Pinkston Feeder Pattern
Week At A Glance - January 19, 2015
Core Beliefs
Core Beliefs
Our main purpose is to improve student academic achievement.
Effective instruction makes the most difference in student academic performance.
There is no excuse for poor quality instruction.
With our help, at risk students will achieve at the same rate as non-at risk students.
Staff members must have a commitment to children and a commitment to the pursuit of excellence.
Principals Engaged in our Training!
Congratulations!
DISD Science Fair 1st Place Winner - KATHLEEN GUTIERREZ - "Pollution on Plants"
Stevens Park Learning Walk
In the News.....
Congratulations and Shout Outs:
- Congratulations to DZ ES: DISD Science Fair 1st Place Winner - KATHLEEN GUTIERREZ - "Pollution on Plants"
STAAR MOCKS
As discussed, each I 2020 school will conduct 3 week assessments for each core content area. The 3 week assessments will be created at the campus level. ACE assessments are available if your teams choose to use them. The 3 week assessment window is this week January 19th-22nd. You campus results will need to be submitted by Tuesday, January 26th.
We will also use common 6 week assessments for the remainder of the school year for Imagine 2020 and ACE schools. We will use the 2015 STAAR Release as our 4th six week assessment for the content areas included in the 1st round. The window for the 4th six weeks is February 15th-19th. The other content areas will use modified ACE assessments. Once they are finalized, you will have access. Please work to create the needed adjustments needed for scheduling purposes. Campuses will need to make the necessary copies for this assessment.
Please code/title your 3 week and 6 week district provided common assessments as follows:
3 Week Interim - 4th six weeks; 6 Week CA - 4th six weeks
3 Week Interim - 5th six weeks; 6 Week CA - 5th six weeks
3 Week Interim - 6th six weeks
TEI Tracker
I've included a TEI Spot tracker that allows you to see trend data for your campus as well as individual teachers and evaluators.
5th grade Reasoning Mind PLCs:
- Our 5th grade Reasoning Mind PLC will be on Friday, January 29th from 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. at Momentous Institute/School located at 106 E 10th St, Dallas, TX 75203. Momentous Institute will be hosting our meeting this month. We will engage in observations at the school, as well as, Tracey and her team will have items to share about STAAR Countdown and More!
- The Feeder Pattern Reasoning Mind Monthly Reports (September – December) are now available at http://tiny.cc/rmdisdmonthly.
Index IV Monitoring
It is important to take notice of the increase in the number of STAAR items correct to meet Index IV. Please make it a priority to inform your teachers of this increase, so they are not only looking at passing score. Our goal should reaching the exceed mark. Pay close attention to your students who are at the advanced level, because they will need to maintain those results. Many times, we focus so much on the students below standard and take for granted advance students will pass. They need to not only pass, they need to grow. I've shared this information chart with several principals, but not all. I will scan the charts and place in the Google Folder for your review (tomorrow). Grade level and content areas that test the first round, should pay close attention to the Index IV chart since the 1st round of STAAR is in less than 50 days. Each content area participating in the first round should include specific steps in the ACP plan that will yield the highest gains for the first round assessments. If schools grow in Index IV, all other Indices will grow.
Imagine 2020 Status Report
Due January 20th. The template is in the Google folder. The data focus should be on RTI and Student Support. Christian will create a campus summary, and email to all principals by Tuesday, January 19th.
RECESS
Elementary schools need to make adjustments to the daily schedule and include a total of 20 minutes of unstructured recess each day. Please inform your staff that recess cannot be used as punishment or revoked. During cold and/or rainy days, teachers can access GoNoodle to access indoor activities. The board will vote on this item January 28th; therefore, the new schedule with 20 minutes of unstructured recess should be enforced beginning Monday, February 2nd if the item passes.
Assistant Principal Evaluations
Part I of Assistant Principal Mid Years should be completed, if you have not completed AP Mid Years, please make it a priority this week. Part II of their Mid Year (final written part with your ratings and comments) should be completed by Friday, January 22nd. Once you complete the written evaluation, please submit a copy to me by emailing the final version to Eliza.
District-Wide Principal Meeting
Our meeting this month will take place on Wednesday, January 20th at 1:00 p.m. It will be held at the Dallas County Schools – Texserve Technology Training Center located at 5151 Samuell Blvd. Dallas, Texas 75228.
In the Google Folder you will find:
-Meeting agenda (draft)
-EIA Legal, EIA Local, EIA Regulation, and EIA Regulation FAQs
-Grading Guidelines
In preparation for the meeting, we would like for you to reflect on the following questions and be prepared to share:
· What systems are in place at your campus to prevent toxic grading practices?
· What forums or formats are used to communicate campus expectations?
· How do you respond when you discover current teacher practices are contrary to the mastery learning philosophy?
· What actions do you take to align grading practices with EIA Regulation that reflect actual student performance?
