Dutch Fork Elementary
Academy of Environmental Sciences - Week of September 18th -
DFES Beliefs
- We believe all people deserve to feel safe, valued, and loved.
- We believe all children are naturally curious about the world around them.
- We believe learning is a social process.
- We believe inquiry fosters an environment of noticing and questioning.
- We believe in learning from multiple perspectives.
- We believe in learning from authentic primary and secondary sources.
- We believe in encouraging learners to be risk takers.
- We believe reflection should lead to change and growth.
- We believe learning should lead to social action.
- We believe our actions should be aligned with our beliefs.
DFES Goals 2017-2018
- Excellent customer service
- Effective small group instruction
- Building teacher capacity with environmental education
Shout Outs
- B. Lester, S. Somerall, C. Sommers, M. Newmyer, and M. Reid. Due to unanticipated challenges to the logistics of MAP testing these colleagues worked diligently to ensure all students were successfully small group tested this past week. We appreciate them going above and beyond to ensure we completed this process prior to the MAP window closing this fall.
- F. Myers, A. Umberger, T. Guerkink, and M. Whittaker for hosting and beginning Fox Clubs this past week. Fox Clubs are extra curricular/interest based clubs offered to our 4th and 5th grade students. Fox Clubs begin at 7:20 a.m. and conclude at 7:45 a.m.
- S. Somerall and K. Tisdale for hosting books and breakfast last Wednesday. Several teachers were able to take advantage of this Wednesday morning invitation to peruse new books currently available in our media center. This is a great way to ensure we stay current with children's literature.
- Richland County Deputies and the High Five Program. This past Friday we had several Richland County Deputies on hand to greet and high five our car riders as they entered the building. We had kid friendly music playing loudly and just a uplifting energy could be felt. We are grateful for this positive interaction with our local law enforcement and our community.
- Members of the DFHS Silver Foxes football team joined our car rider line to help open car doors and greet students as they arrived Friday morning. This effort is done in concert with the Elementary Night at the DFHS football game which was hosted Friday night for the Dutch Fork cluster. The football players are all former Fox Cub. After finishing the car rider line the players walked the halls to connect with former teachers and to share words of inspiration with students.
Our goal is to include 5 shout outs each week. We invite our entire faculty and staff to be on the look out for that which is good. Below is a google doc to add any shout out worthy news that you may come across this coming week. We will also place forms in the the work room as an alternative route to sharing a shout out.
1st Grade Field StudY
Our first grade classes will take their first field studies on Monday (1/2 of Creech, Walker, and Sparkman) and Tuesday (1/2 of Creech, Eskew, and Knowles). Sharing this information so that those impacted (interventionists, SPED, and cafeteria) members can plan accordingly.
Monday, Sep 18, 2017, 09:00 AM
Landfill Lane, Lexington, SC, United States
Side-by-side observations with Dr. Robin Cox
In an effort to support our school goal of effective small group instruction Dr. Cox and I will conduct side-by-side observations Tuesday, September 19th. Our goal is to look for action items homeroom teaches identified as a result of ELA PD on September 6th and 7th. Many of you have already followed up with Dr. Somerall in thinking about how best to accomplish those action items. We are confident these actions will help to accelerate the growth of our readers.
Scott Out of Office Wednesday, September 20th
Curricular Conversations with Heidi Mills
We are pleased to have Dr. Mills working alongside us again this year. We will meet with each grade level during planning Thursday. We will briefly discuss plans/opportunities for our hosting the December 1st Fall Consortium Conference.
Dr. Mills will facilitate discussions centered around customer service and specifically ideas for communication with families, reporting student progress with families, and educating families on how to support their children in preparation for parent teacher conferences in October.
Thursday, Sep 21, 2017, 08:30 AM
Professional Development Room (Somerall's Space)
Birthday Wishes!
- 9/19 A. Umberger
- 9/20 N. Jefferson
- 9/21 T. Peneva (strings teacher)
- 9/22 T. Sadler
Protecting Instructional Time
Schools are really intricate systems that require contributions from staff members whose roles and responsibilities vary. Our greatest role as a school is ultimately all about teaching and learning.
With this role it is necessary to ensure that instructional time is protected and held in regard by each of us. This means that interruptions to instruction (calling into classrooms, interrupting lessons, etc.) should rarely occur. Thanks for your assistance, no matter your role, in helping us to maximize learning for our Fox Cubs.
Chat with Dr. Hefner
Wednesday, Sep 27, 2017, 07:00 AM
DFES Conference Room
DFES Literacy Night
We wanted you all to have the date so that you can pencil it in on your calendars.
We have an opportunity to communicate and discuss DFES actions to accelerate the growth of readers (K-1 Shared Reading) and (2nd-5th Small Group instruction). Equally as important is the opportunity to further educate parents on how to support the growth of their readers at home. Further details to come.
Thursday, Oct 12, 2017, 06:00 PM
DFES
We develop students who care about the world we live in and express critical thinking through natural curiosity and wonder.
Email: jscott@lexrich5.org
Website: www.lexrich5.org
Location: 7900 Broad River Road, Irmo, SC, United States
Phone: 803-476-3901
Twitter: @dfes_principal