FAQs+for+Students+and+Parents+(all)

 ** regarding... (use links below) **
 * FAQs (for Parents and Students) **


 * ...Communication ** (contact info, Parent Portal, absences, meetings, other teachers, other parents)
 * ...Classroom Policies ** (late work, homework, rules, seating, materials, attendance, grades, extra help)
 * ...Content of the Class **(approach, standards, international framework, units, literacy skills, interdisciplinary connections, penmanship, arts infusion)
 * ...Testing ** (which ones, when, other tests)
 * ...Accommodations and Differentiation ** (special needs, struggling students, advanced students, English Language Development)
 * ...Opportunities for Parents and Students **(in the classroom, outside of the classroom, extracurricular)
 * ...Resources **
 * ...Information about Dr. Marion **

// How do I get in touch with you? // top of page, please BEST WAY: email--> Susan_Marion@dpsk12.org I check my email several times per day and respond promptly. ALSO: phone--> (720) 423-9004 NOTE: My classroom phone will not ring while class is in session, but it will take voicemail, and an email is generated to let me know I have voicemail. I have a limited command of Spanish, but many of my colleagues are fluent Spanish speakers and can assist me if needed. ALSO: "snail" mail --> c/o DCIS, 574 West 6th Ave., Denver, CO 80204
 * COMMUNICATION **

// How can I follow my own/my child's progress? //

You can establish a login to the Parent Portal to check which assignments have been posted and scored, or are missing. To do this, contact Iris Alarcon or Natalie Van Zyl our school secretaries, or better yet, come in to the office to ensure it is set up properly. You can also call or email our administrators, Stephen Parce (Principal) or Michelle (Wright) Abitia (Assistant Principal). If you don't have a login yet, you can email your child's advisor to ask about your child's overall progress or make inquiries about your child's progress in specific classes. At fall conferences, you can learn what and how your child is doing from your child and his/her advisor.

// Is the information on the Parent Portal complete and current? //

On the Parent Portal, you can view any assignments for which scores have been posted, but these will not be truly complete or current until just before quarterly or semester grades are tabulated. Why? There are several reasons. When a teacher creates an assignment in the system, s/he must select a due date. This is where students can look to see when the assignment is/was due. This can change, according to the actual progress of the class, and teachers may or may not be prompt about updating this information from day to day. Also, although the assignment may be collected on that date, it will most likely not be graded and scored by that date, and remain blank until the teacher has a chance to enter the scores of his/her 100+ students. If the student turned in the assignment on time, most teachers will post the assignment as "turned in", when they get a chance to check the work in. The system will tell you how many days have passed since the entered due date with a number (-1, -2, -3, etc.). This isn't a score--it's a count of the days that have passed since the due date that was entered.

// So what can I learn from the Parent Portal information? //

If you see the word "missing", your child's work was most likely not turned in with the rest of the class', because that designation needs to be entered in by the teacher. If you see "missing" on the portal, ask your child if the work has been turned in. Teachers have different policies when it comes to accepting and scoring late work, and students may have to wait for the "missing" to be removed until the teacher has a chance to change it.

You can also learn if your child has received a low or high score on an assignment, if a score has been posted. Check the assignment to see how many total points the assignment carried, to get a sense of its weight in the class grade. The system automatically calculates a percentage and deems any score below 59.5% "failing", even if the assignment carried only two points, and the child scored one. The system is designed to calculate a grade from a total score, so it does not give score breakdowns to help you understand where your child can grow. In Language Arts, I will post score breakdowns in a separate Skills category that is exempted from the grade calculation, so that parents can see how much weight each skill carries (points-wise) in a multi-faceted assignment and where the student can improve.

