Thomas Jefferson Tribune
THOMAS JEFFERSON FEEDER IS IN IT TO WIN IT!
WEEK OF MAY 7-11, 2018
MISSION, VISION & CORE VALUES
MISSION:
The TJ Feeder schools embrace high quality learning opportunities which honor the unique strengths and diverse needs of all Scholars.
VISION:
The TJ feeder schools will be the premier feeder to attract and educate all Scholars to positively impact our community and world.
CORE VALUES:
Innovation, Collaboration, Excellence and Integrity
REVISED-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.
A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR..........
Leaders,
This week, you have the opportunity to show your appreciation for your teachers, expressing our gratitude for all they do on a daily basis for our scholars! I am excited to see and hear about the engaging activities you will have for them. Please send pictures to our AFs this week to showcase your "teacher appreciation" in our next Smore.
I also want to give each of our campus Leadership teams a huge 'Thank you' for all of the hard work you put in on your campus. The work of a leader is filled every minute with critical thinking to create and execute successful action plans. Your hard work is duly noted!
In addition, accelerated instruction under the SSI requirement is occuring on each campus for our 5th and 8th grade retesters. Ensure that you, your Assistant Principals and CIC's are monitoring the implementation by visiting intervention groups regularly and making instructional adjustments immediately where you deem necessary. The feeder goal is to ensure we make as many gains as possible, and that our scholars are successful! Please know that additional resources are available on MyData Portal to support this initiative. Note, that parents should have already been notified if their child is being retested.
Also, extended observation and Summative Conferences are upon us. Make sure that you and your Assistant Principals have a solid plan to complete the TEI action steps in a timely manner. Remember to track SLO accomplishments for all teachers in Schoolnet as well. Every campus is expected to complete TEI requirements by the specified due date.
As always, have an awesome week LEADING, COACHING, TEACHING, LEARNING, MONITORING AND MAKING IMMEDIATE ACADEMIC ADJUSTMENTS FOR SCHOLAR SUCCESS!
THE TJ FEEDER IS IN IT TO WIN IT!
Ms. Torres
Thomas Jefferson Executive Director
THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE
Monday, May 7, 2018
- HAPPY NATIONAL TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK!
- ED/Deputy Chief Interviews 8;00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.-Ms. Torres
- CIP Feeder Review-Ms. Torres
Cigarroa ES Math Support/Math AF in AM
Cary MS Math Support/Math AF in AM
Medrano MS Math Support/Math AF in PM
North Texas Literacy Summit- RLA AF
- HAPPY NATIONAL TEACHER APPRECIATION DAY!
- Stephen Foster ES Campus visit w/ED
- Cigarroa ES Camps visit w/ED
- Cary Campus visit w/ED
- AIA Leadership Team Meeting w/Mr. Coredro @ 1:30-3:30 p.m.-9400 NCX 13th floor
- Cary MS RLA Support/RLA AF in AM
- CIgarroa ES RLA Support/RLA AF in PM
- Cary MS Math Support/Math AF in AM
- Medrano MS Math Support/Math AF in PM
- Saldivar ES Science Support/Math & Science AF in PM
- Sudie Williams ES Campus visit w/ED
- Medrano MS Campus visit w/ED
- Joe May ES Campus visit w/ED and AFs in PM
- Cary MS RLA Support/RLA AF in AM
- Cigarroa ES Math Support/Math AF in AM
Cary MS Math Support/Math AF in AM
Medrano MS Math Support/Math AF in PM
- Sudie and K. B Polk Meet and Greet @ K. B. Polk from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
- Saldivar MS Campus visit w/ED
- K. B. Polk ES Campus visit w/ED
- Burnet ES Campus visit w/ED
- TEI Roster Verification begins today
- Cary MS RLA Support/RLA AF in AM
- CIgarroa ES RLA Support/RLA AF in PM
- Cary MS Math Support/Math AF in AM
- Medrano MS Math Support/Math AF in PM
- Saldivar ES Science Support/Math & Science AF in PM
- ED/Deputy Chiefs Meeting @ 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.-2nd floor conference room
- ED/AF Planning Session in PM
- Cary MS RLA Support/RLA AF in AM
- ALL TEACHERS ASSIGNED IN MASTER SCHEDULES BY COB TODAY!
