APCS A Reading: Informal notes 2023

Anything central to the main mission of the reading will be provided directly through ONE or from your leaders---feel free to disregard everything on this page if you're not interested. But for the more social side of things, here are a number of (fully optional!) things that some of our leaders and readers are doing during the reading:

Links

• T-shirt: JP O'Hara has designed a lovely T-shirt to commemorate this year's reading, and has set things up so you can order them directly shipped to you (at home before or after the reading, or if you time it right, to your hotel ;). You have two options:
  • Classic fit, $16.90 + tax and shipping
  • Slimmer fit (& softer material), $18.90 + tax and shipping
• Baseball: Many onsite readers like to go to a local baseball game during the reading. This year the KC Royals are playing the Colorado Rockies on June 2nd (Day 1 of the reading). If you'd like to join, sign up for a ticket at the Baseball Night google form.
  • Baseball Night
• Facebook: If you are on Facebook, the APCS A Readers group is a place to connect about anything to do with the reading---it's open to anyone who is a reader, both at home and onsite. New readers are encouraged! This is a way to coordinate social activity before, during, and after the reading. It's pretty quiet most of the year but gets really active starting in mid-May :) The group is private but if you request access and say who you are we'll try to process it quickly. (Also, perhaps this is obvious but I'll be clear: anything that's actual Reading business, and double-especially anything that involves actual student work should NOT be conducted on Facebook or any other social media. Social media is for the social stuff.)
  • And if you're on Facebook and not already a part of it, the AP Computer Science A Teachers group is for anyone who teaches the course or its college equivalents who wants to swap notes about anything related to the teaching of the course (whether they're an AP reader or not).
  • APCS A Readers (Facebook group)
  • AP Computer Science A Teachers (Facebook group)
• Google group: If you aren't on Facebook, or plan not to check it much during the reading, you might want to join the APCSAReaders Google group (email list) instead. Any social activity announcements that get posted to the FB group are crossposted to the Google group, and vice versa, so you shouldn't miss anything if you only join one. As with the FB group, you have to ask to join but if you're an APCS A Reader (including and especially a brand new one!), say that and we'll let you in.
  • APCSAReaders (Google group)

Plans

During the reading itself, there are formally-arranged events (like the College Board Forum) that you'll hear about through official channels, but also a lot of informal things like running and walking groups, Pokemon Go raids, game nights, etc. I'll try to post about those here. Stay tuned!

• 2 Jun/Fri/Day 1: Baseball Night, "Toy Night" in 1501A
• 3 Jun/Sat/Day 2: College Board Open Forum in 1501A --- don't miss!
• 4 Jun/Sun/Day 3: Puzzle night in 1501A; (CSP CB Open Forum in 1501C)
• 5 Jun/Mon/Day 4: Dine out night
• 6 Jun/Tue/Day 5: Trivia night in 1501A; (CSP speaker Paul Tymann in 1501C)
• 7 Jun/Wed/Day 6: Speaker: Casey Fiesler, CS Ethics in CS Education, 1501A
• 8 Jun/Thu/Day 7: Closing ceremony and songs in 1501A

Day 1 Announcements

Walking group leaves 5:30pm from Marriott lobby, 5:40 from Loews. Will walk Power and Light district, back in time for dinner and Toy Night

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art group: meet 5:45 at Marriott lobby, leave 5:55 to walk to bus stop. Bus fare and museum admission is free

Baseball Night: 5:30 at Loews lobby (if you've already arranged for tickets)

Toy Night: 7:00 at 1501A

Pick up 2023 T-shirts at CR Office "under the C" a) tomorrow AM Break, b) tomorrow last 15 minutes of lunch, c) Day 3 last 15 minutes of lunch

Tomorrow is Hawaiian Shirt day

Official unofficial social space is Marriott lobby-lounge; after evening events, some readers will be there just hanging out and being social!

Day 2 Announcements

Walking group leaves 5:30pm from Marriott lobby, 5:40 from Loews. Will walk south to Union Station, back in time for dinner and Toy Night

Legendary Pokemon raids: every day, add one to your Pokemon Go collection. Meet in Hall B break area at 5:05pm.

Running groups: 5:30pm from Loews lobby "faster"; 6am from Loews lobby "11-13 minute pace"

Pick up 2023 T-shirts at CR Office "under the C" tomorrow last 15 minutes of lunch

Tonight: College Board Open Forum

Churches: No convenient Saturday evening services; Episcopal cathedral (across street) at 5pm Sunday, Catholic church at 8pm Sunday

Tomorrow is Alma Mater / Current Institution T-shirt day

Tomorrow is Puzzle Night --- Teams of 4-6 recommended, if you don't have a team you can join one there!

Day 3 Announcements

Walking group leaves 5:35pm from Marriott lobby. Will walk north/west to river, back in time for dinner and Puzzle Night

Pokemon raids every day, Meet in Hall B break area at 5:05pm.

Running groups: 6pm from Loews lobby "faster"; 6am from Loews lobby "11-13 minute pace"

Tonight is Puzzle Night --- Teams of 4-6 recommended, if you don't have a team you can join one there! 7pm in 1501A

Tonight: CSP Open Forum 7pm in 1501C

Churches: Episcopal cathedral (across street) at 5pm, Roman Catholic cathedral at 8pm

Tomorrow is Dine-out night --- form a group and make reservations!

Day 4 Announcements

Walking group leaves 5:30pm from Marriott lobby, 5:40 from Loews. Will walk Power and Light district

Pokemon raids every day, Meet in Hall B break area at 5:05pm.

Running groups: 5:15pm from Loews lobby "faster"; 6am from Loews lobby "11-13 minute pace"

TOnight is Dine-Out Night! Save your receipts

Tomorrow's theme is states and countries: wear your state T-shirt

Tomorrow is CSP speaker: Paul Tymann, "What is the next BIG thing in computing?"

Tomorrow is Trivia night! FOrm teams

Day 5 Announcements

Walking group leaves 5:35pm from Marriott lobby, heading north.

Pokemon raid today will start at 5:30pm from the Hall B break area.

Running groups: 6pm from Loews lobby "faster"; 6am from Loews lobby "11-13 minute pace"

Tonight is Trivia night! Form teams of 4-6. 7pm in 1501A

Tonight is CSP speaker: Paul Tymann, "What is the next BIG thing in computing?". 7pm in 1501C

Tomorrow's theme is Reading T-shirt Day - wear a T-shirt from an APCS reading

Tomorrow night is our speaker: Casey Fiesler, "Doing Computer Science: The Role of Ethics in CS Education"

Day 6 Announcements

Walking group leaves 5:35pm from Marriott lobby, heading northwest to bluffs.

Pokemon raid today will start at 5:30pm from the Hall B break area.

Running groups: 6pm from Loews lobby "faster"; 6am from Loews lobby "11-13 minute pace"

Tonight is our speaker: Casey Fiesler, UC-Boulder, "Doing Computer Science: The Role of Ethics in CS Education"

Other links

• If you have a colleague who would make a good AP Reader, refer them! Send them the link https://collegeboard.org/apreading and tell them about the great professional development and networking opportunities!

Toy night links

• Google form for Toy Night
• Zoom link for Toy Night

Puzzle night links

• Jim H has some extra copies
• See Facebook group or Google group for link to puzzles (do not distribute publicly)