Chirp Sheet
Singing the praises of our DCS students and staff 9-15/23
DMS students mix it up with Fall Mixer
Right before Intersession break, Davison Middle School students participated in a fall mixer, a fun incentive offered to students who meet a certain criteria.
"They (the mixers) typically have a theme," explained Principal Mrs. Cayla Dowdall. "For example, if students have no tardies, we have a no tardy party that month. If students have no missing assignments that may be the theme. We have done no referrals and had a no referral swirl. The kids get excited and want to earn the incentive."
During the mixers, students can go to multiple stations around the building.
"We offer all kinds of activities; arts and crafts, bingo, basketball, minute to win it games, etc.," Mrs. Dowdall said. "Teachers run the rooms and kids roam and hang out with friends. It’s fun for all."
Students participate in fall theme Intersession
Elementary students were treated to visits by Supe's Exotic Animals and the Michigan Avian Experience, which brought an American Kestrel, Barred Owl and a Bald Eagle. Students also traveled to For-Mar Nature Preserve and Grandpa's Tiny Farm in Frankenmuth.
The theme for the Middle School/Intermediate session was "Orange You Glad It's Fall?" and students participated in a variety of activities including field trips to the Robert Williams Nature and Historical Learning Center, Urban Air and Flushing Farms.
The High School session offered three opportunities: Helping Hands Community Service, First Aid/AED/CPR certification classes and SAT Preparation.
The following events are scheduled at the Performing Arts Center at Davison High School:
November 10: Hahn Fall Band Concert
November 11: Hahn Fall Orchestra concert
November 12: Gates Elementary 3rd Grade Choir Concert
November 14-15: Frank Kosik Browadway Actor workshop (Contact DCER for more info
November 24: Davison Middle School Drama Night
Empowering Davison parents to soar, because Cardinal pride starts at home.
In this edition of PEP Talk, we address:
- What is i-Ready?
- Report Cards for First Marking Period - who gets them and how?
- Annual Notices - Taking a closer look at the requirement of notifying parents about In-Demand Occupations in the state of MIchigan
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What is i-Ready?
You may have heard that the District is now using i-Ready to assess where students are in regard to grade-level skills and reading and math. To explain more about this move, we sat down with Dr. Angie Hards, Director of Curriculum and Grants.
Q: What is i-Ready and why has the district begun to use this?
A: i-Ready is a nationally normed and MDE-approved benchmark assessment used to assess where students are in regard to grade-level skills in reading and math. We piloted the assessment with about 50 teachers last year and began using it in grades K-6 this school year. The data from benchmark assessments allows us to see where student strengths and needs are and helps us to fill the gaps as needed. We began looking at the use of i-Ready over NWEA for the additional data and resources that were available to teachers to better understand student skill levels. In addition, i-Ready offers a program, Learning Pathways, that customizes lessons for intervention or enrichment in reading and math based on student assessment results. Teachers and students can use this information to support small group instruction as needed.
Q: Will this replace any other assessments that we've been doing?
A: NWEA (Northwest Evaluation Association)
Q: What grades will be taking it?
A: K-6
Q: How often will it be used?
A: We assess with i-Ready three times a year, but Learning Pathways is available for use on a daily basis.
Q: What subjects does it test students in?
A: Reading and math
Q: Anything else parents/guardians might want to know about i-ready?
A: Our pilot teachers felt the data from i-ready was more useful and actionable than what we had received previously. The learning pathways is a way to connect the data to student needs.
Dr. Hards added that the change is an important milestone for the district.
"This will be our first official districtwide administration of the i-Ready Diagnostic, and I am excited for us to begin using this tool to better understand where our students are and how we can support their learning," she said. "We want to make sure every student has the exact supports they need from day one."
i-Ready consists of two main parts:
1. The i-Ready Diagnostic (Assessment)
- What it does: An adaptive test in math and reading/literacy that students usually take 2 to 3 times a year (fall, winter, and spring).
- How it works: The computer changes question difficulty based on how the student answers. If a student gets a question right, the next one gets harder; if they struggle, it gets easier.
- Purpose: It pinpoints a student's exact skill level and finds learning gaps without giving a traditional letter grade.
2. Personalized Instruction
- What it does: An online lesson system that automatically builds a custom learning path for each student based on their Diagnostic results.
- How it works: It delivers interactive math and reading lessons matched to what the student is ready to learn—offering help for learning gaps or extra challenge for advanced students. Teachers can also manually assign specific lessons.
- Purpose: It helps teachers track progress and deliver targeted, small-group instruction.
Annual Notice: In-demand Occupations
This week we are taking a closer look at the required Annual Notice of In-Demand Occupations, shared with parents earlier in the year in our Annual Notifications booklet.
The purpose of this annual notice is to invite you to review and to share with your child the most recent analysis of in-demand occupations in the state and in your region. This information is submitted in accordance with Section 1278 of Public Act 451 of 1976, as amended.
In addition, we here at Davison Community Schools are truly committed to providing the educational foundation “Where Futures Begin” by continually expanding and improving on our robust CTE (Career Technical Education) program, providing on-the-job opportunities through workplace visits, speakers and career fairs, offering Davison Early College and dual enrollment opportunities, requiring every senior to participate in a mock interview with real employers, and working with students to develop their own individualized educational development plans to help them identify possible career interests as early as the middle school years.
The most recent analysis of in-demand occupations can be found on the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget's website at www.michigan.gov/lmi
We hope that you and your student find this information useful.