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// I/my parent keep(s) getting a computer-generated email indicating failure in an assignment. Should I be alarmed? //

No, just curious. Remember, the system automatically calculates a percentage and deems any score below 59.5% "failing", even if the assignment carried only two points, and your child scored one. Log in to the system and you can see how many points the assignment was worth, or if it has even been scored at all. If the score is low relative to the total points in the assignment, or if the word "missing" appears, you should first ask your child if the work was submitted at all, and then encourage him or her to see the teacher to ask how to improve.

// What do I do if I want to meet with you? //

Email me at Susan_Marion@dpsk12.org and/or your child's advisor, or call (720) 423-9004 to leave a voicemail message.

// What do I do if I/my child need(s) to miss multiple school days/classes? //

Inform the DCIS Office ahead of time, and request an Extended Leave form if your child will miss three or more days of school. Your child will then have a chance to alert teachers to his/her forthcoming absence and get a list of the work that will be missed. In an emergency, this form can be generated by the student's advisor or the DCIS Office staff.

How can I contact my/my child's other teachers/advisor?

Click on the links here: __Sixth Grade teachers:__ Science: Mr. Paul Mahon Math: Ms. Rachel Binkley (6th grade Math) or Ms. Terri Stewart (7th grade Math) Geography: Ms. Jennifer Boyle or Ms. Sonia Burns (for Ms. Kirsten Hanson, on maternity leave) Cultures: Mr. Brady Efting World Language: Ms. Sally Bishop (Italian), Ms. Li-Mei Ge (Chinese), Ms. Sara Hirsch (Spanish), Mr. Takaaki Matsumoto (Japanese), Ms. Gwendolynn Holmes (Lakota), Dr. Christian Roche (French); [part-time teachers to come]

__Sixth Grade Advisors:__ Dr. Susan Marion Ms. Amanda Cheek Ms. Helen Chavez Mr. Frank Doyle Ms. Sonia Burns (for Ms. Kirsten Hanson, on maternity leave) Ms. Cathy Climp (for Ms. Rachel Streitman, on maternity leave)

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// How do I arrange to pick my child up early from or drop my child off late to your class? //

Send a note or call the DCIS office (720) 423-9000 to let teachers and staff know, and park in the east lot off Delaware St., buzz the door to be admitted, and come to the main office to pick up your child in person. The staff will call the classroom to send the child down to the office. We cannot release a child to any unauthorized person for security reasons, so you must go to the office, not your child's classroom.

// How can I connect with other sixth grade parents to better understand the DCIS parent experience? //

Contact Michele Foust, co-President of the PTSA (Parent Teacher Student Association). As an experienced DCIS parent, she can help you navigate the differences you may experience when your child enters middle or high school, and help you troubleshoot any issues or capitalize on any benefits that come with being a DCIS parent.

// Do you accept late work? Is there a penalty for late work? // top of page, please
 * CLASSROOM POLICIES **

Late work is accepted on a case-by-case basis, depending on what the work is for. If the work is needed for immediate or future in-class use, students can show me the work and then file it with their other Language Arts notes, but they won't receive any credit that might be given for having the work in class on the day it was due. In this way, I know the student has a complete set of notes and a good work ethic. If the work was collected for assessment or grading in the recent past, it will usually be accepted for scoring without penalty, but again, no credit will be given for having the work in class on the day it was due. If the work is submitted far beyond the date of its usefulness for learning, it will not be accepted or scored. By default, students should make up any work they miss, regardless of whether it will be scored, and see me if they have questions.

// How much homework do you give? What kind? Will it be collected and graded? //

Generally, students will have Language Arts homework of some kind twice per week (usually not Mondays). At some point during the class period (usually toward the end) I will write the assignment in the master planner (which looks just like the DCIS student planner) and project it on the screen, giving students enough time to copy it into their own planners. These assignments will be posted on this website a day or two after the assignment is given, to ensure accuracy and make the student responsible for writing down the homework. Students can come to see me at Office Hours (and sometimes lunchtime) to copy the assignment right from the master planner, and pick up any handouts needed, but they may need to speak with me to completely understand the assignment. Usually, all 6th grade classes will have the same assignment, but occasionally they will be different for different classes, so please check the home page of the website a day or two after the assignment was given.

