Conrad/Thomas Jefferson Tribune
WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 17-21, 2018
VISION, MISSION & CORE VALUES
CONRAD/THOMAS JEFFERSON FEEDER PRIORITY GOALS
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
Advance teacher effectiveness and improve the quality of instruction through research-based professional learning practices
QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION
Close achievement gaps through effective data practices and alignment of core content curriculum.
CLIMATE AND CULTURE
Develop and sustain a positive and supportive climate and culture of high expectations through effective communication, inclusive practices and leadership development.
3 SCHOOL LEADERSHIP PRIORITIES
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
BALANCED LITERACY
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING
A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Illustrious Leaders,
This week, we were able to capitalize on having our Elementary District-wide principal meeting, CILT sessions and Leveling all on the same day. How many times have we been afforded that opportunity to capture so much learning all wrapped up in one day? I look forward to seeing the implementation of your learning from Tuesday on my upcoming campus visits.
In the next week in a half, your campuses will also be involved in their first full blown DDI meeting regarding common assessments. Remember to use the PLC rubrics to guide your coaching conversations with your teams. I am scheduled to visit all of your campuses in the next 2 weeks to see all your DDI sessions. It is imperative that your teams are aware of the Domains that are captured in the rubrics and the 'EXEMPLARY ' level of PLCs in action.
As I have visited your campuses we have also discussed having the teams give themselves feedback on how they can improve their roles in the PLCs according to the rubric.
Last week, I highlighted Stephen Covey's First Habit, which is to BE PROACTIVE! This week, I will highlight Stephen Covey's Habit 2. What does 'Begin with the End in Mind' really mean?
Habit 2: Begin With The End In Mind
When I read The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People I was struck by the wonderful metaphors that Stephen Covey uses to help us understand the points he makes. For example, he talks about how easy it is to get caught up in the busy-ness of life, working hard to climb the ladder of success, only to discover that all this time the ladder has been leaning against the wrong wall. I find this a very simple and powerful image.
It's this metaphor that Stephen Covey uses to describe Habit 2, Begin With The End In Mind. It's a simple idea really and it is about making an effort to start with a clear understanding of your destination and how you will get there. Making sure your ladder is up against the right wall before you start climbing.
This is essentially for planning so that we know where we are going at all times instead of being busy with day to day activities that actually take us nowhere. Taking the time to see the bigger picture and to plan where we are heading leads to personal effectiveness.
"Begin with the end in mind” is based on the principle that all things are created twice. Stephen Covey makes the point that everything is created twice, first in the mind and then in reality. There’s a mental or first creation and a physical or second creation to all things.
If you're building a house, you plan every detail with architect's drawings, builders and landscapers according to what you want to create. Only then does the physical work begin.
Before you go on a holiday, you've usually planned the trip very carefully before you set foot out of your front door. If you're giving a business presentation, you plan it before you present it.
The question of course is why we neglect to do this when it comes to our own lives? Life throws so many things at us that keep us so busy that often we have never thought about where we are heading and if what we are doing is taking us closer to, or further from our destination. So, consider how implementing Habit 2, "Begin With The End In Mind" will support you with living an overall healthier, happier, and more productive life.
Here's to another great week of teaching and learning!
"WE ARE IN IT TO WIN IT...GO FOR THE GOLD!
Ms. Torres
Emmett Conrad/Thomas Jefferson Executive Director
LOOK AT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR CONRAD/THOMAS JEFFERSON CLUSTER?
WEEKLY UPDATES
MONDAY, September 17
- Campus visitation w/ED & ILC's-@ McShan
- Campus visitation w/ED & ILC's-@ Burnet
- Balanced Literacy Graphic due-Reading ILC-Ms. Jones
- TEI Scorecard Rebuttal Window begins
TUESDAY, September 18
- Dialouge with School Leadership @ Conrad HS Library-7:30 a.m.-ED, ALL Principals and ILC's
- Deputy Chief/ED Campus visitation w/ED and ILC's @ Cigarroa-8:30 a.m.
