May 17, 2017 - students, Pre-K through High School, excited to share their educational journey ..... Online article from
CHARACTER | CHALLENGE | COMMUNITY
May 2017
Ink Blot 9/
PARENT CONNECT
6:30 PM
13 / FORGE ON
22,29 /
NO SCHOOL
2/
LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
10:00AM - 4:00 PM
College Spirit Day
Friday, May 6th
Every first Friday of the month is College Spirit Day at Village Tech! Encourage your students to sport the gear of their favorite College/University!
Athletic Banquets
May 17 & May 23 High School: Tuesday, May 23rd 6:00 - 8:00 PM in the ECC Gym
SYNERGIZE: Together is Better Join Village Tech Schools as we partner with our Greater South Dallas community in pulling together our cities, residents, neighborhoods and businesses to celebrate our diversity and show that "together is better." Meet students, Pre-K through High School, excited to share their educational journey and equipped to creatively think through our community's challenges and find new, innovative solutions by employing technical skills to build prototypes, designing full-scale models and building final, professional products. Other activities will include food trucks, local artisan vendors, live entertainment, art demonstrations, and interactive community areas!
Saturday, May 20 - 10:00am-4:00pm
402 W Danieldale Road, Duncanville, TX RSVP
LEARN MORE
Elementary & Middle School: May 17, 2017 @ 3:00 PM Big Tech Cafeteria
Volunteer Sign-Up
Forge On - Saturday, May 20 We need volunteers to help with set-up, day-of, and tear-down for Forge On on Saturday, May 20. If you are willing to help at one or more of these times, please fill out the form! We will contact you before the event with more information and to confirm volunteer shifts and times. Thank you so much for your willingness to help on Forge On!
VOLUNTEER
Synergize: Together is Better
2
community - innovation - local vendors - music & food
Teacher Appreciation Week
May 15-19
Movie Monday: Bring your teacher's favorite popcorn flavor or movie theatre treat
Thirsty Tuesday: Bring your teacher their favorite drink
Wear it Wednesday: Wear your teacher's favorite color or character from their favorite movie to school
Fan Mail Thursday: Write a special letter telling your teacher what makes them a star
Finale Friday: Bring your teacher a gift to show your appreciation
Students at every grade level will be presenting their research, design process, innovative solutions, and learning outcomes at the exhibition. Some challenges you will see: a local community garden by 6th graders, bat houses for the local community designed by 3rd graders to help address disease control, soapbox derby races built and hosted by 5th grade students, sensory gardens by Pre-K and Kindergarten students, a 10th grade hologram art installation in partnership with the Dallas Zoo to help fight animal extinction, and more! This year, Forge On will be a community celebration focused on bringing our communities together in order to cultivate unity with neighbors, city leaders, and neighboring cities. What is Forge On? Video
Saturday, May 20
10:00am-4:00pm
402 W Danieldale Road
Duncanville, TX
RSVP LEARN MORE
Pre-K Graduation Ceremony
Wednesday, May 31 @ 5:00 PM
Big Tech Cafeteria
PreK students are excited to celebrate their accomplishments this year with a PreKindergarten Graduation Ceremony with their families! The students will share some of the songs that they've learned as well as receive their certificates. Refreshments will be served immediately following the celebration for the graduates and their families. For more dates and information (including updated athletic schedules) check the Main Calendar on our website homepage.
MAY S 30
M 1
T
W
2
3
T 4
F 5
S 6
SoapBox Derby Building Day EOC Testing Window 7
8
9
Parent Connect Kinder RoundUp
10
11
Board Meeting
12
13
19
20
26
27
Chill-Out Night
STAAR Testing Window 14
15
16
17
18
Elem. & MS Athletic Banquet Teacher Appreciation Week Forge Week 21
22
Weather Day No School
23
24
25
High School Athletic Banquet 10th Grade Retreat
28
29
Memorial Day No School
30
31
PreK Graduation
1
2
3
Last Day of School
Annie, Jr.
by Elizabeth Podany, 3-7 Campus Director, Curriculum & Innovation Director The Village Tech Schools Community Theatre presented Annie Jr. This was the FIRST school theatre, the FIRST performances, the FIRST cast, the FIRST crew. WOW! The entire musical production was driven and lead by the hands and passion of our amazing students! On stage, behind stage, and throughout the house, VT students ran the show. Students, we are so proud and inspired by you! Teachers and parents that offered your support and help, thank you! And to our
Who Runs the Stage?
3
community that showed up and packed the house, our students could not believe the laughs, cheers and love you poured out! Annie Jr. was a HUGE success. Thank you all for attending the first ever musical by the Village Tech Community Theater program. We are beyond proud of the performances and thank each and every one of you for your support. A special thanks for Cedar Valley College and our mentor, Mr. Michael Lyons for your support. Look for next year's auditions and be a part of the fun!
