The Raider ACE!

Volume 1 Issue 3 - September 4, 2023 - September 8, 2023

School involvement is undeniably a cornerstone of a thriving educational community, and it requires active participation from teachers, parents, and students alike. Teachers play a pivotal role by not only imparting knowledge within the classroom but also by sponsoring clubs, attending after-school activities, and engaging in organizations like the school improvement council. Their dedication beyond the curriculum nurtures a well-rounded school environment.

Parents, too, have a crucial part to play in shaping a successful school. They can join the Parent, Teacher, and Student's organization, strengthening the vital link between home and school. Attending sporting events, concerts, and school-sponsored initiatives fosters a sense of community and shows their children the importance of education beyond the classroom.

Students themselves hold a significant stake in the success of their school. They can join a plethora of clubs, explore their interests, and engage in sports, not only enhancing their personal growth but also contributing to the vibrancy of the school community. Attending school-sponsored functions, whether it's a dance, a fundraiser, or a special event, not only provides enjoyment but also promotes a sense of unity and belonging.

In conclusion, school involvement is a shared responsibility that benefits everyone involved. When teachers, parents, and students actively participate and support various aspects of the school community, the result is a more vibrant, successful, and enriching educational experience for all. It's a collective effort that elevates the quality of education and fosters a strong sense of pride in the school's achievements.

We are W.J. Keenan High School. Home of the Champion Raiders!

There are a few things that we will need to make sure we are doing to keep the natural order and flow of our school:

• School starts at 8:00 a.m. Remind students they need to report to class before then to avoid a tardy.
• Stand at your door during the change of each class.
• You must not leave your students unsupervised for any reason.
• If you would like to have an end of year class gathering, food must be purchased and packaged to be consumed. Students/teachers may not bring food prepared at home.
• Please do not allow students into the hallway without a pass.
• Please do not allow students that are not on your roster in your classroom. Students need to be in their scheduled classroom to receive credit. You are accountable for every student in your room.
• You may only sign out to leave on your planning period and/or with administrator approval in an emergency circumstance if you do not have a scheduled absence.
• If you are absent from school, it is your professional responsibility to input the appropriate information in Frontline in a timely manner. Substitutes are limited. Please check Munis prior to doing this so you are aware of your available days for an absence.

Monday, September 4, 2023

• It's Labor Day (Enjoy time with your family and friends)
• “We cannot solve problems with the kind of thinking we employed when we came up with them.” — Albert Einstein
  

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

• Faculty Meeting in the lecture hall @ 3:30 p.m.
• District Parent Pep Rally (In the Theater) @ 5:30 p.m.
• Parent Open House (Meet teachers in their classes) 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
• WJ Keenan Lady Raiders Volleyball vs Great Falls @ W.J. Keenan 5:30 / 7:00 p.m.
• “Don't settle for average. Bring your best to the moment. Then, whether it fails or succeeds, at least you know you gave all you had.” —Angela Bassett
  

Wednesday, September 6, 2023

• Underclassmen Picture Day (In the theater) 9:00 a.m. - 1: 00p.m.
• “Learn as if you will live forever, live like you will die tomorrow.” — Mahatma Gandhi

Thursday, September 7, 2023

• Underclassmen Picture Day (In the theater) 9:00 a.m. - 1: 00p.m.
• “Stay away from those people who try to disparage your ambitions. Small minds will always do that, but great minds will give you a feeling that you can become great too.” — Mark Twain

Friday, September 8, 2023

• Varsity Football Vs. North Central @ W.J. Keenan High School 7:30 p.m.
• “When you give joy to other people, you get more joy in return. You should give a good thought to happiness that you can give out.”— Eleanor Roosevelt
  

Coach McCleod and the football team have had 2 nail biter games falling short by less than 3 points in the last few minutes. We fought like champions and will make adjustments for our game Friday night against North Central. Here are a few highlights from last week's game against Richland Northeast.

Hello Raiders,

Here's what's going on in Teaching and Learning.

Grading Practice:

Please be sure to access the Raiders Chest in One Drive for important information regarding the Secondary Grading Manual. Be sure to follow the guidelines for grading this year that I reviewed with you during our Professional Learning (Round Robin session) in preparation for interims that are September 15. Give me a call if you have questions.

While the district has provided the gradebook setup, there were some reports of gradebook miscalculations. Please see the document (in the Raiders Chest under Instructional Resources) provided by Mrs. King in the to help resolve this problem that you may have encountered.

Mastery Connect:

A copy of the Mastery Connect Handbook is in the Raiders Chest. Please review so that you are aware of district guidelines for using this resource for Formative Assessments.

Teaching Certificates:

I will need a printed and most updated copy of your teaching certificate by September 8th. You may bring them by my office or place them in my mailbox.

SCLead:

SLO/GBE meetings have been scheduled and are upcoming for the month of September. They will begin September 11th . Please begin collecting your student data in preparation for your meeting. Ms. Erving will be contacting you regarding your time and day. Information will need to be placed in SCLead for your SLO/GBE process.

