We are nearing the end of the 1st Marking Period. Please be sure that your child submits all assignments by October 29th. Students get a fresh start for Marking Period 2 and will have a head start on Monday. Let's continue to work together to ensure our students are thriving!

Starting this week, families will receive an email when a DCA student has forgotten to login for the day and has accrued an absence. If you receive this message, please be sure to send an excuse to cyber_attendance@dasd.org within 3 days per DASD School Board policy.

Fondly,

Dr. Kecia Nesmith, Principal and Curriculum Supervisor

Dr. Kristie Burk, Coordinator for Online & Blended Learning

• 10/28 - ACT Testing
  

• 10/29 - All work for Marking Period 1 due

• 10/31 - Aimsweb Plus Reports in IC Backpacks Gr. 7-8
  

• 11/2 -11/3 - CDT Testing for DCA Grade 6 @ District Office

• 11/6 - BASC-3 Screening for all full-time students in Gr. 6-9

• 11/7 - No School

• 11/10 - Report cards posted in Infinite Campus

• 11/20 - Asynchronous Day/Week 12 work due

• 11/21 - Family Conferences via Zoom from 8:00 am - 3:30pm and 6 pm - 8pm

• 11/22-24 - No School for Thanksgiving break

Student Survey Information

The DCA student-focused survey (grades 6-12) will be offered during advisory/link shared in the Advisory Schoology Course for full-time students during the week of November 13-17 and will be open until November 20th. If you would like to opt your child out of participating in this survey, please send an email to cyberacademy@dasd.org.

*Students who attend the DCA part-time will receive the survey link from their home school building and can take the survey twice - once for the building and once for the DCA.

Additional Survey Details

All responses will remain fully confidential, and individual school data will not be viewed or used by PDEOSS. Instead, the Pennsylvania Department of Education may utilize aggregated statewide and regional survey data to identify trends, evaluate programs, and provide technical assistance strategies.

After the survey process, DASD will receive the summarized data for analysis and planning. The PA School Climate Surveys (PSCS) assess three critical domains that have been proven to play a significant role in student learning and development:

• Student Support and Engagement scale: Measures the extent to which students feel listened to, cared about, and supported by teachers and other adults in the school to achieve their behavioral and academic goals.

• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) scale: Measures staff or student perceptions of how well they relate to and support each other.

• Safe and Respectful School Climate scale: Measures how physically safe students or staff perceive the school to be and how emotionally safe students perceive the school to be.
  
  

Thank you for your participation and continued support. Together, we can make a positive impact on our school community.

On November 6th, we will be administering the BASC-3 Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BASC-3 BESS) to all of our full-time students in grades 6-9 during advisory. This screener is designed to be administered to students ranging from preschool through high school and offers a reliable, quick, and systematic way to determine behavioral and emotional strengths and weaknesses of children and adolescents.

The marking period is ending this weekend. Parents can check current student grades on both Schoology and Infinite Campus. Please visit our Technology web page for directions.

The Downingtown Area School District is proud to announce the upcoming program, "Supporting Grieving Students," scheduled for October 30th at 3:45 PM (EDT). This valuable training session will take place via Zoom and will be conducted in conjunction with the Cultural Equity Task Force meeting. The program aims to address an essential aspect of student well-being by providing support and guidance for grieving students. With the challenges and emotional hurdles that students face, it's vital for educational institutions to create a supportive environment. This program aligns with the district's commitment to holistic student development. The session will be led by Kate Lannan, a Licensed Social Worker and the Education Director at A Haven, a nonprofit organization dedicated to partnering with grieving families through grief support, education, community outreach, and instilling hope. Kate's extensive experience and background in social work, particularly in working with grieving children and families, make her a highly qualified expert for this program.

A local community group is seeking two individuals to plan and execute games and activities for a small group of special needs young adults. Meetings occur every Thursday 3-5pm in Downingtown. Minimum commitment is two meetings/month. Must be willing to plan activities independently and be comfortable engaging with young adults of all abilities. A fun and rewarding opportunity! Email maryfetterman5@gmail.com for more information.

Tel Hai Retirement Community in Honey Brook needs servers! The minimum age is 15, they offer $12.50-$13.50/hour, flexible schedules and free meals during your shift. Contact www.telhai.org/careers to apply!

Ashbridge Senior Living is hiring part-time servers and dishwashers 3:30-7:30 p.m. and weekends. They hire at 14 with working papers! Apply in person at 971 E. Lancaster Avenue. Visit www.ashbridgemanor.com for more information.

All DCA students are considered students in their home buildings even if they are full-time DCA. Please check your child's school below for upcoming events and activities in which they can participate!

If your K-5 student took the Aimsweb Plus assessment this Fall, the report is NOW AVAILABLE in the Infinite Campus Backpack. Please take a moment to review your child's progress.

• A BVA field trip to the Zoo! Stay tuned for more information!
• Parent/Caretaker -Teacher Conferences - November 20-21. Look for communication from your child's BVA teacher.
• Smart Futures Career Readiness Artifacts in Canvas. Students will soon have a course in Canvas to link them to the DASD Class Link and Smart Futures application to access activities that must be completed for career readiness. More information to come!

Please visit our DCA website at dc.dasd.org for more information.

Backpack Resources

Email: cyberacademy@dasd.org
Website: dc.dasd.org
Location: 540 Trestle Place, Downingtown, PA, USA
Phone: 610-269-8460
Facebook: http://facebook.com/dca
Twitter: @dasd_dca