- PLC Campus observation @ Joe May-10:25 a.m. w/ED and ILC's
- PLC Campus observation @ Stephen Foster-1:00 p.m. w/ED and ILC's
- 2nd Six weeks Collaborative Planning for Northwest Network @ Joe May-3:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, September 19
- AP Training @ Edison Learning Center-8:00 a.m.
- PLC Campus observation @ Walnut Hill-9:25 a.m. w/ED and ILC's
- Campus visitation w/ED & ILC's-11:00 a.m.@ Polk
- PLC Campus observation @ Cigarroa-1:15 p.m. w/ED and ILC's
THURSDAY, September 20
- PLC Campus observation @ Jill Stone-8:15 a.m. w/ED and ILC's
- AP Meeting w/ED and ILC's 9:30 a.m.-@ Stephen Foster
- PLC Campus observation @ Tom Field-1:00 p.m. w/ED and ILC's
- Campus visitation w/ED @ Saldivar
- Leadership B Team-ED Mtg. w/Deputy Chief Lusk @ 1:00 p.m.-Ms. Torres
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
By now, we are well versed that PLCs are a commitment to continuous improvement.
The goal is not simply to learn a new strategy during PLCs but instead to create conditions for the learning environment in which innovation and experimentation are viewed not as tasks to be accomplished or projects to be completed but as ways of it becoming the norm. Furthermore, participation in the PLC process is s a responsibility of every member of the campus.
On Tuesday, you were introduced to the PLC rubric where you were able to engage in rich discussions and learn about each of the domains. Exemplar evidence was provided so that there was clarity surrounding what EXEMPLARY status looks like in all 5 domains.
As a district, we will now be aligned regarding the PLC rubric speaking the same language.
AP MEETING & ENHANCED CHAT LINK
FAILURE REPORTS
EIA Regulation (our grading policy) requires failure rate intervention plans be developed if rates exceed the thresholds at each level (elementary, middle or high) for a teacher / course / or subject. Further, it requires a plan be developed by the principal at the campus level if the threshold exceeds such rates across a subject (course for secondary) or grade level.
We are now at the mid point of the six weeks. Teachers have plenty of time to decrease failure rates. Please send home missing assignments. Points may be deducted for those assignments.
Please be reminded that homework can only be utilized if it helps the students grade. Students should not have failing grades on their report cards due to homework. Please refere to EIA Regulation policy.
The teachers should ensure they are providing the following for students. ( read chart below).
What's Happening in the Conrad & Jefferson Cluster?
Cigarroa ES Aggressively Monitors Attendance: YeeeeHAW!!!!
Burnet ES: Graduate Together Assembly
Joe May ES: Graduate Together Assembly
Elementary Principals' Meeting & CIlT Training 9/11
Education Go Get It Week: Saldivar ES Set the Expectations of Learning in 80s Gear
Julian T. Saldivar ES: Graduate Together Assembly
McShan ES: Graduate Together
NEW HIRING PROCESS FOR 2019-2020 PRINCIPAL POSITIONS
Revisions to the job description and the application for principal positions has been completed. Link to application. Both the job description and the recommendation forms have been aligned to our PEI rubric. Additionally, we have added the requirement of executive director approval to the recommendation forms.
We have also launched our communication regarding our new process for hiring principals. A video providing an overview of the process will be emailed to assistant principals and cc principals and executive directors. There will be an information session on Thursday, September 6th at 5:30pm at Conrad High School for assistant principals wanting more information. Principals are asked to encourage anyone they have determined to be high-potential and ready for a principalship to apply.
Reminder – September 30th is the deadline for individuals to apply for principal positions in the district for the 2019-2020 school year. Please ensure we are tapping the right people on the shoulders and encouraging them pursue the principalship.
Assistant Principals, if you are interested you will need to notify your principal as they will need to write you a recommendation letter. Your principal will need to contact me to schedule a time for me to observe you leading a PLC or PD session and conducting a feedback session before I will write a recommendation letter.
