Bryan Adams Feeder Pattern Updates
September 29, 2016
When our children walk in the door, I say: Welcome to success and say goodbye to failure because you are not going to fail. I’m not going to let you fail. You are here to win, you were born to win, and if I have to care more about you that you care about you, then that’s the way it will be.”
Marva Collins
Trustee Flores Takes a Selfie at the Reinhardt Kindle Kickoff
Did you know??
Teachers get discounts in the following places:
Michaels
Receive 15% off your entire purchase every day.
Half Price Books
Sign up for a Half Price Books' Educator's Discount Card and be rewarded with discounts of 10-percent year-round.
Backpack Give Away at Bayles
Reading is Key at Gill
Kindle Update
If writing teachers are looking for ways to incorporate the no-keyboard tablets into their lessons, try using Edmodo!
Edmodo is a learning management system app that allows teachers and students to communicate through a Facebook-like platform. Teachers can post a prompt and students can respond in short answers. Either teachers or students can then reply and react to the posts - just like Facebook!
Edmodo is downloaded on all student Kindles already - if you need help making an account, you can contact JDF.
Mr. Morrissey's First Grade Class at Sanger
Kindergarten Number of the Day template include examples of dice pips, five frame, and tallies
Larry Smith -Grade 4 pictures are from a place value project. Note that it includes the project criteria.
Look at Our BA Feeder Schools!!!
Casa View Principal Aponte Breaks the Board on his First Try
Common Assessment Window
As you are aware, the district will be implementing a district-wide common assessment system for all grades K-12 and content areas with a STAAR/STAAR EOC test.
There will be a window each six weeks to administer the common assessments, which can be found below. Please ensure your instructional calendars reflect the testing windows.
2nd Six Weeks: October 24-28 (5th week)
3rd Six Weeks: December 19-22 (6th week)
4th Six Weeks: February 13-17 (5th week)
5th Six Weeks: April 3-7 (5th week)
6th Six Weeks: Regular State Testing/ACP
For grade levels and content areas that do not have a state assessment, assessment of student performance will also be conducted as a progress measure for students as they make their through the state standards. Specifically, the following are the non-state assessed grades/content area assessment expectations:
K-2: Reading & Math 1X per six weeks
3-5: 3rd & 5th Writing & 3rd & 4th Science: TBD (expectations will be communicated soon)
6-8: 6th & 8th Writing & 6th & 7th Science/Social Studies: TBD
9-12: Common Assessments for all content areas will continue. Campuses will use campus created assessments for non EOC tested content areas.
Should you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Hill directly.
COMPLIANCE VIDEOS
The time has come for ALL teachers and staff to view the annual compliance videos. The deadline to complete watching the videos is September 30th.
Use of Behavior Charts - A Topic for Reflection
A few days ago one of my colleagues, (who is a great teacher, wonderful mom, and all around awesome person) sat down at our team meeting and said, "I want you to know that I am never using a behavior color chart again!"
I stopped using those charts years ago and I couldn't have been happier to hear her say that! And, it seems, her reason for saying it was not that different from my reason for letting those charts go. Her own sweet first grader had come home from school the day before, completely crushed after being put on "red"on the color chart. A sweet boy who wants nothing more than to please his teacher and do the right thing at school. I'm sure he did something he shouldn't have or tried his teacher's patience one too many times, but that child will not walk into that classroom with his head held high tomorrow.
I remembered my own son coming home from Kindergarten, day after day, in tears because he just couldn't seem to stay on 'green'. He wanted so badly to behave. He wanted to please his teachers. He wanted mom and dad to be proud of him. But his impulsivity did not allow him to keep himself in check for the whole school day. Every time she moved that clip, he was being reminded that he wasn't good enough for his teacher. That kindergarten year was one of the hardest years our family has endured. It is utterly heartbreaking to hear your child say things like, "I hate myself. Why can't I be good? My teacher hates me. I'm not good enough." Tears are dropping on the keyboard as I remember those moments.
Now that he is being treated for ADHD, he is much happier at school and doing well, but that color chart just about destroyed my son.
I began to look at my students through different eyes and imagine what they must be feeling.
Some are ADHD like my little guy and are battling their own bodies for control each day, some are coming from homes so broken and troubled it's just astounding, and many are simply neglected and left to be raised by siblings or television. I really had to stop and realize that my wishes for their classroom behavior were superceded by their own complicated lives.
This realization led me to discover a few things about color charts, both from using them and seeing them used in my own children's classrooms.
- They track behavior, but they do not change it.
- For kids who are not able to adhere to the cultural expectations of school, the chart can be absolutely demoralizing. And this seems to be mostly boys - hmmm.
- The chart makes the assumption, before the kid ever crosses the threshold of the classroom door, that he is going to misbehave. Ouch.
- As much as we try to make that chart seem like a 'reminder' and not a negative thing, it is still embarrassing to many children.
- Even kids who always stay on 'green', often feel stress and worry as they watch some of their classmates repeatedly move on the color chart.
I hear and understand all of these beliefs - some of them are very valid. I held them, too.
But, I just ask you to place yourself in that little person's shoes, looking up at the teacher they want to impress (yes, even the disobedient, defiant, disrespectful ones:) and imagine how they see themselves. How they feel. What will they take away from the experience?
I just have to say that after using the charts, then letting them go and doing something different, I can't buy into my old color chart anymore. Kids do need reminders to stay on track. They do need consequences for negative behavior, and we should reward positive behavior. But not by causing stress, worry, and shame. I had to become a mommy and feel my own child's pain to see that.