Data Cycle Templates
The Cycle 3 Campus data templates can be found on MyDataPortal under the Reports tab under School Leadership. The topic is Fall ACP data and Climate Survey. Please make copies for the group (7 copies).
January 25th @ Arcadia Park 8:30 - 10:30 - Carr, Arcadia Park, DeZavala, Lanier, Allen
January 22nd @ Stevens Park 2:00 - 4:00 - Carver, Martinez, Earhart, Stevens Park
January 26, 2016 @ North Dallas 10:00 - 12:00 - QMS, DESA, Pinkston
Turn-Around Training (Only for IR campuses)
In an effort to keep you informed on the latest information related to the new campus turnaround requirements, an updated timeline of trainings, webinars, and submission dates for plans are included in the Google Folder
ACP Action Plan/Next Steps Due Tuesday, January 19th (Please email to Eliza)
Guideline reminder
The written support action plan will be specifically for grades 3-5; 6-8 and EOC content areas based on ACP data and should include:
Tiered teachers based on ACP data Tier I most need and Tier 3 least support (trying to align with CIC PD campus Tiers)
What specific support will struggling teachers receive?
How will student learning be compensated, in the presence of ineffectiveness?
What professional development will be conducted as a result of the root cause of your data?
What will be the difference in the type of support offered to the different tiers? Be specific.
- The plan should be well thought out and specific on how you will support individual teachers to improve effectiveness and achievement. Teachers should be tiered based on PERCENT PASSING ACP data of the subject area(s) they teach.
- Please include the graphs/charts of percent passing for each teacher in a STAAR tested grades/content.
STAAR/EOC Written Tutoring/Intervention Action Plan
What will the second semester of instruction look like?
How will you ensure that effective intervention is being provided?
What will extra time and support look like on your campus?
What type of creative scheduling will you employ?
How will CIC & AF support this process? What role will they play?
ACP data District-wide - will soon be available on My Data Portal under reports then scroll down to School Leadership. At this time, access is not universal. I've added the file to the Google folder for your use.
Elementary 3-5 Literacy Cadre Calendar Update - Thank you for sedning representatives to the Literacy Cadre! I have asked the reading department to send me the agenda ahead of time so we can determine if the content is new, so coaches and teachers can plan accordingly. Please ensure you have the following dates calendared for the Literacy Cadre: Feb 10, Mar 9, April 13, May 18 and June 1 - 2:00PM-5:00PM
Pinkston, North Dallas and Sunset Feeder Pattern will host a Gretchen Bernabei's Writing Professional Development
Tuesday, January 19, 2016; 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Church of Incarnation; 3966 McKinney Ave, Dallas, TX 75204
http://www.trailofbreadcrumbs.net; http://goo.gl/forms/9pZqxT6fM8
Please see flyer in google drive. Each participant will receive 2 of Gretchen's books and each campus will receive 3 additional sets of books. Give a BiG shout to Christian for coordinating this opportunity!
Attendance
Attendance data is included in the Google folder for your review
Evaluations
If you have not already completed the evaluation for our training with Tammy Heflebower, please do so this week. Once the books arrive, I will have them sent out to you.
Achieve 3000
- If you need support with Achieve 3000, please contact Delma Martinez at demartinez@dallasisd.org. She is our internal expert and will help you trouble shoot. Please share with her highlights as well. This is a new program and we are all learning. Delma will share highlights learned that can make life easier on teachers with all schools.
- Earhart has graciously agreed to host an Achieve 3000 information session on assessments [Thursday, January 21, 2015 at 2:30 p.m.] If you are interested, please let Ms. Hudson know that you would like to attend so that there is enough room for those that would like to attend. Please make sure to bring you laptops.
WAIP Summary in the Google folder
Community Newsletter
Please send campus highlights, events and pictures to Eliza this week to go into the community newsletter.
TEI Expert Location Change
We have changed the TEI expert location because middle school students dismissal is the same time as the TEI expert trainings which makes it challenging for the teachers to arrive on time due to the traffic. New location will be Stevens Park's Learning Academy room.
Campus Visits
Monday - MLK Holiday
Tuesday - Gabe Allen, Martinez, Arcadia Park - Mid Years
Wednesday - District-wide Principal Meeting - Doug Reeves
Thursday - Campus Audit (Allen); Campus Audit (Pease); Carr Visit; Earhart Visit
Resources
Resources
STAAR Resources:
- https://olc.region10.org/pd/mod/folder/view.php?id=11332
- Inside Secrets to STAAR Powerpoint - In Google Folder
Science:
- Planning Documents: Year at a Glance, 6th Week Framework, Unit Planner
- 4th Six Weeks: Documents are for 5th, 8th and Biology only
- 5th/6th Six Weeks: Documents will be for all grade levels
- Highlights... documents include, virtual labs and essential questions!
