshine State for nothing. 😎​ Jimmy Buffet was right about "changing your latitude to change your attitude"!
Going to a conference may not be a "vacation" per say, but having a break from your normal routine can do wonders for your mindset for the rest of the school year.  If you are married with small kids, just getting a full nights rest can be the biggest game changer of all! Not to mention being with other educators so your spouse/significant other doesn't have to try to sympathize with your venting after work either. What ever your situation, you will find some benefits in getting away! 
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One of the longest lasting benefits of going to conferences would be changing your mindset! You might come back so inspired that you are ready to conquer the world (or your classroom), or your return with the validation you needed to continue what you were already starting to do in your classroom.  You might also have the tools and research you need to share with your administration so they can implement new things that teachers and students need. You may even return with the confidence you needed to be able to present what your learned to the staff in your building.  Whatever it may be, you will be better prepared to support your students (or teachers) for the duration of the school year!  

So if you've read this far and you are ready to go to a conference right now, check out the resources below to see if you can find a conference to attend! 
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