2014AnnualReport

TheDalton

Difference

Dalton Public SchoolsEducating Students to become

contributing citizens of the world

Table of Contents

‘Picture of Success’ is Goal for Every Dalton Graduate

For years, schools and districts set high school graduation as the ultimate goal for all students. With a high school diploma, a student was able to

successfuly pursue a post-secondary education or a job. At the time, high school graduation was the picture of success.

Today, the competition to get into the best colleges requires much more from a student than having ahigh school diploma. Certainly the current job market is limited for applicants with only a high school diploma. Companies took advantage of the downturn in the economy and retooled their organizations for efficiency with advanced technology that requires workers to have specialized training, computer literacy and strong soft skills like critical thinking, communications and team-work. Employees in today’s economy are required to be continuous learners to maintain their skills and adapt to an evolving workplace.

Our schools strive to meet the challenge of prepar-ing students to graduate “college or career ready” in this new economy. We’ve adapted our curriculum to offer more advanced placement and rigorous courses as well as provide dual enrollment with local colleges so students have an advantage as they pursue post-secondary education. We’ve added new career path-ways to introduce and train students for the jobs of the future. We have a number of work/study programs that give students opportunities to experience firsthand the changing workplace. Our JROTC program exposes students to the discipline, culture and opportunity required for a career in the armed forces. All of these initiatives are designed to help students be successful whether they choose college, the workforce or the mili-tary upon graduation.

Inside this Annual Report you will find examples of what we refer to as our “picture of success.” We are highlighting just a few of our alumni who attribute some of their achievements to the education and ex-periences they received in Dalton Public Schools. We appreciate them for helping us tell the Dalton Public Schools’ story and are proud of the contributions they are making in our world.

They are the “Dalton Difference.”

About the CoverThe word graphic, or wordle, on the cover features words contributed by the Dalton Public Schools’ Communication and Marketing Team that bestarticulate the “Dalton Difference.”

Message from the Superintendent ....................... 1

Dalton Board of Education .................................. 2

Financial Stewardship ......................................... 3

The Pictures of Success

Luis Rosales ............................................... 4 Yae Jee Bae .................................................. 5

Asher Tchoua .............................................. 6

Maricela Jacobo .......................................... 7

Scott DeLay ................................................ 8

College and Career Ready Infographic ................. 9

Assessment and Accountability ........................... 10

Demographic Infographic .................................... 12

Year in Review ..................................................... 13

What is the ‘Dalton Difference?’

Message from the Superintendent

What is the “Dalton Dif-ference?” We say this phrase frequently as

we confront challenges, capital-ize on opportunities and plan for the future. I often tell staff that success requires us to be flexible and innovative. Our world changes constantly and our students have different needs than past generations. Our public schools cannot be stagnant in our work or our thinking. We must do things differently.

Reviewing the history of Dalton Public Schools, I find that being different is in our DNA. In 1886, Dalton residents created their own school district because they wanted something more. They accepted that city residents would have to pay more to fund a separate school system so their children could access the best education possible. In reviewing a booklet entitled “Instructions to Teacher” from 1962, the foun-dational principle of provid-ing interesting and engaging work to meet the individual-ized needs of each student was expressed. This idea is what still sets us apart today. For 129 years, Dalton’s schools have dis-tinguished themselves for their excellence in the classroom and on the fields of competition.

Our community has also expe-rienced tremendous changes—from literally being a “bedroom” community selling chenille bed-spreads to becoming a world-leader in carpet manufacturing. Our citizenry now includes a richly diverse mix of people from around the world who have helped expand the carpet industry and also the whole community. These changes had dramatic impacts on schools. Instead of continuing to do the same things that worked in the past, DPS staff confidently saw challenges as opportunities and

sought out ways to do things differently to address individu-alized student needs.

The district added new pro-grams to better prepare all students to become contribut-ing members of the world. In 2000, Dalton High School added the International Baccalaureate Program, a rigorous academic curriculum for high-achieving students based on international standards; Literacy Collab-orative was adopted in 2005 by elementary schools and later ex-panded to the middle school to help students improve reading and literacy fluency; the Interna-tional Academy was opened in 2001 to teach English to the new students from other countries whose first language was not English.

The legacy of the first board of education to provide something better for the city’s students lives on today as the current board works to find ways to provide the best educationalopportunities for the students.