- Happy Birthday Ms. Porter!
NEW TEXAS KINDER ENTRY ASSESSMENT TO ROLL OUT IN SEPTEMBER
The Texas Education Agency (TEA), in collaboration with the Children’s Learning Institute (CLI) at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) received a research award from The US Department of Education to develop the Texas Kindergarten Entry Assessment System (TX-KEA). Once developed, TX-KEA will be an optional tool for schools to use to screen children’s school readiness upon their entry into kindergarten. Dallas ISD will provide a mandatory 3 hour training in the summer for ALL Kindergarten teachers. The assessment will be rolled out in September.
The TX KEA is:
- a comprehensive school readiness screening assessment to be given to children at the beginning of kindergarten by teachers
- being developed in English and Spanish and will allow adaptations for children with special needs
- designed to inform instruction
- a web-based reporting system to help teachers make effective use of the results
- a combination of teacher-administered direct assessments, child-paced direct assessments, and teacher surveys/observation tools
- a system that will link data to the Texas Education Agency’s Texas Student Data System (TSDS)
- being developed for use on several platforms and devices, including laptops and tablets
- a time-efficient assessment that will allow assessment of all areas within 45 minutes
- a system that will provide reports to parents, teachers, and school district personnel
- being developed with an effective web-based training for teachers
- one of many screening instruments that schools can choose to use at kindergarten entry
TX-KEA will be administered ONCE at the beginning of the kindergarten year.
TX-KEA will provide individual reports for parents and teachers, and group reports for teachers and school administrators.
PRE-K ENROLLMENT UPDATES
PreK Registration Update
The district is now over 6,800 applications, closing the gap even more to last year. Our enrollment overall (remember, applications have to be processed and students “enrolled” at a school) has surpassed this time last year, at 4,851! Keep your CRC's focused on processing those applications.
Goal for the Jefferson feeder is to reach 70% or higher. As you can see we are are not close to that goal.
Kinder Registration Update
Kinder enrollment did open last week with Kinder Camp. That is working well for families. There are some kinks the district is working through and once they have been resolved I will provide you that data for our feeder.
EOY ISIP Reminder
The EOY ISIP window opened this week. Remember all K-2 students must be assessed during the EOY window (May 1 – May 31). The assessment should be given in the right language and proctored to ensure students are moving through appropriately and that the technology is working.
THOMAS JEFFERSON PRE-K DATA UPDATES
UNITED TO LEARN END OF YEAR GATHERING FOR ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS
SECONDARY MASTER SCHEDULE
Secondary master schedule planning and development will look different this year as we move into PowerScheduler (PowerSchool’s master schedule building program).
Please work with your teams to ensure the proper steps are being taken to reduce complications and errors as the master schedule is built. Please see the WAIP memo button below for additional details and deadlines.
INCLEMENT WEATHER DAYS
Due to June 4 not being needed as an inclement weather day, it will be used as professional development or planning for the 2018-2019 school year. June 5 will be the Teacher Preparation/Work Day (no campus meetings).
Explanation
If June 4 is not needed to make up an inclement weather day:
June 4, 2018 Accelerated Instruction, Professional Development, or Planning for 2018-2019*
June 5, 2018 Teacher Preparation Day (No Meetings)*
*Teachers participating in Accelerated Instruction (AI), will work AI Program in the morning and have teacher preparation days in the afternoon both days. (We are not having AI this week, so this will not apply.)
STUDENT SUCCESS INITIATIVE (SSI)
The Student Success Initiative grade advancement requirements apply to grade 5 and 8 students who take the STAAR reading and mathematics assessments. It is a good practice to begin preparation for the second administration of STAAR testing to ensure that all of our 5th and 8th grade students are prepared and promoted to the next grade level.
With April 30, 2018 as the scheduled score report date, there is a limited amount of time between this date and the date that students are administered the STAAR re-test on May 14-15, 2017. Although we will not have the data for some time, intervention needs to continue for those students who are still not scoring at the Approaches level.