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1zE0W4usAc4a2hwYYhjxywG5ptqm7IdnusbmgYyAIB0o/edit#slide=id.p4
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1k2ARTnvUK65qUdusuo9doX2buvXEPSjvbMZqHEZJdwk/edit
- 5.7BCD Science Virtual Labs
5.7B U7 L2 How Does Water Change Earth's Surface?
5.7D U7 L5 How Can Scientists Use Fossils?
Reading:
- Planning Documents: Year at a Glance, 6th Week Framework, Unit Planner
- Grades: 5th, 8th, 9th and 10th will be the only grades with these documents for the Spring Semester
- Interim Assessments: Posted by January 15th for 5th, 8th, 9th, 10th
- https://sites.google.com/a/dallasisd.org/curriculum-departments/curriculum-departments/scope-and-sequence?pli=1
Math:
Planning Documents: Year at a Glance, 6th Week Framework, Unit Planner
Grades: 5th, 8th and Algebra I [SSI grades]
https://sites.google.com/a/dallasisd.org/curriculum-departments/mathematics/2015-2016-year-at-a-glance
Article of the Week - Keys to Effective Implementation of RTI
In this Education Week article, Amanda VanDerHeyden (Education Research & Consulting), Matthew Burns (University of Missouri), Rachel Brown (University of Southern Maine), Mark Shinn (National Louis University/Chicago), Stevan Kubic (National Center for Learning Disabilities), Kim Gibbons (University of Minnesota), George Batsche (University of South Florida), and David Tilly (Iowa Department of Education) say that starting in 2001, RTI spread among U.S. schools “like the latest diet fad.” Response to Intervention “is designed to remove the oh-so-human temptation to speculate and slowly mull over learning problems and instead spur teachers into action to improve learning, see if the actions worked, and make adjustments in a continuous loop. Guided by assessment data, children progress through a series of instructional tiers experiencing increasingly intensive instruction as needed.”
Sounds pretty straightforward. “However,” say the authors, “knowing what works and doing what works are two different endeavors. It is difficult for people to successfully follow diets, stick to budgets, and, yes, to implement RTI.” VanDerHeyden and her colleagues suggest four “implementation pearls” to avoid ineffective implementation of RTI:
• With screening, less is more. Over-testing is a problem in many schools, say the authors, chewing up as much as 25 percent of instructional time and producing far more data than can be used. Teachers need to select the most accurate, strategic assessment tools and use every bit of the data they generate
• Focus on Tier 1 instruction. “Every teacher should be supported to know exactly what students are expected to learn within their grade level, to map a calendar of instruction onto that timeline using resources beyond the textbook, and to assess student mastery of skills,” say VanDerHeyden et al. “When core instruction is strong, a majority of students perform in the ‘not-at-risk’ range on screening.” When a significant number of students (20 percent or more) don’t show mastery on an assessment, the best thing is for the teacher to rethink the segment and teach it again for the whole class. “Improvements to core instruction require serious teamwork, trust, and a paradigm shift in schools in which teachers may be accustomed to working in isolation,” say the authors.
• Use interventions matched to students’ needs. “At the surface level,” say VanDerHeyden et al., “targeting reading fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, phonics, and phonemic awareness for the weakest students sounds great. But intervening without consideration for what a student specifically needs is like choosing an antibiotic without identifying the bacteria causing the infection.” Implementing a poorly chosen Tier 2 or 3 intervention for 20 weeks is not very strategic, yet that’s what many schools are doing.
• Intervention intensity is not the same as “longer and louder.” The key is aligning effective interventions with what struggling students need and constantly fine-tuning with an eye to what’s bringing each student to proficiency.
“RTI Works (When It Is Implemented Correctly)” by Amanda VanDerHeyden, Matthew Burns, Rachel Brown, Mark Shinn, Stevan Kubic, Kim Gibbons, George Batsche, and David Tilly in Education Week, January 6, 2016 (Vol. 35, #15 p. 25), www.edweek.org
Have an awesome learning week!
Calendar of Events
Monday, January 18th
- Staff and Student Holiday
Tuesday, January 19th
- Writing PD - The Church of the Incarnation - 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
- Principal Meeting - Doug Reeves - 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. - Please note location change!
- Instructional Audit - Gabe. P. Allen - 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
- Achieve 3000 - Assessments - Earhart - 2:30 p.m.
Friday, January 22nd
- Data Meeting @ Stevens Park 2:00 - 4:00 - Carver, Martinez, Earhart, Stevens Park
Upcoming Events:
January 25th @ Arcadia Park 8:30 - 10:30 - Carr, Arcadia Park, DeZavala, Lanier, Allen
January 26, 2016 @ North Dallas 10:00 - 12:00 - QMS, DESA, Pinkston
Wednesday, January 27th - Instructional Audit - C. F. Carr - 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Friday, January 29th - 5th grade RM PLCs - Momentous Institute - 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Tuesday, February 2nd - Instructional Audit - Carver - 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Saturday, February 6th - STEM Day