POWER SCHOOL/PERFORMANCE MATTERS
CEOP COMPLIANCE DUE DATES
Core 4 at Julian T. Saldivar ES.
Core 4 at K.B. Polk
Ms. Rachel Cruz is one of the shining stars at K.B. Polk. She is a bilingual TA, and she is always flexible, friendly, and eager to help in any way that she can. She supports bilingual instruction K-5, provides support in the front office, and is also on time for her daily duty post in morning carpool. Ms. Rachel Cruz is indeed an asset to our school.
UNITED TO LEARN NETWORK MEETING SCHEDULE
Community Campus Day Applications Are Ready!!!!
COMPLIANCE VIDEOS
Compliance Training videos are now available through Cornerstone On-Demand – NOT Region 10. Please make sure and share the linked memo with all staff. The deadline to complete all videos is September 30th.
READING STRATEGIES THAT WORK
GUIDED READING GOAL
CLOSE READING STRATEGIES
HOTS-COSTA'S 3 LEVELS OF QUESTIONING
INFERENCING GAMES
UNITED TO LEARN BOOKNOOK
THE LEADER IN ME SYMPOSIUM 2019
Experience The Leader in Me Symposium
Just a reminder that the Leader in Me Symposium will be held February 7-8 in Irving, Texas at the Irving Convention Center. Please ensure that you register to attend as we are attending as a cluster. Information on the symposium will be upcoming.
Join educators at the all-new 2018-201p Leader in Me Symposium. Together, we are transforming paradigms in education by empowering students and staff to model 21st-century leadership skills in order to achieve their full potential.
The Leader in Me Symposium is the most influential and inspiring event series for educators. This year Symposium will be coming to over 20 locations to inspire thousands of educators across North America. New enhancements have been made to the featured sessions, school tours, and networking experience. In addition, participants can now attend either a full two-day or a condensed one-day version of Symposium.
At The Leader in Me Symposium, you will
- Share innovative ideas with other administrators, superintendents, directors, principals, and teachers.
- Develop new skills and principle-centered effectiveness with The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People® training.
- Learn best practices from experts in a variety of featured sessions.
- Discover how Leader in Me Schools are achieving success on a local school tour (two-day Symposium only).
- Gain inspiration from thought leaders during keynote presentations.
A TRAIL OF BREADCRUMBS-WRITING & GRAMMAR WORKSHOP FEATURING GRETCHEN BERNABEI
Grammar and Writing Development
Through the Year and for STAAR
featuring Gretchen Bernabei
This workshop will model layered instruction, weaving between grammar and writing, using materials Gretchen has adapted from STAAR released tests and live student STAAR essays. Specific high-yield strategies covered include:
Grammar:
Nailing fragments and run-ons, using the sentence wringer
Wiping out usage problems (like its/it’s and there/their/they’re) once
and for all
Showing your students how to use their parts-of-speech knowledge
Keeping track of your grammar-teaching-in-context
Reading:
Kernelizing passages for comprehension and multiple choice ease
Recognizing and using pitchforking in questions
Extracting text structures from passages
Writing:
Generating quick lists and kernel essays
Choosing from five text structures for expository or persuasive essays
Using icons for developing details
Participants will receive a copy of Grammar Keepers and Text Structures from Nursery Rhymes
Who is it for?
Anyone teaching writing (pre-k through 12)
Anyone who lays the instructional foundation (grades 4-11) for STAAR writing and reading tests
November 28-29 in Richardson, TX
8:30am - 2:30pm
Richardson Civic Center
411 W. Arapaho Rd. #102
Richardson, Texas 75083
SLO AND GOAL-SETTING CONFERENCES FOR TEACHERS
Principals please see the 4-step process below that will assist with submission of the SLO and completion of the goal-setting conferences for the 2018-2019 SY
- The SLO must be entered by the teacher before the appraiser has action to take – see SLO Goal-Setting QRG for teachers
- The SLO setting must be then scored and an in-person conference should be scheduled – see SLO Scoring document for appraisers.
