By Josh Griffin, Principal
Within the rigorous D’Evelyn liberal arts program, students may struggle in one or more subjects during their four-to-six year tenure in the school. Within the program, we offer several methods by which students can receive assistance when they are struggling academically. In this scenario, I encourage students and families to work directly with teachers first to best understand how a student may improve their understanding of the curriculum in a particular class. Further, the 7th hour system is designed for students to seek and receive individual and small group support from teachers on an as-needed basis. I hope that students, with support and encouragement from their families, will continue to utilize 7th hour time as a resource, specifically to receive that essential one-on-one support from the classroom teacher. In addition to seeking individual support from teachers, D’Evelyn also offers a Peer Tutoring Program where students may receive individual support and tutoring from another D’Evelyn student. The tutoring program is reflective of the D’Evelyn Founding Document, as the Founders expected that different students may struggle in different academic areas in the whole-group, teacher-directed instructional model. The Peer Tutoring program is designed to support students across content areas and encourage great academic growth for those that seek the support of the program. Students may still sign up to either give or receive tutoring. The Peer Tutoring webpage can be found from the D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School homepage. For more information on Peer Tutoring, to request a tutor, or to seek a tutoring position, navigate to the Peer Tutoring request form through “Academics” drop-down menu, and select “Peer Tutoring”. The link to the page is: http://develyn.jeffcopublicschools.org/academics/peer_tutoring The D’Evelyn faculty and administration is hopeful that the Peer Tutoring program can support an array of students. The program is designed to support students of various ability levels to promote learning for all students, regardless of grade level or letter-grade achievement. Students can request Peer Tutoring on their own. However, parents, teachers, and counselors are also able to recommend students for Peer Tutoring services, and are encouraged to do so if they feel a student would benefit from the program. As we continue to grow and enhance the program, the faculty and administration are working together to incorporate teacher input into the Peer Tutoring system, thereby strengthening the ability of peer tutors to support their tutoring students. We are appreciative of the efforts of D’Evelyn peer tutors, who have chosen to give back to the school community by engaging in tutoring. At this time, we welcome additional students interested in serving as tutors, as nearly 70% of designated tutors are already paired with students. If you have further questions or wish to discuss the D’Evelyn Peer Tutoring program further, please contact D’Evelyn Assistant Principal Greg Kottcamp at [email protected]. The D’Evelyn Founding Document states, “An understanding of history, geography, economics, and government is fundamental to becoming an effective citizen”. Inspired by the vision laid out in the Founding Document, the D’Evelyn History curriculum is well-designed vertically to ensure that all students have the opportunity to master key concepts of history (US and world), geography, government, and economics.
D’Evelyn seniors study American Government and Macroeconomics at the conclusion of their tenure, allowing them to apply their historical knowledge to their study of political and economic systems. The American Government and Economics senior year courses serve as an appropriate capstone experience for the seniors as they prepare for graduation and increasingly active civic participation. This year, D’Evelyn seniors have the unique opportunity to participate in the Courts in the Community program that visits D’Evelyn on Thursday, October 19th. On this day, two Colorado Court of Appeals cases will be heard in the D’Evelyn auditorium. The cases should provide interesting learning and discussion opportunities for the students in their American Government classes. The cases are: · 16CA2205, Medina v. Civil Service Commission · 16CA1198, Sos v. Roaring Fork Transportation The first case involves an appeal of the wrongful termination case of a member of the Denver Sheriff’s Department, and the second case involves an eminent domain dispute. Both cases should provide rich opportunity for discussion, thought and reflection for our students and teachers. I hope that this unique opportunity to observe and discuss these two court cases will provide D’Evelyn seniors an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the political and judicial systems in Colorado and the United States. This will not only fulfill important tenets of the D’Evelyn Founding Document, but will also support the students’ efforts in productive civic engagement going forward. In the narrative regarding the D’Evelyn History curriculum, the Founding Document highlights the importance of knowledge of history and political systems. It states, “Particularly in a democratic republic, students must know about the origins of the ideas and thoughts that led to the establishment of our country. Without an informed, thoughtful electorate, the underlying philosophy written into the Constitution of the United States cannot be adequately preserved”. I hope that the past three-day weekend was restful and relaxing for you and your family. It has been a busy eight weeks to start the school year, highlighted by great work from our students in academic, athletic, and extracurricular realms. I am appreciative of the daily efforts of D’Evelyn students, families, faculty, and staff submitted thus far, and look forward to many more great moments in the balance of the school year. Thank you for your continued support of D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School. By Beverly Haynie, Assistant Principal
The Healthy Kids Colorado Survey is a great opportunity to learn about health trends here at D’Evelyn! Parents and Guardians, please provide permission for your student(s) to participate today! D’Evelyn juniors will take the PSAT on Wednesday, October 11th. There is a myriad of benefits for students taking the PSAT, but in this instance, the national PSAT 11 testing day serves as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. D’Evelyn is one of a handful of schools in the county that offers this examination for all students. We wish the Class of 2019 the very best for this test.
The administration of the PSAT 11 is aligned well with the new Colorado framework for standardized testing. Beginning in the spring of 2018, Colorado 9th, 10th, and 11th graders will all take either the PSAT or SAT for their annual state assessment. These tests will be administered at D’Evelyn on April 10th. In the D’Evelyn program, we do not modify curriculum or instruction to align with standardized testing expectations. However, our students have a strong history of great achievement on both the ACT and SAT, two important tests in the college admission process. While our first priority will always be the success of students in the D’Evelyn liberal arts program, we do hope that by students completing PSAT 9, PSAT 10, PSAT 11, and SAT 11 in succession over roughly two years, students and families will have more information about and exposure to the SAT testing format and expectations. Please join me in encouraging your junior student to give their best effort this Wednesday on the PSAT. I look forward to seeing their great results and performance. The 2nd Accountability Meeting of the 2017-2018 school year is scheduled for Tuesday, October 10th, beginning at 7:00 AM in room E100. We encourage parents to attend to learn more about the school and program. In this month’s meeting, presentations will include:
|
Archives
May 2022
Categories |