Thomas Jefferson Tribune
WEEK OF JANUARY 8-12, 2018
MISSION, VISION & CORE VALUES
MISSION:
The TJ Feeder schools embrace high quality learning opportunities which honor the unique strengths and diverse needs of all Scholars.
VISION:
The TJ feeder schools will be the premier feeder to attract and educate all Scholars to positively impact our community and world.
CORE VALUES:
Innovation, Collaboration, Excellence and Integrity
THOMAS JEFFERSON FEEDER PRIORITY PLAN
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION
CLIMATE AND CULTURE
A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR..........
Patriot Leaders,
I would like to wish each and every one of you a wonderful holiday filled with joy, family and relaxation. Take time to disconnect and rejuvenate. It is well deserved!
From the Thomas Jefferson Feeder family -Mrs. Rosas, Mrs. Phillips-Roberts, Mrs. Maia, and myself, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
THE TJ FEEDER IS IN IT TO WIN IT!
Ms. Torres
Thomas Jefferson Executive Director
THOMAS JEFFERSON FEEDER PATTTERN KUDOS
Jose Joe May Elementary featured Dallas ISD The Hub!
BURNET ELEMENTARY
Dallas Regional Chamber, Leadership Dallas, presented one of 3 donations that has been received this year for Burnet thanks to Mr. Hale, Kindergarten teacher, who asked them to match his donation n order to provide all students at Burnet with Field Trip experiences. Way to go Mr. Hale!
Campus Leaders Digging Deep and Unpacking the TEKS!
WALNUT HILL
WALNUT HILL WINTER WONDERLAND
Walnut Hill hosted a marvelous Winter Wonderland this past Saturday. Below is a video link highlighting all the awesome activities that were showcased.
THIS WEEK AT THOMAS JEFFERSON ECHS P-TECH...
Thirty of our Business Administration scholars have earned their first Skills Achievement Award Certificate from Brookhaven after the successful completion of MRKG 1311 and BUSI 1301 with a 2.0 or higher. The first Skills Achievement Award is Business Trainee I. We are so proud of our scholars!
P-TECH SCHOLARS ARE 'MICROSOFT WORD' CERTIFIED.......................
CONGRATULATIONS to the 4 Sophomores that are Microsoft Word Certified. While we still have a way to go, our CIT students and all of our 9th grade students are working diligently on becoming certified. Special thanks to Ms. Small for working with our 9th graders!
WINTER WONDERLAND AT THOMAS JEFFERSON ECHS P-TECH
THOMAS JEFFERSON ECHS P-TECH
Last week, Mrs. Nina Vaca not only motivated our P-Tech students to be 'crazy good' but touched their hearts as well. Here is a short bio of Ms. Vaca's accomplishments. Below is Mrs.Vaca's bio and the link to some photos.
Nina Vaca is one of the country’s most celebrated entrepreneurs. She is Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Pinnacle Group, the largest Latina-owned workforce solutions provider in America. Since launching the business in her mid-20s, Nina has energetically and strategically developed it into the dynamic company that it is today, earning it the title of fastest-growing women-owned/led company in the nation. She also serves as Director of three Fortune 1000 companies having a combined market cap of $23 Billion.
For the past decade, Nina has been named one of the 101 Most Influential Latinos in America. In 2016, she was inducted into the Minority Business Hall of Fame and Museum. This year she was honored as a Trailblazing Woman in Labor and Business by the National Women's History Project.
Nina is a committed philanthropist and community leader, serving in leadership roles in numerous organizations, as well as creating her own Nina Vaca Foundation in 2017 that promotes business and entrepreneurship as a way to create global change, especially for women and girls. Since 2014 Nina has served as a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship, traveling to five continents to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs globally. She is also a dedicated advocate for students, inspiring them to pursue leadership and STEM opportunities. As the first in her family to graduate college, she knows how transformational education is for students, their communities, and the world.
She believes that education is a journey, which empowers students to be crazy good at whatever they choose to do!
THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE
Monday, January 8, 2018
- Think Tank Focus Group-8:00 a.m.-Ms. Torres-302 E
- ED/AF Planning time
- Leadership B Team meeting w/Deputy Chief Lusk- Ms. Torres @ 2:30 p.m.-room #304
- TEACHER WORK DAY!
- ACP RETAKES BEGIN TODAY!