- If an AP/Principal does not see the SLO task queue (or is unable to launch spot observations) it is likely that primary appraiser distinction needs to be completed by the principal in Oracle – QRG here.
- Professional Development Plans/PDPs will be held locally at campuses in 2018-2019. There is NO action to take online in Cornerstone; however, a link to the P2LD planning document can be found here.
KHAN ACADEMY
Khan Academy mission is to provide a free, world-class education to anyone, anywhere. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Khan Academy offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom. They tackle math, science, computer programming, history, art history, economics, and more.
The math mission guide learners from kindergarten to calculus using state-of-the-art, adaptive technology that identifies strengths and learning gaps. We've also partnered with institutions like NASA, The Museum of Modern Art, The California Academy of Sciences, and MIT to offer specialized content.
I highly encourage your campuses to try Khan Academy!
DATA ON THE HORIZON
COMMON ASSESSMENT WINDOW
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
REVISED-Assistant Principal PD with Executive Director
Reading & Social Studies Professional Development Dates
SIGN UP HERE!!!!
20 seats per session). Participating teachers please come with your laptops fully charged. Please register at https://goo.gl/forms/GSqi4YO9wn5jIMmI3.
OCTOBER 9, 2018
SEPTEMBER
27-28-Momentous Training-Select Principals and ED
28-TEI Scorecard Rebuttal Window ends
28- DTR Round 1 Application opens
30-Last day to complete Compliance videos
OCTOBER
2-Deadline to complete Fall SLO Goal-Setting and goal -setting conference
9-Principal for A Day
FEBRUARY
7-8-The Leader in Me Symposium-Irving Convention Center
MARSHALL MEMO #703
Ten “Restorative” Literacy Practices That Close the Achievement Gap
“Too often, when children struggle to read, educators assume the problem lies within the children themselves,” says Deborah Wolter, a literacy consultant in the Ann Arbor Public Schools, in this article in Phi Delta Kappan. “But in fact, decades of research have shown that whatever children’s innate skills, strengths, and abilities may be, what really matters are the beliefs, attitudes, and actions of the teachers and other adults in their lives.” Wolter believes schools need to ask three key questions:
- What is it that proficient and fluent readers do when they encounter texts?
- How different is that from what our most vulnerable students are asked to do?
- What would it take for educators to close the gap?
In other words, says Wolter, “Rather than holding lower expectations for children who are struggling to read and rather than giving them lesser experiences with text and language, shouldn’t we seek to provide them with the very same kinds of resources, supports, and encouragement that the most fortunate children receive? Shouldn’t all students have opportunities to make connections between what they read and what’s going on in their own lives? Shouldn’t all students be encouraged to take ownership over their reading growth and development?”
Here are her suggestions for replicating the advantages that good readers have, rather than pigeonholing struggling readers with low-level materials, highly structured reading formats, and expectations that limit their potential for growth:
• Access to plenty of books and other reading matter – Schools can set up Little Free Libraries, maintain a book swap table in the lobby, seek donations of quality multicultural books to share, invite the local librarian in to help families get library cards, and host regular storytelling events, book clubs, and free book fairs in their neighborhoods or apartment complexes. It’s helpful if shared books have a sticker explaining their shared status.
• An army of adult support – Schools can enlist community volunteers and staff members to read books aloud to students, either individually or in small groups. “Reading aloud increases vocabulary, imagination, understanding of third-party narration, critical thinking skills, and comprehension,” says Wolter. “Abundant opportunities for reading aloud set all children on a path toward a lifetime of reading.”
• Choice – Struggling students need to have a wide selection of reading matter, not just at their presumed readability level, all geared to empowering them to choose texts and expand their background knowledge, interests, motivation, and reading proficiency.
• Exploration – Teachers need to give struggling students tricks they can use to size up a book: checking out the front cover, reading the back cover, skimming a few pages, and reading the introduction.
• Settling in to read – All students need to be able to read in cozy corners with bean bag chairs, soft moveable furniture, an area rug, and soft lighting.
