March 1st, 2021

Welcome to the March edition of the PL Lighthouse!
This monthly email blast and webpage has been designed to serve much like a lighthouse, to serve as a way forward and help in navigating through the busy school year. Nothing else speaks of safety in the face of adversity and challenge quite like the lighthouse. ​

QB Huddle
The quarterback huddle has been rescheduled for Wednesday, March 10th, from 1:00-2:30 PM on Zoom. Our topics will still be the PL Leader and Assessment and Data. 

Quarterback pre-work:

• At the huddle this month, we’ll be doing some work around the Enneagram! The Enneagram is based on 9 basic personality types and helps to clearly describe why you think, feel, and behave the way you do (and really so much more).  If you are familiar with the Enneagram and know your number, great! If you don’t, please take this quiz. It takes about 10-12 minutes and you want to answer on first reaction (some say to answer as you would’ve in your early 20’s).  Note: You'll need to enter your email to receive your results!

1:1 Quarterback March Check Ins
After Spring Break, we'll schedule 1:1 check ins with your PL coach. During this month's check in, we'll chat about your leadership goal and prep for the upcoming design studio in April.
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Action Items
1. Sign up for a 30 minute time-slot (starting March 22nd) with your PL coach by clicking their name:

• Nicolette
• Mike
• Lily
• Kristen
• Vanessa
• Brittny

2.  Before your check-in, please reflect on your leadership goal in your learner profile in the Winter column (pictured below).

Belated PL Birthday Celebration
Due to the wild winter weather in February, we weren't able to celebrate PL's 7th birthday as planned. A belated celebration week is scheduled for Monday, March 29th-April 1st. 

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SPRING 2021 PL Student Showcases
We're looking forward to seeing all of the ways students will demonstrate mastery this spring! If any dates for your showcases have changed, don't forget to update this cohort calendar spreadsheet here. We'll use this document to share opportunities with the cohort and our team. 

This virtual celebration and showcase is designed to recognize Dallas ISD's Innovation in Teaching and School Retool Fellows for the 2020-2021 school year. This event will elevate the voices of our fellows through three panels and a release of a virtual exhibition for attendees to explore their design projects over the year. During the event, attendees will get access to and be able to explore and engage with all design projects online. Attendees will also be eligible for raffles throughout the evening.
Check it out at www.thepltoolbox.com/showcase.

PL Camping Trip Updates

Assessment + Data Synchronous Campfire 
Thursday, March 4th, we'll be gathering around the campfire to share learning from our trip to Acadia. Elementary will meet from 4:00-5:00 PM and secondary will meet from 5:00-6:00 PM. Zoom links have been sent to all teachers who filled out the phase selection form.

PL Camping Trip to the Everglades Goes Live March 22nd
Our fourth camping trip exploring EQUITY kicks off after spring break! The QB checklist includes base messaging for you to adjust to build hype and excitement about the opportunity. You'll also find the one-pager with directions for enrolling in Schoology and the optional planning template. If your teachers have already enrolled in the course, they won't need to again.

Big Bend Scheduling Update
The Big Bend trip exploring STUDENT AGENCY will open on May 3rd with the synchronous campfire on June 3rd. We've extended the date to allow for more time for teachers to dive into content and try their new learnings. 

March 2021 | Campuses Hosting + Dates 

• PL Prep | Thursday, March 4th, 9:00-10:30 AM
• Salazar | Thursday, March 11th, 9:00-10:30 AM
• CityLab High School | Tuesday, March 23rd, 9:00-10:30 AM

Dallas ISD Virtual Google Summit
Registration is open for April's virtual Google Summit! Join us Saturday, April 17th, to learn how to better leverage G Suite for Education. Throughout the day participants will have choice in 20 different sessions designed for Google beginners to advanced practitioners.  This opportunity is open to all teachers and leaders in Dallas ISD.

When: Saturday, April 17th from 9:00AM- 3:00PM. Can't stay the whole day? Select the sessions you're most interested in attending!
What: A one-day event with sessions designed for Google beginners to advanced practitioners. Sessions will be led from teachers + leaders in Dallas ISD. 
Where: Virtually via Zoom. We'll send the schedule one week out to registered attendees! 
Why: To help educators leverage G Suite for Education (Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, Forms, Classroom etc.) to better meet the needs and interest of all kids. 

For more information and to register, visit thepltoolbox.com/gvsummit

Dallas ISD Virtual Google Summit Presenters
We are looking for a few more teachers or leaders to present at the summit! Presenters will be provided with on boarding and coaching from the PL team leading up to the summit. This is a great opportunity for teachers applying for DTR. Interested or know a teacher/leader who may be interested in leading a session? Fill out or share this form.

Innovation in Teaching Fellowship
We are excited to announce the Innovation in Teaching Fellowship, a professional learning opportunity to expand personalized learning instructional practices across Dallas ISD, is beginning to recruit teachers for our sixth cohort of fellows, and since you work closely with teachers, we’re hoping you might be able to help with the recruitment process.

The Innovation in Teaching Fellowship equips Dallas ISD educators to grow in their understanding of and pilot Next Generation models in their classrooms. Over the 2021-2022 school year, fellows will draw from research, best practices, and their own ingenuity to design and test personalized learning in their classrooms. Fellows will have access to virtual workshops, pop-up (i.e., on-demand) professional development sessions,  and coaching from the Dallas ISD central personalized learning team. At the conclusion of the fellowship, fellows will have an opportunity to share their learnings and ideas with the education community through our Innovation Showcase.

Please feel free to pass along to other schools within your network or nominate 3-5 teachers on your campus who might be ready for the challenge. Please click here to access a quick nomination form or to share use, bit.ly/nominatefellows. Once a teacher has been nominated, he/she will receive an email regarding the opportunity, application, and deadline. 

For additional information about the Innovation in Teaching Fellowship and the application process, check out www.thepltoolbox.com/fellowship. Applications are due Monday, May 3rd by 11:59PM CST.  ​