The K-5 Literacy and Assessment Team continues to look for ways to implement the New Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts.
The team’s primary focus is understanding the standards in reading and writing and designing a way to communicate the implementation with K-5 colleagues.
The team is also developing common formative assessments to inform teachers of student’s instructional needs.
The team’s action steps are: creating a flow chart of the current curriculum and curricular resources, targeting grade level responsibilities, deciding what this means for instructional approaches, and determining assessment needs.
In order for our students to excel in a global society, it is critical that they are excellent communicators and view themselves as individuals who can express themselves through writing. We also hope to instill a love and excitement for writing in our teachers, as well as, our students.
Thank you teacher leaders!
Dr. Jay Marino
-Continuous improvement through teamwork, collaboration & shared leadership!
The mission of Dunlap Schools is to “empower students to excel in a global society” by being:
Self-motivated learners
Critical thinkers
Effective Communicators
Skilled collaborators
Responsible and culturally aware citizens
Technologically capable creators
Today’s post a great representation of students demonstrating these skills!
In October, all of the fifth grade students at Banner Elementary created entries in the McGraw-Hill ‘This Is My Math’ contest.
This is a national Math competition for Kindergarten through Fifth grade students. Students entering the contest were asked to complete a project that demonstrates how the students use math in their everyday lives. In addition to the project, students were to submit an essay that explains the impact math has had on them.
Jessica Li was selected as a finalist for the competition. Her project and essay were one of twelve chosen for fifth grade throughout the nation.
As a finalist, her artwork will be published in the next McGraw Hill Math textbook.
Congratulations Jessica!
Dr. J. Jay Marino, Superintendent
-Continuous improvement through teamwork, collaboration & shared leadership!
One of the District’s values and beliefs reads “Effective collaboration requires trust, mutual respect, open and honest communication.” Today’s post continues a series of postings describing how Dunlap School’s uses its School Improvement Days. In a previous blog post titled “Goal 1- To continuously improve student growth and achievement; District school improvement days“, information was shared about how Dunlap Schools uses its School Improvement afternoons to enhance teacher quality that leads to improved student achievement results.
Below are just a few of the activities that took place during our most recent School Improvement Day.
Language Arts- The elementary teachers who have been working on the English Language Arts Common Core curriculum continued their work. The group began with an overview of what was accomplished during the November School Improvement Day. A gap analysis was continued for the remainder of the common core standards including writing, language and speaking and listening. Once the gap analysis was complete the team moved to step 4 identifying the Resources & Instructional Practices needed to meet the standard and step 5 Identify Level of Professional Development needed for teachers.
Math- Barb Wilmot, math consultant, continued her professional development with elementary teachers to further their understanding of the Common Core State Standards in math. She provided the teachers with new instructional strategies that will be needed to meet these new standards.
Social Studies- The Elementary Social Studies Committee worked on creating a common formative assessment for an upcoming social studies unit. The common formative assessments are based on the Power Standards that were identified during our previous School Improvement Day. The common formative assessments will allow teachers to determine how students are learning relative to the identified Power Standards and to inform future instructional decisions based on the results. These assessments are designed to be analyzed during PLC time where instructional decisions can be made in a collaborative manner.
Custodial Team- All custodians were trained in the ways of proper rest room cleaning procedures. In the spirit of district continuous improvement and to consolidate cleaning procedures throughout the district, a training program was offered by Atlas Supply Company and presented by the Betco Chemical Company representative (Dunlap supplies). The training included a question and answer session after the presentation.
Transportation Team- The Transportation Team met and discussed the proposed District wide Bus Conduct Rules. The rules were formulated by the Transportation Leadership committee with input from Dunlap School District Principals and the Dunlap Administration. All Transportation employees were allowed to review and discuss these rules during the meeting. At the end of the meeting, findings were shared with the whole group. The suggestions the committee received will be used to finalize the bus conduct rules, which will then be shared with the Principals and the administration. The rules should be ready to be incorporated into all student handbooks for the 2012-2013 school year.
In Dunlap Schools, no one escapes continuous improvement!
Dr. Jay Marino
-Continuous improvement through teamwork, collaboration & shared leadership!
The mission of Dunlap Schools is to “empower students to excel in a global society” by being:
Self-motivated learners
Critical thinkers
Effective Communicators
Skilled collaborators
Responsible and culturally aware citizens
Technologically capable creators
Today’s post a great representation of students demonstrating these skills through the Ridgeview colonial studies project.
After studying the Thirteen Colonies in Social Studies, RES 4th grade students have spent the last few weeks going “Back to the Colonies” where they have been experiencing what life was like as a colonist.
Students learned to write with quill pens, create horn books, make butter, and build log cabins. The culminating activity was Colonial Marketplace Day, which was a simulation about bartering. Students were assigned different colonial jobs, such as blacksmiths, cobblers, and hat makers. They then spent several days creating their “merchandise,” like tools and silverware. On Marketplace Day, students set up their shops and bartered with each other, just like the actual colonists did back in the 1600-1700’s. Students enjoyed using their imaginations and making the colonies come to life in the classroom!
Dr. J. Jay Marino, Superintendent
-Continuous improvement through teamwork, collaboration & shared leadership!
Goal 1 of the District Strategic Plan reads “To continuously improve student growth and achievement.” Today’s post explains how Dunlap School District will be addressing the new “Common Core Curriculum” standards and displays the presentation made to the board of education.