- Thomas Jefferson High School -Demo Day-Campus visit w/ED and AF's 9:00 a.m.
- Saldivar Campus visit w/ED and AF's
- Cigarroa Campus visit w/ED and AF's
- Leadership Team Meeting w/Mr. Cordero- NCX Bldg.-13th Floor@ 1:30 p.m.
- MOT-Middle of the Year- ISIP Testing window begins today
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
- Cary MS Campus visit w/ED and AF's
- Stephen Foster Campus visit w/ED and AF's
Thursday, January 11, 2018
- Thomas Jefferson Feeder Pattern Meeting @ Sudie Williams-9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Walnut Hill Campus visit w/ED and AF's
Friday, January 12, 2018
- Medrano Campus visit w/ED and AF's
- Assistant Principals PD with TJ ED and AF's at Joe May from 9:00-11:00
- Collegiate Academy Spring Retreat-8:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.-@UNT Dallas-(Ms. Torres, Mrs. Massey, Mrs. Eberhardt and Ms. Greene)
WINTER BREAK MEALS PROGRAM
Dallas ISD’s Food and Child Nutrition Services Department will offer students 18 years and under (or special needs students up to age 21), free meals during the winter break.
The program aims at providing students nutritious meals even during their vacation. Meals will be served Friday, Dec. 22 and Tuesday, Jan. 2 through Friday, Jan. 5, with a morning snack from 8 to 9 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to noon. Visit www.dallasisd.org/fcns for the list of participating schools.
The Thomas Jefferson Feeder pattern campus that will be the designated spot, is K. B. Polk Vanguard.
The following days and times will be designated for the Winter Break Meals Program:
- December 22
- January 2,3,4 and 5
AM SNACK 8:00 A.M. to 9:00 A.M.
LUNCH 11:00 A.M. 12:00 P.M.
THOMAS JEFFERSON SPOT OBSERVATION UPDATES
THOMAS JEFFERSON PROJECTED FALL ATTENDANCE FOR CREDIT REVIEW
- Principal Plans received by deadline
- Number of Principal Plans not on file
- Attendance Review Committee Documentation
- School wide Principal plans
- Prescriptive Student plans
- Petition Documents
- Extenuating Circumstance Documentation
Our feeder goal was to be at Tier 1 and we have accomplished that this Fall. Let's moved toward Tier 1 for ALL during the Spring as well! I appreciate your leadership regarding Attendance for Credit! Way to go Team TJ!
STEM ACADEMY FOR SCIENCE TEACHERS WITH SMU
Learn about the STEM Academy for Science Teachers with SMU!
You’re Invited to join us for an informational Question and Answer session!
When: Wednesday, January 10 – 4:30-5:30
Where: DEC (Dallas Education Center) Room 200
9400 N. Central Expressway, Dallas 75231
Deadline for School Letters of Intent is January 19th
Find out next steps on our website.
What is the STEM Academy for Science Teachers and Leaders?
Through the generosity of the Texas Instruments Foundation, the O’Donnell Foundation, and a committed partnership between Dallas ISD and SMU, Dallas middle school teachers and administrators have the opportunity to advance their careers, become leaders in STEM integration, and ultimately develop the next generation of STEM professionals in the classroom. This is a systems-level initiative with recruitment at the school and science department level.
Our focus is on supporting students' success in science and STEM in school and beyond. Through this project, we focus on increasing student achievement in science, increasing student interest in STEM, and increasing students' persistence in STEM coursework. We achieve these goals by supporting teachers' professional knowledge and skills, and supporting campus administrators' instructional leadership skills.
The Summer Academy for Teachers will include 90-hours of professional development for teachers using a hybrid model of remote and on-campus coursework. Teacher participants who meet all the requirements will receive graduate credit that can be used toward the Master’s Degree at SMU’s Simmons School of Education.
Summer 2018 Academy for Cohort 2 Dates:
Teachers who enter the program in the Summer of 2018 are considered Cohort 2 and will attend Academy I. There will be one section for G8 teachers and one section for G6/G7 teachers. The dates for all Academy I sections are:
June 6 - June 10: Online Coursework (about 10 hours) which can be done from anywhere with internet access
June 11 – June 15: On Campus Coursework at SMU from 8:30-4:30 daily
June 18 – June 22: On Campus Coursework at SMU from 8:30-4:30 daily
June 23 – June 29: Online Coursework (about 10 hours) which can be done from anywhere with internet access
Questions:
Send questions via email to STEMacademy@smu.edu
HOME VISIT PROJECT
Stacy Hodge shared some amazing news! As you may know, this is year three of the Home Visit Project in Dallas ISD.
