Wildcat Weekly
Volume II | Issue 6 | September 18, 2016
Principal's Message
If you didn't hear the announcement or if you missed the summary report displayed in the main office... Dunbar High School received- not 1 TEA distinction, not 2 TEA distinctions, but 3 TEA Distinction Designations! Congratulations on a job well done.
Please share this news with our students! It is important that they hear good things about their school. This will help us as we transform our student culture and nurture a sense of pride. I would like every employee to print the Accountability Summary document attached to the e-mail and proudly display it in your classroom or office.
Let's continue our hard work as strive for all seven (7) distinctions this year. This will not happen by accident, but as a result of consistent, quality Tier 1 instruction.... Every day, in every class, and for every student!
Tier 1 Instructional Expectations:
- Teachers effectively communicate goals, expectations and objectives to help students reach high levels of achievement – throughout the lesson
- Teachers ensure that the learning environment features a high degree of student engagement by facilitating discussion and student centered activities as well as leading direct instruction.
- Teachers consistently check for understanding, give immediate feedback and make lesson adjustments as necessary; reteach differently and immediately when evidence warrants
I look forward to another outstanding week at DHS. Thanks for all you do each day to ensure our students have access to a quality education.
Please remember to take time to participate in this celebratory observance by paying tribute to the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society.
Intentional Relationships...
1. “People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude.”
2. “Adapt to them—don’t expect them to adapt to you.”
3. “Be sure your communication goes beyond words. How can you do that? By connecting on four levels: visually, intellectually, emotionally, and verbally.”
― John C. Maxwell, Everyone Communicates, Few Connect: What the Most Effective People Do Differently
Instructional Foci
Specific components of effective tier one instruction that will look for as we visit classrooms this week:
Differentiation:
The teacher differentiates instruction, aligning methods and techniques to diverse student needs.
- Adapt lessons to address individual needs of all students.
- Regularly monitor the quality of student participation and performance.
- Regularly provide differentiated instructional methods and content to ensure students have the opportunity to master what is being taught.
- Proactively minimize student confusion or disengagement by addressing learning and/or social/emotional needs of all students.
Classroom Environment, Routines and Procedures:
The teacher organizes a safe, accessible and efficient classroom.
- Establish and uses effective routines, transitions and procedures that primarily rely on student leadership and responsibility.
- Students take primary leadership and responsibility for managing student groups, supplies, and/or equipment.
- The classroom is safe and thoughtfully designed to engage, challenge and inspire students to participate in high-level learning beyond the learning objectives.
Operational Foci
- Students should be constantly moving to class
- Greet students by name as they enter your classroom
2. Passes are prohibited during the first and last 20 minutes of class.
- Encourage students to handle their personal business during lunch or passion periods
- Passes are prohibited during 3rd and 7th periods
Critical Success Factor Spotlight
Use of Quality Data to Drive Instruction
The use of quality data to drive instructional decisions can lead to improved student performance (Wayman, 2005); (Wayman, Cho, & Johnston, 2007); (Wohlstetter, Datnow, & Park, 2008). This Critical Success Factor (CSF) emphasizes effective use of multiple sources of disaggregated data. However, it is not necessarily the amount of data utilized to make decisions to improve instruction and learning, but rather how the information is used (Hamilton, et al., 2009). An essential use of both summative and formative data that can improve academic achievement is for teachers to create regular opportunities to share data with individual students (Black & Williams, 2005). Therefore, it is not only the use of data to drive instructional decision-making that is significant, but also the ongoing communication of data with others that provides the greatest opportunity for data to have a positive impact on student learning outcomes.
For more info visit : http://www.taisresources.net/quality-data-to-drive-instruction/
Our Goals:
- By June 2016, 55% of tested core content classrooms using data to provide feedback to students on a weekly basis.
- By June 2016, tested content teachers will unpack TEKS and examine student work/analyze student data in relation to the TEKS in at least 16 PLC meetings.
Mark your Calendar
Sept 19
College Night 6-8
Sept 20
Volleyball @ Carter Riverside
Sept 21
Sept 22
Sept 23
Pep Rally
Volleyball vs. C. Heritage
Football vs. C. Heritage
Sept 24
Dunbar High School
Email: sajade.miller@fwisd.org
Website: dunbar.fwisd.org
Location: 5700 Ramey Avenue, Fort Worth, TX, United States
Phone: (817) 815-3000
Facebook: facebook.com/DunbarHS
Twitter: @Dunbar_HS