The homework assignments are most often preparatory work for what we will be doing in class, sometimes designed to build real-world or home context for the work in school, sometimes to stimulate critical or creative thinking around a Language Arts topic. Most of these assignments will not be graded, but they will be checked, in class. Students are given two points of credit for having an assignment in class on the day it is checked/due. They are awarded one point of credit for attempting the assignment beyond what we have begun in class (if anything). They can also earn an extra point or two by completing an extension of the assignment (as available--I usually announce extension possibilities, but students can always ask). The quarterly "homework" grade reflects the number of times the student brought completed homework to class on the day it was due/checked, not its quality--it is purely a measure of preparation for class. If a homework assignment is collected and scored, it will appear in the Portal as a separate assignment, with its own grade.

// Do you have classroom rules? // top of page, please

I have two central conduct statements that overarch the realm of acceptable student behaviors: 1. All students have a right to be safe. 2. All students have a right to learn.

Any behavior that interferes with either of these two rights is unacceptable. At Sixth Grade Academy in August, students had a mini-course called Diplomacy 101, which helped them navigate civil, polite and gracious interactions with each other, the other students and adults at DCIS. Students will be reminded of these lessons (or taught them, if they were not able to attend Sixth Grade Academy, or have forgotten them), and recognized for demonstrating these skills in Language Arts. Students who repeatedly interfere with their own or others' learning or safety will have additional instruction in acceptable conduct during their lunch time, or be referred to the Office for further instruction.

DCIS embraces the core values of Integrity, Diversity, High Expectations, Collaboration and Reflection. In Language Arts, students should expect to: 1) give their best, honest efforts to show their integrity; 2) respect and embrace the opportunity to work with new and different people to show they value diversity; 3) assume they can and will learn, and will ask questions and demonstrate their learning to show they have high expectations; 4) collaborate often with partners, small groups, big groups, and the whole class to achieve small and large goals; and 5) reflect regularly, in both speaking and writing, on the meaning of their experiences.

Finally, at DCIS, in Sixth Grade Language Arts, we celebrate everyone's unique interests and contributions, even those which seem quirky and strange. For this reason, there is a sign posted in the room that says, "Pre-school Words to Live By: Don't Yuck My Yum." Essentially, that means we all should refrain from putting anyone down for what they say, do, prefer, think or express. This helps us maintain a supportive, positive culture.

// Do you have assigned seating? //

Not at first, but as the class routines are built and established, there will be assigned seating at the tables, which will change every few months. There are a few isolated desks for students who may need to be shielded from social or visual distractions. When there are lessons at the screen and students seated at a distance are requested to move to the floor in front of the screen, they are required to do so without complaint. top of page, please

// Do you require any specific materials? //

Yes. All students should have: 1) a three-ring binder for keeping extra paper and classroom notes, so they can organize and rearrange their work; 2) college-ruled looseleaf paper, so they can take notes in class; 3) at least one sharpened, wooden No. 2 pencil, so they can write darkly enough for photocopies; 4) a student planner, in which to write assignments and notes to self; 5) either the current assigned book, a book of choice, or both. Additionally, students are welcome to bring any other school supplies they wish to carry. A few that are especially useful are: highlighters, a self-contained hand-operated pencil sharpener, and scratch paper of some kind for working out ideas visually. The room has many such supplies, so they are not required. We will not use spiral notebooks for classwork in Language Arts; they should be saved for other classes.

If, any reason, a student needs help securing the required materials, contact Lorie Pena-Helm in the DCIS Office (or me, or the student's advisor).

