Preparing for
High School
Desert Vista High School
Thunder Parent Information Session
June 2015
Agenda
●
Introductions
●
Mission, Vision and Motto
●
Governing Board Goals
●
Desert Vista Goals
●
Role of Desert Vista
●
Role of Desert Vista Parent
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Question and Answer Time
Say hello to DVHS
Administration
Mrs. Christine Barela Principal Ms. Stacy White-Nieslen Registrar Mr. TJ SnyderAthletic Director Miss Tomika Bethea Activities
Tempe Union HS District Mission &
Vision
Mission: Excellence in Teaching and Learning
Vision: All students will graduate with the knowledge,
understanding and ability to apply skills necessary for
success in college, career and life.
Desert Vista Mission, Vision, and Motto
●
Mission: Desert Vista inspires a community of
learning by demonstrating excellence in academics,
arts and extra-curricular activities.
●
Vision: We strive for excellence by engaging our
community, promoting accountability,
fostering responsibility and encouraging life-long
learning.
Tempe Union High School District Board Goals for
2015-2016
●
Support the development of
Professional Learning Communities
(PLC)
●
Fully implement the College and
Career Readiness Standards
●
Fully implement the Formative
Role of Desert Vista
5 C’s
●
Communication
●
Collaboration
●
College and Career Ready
●
Consistency
Communication
● Teacher communication
● Desert Vista Website
● Updates - via email communication
● Grades online: Canvas-Learning Information System
● Grades online: Synergy
● DVTV Announcements - posted on website
● Quarterly Newsletter - link sent electronically
● Community paper: Ahwatukee Foothills News and AZ Republic
● Principal communications:
◦ Foothills Living Magazine ◦ Weekly parent letters
● Quarterly District communication: TUHSD Report
● Response within 24 hours
● Twitter (@dvactathletics)
● Facebook : Like us!!!
◦ Desert Vista Activities
Collaboration
Professional Learning Communities (PLC)
◦ Staff Development/Early Release
◦ Early release every Wednesday - 2:15pm
◦ No early release on March 30
◦ Staff Development ½ day: Sept 23 and Feb 10-Dismissal
@ 12:15PM –no lunch will be served
◦ PSAT – Wednesday, October 14 – schedule to be
determined
◦ Data analysis: Pre tests, Post test, Formative
Assessments, Common Assessments, Summative Assessments
◦ Effective Instructional Strategies
◦ Viable and Rigorous Curriculum
◦ Rigor, Relevance and Relationships
◦ Decisions based upon collaborative effort
◦ Partnering with parents and students
College and Career Ready
● Innovative programs:
◦ Fine Arts Academy
◦ Engineering Academy: U of A credit
◦ Bio Sciences/ Bio Technology
⚫Student engagement and project-based learning with
sustainable results
⚫Competitive Clubs-Quiz Bowl, HOSA, Speech and Debate,
Math, Science, Robotics, Grammar Competitions
◦ Transition programs: Summer Academic Academies for all
ages
● Dual Credit/Advanced Placement (AP) Opportunities
◦ AA Degree and Arizona General Education Curriculum
⚫Development of skills necessary to succeed at universities
⚫All students will be able to compete for scholarship
opportunities and entrance into universities and programs-offered this last year was $29,159,682 and admitted to 254 different national, international schools, colleges and
COLLEGE ENTRANCE
EXAM - SAT
AzMERIT
• AzMERIT is the new statewide achievement test. Arizona public school students in Grades 3 through high school will take AzMERIT in English Language Arts and Mathematics at their grade level. Students taking high school level English Language Arts and Mathematics will take AzMERIT End-of-Course assessments that will test their proficiency in these subjects near the end of the course.
• Reading - two days • Writing – one day • Math – two days
• Computer-Based or Paper-Based-still to be determined for the spring 2016 • State plan is to use student results as part of the course grade for English
and Math with tentative date of implementation 2016-2017 school year.
Sample 9th Grade Research
Simulation Task
Sample 10th grade
Information ELA Text
Questions
“Two young scientists break down plastics with bacteria”
● http://www.ted.com/talks/two_young_scientists_break_down_plastics_with_bacteria#t-85048
For more sample questions:
● Teacher Interventions
◦ Parent communication
◦ Student support for success: before/after school
◦ Guidance department
⚫ Planning for the future, social support, facilitate meetings with teachers/parents/college/university requirements
● Academic Support/Academic Lab
◦ Pro-active measures in identifying academic needs
◦ Opportunities for improvement
● Thunder Success Academy
◦ Students identified needing additional supports
◦ Credit recovery through online learning
● Thunder Day: Freshman Orientation (Transition Strategy)
● Peer to Peer Tutoring (sign-ups available online)
●
Informational meetings
◦ Freshman and Sophomore Preparing for High School, June 10
◦ Freshman Orientation-Friday, July 31
◦ Curriculum Night (August 17)
◦ DVHS Showcase (November)
◦ 8th grade Open House (January)
◦ Financial Aid/Scholarship Night
◦ NCAA Clearinghouse/College Recruiting
◦ How to Prepare your Child for High School-5th-8th grade (February)
◦ Support Groups-Guidance Department
●
Requested Team (Parent, Student, Teacher) meetings
◦ Response to Intervention Meetings
⚫ Behavior Plan development
⚫ Attendance
⚫ Academic
◦ IEP: Individual Education Plans for Special Needs Students
◦ 504 IDEA
WHAT IS MY ROLE AS A
DESERT VISTA PARENT?