I believe the “Dalton Difference” is more than city boundar-ies, funding sources, or qual-ity school buildings. It’s more than the stellar performance of our students, our outstanding faculties and staff, our laud-able national and state awards received by our schools, or even our long-standing, win-ning traditions–although all of those do set us apart. I believe the “Dalton Difference” is our pursuit of excellence as a driv-ing force in everything we do. It’s not settling for “good” when working just a little harder gives us “great” results. It’s doing the right thing for all students even if we have to work harder, stay longer, give more, and allocate resources differently to see them reach their highest potential. It’s being intentional

in creating positive, meaningful relationships with our students to understand their needs; with parents to understand their hopes for their children; with fellow staff to work as a team to make our schools safe welcom-ing places; and, with our com-munity to improve the resources available to keep it a great place to live. It’s also our passionate alumni who proudly support their alma mater by wear-ing their favorite “CAT” spirit wear, cheering on their team at athletic competitions, or making donations to the Dalton Educa-tion Foundation.

The “Dalton Difference” is something very special that you can’t always see or touch but it’s the feeling of pride that you will always carry in your heart once you’ve been a part of Dalton Public Schools.

I hope you will be a part of the “Dalton Difference.” Visit our schools, volunteer with a teach-er, or become a mentor to one of our students. Providing the best education for our students takes everyone in the community. We are grateful for your support and look forward to continuing to make a difference in the lives of our students, families and community.

Jim Hawkins, PhDSuperintendent

1

Dalton Board of Education

Growing Enrollment Makes Board’s Work Challenging

Dalton Board of Education Chairman Danny Crutchfield; Vice Chairman Ric Fromm, M.D.; Sherwood Jones, II; Steve Laird; and Treasurer Tulley Johnson.

New Faces Join Board

The Dalton Board of Educa-tion saw its first change in membership in seven years

in 2014. Former Chairman Steve Williams (14 years) and former Vice-Chairman Mark Orr (16 years) chose to retire from the board. Sherwood Jones, III and Steve Laird were elected and took office in January 2014.

Jones is a principal/partner with Carlson & Jones Archi-tects. He is a graduate of Dalton High School, holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Au-burn University, and a master’s degree in management from Georgia Institute of Technol-ogy. He is married and has four children, three of whom attend Dalton Public Schools.

Laird is the director of contract administration with Shaw Industries, Inc., and holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from Florida State University. Laird’s wife is a teacher at Dalton Middle School and they have two children who are graduates of Dalton High School.

Budget Challenges Result in Millage Change

Among the board’s most important responsibilities is approving an annual

operating budget. Faced with growing enrollment and declin-ing state and local revenues, the board critically reviewed data and worked with district admin-istrators to develop a reason-

able fiscal strategy to provide the necessary resources for 7,800 students.

Financial challenges faced by the board included cumulative austerity re-ductions of more than $34.7 mil-lion in state funding since 2003, declining lo-cal property

tax values of more than $446.4 million since 2009 resulting in a loss of $3.5 million in local tax revenue, loss of almost $1 million in local revenue due to implementation of the Freeport Tax Exemption on inventory for local industry, rising infla-tion at a rate of 9 percent since 2009, and an increase in student enrollment of 900 students since 2009—the equivalent of a large elementary school population. Though the district was diligent in cutting expenditures dur-ing the economic downturn by reducing staff, cutting salaries, transportation, and materials and services, the increasing enrollment left no room for additional cuts in staffing or services.

Board members determined that the only viable solution that al-lowed for maintaining the qual-ity of the educational program was to raise additional local rev-enue. After much consideration, the board raised the millage for the first time in a decade. To lessen the impact, the board also allocated $300,000 from reserves to balance the budget.

In August, when the official local tax digest showed a 3 percent improvement, the board lowered the proposed tax rate to receive only the revenue needed to balance the budget.

Work on Secondary Facilities Capacity Issues Ongoing

While many districts have experienced declining student

enrollment, Dalton Public Schools has averaged 2 percent growth annually for the last 10 years. This growth has exceeded the capacity of our secondary schools resulting in a review of our facility needs.

A study group, made up of a cross section of parents, staff, community, board members and district administrators, reviewed enrollment data and facility capacity information, projected future programming and enroll-ment needs, and visited other school districts. In May, the board learned that the commit-tee’s consensus was to present two options for further review: 1) a 5/6 grade school at Park Creek, convert Dalton Middle school to a 7/8 grade school and construct a new 9-12; and, 2) a new 6-12 school.