// Is there anything that isn't allowed in the classroom? //

Yes. Food, any beverage besides water, hats, toys, visible electronics, and gum (of any kind). I will confiscate visible electronics and hold them in a secure place until the next day, when the student may receive them in exchange for an acceptable written statement that indicates that s/he understands the problem and will solve it. If your child needs a cell phone for safety reasons, s/he will need to explain this is writing, and I will contact you to confirm this. Please encourage your child to turn his phone off and out of sight during class, so that no issues arise.

There is a designated space in the classroom for backpacks and outerwear. Students are expected to take their Language Arts materials to their desks and store the remaining items in this space. This allows for easier movement in the room, and better organization for students. Students can wear hoodies (with the hood down), sweatshirts, light jackets/blazers or sweaters in class, but outerwear must be stored in the designated space or the student's locker. When students encase themselves in a heavy outside coat or jacket, not only does the jacket become an ineffective defense against the outside weather, but it isolates the student psychologically from his/her peers and the learning. Please have your child keep a sweater or similar in school to bring to class if s/he feels cold inside the building. top of page, please

// Does attendance figure into your grading? //

Not as a direct grade, no, but attendance affects a student's preparation for learning greatly, and can have an influence on the quality of work a student is able to produce. The Preparation for Learning grades are quarterly scores for Organization, Participation, Homework Completion, and Readiness when there is an activity change. If a student is often absent, that student may miss being checked for organization, won't be there to contribute and participate, won't be there to use the homework in class, and won't be there to demonstrate alertness and activity transition skills. Parents of frequently-absent students should expect that these scores will be low. In addition, students who miss class often will not have the same access to their peers to complete regular collaborative group work, and will need extra instructional support to understand the concepts and assignments well.

// How are students graded? //

Often, students will self-score or peer-score their work, so they can benefit from understanding how their performance fits on a continuum of progress. Sometimes students will help develop scoring criteria themselves, after they understand what is possible and what they have already mastered. Criteria for scoring is always explained and shown to students, and students may request to redo assignments if they wish to demonstrate a higher degree of accomplishment.

In an uninflated grading system, grades are used to communicate what the evidence of learning shows, not reward effort (effort is rewarded in other ways). In Language Arts, a C or its equivalent percentage indicates your child has produced evidence that shows a level of understanding to be expected of a sixth grade student at this point in the year. A grade of B would show better understanding than expected, and an A, far better understanding. Students should not expect an A for simply completing work, they must complete it well. Help is available if students would like strategies for improving the quality of their assignments.

// Do standardized tests count toward student grades? // No. But they are added to the student's records and can be viewed by parents and school officials.

// When can a student get extra help? //

After the first two weeks of school, sixth graders can visit any of their teachers during Office Hours to ask questions or set up a time to meet for extra help. Students who desire regular help from a tutor can ask their advisor to submit their name to the school counselors, Janet Glovinsky (last names A-L) and Amy Gonzalez (last names M-Z); parents can also contact the counselors directly. As the year gets going, a Study Hall will be available during certain Office Hours and Lunch periods for help with schoolwork. In addition, advisors will schedule a certain day in Advisement for peer and teacher homework help. top of page, please

// What is your theoretical and organizational approach to English Language Arts instruction? //
 * CONTENT OF THE CLASS **

I espouse the Vygotskian constructivist tradition, and my work is heavily informed by constructive-developmentalists like Robert Kegan. I also subscribe to the experiential education ideals of John Dewey, and my literacy training is significantly influenced by the research done by the Public Education and Business Coalition, and by literacy pioneers such as Marie Clay, Lucy Calkins, Ralph Fletcher and Nancy Atwell. My global and cultural educational perspectives reflect the influences of Lisa Delpit, Jeff Wilhelm, Robert Hanvey, and Vivian Paley, among others.

I believe that learning is a largely social enterprise; that schooling exists so that a likely group of people can interact around an idea and grow from contending with it collaboratively and collectively, and reflecting on it individually; I believe the role of a teacher is to put experiences in the path of learners that will facilitate that learning.