2015-16: 46 educators from 10 campuses conducted 328 home visits
2016-17: 530 educators from 55 campuses conducted 4,034 home visits (1,919 were PK)
2017-18: for the fall, 830+ educators from 75 campuses conducted 2,870 relationship-building home visits!!!
- PK-2nd grade: 60% or 1,721 home visits
- 3rd-5ht grade: 31% or 883 home visits
- 6th-8th grade: 8% or 232 home visits
- 9th-12th grade: 1% or 34 home visits
Top campuses:
- HS: Pinkston HS--30
- MS: Medrano MS—45 and Hill MS—46
- ES: Harllee EC—104, Foster ES—111, and Russell ES—124!!!
Top visitors: (everyone was asked to visit at least 4 students however, the top visitors went well beyond)
Continue to recognize the work teachers and staff are doing to authentically engage families by visiting their homes and building trusting relationships. These visits happen on teachers personal time, after-school and on weekends, so let's say thank you to our campuses who really did a fantastic job in doing home visits this semester.
We are so proud of Medrano MS and Foster ES and all the other campuses who are involved in the Home Visit Project.
TEI
December 14 marked the official "mid point" check for the school year. By this date, teachers should have at least half the number of required spots documented in schoolnet. Please ensure that you are giving teachers timely feedback on instructional practices and that documentation is being recorded in Schoolnet.
Please refer to the email that I sent early last week concerning the progress of SPOT observations. If there are any outstanding observations that need to be taken out of DRAFT because of waiting to conference with the teacher, please ensure that those are complete this week.
SLOs should be complete for the "one semester" courses in secondary schools. Evaluators will need to ensure that the "goal accomplishment" portion is documented in school net before the winter break.
Missing Grades
The missing grades report due to exam grades can be a huge task. Please work with your teachers, administrative team, and testing coordinator to ensure that students who have missing grades get a quick resolution.
When we return in January, it will be necessary to pay close attention to this so that students can have an accurate and complete grade report.
If you had students miss the exam in secondary, please adhere to the policy by allowing them to take the exam when we return. Take every effort to get students scheduled for a make-up exam. A "0" for an exam grade does not set the student up for success.
Finally, there are WAIP memos that you can reference for exact procedures for end of semester grade reporting.
SSI Compliance Training for Elementary & Secondary Principals
Principals need to be sure to register for on-line compliance training for SSI. Please see the WAIP memo for additional information.
The videos are available December 7-21.
'UNITED TO LEARN' FULL NETWORK MEETINGS FOR TJ ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
STAAR ELAR PD Available!
2018 Spring Professional Development for RLA Grades 3–12
bit.ly/spring18RLAPD
(*) optional sessions
Jan. 8* 8:30–11:30
“Write” Moves for RLA: Writing Instruction & STAAR
Jan. 11 4:30–6:30
Strategies for Multi-Grade Classrooms, Grades 2–5
Jan. 25 5:00–7:00
Strategies for Using Mentor Texts in Writing Instruction in Grades 6–12
(Please see the Participant Information & Consent Form)
Feb. 5 5:00–7:00
Where Are the Questions? Developing Effective Questions for Text Sets
Feb. 12 5:00–7:00
Just in Time for the 5th Six Weeks
Feb. 15 5:00–7:00
Supporting Students with Conclusions and Inferences on STAAR
Feb. 19*8:30–11:30
Close Reading as a Scaffold for STAAR
Feb. 19* 1:00–4:00
Supporting Students on STAAR: Active Reading Strategies & Inferences
DALLAS MAVERICKS EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Black History Month Challenge: Essay Contest to Win a Trip to Atlanta
In honor of Black History Month, the Dallas Mavericks and BNSF Railway, in association with American Airlines, are excited to announce our 10th annualBlack History Month Challenge which offers DFW Metroplex students the chance to win the field trip of a lifetime! To commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s efforts towards Civil Rights, eighth through twelfth grade students are asked to submit an essay around the topic “Advancing ‘The Dream’: Taking the Next Step to Improving My Community” for a chance to win a trip to Atlanta, GA to visit the birth home of Dr. King, the King Center and other historic sites. To learn more and download essay instructions, visithttps://www.mavs.com/black-history-month-challenge/. Essays DUE: Monday, January 15, 2018.