The board continues to work diligently using the committee’s findings to design a solution that addresses the overcrowding at our middle and high schools, as well as give students more exposure to additional career technical pathways and academ-ic offerings, and more opportu-nities to participate in athletic and extracurricular activities.

The board expects to bring a proposed solution to the public for feedback by early spring.

2

Instruction $42,395,123

70%

School & Student Support

$6,388,529 10%

Central Support

$4,617,571 8%

Maintenance & Operations $4,803,195

8%

Transportation $2,458,484

4%

Other Local $712,834

1%

Local Property Taxes

$26,745,676 44%

State Sources $32,509,185

54%

Federal Sources $499,111

1%

Financial Stewardship

Revenues

3,680 3,816 3,788 3,865 3,951 3,984

1,421 1,443 1,523 1,620 1,669 1,694

1,628 1,581 1,663 1,708 1,898 2,002

-

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014

9-12

6-8

PreK-5

6,729  7,193  

7,680  6,974  6,840  

7,518  

Enrollment10-Day Count

in Georgia forPer Pupil Revenues*91st

in Georgia forPer Pupil Expenditures*81st

Local Property Taxes in Relation to Millage Rate

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

7.00

8.00

9.00

1,000,000,000

1,500,000,000

2,000,000,000

2,500,000,000

3,000,000,000

3,500,000,000

4,000,000,000

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Net Property Tax Digest Millage Rate

Fiscal Year 2014 in Review

Expenditures

*Georgia Department of Education Websitehttps://app.doe.k12.ga.us/ows-bin/owa/fin_pack_revenue.entry_formList includes state-approved charter schools as well as all public schools districts across Georgia.

3

*General Fund

*General Fund

Notre Dame Freshman Well Prepared for College

The Picture of Success

Luis RosalesDHS Class of 2014

“The IB program helped me the most in college.When my chemistry professor was

explaining things, I understood why he was explaining it and how it worked.”

Luis Rosales didn’t waste much time through-out school. Between Advanced Placement classes and the International Baccalaureate

program during the school day to swimming, tennis and the National Beta Club after school, Rosales made almost every minute count. His self-motivation, use of school resources and direc-tion from his family landed him at Notre Dame University on a full-ride scholarship through QuestBridge where he is studying to be a chemical engineer with a business minor.

Rosales graduated as Dalton High School’s vale-dictorian in 2014. He received AP credits for two math, one history and one English course. He also received the IB diploma. He says the IB classes provided invaluable experience that has helped him through his first semester at Notre Dame. IB courses focus on the same class subject for two years in comparison to one.

“The IB program helped me the most in college,” he said. “When my chemistry professor was ex-plaining things, I understood why he was explain-ing it and how it worked. The way he explained it wasn’t that great. If I would have had to learn like it was totally new to me, I wouldn’t have under-stood what he was talking about.”

Along with chemistry courses he took with Annie Chatfield at DHS, Rosales said his English courses with Teresa Bennett and Karen Galyon gave him the confidence to tackle extensive essays in his col-lege philosophy courses.

With high school having prepared him for his college courses, Rosales had time to figure out the “system” of Notre Dame and participate in club water polo, an activity that allowed him to make

friends from different parts of the campus and travel to other universi-ties to com-pete.

“Since the classes prepared me and I did know some of the material, it helped me not worry about all new material,” Rosales said. “I could focus on manag-ing my time and learning how to talk to my pro-fessors, especially in the big, general courses.”

A mix of fatherly influence and a love of math and science led Rosales to engineering. However the business world grabs Rosales’s attention, as well.

“My dad is a mechani-cal engineer and I’ve always liked seeing how things work,” he said. “I wouldn’t mind working as an engineer but I also wouldn’t mind working in the business world because I find business to be really interest-ing, too.”

In addition to the many sacrifices Rosales said his parents made on behalf of his sister and him, they also made certain that he balanced his time wisely and took advantage of available opportunities. And contrary to most kids his age, he welcomed their consistent direction.

“It was discipline from the very beginning,” he said. “I appreciated that a lot because I didn’t go off track much, and when I did, they were there to put me back on track. I see the effects more now that they aren’t around. I still find myself getting homework done first.”