Annie Jr. Cast & Crew
The first school musical, Annie Jr., was a beautiful picture of student talent, hard work and passion! But even more than this, Annie Jr. was an amazing representation of the VT family way of community. The entire musical production was driven and lead by the hands and passion of our amazing students, but it was also driven by students serving and motivating other students! On stage, behind stage, and throughout the house, VT students ran the show. Before the show all students and adults in the house formed a circle and 11th grader and student director, Joshua Price, motivated the entire cast and crew with a speech full of pride and wisdom. Behind stage older students applied make-up and styled the hair of younger students, the tech crew attached microphones on the cast, prepared props and sets, checked the sound, and took care of the audience. Students, we are so proud and inspired by you! You truly made this production happen and turned it into something absolutely stunning! You put your hands and heart on every single facet of Annie and it showed in the creativity and brilliance of the performance weekend.
2016/2017
Travel Opportunities International Educational Tours
Belize
Italy
Read about this trip in April’s Newsletter!
Summer 2017 Global Leadership Summit Group Leader: Mrs. Mays Contact
[email protected]
Field Day Investigators
by Tara York, 4th Grade Teacher
On April 13th, the 4th grade students enjoyed beautiful scenery, perfect weather and a lot of science! Our students traveled by charter bus to the Cedar Hill State Park where they were met by staff from the Texas Wildlife Association. The students participated, along with high school students from Bishop, in a Field Day Investigation. The students were divided into groups and then set off to explore and discover! The investigations included a nature walk where students learned about invasive and native species. Another area of exploration was in the stream trailer. Here students had an opportunity to learn about water flow, sediments, erosion and more in a hands-on trailer. Students enjoyed getting their hands dirty during a service learning project where they made seed bombs for the park to use to re-grow areas that were destroyed during flash flooding last year. A student favorite was the macroinvertebrates exploration. Students looked at water color, smell,
stream cover, stream bedding and invertebrates scooped up by a net to discover whether the water near the lake was polluted or not. Their investigations cited the water was mildly polluted. Lastly, students learned about water chemistry through a process of experiments. In their investigations, they found that the water in Joe Pool Lake is just right condition for the animals that live in it! Andrew Jackson, 4th grader, stated his favorite part of the day was the nature walk. It was “cool because we got to see footprints of animals that are in the park,” Andrew said. The bobcat footprints were his favorite! Remington Cooper expressed she liked the hands-on erosion stream trailer. When asked why she enjoyed this activity she stated “I liked the hands-on interaction.” When asked to sum up the day’s activities Anthony Hatcher said, “it was AMAZING!”
iSigned - Endorsement Signing Day The Village Tech Class of 2021, our current 8th grade students, attended the Annual Endorsement Signing Day. An endorsement is a pathway recognized by the State of Texas as a student's field of choice toward graduation of High School. At the ceremony, each student chooses their endorsement and signs in front of their teachers, parents and peers. We are so proud of our Squids and excited for the incredible futures ahead of them.
PARENT CONNECT On this Month’s Agenda: • Action Team Meetings • and More!
4
Endorsement Options:
Arts & Humanities Business & Industry Science, Engineering, Technology & Mathematics Multi-Disciplinary
May 9th | 6:30pm | VT Cafeteria Want to get involved?
Parent Connect will have action team sign-ups and opportunity for making connections with other parents. Parent Connect is the 2nd Tuesday of every month.
5
NIGHT with the ARTS
Last month, Village Tech High School presented “Night with the Arts” to their local community. The night was a beautiful highlight of the art and graphic design pieces created this school year by High School students. Throughout Visual Expressions, student artwork was on display and for sell, music was playing, and food was served.
VT High School
Village Tech High School Art Night
Thank you to all who shared this night with our students - it meant the world to them! Night with the A r t s w a s s u c h a n i n c re d i b l e experience of student creativity and hard work! It’s amazing to see each child’s growth this school year and to see the skills and softwares they are mastering in such professional pieces of art.
by Schretta Stewart- Mays, HS Directors & Academic Advisor
Class Ring Ceremony - The Class of 2018 participated in the Inaugural Village Tech High School Class Ring Ceremony! Experiencing being 1st is not new for this class. Many of these students are Founding Village Tech Students who began attending school here in 8th grade. The night was filled with a special sense of pride and emotion as the students received their class rings from a special person they chose to also give heartfelt thoughts too and a rose. 10th Grade Planning Team - The 10th grade planners of the annual grade retreat visit Lakeview Camp and Retreat Center for a tour of the facilities and to help with their plan for the 2nd annual 10th grade retreat, May 25 & 26. SAT/ACT - Village Tech High School juniors are in the process of taking their first SAT/ACT exams. There are several sites available to help the students to prepare for this college entry exam. Village Tech students have access to albert.iou as well as Khan Academy and services offered by the College Board.
Earth Fest - 9th grade students presented their geocaching challenge at the annual Earth Fest festival.
