ACE Weekly Newsletter
May 1, 2016
In This Week's Issue:
Note from Executive Director
Celebrating Excellence
Articles of the Week:
- Building Stamina
Video Spotlight
- Teaching students to self-monitor
Resources
- Texas Gateway
- STAAR Countdown
- ACE Site
- Math SE live binder
- School Calendars
- HUB
- Links to articles on School Turnaround
Note from your Executive Director
Dear ACE Family,
Thank you for making a difference in the lives of our students. This ACE journey has proven one of my favorite new quotes: "Great schools start with great people. No matter where you go, when you see students inspired to reach for their dreams, you invariably encounter a visionary leader, expert teachers, and dedicated support staff." Thank you for your dedication; this is truly legacy work.
Sincerely,
Jolee Healey
ANNOUNCEMENTS
GRANTS OF UP TO $2,000 FOR INNOVATIVE TEACHING PROJECTS
Are you in need of funds for a special project in your school or classroom?
Grants for Innovative Teaching is a Signature Project of the Junior League of Dallas. Its purpose is to encourage and support excellence in teaching by awarding grants up to $2,000 to Dallas ISD teachers for special and innovative projects that otherwise would not be provided for in school budgets. Deadline is May 16th at 5pm.
Click here for Procurement's Best Practices list and here for the website.
Perot Museum Free Giveaway!
You are invited to a very special FREE ITEM GIVEAWAY of unused museum educational materials. This giveaway is located at the museum’s Fair Park Campus – Nature Building, 3535 Grand Ave, Dallas TX 75210 (a.k.a. the former Dallas Museum of Natural History). The giveaway will take place on Saturday, May 7th between 10 am – 3 pm. There will be no moving services provided, plan to take what you can carry and drive away in your vehicle.
Free parking is available in the Fair Park lots by the old museum, and we will coordinate a select group of large furniture items to be loaded into vehicles that can pull up to the ramp.
HUMANITIES TEXAS 2016 SUMMER TEACHER INSTITUTES: U.S. HISTORY
In June 2016, Humanities Texas will hold a series of FREE three-day professional development institutes for middle school and high school social studies teachers in Texas schools.
The programs are free of charge to teachers and their schools. Participants will receive a $200 stipend, as well as CPE credit and a wealth of curricular materials. On-campus housing is available to out–of–town teachers at no cost. Teachers will be reimbursed for approved travel costs up to $300. For more details about arrangements and eligible expenses, please see the Humanities Texas website.
The institutes this summer include:
America From Jefferson to Jackson
Dates: June 6–9, 2016
City: Houston, Texas
Location: University of Houston
Coverage: U.S. history in the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries.
From Colonists to Revolutionaries
Dates: June 12–15, 2016
City: San Antonio, Texas
Location: The University of Texas at San Antonio
Coverage: U.S. history from the periods of exploration to revolution, with additional consideration of Texas during the Mexican national and revolutionary periods.
Dates: June 13-16, 2016
City: Austin, Texas
Location: The University of Texas at Austin
Coverage: U.S. history from 1945 to 1960.
How to apply
Visit the Humanities Texas website for further information or apply here: http://www.humanitiestexas.org/education/teacher-institutes/application
Please apply as soon as possible, as registration will occur on a rolling basis and space is limited. Priority consideration will be given to early-career teachers in low-performing schools and districts.
The Social Studies Department Presents: Student Film Festival 2016 “Giving Back”
We’re looking for videos that highlight DISD students giving back to their community.
Every day in classrooms and communities throughout our country, young people are making an impact in the lives of others. Volunteering takes so many different forms and is one of the most important experiences that you can have. Service to others and giving back can offer purpose and perspective. You may find that making a difference in your community or in someone else’s life is an experience that can make a difference in your own life.
Videos Due on May 6th!
Click here for more information!
CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE
Dade celebrates their many volunteers with appreciation luncheon!
Dade's garden is growing fruits and vegetables!
Argos donates much needed items to Edison Middle Learning Center!
Argos gives a major donation to Edison Middle Learning Center by donating a much needed washer, dryer, and refrigerator to the FLS department!
ARTICLE FOR THE WEEK
Stamina, Effort, and Success
Mountain Ridge Middle School and Northridge Elementary School staff have worked hard to build students’ persistence, or “stamina,” in pursuing success in mathematics. This focus on effort and persistence is a key part of their school culture.
Highlights
• Separating reports on student progress: work habits and content
• Setting a no failure culture
• Placing responsibility on students for seeking support they need
• Structuring explicit instruction and guided practice
• Peer learning
• The mind-body connection to build stamina
• Student-led parent conferences
• Addressing negative messages from parents about math ability
Click here for the full article.
Teaching students to self-monitor
Last Week's Article
Managing an Active Classroom
On a recent learning walk, a team of middle school teachers followed the same group of 7th grade students through three different classes. One of the biggest surprises for our team was that in a few cases, a student who was engaged and on task in one class was tuned out or even disruptive in another. In our debrief, we asked two questions:
- How did the teachers we observed create conditions that prompted students to act so differently?
- Can we identify the "management" moves that invite students to make wise choices and manage themselves as members of a meaningful learning community?
Our conclusions, based on observations during the course of an ordinary school day, lend themselves to techniques any teacher can use to buttress best behavior in the classroom.
Click here to read more!