Rosales’s anticipated graduation date is set for May 2018. Even though he may pursue a master’s degree in business administration through Notre Dame’s business school, once he graduates with his bachelor’s, he believes the reality of his accom-plishments will set in.

“It’s a process of success. I think I’m on my way,” he said. “I definitely thought getting into college where I wanted to go was a success. But once I graduate college, it’ll seem like even more of a success.”

Rosales’s positive experience in Dalton has the potential to draw him back after graduation.

“It’s a good place to raise your kids and I would definitely think about coming back,” Rosales said. “There’s all kinds of opportunities here. Oppor-tunities to play sports, all the academic oppor-tunities, like the IB diploma that prepare you for college.”

4

The Picture of Success

When Yea Jee Bae attended Dalton High School, she focused on wisdom she received from her parents: do your best

and always reach beyond. That inspiration, along with her innate self-motivation, kept her involved in multiple clubs and volunteer work while still excelling academically in her class.

Bae moved to Georgia with her family from Alas-ka when she was 10, but she didn’t start attend-ing Dalton Public Schools until seventh grade. In 2011, Bae graduated as salutatorian and also received the International Baccalaureate diploma.

She attends Duke University in Durham, N.C. where she is majoring in English with a minor in creative writing and visual arts.

During high school, Bae participated in the IB program and took Advanced Placement courses. She was involved in SkillsUSA, a partnership of students, teachers and industry that work together to guarantee students have workforce skills after graduation. She competed in advertising competi-tions through SkillsUSA all four years and attend-ed nationals twice, placing third and fifth.

“Through SkillsUSA, I had the opportunity to meet professional people in industry,” Bae said.

Bae served on student council all four years, becoming co-president her senior year. She com-peted on the Academic Bowl Team, was a member of the National Beta Club and was involved in the Future Business Leaders of America. She also de-signed the inside cover of the 2008 yearbook and the school tee-shirt her junior year.

After school, she volunteered at Dalton Place, a senior living community, once a week for three years after school.

“I thought it was good to keep myself busy,” Bae said. “I thought it would be good experience when I applied to colleges. It taught me good work eth-ics and how to manage time.”

Out of everything Bae participated in during her time at DHS, her experience in graphic design classes taught by Nancy Hallsworth through the Career, Technical and Agricultural Education pro-gram impacted her most.

“That’s how I became involved in SkillsUSA,” Bae said. “It was very helpful in preparing me for

life after high school because it taught you about profes-sionalism. I practiced for interviews and learned how to create a resume. Mrs. Halls-worth was very encouraging and helpful with all my endeavors and while I was competing in SkillsUSA.”

In addition to CTAE courses, the IB program equipped Bae for college-level work.

“The IB program starts prepping you to perform independent research,” Bae said. “There’s a lot of work involved and you have to be able to bal-ance.”

After graduating this May, Bae hopes to enter the workforce.

“I was a voracious reader when I was growing up,” Bae said. “I’m interested in writing fiction, novels, children’s books. I’m also interested in pursuing something graphic-design related, pub-lishing or editorial.”

When thinking back on her time at DHS, she re-calls the sincerity and devotion of her teachers.

“All the teachers I had through my high school ca-reer were very helpful and willing to engage with me or other students outside of class,” Bae said. “I recommend students engaging more with their teachers instead of just passively absorbing what they’re being taught. Approach your educators and learn something beyond the classroom.”

If Bae could travel back to her time in high school, she would give her key to success to her fellow students:

“Dalton High has a lot of programs and courses that can prepare students for higher education. Look into the programs and talk to teachers and counselors about the opportunities Dalton High can provide you,” she said. “I would encourage people to set goals for themselves so they know where they want to go and how to get there. ”

“And read a lot.”

Yea Jee BaeDHS Class of 2011

Opportunities at Dalton Helped Bae Find Success at Duke

5

The Picture of Success

Throughout high school at Dalton Asher Tchoua often felt he was doing a lot of work without any payoff. But, looking back as a

college graduate, he now realizes he followed the right path as a student to make a difference for his future.

“I was in good hands and around the right people,” Tchoua said.

Tchoua enrolled in Dalton Public Schools in the fifth grade. He graduated from DHS in 2008 and transitioned directly into college at Southern Poly-

technic State University in the fall. He at-tended classes at SPSU until spring 2011 before trans-ferring to

Georgia Institute of Technology. He graduated with a civil engineering degree in the fall of 2013.

