WHY DODSON?
Dodson Middle School is a place of rigor. What does this mean? It's an educational institution that provides learning opportunities for students both in and out of the classroom that challenges their thinking in new and interesting ways. Students are encouraged towards a sophisticated understanding of fundamental ideas and are driven by curiosity to discover what they don't know.
Dodson Middle School is a 6-8 "Gifted-High Ability Magnet" campus serving over 1,800 students. Dodson is a Title I school and scored the highest of any middle school in ESC South with an API score of 854 in 2013. Dodson Middle School students will acquire academic skills and character traits that will prepare them for higher education as well as the 21st Century job market. All students will know how to work as a team to apply problem-solving skills and persevere through tasks and situations. Dodson students will respect and support others in the learning process and non-academic situations. Dodson’s staff, students, parents and community will communicate and work together to reach its goals and to support all members of its community.
There will be a school-wide focus on Common Core Writing throughout the various disciplines. As a means of building a foundation for college and career readiness, students will be able to construct writings that support opinions, demonstrate an understanding of the subjects they are studying, and convey real and imagined experiences and events.
To meet the goal of proficiency for all Dodson students, grade-level Math and ELA teams will participate in lesson studies throughout school years 2013-2016. This study will consist of a create-plan-deliver-reflect-refine/revise cycle. Team of grade-level content specific teachers will create a lesson plan aligned to the common core state standards, deliver the plan, give the assessment, reflect on the student work and instructional processes, and finally, determine next steps for instruction.
School Profile Description
Dodson Middle School serves its LAUSD students from the city of Rancho Palos Verdes who live in Lomita, San Pedro, and Wilmington. It provides a configuration of grades six through eight with a rising student enrollment of 1,853 students. The school’s feeder elementary schools include: Bandini, Crestwood, De La Torre, Eshelman, Hawaiian, Park Western and Taper. Dodson’s student home languages include: Korean, Tagalog, Spanish. Its racial and ethnic include: Asian, Filipino, Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic, and White. Dodson’s school community collaborates together with parents, students, teachers, and school staff in the following local school councils: English Learner Advisory Committee, School Site Council and Local School Leadership.
There will be a school-wide focus on Common Core Writing throughout the various disciplines. As a means of building a foundation for college and career readiness, students will be able to construct writings that support opinions, demonstrate an understanding of the subjects they are studying, and convey real and imagined experiences and events.
To meet the goal of proficiency for all Dodson students, grade-level Math and ELA teams will participate in lesson studies throughout school years 2013-2016. This study will consist of a create-plan-deliver-reflect-refine/revise cycle. Team of grade-level content specific teachers will create a lesson plan aligned to the common core state standards, deliver the plan, give the assessment, reflect on the student work and instructional processes, and finally, determine next steps for instruction.
School Profile Description
Dodson Middle School serves its LAUSD students from the city of Rancho Palos Verdes who live in Lomita, San Pedro, and Wilmington. It provides a configuration of grades six through eight with a rising student enrollment of 1,853 students. The school’s feeder elementary schools include: Bandini, Crestwood, De La Torre, Eshelman, Hawaiian, Park Western and Taper. Dodson’s student home languages include: Korean, Tagalog, Spanish. Its racial and ethnic include: Asian, Filipino, Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic, and White. Dodson’s school community collaborates together with parents, students, teachers, and school staff in the following local school councils: English Learner Advisory Committee, School Site Council and Local School Leadership.