The Raider ACE!
What's Going On In Raider Nation Vol. 2 Issue 39
Volume 1 Issue 22 - February 19, 2024 - February 23, 2024
Teachers Are The Most Important Variable In The Classroom!
Teachers are considered the most important variable in the classroom because they play a crucial role in the education and development of children. They are responsible for imparting knowledge, skills, and values that will shape their students' lives. Teachers facilitate learning and provide a nurturing environment for their students, making them a crucial part of the education system.
One of the primary roles of teachers is to help their students succeed academically. They do this by creating engaging lessons and providing personalized attention to each student. Teachers identify the learning style of each student and adapt their teaching methods accordingly. They also provide additional support to students who may be struggling with certain concepts. Teachers make sure that their students are on track to meet academic standards and are prepared for their future education.
Teachers also help students develop their social and emotional skills. They provide a safe and nurturing environment where students can grow and develop. Teachers encourage students to express themselves and share their thoughts and feelings. They help students build positive relationships with their peers, which is crucial for their social and emotional development.
Teachers serve as role models for their students. They inspire them to become the best version of themselves by demonstrating the importance of hard work, determination, and perseverance. Teachers help students develop a growth mindset, encouraging them to see challenges as opportunities for growth. They model positive behaviors and values, such as honesty, respect, and kindness, which students can learn from and apply to their own lives.
Teachers motivate and encourage their students to achieve their goals and reach their full potential. They provide feedback, praise, and constructive criticism to help students improve their skills and develop their confidence. Teachers believe in their students and help them believe in themselves. This motivation and encouragement can be the difference between success and failure for many students.
Finally, teachers provide love, attention, and acceptance to all children in their classroom. They make each student feel valued and appreciated, regardless of their background or abilities. Teachers recognize that each student is unique and has their own strengths and weaknesses. They create a welcoming environment where students feel safe to be themselves. This week, we celebrate teachers!
We are W.J. Keenan High School. Home of the Champion Raiders!
Raider Reminders!
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.
- 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.
Raider Dates to Remember
Monday, February 19, 2024
- If you set your goals ridiculously high and it's a failure, you will fail above everyone else's success. -James Cameron
- Varsity Boys BB (Third Round at home) @ 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, February 20, 2024
- PLC Meeting @ 3:30 p.m.
- Pageant Practice (Auditorium) @ 3:30 p.m.
- Varsity BBall Vs. Blacksburg (At Keenan / First Round of the Playoffs) @ 6:00 p.m.
- The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. -Walt Disney
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
- "Get busy living or get busy dying." — Stephen King
Thursday, February 22, 2024
- "Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."– Thomas A. Edison
FFA Farm Workshop Elementary Feeder Schools @ 9:30 a.m.
Visible Learning Visit 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Friday, February 23, 2024
- "You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough." — Mae West
Greenview Elementary (Auditorium) TBA
Black History Month
Performance
We Are W.J. Keenan!
Mrs. Lawson-Wilson's Teaching and Learning News!
Hello Raiders,
I hope you enjoyed your long weekend.
We will have a learning walk visit on February 22, 2024. As always, please be sure to make learning visible by having a well-planned lesson to feature your success criteria and learning intentions.
Testing season is upon us. Please see the information below about WIN testing. Each 11th grade student will be participating in this career readiness exam. Begin talking with them about their responsibility to this for themselves and their school. Information will be sent to you regarding student-specific test days.
The South Carolina Career Ready Test is a career readiness test administered to all eleventh-grade students to measure the most common skills that employers define as foundational for career readiness. Students are assessed in four key areas:
- Soft Skills Assessment
- Math Assessment
- Reading Assessment
- Data Assessment Assessment
Dates to Remember:
March 12, 2024 - ACT
March 14, 2024 - End of Q3
March 15 - Teacher Workday
March 22 - Report Cards
March 15, 2024 - Teacher Workday
March 20, 2024 - SAT
March 25 - 27 - WIN Testing
March 28 - Early Release/Parent Conferences
March 29 - April 5 - Spring Break
April 24 - Interims
April 26 - Early Release
May 3- 22 End of Course exams
May - Holiday
May 31 - Graduation
End of Course
CFA's need to be provided once every three weeks to help inform your instructional work. Please see the district curriculum maps for this.
Content Recovery
"Content recovery is defined as a course-specific, skill-based learning opportunity for students who are still enrolled in the course with the original teacher of record assigned by the school. Content recovery allows students to retake a subset of the course including a single unit, more than one unit, or supplemental assignments/activities assigned and approved by a certified teacher as needed for student mastery of course content." -SC State Dept. of Education
You should be beginning your content recovery efforts with your students as soon as you see that there is a need. This is an on-going process throughout the semester. Students should not fail a course if we are doing this with fidelity. The platform we are using Richland One is Edgenuity. Please see Mrs. Jeter or myself for more information on Content Recovery.
District Focus/Visible Learning:
Teacher CLARITY is our instructional focus this year. According to John Hattie's meta-analysis, teacher clarity has an effect size of .75 which doubles student gains in learning. Here are the questions your students should be able to answer for clarity.