Please begin the work of creating your SSI Intervention Plan.
Plans should include, but are not limited to:
· Individual Parent Meetings (discuss score reports and intervention)
· Parent Letters
· Student Tiers by raw score or scale score
· Mapped Out SEs
· Schedules with assigned teachers
· Scripted instructional blocks
· Progress Monitoring
SSI Guiding Questions
- Which students failed in each content by five or fewer questions?
- How many students failed reading only?
- How many students failed math only?
- How many students failed reading and math?
- Who is teaching the students that failed Reading? / Math?
- Which resources are being used to address the TEKS/SEs?
- Which Reporting Categories are targeted / SE’s are targeted?
- How are coaches involved?
- When will your plan begin?
- What does the intervention period look like?
- How much time is allocated to support the non-passers?
- Is that more than the normal day? (If classes are 60 minutes will they receive more than 60 minutes of explicit and intensive instruction)
- How will After School and Saturday School tutoring support students?
- Who is teaching during this time?
- When do you plan to meet with parents to notify them?
An updated copy of the SSI Manual is attached. Samples of intervention plans and schedules are attached. A number of materials have been developed to help schools implement the SSI grade advancement requirements.
AHSA EDUCATOR SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY
EOY READING INVENTORY
The window for EOY Reading Inventory begins on Monday, April 16th. Principals should work with computer lab teachers or assigned staff to schedule time for all students to participate in the reading inventory. This data can be utilized to determine if students made progress on their reading/Lexile levels and next steps as it relates to instructional intervention and the focus of the upcoming school year. A good practice is to send home this information with report cards to inform parents and students of progress and needs. Parents should be provided with strategies, websites and resources to work with students on improving reading levels throughout the summer.
*****PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES*****
I-STATION TRAINING
Please encourage your campus leadership to attend the last sessions of the 2017-2018 school year. I-Station wamts to celebrate best practices, the successes and new strategies. Register today; find the registration link in the Tips from Tipping Spring Message that is below.
ENGAGE STUDENTS WITH THESE FREE REVIEW RESOURCES!
QUIZALIZE!
FLOCABULARY! FREE 45 Day Trial!
Kids LOVE this!
Example:
CUSTOMER SERVICE SHOULD BE A PRIORITY!
Have you ever arrived to an establishment and not been greeted? Has the level of engagement left you feeling like you didn't matter? We certainly do not want any of our stakeholders to feel that way. For that reason, please take time over the next two weeks to review the Customer Service Expectation Sheet with your entire staff using the link below.
ALL stakeholders should receive the same consideration and it starts with each of us! Please ensure that your campus teams are keeping customer service a priority.
CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN CHECKPOINTS
As discussed at our March feeder meeting, we will institute checkpoints for your campus improvement plans leading up to June. The first checkpoint deadline IS Monday, April 20 by 5:00 PM.
First round STAAR results for 5th and 5th grade scholars
PEI CHECKPOINT #4
The Key Outcome for PEI Checkpoint 4 will be for the principal and ED to use data as a way to check progress towards CIP implementation. Particular attention will be placed on the data outcomes for the year.
Timeframe: May 21st – June 21st
DETAILS:
Only one meeting will be held. The Principal will submit the self-evaluation in advance in cornerstone. Data that are available to use for this final checkpoint are:
- Student Discipline Data
- Attendance Data
- TEI Spot Data
- Common Assessment Data
- ACP Data
- STAAR Data
- Climate Survey Data
- Student Survey Data
- Parent Survey Data
- Principal Performance Data
While not required, the Principal has the option to share artifacts during the check point conference.
PEI METRICS
EVALUATION DEADLINES FOR ALL EMPLOYEES BELOW
ELL TESTING FOR CAMPUSES
Pursuant to §89.1225. Within 20 school days of their initial enrollment in the school district, students shall be identified as English language learners and enrolled into the required bilingual education or English as a second language program. Attached is a graphic presentation that shows several of our campuses who have MISSED the deadline to have students tested. It is expected that your campus review your system to have these students tested. I should not be seeing any campuses with missed opportunities to test our scholars.