In 6th grade English Language Arts, students will read and write individually, in pairs, and in groups. Each day students begin with individual reading and writing, then move into a whole-class lesson with a demonstration or modeling of the work. Sometimes students will analyze or interpret a text in a "Great Books" Shared Inquiry-style discussion, or discuss a literacy-based question in a Socratic seminar. Students will regularly interact with each other around what they are learning, and apply their learning to an immediate or eventual authentic outcome. Assignments are based on what has happened in class, or what will be happening next. Students do not always know the exact goal of every learning experience, but they will be able to articulate what they discovered through it.

// What are the state standards for Grade 6 English Language Arts? How will they be taught? //

Colorado has adopted the [|Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts,] as have 39 other states. These standards go beyond literature and language, and include Literacy in Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects. In 2014, our state standardized tests will be aligned with these standards. In 2013, the TCAP test will reflect the previous standards (Colorado State Standards) as they overlap with the Common Core.

The CCSS will be housed within units of instruction that have been developed to maximize growth toward the Global Performance System (GPS) Rubric indicators, a part of the Global Curriculum Framework used by 35+ schools in the International Studies Schools Network (ISSN). The GPS Curriculum Framework was developed with the CCSS, but goes beyond its scope to include actions, dispositions, and content not included in the CCSS. In these units, students will engage in authentic, integrated experiences that demand that they **investigate the world**, consider multiple perspectives, communicate ideas effectively, and take appropriate action to promote positive outcomes as they respond to these experiences, in order to meet the proficiencies in the GPS Framework. top of page, please

// How is the curriculum internationalized in English Language Arts? //

The proficiencies delineated in the Global Performance System (GPS) Curriculum Framework (see above) are designed to prepare students to use the discipline of English Language Arts to access, understand, analyze and solve real-world problems in the global arena. The GPS organizes this learning into four domains: Investigating the World, Recognizing Multiple Perspectives, Communicating Ideas and Taking Action. In Language Arts, students are taught to ask questions of themselves, the world, their texts and their experiences, and how to gather information to form answers to these questions, through reading, listening and viewing. They are taught to seek out, find and consider a broad range of views and examine the cultural, historical, geographic and social influences that have contributed to those views, especially through texts that present diverse ideas and perspectives. They are also taught ways to communicate their ideas effectively for specific audiences in specific contexts through a variety of written, spoken and visual genres, and to effect positive change through the critical and creative decisions they make.

// Does the curriculum have thematic units? Do they connect over the course of the year? //

Yes. We begin with a piece of nonfiction persuasive writing, an application for a classroom job. Students learn how to present their best selves on paper to achieve a real-world goal. They learn to make connections between their experience, skills and personality traits to address the goals of the employer and the community. This is a mini-unit that recurs again later in the year, as students get another opportunity to improve these skills.

Our first literature-based calls for students to use diverse, short expressive pieces to assemble a multi-voice artistic portrait of themselves. They are the newest members of the DCIS community, and as such need an opportunity to introduce themselves to us. We do this through a public art/writing exhibition called "Self-Expressionism", complete with evening artists' reception.

Later in the fall, we explore historical perspectives on the meaning of being an "internationalist" through the 1948 Newbery-winning novel, __The Twenty-On**e** Balloons__, and use visual language to attract others to the power of the story. Our study culminates in a mini-research project on the possibilities and practicalities of achieving the utopia portrayed in the novel, and shared with our audience through an interactive showcase experience.

After the winter break, students may study various futuristic fictional dystopias to discover themes of universal human experience, incorporated in issues that affect our world today, or they may study several authors' perspectives on a historic theme, through theatre-based experiences. Finally, students will examine the current global issues that gave birth to these ideas, and take communicative action to contribute to their positive resolution.