6
State Testing
Keep testing in perspective. Yes. It matters. Testing will always be relevant. You take a driving test to get your license, you take the SAT/ACT to get into college, you complete tests at the doctor's office to tell you how healthy you are or to diagnose areas of concern. At Village Tech, testing is one part of a larger look at student performance. See the diagram. Testing is formative feedback. It's one part of many in order to review a child's performance.
by Elizabeth Podany, 3-7 Campus Director, Curriculum & Innovation Director
During our state testing, please remember a few things. State Testing marks one day and one moment of a child's ability. Remember, we want our students to do well and to show what they know. We want them to be confident because of their abilities. However, the most important thing we can ALL say to our students is "work hard”. In the end, we want students who have worked hard. We wants students who have used their strategies to do well
Free CA$H for VT
but also who, during those hard moments on a test, don't give up, don’t guess, don’t blow off their day. We want students who display toughness when it is needed, students who work and work and work with all they have, not taking the easy way out. As a Village, let's promote "work hard". In the words of a timeless, classic movie "Never give up, never surrender.”
Frustrated with your Child's Lack of Motivation? Online article from Dr. Charles Fay, Love and Logic
A couple approached me after one of my recent seminars: We never have any peace. All we do is fight with her about her grades. She can do the work, but she just won’t try. The teachers keep calling and telling us that we need to make sure she does her homework. It’s starting to feel hopeless. From the dark circles under their eyes and the frustration in their voices, I could tell they were quickly losing faith that anything could help their thirteen-year-old daughter get motivated to achieve. Have you been there as a parent or as an educator? 1. 2. 3. 4.
BUY your favorite Box Tops products. CLIP Box Tops from each package. SEND your Box Tops to school with your child. YOUR SCHOOL GETS CASH to help buy the things it really needs.
Go to BTFE.COM/PRODUCTS for a complete list of Box Tops products.
Support Village Tech Schools as you shop on Amazon at smile.amazon.com. AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Village Tech every time you shop, at no cost to you. How you support VT when shopping on Amazon?
Visit smile.amazon.com and select "Village Tech Schools" to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. Amazon will remember your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation.
I replied: Would you like to hear an experiment that might help? It was clear that they did, so I shared the steps below: • Say to your child, “I’ve been discovering that people tend to learn best when they mostly focus on what they are doing right, rather than always dwelling on what they do wrong.” • Also say, “I think this might help you, too. When you bring your work home, we’ll be looking at what you feel the best about.” • When your child brings home schoolwork or homework, pay no attention to the wrong answers or sloppy work. That’s right. Pay no attention to the errors. • Ask your child to share one or two things they did well. If they can’t think of any, pick some. You might have to start small by noticing such things as how they formed a letter, lined numbers up correctly, etc. • Without gushing praise say, “I noticed that you did this one correctly. How did you do that?” • If your child wants help with incorrect or incomplete work, help as long as there is no anger, frustration, or arguing. If this starts, say, “This sounds like something you may want to ask your teacher about. I love you! Remember, kids do best when they focus on how they got things right…rather than how they did them wrong.” • Experiment with this for two weeks and see if this makes things better or worse. Two months later I received an email from the couple. Here’s an excerpt: That experiment you shared with us hasn’t solved all of her problems with underachievement. Her grades aren’t better yet, but we are now enjoying each other instead of fighting World War III every evening. That part is really better!
7
Sharpen the Saw
Synergize: Together is Better Forge On Sponsors and Partners
by Kristy Quinn, Director of Culture & Character
A woodsman was once asked, “What would you do if you had just five minutes to chop down a tree?” He answered, “I would spend the first two and a half minutes sharpening my axe.”
HUGE thank you to our incredible Forge On Sponsors! These businesses have given to help make our students’ day of sharing their education journey a community-wide celebration! We are so grateful for their generosity and proud to call them partners in our mission!
Sharpening your Saw is the 7th Habit which surrounds all the other habits. Covey believes that time spent in the private victory space of self-improvement will create a highly effective person in interpersonal relationships; or public victories. This could also be synonymous with self-care. Sharpening our Saw has 4 dimensions to renewal: body, heart, mind, and spirit. Body: exercise, nutrition, rest, stress management Heart: consistent deposits in emotional bank accounts of key relationships Mind: reading, writing, learning, study Spirit: service, values, clarification, inspirational literature, meditation, nature Think: What's one thing you would like to start, stop, or continue in each of these 4 dimensions of renewal?
Thank you Frost! A big thank you to Frost Bank and Tim Maiden for their generous donation to our capital campaign! Their gift was given to help support events and materials for our new building find. We are so grateful for their gift and support which helped go to host the Forge Forward Luncheon. At Frost Bank everyone is significant, and at Frost, we treat them that way. We give our customers a square deal and keep their assets safe and sound. These beliefs have guided Frost from the very beginning and served our customers well since 1868.
Forge Forward Luncheon To Build and Strengthen Partnerships Towards the Future Home of VT
Our Mission: Through great teachers working together, we are forging students who are character driven, challenge ready and community focused.
Thank you to everyone who attended our first Forge Forward Luncheon! This year's event was the first of many to build development for our new home, internships and more opportunities for our students and school as a whole. At the luncheon, student ambassadors took our guests around VT for campus tours and then were served lunch among other guests, teachers and students. During lunch, a panel of teachers and students answered questions and shared their VT story. We are so grateful for individuals and organizations that have a heart for our mission and are excited to be a part of Village Tech’s future! A SPECIAL THANKS TO: Frost Bank, Wendy Krispin Caterer, our Student Ambassadors, and Student / Teacher led panel.
