DCS Secondary Express
Volume 4
Happy Friday EMPOWERING Leaders!
One thought for the week....
Be THANKFUL as you EMPOWER others to make an IMPACT!
Thank you for all that you do!
Mrs. Clarke
Important Dates
September 14-16 & 21-22
Strategic Teaching Powerschool Visits
September 17
STAR Training for Administrators (6-8)
10:30am @ CO
September 18
Secondary Principal Meeting
Standards Audit & Instructional Plan
1pm @ Austin Jr. High School
Friendly Reminders...
- The Strategic Teaching Model should be implemented by teachers daily and monitored by your administration. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that all district-wide initiatives are successful in your building.
- Remember to "spot check" gradebooks weekly to ensure teachers are updating their students' grades as required.
- Virtual/Blended students that are not engaging academically may be asked to return to the traditional setting. Principals have the discretion to make this request.
- Encourage teachers to provide their traditional and virtual students with the privilege of viewing and engaging in "LIVE" lessons. Live lessons should be recorded and uploaded for students that are absent or for students that need clarification on content.
Remind teachers that pre-recorded lessons forgo a student the ability to engage in the lesson and the opportunity to maximize effective use of their time and resources.
- By engaging students virtually and/or traditionally, the teacher is able to build relationships with them which only enhances the quality of learning.
What is Strategic Teaching?
Strategic Teaching Implementation
Mrs. Gene Burchfield will be visiting your schools September 14-16 & 21-22.
Specifications of Instructional Plans for Individual Schools
Please click the link below to review the specifications for your Instruction Plan.
https://drive.google.com/a/dcs.k12.al.us/open?id=1HeHvcZTolPyR1E2ZQDIeZpjkYXlsLmfoX3sxgFAt890
Great Opportunities for Growth!
ALSDE Art Program Grant
The ALSDE is accepting grant proposals for schools to expand their arts programs. Grants will provide an opportunity to strengthen the development and implementation of a comprehensive arts education programs. Grants may provide additional support to schools with existing plans designed to provide quality arts instruction or support arts infusion through cross curricula
instruction. Schools must have support of staff, including teachers, administrators, specialists, and assistants and be willing to participate in arts education professional development, provided they are part of the grant. Programs must show a concerted effort to include the participation
of every student, staff member, and administrator. Selected schools may receive up to $25,000.
Consideration will be given to programs that leverage other resources and have a plan for sustainability.
Two informational workshops will be offered virtually. Interested grant applicants may register here Alabama Arts Education Initiative Grant Writing Workshop Registration.
Please follow instructions on the attached AAEI grant application and submit it to the ALSDE.
Grant applications must be received no later than October 31, 2020, by 4 p.m. Late applications will not be accepted. Please scan the entire application as a PDF and email it to
Grantees will be notified in late December. Questions regarding the application may be.
Three Ways that Data can Transform your Writing Instruction
Tuesday, September 15, 2020 @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm EDT
Presented by Joni Degner, Territory Director, Texthelp; and Mark Schwartz, Product Evangelist, Texthelp
Sponsored by Texthelp
Attendance for the live presentation is limited to 1,000.
You can sign up below to receive an email with the recording link.
GET THE RECORDINGThe recording will be posted on this page after the live session.
Get a CE Certificate for this edWebinar Learn more
Poor writing skills are a crisis in our public schools. Two thirds of K–12 students are not writing at grade level, according to The Nation’s Report Card. “Writing has been under-represented as a priority and by middle school, it is impossible to teach because of class size.” Add to this, the learning loss that will be experienced as a result of the forced move to remote and blended learning practices, and we’ve got a bit of a crisis on our hands.
Join Joni Degner and Mark Schwartz to learn more about how you can use data to inform and transform your writing instruction. During this edWebinar, you will:
- Hear from Joni and Mark on how data can help you to personalize writing instruction, using it to pinpoint where, and what interventions are necessary
- Learn how you can track progress to assess the impact of interventions put in place, as well as the achievement of individual students
- Take a look at how learning analytics and data can provide meaningful feedback for educators too, helping you to see where you can improve upon your own instruction
CLAS Professional Development - PLU Opportunities
September Leadership Institute
is a virtual event!
Peruse PLU details at www.clasleaders.org > Professional Learning > PLU Info.
Don't Miss Upcoming Leadership Institutes Topics!
Visit https://clasleaders.org/professional-development/leadership-institutes
for more information.
Mrs. Anita Clarke, Supervisor of Curriculum & Instruction
Email: anita.clarke@dcs.k12.al.us
Website: Dcs.edu
Location: Decatur Board of Education, 4th Avenue Northeast, Decatur, AL, USA
Phone: (256)552-3000