• Reading deeply and thoughtfully – All students need plenty of independent silent reading time and encouragement to read for meaning and for fun, not always having their errors corrected if the errors aren’t interfering with meaning. Students should to be able to read ahead and go back to check on their miscues, and have time to read books that seem easy or even ones they’ve already memorized.
• Effective strategies to get un-stuck – When students come across unknown words and phrases, it’s important that they have a repertoire of cognitive and linguistic tricks, including: covering the tricky word with their finger, reading ahead, going back to look for context clues, thinking about another word that makes sense, asking a peer or an adult, or looking up the word in a dictionary. Students should be taught to use phonetic strategies within a text, not just in isolated worksheets or computer programs.
• Owning their language – Teachers need to recognize and respect differences in students’ accents, pronunciation, and syntax and not talk negatively about students’ diction, implying that the way they speak is inferior. “Teachers can let go of the phonemes or syntax that are different,” ways Wolter, “and instead, foster and listen for meaning and understanding.”
• Using tools to zero in on the information in a text – Struggling readers need to do more than answer simple multiple-choice questions. They should be comfortable using highlighters, colored pencils, sticky notes, index cards, graphic organizers, and notebooks to unpack the meaning of complex passages.
• Honing critical thinking and analytical skills – Rather than thinking about what the teacher wants to hear, students should be encouraged to discuss content with peers, develop their critical thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills, and think about how what they’re reading is relevant to their lives. Student need to feel free to express their views, even if those views are controversial. “At the same time,” says Wolter, “teachers can assure emotional safety by not allowing bullying, claims without evidence, or racist language.”
EMMETT J. CONRAD/THOMAS JEFFERSON SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
- Jack Lowe Elementary: Principal, Sandra Barrios
- Jill Stone : Principal, Rosalinda Pratt
- Highland Meadows: Principal, Julian Davis
- David G. Burnet Elementary: Principal, Sonia Loskot
- Leonides Cigarroa Elementary : Principal, Douglas Burak
- Tom W. Field Elementary: Principal, Selena Deboskie
- Stephen C. Foster Elementary: Principal, Irma De La Guardia
- Joe May Elementary: Principal, Israel Rivera
- K.B. Polk Elementary: Principal, Kourtnei Billups
- Julian T. Saldivar: Principal, Edgar Jaramillo
- Walnut Hill Elementary: Principal, Robert 'Chase' McLaurin
- McShan Elementary: Principal, Cecilia Criner
MEET OUR ILLUSTRIOUS CONRAD/THOMAS JEFFERSON LEADERSHIP TEAM
JACK LOWE SR. ELEMENTARY
JILL STONE ELEMENTARY
HIGHLAND MEADOWS ELEMENTARY
DAVID G. BURNET ELEMENTARY
LEONIDES CIGARROA ELEMENTARY
TOM FIELD
STEPHEN C. FOSTER
JOSE 'JOE' MAY
K.B. POLK CENTER FOR THE ACADEMICALLY TALENTED & GIFTED
JOE T. SALDIVAR
WALNUT HILL DUAL LANGUAGE GIFTED & TALENTED
MCSHAN ELEMENTARY
INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP COACHES
OUR BOARD TRUSTEES REPRESENTING OUR NETWORK
EDWIN FLORES
DISTRICT # 1, Northwest Dallas, Addison, parts of Carrollton and Farmers Branch
Walnut Hill
DUSTIN MARSHALL
District #2 North and Near East Dallas
K. B. Polk
DAN Micciche
DISTRICT #3 Northeast Dallas
Highland Meadows, Jack Lowe Sr., Lee A. McShan Jr, Jill Stone at Vickery Meadow
MIGUEL SOLIS
DISTRICT # 8 Love Field, Northwest Dallas, and Central Dallas
David G. Burnet, Leonides Gonzalez Cigarroa, Tom Field, Stephen C. Foster, Jose "Joe" May, Julian T. Saldivar