ExxonMobil Honorary Co-Captain
The Dallas Mavericks Honorary Co-Captain program recognizes students who enjoy and excel STEM/STEAM education programs. As an ExxonMobil Honorary Co-Captain, selected students will receive two (2) tickets to a Mavs home game, the opportunity to enjoy pre-game shoot around, sit on the bench during team introductions and meet the Mavericks team captain at half court. One (1) ExxonMobil Honorary Co-Captain will be selected for each Mavs home game! To nominate a student, fill out the online form and submit it now through Friday, February 28, 2018. Students must be nominated by a counselor, principal, or teacher or by nonprofit organizations/after-school programs. If you are with a nonprofit organization and not a school, please use the nonprofit’s information for “School” and select the “counselor” option on the nomination form. Learn more and nominate students here: https://www.mavs.com/exxonmobil-honorary-co-captain/. Nominations DUE: Friday, February 28, 2018
Classroom Champions: Recognizing Teachers & Excellence in the Classroom
The Dallas Mavericks and The UPS Store, in association with Teach For America DFW, are teaming up to present the 14th Annual Classroom Champions program, created to recognize North Texas educators for their work in the classroom. Each month from November until March, two DFW Metroplex teachers will be selected as Classroom Champion “Teachers of the Month” and recognized at Dallas Mavericks home games and online throughout the Mavs season. At the end of the season, from March 16th – March 30th, a community vote will be open to the public where MFFL’s have the opportunity to vote online for five Classroom Champion “Teachers of Year” out of the previously selected 10 “Teachers of the Month”. Each of the five winning teachers are awarded $1,000 for themselves and $1,000 for their school. To learn more and nominate a teacher, visit: https://www.mavs.com/classroomchampions/. Teachers are selected every month with the deadlines: January 1, February 1 and March 1, 2018.
Mavs Reading Challenge
The Mavs Reading Challenge is a 15-week program designed to improve reading literacy throughout Dallas and encourage the love of reading for kids of all ages. Dallas parents, students and teachers can sign up online or at any of the 29 Dallas Public Library locations. Track your reading throughout the winter and spring, for the chance to win special prizes from the Dallas Mavericks and presenting sponsor Whataburger. Learn more and sign up now: www.mavs.com/readingchallenge/ Reading Challenge: December 1, 2017 – March 18, 2018.
Mavs Scholarship Program - $5,000 College Scholarships
The Dallas Mavericks, Harrison Barnes and Century 21 Mike Bowman, Inc. have teamed up to present the 8th annual Dallas Mavericks Scholarship Program to DFW Metroplex high school seniors in financial need. Seniors will have the opportunity to apply for one of four $5,000 scholarships for college. To apply, high school seniors must attend a high school within 75-miles of the American Airlines Center, attend a two- or four-year college or university in the fall of their completed senior year, need financial assistance, be in good academic standing, and complete the application and essay. Learn more and apply at www.mavs.com/mavs-scholarship-program/. Scholarship applications are due Friday, February 23, 2018.
THE DASH FOR THE BEADS GRANT OPPORTUNITY FOR SCHOOLS!
The Dash for the Beads is a non-profit organization that conducts an annual 5K, 10K, and 1mile fun run in Oak Cliff. The proceeds from the event are used to support youth in the areas of health and fitness and arts and music.
In 2018, the Dash for the Beads (DFB) organization will award grants to local organizations that support the above areas of interest. There will be three (2) categories of grants:
- Program: Organizations can apply for up to $5,000 for program grants supporting the above areas.
- Capital: Organizations can apply for up to $10,000 for capital grants (see explanation below) supporting the above areas.
Program Grants: A physical fitness, nutrition, art or music service or activity provided for youth. Ex: after school program, band camp, theater arts or music camp, provision of nutritious food, soccer team, art therapy program.
Capital Grants: A physical project that supports youth in physical fitness, nutrition, art, or music. Ex: playground, soccer field, kitchen appliances for food program, improvement of physical space.
