State superintendent visits 3 USD schools

State superintendent visits 3 USD schools
Posted on 10/12/2022
This is the image for the news article titled State superintendent visits 3 USD schoolsState Superintendent of Public Instruction Sydnee Dickson visited Lapoint Elementary School, Vernal Middle School and Uintah High School on Tuesday, Oct. 11. This was her reaction to what she observed:

"Uintah is on the road to awesome! The mission, vision, values, and goals laid forth in the Board strategic plan serve as the guideposts along the way as students work towards their destination. MTSS and PBIS provide the roadmap in a personalized manner for every student.

"Quality instruction is on full display and is the expectation for every teacher in every classroom. I appreciate seeing the systemic work play out in a cohesive and coherent manner. Academic expectations are high with supports in place for students to meet and exceed expectations. Teachers are engaged in feedback loops to help reach their goals of improvement and student outcomes. The leaders at each school I visited are top notch; setting the tone and culture of expectations while giving credit to their team of educators and staff for improvements that are on the rise.

"Students were engaged, conversant about what they were learning, and expressed positivity about their school and teachers. At each school students were able to describe what they were learning and the process of how they were learning the concept.

"I loved seeing the way student work was displayed at Naples Elementary. The Bucket Filler is a great example of quality PBIS at play. Speaking of play, I could have stayed in kindergarten all day watching the procedures in place. I saw a master class in procedures and student engagement in under five minutes. Expectations are posted and clear for students and staff. To hear about the tremendous growth in kindergarten and beyond, in part due to full-day kindergarten and science of reading training for teachers, was very exciting.

"I was amazed at the calm yet energetic feeling at Vernal Middle School. For such a large school, serving over 900 students, students were into a routine, following procedures and engaging with each other. While the physical elements of the school, such as the new lighting, beautiful auditorium, and cleanliness of the school were impressive, the interactions among students, teachers, and staff, were even more impressive in that it was clear students are seen and heard as individuals with great promise.

"Last but not least, what a great way to end the day at the amazing Uintah High School. Quality instruction is reinforced through feedback using the TREE Observation Tool. Principal Nerdin and her team are moving forward together focused on success for every student. She is able to talk about instruction at the granular level, which is amazing! The students were awesome! I loved how the adults talked to each student with the same care, tone, and support. It was clear that where they come from isn’t as important as where they are going. Such positive support for students and the adults who work with them."

Uintah Schools Superintendent Rick Woodford thanked Superintendent Dickson for spending time yesterday with district administrators and visiting Lapoint, VMS and the high school.

"I believe we would have received similar feedback had we selected any combination of three schools for her to visit in our district," Woodford said. "I am proud of the work we are doing to improve student culture and student learning in our schools. "
Website by SchoolMessenger Presence. © 2024 SchoolMessenger Corporation. All rights reserved.

NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION

No district employee or student shall be subjected to discrimination in employment or any district program or activity on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status. The district is committed to providing equal access and equal opportunity in its programs, services and employment including its policies, complaint processes, program accessibility, district facility use, accommodations and other Equal Employment Opportunity matters. The district also provides equal access to district facilities for all youth groups. The following persons have been designated as Title IX coordinators to handle inquires and complaints regarding unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation: Dr. Mistalyn Leis, Human Resources Director (435) 781-3100. You may also contact the Office for Civil Rights, Denver, CO, at (303) 844-5695.