Pride Preview Vol. 6
Q1 Week 6 Sept 15-19
Shout Outs!
- ✨ Shout out to Ms. Burns! She’s rocking the hallways with her active monitoring and keeping students motivated with Class Dojo points.
- 📚 Big shout out to Mrs. Flores! She’s strategically checking for understanding at key moments in her lessons and actively listening in on student discourse at every table. Her students were buzzing with thoughtful discussion and backing up their answers with text evidence like true scholars! 💡📝. Eli
- 🦁 Shout out to Ms. Bustos! She’s launching her Pride Zone data wall and keeping track of class performance scores. What an awesome way to set goals and celebrate student success!
- Shout out to Ms. Banda, Ms. Elias, Ms. Martinez (Litzy and Ana), Mrs. Acevedo, and Mrs. Contreras for completing all LAS LINK testing this week! Thank you for your teamwork, dedication, and commitment to supporting our little lions.
- Shout out to Mr. Ramirez for dedicating his planning time to serve as the translator during a transfer meeting. Thank you for your support and willingness to go above and beyond for our families!
- 🦁 Shoutout to Ms. Gamez for having a great, discrete system around small group rotations during LAB time!
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🎯 Classroom Setup Update
As we sharpen our alignment between planning and instruction, please ensure the following expectations are met in your classroom this week:
TEKS must be written out and annotated/highlighted, with the verb clearly called out →
Learning Objectives (LOs) must align to the TEKS.
Please note that, often, those listed in our IPCs may need revision before posting and referencing during instruction.
Student tasks must align to the verb of the TEKS
To monitor fidelity, we will begin conducting sweeps Tuesdays and Thursday mornings to check for accurately posted TEKS.
Student Activities Sponsors/Coaches Needed!
We’re looking for teachers to step up and lead our UIL student activities this year! These are stipend-paying opportunities that not only support our students’ growth but also strengthen our campus culture. Student clubs and extracurriculars are where kids discover their passions, build confidence, and develop skills that last a lifetime. By sponsoring a UIL event, you’ll play a key role in giving our students opportunities to shine beyond the classroom and showcase the Pride across Dallas ISD.
Please reach out to Ms. Timms, our Campus Activities Coordinator for questions!
DISD Math Collaborative Sessions
K-5 Math Teachers!!
🛑STOP and do this now.
You must log into Cornerstone and register for the collaborative planning session. THIS IS A MANDATORY SESSION.
Links to the Cornerstone Registration
👏Shout to the Kindergarten team (Arredondo, Serrano, & Hernandez) for being the FIRST team fully registered!
Math, the PRIDE way!
Math Teachers – PRIDE Practices
We are so proud of how much our math practices have grown here at Lipscomb! Based on classroom walks from week 4, here are some reminders using PRIDE that will keep our work ready to serve our mathematicians!
P – Planned and prepared
Learning goals and classroom activities are aligned to the verb of the standards!
➡️ Example: 5.4E states, “represent and solve multi-step problems involving the four operations with whole numbers using equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity.” This means our mathematicians should be solving and representing their thinking in class, not just computing answers! Representing looks like models, strip diagrams, number bonds, etc.!
R – Real world connections
How can we make the content relevant for our students and their interests? Connect math to money, sports, food, games, or community issues to deepen engagement.
I – Inquiry-driven
There is so much power and learning in a best-fit question! Make sure your teacher toolkit includes:
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Closed questions (check for understanding)
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Open-ended questions (allow multiple strategies/answers)
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Problem questions (real-world or multi-step scenarios)
D – Draw it out! (Read – Draw – Write) (This should be an anchor chart in ALL math rooms!)
Students should move through the Read–Draw–Write process when problem solving. This supports comprehension and builds habits of making sense before computing. Encourage students to sketch models, strip diagrams, or number lines before writing equations.
This is also supports Concrete → Representational → Abstract (CRA) progression:
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Concrete: manipulatives (base-10 blocks, counters, fraction strips)
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Representational: drawings, diagrams, or visual models
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Abstract: equations and symbols
E – Exemplars in hand!
We have to be clear on what we expect from students during independent practice. Exemplars should be used to model strong work, set success criteria, and give in-the-moment feedback to students.
Teaching Self Management Skills (ATL)
Ms. Flores' classroom has a clearly identified Calming Corner with great tools that allow students how self regulate!
Transdisciplinary Learning in Action!
On Mr. Ramirez's connected his lines of inquiry of fables, community responsibilities, and matter to the 1st Grade unit under "How We Organize Ourselves", this is also is supported with student learning experiences!
Making Space for Student Wonderings
KWL charts are a great, accessible way to access student's prior knowledge (K) and student wonderings (W) during units and lessons. At the end, students can reflect on what they learned (L)!
📘 Book Study at a Glance - Hacking Questions: Hack 1 - Assume All Hands are Up!
🔑 Structure of the Book
Each chapter follows the “Hack Learning” format:
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The Problem – what’s not working in current practice
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The Hack – a practical strategy to fix it
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What You Can Do Tomorrow – easy, actionable steps
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Blueprint for Full Implementation – how to scale and sustain the strategy
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Overcoming Pushback – how to respond to challenges
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The Hack in Action – examples of what it looks like in classrooms
On the preview, we will review the "problem of practice", "the hack", then the "actionable steps"!
Probing Question: What is the purpose of the CFU (the Checks for Understanding)?
Hack 1: Assume All Hands Are Up
This week, we’re diving into Connie Hamilton’s Hacking Questions with Hack 1: Assume All Hands Are Up. The premise is simple but powerful: instead of relying on hand-raising, build lessons with the expectation that every student will engage. When only a few voices dominate, others remain passive—but when we assume all are accountable, engagement and equity rise across the classroom.
What You Can Try Tomorrow:
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Teach students multiple response formats (think-pair-share, blurt time, stop & jot).
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Use volunteers intentionally, not as the default.
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Communicate that everyone is responsible for thinking—then use equity sticks, digital tools, or partner talk to ensure all participate.
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Adjust how you phrase questions to invite thinking from the whole class.
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Set up your seating to promote discussion and accountability.
This shift isn’t about abolishing hand-raising—it’s about making engagement the norm, not the exception. When we assume all hands are up, we create classrooms where no student is left out and every voice matters.
Counselor's Corner
- Please review the Counselor Training Slides. We will cover the information during our September staff meetings.
- Staff Needs Assessment
- Please complete the Staff Needs Assessment to help Ms. Green and the Guidance Committee plan for the year.
(NEW) 💰Woodrow Wilson Community Foundation Grants Open!!
The Woodrow Wilson High School Community Foundation, is significantly increasing their grant funding this year to $60,000! Grants open for feeder pattern teachers on September 22nd. This is a great opportunity to fund student clubs or ideas your have for the campus or your classroom!
