​This fall, we revisited our Action Plan for Learning, reviewing what is working as well as areas for growth.   The updated document will soon be posted and is the result of our staff's observations and collaboration over the course of our years as a K - 12.  We looked at the times throughout the year that our kids were at their finest, when they (and we) were most proud of their accomplishments, and we asked ourselves, "What conditions are in place when our students are able to do their best learning?"  We focused on three strengths we have as a school, and we determined that deepening our work in those three areas will continue to build our students' strengths:

• Building relationships.  We want each student in our school to feel connected to school and believe that there is at least one adult in the school who knows that he/she will be successful.
• Personalization.  We work to find many ways for students to make choices about what they are learning and how to present what they have learned.  And we are determined to provide individualized, inclusive supports for students who need them.
• Becoming self-directed.  We want to encourage our students to develop a growth mindset, which means that they will believe that they can learn the most and build their talents through hard work and dedication.  We are going to support them to be active learners, taking charge of setting their own goals and believing that their own determination is the most important factor in their success.

Check out our school's facebook page for regular updates, and join us whenever you can, as students share their progress through student exhibitions/ portfolios/ Freshgrade  and learning conversations.

Susan Schalles, Principal

Desert Sands Community School