DALLAS ISD SPORTS SUMMER CAMP
*****THOMAS JEFFERSON FEEDER PATTERN KUDOS*****
P-TECH Visits The Pinnacle Group
United to Learn Network End of Year Recognition
Ms. De La Guardia, Foster ES Principal
Presented by Angie Torres, ED
Mr. McLaurin, Walnut Hill Principal
Presented by Angie Torres, ED
THOMAS JEFFERSON HS SPENT A FEW SATURDAYS TACKLING EOC: SUCCESS IS THE OPTION!
Walnut Hill ES Launches Dual Language TAG Program for PreK-First Grade Students
40 Families Attended the Interest Meetings on
April 30 & May 1
Medrano MS Recognizes Retiree, Ms. Ortiz, Years of Service
Time Served!!!
Tokens of Appreciation and Memorable Keepsakes
Ms. Ortiz, Retiree & Ms. Sigurdson, Principal
T.J. Feeder Counselors Collaboration @ Saldivar ES
**T.J. Feeder Recognition at the Reading Partners Breakfast**
Michael Jackson, Principal of Sudie Williams ES
Emmanuel Hernandez & Mike Rawlings,Mayor of Dallas, TX
Recognized for Outstanding Reading
Emmanuel Hernandez & Dr. Michael Hinojosa, Dallas ISD Superintendent
Recognized for Outstanding Reading
IMPORTANT NEWS REGARDING THE TEACHER EXCELLENCE INITIATIVE (TEI)
NEW DEADLINE FOR ENTERING EXTENDED, SUMMATIVE AND SLO'S
he website has been updated with the Performance Evaluation Reports. Please note that the deadline to enter Extended, Summative, and SLO scores is Friday, May 18th.
Please use this link page: https://sites.google.com/dallasisd.org/edreports You may consider creating a bookmark for easy access in the future.
Summatives may be completed after a minimum number of spot observations and the extended observation are conducted May 21st - June 4th.
READ THE WEEKLY WAIP!
CICS DON"T FORGET TO UPLOAD ALL MANAGING UP DOCUMENTS IN SHARED GOOGLE DRIVE FOLDER
2017-2018 DALLAS ISD DISTRICT-WIDE TESTING CALENDAR
DISTRICT COMMON ASSESSMENT DATES
Instructional Days Until Testing Calendar
UPCOMING DATES & REMINDERS
MAY
- May 10-24--TEI Roster Verification
- May 14-15-STAAR Resting Round #2
- May 15-United to Learn End of Year Gathering for Elementary Principals-5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
- May 18-New AP/ED meeting 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.-Haskell conference room-2nd floor
- May 18-NEW DEADLINE TO ENTER EXTENDED, SUMMATIVE AND SLO SCORES
- May 18-CHECKPOINT #3 FOR CIP DUE TO MS. TORRES BY COB
- May 21-ALL CIP'S DUE TO MS. TORRES
- May 21-June 21--PEI Checkpoint 4
- May 28-Deadline to submit PD agendas to ED for June 4 PD
- May 31-Last day for Parent Surveys to be conducted
JUNE
- June 1-Last day to conduct Spot Observations
- June 1-ALL CIP'S DUE TO MS. STEPHENS FROM ED
- June 15-Secondary Master Schedules completed by COB!
- June 18-Jiv Daya Meeting w/ED & AF's
JULY
- July 13-19-MPLI Conference with School Leadership in New York-Ms. Torres & Mr. McLaurin
AUGUST
- August16- Mandatory 3rd-5th grade teacher training from TJ Feeder @ Joe May for Jiv Daya from 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.-Kindle distribution will be handled on this day for ALL teachers.
RESOURCES AND TOOLS
MARSHALL MEMO #734
Teacher Accountability 2.0
In this Edutopia article, Kim Marshall and Douglas Reeves say there was good reason for the pushback on using student test scores, value-added measures (VAM), and student learning objectives (SLOs) as part of teacher evaluation. Among the problems, say Marshall and Reeves: “This year’s A teacher can be next year’s F teacher because of random variations that have nothing to do with teaching quality,” and test scores give few clues on how classroom instruction can be improved. These and other design flaws have contributed to the widespread consensus that the U.S. needs a different approach to teacher accountability. Fortunately, the 2016 Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) opens the door for states to make better choices.