// Will the curriculum be connected to other sixth grade classes? // Yes. Students will see clear connections between Language Arts and Cultures class throughout the year, and with Earth Science, Geography, Math and World Language in the late Fall and Spring. More details to come! top of page, please

// How much reading and writing will there be? What kinds of reading and writing? //

Students will read individually almost every day for 10-20 minutes, usually in a book of their choice that meets certain parameters designed to expand their skills and background. In addition, all students will read two Newbery-winning novels, and have a choice of novels within the genres we read. Students will also read numerous short texts of a variety of formats, including poetry, dialogue, plays, personal narrative, essay and informational genres.

Students will write daily through constructing lists, quick writes, reflections and writing emulations, or "write likes". They will be given time to begin writing in class, and will be expected to complete their writing outside of class. They will also be sharing their writing and analyzing it to make improvements, with peers and in conference with me.

Parents should be aware that the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts demands a shift in what students read and write, away from the dominance of fiction, poetry and stories and toward informational, persuasive and descriptive texts. The percentages below represent the amount of reading/writing within each genre across all disciplines, not Language Arts alone.

Passages || Reading Informational Passages || Writing to Persuade || Writing to Explain || Writing to Convey Experience || top of page, please
 * Grade || Reading Literary
 * 4 || 50% || 50% || 30% || 35% || 35% ||
 * 8 || 45% || 55% || 35% || 35% || 30% ||
 * 12 || 30% || 70% || 40% || 40% || 20% ||

// How much spelling, grammar and vocabulary will there be? //

A considerable amount of each, as they occur in the writing assignments and match the purposes of those assignments. Spelling and grammar are elements of communication and presentation, and as such will be highly valued and analyzed in many pieces of writing. Vocabulary will be important when students are faced with expressional choices, and situations where precise and descriptive language will be more effective and appropriate, not to mention more enjoyable!

// Will there be penmanship instruction? //

Yes, in a way. As part of practical expression, clear printing is essential, and tips will be given to make handwriting, clearer and more mature. Students will learn cursive as it applies to developing a viable signature. At one point, I will show students the basic moves of standard italic calligraphy, as a presentation skill, and many will improve from that! Some years we study illumination as an art form; if so, students will get even more practice.

If I discover a child with very problematic handwriting, I will contact the student and parent and suggest an occupational therapist do an observation and suggest ways support handwriting development.

// What other content will the class explore? //

All students will receive arts curriculum in various forms throughout the year: in the fall, we will learn to solve musical problems, and problems of visual design; in the spring, drama and visual design will be infused into the curriculum. As we are in an election year, we will discuss political persuasion and the election process briefly, as it unfolds.

// #1: In the fall, I collect writing samples from your child and evaluate his/her skills in eleven specific areas. These samples are authentic assignments that motivate most students to submit their best work. On the most significant of these assignments, the Job Application, students were given a series of initial lessons focusing on the skills they would need for high-scoring work. These skills contribute to the total writing score on the Job Application assignment. I will post a breakdown of the skills (with their relative weights, seen through their point value) so that you can get an idea of where your child is strong, and can improve. Until we have a chance to analyze these skills in class and learn how to improve them, your child will not be expected, or (in many cases) even able, to raise these scores by him/herself. By the end of the semester, after several lessons differentiated according to what your child needs, students will have an opportunity to use what they have have learned to do this assignment again. If they focus and think deeply about their work, they will show considerable improvement, regardless of the skill levels they first displayed. Middle school and high school grades are recorded on transcripts by semester; the first 9 weeks' scores // //should provide information to help parents help their children, but are less helpful as an indicator of mastery. As we analyze our writing in class, students will be increasingly able to further classify the kind of challenges they have with any given skill, and gain insight into how these skills are useful. It is my experience that in approaching the work in this way, students become critical thinkers and their achievement is longer-lasting and transfers more easily across the curriculum. --Dr. Marion// top of page, please

// Which standardized tests will students take? //
 * TESTING **

Interim exams in Reading, Writing and Math. Testing time will be balanced among the sixth grade classes. TCAP state tests in Reading, Writing and Math. Students will be in Advisement groups for these tests.

