Dumas ALE Honors 2nd Term Teachers and Students

The Dumas School District (DSD) Alternative Learning Environments (ALE) are pleased to announce our students and teachers for the second term.   Mrs. Shirley Portis has chosen Hector Guerra as the Central PREP Student of the Second Term. Hector has made amazing strides both behaviorally and academically since his enrollment in the program.

Ms. Dione Poole is the Elementary ALE Teacher of the Second Term. Ms. Poole is known for her laid back demeanor and pleasant smile; but don’t think that she isn’t a highly motivated educator. Mr. Lee sometimes refers to her as the “tennis shoe teacher” because he has never visited her classroom and not seen her on her feet gliding from one student to the next, sometimes covering a different subject area with each pupil, while maintaining an excellent learning atmosphere.  Mr. Tarek Anderson, Reed Assistant Principal, referred to Ms. Poole as “the Eager Beaver” because she is always ready to fill in and do whatever needs to be done. He can always depend on her to lend a hand even if she is not directly involved in the matter. She assists others with technological and planning issues. Mr. Anderson says, “In a world of, ‘will I get paid to do it’ she goes against the popular way of thinking.  Often times she can just over hear a need and pop up later with a finished, workable product.  A value cannot be placed on such a person.” Ms. Poole’s daughter, Makendra, noted her mother’s fight against diabetes. Even multiple comas could not hold this great woman down!

Carlos Castillo is a 9^th grade Bobcat football and baseball player who also excels academically. He has a very quiet and pleasant disposition, yet he is a great participant in classroom discussions. While in art at Target PREP, his peers and instructors learned about the importance Carlos places on his family. He respects his father, adores his mother, and hopes to be a great example for his younger siblings, who he loves passionately. Carlos transitioned back to Dumas Junior High School in January. It is no wonder that he has been selected the Target PREP Junior High Student of the Second Term.

 

The Target PREP High School Student of the Second Term, Dejaun Beeman, is very likely one of the most teachable pupils Mr. Lee has ever served. Dejaun has learned to “own” his decisions and “man up” to the consequences. Once a student reaches such a maturity level, he or she tends to make fewer costly, negative choices. Even though Dejaun has transitioned back to Dumas New Tech High School (DNTHS), Mr. Lee (ALE Director), Mrs. Marla Hill (DNTHS Director), Mr. Paul Morara (DNTHS Principal), and Dejaun’s parents are working to assure his transition becomes smoother each day.

 

 

 

If you happened to enter the Target PREP (TP) campus during the month of November, you were greeted by a large metal turkey and a table full of “what I am thankful for” notes written by TP students. In December, three pastel Christmas trees brightened the campus entrance. All of this was the creative genius of the ALE Civics/Economics instructor, Mrs. Allison Shepherd. Mrs. Shepherd is no stranger to ALE. Although this is her first year teaching under the current administration, she was actually one of the first alternative learning educators in the district. The ALE director often listens in on Allison’s lively and engaging dialogues about government, history, and the economy. She takes daring risks to meet her students’ needs for relevance concerning the content she presents. Mrs. Shepherd even adds dynamic input during Mr. Lee’s morning social skills training. We are proud to honor Allison as the Secondary Teacher of the Second Term.

Recently, a group of Reed PREP students were rewarded for their good behavior. They attended a field experience at the Delta Rivers Nature Center in Pine Bluff. The pupils were able to touch a live alligator and hear about the importance of land and water conservation. They even watched eagles being fed. After the Nature Center, the students were treated to lunch at Wendy’s. This activity was funded in part by a grant from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.