Conrad/Thomas Jefferson Tribune
WEEK OF DECEMBER 16-20, 2019
SCHOOL LEADERSHIP/NORTHWEST GOALS & CORE VALUES
A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Illustrious Leaders,
Next week you will have the opportunity to have scholars show what they learned the first semester of the 2019-2020 academic school year. Ensure that your testing procedures are in place and that testing goes without a hitch!
As you begin to think of your upcoming ‘data meetings’ during Winter Break regarding your ACP results, review how your UNPACKING processes of the TEKS can positively impact Good First Instruction. What do lesson plans look like? What is the system of monitoring those lesson plans? How is the feedback provided for teachers and in what time frame? Do the teachers have the opportunity to go back and fix their lesson plans for student success?
Once you receive ACP results, ensure that you look at your teacher's data to determine what type of refresher they will need to upgrade their understanding of UNPACKING the TEKS. Teachers who have the highest passing percentages should assist the leadership team in training teachers who have lower results. This is a great way to build leadership density on your campuses. Have teachers review their lowest TEKS and ask them to UNPACK those TEKS. Review the "WHAT (measureable), WITH WHAT (How), and WHY (conceptual)". Please do not permit rationales such as; "it was a trick question" or "I didn't teach it that way". Those excuses cannot be accepted and will not yield the results that we are expecting of our scholars. Keep teachers focused on the TEKS... "What" is the action, "With what" is the object of the action verb, and "Why" is it considered the big idea that is usually including a non-action verb. How will you incorporate 'AGGRESSIVE MONITORING' into the Data Talks? What will that look like? sound like? what are expected results for your campuses?
All of you will be sent a calendar invite for the ‘’SHOW/CALL" Professional Development for our Cluster in the upcoming week after the Winter Break. You will have the opportunity to go through the process and SHARPEN Your SAW –Habit #7 of how SHOW/CALL works in conjunction with AGGRESSIVE MONITORING. You will then have the opportunity to work with your AP’s, CIC’s and teachers to develop an action plan for redelivery of this process. All the planning, gathering of resources, RTI and tutoring in the world will NOT matter if the teachers do not AGGRESSIVELY MONITOR scholars daily. This process has not been implemented with fidelity and clarity to address the depth of knowledge required by the AGGRESSIVE MONITORING by teachers for success.
How many times have you said, “we do tutoring, we do RTI, we do small group instruction, we have a variety of resources?” “I do not know why scholars did not master concepts and did poorly on the Common Assessments, ACP and the STAAR?” It is simple. We missed the target because we did not understand the concept completely (what students are to do) as well as AGGRESSIVELY MONITORED. Therefore, we have a plan to meet and work with you to strengthen our lens and move towards mastering AGGRESSIVE MONITORING incorporating SHOW/CALL on all campuses.
CHEERS to an awesome week of ACPs!
As always...."WE ARE IN IT TO WIN IT...GO FOR THE GOLD!!
Here is to a productive week of teaching, learning, growing, leading and ACP TESTING!
Ms. Torres
Emmett Conrad/Thomas Jefferson Executive Director
DALLAS ISD INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT RESOURCES
PRINCIPALS OF LEARNING FOCUS
WEEKLY UPDATES
MONDAY, DECEMBER 16
Region 10-Domain 3 Training-ALL PRINCIPALS-9:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m.-required training
Meeting w/Parent-Ms. Torres-1:30 p.m.-NCX
SLB ED Meeting-NCX @ 3:00 p.m.-Rm. 202
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17
- On-Site LEAD Principal candidate observations-Torres & Loskot( Joe May Campus-refer to the schedule in the calendar invite)@ 8:30 a.m.
- Principal Winter Solstice-1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
- On-Site LEAD Principal candidate observations-Torres & Loskot( Highland Meadows-refer to schedule in the calendar invite) @ 8:30 a.m.
- School Leadership Holiday party-Ms. Torres-arboreetum-11:30 a.m.
- January 6 PD agendas due to Ms. Torres @ 10:00 a.m. for feedback and resubmission
- On-Site LEAD Principal candidate observations-Torres & Loskot( Stephen Foster & Saldivar-refer to schedule in the calendar invite) @ 8:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
- United 2 Learn-Advisory Board Meeting @ 12:30 p.m.-Ms. Torres
- Deputy Chief & ED Meeting @ 8:30 a.m.