You may also sign your orientation in SCLead using September 7th as your date for input. Instructions for signing your orientation in SCLead are in the Raiders Chest as well. Please be sure to view the video (also in the Raiders Chest) as your orientation. I will be available on that day during planning periods for those who need individualized attention on this process. You will not be able to access information in SCLead for the year without completing this step.

September 19th begins your fall evaluation cycle for those of you who are Continuing Formative, Annual Summative or Induction in SCLead. Your evaluation teams should be listed when you login.

Schoology:

Parent accounts are a great way to engage the parents and guardians of your students. Teachers can send Parent Access Codes from their "classes" within Schoology. The instructions are below.

Download a List of Parent Access Codes

1. Within a course, click Members.
2. On the right side of the Members area, click Parent Access Codes.
3. Click Download to automatically download a CSV file containing the students' names and the corresponding Parent Access Codes for the instructor to distribute accordingly.

4. Once parents register for Schoology using the code, their account will automatically be associated with their child’s account. Parents will be able to view all of their child’s activities, courses, groups, calendars, updates, attendance, and grades, depending on the permissions and privacy settings you put in place by System Admin (District IT).

   
   

Meeting Calendar:

First Tuesday: Faculty

Second Tuesday: Department Leaders

Third Tuesday: Freshman Academy

Fourth Tuesday: PLC

That's all for now. I hope you enjoy your four-day week!

• Seniors, please join the "2023 - 2024 Seniors" Schoology group for daily Scholarships and information updates.
• Deadline for Parking decals " Sept 16th". Warnings and Tickets will be issued Sept 17th.
• Senior Make Up Pictures will be Sept 6th & 7th 9am - 1pm in the Auditorium
• The Gates, Coco-Cola, and The Ron Brown Scholarships are now open! Check the 2023-2024 Senior group on Schoology for details.

Quote "Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good."

An exciting week is ahead for WJ Keenan, home of the Champion Raiders. On Tuesday, September 5th, we are welcoming our parents and guardians to come out and meet their child’s teachers. Open House is from 4:30PM to 5:30 PM.

Immediately after, we invite all to attend our School Cluster Parent Pep Rally. Richland One families can be energized about the start of the new school year while also learning ways they can help their children become successful this school year. The event will be held from 5:30PM-7:00PM. Richland One Superintendent Dr. Craig Witherspoon and members of the Richland One Board of School Commissioners will greet guests at the event, as well as performances from our famous Raider Rubber Band and Cheerleaders. The event will feature remarks from guest speaker Byron V. Garrett, the chairperson of the National Family Engagement Alliance and former CEO of the National PTA. There will also be prize drawings.

On Wednesday and Thursday, underclassmen picture day and senior portrait make-ups will be occurring. Dress your best as we capture your beginning of a phenomenal school year!

In our sports report, WJ Keenan football had a hard fought night at Richland Northeast. The Raiders fought tough in a tight game, unfortunately, falling in the final minutes with a finishing score of Keenan-43 RNE-44. The Raiders take the field for their first home game of the season this Friday night for their last non-region game against North Central at 7:30. We hope to see you there.

Volleyball had another great week with a clean sweep against Lower Richland High School. Junior Varsity opened their season with back-to-back wins, finishing 25/20 and 25/17. Way to go!

Varsity moved with purpose, finishing 25/13, 25/16, 25/12. The Lady Raiders host Great Falls on Tuesday and are on the road to Irmo Thursday. Best of Luck, We look forward to another great week.

Start Strong, Finish Stronger!

I just have a couple of updates as we have been unable to meet as a Freshman Academy Team. The school year is in full swing, and it is my desire to communicate regularly with you collectively and individually while providing the support and assistance you need . We are fortunate to have a diverse group of educators on our team. I look forward to getting to know each of you better. Thank you for all you do for our students! It is greatly appreciated!

Please see below a few updates:

• We will meet as a Freshman Team on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 3:30pm. Our meeting location will be Room B102. Our first meeting will be Tuesday, September 19.

  
  

• When guiding our students through difficult situations, whether it be the student is in a high emotional state or if he/she is not meeting classroom and/or school expectations, let's make sure we are providing support through clear directives that given without unnecessary commentary; however, continuously connecting the directive to accountability and the building of life skills.

  
  

• Reminder-- "Meet the Teacher"/ Open House is this Tuesday, September 5 from 4:30 - 5:30 with our Keenan High School Cluster Parent Pep Rally immediately following at 5:30 - 7:00 in the Auditorium. Teachers are required to be on campus in their rooms during Open House. It is recommended to prepare a brief bio sheet on yourself and perhaps class expectations.

  
  

• SAVE THE DATE: September 14, 2023-- 9th Grade On-Track to Graduate on Time Conference @WJKHS. This conference will take place at each R1 high school. As soon as I have more information, I will pass it along. This event is only for grade 9.

  
  

• Quarter 1 - Content Recovery - Department Leads were sent a copy of the Q1 Content Recovery Plan. Please make sure you are familiar with it and notify students. A copy will also be shared with parents via School Messenger and social media platforms. A copy of the plan is attached to this email.

“A new approach to college and career readiness designed to give students the foundation to make a difference in the world!”

