DEARBORN STEM ACADEMY NEWS & NOTES
April 8, 2019 Vol. 1, No. 30
The Dearborn STEM Academy is a grades 6-12 Boston Public School supported by the Boston Plan for Excellence.
DETERMINED
I set and meet challenging goals. I hold high expectations for myself and my future. I never give up.
SELF-C0NFIDENT
ACCEPTING
Welcome to the Dearborn STEM Academy
Spring is upon us!
Wednesday, April 10th is an early-release for students. Students are dismissed at 11:30 am. Lunch is available at dismissal.
LET'S FINISH STRONG...WE HAVE ONE WEEK UNTIL THE APRIL BREAK AND THE END OF THE 3RD QUARTER...
STUDENTS...GET TO WIN TIME, STAY AFTER SCHOOL, PASS IN THOSE ASSIGNMENTS, STUDY...YOU CAN DO ALL OF THESE THIS WEEK!
Want a summer job?
Here is another link to the Success Link for city of Boston summer jobs. At the bottom, students can search for jobs in areas they desire and then create a profile. Students should use the bostonk12 email and same password to keep it simple.
There are many jobs out there and some of our students who have been working hard are already being called for interviews...
Here is link,,
https://successlink-boston.icims.com/jobs/intro?hashed=-435683065--
Drone Camp comes to the Dearborn...
July 8-12 or July 15-19. Please contact Mr. Likosky or Principal Brown for more information.
The program is FREE.
Students will receive:
- All of the materials and supplies needed to build a drone. See a picture of the prototype above.
- Students will receive expert instruction that will allow each student to successfully build the drone.
- Students will receive expert instruction on how to program the drone.
- Students will fly the drone inside our beautiful atrium!
- Students will also learn about FAA regulations about registering drones and rules preventing drones from flying within 5 miles of airports.
Students will keep the drone!
STUDENT ART EXHIBIT
YOU ARE NOT GOING TO WANT TO MISS THE NEXT EXHIBIT BY OUR OWN AMAZING 9TH GRADE STUDENT ARTIST ZAEDA MIRANDA!
Please join us at 4:30 on April 25 outside the main office for our Artist's Reception and celebrate Zaeda's incredible work...
Consider joining the Dearborn Industry Advisory Council!
Friends and Colleagues,
We are writing to invite you to join the Dearborn Industry Advisory Council, a body that will support the school as we continue to develop and test our STEM program model.
Here's what we have in mind:
Purpose
We seek to run an industry informed middle and high school that prepares students for their chosen profession. We need to have regular conversations with industry to ensure that our students have the skills, knowledge, and experiences necessary to succeed in Boston’s tech-driven labor market. The Industry Advisory Council will work with BPE and Dearborn leaders:
· To connect the school with ideas, trends, and possibilities from the broader (STEM) world around us
· To help us develop a comprehensive set of STEM opportunities for students in grades 6-12, with a concentration in high school
· To build our understanding of industry talent pipeline needs
· To inform our STEM career pathways and curriculum
· To inspire teachers, keep them apprised of the latest developments in their fields, and provide professional collaborators to serve as resources
This is particularly important work at Dearborn STEM Academy, where we are developing and launching three career pathways: Computer Science, Health and Life Sciences, and Engineering.
Commitment
We are asking members to join us for a one-year commitment, which will include two convenings and the potential for a handful of small group meetings or consults in your area of expertise.
If you are interested in joining the Council, please respond to this email. Our first meeting will be on May 6 from 3:00 to 5:00 at the Dearborn. We will hear a report-out from Aimee Sprung of Microsoft, Erik Miller of Wentworth Institute of Technology and the Dearborn teachers who comprise our Computer Science pathway leadership.
Thank you for the ways in which you've already contributed to our school. And thanks for considering our invitation.
We hope you will join us,
Kristen Almquist-Cevallos
Director of Early College and Career Pathways
Mardi Fuller
Director of External Relations
Parent Survey at DSA...
TELL US HOW WE’RE DOING!
Fill out a Parent Survey ~ Fill out a Parent Survey ~ Fill out a Parent Survey
How will the Parent Surveys be distributed?
Sent home with students, Emailed and by US Postal mail.
Parent Survey will be available between
April 1st thru April 12th
Return your Parent Survey by April 12th and your name will be entered into a RAFFLE to WIN a $50 GIFT CARD!
