Conrad/Thomas Jefferson Tribune
WEEK OF APRIL 29-MAY 3, 2019
WE APPRECIATE OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS
Ms. Torres
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.
A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Distinguished Leaders,
Kudos campus leaders for another productive CIP planning meeting. I believe that all is solidified in regards to the expectations of what the CIP should entail as well as what effective and ineffective Goals (formally Key Actions), Performance Objectives (formally Indicators of Success), Strategies and Action Steps for CIP development and what it should look like at this point from clarification and your one pager shared during our planning meeting.
Thank you so much for the hard work and dedication it took to review each other’s CIP plans and providing effective feedback. This work will reflect tight alignment across the board. Working together as an elementary cluster to come up with the same Key Actions a couple of weeks back was key as well. Remember that we will be able articulate each campus CIP Key Actions and continue to assist each other with ideas for Indicators of Success and Strategies. Please ensure that you are engaging your leadership teams, teachers, SBDM, and parents to help develop your plans. You should have agendas that reflect each time you worked on the CIP alongside the sign in sheets. Also, include proper PLC framework for the upcoming academic year as the PLC's will glean superior results.
You now have your STAAR scores for 5th grade. Please use this data to work on the areas that students missed and revise yet again your instructional programs where necessary. Aggressive monitoring of your scholars' achievement is critical to the level of support they will receive and how they will eventually perform. Aggressive monitoring of student data is not teachers just walking around while students work on packets. It is teachers having intentional RTI for students according to their area of weakness and need based on the current data with well-planned lessons and resources. "ALL HANDS ON DECK IS A NON NEGOTIABLE!"
With so many distractions that occur on a daily basis, it is important that teachers "keep the main thing, the main thing"--Instruction. The teaching and learning cycle must be kept a priority in order for our scholars to make the necessary gains for them to achieve at their highest potential. Your role as THE INSTRUCTIONAL LEADER in this is key! Remain visible and supportive as our teachers are in the classroom making success happen for our scholars!
As always, have an awesome week LEADING, COACHING, TEACHING, LEARNING AND MAKING ACADEMIC ADJUSTMENTS FOR ALL SCHOLARS’ SUCCESS !
"WE ARE IN IT TO WIN IT...GO FOR THE GOLD!!
Ms. Torres
Emmett Conrad/Thomas Jefferson Executive Director
WEEKLY UPDATES
MONDAY, APRIL 29
- PIC Interviews-Ms. Torres @ Meadows Conference Center-9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
- McShan Campus visit w/ILC in AM
- Highland Meadows Campus visit w/ILCs in PM
- New Principal Check in w/Ms. Torres-1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
- Highland Meadows Campus Lead Meeting w/Ms. Torres-3:30 p.m.
TUESDAY, APRIL 30
- ED Principal Panel Interviews-Ms. Torres-8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- McShan Campus visit w/ILC's-AM
- K. B. Polk Campus visit w/ED and ILCs-PM
- Tom Field Campus visit w/ILCs @ 2:15 p.m. for Capstone Preparation
- Volunteer Awards Program @ Technology Center on Samuel-Ms. Torres, Mrs. De La Guardia, Mr. Rivera, Ms. Deboskie, Ms. Porter and Mrs. McLaughlin- all other TJ principals are invited to attend. (United 2 Learn was nominated by 3 of our principals)
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1
Assistant Principal End of Year Capstone Presentations w/ED @ Tom Field-9:30 a.m.-
- EOY ISIP Begins today until May 29
- SCHOOL PRINCIPAL DAY!- PLEASE CELEBRATE YOUR PRINCIPALS TODAY!
- McShan Campus visit w/ILC's
- K. B. Polk Campus visit w/ED and ILCs
FRIDAY, MAY 3
- Deputy Chiefs/ED Meeting-8:30-12:00-Ms. Torres
- SLB Team Meeting w/Deputy Chielf-1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
- ILC Fridays @ Edison Learning Center-Ms. Porter and McLaughlin-8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
CONRAD/THOMAS JEFFERSON CLUSTER KUDOS!
McShan Scholars are Ready
Small Group instruction at Walnut Hill and K.B. Polk
McShan Leveling Up Camp
STAAR ROUND 2: GR. 3-5 MATH, GR. 3-5 READING & GR. 5 SCIENCE
- Gr. 3-5 Math
May 14
- Gr. 3-5 Reading
May 15
- Gr. 5 Science
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR NORTHWEST ELEMENTARY CLUSTER
DISTRICT-WIDE ADMINISTRATOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
MAY
1-31-ISIP Reading Inventory K-2
6-School Climate Survey begins
8-Principal CIP meeting w/ED @ McShan -9:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
9-United to Learn EOY Celebration - location TBD- 6:30pm-8:30pm
10-New Principal Check In's w/ Executive Director-KB Polk
13-STAAR Math-3rd -4th
14-STAAR Reading-3rd -4th & 5th Retest
15-STAAR Science-5th
17-Last day for School Climate Survey
21-CIC Conference @ Edision
23-29-ACP Testing
29-Last day of EOY ISIP Testing
30-ACP Testing Make-ups
JUNE
3- Monthly employees begin their 4 day work week today
3-Summer dress for Dallas ISD is implemented through Sept. 27 however, professional attire is expected for ALL district meetings
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.”
EMMETT J. CONRAD/THOMAS JEFFERSON SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
- Jack Lowe Elementary: Principal, Sandra Barrios
- Jill Stone : Principal, Rosalinda Pratt
- Highland Meadows: Principal, JoAnna Bahena
- 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, Phillip Potter
- McShan Elementary: Principal, Cecilia Criner