Tchoua now works for Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, a large, multinational conglomer-ate engineering, procurement and construction company specializing in projects for oil and gas companies. He is based in Louisiana and works through a CB&I training program, rotating from engineering to construction to fabrication to con-struction. For him, it’s something of a dream.

“The company I’m currently working for is the one I wanted to work for out of college,” he said.

His interest in engineering began at DHS when he took classes taught by Mark Hines. Courses involving drafting, engineering as well as reverse engineering design projects and maintaining his portfolio helped form his decision to study engi-neering.

His motivation to succeed came from a variety of experiences. Tchoua served as vice president and treasurer for the Technology Student Asso-ciation, a sector of Project Lead the Way Club, a nonprofit organization that introduces students to science, technology, engineering and math fields. He participated at state sporting competitions and enrolled in Advanced Placement psychology and physics taught by Karen Chenard and Carl Chenard.

“It was a big help in preparing for college my senior year,” Tchoua said. “Having coaches and teachers push you and help you see the opportu-

nities that are available really helps.”

One instance in particular stands out to Tchoua when he reflects on his high school experience. During a presiden-tial fitness test, students were required to do five pull-ups. Tchoua completed the requirement and stopped. What Coach Scott Thompson said to him next impacted his way of thinking.

“I remember Coach Thompson saying ‘If you can do more, do more,’” Tchoua recalled. “It goes along with a lot of things in life. You can get a lot more out of life if you put in a lot more, rather than just the bare minimum.”

World history teacher Michael Coulter’s teach-ing style affected how Tchoua viewed learning as well. Instead of overloading students with read-ing assignments, Coulter discussed with the class about events and connections that made history seem relevant, Tchoua said. Coulter’s teaching style fostered an interesting learning environment and helped Tchoua absorb the material.

“The way he taught it made it more interesting,” he said. “It was making you aware of what’s going on around you rather than just memorizing stuff because it looks good on college applications.”

In addition to teachers and programs at DHS, Tch-oua credits his academic and career success to an important principle. “Don’t always put emphasis on other people’s opinions. Always ask questions if you don’t know. People are either too proud or embarrassed to ask a question and you end up with great mistakes that could have been avoided if someone would have stopped and asked.”

Tchoua has come a long way, but he desires to ac-complish more.

“My goals for right now are to complete the train-ing program with CB&I and gain knowledge about how a company runs. I’m pursuing my en-gineering license and I need to work for four years under a professional engineer.”

But, as of now, Tchoua said, “I’m pretty happy.”

Tchoua Says Right People, Right Place Made Difference

“Having coaches and teachers push you and help you see the opportunities that

are available really helps.”

Asher TchouaDHS Class of 2008

6

The Picture of Success

Local Attorney Says Dalton Teachers Are The Difference

“We are lucky in our district to have the quality of teachers we do. There are

wonderful teachers throughout our entire system.”

Scott DeLayDHS Class of 2006

Scott DeLay graduated from Dalton High School in 2006 as an Advanced Placement Scholar. He attended the University of Geor-

gia on the HOPE Scholarship and graduated in 2010 with an International Affairs degree. After receiving his bachelor’s, DeLay graduated from Georgia State University’s School of Law in 2013. Now working as a trial attorney at Coppedge & Associates, P.C. in Dalton, DeLay attributes his success to a specific group:

Teachers.

“We are lucky in our district to have the quality of teachers we do,” DeLay said. “There are wonder-ful teachers throughout our entire system.”

And he should know. DeLay attended DPS from kindergarten to his senior year.

In high school, DeLay kept busy with tennis, cross-country and French club. He took advantage of the many Advanced Placement courses DHS offers. DeLay graduated with 28 hours of com-bined AP credits and dual-enrollment credits from Dalton State, almost an entire year’s worth of

college credit, in English, sta-tistics, pschol-ogy, U.S. and world history.

“Graduating with AP credit

took a lot of pressure off me starting out,” he said. “I was able to have a much more manageable course load in the beginning of college that gave me time to adjust to some of the new aspects of school.”

DeLay says he also benefitted from the teaching style he was exposed to in the courses.

“Teachers taught with a mind for preparing us for what it would be like in college,” he said. “It made the transition a lot easier.”

