The Raider Professional
What's Going On In Raider Nation Vol. 1 Issue 32
Thoughts are Your Reality!
We have all heard the, "Half glass full, half glass empty" statement. It reigns true, because how we experience our environment is directly proportional to our own thoughts and beliefs.
How do you feel about your school? How do you feel about your students? How do you feel about parents, administrators, and other stakeholders?
Is your response positive or negative? As you know, their are great characteristics and areas of growth for every situation.
The real question is, "Are you apart of the solution or a by stander pointing a finger?"
As I have the opportunity to observe other schools and how they operate, it makes me appreciate our W.J. Keenan community.
We have the best students and the greatest educators to support them.
Our challenge is consistently expressing expectations and holding students accountable for their learning with a sense of balance.
This week, take time to reflect on how you see things, then have conversations with students to get them to see the bigger positive picture.
We will be conducting teacher, student, and parent surveys in the coming days, which presents an amazing opportunity to communicate what's exceptional at W.J. Keenan.
Please share what we are focusing on with your students and parents.
1. Practicing Explicit Direct Instruction (E.D.I) strategies for student engagement.
2. Taking a closer look at individual students and employing interventions with the help of parents.
3. Reducing student tardies and holding students accountable for being to class on time.
4. Wearing ID's (Our ID machine had ID issues at the start of the school year, but we will have more focus on ID's this week)
5. Interpreting student data and making decisions for student improvement.
Reflecting and Refocusing is key to being the best professional educators for the success of our young Raiders!
We are W.J. Keenan High School, Home of
the Champion Raiders!
Featured Points To Focus On
- Talk with our students about what we stand for and how to define our school in a positive light.
- Assign students at least one NewsELA article per week in your class.
- Use Schoology daily to upload assignments and require students to use it as a resource.
- Require students sign out before using the restroom and turn your signature record in at the end of the day.
- Continue to discuss the dress code with students and the importance of avoiding being tardy by getting to class on time.
- Make sure to take attendance every block and communicate to students the importance of being on time (Please check your email regarding attendance and allow time to teach our students expectations.)
- Submit your lesson plans to your Department Leader and Subject Administrator weekly.
- Make sure you communicate your standards, objectives, and agenda when teaching. Also, write them on your board or have them clearly posted in the room.
- Constantly check for understanding using different methods.
- Contact parents regarding attendance/ behavior/academic issues. Maintain a contact log, which will be turned in each Wednesday to your subject administrator.
- Develop rapport, build strong relationships, and set expectations for students.
Raider Dates To Remember
Monday, April 18, 2022
Last day of spring break for teachers and students
Tuesday, April 19, 2022
STAR Testing
Wednesday, April 20, 2022
STAR Testing
Thursday, April 21, 2022
STAR Testing
Seniors Take WorkKeys Testing
You may learn more about the test here and also access practice items:
https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/workkeys-for-employers/assessments.html
Friday, April 22, 2022
STAR Testing
Plan Ahead
- April 19-22 STAR Testing
- Prom will be held April 29, 2022
- May 3, 2022 Interim Reports
- May 6 End of Course Testing begins
- May 24 Senior grades due
- June 3 Final Grade Verification due/last day for students
- June 3 Last Day for Teachers
Jaquan Bullock is our Radiant Raider Student of the Month!
Remember This and Change Your Mindset!
It's Keenan Raider Soccer Time!
Summer Opportunities For Students
Partners For Minorities In Engineering and Computer Science
If you have high school students interested in law enforcement, please have them apply for this opportunity.
Application:
If you have students interested in engineering, please have them apply for this opportunity.
Keenan Dancers Perform at our District Showcase
After School Tutoring and Seat Time for Absences
This is an intervention to help our students improve academically.
Seat Time due to absences
Students can make up seat time Mondays-Thursdays, from 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. in our tutoring program. Students need to contact Ms, Horton during their lunch period to sign up.
- April 19-22 STAR Testing
- Prom is April 29, 2022
- May 3, 2022 Interim Reports
- May 6 End of Course Testing begins
- May 24 Senior grades due
- June 3 Final Grade Verification due/last day for students
- Quarter 3 ends on Tuesday, March 22, 2022.
- Communicate with parents early to discuss student progress and behavior.
- Make sure you are cleaning your classroom throughout the day to keep us all safe.
- Per district policy, you should have at least fifteen grades reported at this time and there should be no grade reported lower than a 50. If you are teaching an EOC class, for the exception of US History, you will need to place the EOC grade in the appropriate column to calculate the 20%.
- If you are posting work outside of your classroom, make sure that a standard is posted with it. If you have work outside of your classroom, a standard should be added.
- Make sure that your phone has a current outgoing message so that parents can get in touch with you.
- All students should have a blue pass when they are permitted to be in the hall. Please see Mrs. Lawson-Wilson if you need another pass.
Our Engineering Students Rock!
The Raider Mentality :
"I Will Guard Anybody!"
Parents and Teachers Working Together
Communicate to our parents and let them know how their student is doing!
Quick Reads For Motivation and Growth
Good Teaching Is Not Just About the Right Practices - Working from a place of caring, Rizga reports, the best teachers establish deep connections with students, and then build up to a “daily commitment to bringing in well-considered, purposeful practices and working child by child. Click Here For The Entire Article
The case for professional kindness in teaching - A teacher can be effective, efficient, inclusive, and strategic. Still, unless they are professionally kind along with these things, the learners suffer. Click Here For The Entire Article
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