- What am I learning? (Learning Intentions/Targets)
Why am I learning it? (Clarity & Motivation)
How will I know that I have learned it? (Success Criteria)
Each of these are non-negotiables and should be written on your board each day under the appropriate magnet and referred to for student understanding. Students should be able to answer these questions if called upon by the teacher.
Grading Practice:
Please be sure to access the Raiders Chest in One Drive for important information regarding the Secondary Grading Manual. See the information listed from the manual regarding grades:
"Each marking period should include a minimum of ten assignments/assessments of student learning documented in the gradebook/PowerSchool. Four of the ten assessments should be major assessments such as tests or exams, written compositions, performances, or projects. Five of ten assessments should occur before interim reports are issued, with two of those five assessments being major. Therefore, two of the four major assessments should occur prior to the interim report."
Certified Staff Certification/Recertification:
Renewal teachers/staff should have signed up for Read to Succeed if you have not taken the class. Information regarding this was sent out through District Announcements. You will also need to complete 120 hours to renew your certificate. If you have taken the Read to Succeed class and you need to have it added to your certificate, please sign into your educator portal on the SC state department of education website and upload it there.
https://ed.sc.gov/educators/certification/certification-forms/forms/renewal-matrix/
https://ed.sc.gov/educators/certification/professional/renewal-credit-options/
If you need a certificate extension, you need to request it in your portal on the SC state department website.
Have a great week Raiders!
Congratulations to Ms. Keenan 2024!
Freshman Academy News - Mrs. Jeter
- Greetings, Raider Freshmen Academy Team!
It is my sincerest hope each of you had an enjoyable and restful weekend.
I want to take a moment to shout out our PLC groups within our Raider Freshman Academy! Our Algebra I PLC which consists of Ms. Young, Mrs. Garner, and Mr. Danso. Each of them has been committed to student growth and mastery, and the use of data to inform their instruction. Also, our English PLCs have developed a plan to ensure growth and mastery as they implement strategies to grow our students writing and comprehension skills. The work that both collaboratives are doing will pay dividends.
As we approach the midpoint of Quarter 3, please be mindful of dates sent to you from Mrs. Lawson-Wilson regarding interim reports and the number and variety of grades required. Most importantly gradebooks should be up to date so both students and parents have access to accurate information in Parent Portal.
Additionally, I want to remind everyone of the importance of making parent contact with a student's parent to address a student's behavior or change in academic status within your class. If by chance, you are having issues with contacting your students' parent by phone, please let me know. Documenting in ABE by entering a "Note" is a great method of documentation of the details from the parent contact. This will also aid the MTSS Team if student is ever referred for additional supports.
As always, thank you in advance for your cooperation. I appreciate each of you and all that you do.
Mr. Hankins' Hang Out!
School Photos
Please note the following dates for school photos:
- November 30—Fall Individuals makeup
Graduation 2024 Date Announced
This year’s Raider Graduation ceremony will be held Friday, May 31 at 11:00 am at the Colonial Life Arena. Seniors need to ensure they have met all requirements for graduation, pay any outstanding debts or fees and not have excessive discipline issues in order to participate.
Raider graduates are expected to conduct themselves with dignity, honor, and class. Inappropriate/disrespectful actions during the commencement ceremony WILL NOT be tolerated.
Keeping Seniors on Track
Class of 2024 students are meeting with school leaders to help them stay on track and be successful. Seniors are meeting with the Graduation Coach (Mrs. DuBard), School Counselors (Mrs. Hasinger, Ms. Humphrey and Mr. Oliver), and Mr. Hankins (Senior Class Administrator) to discuss their progress, requirements, future college/career goals, and plans for the year. All conferences are aimed at helping students be prepared to successfully graduate and meet their future goals.
Raider Community Student Support
Teachers and staff, we need your assistance in providing support for our young Raider students. Through our Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework, we are aiming to give our students the tools they need to be successful.
Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is a school-wide, data driven, proactive framework for improving both learning and behavioral outcomes for all students. MTSS uses the problem-solving process to meet the academic, behavioral, social, and emotional needs of each student. (https://www.richlandone.org/Domain/1736)
You may be asked to sit in on MTSS meetings as a classroom teacher, serve as a mentor, advocate or content expert for students. The goal is to surround students with as many caring adults and resources as possible to allow students to thrive. Thank you in advance for your assistance and cooperation.
We have transitioned 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.
Coming Soon: Information Technology Pathway
Remember our expectations are:
- 70 or above in ALL classes
- No behavior issues
- No attendance issues
Probation letters and final probation letters will be going out this week. A new semester has begun. Please remember to check Parent Portal for grades. We have afterschool tutoring and virtual tutoring using tutor.com
Letters of Intent for the 2024-2025 school year will be going out soon.
If you have any questions, please direct them to Mrs. Wine at Shalise.wine@richlandone.org
Absence Reporting/Morning Routine
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.
Notes for Raider Teachers!
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.
W.J. Keenan High School
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