Tag Archives: 21st Century

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State of the District – DPS109 – 2014-2015

“It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.”
– John Wooden

In DPS109 we take great pride in all that our students, teachers, staff, administrators, board members, community members, parents, and business partners do for children. It truly takes a village and our village is strong! The “state of our district” is strong! We are proud to work for children and learning each and every day.

Our Board asked for a report on the State of the District and we’re proud to share a snapshot below in a 15 minute video/slide deck.

Screen Shot 2015-05-19 at 10.12.07 AMIn addition, a link to our Annual Report is embedded in the picture to the left. For more information about the exciting work we are engaged in please click the link.

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Changes for us to Ponder – What do we stand for?

“The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no recipe for living that suits all cases. Each of us carries our own life-plan, which cannot be superseded by any other.”
– Carl Jung

The change process has many steps … much research and many articles and books write about and describe the steps in the process. In “real life” and in practice, changes increase the tension in the proverbial rubber band. The astute leader knows to pull/stretch/push to a point before breaking the band … In my current experiences, many changes have been presented, implemented, planned, and “digested” … now it is time to let the momentum continue, the changes set in, and allow for some breathing room. My aim is to reduce the pressure on the rubber band, hold steady with what seeds have been planted, and move from change to support. Support for new directions, support for new attitudes, support for new experiences, and support for new approaches. What is quite affirming is the degree of acceptance, the high degree of acceptance for the current reality. This new reality differs greatly from the reality once known at my school system. This reality allows for learning support in the classrooms. This reality allows for innovative approaches to instruction. This reality is wonderful, rewarding, and affirming to be part of.

Some ideas to ponder for Educational Reform/Transform:

Educational Reform – changing the way(s) in which we always do things in public schools…
A quick Top 10 list of what “needs to change”:
1. school year calendar …set for and aligned with “harvest” in many instances … since 19th Century or for “recreation for families” from the 20th Century – is it still relevant in the 21st Century?
2. school “bell schedule” – first of all, get rid of bells, second … why so rigid with organization
3. school “grade/age” configuration
4. deficit grading and judging and behavioral grades
5. sage on stage concept
6. organizationally oriented toward adults … the children are the main learners … what about them?
7. one size fits all for schools/communities … what about library-school partnerships?
8. pay to play … if you’re living in a wealthy area, good for you, your schools get more money … fair? Nope
9. increased pay just for hanging around … sorry – this concept never sat well with me … let’s revitalize the pay structure for adults (I support a system where we have accountability, performance, and incentives for growth, improvement and compensation)
10. state or national standards? state or national assessment? – whatever it is … let’s get consistent so if we measure, we measure growth and learning, and if we are held accountable, let’s make it apples to apples comparisons so “it” starts to make sense!

A video worthy of re-publishing and review:
Sir Ken Robinson, Changing Educational Paradigms:

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The Hour of Code (now)- TedxUBC from 2010 – Leading and Learning in “exponential times”

“The hours of your life are the most valuable currency you will ever have. How will you spend them?”
– Dan Millman, The Four Purposes of Life

From an email I received from the Khan Academy (I signed up for these types of updates and reminders)
 This week, across over 150 countries, millions of people and students will try out computer programming for the first time. Anyone can learn to code!

Start the Hour of Code
The Hour of Code is an hour-long introduction to computer programming that’s both fun and free. At Khan Academy, we’ve crafted several different Hour of Code lessons that require no prior experience. Try one or try them all and get new badges for each lesson in the process!

Try Hour of Code on Khan Academy!
Hour of Drawing with Code: Learn to program using JavaScript, one of the world’s most popular programming languages via two great options:

Drag-and-drop: experimental block-based coding for those with less-developed typing skills and on tablet devices (ages 8+).
Typing: keyboard-based coding (ages 10+).
Hour of Webpages: Learn to make your own webpages using the basics of HTML and CSS (ages 10+).

Hour of Databases: Learn the fundamentals of databases using SQL to create tables, insert data into them, and do basic querying (ages 12+).

We’ve created lessons that will show you how fun coding and building things can be. Now you’ll be part of creating technology, not just using it!

Code on!