- SLB Elementary update w/Chief Elizalde & Deputy Chief Healey-Torres@ 1:00 p.m.
- ED & ILC Planning @ 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
- Teacher workday
CURRENT CLIMATE SURVEY RESPONSES -12/11/19
UNITED WAY DISTRICT CHALLENGE
The Dallas Independent School District needs your support ensuring the success of the 2019-2020 United Way Employee Giving Campaign. Each year, United Way generously funds district initiatives from pre-school preparation to college readiness and provides a variety of assistance to our students and families outside of the school setting. Maintaining this important source of support requires your help! That’s why we are asking that all Dallas ISD employees donate to the 2019 – 2020 campaign goal of $190,000.
A strong push for our cluster to show up with donations prior to November 5. It is our intention to have at-least $50K raised by then.
- There are three ways to give: Oracle, Give 360 or Cash/Check. Attached are instructions on how to give through Oracle and Give360. (SEE THE LINK BELOW!)
The suggested giving levels for administrators are listed below.
Suggested Giving Levels for Leaders:
Executive Level: $750.00
Mid-Level Management: $300.00
Administrative Level: $25-$100
The School Leadership goal for 2019 – 2020 including org numbers 862+865+923 is $6,000.
IF OUR CLUSTER IS THE WINNING CLUSTER FOR UNITED WAY DONATIONS, THERE WILL BE A PRIZE FOR THE CLUSTER AND THE PRINCIPAL WITH THE HIGHEST DONATIONS GIVEN. MAY THE BEST CAMPUS WIN!
INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO RESOURCES
THE LEADER IN ME
Thinking Maps ~ December ~ The Multi-Flow Map
CONRAD & JEFFERSON ES CLUSTER'S SHINING STARS
Joe May A-Team Takes the Instructional Rounds to New Levels Using the Waterfall
Kudos to 'Stand-Up' APs in Leading the Way at Teaching Trust PD, Mr. Avila(l) & Mr. Saucedo(r)
APs on the run in ugly Christmas attire!
Kudos Julian T. Saldivar Reading Teachers! They are working closely to close the gap to support student growth goals!
In Ms. Rangel's 5th reading class, early finishers selects Wall Street Journal articles to read for pleasure.
Dallas ISD Principal Meeting, December 2019
Congratulations Master Principals, Ms. Barrios, Ms. Loskot & Mr. Rivera!!!!
Teaching Trust AP Training - Aggressive Monitoring
Thank You Friendship West Baptist Church for the Holiday Cheer at McShan ES
Congratulations to the Future Ms. Barrios-Rojas!!!
Foster Students Working to Meet Their Growth Goals
Thomas Jefferson Realignment Community Meeting - Welcome 6th graders
Saldivar Scholarettes Service Project at Local Assistant Living Community
Burnet Elementary
Finalist for Teacher of the Year - Mr. Hale
THE CORE 4
Dallas ISD is 20,000 staff members strong, and each one is vital to the work being accomplished in the district. Through the district’s commitment to exemplary customer service, each member is focused on serving 157,000 students and their families by delivering professional, high-quality service in everything we do.
At the heart of great customer service for each district employee are the four tenets of customer service--the Core 4: focused, fast, flexible, and friendly. These principles, also, are key to forging a positive culture within the organization as they are applied, internally, colleague to colleague, as well as to students, families, taxpayers, and the entire community.
It is a strong commitment that goes beyond the conversation about what exemplary customer service looks like becoming the norm for the way we operate in the district every day.
FUTURE IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
4th Six Weeks at a Glance
CIC Conference January 2020
2020 LEADER IN ME SYMPOSIUM
BENCHMARK ASSESSMENT SYSTEM (K-2)
SWAG NIGHTS (K-5) & Specials Teachers
SWAG SPECIALIST TEAM LEADS
COMMON ASSESSMENT TIMELINE
Reading ILC Corner
Math ILC Corner
Grade 3-5 Math Focus
Properties of Multiplication to Generate Strategies
Expiration Rules in Division
Science ILC Corner
FALL 2019 TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
Oracle Finance Systems and Payroll classes are also available. ATS is now offering a new Open Lab for iExpense. The attached schedule of classes is on our website at: https://www.dallasisd.org/ATS.