Winners will be notified by Monday, April 22 and their names will be appear in the Principal Brown’s Newsletter and posted in the Main Office.
Results of the Parent Survey will be shared with Parents at the School Parent Council Meetings and the School Staff.
Ms. Bailey, MSW
Director of Community & Family Engagement
pbailey@bpe.org ~ 617-635-8412
Middle School Pep Rally
IMPORTANT CALENDAR ITEMS
Grade 6,7,8 ELA MCAS; April 30 and May 1
MSV Observation Day; Monday May 6
Grade 6,7,8 Math MCAS; May 14 and May 15
Grade 8 Science MCAS; May 21 and May 22
Grade 10 Math MCAS; May 21 and May 22
Grade 9 Science MCAS; June 4, 5
SAVE THE DATE!
DEARBORN STEM ACADEMY GRADUATION
Wednesday, Jun 12, 2019, 06:00 PM
36 Winthrop Street, Boston, MA, USA
Monitoring Site Visit (MSV) sponsored by the Department of Education
One part of being a turnaround school is participating in a Monitoring Site Visit (MSV). The purpose of this visit according to the state is "to provide participating schools with formative feedback in support of turnaround efforts. The Monitoring Site Visit is intended to help districts and schools understand the status of the implementation of their turnaround plans. The Monitoring Site Visits are designed to obtain information about each school’s progress across a common set of research questions and four turnaround practices based on research on Massachusetts schools, along with specific questions related to each school’s individual turnaround plan."
While the language in this says that this visit is formative, it is also a component of how the school demonstrates progress over time and it is a piece of data that is used to determine whether the school has made progress.
There are two components of the visit. One is a day of interviews (May 2) with different groupings/stakeholders and the second day is a day of classroom observations (May 6). It is the goal of the group coming in that they observe every classroom in the building. When they observe, they use the CLASS (Classroom Assessment Scoring System) rubric.
What we are measured by as a school!
Here are the accountability areas of focus for schools in Massachusetts. As a turnaround school we are acutely aware of our status and are determined to make progress in the areas below.
If you have any questions about how the Dearborn is addressing these issues please do not hesitate to contact us.
Achievement
- MCAS scores in English language arts, math, and science
Student Growth
- Student growth percentiles in English language arts and math
High School Completion
- Four-year cohort graduation rate
- Extended engagement rate (five-year cohort graduation rate plus the percentage of students from the cohort who are still enrolled)
- Annual dropout rate
Progress Towards English Proficiency
- Percentage of English learners meeting annual targets in order to be English proficient in six years
Chronic Absenteeism
- Percentage of students missing 10 percent or more of the days they were enrolled at a given school during a school year
Advanced Coursework Completion
- Percentage of 11th and 12th graders completing advanced coursework (Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, dual enrollment courses, and other selected rigorous courses)
Junior-Senior Prom
This year's Junior-Senior Prom will be at Lombardo's, 6 Billings Street in Randolph MA,
Check out the digs at: https://www.lombardos.com/ on:
Friday, May 31st from 8:00pm- 12:00am!!!!
Friday, May 31, 2019, 08:00 PM
LOMBARDO'S 6 Billings Street in Randolph MA,
In partnership with the Boston Plan for Excellence the Dearborn STEM Academy will host a Summer Learning Academy!
Here are the early-release (11:30 am) Wednesdays for the remainder of the year!
Wednesday, April 10
Wednesday, May 8
Wednesday, June 12
Let's communicate!
We will communicate by newsletter with you each week. It will be distributed at the beginning of each school week. The purpose of the newsletter is to inform Dearborn STEM Academy students, staff, and families as well as the greater Dearborn community.
If you would like to add something please submit the contents to the appropriate principal; High School Principal Dana F. Brown, dbrown8@bostonpublicschools.org or Middle School Principal Shelley Olsen, solsen@bostonpublicschools.org
Stories, pictures, calendar reminders, club, activity, and classroom notes are all welcome.
Dana Brown
Shelley Olsen
Visit us!
Call, visit, message
Dana Brown, Principal, Grades 9-12, dbrown8@bostonpublicschools.org
Website: www.dearbornstemacademy.org
Location: 36 Winthrop Street, Roxbury MA 02119
Phone: 617-635-8412
Twitter: @brownprincipal