May 2021

Welcome to the May 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. 

Welcome to the PL Family! 
We are so excited to officially welcome Personalized Learning Academy at Highland Meadows Elementary to our Dallas ISD PL Family as a Year 1 Innovation Campus! Congratulations are also in order for Hill Middle School for becoming a Year 1 Global Leadership Innovation Campus working to personalize through project-based learning and Foster Elementary for becoming the latest emerging PL campus. 
 
Check out the video below for a welcome video and words of advice from your PL Family! 

Final Quarterback Huddle 
The last huddle of the year is Tuesday, May 25th from 1:00-2:30. We can't wait to celebrate and close out a one-of-a-kind year with you!

Quarterback pre-work:

• Email or text your PL coach if you are unavailable Tuesday, May 25th from 1:00-2:30 by Friday, May 7th. We are considering offering two huddle times/dates, but need to gauge interest first. 
• A bulk of our time will be spent working and providing feedback on the PL defense. Please bring a draft of your PL defense to the huddle. This does not need to be a final copy, but enough for a colleague to provide feedback.

Final PL Camping Trip to Big Bend Goes Live May 3rd
Our fifth, and final, camping trip exploring STUDENT AGENCY kicks off this week! 
​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.

Synchronous Campfires will be held Thursday, June 3rd from 4:00-5:00 PM (Elementary) and 5:00-6:00 PM (Secondary).

Sign up for BetterLesson Workshops for PL Leaders 
Join one or all of the leadership workshops below! Workshops are open to the first 20 participants and are designed for campus leaders. If you have any questions, reach out to Nicolette Luna at [email protected]. 

Equity and Access: Ensuring All Students Meet Their Potential 
May 20th, 12:30-2:30 PM
Learn more and register here

Trauma-Informed Systems: Building Positive Learning Environments
May 27th, 12:30-2:30 PM
Learn more and register here

"Temperature Check": Gathering Data to Improve Data to Improve Instruction Under Flexible Learning 
June 3rd, 12:30-2:30 PM
Learn more and register here

Supporting Wellness: Utilizing Mindfulness to Meet the Emotional Needs of Your Team
June 8th, 12:30-2:30 PM
Learn more and register here

Summer PL PD Opportunities 
Monday, May 10th teachers will start receiving an email invitation to register for PL Workout Week, July 26-28th, Google Certification workshops, and opportunities to present this summer and chances to earn some classroom resources for sharing artifacts! This will be sent from the [email protected] email account and will be sent to each individual campus. If you have any questions, reach out to Kristen at [email protected]. 

2021-2022 PL Department Calendar
The PL Department 2021-2022 Calendar will be shared in July once we're able to schedule around other divisions and try our best to avoid scheduling conflicts. To view the PL Calendar at a Glance for May-August, click here.

Innovation in Teaching Fellowship: Application Deadline Extended to May 10th
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 10th by 11:59PM CST.