•
Academic
•
Social
•
Dress
Tips for Academic Success
❖
Research
Tips for Academic Success…..from
Michigan Dept of Education
●
Research shows when parents are involved students
have
6:
⚫
Higher grades, test scores, and graduation rates
⚫
Better school attendance
⚫
Increased motivation, better self-esteem
⚫
Lower rates of suspension
⚫
Decreased use of drugs and alcohol
Tips for Academic Success
●
Attend Curriculum Night, Monday,
August 17 and jot down notes regarding
each class.
●
Keep a copy of your child’s schedule
handy.
●
Read all syllabi thoroughly and talk
about each one with your child.
●
Input teacher and counselor email
address in your address book.
●
Check Canvas for the syllabus and
grade reports weekly to determine the
status of your child’s progress.
Tips for Academic Success
Continued...
●
Check Synergy for grades
●
On a weekly basis, review with your
child his/her academic progress and
plan for success.
●
Maintain high expectations.
●
Reward success and encourage in
Growth Mindset-Productive Struggle
Tips
for Academic Success Continued...
●
Teach your child to self advocate for
his or her academic success.
●
Communicate effectively with
teachers.
●
Provide information in advance as
needed, as it relates to your child’s
attendance or other pertinent
information. For example: personal
challenges that may exist
Extra Curricular Involvement
●
Students involved in extracurricular
activities receive better grades than those
who are not involved in extracurricular
activities.
●
Sports and Activities improve the overall
student.
◦
Receiving better grades by teaching them
character building lessons,
◦
Teaching them lifelong skills,
◦
Saving some at risk students who would
possibly drop out of school,
Social Responsibility
Social
Responsibility from
“Dosomething.org”
●
Sexting-Sexy Texting is against the
law!
◦ Sending nude, semi-nude, or erotic pictures of themselves
and text message them to others
◦ Survey suggest nearly 70% of American teens send sexting
messages with significant other
◦ Nearly 40% have posted or sent sexually suggestive
messages-more common with boys
◦ 11% of girls ages 13-16 said they have send a sexting
message, that is about 1 in 100.
◦ 15% send or post images of themselves that they have
never met
◦ Besides the legal issue-the digital image is out there
Social Responsibility
●
Know your child’s friends and parents
and build a relationship with the friends.
●
Know who your child communicates with
on social media sites.
●
Have access to your child’s social media
site.
●
Check your child’s social media sites on
a regular basis.
●
Please do not fall for “Everybody is
doing it, so why can’t I”.
Social Responsibility
●
Have prior expectations and
consequences for appropriate
interactions on social media sites.
●
Embrace diversity and be mindful of
our actions and reactions. “Perception
is Reality.”
●
Be informed of TUHSD Discrimination
and Harassment Policy.
(Harassing/bullying behavior will be
disciplined.)
Parent Involvement
● Booster Club member
● Thunder Board:
● Site Council:
⚫ Tomika Bethea ([email protected]) and
⚫ Shawna Thue ([email protected])
● Volunteer –application information:
⚫ Email/call Activities Assistant: Becky Richardson ([email protected])
◦ Chaperones
◦ Event Workers
◦ Clubs volunteers
◦ Tutoring/support in classes: Miguel Marrero
● Teacher Appreciation
◦ Tomika Bethea ([email protected]) OR
Dress Code
●
No BBBB (Breasts, backs, buttocks or bellies)
●
No tube tops, crop tops, strapless shirts or dresses,
halter tops, buttocks skin showing, muscle T,
undergarments showing, slippers, PJ’s, doo-rags,
bandanas, chains or saggy pants.
●
⚫
Racerbacks are now ok :)
●
Short shorts, short skirts and skinny pants pose
problems. Please check these garments fit before
they leave home. Please support the
communication. Remember, we are on the same
team.
Cell Phone Policy change
● ⚫
Cell phones will be prohibited during instruction time
(unless directed by instructor) and “No Tech Zones”.
No Tech Zones include all restrooms, PE locker rooms,
front office, and library (during instruction time).
● ⚫
Phones may be used before school, passing periods,
during lunch, and after school only.
● ⚫
Desert Vista is not responsible for stolen or missing
equipment and it is strongly encouraged that they not
be brought to campus.
Resources
●
How 'productive struggle' can lead to deeper learning
http://www.eschoolnews.com/2014/09/05/productive-struggle-strategies-429/2/
●
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey
●
How to Raise a Teenager Successfully
http://parentingteens.about.com/od/familylife/a/How-To-Raise-A-Teenager-Successfully-Raising-Teens.htm
●
Parenting Teenagers. The Best Books For Help And Advice
http://www.best-books-for-kids.com/parenting-teenagers.html
●