Susan Brigman was one of those teachers. “Students always seemed more engaged in her classes,” said DeLay. “Looking back, I wish I would have taken her constitutional law class.”

Brigman recalls DeLay being a dedicated student with a knack for seeing cause and effect in Ameri-can history that developed into a deep regard for the subject.

“I remember Scott as a hard-working stu-dent,” Brigman said. “When he started my class, he wasn’t quite sure about the expectations. But he excelled and worked hard to meet the challenge.”

DeLay didn’t realize it at the time, but Michael Coulter’s Theory of Knowledge class, an Interna-tional Baccalaureate course similar to philosophy, helped shape his interest in law.

“Over the course of time, I started realizing the things I liked to study ended up being a lot of the types of things you need in practicing law,” DeLay said. “A lot of research, taking abstract theories and applying them to real world situations and being able to debate two sides of an issue.” After college, DeLay’s decision to return home was a way for him to pay homage to his upbring-ing in Dalton and DPS.

“I like the idea of reinvesting my efforts into a town that has done a lot for my development,” DeLay said. “I love that everyone embraces that small-town community mindset. We collectively take a great deal of pride in each other’s achieve-ments.”

He still supports DHS sports and events, attend-ing several football and basketball games since he graduated from law school. This spring, he’ll be in the stands at the tennis matches.

He and his wife have made a life here in Dalton, where they are close to family, friends and work – a picture of success for many people, includ-ing DeLay. His definition of success comes from Coach John Wooden, former basketball coach for the University of California, Los Angeles: “peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.”

“To me, ‘success’ is not an ultimate achieve-ment, but something by which we measure each response we have to each individual challenge we’re confronted with,” said DeLay. “I’ve had my fair share of both success and failure in the past, and I expect I’ll have my fair share of both in the future.” 7

The Picture of Success

When Maricela Jacobo and her family moved to Dalton from Mexico in 2001, she was a 17-year-old, non-English

speaking, high school senior who dreamed of becoming a doctor.

“I always knew I wanted to go to medical school,” Jacobo said. “I didn’t know I would have to go through college first. I didn’t know I was expected to repeat high school or how long it was going to take me to graduate.”

Jacobo’s perseverance, coupled with a crucial relationship with Dalton High teacher Dr. Sarida Hoy, made her dreams come true and has inspired

her six sib-lings to strive for academic excellence.

When Jacobo enrolled in Dalton Public Schools, she faced learn-ing a new language and sorting through her academic credits from Mexico to determine her high school classification.

She was assigned to the International Academy, the district’s school for English Language Learners at the time. She quickly progressed through the program. Jacobo transferred to DHS and transi-tioned into more advanced classes where she met Hoy.

After her transferable credits were registered, Jacobo and Hoy created an academic path al-lowing Jacobo to graduate in two years. But that meant doubling up on English, math, history and passing the graduation exam while learning the English language.

“I was very stressed, working and barely sleep-ing,” Jacobo said. “But I was willing to do any-thing. I just wanted the chance to do it.”

And she did. Jacobo graduated with honors from DHS in 2003.

“I think I had just the resources I needed at DHS,” Jacobo said. “Teachers were always an inspiration. They showed me that there was more than just home; there was a different world out there.”

Jacobo attended the University of North Georgia where she majored in biology graduating in 2007. She was the first of her siblings to attend college and graduate.

“My parents saw education as a way to become something better. I was very lucky. My parents never had the chance to go to school, but they worked hard so I could have the chance,” she said. “Quitting was never an option.”

After a year of working and studying for the Medical College Admissions Test, Jacobo was unsure about going to medical school. After con-sulting Hoy, she was reminded of her passion and determination to become a doctor.

“Having someone who doesn’t just believe in you, but takes no excuses from you, is big.” Jacobo said. “There were times where I could have just been comfortable, but Sarida was someone who wouldn’t let me.”

Jacobo attended Ponce Health Sciences University and simultaneously joined the Navy and received the Health Professions Scholarship. She graduated as a medical doctor and was commissioned as a Navy lieutenant in 2012. She did her internal med-icine internship at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. She now serves as the Battalion Surgeon for the largest artillery battalion in the Marine Corps and is stationed in Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C.

For students that are struggling, Jacobo offers this advice: “You don’t have stay in school for years to be successful. Think about what makes you happy and go for it! Don’t expect a handout; life does not owe us anything. Don’t allow your current circumstances to determine the rest of your life. If you really want it, and work hard … very hard, you’ll reach your goal. It’s not just what we do for ourselves; it’s what we do for our families. It’s worth it.”

