Thomas Jefferson Tribune
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 13-17, 2017
THOMAS JEFFERSON FEEDER PRIORITY PLAN
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION
CLIMATE AND CULTURE
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
A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR..........
Patriot Leaders,
We have made it to our final week before Thanksgiving Break! I appreciate all of the hard work that you have put in during this first stretch of the school year. You are staying true to your plans and are starting to see the results.
Thanksgiving is a day to count the blessings in your life, it is the time to celebrate and be joyous, it is a day of pride. It is a day to acknowledge the presence of the people who form your world, to realize how precious their worth is, which is more precious than diamonds and pearls.
I want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. Remember how truly blessed I feel to be a part of such an AMAZING group of educators who strive for EXCELLENCE daily! Thank you for all you have accomplished for our scholars each and every day! May you live in the world where the reasons to be thankful will never end!
In the spirit of the season, I am thankful for all of my leadership experiences. They teach me to stay true to my core and to lead with what keeps me centered--our SCHOLARS. We will soon have the opportunity to spend a week "at home" with family and loved ones. My wish for each of us is to get the must deserved down time that we need and come back rejuvenated and ready to finish the first semester STRONG!
Please ensure that our scholars get the BEST 'First Instruction' ever this upcoming week! Monitor classrooms closely and hold teachers accountable for teaching until the last day before Thanksgiving break! :) Think WIN WIN- Habit # 4- Win/Win. "Win/Win is a belief in the third alternative. It's not your way or my way; it's a BETTER way, a HIGHER way".
Here's to ANOTHER great week of teaching and learning!
THE TJ FEEDER IS IN IT TO WIN IT!
Ms. Torres
Thomas Jefferson Executive Director
Thank you Principal Leaders for the beautiful Thanksgiving gifts that were given to me at our Feeder Principal meeting on Thursday. You are truly a team who always remembers me on ALL special occasions.
THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE
Monday, November 13, 2017
- ED Think Tank w/Deputy Chief-Ms. Torres @ 7:45 a.m.
- Burnet Campus visit w/ED and AF's
- Cigarroa Campus visit w/AF's
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
- Sudie Williams Campus visit w/ED and AF’s
- Stephen Foster Campus visit w/Math AF
- Data Meeting w/Deputy Chief @ 2:00 p.m.-Ms. Torres
- Medrano Campus visit w/ED and Math AF
- Tom Field Campus visit w/Reading AF- follow up support
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
- K. B Polk Campus visit w/ AF's
- Cary Campus visit w/AF's
- AFs/CIC Planning Meeting at Cary MS Library @10:30-12pm
- District-Wide Principals' Meeting @ Hulcy Middle School (see schedule below)
Thursday, November 16, 2017
- Timberline Elementary Campus visit for 'The Leader in Me'- in Grapevine/Colleyville ISD-8:00-10:00 a.m.- all TJ Feeder principals
- Unannounced Campus visits
Friday, November 17, 2017
- School Leadership Executive Director Meeting w/Deputy Chiefs-@ 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- Unannounced Campus visits
DISTRICT WIDE PRINCIPALS' MEETING-NOVEMBER 15
The Teaching and Learning Department partnered with School Leadership to differentiate PD sessions for the upcoming Principals’ Meeting. The Principals’ Meeting is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, November 15th at STEAM Middle School at D. A. Hulcy. (Please see the scheduled chart below)
Description of Sessions
- Small Group Instruction (Part 1 of 3): What is small group instruction and how can you help your teachers implement it? Why should you want your teachers implementing small group instruction? This will be a three-part session over multiple principal meetings that answers these questions and more. Students at all grade levels and in all content areas benefit from small group instruction.
- Quality Writing: How do I know if my students are on grade level or college-/career-ready level? What can I do to coach my teachers to improve the quality of writing? This session will look at student writing samples alongside writing rubrics to explore quality benchmarks across grade levels. In addition, the session will provide principals with the guidance and tools to coach teachers to improved writing outcomes.
