Falcon Flyer
Week of February 19th
IMPORTANT MEETING
*I know that this is last minute and many of you may have appointments or coaching duties already scheduled. Please let me know if this is the case for you so that we can make arrangements to meet individually.
Building Relationships & School Safety
Not only will this help them through these discouraging times, but it may help us to prevent something like this from happening as well.
Talking with Our Students About School Safety
As we keep the Parkland, Florida community in our thoughts I want to remind everyone of our highest priority of student safety. Each of you is very important to our safety plan and our students will come to you with their questions, fears and thoughts. This is a link from the National Association of School Psychologists on their recommendations on talking with children. Our students count on us every day and your preparation, planning and comfort will be important.
ACES Test
During our Hillbilly Elegy discussions, we have mentioned the ACEs test (Adverse Childhood Experiences). Mr. Uselman found this link to one of the tests. You might find it interesting to take the test yourself and see how you fare.
SC Ready & EOC Tests Data Review
The Data Reviews from each of the 2017 SC Ready ELA & Math Tests, as well as the EOC English I and Algebra I test are available. I encourage you to take some time to look through these documents as they are incredibly helpful in seeing where students showed strengths and weaknesses across the state.
2017 ELA - https://ed.sc.gov/tests/tests-files/sc-ready-files/2017-sc-ready-ela-test-data-review-grades-6-8/
2017 Math - https://ed.sc.gov/tests/tests-files/sc-ready-files/2017-sc-ready-math-test-data-review-grades-6-8/
English 1 - https://ed.sc.gov/tests/tests-files/eocep-files/2017-english-1-test-results-data-review/
Sub shortage
A huge thank you to each of you for assisting in the covering of classes when we are unable to fill all of the absences. We greatly appreciate each and every one of you.
Did you know?
Prior to the 2017-2018 school year, Keyboarding offered students an opportunity to receive ½ of a Carnegie credit towards a high school Business elective, but recent changes in graduation requirements have deemed it necessary to offer additional credits at the middle school level. As such, Keyboarding is no longer offered as a Business elective but has instead changed to a 9-week Keying course for 6th graders. By offering this course in 6th grade, 7th and 8th graders are now eligible to receive the full Computer Science credit they are required to have for high school and do so before even entering high school.
By successfully completing both Digital Literacy (7th grade) and Google Basics (8th grade), students not only enter high school with their full Computer Science credit towards graduation, but they are also provided with the technological knowledge necessary to compete in the real world. In addition to becoming proficient in basic online safety, document processing, website creation, and computer ethics, students are introduced to the many soft skills that today’s employers are so desperately seeking.
Quite a bit of time is spent teaching students the fundamentals of personal and professional qualities as well as employability skills and relevant CTSOs so that they can enter high school and the working world more prepared with both academic knowledge and hands-on skill sets.
To see the overview of the courses and what all is covered in these credit-bearing classes, please feel free to take a look at the standards linked below.
Digital Literacy- https://ed.sc.gov/scdoe/assets/file/programs-services/148/documents/DigitalLiteracy.pdf
With this in mind, please do not pull students from Mrs. Prickett's class on any day other than Working Wednesday. Since these courses are credit bearing courses, it is extremely important that her students are present in this class. Thank you!
Upcoming Dates
February
20 - ESL Access Testing Makeup - 8:15 am - 10:00 am
20 - School Level PD - Hillbilly Elegy during 2nd Planning
21 - Fundraiser glow party
22 - ESL Access Testing Makeup - 8:15 am - 9:30 am
22 - DBQ Training for ELA & SS teachers
22 - 8th Grade Registration Night at LHS
23 - FCA - Gym - 7:30 a.m.
26 - ESL Access Testing Makeup - 8:15 am - 9:30 am
27 - School Level PD During Planning
March
1 - 6th grade band concert - pm
2 - FCA - Gym - 7:30 a.m.
5 - Fire Drill
6 - District PD After School
9 - FCA - Gym - 7:30 a.m.
9 - Incentive for students having completed all work and passing classes
12 - 16 Spring Book Fair
13 - School Level PD during Planning
16 - Snow Make Up Day
19 - Tickets go on sale for 8th Grade Semi-Formal
20 - District PD After School
22 - Induction Meetings
23 - FCA - Gym - 7:30 a.m.
27 - School Level PD during Planning
30 - Snow Make Up Day