We have had an exciting and different start to the school year. We are transitioning from a Magnet School to a School within a School. The Raider Academy is a new approach to college and career readiness designed to give students the foundation to make a difference in the world!

The Raider Academy at W. J. Keenan High School provides five houses through which students may choose. Students will have multiple opportunities to prepare for careers that are in high demand and require advanced skills. We offer a leadership curriculum that includes a rigorous project-based classroom experience that challenges students to gain future-ready competencies. The Raider Academy students will have advantages that include the opportunity to receive college credit, state and nationally recognized industry certifications, work-based learning opportunities and internships.

The W.J. Keenan High School Raider Academy offers five unique pathways aimed at engaging learners.

• Project Lead the Way Engineering

• Business Management and Administration

• Hospitality and Tourism Management

• Government and Public Administration

• Agriculture and Animal Science

The next Raider Academy parent meeting will be held virtually on September 13, 2023 at 6:00 PM.

Please use the following to join the meeting:

Topic: W. J. Keenan Raider Academy Parent Session

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us05web.zoom.us/j/97870140697?pwd=amlyTkdDL0pCSWlGQTVYQm1jK2lzZz09

Meeting ID: 978 7014 0697

Passcode: d0tWyR

Our next student meeting is scheduled for 9/22/2023 at 11:00 AM.

Teachers and staff, please help us keep our students and school safe by reporting to work by 7:30 (morning duty) or 7:45 am. Please be at your doors ready to receive students by 7:50 am.

Please be reminded if you are going to be absent, report your absence by:

1. Submitting your absence in Frontline (Aesop).

2. Sending an email that you will be out.

a. To: Mr. Hankins

b. CC: Ms. Erving and Mrs. McIntee

c. Subject: Your Name Absent Date of Absence (Ex: Jabar Hankins Absent 1/16/23)

3. Calling the school (if an emergency happens on your way to work).

Substitutes and staff members covering classes should arrive by 7:45 am.

Thanks for your cooperation and for all you do for our students.

On Thursday, August 31st, W.J. Keenan High School visited Richland Northeast. Our football team displayed amazing effort and determination against the Cavilers. The offense was amazing, gaining over 400 yards of total offense. The defense came up with key stops. The football team was supported by the WJK Cheer Squad. Our cheerleaders were loud and proud throughout the evening. The W.J. Keenan “Rubber Band” entertained throughout the evening with sonic sounds and dancing. Congratulations to all of our students, coaches, directors, and parents on a great night of behavior and character.

Next week, Sept. 5 – 8, the athletic schedule is as follows:

- Tuesday, Sept. 5 Volleyball – Great Falls at Keenan (5:30/7:00)

- Thursday, Sept. 7 Volleyball – Keenan at Irmo (5:30/7:00)

- Thursday, Sept. 7 JV Football – Keenan at North Central (6:00 pm)

- Friday, Sept. 8 Varsity Football – North Central at Keenan (7:30 pm) Military Appreciation Night

Our student-athlete are working hard and would love your support. Please come out to catch them in action on Tuesday and Friday.

Go Raiders!!

Feedback From Observations: Focus on engaging students and having them do the work. Rather than standing up and writing on the smartboard as you are explaining, have students come up to the board and share what they know. Put students in groups and give meaningful activities. Use balls and other manipulatives to identify students for a response. Make these engaging strategies apart of your daily routine.

Handling Conflict: Please talk with our students about how to properly handle conflict. Encourage them to reach out to adults in the building to get help with situations that can potentially get them in trouble. Please convey the importance of working together resolve problems before they become bigger issues. It takes a village!

Student Work: Please start posting your best student work inside and outside your classroom in the hallways. You may also share by tagging WJK on social media.

Ask Yourself: What is the hook for today’s lesson that will keep them engaged? Is there an opportunity for my students to get up and move around with my lesson? How am I going to check for understanding? Am I giving students the opportunity to show me they have a grasp of the content? Am I using the DLE to enhance the lesson or am I simply giving electronic skill sheets?

Signing In and Out: If you need to leave campus for an emergency, please get approval from an administrator, and sign out in the main office. We are professionals.

PTSO: Please consider joining our Parent Teacher Student Association. It is a big part of communicating to our parents that we want to build a stronger partnership this year. The application is in the main office with Ms. Golston.

Our Mission

The mission of W. J. Keenan High School is to provide engaging educational opportunities through a rigorous curriculum, cutting edge technology, and partnerships to extend to our diverse community and produce first class citizens who will contribute to the present and excel in the future. WE ARE KEENAN!

Our Vision

Our vision is to create a nationally known high school that is highly regarded for its academic excellence, leadership in cutting edge technology, science, environmental, and career based programs. A high school that builds strong relationships with all stakeholders and continues a culture where the expectation is to lead, set the example, and raise standards for all to follow.

Email: vondre.whaley@richlandone.org
Website: http://keenan.richlandone.org/
Location: 361 Pisgah Church Road, Columbia, SC, USA
Phone: 803-714-2500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keenanraiders/
Twitter: @wjkeenan