Wildcat Weekly
August 31, 2020
Our Promise
Every student in Dallas School District is known by name, strength, and need, and graduates ready for career, college, and community.
Welcome Back Wildcats!
The Distance Learning Playbook
We will be providing this tool for our staff. I will have copies to give you this week and we will discuss a plan moving forward.
Topics cover:
An Overview of Distance Learning
- Learning from our Spring experience
- Taking care of yourself
- Setting up for success during the first days of Distance Learning
- Teacher-student relationships
- Importance of teacher credibility
Lesson Design and Planning
- Teacher clarity
- Developing engaging tasks
- Planning instructional units
- Feedback, assessment, and grading
- Best case for learning through a crisis
I am excited about how this resource pairs well with the care and connection first through the development of high engaging lessons similar to our work with Project-Based Learning. This will be a great learning opportunity!
Student Engagement: May the Odds Be Ever in Our Favor!
Coming Up On Your Calendar
Monday 8/31: Team Building and PBL
8:30 - 9:30 - A Distanced Welcome Back Celebration - In the backyard
10:30 - 11:30 - LaCreole Plan Overview (All Staff) - Zoom link
1:00 - 3:00 - Camp PBL - A Virtual Game of Jumanji (Teachers)
Tuesday 9/1: Team Building and PBL, Wildcat Fiesta
8:30 - 11:00 - Camp PBL, Project Based Learning in the Wild (Teachers) via Zoom
11:00 - 1:00 - Wildcat Fiesta, All Staff, all you can eat Taco Truck, in the back yard
Wednesday 9/2: Canvas
8:30 - 11:00 - Canvas Overview - (all staff) self-paced learning - see outline from Kyle
8:30 - 10:30 - All SpEd meeting
12:30 - 3:30 - Canvas Training - (all staff) self-paced learning - see outline from Kyle
Thursday 9/3: Canvas
8:30 - 9:30 - OSEA/DEA meetings, via Zoom
12:30 - 2:00 - Canvas Training (for staff needing assistance) Q & A with WESD
Friday 9/4: Teacher/Team Work Time
Teacher and Team facilitated meetings
**We encourage you to bring a camping chair to have on hand for outdoor activities, our first of which will be our welcome back on Monday morning.
Need a device?
Wildcat Fiesta Reminder -Taco Tuesday all are Welcome.
All you can eat street tacos (three different types of meat and beans) will be provided, if you would like a drink please provide that yourself.
Tips for our friends are welcome! Bring a buck!
We are Wildcat Strong - No Matter the Distance!
We are Wildcat Strong!
We have created a custom t-shirt for us all to represent our spirit of care and connection, as well as, communicate to our kids and community that we are in this together! We will have these available next week to purchase. We have a variety of colors and sizes on hand.
T-shirt with graphic - $10
-or-
Bring your own t-shirt and we'll press it for $5
Safety
Please follow these safety measure when entering the building👍
- Beginning on August 31st, staff may enter through the multiple doors we typically use. At each entrance, you'll be met with hand sanitizer and a mask if you need one.
- Employees are required to have a face-covering with them at all times while at a DSD worksite and at any DSD sponsored event. Face coverings must be worn by employees working in DSD whenever 6-foot distancing cannot be reliably maintained between individuals, in corridors, restrooms, breakrooms, and common spaces as well as when entering and exiting a building. Face coverings are not required when alone at your desk or seated in a conference room that maintains social distancing.
- At this time, only employees and/or families with appointments are allowed inside the building. No children and/or visitors, please.
Air Flow
Masks, we may not all like it, but we appreciate your cooperation to keep us all healthy.
Latest District Update
Update from Kim
See below a message from Kim, we appreciate all the work that she has put into getting this all set up and a big thank-you to Matt and our tech crew in getting us up and running!👍
The anxiousness I feel as we start the new school year reminds me of my first year teaching. The overwhelming excitement about being a teacher combined with the stress of how will I ever get it all done is keeping me up at night! We understand there is a huge learning curve ahead for us all and we want you to have the best training that will enable you to find success early.
Canvas was a clear choice for the district with a state contract and help from WESD to purchase the learning management system. We are receiving a great deal of support from our partners which will make our transition easier. A learning management system was a requirement from ODE for comprehensive distance learning and will increase student engagement and live instruction possibilities.
In an effort to support implementation, the district is paying and training several staff members in each building to serve as Canvas Coaches. These staff members were willing to dedicate extra time to learn the program in an effort to support their buildings and we are so pleased that you can receive coaching from our own employees throughout the fall in addition to Canvas and WESD. The district also purchased templates from Canvas that aid in developing courses and give families a consistent viewing platform for their students. DHS and LMS will be using the 5E Classic template which is being customized by Canvas currently and the K-5 buildings will use the Units/Subjects template. You still have the ability to customize different areas within the template.
Here is the plan for our first week of Canvas implementation:
- 8/31: Finalize CSV import of licensed staff and add accounts manually for classified employees who work with students. Thank you, Matt Jurick and Tech Department!
- 9/2: 12:30-3:30 Canvas Coaches Only Advanced Training via Zoom with Instructional Design Consultant Miranda. Coaches will learn how to best assist you in this class.
- 9/2: 12:30-3:30 Asynchronous class given by Canvas for all licensed and classified staff who will need to learn the basics of the program. This course is SHORTER than Growing with Canvas and will definitely get you started!
- 9/3: 12:30-2:00 Live question and answer session with Adam Whalen from WESD via Zoom. Users who are comfortable with the program do not need to attend, but will continue to plan or build courses in Canvas independently.
More information will follow regarding Canvas Coaches and their support meetings after our advanced class on 9/2. These will vary by building based on what works best for staff.
One last thing - remember to give yourself some grace this week. You are amazing and you will be able to get it all done. We are learning together and it will require us to be patient and flexible as we move along the curve. Don't ever hesitate to reach out if you need help or feel frustrated.
All my best,
Kim