What’s Right With Our Schools: Dalewood Middle Level 5 Status
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) – Part of Dalewood’s vision statement is to be a model middle school that fosters academic excellence and model citizenship. According to the Tennessee Board of Education, that’s just what they’re doing. Their level 5 status proves it.
Rashaad Williams is the Principal at Dalewood Middle.
He explains, “Dalewood is a level 5 five in literacy. We are number 5 for success rate, that is a measurement of math and science and math and ELA together, and then we are level three composite overall.”
He continues, “Dalewood had a terrible issue with chronic absenteeism. If they’re home, then I can’t teach them. So, we have to find a way to restore joy back to school for students to want to actually be here. So, we focused on learning into an area that has interest for them, and because of that they are excelling. ”
Janet McGarigy is the AV Career Cluster Lead at Dalewood Middle.
She says, “I have seen a lot of kids who maybe struggle in other areas and struggle to connect someway at the school who really relate to what we’re doing a visual. And I just kind of see the personalities open up and a whole new way.”
Principal Williams chips in, “We’re the only middle school in Hamilton’s County that has, what we call, Career Clusters, and in those clusters, we align core content with a feel on an area of work experience that students have an interest in. And here it’s computer science with a field of work, but area of work experience and here are computers, science A/V, innovations, and disco fabrication. They partnered with community expert reviews, and they’re learning these career pathways, and the tricks of the trade students are just as the students are.”
Jatorrence Woodard is a 7th grader at Dalewood.
He says, “When I first learned about band lab, I know how to use it when I first learned about van love I know how to use it, but then when I came across a learn and I got more creative with it.”
Principal Williams concludes, “We have five shared values here at Dalewood. All Blue Night are respectful, responsible, read, reflective and resilient. And when students demonstrate the behaviors that we have a lot of those shared values. They earn what we call Blue Bucks. And from those Blue Bucks they are able to purchase time. And our school gaming center, they are able purchase things from the castle store, so we have some intentional spaces hear that help us to reset student behavior when is not appropriate and get them reacclimated for the classroom. Dalewood was recognized last year for having one of the greatest increases in student daily attendance; over 91%. And then we decrease have one of the greatest decreases in chronic absenteeism. So, we’ve done a lot of work here at Dalewood to make it a place special. Where every student feels connected. And feel a part of the school, and therefore increasing our daily attendance and reducing our chronic absenteeism.”