See the WAIP 7/18/2019 for more information
IMPORTANT LINKS & INFORMATION TO READ
100% Scholar Participation in Clubs or Extracurricular Activities in Pre-K-5th Grades
JANUARY, 2020
9-Network Day
FEBRUARY
21-State of the District Address @ Omni Hotel-@10:00
27-Network Day
MARCH
28-United 2 Learn-Community day
APRIL
16-Network Day
JUNE
4-Network Day
10-Principal Luncheon
Marshall Memo #815
Getting the Most Out of Co-Teaching Partnerships
In this Edutopia article, high-school administrator Sean Cassel lists the potential benefits and possible downsides of the six ways in which co-teaching can be orchestrated:
• One teaching, one observing for evidence of learning – Potential benefits: The observing teacher is freed up to watch for what’s working and what’s not (and for whom), and then huddling with the other teacher to decide on effective follow-up strategies. Possible downsides: The observing teacher doesn’t contribute to the lesson because of a lack of advance planning, content knowledge, or self-efficacy. “It takes time to develop a working relationship with another teacher,” says Cassel. “When the relationship isn’t working, this model appears more often, and often without purpose.”
• One teaching, one helping individual students – Potential benefits: More eyes are on students, adding valuable insights on what’s causing difficulty during a lesson. When teachers alternate between frontal and one-on-one instruction, they gain and share insights from both perspectives and are seen as co-equal by students. Possible downsides: The assisting teacher is relegated to the role of assistant and/or has little impact on learning. If teachers don’t plan together, there’s no systematic focus on particular students or sharing of insights on lesson execution and follow-up.
• Parallel teaching of the same information to two groups – Potential benefits: Students are instructed in much smaller groups, it’s easier for teachers to manage behavior, differentiate, and check for understanding, and students get more support and attention to their questions. Possible downsides: If both teachers don’t have good content knowledge and/or don’t have time to plan, this model can be weak and shortchange students.
• Stations with students rotating between teachers – Potential benefits: Each teacher can own a specific piece of the content, craft an engaging way to teach it, play to his or her strengths, and work sequentially with small, manageable groups of students. If there are stations in addition to those taught by the teachers, students get practice at working independently. Possible downsides: Teachers need to work closely together on timing and curriculum coverage, which means co-planning time is essential.
• Alternative teaching, with one teaching a small needs-based group – Potential benefits: One teacher accelerates the learning of students who are behind, were absent for prior instruction, have gaps in knowledge, or need special support. Possible downsides: This requires effective and timely data collection and monitoring of achievement as well as close coordination between the teachers.
• Tag-team teaching to the whole class – Potential benefits: “A true team-teaching lesson is a thing of beauty,” says Cassel. “Two teachers whose personalities complement each other offer benefits for all students in the classroom.” This model also allows both teachers to share the spotlight. Possible downsides: Teachers winging it and not presenting coherent, effective instruction. Doing co-teaching well “requires years of experience, collaborative planning, and a positive, professional relationship that is always being refined and improved,” says Cassel. That means administrators need to make thoughtful decisions matching teachers, provide adequate planning time for a high level of coordination, and observe classrooms to watch for situations where any of these models are not working as well as they should.
EMMETT J. CONRAD/THOMAS JEFFERSON SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
- Jack Lowe Elementary: Principal, Sandra Barrios
- Jill Stone : Principals, Rosalinda Pratt & Selena Deboskie
- Highland Meadows: Principal, JoAnna Bahena
- David G. Burnet Elementary: Principal, Sonia Loskot
- Leonides Cigarroa Elementary : Principal, Douglas Burak
- Stephen C. Foster Elementary: Principal, Irma De La Guardia
- Joe May Elementary: Principal, Rosseven Nava
- K.B. Polk Elementary: Principal, Kourtnei Billups
- Julian T. Saldivar: Principal, Edgar Jaramillo
- Walnut Hill Elementary: Principal, Phillip Potter
- McShan Elementary: Principal, Joseph Medaris