Welcome to the

May 9, 2013

Dear DSIS Community,

I can’t believe it is mid-May and we only have four weeks of school left! Before we get caught up in the end-of-year activities, and for our seniors, the important milestone of graduating from high school, I wanted to give you a recap of some of the accomplishments at DSIS this year, as well as where we are headed for 2013-2014.

One of my personal missions at DSIS is to utilize technology to enhance student learning. With this in mind, a projector and document camera were purchased for the north wing and over the summer the same technology will be installed in the blue room as well. We will have the computer lab outfitted with a projector during the 2013-2014 school year. We have also purchased four I-Pads with money from Economic Impact Aid for use with our English Language Learners, and are hoping to add additional I-Pads for use by all students through District fundraising partnerships. In addition, as part of the District’s goal to provide wireless to all the Davis schools, we should have wireless installed in the DSIS library and Room 1 in the north wing by fall 2013. This will allow students, parents, and teachers access to a myriad of electronic resources available to enhance student learning. The district is covering the cost of wireless in the library, but DSIS will need to pay approximately $1200 to outfit the north wing. Fortunately, through the generous donations this year of DSIS staff and parents, we have already raised $335.

Our teachers are continuing to move forward with adopting the Common Core State Standards and have participated in a number of trainings offered at the site, district, and county level. Next year DSIS students and parents will see changes in curriculum with reading and writing grounded in evidence from rich, complex texts. In math the emphasis will move to a focus on core standards, linking topics across grades, and increased rigor. In addition, students will see an increase in tasks and projects that integrate English, social studies, math and science. Our goal as a school and a district is to be fully transitioned to Common Core by spring 2015.

A big change at DSIS next year is that all 7-12th grade science courses will be taught by our current Biology teacher, Kim Gallagher. As a half-time teacher she will add Science 7, Science 8, Earth/Physical Science and Introduction to Life Sciences to her course load along with continuing to teach the Biology Lab Science class at DSIS. Each course will have a once-a-week meeting time where students will complete a short science activity, receive the upcoming week’s assignment, turn in work from the previous week, and complete any assessments.  The classes will meet on Tuesdays and Fridays at times still to be determined. The 7th and 8th graders are still encouraged to take Amy Thomson’s workshop for science enrichment. 
I would like to add a shout-out to a few accomplishments of DSIS staff that they are too modest to say themselves. Amy Thomson’s team of 2-4th graders has advanced to the State level completion of the Nature Bowl sponsored by the Department of Fish and Game. Cathy Scarr served as a mentor to her student Tess Boutin and her little sister, Lila’s team that was a regional winner of the Toshiba National Science Teachers Association ExploraVision Science Competition. As the team mentor, Cathy received a laptop and video camera that will be used by the DSIS community. Finally, Trish Kurata was honored at the recent Teacher Fest for her 30 years of service to DJUSD.
On behalf of myself, I want to thank all the parents, students, and teachers for making me feel welcome in my new role as principal. I cannot adequately express how fortunate I feel to serve DSIS in this capacity. I am looking forward to many more years helping our school continue to provide quality education to Davis students who are seeking an alternative learning model.
Take care,

Laura

Our Mission:

Davis School for Independent Study provides an academically challenging course of study in an enriching educational environment that considers and supports each student as it fosters academic, personal, and social growth.

DSIS in a Nutshell

Enrollment in independent study must be voluntary, a choice made by the student and parent. Attendance is based on a student’s completed work and not on traditional ”seat time.” Therefore, each student must be motivated to study on his or her own independently and complete all assignments. These are essential components for a student’s progress and educational success at DSIS.

Thank you for visiting our website.  For further information about DSIS, contact us at (530)757-5333.

Laura Juanitas , Principal