- Best Practices for Using Text Sets: How do I make text sets an engaging strategy? What is the role of the teacher and the student when using text sets? This session will demonstrate how text sets fit into the literacy block and how teachers and students should be actively engaged in the learning process. Best practices and exemplars will be explored.
Please ensure that you use the link below to register for their sessions of choice. In order to schedule breakout sessions, please go to the site below and prioritize the sessions. A 1 indicates it is your first priority.
SURPLUS EQUIPMENT EXCHANGE
Controllable Asset Management is starting a Surplus Equipment Exchange for the recycling of technology items and supplies at campuses and administrative offices. We encourage the participation of campus principals and administrative directors for the benefit of all staff members and students. The included link (https://www.dallasisd.org/Page/51510) will take you to our webpage which will present the items offered by campuses and administrators. Controllable Asset Management will be the only department that can create a post of items. Each post will be based on an email from either a principal or director (emails from other staff members will not be accepted). Requests for items that are posted can only come from a principal or director as well. No campus information will be provided in each post to ensure requests come through Controllable Asset Management and that any asset tagged items are documented properly in our TIPWeb-IT database. Controllable Asset Management will serve as the intermediary in any exchange. There is no requirement to participate. Items that have Grant or Bond restrictions will not be exchanged without consultation with respective departments. Example items are document cameras, projectors, projector lamps, toner cartridges, and cables. The greater use of our district resources for the benefit of all campuses is our goal. For questions, please contact Lyn Wilkerson at lywilkderson@dallasisd.org or (972) 581-4109.
ONCOR MAYOR'S RACE 5K
Registration: The Oncor Mayor’s Race, formerly known as a 5K, is a free Social Fun Run/Walk for the entire Dallas ISD community. Registration for buses and t-shirts (DISD Schools Only) ends on November 15th. Schools can register here: http://tiny.cc/mayor5k2017. The registration form can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XFH02-Pzk4wY_K2YfoXXpqnl3renJwgn/view?usp=sharing
· All students and staff in Dallas ISD need to complete the Waiver Form (same as Registration Form) before being allowed on the course. Students & Teachers will turn-in their forms to the Point of Contact (POC) on the campus. The sponsor or POC riding the bus with the students will need to bring all forms on race day. There will be a location, identified by signs, to drop off the forms.
· Administrative and Support staff need to email their registration forms to the Urban School Wellness Department to the attention of Brenda Jackson – bjackson@dallasisd.org. We will accept staff registration until December 5th.
· Additional information about the event can be found here: https://www.bmwdallasmarathon.com/oncor-mayors-race/#next
Campus Poster Contest: New this year, the poster contest is an opportunity for schools to use their creative talents to design a poster that shows school spirit and pride for their campus community. We want the students to be a part of something unique and exciting that makes people smile, brings the school community together, and makes them feel part of something greater than themselves. Schools can enter their posters here: Poster Contest Submission Form. The deadline for entering a poster has been pushed back to Tuesday December 5th.
School Race Bib Pick-up: All schools will need to send a representative to the Urban School Health Department on or after November 22nd to retrieve race-day bibs. The teacher riding the bus with the students will hand out the bibs to the students during the bus ride to the event. When students exit the bus, they will be funneled through lines and handed t-shirts based on identifiers on their race bibs.
T-shirt Pick-up for Administrative/Support Staff: All t-shirts can be picked up at the office of Urban School Wellness (H.B. Bell School Support Services Building, 4th Floor) on/after November 22nd.
Student Transportation: Buses will be scheduled by the BMW Dallas Marathon Committee based on the google form entry information submitted by the schools (Deadline – COB Wednesday November 15th). Schools will be picked up at their designated campus location starting at 8:30am. Schools participating in the MYFI (Mayor’s Youth Fitness Initiative) Program will be picked up at 8am.
Parking for Non-Bus Arrival: The City of Dallas charges a fee to park in the lots designated for the Oncor Mayor’s Race. The cost for parking is $15. There will be volunteers to direct traffic.
