Dickinson Middle School
The DMS Schoolwide Plan ensures that all students are learning at high levels within the building. At DMS, we have developed a model in which our belief that all students can learn is supported by our student bell schedule and our teacher’s work schedule. We incorporate job embedded PLC time for both behavior teams and academic teams. This PLC time occurs every single day for staff. All core staff are part of a TEAM and PLC. Research has shown that middle schools that utilize a Team approach are more likely to meet the changing needs of our students. Research has also shown that the PLC is a very effective means of identifying the most important learning needs of students and an effective means of intervention. RTI - We have developed a comprehensive RTI Process by working with the RTI at Work group. Principals, coaches and staff have been trained in this process. Our team meetings are designed around student success and what we are doing with students who don’t know it and those who already do.
Our students daily schedule also has Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 time within every day. Students who show significant gaps/lower learning levels will receive Tier 3 support every day in both math and ELA. We will be continuing to implement a Tier 2 time for all content areas to use to ensure we have built in re-teaching time for our essential standards, with the goal that all students will be proficient on the essential state standards. Our goal with this time is to extend the learning of all students during this time. We have built sustainable plans and a rotation that allows for all students to be extended in their learning on the essential standards at this time.
We have developed interventions in both behavior and academics. Students who show a need for intervention in math or reading will be identified through our standards, qualifying assessments and NDSA scores, along with classroom scales and identified essential standards. Students will then be placed at the appropriate level of needed intervention. Tier two interventions will be given in real time to students this year through their Tier 1 teacher with a school-wide built-in time for re-teaching Tier 1 content. Students identified for Tier 3 interventions (multiple grade levels below) will be monitored through scales and the NDA + Interim schedule.
Dickinson Middle School has planned a full continuum of services to meet the needs of students with special needs. The range of services is designed in order that students receive services in the least restrictive environment. The continuum of services our SPED/TItle Interventionists committee has developed utilizes an intervention program that regularly adjusts to learners' needs. Students who have varying needs are provided services when needed versus placing a child in intervention and leaving him/her there. Essentially, the schedule is aligned so students can move in and out of different interventions. Research has shown that students who are enrolled in an intervention and are frequently monitored are more likely to move out of that intervention because of adjusted instruction.
DMS has been on a three-year journey with standards referenced grading. This past year we had all 3 grade levels utilizing and reporting out on standards-referenced grading and we achieved our goal of HRS Level 4 certification. We continue to utilize our HRS surveys, our district surveys and our school climate surveys to identify and target community perceptions, student feedback, and staff feedback to improve in the area of student conflict.
The brand at DMS is Growing Minds Building Community. DMS actively works to involve students in their child's education. We host an open house for families, a Title I night, concerts, and various activities. We communicate with families through newsletters, web pages, email, and through Schoology. In addition, our contracted parent coordinator, through West Dakota Parent and Family Resource Center, offers parenting classes, sessions geared to specific family needs, and maintains a library of books and videos for parents to borrow.
Our STEM program was developed knowing that many of the future careers our graduates will have are STEM oriented. In addition, our STEM curriculum utilizes PrBL processes to ensure high levels of learning. Along with STEM integrating multiple content areas into their curriculum, we also engaged last year in implementing school-wide literacy standards. These standards were monitored, and a goal was set for how many times content areas were graded and an overall goal of improvement. Next year, all content areas will continue to utilize and score literacy standards in their content with the support of the Writing Revolution book study and built in PD for all content areas.
