February 2023 Lighthouse

Welcome to the February 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. ​

Design Studio | February 8th

We're looking forward to seeing you all at Design Studio next Wednesday, February 8th, from 8:30 AM-4:00 PM. We will be at Dallas Hybrid Preparatory [3801 Herschel Ave, Dallas, TX 75219]. Please bring a charged device and headphones. Lunch will be provided!

EdCamp Registration Open

Edcamp Personalize DISD is a free event for PL Cohort teachers that delivers learning opportunities for educators that is spontaneous without pre-organized sessions or content. 

• Who: 75 Teachers who are at PL Cohort schools, RBL schools, and identified emerging PL schools.
  • Botello, Chapel Hill, Cowart, Gonzalez, Hall, Highland Meadows, Jack Lowe Sr., PL Prep, Reinhardt, Rogers, Salazar, Thelma Richardson,Zaragoza, Solar Prep for Girls, Solar Prep for Boys, Foster, Ebby Halliday Elementary schools
  • Marsh, Hill, Ignite, Tasby, Gaston, and Rusk Middle School
  • Innovation, Design Entrepreneurship Academy (IDEA) and CityLab
• When: Saturday, March 4th, 8:30 AM-12:00 PM
• Where: W.H. Gaston Middle School 9565 Mercer Drive, Dallas, TX 75228 
• How: Click here to register

Note: Event will be canceled if there is not a minimum of 40 participants registered.

7th Annual Innovation Showcase | February 28th

Please join us at our 7th annual Innovation Showcase on Tuesday, February 28th from 5:15-7:00 PM at Conrad High School. This celebration and showcase is designed to recognize Dallas ISD's Innovation in Teaching, School Retool, and iDesign Central Fellows for the 2022-2023 school year. 

Learn more and register at www.thepltoolbox.com/showcase. Please feel free to pass this along to other colleagues and community members as you see fit. We kindly ask that all attendees register to ensure we order enough appetizers for guests. Click here for the recognition rosters for all fellowships.

Agenda 
5:15 | Welcome & Keynote
5:30 | Fellow Recognition | Innovation in Teaching 
5:35 | Panel # 1, Leading Change with Empathy  
5:45 | Fellow Recognitions | School Retool 
5:50 | Panel # 2, Bringing Ideas to Life with Prototyping and Hacking 
6:00 | Fellow Recognitions | iDesign Central 
6:10 | Exhibition Orientation 
6:15-7:00 | Exhibition Showcase 
Light appetizers provided 

The PL Lightbulb is Turning 9!

On February 20, 2014, the first message went out district-wide asking for school leaders to embrace personalized learning and to join the inaugural personalized learning cohort! Be on the lookout for a special treat to celebrate PL's 9th birthday and the official designation for February 20th as #PLday.

Modern Classrooms Project | Spring Cohort Accepting Applications Now!

We have partnered with the Modern Classrooms Project to offer scholarships for Dallas ISD PL educators to their teacher-created, classroom-tested Virtual Mentorship Program. During the 12-week Virtual Mentorship Program, teachers create content to use in their Modern Classroom through a virtual, asynchronous, and self-paced course. They are guided through creating mastery checks, instructional videos, self-pacing tools, and systems for student engagement. An Expert Mentor in a similar content or grade level provides feedback and guidance to help teachers build a unit they are confident in using in their classroom. Scholarships are limited; complete this form to learn more and apply by February 24th: www.modernclassrooms.org/dallas

Student Agency Summit | June 2023

We're excited to host our first ever Student Agency Summit this June! Registration and all the details will be released in the March Lighthouse, so stay tuned.

​Updates for the PL Cohort Campuses in the Raising Blended Learners Grant

Schedule your RBL Mid-year campus support meeting 
WHO: RBL grant campus quarterbacks and principals
WHAT: The PL/RBL team will meet with each Raising Blended Learners grant campus. During this meeting, we will discuss implementation progress being made, review data submissions and goal reflections, capture feedback around supports needed, and more.
WHERE: ZOOM
WHEN: February 21st- March 10th
HOW: To schedule your RBL campus support meeting, use Brittny’s calendly link HERE to find the time that works best for the RBL QB and principal to attend.  

MAP MOY Data Reporting 
The due date for your MOY SMART Goal data submission is Friday, February 3rd.  For step by step video instructions please review the instructional video to help you with submission. You may also access the slide deck at bit.ly/RBLMAP2223. If you have any questions, please contact Brittny, [email protected]  

Pilot Teacher [Optional] Office Hours
A calendar invite was sent to all pilot teachers for February 15th from 4:00-5:00 PM. During this time the central RBL team will be available to brainstorm and answer any questions around blended learning implementation and all things student agency.  Teachers may come and go during this time, but please encourage them to attend!