// When will they take standardized tests? // Interim baseline writing tests will be in early September. Interim reading and math tests will occur in mid-October, midterm interim tests will occur in December and then again finally in May. TCAP tests will be in given in early March.

// Are there other tests in Language Arts class? //

Usually there is one big unit-based exam in the third quarter. This is an open-book test that asks student to use their notes to recall, comprehend, apply, analyze, synthesize and evaluate ideas from the unit. Students collaborate to compare and prepare for it. Students generally enjoy it. There are other points-heavy, comprehensive, unit-based assessments, but only one that looks and feels like an exam. There are also little assessments of specific skills, but these take the form of games and challenges. top of page, please

// Will students who struggle be given accommodations? //
 * ACCOMMODATIONS AND DIFFERENTIATION **

Of course-- especially if they have IEPs or 504 Plans; the Intervention Specialist alerts me to the issues and adaptations necessary, and periodically observes and suggests supportive actions. If a student without such a plan struggles consistently, I will alert his/her advisor and other teachers, and we will discuss strategies for helping the student. If parents also want to contact me with more details about their child's struggles, it would be greatly appreciated, so I can assist their child promptly and appropriately.

Students are not generally pulled out of the classroom for IEP intervention or modifications; however, they may request resource-room help with reading and writing tasks if an intervention specialist or assistant is available. Parents should be aware that if their child requires TCAP testing accommodations, these need to be in place months before the test. Please contact the school support staff if have questions about this process.

// How are advanced students challenged? //

DCIS does not have a gifted/talented or highly gifted/talented program. All students (including those with ALPs) learn together in mixed-ability, mixed-learning style, mixed-academic-performance classes. Dr Marion receives ALP data from our G/T Specialist, [|Ms. Helen Chavez], and regularly consults with her regarding G/T needs of our students. In Language Arts, most student assignments allow for divergent performance outcomes, wherein advanced students can go further, deeper or more comprehensively into the work at hand. Students are encouraged to self-advocate and request extension suggestions if they find an assignment seems too simplistic, and if opportunities to push their skills are not presented in class. In the first semester, advanced students will be shown options for extensions for most major assignments; in the second semester, advanced students will be expected (and supported) to participate in developing their own plan for extending their learning.

DCIS does not offer grade-skipping in English Language Arts. Because Language Arts as a discipline is inextricably situated in the human experience, our curriculum is intentionally, developmentally-constructed to build global competency through age-appropriate language and literature, and a shared human experience in our unique community. We offer a unique skill set that addresses learning beyond the skill set measured by the standardized reading and writing tests in the state of Colorado. There are many Language Arts programs within DPS (and without) for advanced students focused on standards-based literacy skills alone; our program contextualizes these skills in global proficiencies that few students have the opportunity to develop elsewhere, and this is what makes us who we are. We welcome advanced students into our community, and are ready to help them regard and use their skills and talents in new ways, as well as recognize and understand those of their differently-talented peers. 

EXTRA CURRICULAR ADVANCEMENT:

One of the ways that DCIS encourages advanced students in Language Arts is through extra-curricular programs such as Student Council, Destination Imagination, Poetry Slam Club, Scrabble Club, Talent Show, Yearbook, Dystopia Book Club, Geography Bee, Shakespeare Club, Drama Club, Glee Club, Newspaper, Urban Debate, Model United Nations and World Affairs Challenge (the last three are competitive at the high school level only, but younger students may sit in). Over the years, according to student interest, there have been various book clubs and writers' groups as well. We encourage students to explore the current offerings (many of which meet during Office Hours and Lunch, or after school on a late-bus day) or start their own club if they can find like-thinking peers and a faculty sponsor. As the year continues, there will be academic, service and interest clubs emerging, many with both middle and high school membership. Your child's advisor can help match your child to an inspiring and stimulating club.