Two key questions should be at the center of accountability, say Marshall and Reeves: Are students learning? and How will educators respond when some students aren’t successful? But is it possible to put student results at the center of teacher assessment without using test scores? Yes, say the authors: by “dialing back the pressure and using lower-key measures of student learning throughout the year.” Here’s when and how:
• During frequent classroom visits – Dropping into each classroom for short, unannounced visits at least ten times a year, principals and other supervisors can look over students’ shoulders or sit down next to them and ask, “What are you learning today?” and “How will you know when you’re successful?” Insights from these informal conversations can be part of really helpful teacher-administrator conversations later in the day.
• Looking at student work after visits – Chatting in the teacher’s classroom when students aren’t there is an ideal way to get into learning outcomes – student writing, creations, exit tickets – in a non-threatening and highly productive way.
• During curriculum planning meetings – As teacher teams create curriculum units and assessments, administrators can make suggestions on ways to check for understanding during lessons, in tests, and through performance tasks – a proactive way of focusing on student learning: “Without high-quality assessments,” say Marshall and Reeves, “analysis of student learning will be unproductive.”
• During collaborative data meetings – When teams discuss the results of common assessments, administrators can join in and help make these meetings the engine for instructional improvement (which is not always the case). Again, the conversation is about student learning without high stakes, embedded in an ongoing conversation about helping students who aren’t yet successful and talking about the most successful teaching strategies.
• In teams’ value-added reports – Same-grade/same-subject teacher teams can set goals (for example, 100 percent of second graders reading at least on grade level by June) and at the end of the year report to the principal on student progress from the September baseline. The principal then notes the team’s accomplishments in each teacher’s individual performance evaluation.
This last item is the basic idea behind SLOs, conclude Marshall and Reeves, “but done at the team level with low-stakes, school-based accountability. By reporting before-and-after data within the same school year with the same teachers, there’s a much better chance that teams will set ambitious goals, use rigorous measures they respect, care about the results, use during-the-year data to improve instruction, spur each other on (especially team members who don’t seem to be pulling their weight), and at the end of the year take real pride and satisfaction in their collective gains in student learning. This fundamentally transforms accountability from a threatening and mysterious process into a credible reflection of the impact of teachers on their kids.”
THOMAS JEFFERSON SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
- Thomas Jefferson High School: Principal, Sandi Massey
- Francisco Medrano Middle School : Principal, Theresa Sigurdson
- Edward Cary Middle School: Principal, Ben Dickerson
- David G. Burnet Elementary: Principal, Sonia Loskot
- Leonides Cigarroa Elementary : Principal, Douglas Burak
- Tom W. Field Elementary: Principal, Shondula Whitfield
- Stephen C. Foster Elementary: Principal, Irma De La Guardia
- Joe May Elementary: Principal, Israel Rivera
- K.B. Polk Elementary: Principal, Misty Rathermund
- Julian T. Saldivar: Principal, Chaundra Macklin
- Walnut Hill Elementary: Principal, Robert 'Chase'McLaurin
- Sudie Williams Elementary: Principal, Michael Jackson
LEADERS OF THE FEEDER
Thomas Jefferson High School
Franscisco Medrano Middle School
Edward Cary Middle School
David G. Burnet Elementary
Leonides Cigarroa Elementary
Tom W. Field Elementary
Stephen C. Foster Elementary
Joe May Elementary
K. B. Polk Elementary
Julian T. Saldivar Elementary
Walnut Hill Elementary
Sudie L. Williams Elementary
Tamieka Porter
Lisa Maia
Erica Rosas
Trustee Edwin Flores District 1
Trustee Dustin Marshall District 2
Trustee Miguel Solis District 8
DISD 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 social economic status will be no greater than 10 percentage points on all academic measures
- 95% of students will graduate. Of the graduates, 90% have qualifying scores for community college, college, military, or industry certification
- 95% of entering kindergarten students are school-ready on a multidimensional assessment
- All students will participate in at least one extracurricular or co-curricular activity each year.