Surgeon Fulfills Dream With Support of Former Teacher

Maricela’s former biology teacher Dr. Sarida Hoycongratulates Maricela on achieving her dream of

graduating from medical school.

Maricela JacoboDHS Class of 2003

8

9

83.7 87.1 84.4 82.3 82.1 79.6

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

100

2011-12 2012-13 2013-14

DPS

State

1435 1421

1471

1408

1452 1445

1498 1498

1200

1250

1300

1350

1400

1450

1500

1550

1600

2011-12 2012-13 2013-14

DPS

State

National

20.41 20.84

20.9 20.7 20.7 20.8 21.1 20.9 21

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

2011-12 2012-13 2013-14

DPS State National

Assessment and Accountability

3rd Grade CRCT

8th Grade CRCT

5th Grade CRCT

8th Grade Writing

SAT Average Composite Score

ACT Composite Score

In 2014, elementary and middle school students took the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests for the last time as Georgia moves to a

new assessment system. Dalton students contin-ued to perform well in Reading and English/Lan-guage Arts at all grades. While fifth grade math scores remained steady, scores in third and eighth have room for improvement.

CRCT Scores

College Entrance Exams

The SAT Average Composite score for the dis-trict was up by 50 points in 2014, higher than the state’s average score.

The Average ACT Composite Score increased slightly and was above the state’s average score. Dalton schools are encouraged by the three-year trend of improvement in the scores.

Secondary Schools Writing Scores

Scores by first-time test takers of the Georgia High School Writing Test saw their scores remain above the state average. Eighth grade

writing scores also remained above state average.

2014 Last Year for CRCT

93 89 83

97 91 83

97 90

79

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

100

Reading ELA Math

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

96 96 93 96 93 93 99 96 94

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

100

Reading ELA Math

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

97 94

83

98 94

87

97 93

83

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Reading ELA Math

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

95.9 96.7 94.9 93.2 95 94.2

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

100

2011-12 2012-13 2013-14

DPS

State

*Scores from the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement Report Card as reported at www.GOSA.georgia.gov

10

Georgia High School Writing Test

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

District

High School

Middle School

Elementary School

Dalton High

Morris Innovative

Dalton Middle

Blue Ridge

Brookwood

City Park

Park Creek

Roan

Westwood

2012 (recalculated)

2013

2014

CCRPI

The College Career Ready Performance Index is Georgia’s statewide accountability sys-tem, implemented in 2012 to replace the No

Child Left Behind Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) measurement. Created by the Georgia Department of Education. Schools and school districts are measured on student achievement, progress and achievement gap on standardized tests, as well as graduate rate using a 100-point scale. Schools may also earn Exceeding the Bar points by offering op-portunities that challenge students to go beyond expectations.

Shown in the graph at left are the past three years of CCRPI scores for the schools and dis-trict. District and school administration are using the scores to inform instructional enhancements and improve student support and resources. The implementation of the new assessments may have a negative impact on student performance dur-ing the adjustment period, which could result in lower CCRPI scores. For more information on CCRPI, go to www.gadoe.org/CCRPI.

Georgia Milestones Assessment

Beginning in 2015, students in grades three through 12 will be assessed using the new Georgia Milestones Assessment System,

which will be significantly different from the CRCT. The new tests will feature open-ended constructed response items in language arts and math; a writing component at every grade and language arts course; and norm-referenced items in all content areas and courses. Also, the assess-ment will be transitioned to online administration for all students.

We expect the Georgia Milestones assessments to be a much different experience for students. Often during the first administration of new standard-ized tests, student scores may fluctuate from past performance. While teachers are working hard to help students prepare for the new tests, we en-courage parents to communicate with their child’s teacher on ways to help students prepare and achieve their best results.

Literacy Collaborative Assessment

In 2012, the City of Dalton and Whitfield County governmental agencies along with the lo-cal Chamber of Commerce and the Archway

Partnership made a commitment to literacy and education. Since that time, these organizations have committed to support all area students read on grade level in the early grades.

As the community discussions continued, third grade reading scores became the benchmark for achievement. While CRCT scores serve as one indicator of student achievement, Dalton Public Schools also uses student text levels, or reading levels, as determined in our Literacy Collaborative framework.