Sal
Founder of Khan Academy and lover of code

Our students participate in the Hour of Code and some of our students will grow up and become future computer scientists! Our schools offer opportunities for all types of learners and all types of people in order to prepare for the future – the future our students will lead!

I often look to TED videos as we consider all that we are doing and all we still need to do. How much recent technology is no longer “current technology”, what is now obsolete? what is now “new” – remember – it’s exponential times in which we live and it’s exponential times we are teaching our students to thrive, succeed, and blossom. It’s interesting to hear the perspectives about school and work force design from multiple perspectives.

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Taking a Stand For Public Education-Illinois Vision 20/20

“In order to be a leader, a man must have followers. And to have followers, a man must have their confidence. Hence the supreme quality for a leader is, unquestionably, integrity. Without it, no real success is possible.”
– Dwight D. Eisenhower

ILIn Illinois, as well as across the nation and world, there is much written about education and reform movements and efforts. In Illinois there have been sweeping reforms over the past few years with legislation around administrator and teacher evaluation, curriculum standards, and recently regarding school funding (SB16). So much is at stake when policy makers consider changes to public schools when they consider societal effects on the public schools and the shared responsibility of all to support growth of our local, county, state, regional, and national endeavors.

In DPS109 we have a lot of work to do in terms of educational reform and instructional transformation! This year has been particularly stressful on our system and staff and parents with multiple initiatives launched at once. One of the main reasons for our rush is the sense of urgency we feel in support of innovative and forward thinking education so that each and every child may succeed and flourish in an educational environment with high expectations and modern evidence based instructional strategies. We are grateful to our stakeholders for communicating with us – pro, con, support, concern – this helps guide and govern our work.

vision2020As part of the communications campaign of the groups sponsoring Vision 20/20 I am sharing the informational video below as well as links for more information if you wish to get involved in this “reform,” “transform,” and professional approach to take charge of public education in Illinois. The Illinois Vision 20/20 resources page has links to evidence based finance information as well as current curricular mandates in effect for Illinois public schools.

For more information and an overview of Illinois Vision 20/20, please take a few minutes and watch the following Vision 20/20 video: Fulfilling the Promise of Public Education:

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Preparing for our students’ future – now – focus on Science Education-STEM

“Being successful doesn’t necessarily make you great. What makes you great is when you reach back and help somebody else become great.”
– Joel Osteen


This year we have been celebrating so much change, energy and newness. We have renewed energy in technology, assessment, standards based progress reporting in grades K-5, modern lighting and environmental controls throughout the district, common core state standards aligned curriculum, teaching, learning and future planning – to name a few …

One of the major initiatives upon which we are focusing is a renewed focus on science education. To that end, with the support of our Board of Education as well as the amazing 140 member Superintendent’s Task Force for Middle Level Education’s STEM subcommittee, we built four world class labs this year at one of our middle schools.

It is often remarked that a picture is worth 1000 words … so for a picture of one of the modern labs:


Check this link for a 360 degree view of one of the lab/classrooms.

This year the Board of Education will consider the administration’s forthcoming recommendations to outfit the remaining middle school science labs at both campuses so that all students in grades 6-8 may enjoy a world class facility in which to learn science. Our teachers have been and continue to receive training and in-service workshops on the Next Generation Science Standards, 1:1 Transformative Educational practices, as well as advanced science in their new labs!

As we renew our focus on the shared belief that ALL children can learn and that ALL children deserve learning environments with high expectations it is incumbent upon us to maximize our facilities so that they too can support optimal learning and teaching. We take great pride in our teachers, staff, parents, students, community, and facilities.

Over the past few years We have shored up our technological infrastructure so that we may enjoy robust wifi and connectivity. We have replaced some lighting with LED energy efficient lighting. Our new science labs have energy dashboards that show solar panel electricity (photo electric), wind turbine electricity, and other measures of real life science. Our air quality and air conditioning projects have also enhanced the quality of the learning environments.

Our aim to engage, inspire, and empower is realized and supported by many facets of organization, education, leadership, finance, governance, and community support. While it’s appropriate at all times of the year to reflect and give thanks, it is especially relevant at this time of year!

We are fortunate to have so many supports, tools, and resources to support our noble and challenging work.