DART Transportation: For information on public transportation including DART, please visit: https://www.bmwdallasmarathon.com/
Parent Participation: Parents not employed by Dallas ISD are encouraged to attend the Social Fun Run and walk/run with their Dallas ISD student(s). Parents must sign a waiver form on site at our information tent to participate and will receive a parent’s designated bib to run in the race. They are not entitled to a tee shirt. They are entitled to the medal, post-race food and drink when they finish. Parents must pay for their own parking.
Start Time: The Oncor Mayor’s Race will start promptly at 11am. Even though there are other race events on the same day, ALL Dallas ISD participants will start at 11am.
Monetary Incentives for School Participation: Thanks to the generosity of the BMW Dallas Marathon, the following monetary incentives will be provided to the schools that bring the most students (based on enrollment numbers) for each academic level; High School, Middle School, Elementary School.
· 1st: $200
· 2nd: $100
· 3rd: $50
Pre-Race Activities: Prior to the start of the race, musical entertainment, stretching activities and photo opportunities will be available for everyone. Additionally, winners of last year’s monetary prizes will be awarded and announced.
Post-Race Activities: Following the Fun Run, all participants will receive a finisher medal, IHOP pancakes, chocolate milk, fruit and water. There will also be a dance party featuring local, celebrity DJs and Dallas Pro Team mascots.
Return to Campus: All schools will board busses and return to home campuses starting at 12:30pm.
CLIMATE SURVEY ADMINISTRATION
Dallas ISD climate surveys will be administered in the fall and spring to all campus staff. The Fall 2017 climate survey window will take place November 28-December 13 with the option of extending the deadline to December 15 due to weather or other possible disruptions. The Spring 2018 climate survey window will take place from May 7-18. It is a good practice to conduct informal climate surveys via Google Docs and Survey Monkey before the final survey is capture. This will allow your leadership team to address and improve in low areas displayed in the data. I appreciate our Climate and Culture team for doing a feeder wide culture survey already.
Annual Policy and Compliance Acknowledgement for Principals
For any discrepancies on the report such as employees that no longer report to you or have left the District, notify the HCM talent partner for your campus. The employee will continue to appear on the report until Oracle has been updated.
The report sent to principals will include all employees assigned to the campus which will include employees from Custodial Services and Food & Child Nutrition Services.
Employees must be logged into the District network to access the web-based application located at http://PolicyAcknowledgement.dallasisd.org. The application cannot be accessed remotely.
If employees are unable to log into the application using their EAD user name or password, please have them contact the IT Service Desk at (972) 925-5630.
For more information about the annual acknowledgement process, please visit www.dallasisd.org/HCMPolicy or send an email to Dpolicies@dallasisd.org.
'UNITED TO LEARN' FULL NETWORK MEETINGS FOR TJ ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
VIDA EDUCATION PRESENTS 4TH GRADE EXPOSITORY-(REVISING & EDITING) MAKE AND TAKE PD
Presenter: Luz Roth (VIDA Education)
Date: Saturday, November 11, 2017
Time: 9 AM – 3 PM
Location: Joe May Elementary Library
"HUDDLE UP FOR GIVING!"
UNITED WAY
Dallas ISD's Annual United Way Employee Giving Campaign kicks off November 1, and everyone's help is needed to reach the goal. Superintendent Hinojosa has set a challenge goal of $80,00 to support United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. The campaign runs from November 1st through December 15, 2017, and all departments and campuses are encouraged to have 100% participation.
Show your support of the United Way Employee Giving Campaign by donning your favorite pair of jeans. Participations is encouraged with a minimum donation of $5 per Jean Day and $15 for Jean week. Employees can make donations in three ways. Oracle, eWay, and check/cash. Additional information to follow in coming weeks!
Jean Days
- Friday, Nov 3
- Friday, Nov 10
- Friday, Nov 17
- Friday, Dec 1
THOMAS JEFFERSON FEEDER PATTTERN KUDOS
Walnut Hill ES
K. B POLK
Scholars at K. B. Polk have a scholar run bookstore called Starbooks. Each day scholars are able to earn Tiger Bucks to use to purchase a variety of items at the bookstore that is open for business every other Friday. We are proud of our young entrepreneurs!