Click here for more information! https://dashforthebeads.org/grants/
DALLAS ISD DISTRICT-WIDE TESTING CALENDAR
UPCOMING DATES & REMINDERS
JANUARY
16-PEI Principal Checkpoint #3 Begins17-New AP's to the feeder Meeting w/ED @ Haskell-2nd floor 8:30 a.m.
17-New Principals to the feeder Meeting w/ED@ Haskell -2nd floor 10:00 a.m.
23- Elementary ONLY Principals' Meeting
24-Secondary ONLY Principals' Meeting
30-Math AF TOT for CIC Content Training
FEBRUARY
1- New Principal Meeting w/ED @ Haskell 2nd floor conference room -8:30 a.m.
1-New AP Meeting w/ED @ Haskell 2nd floor conference room- 10:00 a.m.
1-Reading AF TOT for CIC Content Training
2-PEI Principal Checkpoint #3 Ends
23-Title I Requisitions due today
MARCH
9-Drill log for the Spring Semester is due TODAY via email submission to the Office of Emergency Management
27-Math AF TOT for CIC Content Training
29-Reading AF TOT for CIC Content Training
MARSHALL MEMO #716
The Surprising Impact of Short Interventions on Math Achievement
“What can be done to help secondary school students become more self-confident, work harder, and show higher performance in mathematics?” ask Brigitte Maria Brisson, Hanna Gaspard, Isabelle Häfner, Barbara Flunger, Benjamin Nagengast, and Ulrich Trautwein (University of Tübingen) and Anna-Lena Dicke (University of California/Irvine) in this article in American Educational Research Journal. The researchers describe a short intervention with 1,978 German ninth graders: one group spent 90 minutes reading a series of real-life quotes from young adults about the importance of mathematics in their lives, followed by two homework assignments reinforcing that content. Students in a second group were asked to write about the relevance of mathematics in their lives. And the control group conducted classroom business as usual.
What were the results with the two intervention groups compared to the control group? “Commenting on quotations about the relevance of mathematics fostered students’ self-concept, homework, self-efficacy, teacher-rated effort, and test scores in mathematics until up to 5 months after the intervention,” say the researchers. Writing about the relevance of math in their lives had a somewhat less positive impact: it “promoted students’ long-term homework self-efficacy in mathematics to the same extent as the quotations conditions, but no statistically significant effects were found on other outcomes under study.”
THOMAS JEFFERSON SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
- Thomas Jefferson High School: Principal, Sandi Massey
- Francisco Medrano Middle School : Principal, Theresa Sigurdson
- Edward Cary Middle School: Principal, Ben Dickerson
- David G. Burnet Elementary: Principal, Sonia Loskot
- Leonides Cigarroa Elementary : Principal, Douglas Burak
- Tom W. Field Elementary: Principal, Shondula Whitfield
- Stephen C. Foster Elementary: Principal, Irma De La Guardia
- Joe May Elementary: Principal, Israel Rivera
- K.B. Polk Elementary: Principal, Misty Rathermund
- Julian T. Saldivar: Principal, Chaundra Macklin
- Walnut Hill Elementary: Principal, Robert 'Chase'McLaurin
- Sudie Williams Elementary: Principal, Michael Jackson
Thomas Jefferson High School
Franscisco Medrano Middle School
Edward Cary Middle School
David G. Burnet Elementary
Leonides Cigarroa Elementary
Tom W. Field Elementary
Stephen C. Foster Elementary
Joe May Elementary
K. B. Polk Elementary
Julian T. Saldivar Elementary
Walnut Hill Elementary
Sudie L. Williams Elementary
Marelenise Phillips-Roberts
Lisa Maia
Erica Rosas
Trustee Edwin Flores District 1
Trustee Dustin Marshall District 2
Trustee Miguel Solis District 8
DISD GOALS
- All students will exhibit Satisfactory or above performance on State assessments. Students below Satisfactory performance will demonstrate more than one year of academic growth
- Dallas ISD schools will be the primary choice for families in the district
- The achievement gap by race, ethnicity and social economic status will be no greater than 10 percentage points on all academic measures
- 95% of students will graduate. Of the graduates, 90% have qualifying scores for community college, college, military, or industry certification
- 95% of entering kindergarten students are school-ready on a multidimensional assessment
- All students will participate in at least one extracurricular or co-curricular activity each year.