Dartmouth Public Schools
Take A Risk, iInspire, Kindness Matters, You Matter
District Strategic Plan - Calling all Strategist!
Calling all strategists! For the past four years the district has been guided by a strategic plan which includes three strategic objectives: Teaching and Learning, Equity and Access and Community Engagement. We have been intentional developing initiatives under each objective, monitoring progress and updating initiatives and actions steps in line with accomplishments, reassessment and needs; this intentionality transcends to each school, ensuring alignment throughout the district. Each year, our schools assess progress made relative to individual school improvement plans and adjust as needs or new ideas emerge.
We are now ready to take a good look at our focus areas to determine next steps. We are particularly interested in adjusting our thinking in light of the work we have been doing around future focused thinking, innovation, mindset, STEM and mental health. This is exciting work that involves folks in rigorous thinking and dialogue. Decisions made during this process impact all of us as the end result sets the stage for future work.
To that end we welcome your participation in this exciting work. If you are interested in joining the strategic planning group please let your principal know by December 6. Depending on the number of volunteers we will draw names to ensure a manageable size working group. For planning purposes we have scheduled our first meeting for a full day, January 29th.
Professional Level License Renewal and PDP's
- At least 15 PDPs in content (subject matter knowledge)
- At least 15 PDPs in pedagogy (professional skills and knowledge)
- At least 15 PDPs related to Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) or English as a Second Language (ESL)
- At least 15 PDPs related to training in strategies for effective schooling for students with disabilities and the instruction of students with diverse learning styles
- The remaining required 90 PDPs may be earned through any combination of “elective” activities that address other educational issues and topics that improve student learning, additional content, or pedagogy.
The renewal of each Additional area license(s) will require 30 PDPs, of which 15 out of the 30 must be content related. Guidelines Updates
The Dartmouth Curriculum Council met recently to help plan our ERD strands for 2020. Teacher feedback results, the Professional Development Survey and student data was reviewed to see patterns and trends to develop strands.
Please take the survey below to help us determine at what school level a 15 PDP Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) course in needed/wanted.
DMS Reading Wall of Fame
DMS Teachers can recommend students for the Reading Wall of Fame for being a crazy reader, for finally catching the reading bug, or anything else related to reading. Lots of students like to stop by the bulletin board in the hallway to find ideas for new books to read!
Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse
Project TIME and Skillful Teacher
Ed Camp at DHS
The Dartmouth High School Faculty engaged in a unique and powerfully personalized professional learning experience at the first DHS ED Camp. The afternoon began when all members of the faculty gathered in the auditorium to learn the basic structure and philosophy behind the ED Camp model before contributing suggestions for different topics they'd be interested in learning more about from their colleagues. This "unconference" model ensures a high level of voice and choice in the professional learning experience and provided participants the opportunity to share their expertise and passion around a variety of topics related to their professional practice.
DHS Cheer Team
Fractions!
MATSOL - Massachusetts Association of Teachers of Speakers of Other Languages
This was the first of three meetings Dartmouth will be hosting this school year.
USBands National Champions
The students and staff of the Dartmouth High School Band recently traveled to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to culminate their competition season with USBands. The band received a score of 98.575, matching the highest score of any USBands National Competition. This was also the highest score of any class and several scores were perfect tens such as Ensemble Music and Percussion.
Quinn's Mathematicians of the Month
ST Math
Brain Breaks
By providing time for a brain break, students learn more! Brain breaks are little, quick activity shifts that mobilize different networks of the brain. When we support students by providing an activity that uses different brain networks, it allows the learning pathways to restore.
Tom Aungst Receives Yamaha Legacy Award
Local Author Visit
Mathematizing
Staff Spotlight
Name: Susan Pielech
School/Position: 8th grade ELA/History
Hometown: South Dartmouth
Education: MA Education, Simmons College, BS Business, UMASS Dartmouth
One goal I have achieved in my career: When a former student approaches me and comments that I was important to them and impacted them in a positive way.
A long term goal I am working toward: to continue to participate in a positive way in the growth and development of my students! And to retire knowing I gave it my all!
Role model or someone who has had a great impact on my life: My parents, especially my dad, who always showed me through his own example the importance of hard work and the importance of relationships.
If I could travel anywhere in the world it would be: African Safari and European Cruise
If I could eat dinner with someone famous, dead or alive, it would be: My Nana, Benjamin Franklin, Mark Twain, Tom Brady and Bruno Mars
Pet Peeve: Bad drivers , asparagus and mean people!
Favorite leisure-time activity: Spending time with my family and dogs, Boating, traveling, cooking, shopping, New England sports fan
Favorite Television show: Downton Abbey, The Tudors, Travels with My Father
Favorite book: To Kill A Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men, and As The Crow Flies
I think the world’s greatest invention is: Electricity! ;) Also, Labradors Retrievers!!!
My favorite motto or saying: Nothing Will Work Unless You Do
What I like best about working at DPS: Being able to work in the incredible community where I was raised.