November Feeder Principal Meeting Highlights
MS. TORRES HIGHLIGHTS THE FEEDER AGENDA
TJ HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER PAIGE ZUMBERGE SHARES HER STORY
THE 'LEADER IN ME' TASK FORCE IN 'ACTION'
CLIMATE AND CULTURE TASK FORCE PRESENTATIONS
MR. MCLAURIN SHARES HIS PASSION FOR SCHOLARS
NEW TJ FEEDER ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL ATTENDANCE TASK FORCE
MR. RUBIO SHARES POSITIVE MOTIVATIONS
MR. KHALID AND AP TASK FORCE SHARE DATA
TJ PRINCIPALS HEAR FROM TJ TEACHER
TAG POPULATION REVIEW
THE DASH FOR THE BEADS GRANT OPPORTUNITY FOR SCHOOLS!
The Dash for the Beads is a non-profit organization that conducts an annual 5K, 10K, and 1mile fun run in Oak Cliff. The proceeds from the event are used to support youth in the areas of health and fitness and arts and music.
In 2018, the Dash for the Beads (DFB) organization will award grants to local organizations that support the above areas of interest. There will be three (2) categories of grants:
- Program: Organizations can apply for up to $5,000 for program grants supporting the above areas.
- Capital: Organizations can apply for up to $10,000 for capital grants (see explanation below) supporting the above areas.
Program Grants: A physical fitness, nutrition, art or music service or activity provided for youth. Ex: after school program, band camp, theater arts or music camp, provision of nutritious food, soccer team, art therapy program.
Capital Grants: A physical project that supports youth in physical fitness, nutrition, art, or music. Ex: playground, soccer field, kitchen appliances for food program, improvement of physical space.
Click here for more information! https://dashforthebeads.org/grants/
PLEASE CLICK TESTING LINK BELOW
UPCOMING DATES & REMINDERS
27-Think Tank w/Deputy Chief and ED Select Group @ 7:45 a.m.
28-Meeting w/ Sudie Williams and K. B. Polk@ 8:30 a.m. w/ED@ Sudie Williams
DECEMBER
1-Failure feeder plans completed and sent to Tanya Shelton
4-STAAR English I EOC
5-Math AF TOT for CIC Content Training
6-STAAR English II EOC
7-TJ Principal Holiday Gathering
7-Reading AF TOT for CIC Content Training
9-Discover Dallas ISD for TJ Feeder-Alfred Loos Field House
13-District-wide Principal Luncheon
15-Last day of Secondary Staff Audits
18-21-ACP's administered
21-End of 3rd Six Weeks
21-Demographic Appeals submitted by ED
21-Grade Failure reports available
JANUARY
9-23-ACP retakes
11-TJ Principal Meeting @ Sudie Williams-9:00-1:30 p.m.
16-PEI Principal Checkpoint #3 Begins
30-Math AF TOT for CIC Content Training
FEBRUARY
1-Reading AF TOT for CIC Content Training
2-PEI Principal Checkpoint #3 Ends
23-Title I Requisitions due today
MARCH
9-Drill log for the Spring Semester is due TODAY via email submission to the Office of Emergency Management
27-Math AF TOT for CIC Content Training
29-Reading AF TOT for CIC Content Training
MARSHALL MEMO #710
Key Insights on Studying, Remembering, and Learning
In an appendix to his 2013 book, How We Learn, Benedict Carey answers eleven essential questions that sum up the main insights he presents in the book:
• How important is routine, like having a dedicated study area? Not at all, says Carey. “The more environments in which you rehearse, the sharper and more lasting the memory of that material becomes… That is, knowledge becomes increasingly independent of surroundings the more changes you make.” Most people learn better by studying in different locations, using different methods, at different times of the day, constantly changing the way they store material in memory.
