THOUGHT: “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it to anyone else.” Dickens

DATES:            January 31       THS BB vs. Elysian Fields @ Tatum – JVB, VG, VB/JVBG
                                             Soccer: Lady Eagles & Eagles @ Center – 5:30 p.m.
                                             THS Softball @ Marshall (Scrimmage) JV/V – 4:30/6:00 p.m.

                       February 2       UIL Realignment Day

                       February 3       THS BB @ Jefferson – JVB, VG, VB/JVG
                                            THS Softball @ Pine Tree (Scrimmage) – JV/V – 4:30/5:30 p.m.
                                            Soccer: Eagles & Lady Eagles @ Spring Hill – 5:30 p.m.

Student Academic Achievement

• TISD uses multiple data points in the continuous improvement process to measure student academic achievement. The top academic measure is dictated by the state assessment and accountability system, a measure that is changing to STAAR and EOC testing. The new testing system will provide more depth and complexity than the TAKS. Through the efforts of TISD staff members, implementing the TISD CIA Process, our students have been very successful on TAKS. Thank You!
• The TISD CIA Process began around 2002 after staff members reviewed literature and visited high performing districts putting in place a process that addressed four questions.

1. What do students need to learn?
2. How do we know when students have mastered the skills?
3. How do we provide additional support and time for those students not mastering the standards?
4. How do we provide extension opportunities to those students that have mastered the skills?

• During this time TISD has also been guided by several principles that include 1) the motto “Where Every Student is Special,” 2) the vision “Excellence for All,” 3) belief in organizational and self-efficacy and 4) continuous improvement.
• Let there be no mistake, all of the planning and discussing curriculum will only lead to student academic achievement based on what occurs in the classroom when the teacher closes the door and provides instruction. So, as TISD has worked with the art and science of teaching the past several years we are settling into an instructional process that:

1. Begins with developing a clear understanding of the content and thinking of the student expectation (SE) to be taught through the DSRP process.
2. Uses the defined content and thinking of the SE to develop instructional activities and student work that

a. reifes the content
b. reaches a level of rigor as identified in the SE
c. provides relevance to the student
d. incorporates P21 skills as identified in the SE.

1. Uses frequent classroom formative assessments to measure student attainment of the content and thinking in the SE or to the depth and complexity of the SE.
2. Uses the data from classroom formative assessments to provide timely intervention and extension opportunities for students.

• All of the ideas identified above have been combined on the TISD Professional Plan (PP) for the 2011-12 school year. The intent of the PP is to identify the core competencies of teachers in TISD, provide data for continuous improvement of these processes and feedback to all staff for the professional development or life long learning.
• At the same time there is a technological transformation occurring in our world and it's the goal of TISD to harness the power of technology at every step of this process to enhance the development and delivery of curriculum, instruction, student work, assessment and professional development.
• Thank you for your participation and support to assist in achieving the big picture for student achievement at TISD as stated in the TISD Mission Statement, “The mission of the Tatum Independent School District is to produce graduates, each having attained high levels of academic achievement, a respect for all people and a belief in their own ability to be successful in a rapidly changing world.”

THS Dual Enrollment

• Tatum High School offers dual enrollment courses to junior and senior students that allow credit for high school and college, the tuition is paid for by TISD. During the 2011 Fall semester 45 students earned 249 hours in five classes or an average of 6 credit hours per student. There was a 98% passing rate.

Martin Lake Plant Value

• Luminant and Rusk County Appraisal District (RCAD) representatives met on Monday of this week to further negotiate the 2011 Martin Lake Plant property value. TISD has been informed that a value will be presented to the RCAD Board of Directors for consideration. The RCAD Board meeting is scheduled for 9:30 AM on Thursday, February 2.
• On Jan. 17, all groups who had filed a motion to stay the Cross State Air Pollution Rules (CSAPR) – 15 states, 10 companies and six other parties – submitted a joint proposal to the D.C. federal appeals court. The EPA and other parties defending the rule submitted a briefing proposal as well. The court issued an order the next day setting a schedule that allows the case to be fully briefed by March 16, with oral arguments scheduled for April 13. The opening briefs of petitioners, including Luminant, are due Feb. 9. Because of the large number of companies and industry organizations that challenged the rule, the group selected three law firms working on the matter to coordinate briefing on behalf of the group. Oral arguments will be heard by the same panel of three judges who decided to stay the rule. Expectations are a final decision on CSAPR between May and December, but most likely over the summer.

State Board of Education Member Thomas Ratliff Press Release 1/26/12

“I am proud to announce a historic shift in the way Texas implements new standards in our public school classrooms. Today, the SBOE passed new math standards. What’s historic is when the new standards will be implemented in the classroom. Previously the SBOE adopted new standards and we would hope and pray that the Texas Legislature would adequately fund the instructional materials that cover the new standards. I am proud to say that I offered the amendment that will only allow the new standards to be implemented in the classroom if the SBOE and the Texas Legislature have made new instructional materials available to teachers and students. The amendment passed on a 13-0 vote with David Bradley (R, Beaumont) and Charlie Garza (R, El Paso) being absent for the vote. For too long we have put educators and students in the difficult position of being tested on new materials for which we haven’t provided instructional materials. That ended as of today. This an important step to restoring confidence at the local level that the State Board of Education wants to provide excellent standards for our students as well as the tools necessary to meet those standards.

Dee W. Hartt, Ed. D.

Superintendent

Tatum ISD

(903)947-0161