Dr. Anderson and Teacher Leaders presented information about the District’s work with the new K-12 Common Core Math and Language Arts Standards. Illinois adopted the Common Core Standards in June of 2010. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is asking all districts to have a transition plan in place by the end of the 2011-12 school year with full implementation expected by the 2013-14 school year. The first assessment specifically designed to assess the new standards will be implemented during the 2014-15 school year.
The District’s Literacy Specialist, Julie Rule and High School Language Arts Teacher, Matt Andrews shared about the District’s work with the Language Arts Common Core Standards. Elementary Principal, Greg Fairchild and Middle and HS Teachers, Mark Roe and Desiree Masters shared the work that has been completed with the Common Core Math Standards. Dunlap K-12 Math and Language Arts Curriculum Groups began the school year becoming familiar with the standards. The fall School Improvement Afternoons have been spent completing a gap analysis, identifying what is new and different from the District’s current curriculum. Learn more about the Common Core Standards online.
After this step is complete, curriculum groups will begin addressing the gaps, identifying resources and instructional strategies needed to meet the new standards. This work has and will be a priority for our Math and Language Arts teachers as the District strives to ensure a smooth transition for our students.
Dr. Jay Marino
-Continuous improvement through teamwork, collaboration & shared leadership!
Goal 4 of the District Strategic Plan reads “To Ensure a Satisfying and Productive Partnership with Families and the Community.” Additionally, one of our core values reads “Continual stakeholder feedback guides improvement.” Today’s post is a great example of how our Food Service department is using recent stakeholder survey results to drive improvements!
District Director of Food Services, Lisa Leitner, along with Dunlap High School Head Cook, Debbie Zenger have been meeting with Matthew Nordstrom, Assistant Principal, as well as students Mike Lock and Ethan Walenta to continue discussions about the food in the high school cafeteria.
They recently held their third meeting this school year and spent their time discussing changes that have been implemented over the last few months.
In November the cafeteria started getting Panera Bagels for the ala cart room which has become a hit with everyone. There have been numerous changes to the menu which include a spicy chicken breast sandwich, whole grain mini corn dogs, sweet and spicy sweet potato fries and changing to Whole Wheat bread.
On the hot bar/ salad bar the cafeteria has tried a sandwich bar which was very successful, and on the hot section of the hot bar they made cheesy potatoes with bacon and strawberry shortcake, which was a huge hit.
Their discussion continued with what they would like to see next. They discussed having a breakfast burrito in place of the Danish for in the morning and for lunch the students would like to see more spicy items added to the menu. Mrs. Leitner will work on selecting more items that meet the nutritional needs along with the students favorites. This was a very good meeting with those students, and they will meet again in March.
Dunlap Schools continually seeks stakeholder feedback to drive improvements!
Dr. Jay Marino
-Continuous improvement through teamwork, collaboration & shared leadership!
The mission of Dunlap Schools is to “empower students to excel in a global society” by being:
Self-motivated learners
Critical thinkers
Effective Communicators
Skilled collaborators
Responsible and culturally aware citizens
Technologically capable creators
Today’s post a great representation of students demonstrating these skills through the Ridgeview Wax Museum project. 5th grade students from Mrs. Loser’s Social Studies class took part in a Wax Museum to demonstrate their knowledge of an inventor from the 1800’s- 1900’s.
The children researched an inventor and an invention and transformed themselves into that person. Speeches were created for fellow classmates and parents to listen to and gain more knowledge of the people and the inventions that make our lives easier today. Some students took the presentation to a new level and proved that students at Dunlap are “effective communicators”. Leon Li from Mrs. Begner’s room, also known as Benjamin Franklin, was a prime example of this (video above)!
Way to go students!
Dr. J. Jay Marino, Superintendent
-Continuous improvement through teamwork, collaboration & shared leadership!
Construction continues to progress in anticipation of students arriving to open the school in August of 2012. The first floor is enclosed with workers installing duct work in the classrooms. The workers hope to start the interior finishes in the first floor around April 1st.
The steel beams and bars are being set this week and next followed by the hollow core panels on the second floor. We are hoping that the roofers can begin in early February in order to finish enclosing the building. Once the hollow core panels are on the second floor, duct work can then begin in that area as well.
Learn more about the floor plan for the school online!
Dr. Jay Marino
-Continuous improvement through teamwork, collaboration & shared leadership!
The mission of Dunlap Schools is to “empower students to excel in a global society” by being:
Self-motivated learners
Critical thinkers
Effective Communicators
Skilled collaborators
Responsible and culturally aware citizens
Technologically capable creators
Today’s post illustrates a Dunlap High School graduate demonstrating these skills and making a global impact!
Dunlap High School recently received news of a recent graduate, Abhra Biswas ‘09, who is working in Ethiopia with a colleague building an irrigation-based farming cooperative. Abhra was extremely active in the DHS Multi-Cultural Club and was also Prom King in 2009.
Abhra Biswas, an I-ImpactNow team member and third-year Political Science student at Luther College maintains a blog about their venture to develop a farming cooperative in Ethiopia.
Here is a link regarding Abhra Biswas’ efforts in Africa to learn more : http://impactingnow.wordpress.com/ . All DHS students were updated with Abhra’s progress this past week in homeroom/advisory period.
We are proud of our Dunlap graduates!
Dr. Jay Marino
-Continuous improvement through teamwork, collaboration & shared leadership!
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