The graph (shown left) represents reading levels for third grade students over the last three years with level (P) considered on grade level. The percentage of students who met the standard reading level of (P) increased by five percent but the number of students exceeding the standard dropped by eight percent. Staff development and coaching to improve instruction will continue in 2014-15 with the goal of having more students in the “meets and exceeds the standard” for reading levels. To view the executive summary on Literacy Collaborative, go to https://eboard.eboardsolu-tions.com/Documents/ViewDocs.aspx?S=4050.

Changes Coming in StudentAssessments for 2015

Scores as reported by the Georgia Department of Education at http://ccrpi.gadoe.org/2014/

Assessment and Accountability

College & Career Readiness Performance Index

3rd Grade End of the Year /Instructional Levels

24%

16%

23%

37%

19%

10% 19%

52%

21%

11%

24%

44%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Does not Meet the Standard (Below O)

Approaches the Standard

(O)

Meets the Standard (P)

Exceeds the Standard (Q+)

2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 11

Information from Oct 2013 FTE

12

13

The Year in Review

May

January

FebruaryMarch

Snow-maggedon! Students andstaff missed four days of school in January and February.

New Dalton Board of Education members Sherwood Jones, III and Steve Laird were sworn in and took office in January.

Shivam Patel won the first-ever District-wide Georgraphy Bee for elementary students in March. Jona-than Palacios was the runner-up.

April

June/July

Dalton High was recognized for the 5th time as a Best High School by U.S. News & World Report. They were the highest ranked Georgia high school north of the metro Atlanta area.

Dalton High Class of 2014

Morris Innovative High Class of 2014

Construction continued all summer at Dalton Middle School. The $14 million addition included classrooms, multi-purpose room, cafeteria addition and auxiliary gym.

Au

gust

September

November

October

Dalton High graduate J.R. Martinez helped DPS kick the 2014-15 school year off with a motivational mes-sage on “The Dal-ton Difference” at the district’s first convocation in a number of years.

Dalton High teacher Ava Wyatt was selected as the 2014 “Dalton Teacher of the Year.” Wyatt teaches German at the school.

German students from Harz Mountains in Sachsen-Anhalt visited Dalton High as part of their joint exchange program. Dalton High was one of only seven Georgia schools to receive the PASCH award from the German Consulate General and German Central Agency for Schools Abroad.

The first day of school in August brought more students to DPS. Enrollment grew by about 2% for the start of the 2014-15 school year.

For the third year, Dr. Hawkins visited with each kindergarten student to pres-ent them a book and encourage them to work hard and graduate high school.

December

2014

State SchoolSuperintendent John Barge recog-nized Brookwood as only the 12th STEM (Science, Technol-ogy, Engineering and Math) Certified School in Georgia.

Dalton High was named an Advanced Placement Honors School by the College Board for the second year in a row.

Brookwood was named a Title I Highest-Performing Reward School for the third year.

Dalton High had 67 students named AP Scholars--the most in school history. Fourteen students were AP Scholars wtih Honors, and eleven were AP Honors with Distinction.

Roan fourth grader Evelyn Borjas won first place in the state School Bus Safety Poster Contest.

August

The Dalton Board of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, color, religion, age, national origin, disability, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, in any educational programs, activities, or employment policies. The district prohibits retaliation against any individual who files a charge of discrimination, participates in a discrimination proceeding, or otherwise opposes an unlawful employment practice.

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Beliefs•Each student is unique and can learn more at higher levels•Students give their attention and commitment when provided engaging experiences•Literacy is fundamental for success in all pursuits and necessary for lifelong learning•Together, we achieve more•Each individual is a learner, teacher, designer and leader•Education is essential to the well-being of each individual, the economy and our democratic way of life

VisionEach student of Dalton Public Schools engages in interesting, challenging, satisfying experiences that result inprofound learning in academic disciplines, synthesis, creativity, respect and ethics so that each student is acontributing citizen of the world.

MissionThe mission of Dalton Public Schools is to be a great learning organization where networked learningcommunities are the primary means of maintaining direction, establishing goals, assessing results, andassuring progress; creating, developing, importing, and exploring knowledge; and recruiting and inducting members.

Dalton Public Schools • 300 W. Waugh St. • P. O. Box 1408 • Dalton, GA 30722-1408 • 706-876-4000