• Is there an optimal amount of time to study or practice? “More important than how long you study is how you distribute the study time you have,” says Carey. Ideally, break up study time into chunks over two or three days, each time reengaging with the material, retrieving it, and re-storing it in memory – “an active mental step that reliably improves memory.”
• How much does it help to review notes from a class or lesson? Very little, he says. Looking over highlighted material is one of the least effective ways to study; the same goes for verbatim copying. That’s because both are fairly passive and don’t engage the brain in the kind of work that will make learning sink in. What’s more, passive review can cause what cognitive scientists call the “fluency illusion” – unwarranted confidence that you’ll remember it for good.
• Is cramming a bad idea? Now always. It’s okay if you’re behind and have no choice. But the downside is that you won’t remember much after the test or performance. That’s because the brain sharpens memories only after a little forgetting has taken place.
• So what does work? “Self-testing is one of the strongest study techniques there is,” says Carey. “Old-fashioned flashcards work fine; so does a friend, work colleague, or classmate putting you through the paces.” So does reciting a passage from memory, or explaining a concept to yourself or a friend. Testing yourself (or being tested) does two things: it forces you to retrieve information from memory, and it gives you immediate feedback if you couldn’t remember it so you know what you don’t know and need to work on some more.
• What’s the most common reason for bombing a test after what felt like careful preparation? It’s the fluency illusion – the erroneous belief “that you ‘knew’ something well just because it seemed so self-evident at the time you studied it,” says Carey. Several passive, ineffective study methods feed this illusion:
Highlighting or rewriting notes;
Working from a teacher’s outline;
Re-studying after you’ve just studied.
Far better to test yourself, space out the study, and find out what you actually don’t know.
• Is it best to practice one skill at a time until it becomes automatic, or to work on many things all at once? Working on just one thing (free throws, a musical scale, the quadratic equation) improves skill. “But over time, such focused practice actually limits our development of each skill,” says Carey. “Mixing or ‘interleaving’ multiple skills in a practice session, by contrast, sharpens our grasp of all of them.” Mixed practice helps review material from several areas, sharpens differentiating among them, and trains the brain to match the problem types with appropriate strategies. This is especially helpful in a subject like mathematics.
• How does sleep affect learning? The deep sleep that occurs in the first half of the night is most important for consolidating and retaining hard facts – names, dates, formulas, concepts. So if you need to remember that kind of information, Carey recommends going to bed at your regular time to maximize deep sleep. But the kind of sleep we have in the early morning hours helps consolidate motor skills and creative thinking. If you need to perform creatively, whether it’s in math, science, writing, or music, you might stay up later and sleep in to maximize the effects of the second kind of sleep.
• How about improving performance on longer-term creative projects? The proven method for a big, complicated project like a term paper is getting started as early as possible, chunking the work, and spreading it out over time. Doing this “activates the project in your mind,” says Carey, “and you’ll begin to see and hear all sorts of things in your daily life that are relevant. You’ll also be more tuned into what you think about those random, incoming clues.”
• Are distractions from smartphones and social media a bad thing? Not unless you’re trying to give continuous focus to a lecture or some other sequential, connected learning experience. When you’re struggling to solve a problem, “a short study break – five, ten, twenty minutes to check in on Facebook, respond to a few e-mails, check sports scores – is the most effective technique learning scientists know of…” says Carey. “Distracting yourself from the task at hand allows you to let go of mistaken assumptions, reexamine the clues in a new way, and come back fresh.” Your brain will keep working on the problem offline, without your fixated, unproductive focus, and you’ll often have fresh insights when you return to it.
• Can “freeing up the inner slacker” really be called a legitimate learning strategy? If by this we mean “appreciating learning as a restless, piecemeal, subconscious, and somewhat sneaky process that occurs all the time – not just when you’re sitting at a desk, face pressed into a book – then it’s the best strategy there is,” says Carey.
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
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
Marelenise Phillips-Roberts
Ashley Campos
Erica Rosas
Trustee Edwin Flores District 1
Trustee 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.