Dawson Elementary — In the Heart of 78704

Dawson Elementary Principal Shannon Sellstrom tells me the school is located in the heart of 78704. You know what that means — "Keeping It Weird" is a way of life down here in South Austin. Head custodian Julio Lopez greeted us at the door with what Ramona likes to call the "keys to the kingdom" (you principals know what we are talking about - those thousands of keys on the one key ring!). His mother is the head custodian at St. Elmo, where he went to elementary school.

For almost 60 years, Dawson has celebrated its diverse community and looks forward next year to leading the implementation of One-Way Dual Language in AISD. Dawson seeks every opportunity to recognize student achievement as students set and achieve goals for specific progress and leadership.

Superstar students are highlighted each month with a picture and achievement summary in a front hall display. A monthly celebration brings all the superstars together for recognition and fun.

I ran into last year's AISD Teacher of the Year, Cindy Stocking, who was in an ARD with her colleagues and counselor Zak Kuykendall, who is retiring this year (he looks 12-years-old!). I will be seeing Zak at the AISD Retirement Dinner tonight. Cindy led a year of reading effort and improvement organized by the Dawson Literacy Cadre.

Tayna Jedele, assistant principal, was in the library with the librarian, Debbie Shaffer, for Dawson's Math Talk. This is a student recognition program in which each teacher, PreK through grade 5, selects one student to bring a math problem or project to share and present their mathematical thinking, process, and criteria for quality, and life relevance. There were parents and grandparents in the audience. If you could have seen the look of pride on Michelle's grandmother's face as Michelle shared a foldable on Great Mathematicians!!!

Teacher of Promise is Becca Nagel, 4th grade inclusion teacher, whose students were involved in using research skills for technology projects. They shared all the highlights of their school year through a video collage, including trips to the Bob Bullock Museum, Gattitown, the Austin Symphony (I saw them there on the same day!), as well as other campus activities like track and field and the school's Sock Hop. It was so much fun to watch them do a group dance to MC Hammer's "You Can't Touch This." Samuel, who with his sister, made me a welcome poster, also shared his research and video on endangered African elephants. The class had a cemetery of "dead words," known as common words, and after a funeral (with tombstones and all), they put these words to rest and learned to use elaboration to enhance their writing.

Now, I have to share another bit of feedback regarding school cafeteria food. You surely know that, in a kid's world, pizza rules. So Ms. Nagel's students feel it is really important for me to do something about cafeteria pizza. In particular, they said it was gooey and cold, instead of crispy and hot. Although I have had my share of school cafeteria food in the district, I have not had the pizza. (Today is beef and chicken fajitas and they were delicious.) So, if at all possible, and if pizza is being served again before the end of the school year, could our food service staff pay a little extra attention to the pizza so that the pizza rep is restored at Dawson. And, of course, the kids want more pepperoni. Who doesn't?

Dawson is working to upgrade its courtyard as an outdoor classroom and science center. They'll be seeking grant funding to enhance the facility and to develop a curriculum to deepen students' learning about their outdoor environment.

We were not able to visit Dawson Teacher of the Year Noreen Rodriguez, since she is out celebrating the birth of her brand new one-day-old baby girl! Her class was busy with their Inclusion partner teacher Andy Rosario testing various methods to clean oil from feathers, and writing about how they might advise folks who are working to clean up the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The school is named for Molly Dawson, the first principal of the first school in South Austin, now Fulmore Middle School. A native Texan, she was born in 1849, began teaching in Austin in 1882, and led the then-South Austin Ward School from 1891-1899. As a new Austinite, I've enjoyed learning about these early educators such as Molly Dawson. Their work, so many years ago, laid the path of excellence that we have in our schools today — and certainly here at Dawson Elementary itself. Miss Molly would be proud!

Time's up at Dawson. The Dolphins have been so welcoming and fun to get to know. Thanks for everything! We're getting back on the bus and heading southwest to Patton Elementary.