Strategic Plan Goal 5: Student Achievement & Safety
Congratulations, Ruth and Amelia, DCS Optimist Oratorical Contest Winners!
In the last few weeks, I shared an update about each of these goals from the DCS Strategic Plan: fiscal accountability, college and career readiness, engaging stakeholders and what we are doing to maintain a highly qualified, motivated workforce . Today, I want to share an update about our final and most important goal: teaching and learning in a safe, caring and challenging environment.

Safety First! You told us you wanted a School Resource Officer at each school and our partnership with law enforcement made this a reality. We are thankful to have a School Resource Officer at each of our schools. We are thankful to have extra security with the latest technology at each school, provided by the COPS grant written by Chief Deputy Tommy Bradford and Sheriff Ray Cross's team.

Research tells us that successful schools rest upon two pillars: a Caring Culture and Academic Rigor. As such, we are working for improvement in these essential areas with professional learning for Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS) and the Learning-Focused Instructional Framework. We are adding honors and advanced classes. We have a district-wide Character Education Plan that helps teach our students how to make wise decisions. We want them to be ready for the workforce and ready to be good citizens.

Our principals, James Fahrney, Jr., Dr. Sandra Spivey, Tracy Blevins and Josh Ingle, are doing an excellent job leading the way at each school. We have dedicated teachers and support staff who make our students their number one priority each day.

In conclusion, we are excited about our efforts for continual improvement, especially in the areas of climate and instruction. We invite you to Watch Us Climb . Thank you for supporting and encouraging our team as we work for the benefit of our deserving students!
Thank you, Ms. Haston, Ms. Chance and Mr. Chance, and all the chaperones for taking our Band and Choral Students to Philadelphia!

Check out a few of my favorite tweets:
What Character Means to Me ~Sandra W. Spivey, Ed.D.

As a leader, I like to ask people who work under my supervision to think about what they would like for people to say about them at the end of their careers (or even at the end of their lives.) I ask them to think of one word ...

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Week 32 Character Theme/Word of the Week
Understanding/Traditions

EQ: What is a tradition?

Quotes by Dade County Young Authors

April 15th, Monday: Board of Ed Regular Meeting at 5:00 p.m., DMS Baseball H, DCHS Soccer H
Traditions are things people do based on what they are taught by others close to them. We should respect others traditions. We are all different. Alannah Gray, DMS

April 16th, Tuesday: DCHS Band Concert at 7:00 p.m. DCHS Soccer H
Almost every family has some sort of tradition. For example, my family doesn’t use the words, “Shut up.” Anna Ballard, DMS

April 17th, Wednesday: DCHS on KWN's "Reading, Writing & Arithmetic" at 1:00 p.m.
In my family, we never take the Lord’s name in vain. That’s a tradition. Ayden Miles, DMS

April 18th, Thursday: Progress Reports, Golf at Trenton Golf Club, DCHS Baseball H, Girls Soccer H, DMS B & G Soccer Home
One of my Christmas traditions is on Christmas Day we will go to both of my grandparents’ houses. While we are there, we’ll open presents, play games and just have a good time. Eli Barron, DMS

April 19th, Good Friday: NO SCHOOL
I love to read. Maddie Cuzzort, DMS