COMPETITIONS AND CONTESTS 

Finally, Drs. Fernandez and Marion will post arts, writing and speaking contests and workshops for students of all ages on the soon-to-be-mounted bulletin boards between their classrooms (rooms 217 and 218). There is almost always something going on locally or nationally that will push your advanced child to the next level. Our Language Arts teachers are happy to encourage, advise and assist any literary or artistic entrepreneurs! top of page, please

// How can students who are not native English speakers make progress in English Language Arts? //

DCIS has a new English-Language Development Specialist, Ms. Courtney Wickham. If your child is struggling with English as well as the new world language, we invite him/her to consult with Ms. Wickham about strategies for building English skills, and to discuss the possibility of your child studying English with Ms. Wickham as his/her world language, and moving into a third language when s/he is confident in the first two languages! Ms.Wickham, who is fluent in Spanish, works closely with Dr. Marion to help 6th graders who speak another language build English fluency and vocabulary.

// Are there ways that parents can be directly involved in students' learning? //
 * OPPORTUNITIES **

YES! Every year there are big projects that have specific roles for parents. They will be announced on this website and through the PTSA and school newsletters.

// Are there ways that parents can help during the school day in the classroom? //

Sure. Contact Dr Marion with your available times, and your preferences (clerical? artistic? preparation? working with students?).

// Are there ways that parents can be involved in school activities on their own time from home? //

See updates here. There will be some great projects coming up that will enlist parent help.

// Are there Language Arts-related extra-curricular opportunities for students? //

Click here.

// Are there local, state and national contests and competitions for students? //

Click here. top of page, please


 * RESOURCES **

// What resources can you recommend to support/challenge me/my sixth grader? //

I will post links, documents and other resources below in response to parent and student requests (check back periodically).


 * ABOUT ME: **

I have been teaching an internationalized sixth grade English Language Arts curriculum at DCIS since it became a stand-alone school in 2006. I am also a sixth grade advisor. At DCIS, I have taught 7th grade Language Arts, 9th Grade English, and 6th grade Geography in previous years at DCIS. This year I am teaching 6th grade Language Arts and AP English Language and Composition to 11th and 12th graders. I also teach an Arts Inquiry course to high school students. Prior to DCIS, I worked at the DPS Central Administration Building as a Secondary Literacy Curriculum Coordinator. I came to that position from five years of full-time college teaching at Metro State, where I taught ECE-6 Advanced Language Arts and Social Studies Methods and Arts Integration Methods courses to prospective teachers. From 1992-1998 I taught an interdisciplinary, mixed-grade 4th /5th class (and grade 3) in the Denver Public Schools, and have taught grades 1, 3, 5, 6 and 8 in the Boston Public Schools. I am certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in English Language Arts--Early Adolescence.

I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, and a Master's degree in K-6 Education from the University of Massachusetts at Boston. I also have a Master's degree in Educational Technologies from Harvard University, and a Doctor of Education degree in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard University. I am deeply interested in cognitive, affective and aesthetic learning and growth processes, and do my best to stay apprised of new research in my field, especially that which will inform my practice.

I came to DCIS at its inception as a new school to help internationalize the literacy curriculum, and have taken a leadership role in this endeavor ever since. I serve as a Lead Teacher and Liaison to the International Studies Schools Network, and travel frequently to present DCIS' cutting-edge work to administrators, practitioners and stake holders across the country. I am also a DPS English Language Arts Standards Lead Teacher and Peer Assistant, assisting with literacy instruction across the district and within my school.

I love my native language, English, and writing; this past summer I traveled to Barcelona to explore modernist art, and to southern France to attend a writers'/artists' retreat. When teaching is no longer the ultimate creative endeavor that demands my best skills and thinking, I will no longer do it. I dream about one day connecting my students with other writers, speakers and artists in English-speaking countries worldwide and explore our rich language heritage through projects we develop together. In the meantime, there are books to be read, arguments to be made, stories to be written and most of all, children to teach! top of page, please