So, the next logical question is "If I don't use a clip chart, what do I do?" The very same question I asked myself (many times!) The answer is actually a long one and is really a journey rather than an answer, but I would encourage you to look into some new ideas, see what else is out there, and give it a try:) While it was oh-so difficult for me, I am so glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone!
A few years ago, my school decided to use the Responsive Classroom approach which changed my thinking completely about classroom discipline. (I am not really touting RC as the best around, because it's just one of several great approaches out there to building a positive classroom community. There are other similar programs with similar tenets. This is just the one with which I am most familiar.) The way that RC builds community, helps children internalize social skills, and responds to behavior is so powerful.
I will leave you with one idea that could possibly take the place of a clip chart move. My school uses a "Take a Break" space. This is not a traditional "Time Out". This is a place in the classroom where children can take a moment to decompress, take a breather, or think about making different choices. The students often go there on their own, but sometimes are asked to go there by the teacher. The student will only stay there for about 1 or 2 minutes and I use an egg timer so kids don't stay too long.
The basket includes a mirror because sometimes it helps a kid to see the emotion on his own face in order to recognize it. There are squishy balls for squeezing the tension away, a few cue cards for self calming, and a timer to remind kids not to stay too long. There usually is a little stuffed cat in the box, too - wonder where it went!? Someone must have needed a little snuggle for the road:)
Nikki Sabiston, a 20 year veteran teacher at Title I schools in Virginia.
TESTING DATES
October
17-20 ELA, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies TAKS Exit Level (Retest ONLY)
December
5 STAAR EOC English I (9-12 Retest and/or Accelerated)
5-9 STAAR EOC Algebra I, Biology, & U.S. History (9-12 Retest and/or Accelerated)
7 STAAR EOC English II (9-12 Retest and/or Accelerated)
9 STAAR (Make-up sessions for STAAR assessments from 12/5-12/9)
19-22 District ACP (Grades K-12)
January
10-23 ACP Make-Up Window (Grades K-12)
March
6-9 STAAR EOC English I, Algebra I, Biology, U.S. History (retest online ONLY/OSS & credit recovery)
3/6-4/5 TELPAS (Teacher ratings & online reading assessment ELL students, Grades K-12)
28 STAAR EOC English I (Grades 9-12 & Retest)
28 STAAR Writing (Grade 4 English & Spanish, Grade 7)
28 STAAR Mathematics (Grade 5 English & Spanish, Grade 8)
29 STAAR Reading (Grade 5 English & Spanish, Grade 8)
29 STAAR Mathematics (Grade 7 Pre-AP taking Grade 8 Math)
30 STAAR EOC English II (Grades 9-12 & Retest)
31 (All make-up sessions for STAAR assessments scheduled to be administered 3/28-3/30)
April
3-21 STAAR Alternate 2 Assessment Window (Grades 3-8 & EOC)
10-14 Terra Nova/Supera (Grades K-2)
May
1-5 STAAR EOC Algebra I, Biology & U.S. History (Grades 9-12 & Retest)
8 STAAR Mathematics (Grades 3-4 English & Spanish, Grades 6-7)
8 STAAR Mathematics (Retest, Grade 5 English & Spanish, Grade 8)
9 STAAR Reading (Grades 3-4 English & Spanish, Grades 6-7)
9 STAAR Reading (Retest, Grade 5 English & Spanish, Grade 8)
10 STAAR Science (Grade 5 English & Spanish, Grade 8 & 7 Pre-AP taking Grade 8)
11 STAAR Social Studies (Grade 8)
12 (All make-up sessions for STAAR assessments scheduled to be administered 5/8-5/11)
5/26-6/1 District ACP (Grades 6-12)
June
2-15 ACP Make-Up Window (Grades 6-12)
DATES
Monday September 26, 2016
All classes should be leveled
Tuesday September 27, 2016
ACT Testing at BA
Wednesday September 28, 2016
- Submit 2016-2017 Fall Class Enrollment Verification
Thursday September 29, 2016
Feeder Pattern Meeting at Hill Middle School
Friday September 30, 2016
- First Six Weeks ends
- Compliance video deadline
- Submit Teacher of the Year applications
Student Achievement Goals
All students will exhibit satisfactory or above performance on state assessments. Students below satisfactory performance will demonstrate more than one year of academic growth.
Dallas ISD schools will be the primary choice for families in the district.
The achievement gap by race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status will be no greater than 10 percentage points on all academic measures.
Ninety-five percent of students will graduate. Ninety percent of the graduates will qualify for community college, college, military or industry certification.
Ninety-five percent of students entering kindergarten will be school-ready based on a multidimensional assessment.
All students will participate in at least one extracurricular or co-curricular activity each
year.
BRYAN ADAMS FEEDER PATTERN
- Bryan Adams High School - Principal Richard Kastle
- Gaston Middle School - Principal Susie Stauss
- Hill Middle School - Principal Candace Ruiz
- Bayles Elementary - Principal Robby Wilson
- Casa View Elementary - Principal Oscar Aponte
- Gill Elementary - Principal Damien Stovall
- Hexter Elementary - Principal Jennifer Jackson
- Kiest Elementary - Principal Yazmine Cruz
- Reilly Elementary - Principal Marion Jackson
- Reinhardt Elementary - Principal Phoebe Montgomery
- Sanger Elementary - Principal Hector Martinez
- Smith Elementary - Principal Lora Morris
Executive Director, Bryan Adams Feeder Pattern
Barbara Martin - English/Language Arts Academic Facilitator
Kelly Morgan - Math/Science Academic Facilitator
Email: jhughes@dallasisd.org
Website: dallasisd.org
Location: Dallas Independent School District, Dallas County, TX, United States
Phone: 972 925-3000