Warrior Beat
Student Focused-World Class
Word for the Warrior...
Hello Warriors,
In case you doubt it or have forgotten it, Sevier is a great school...not a good school...a great one.
Long before I became the principal of Sevier, I knew this to be true.
Most of you know that I grew up in Kingsport. What you may not know, is that as a middle school student, I went to Robinson. (I know) Even as a middle school kid way back in the 80s...I sensed that there was something special… something unique about Sevier that just didn't exist at Robinson. As a 7th grader, I suspected this when I would watch Sevier students interact at sporting events and gatherings that would include students from both schools. I knew it to be true when Robinson and Sevier students joined together as freshmen at DB. There was just something about the Sevier experience that created a camaraderie among its students that didn’t exist among students who went to Robinson. I also believe that with that camaraderie was a depth, a level of acceptance and a sense of acquired empathy for others that I had not experienced as a Robinson student.
As a Robinson student, I went to school with kids just like me. When I say just like me, I mean JUST. LIKE. ME. There was no diversity. The student population of RNR in the 80s was nearly all white. The student population of RNR in the 80s was nearly all middle class. We all went to church on Sundays…most of us on Church Circle. When we grew up, we all knew what we were going to do for a living. We were going to work at Eastman… because nearly all of us had a parent who worked at Eastman. And our parents ALL knew each other (Chris Carr…am I right??) … because most of our parents had also grown up in Kingsport and had also gone to Robinson! I may be exaggerating a little…but then again maybe not. I knew even then, that it was not normal, nor was it even healthy, to grow up without diversity. There was no ethnic diversity, next to no socio-economic diversity and very little other diversity to speak of.
When I think about what makes Sevier a GREAT school, it has EVERYTHING to do with our diversity. While in East Tennessee, we are certainly no cultural epicenter, but in Kingsport, Tennessee, the ethnic and socio-economic diversity that exists within our school walls may very well make Sevier one of the most diverse working and learning environments around. This diversity creates a special and unique atmosphere that has the great potential to breed a sense of openness, of understanding, of compassion and of LEARNING that would not exist without it. It is a scientific fact that humans learn more by interacting with people who have experiences, opinions and backgrounds that are different than their own. It’s how we grow.
I know that I am not alone in my thinking. When I ask many of you why you work at Sevier, you tell similar stories. It’s the Way of the Warrior. We are fighters. We are champions for justice and we are world-changers. We stand on the shoulders of many who have gone before us and who have left a strong legacy in Kingsport, Tennessee for creating a positive learning environment for ALL students…regardless of race, regardless of income, regardless of gender. We teach ALL students.
When I was the KCS Literacy Coordinator, I was in classrooms at Robinson and Sevier. Both are outstanding schools, but I want you to know that I was wowed by the work at Sevier. I was wowed because it was EVIDENT that teachers were student centered and worked tirelessly for ALL students. What I had sensed as student years ago, I was now seeing in action! As a result, I sent my oldest child to Sevier, even though our family was zoned for Robinson. I will do the same for Kate next year. Without a doubt, she will go to Sevier. I BELIEVE in Sevier. I BELIEVE in YOU. I believe in US.
I have said very little about our test data. I have said very little, because I honestly just don’t understand it. As we spent time last week choosing our achievement measures and talking about growth, I sensed your anxiety and felt the burden and ownership you feel over last year's data. It’s that sense of ownership and care for our KIDS that will get us through this.
Let’s continue to claim our diversity as our strength and never forget it. Sometimes in a test-centered culture, when we are literally “accountable” for every possible subgroup, it can cause us to forget what we are all about…or rather WHO we are all about.
Here is what I know. We cannot work any harder than we are already working. We cannot care anymore than we already care.
What WILL we do?
We will continue to be Warriors who carry on.
We will continue to be student focused and we will make instructional decisions based on what is best for individual kids.
We will continue to teach the WHOLE child and we will be sensitive to the social-emotional needs of students because we understand that hurting kids can’t learn best until they know someone cares.
We will continue to be students of our students.
We will continue to seek to understand before we seek to be understood.
We will continue to ask questions.
We will relentlessly pursue the best in each child.
We will, above all, be instillers of HOPE and CONFIDENCE for our kids.
Why?
Because we really are world-changers.
We are changing the world by empowering our kids who are already strong and secure and driven and who are already on their way to changing the world themselves one day!
And we are changing the world for our kids whose worlds desperately need to change.
That’s HARD work. But, it’s the RIGHT work. And our kids deserve the best. There is no family like the Warrior family.
Thank you for the work you do for our kids every day.
Most of all, thank you for loving them and for being their Champion…for every single one of them.
Week of the Warrior
MONDAY: October 30th
- Boys Basketball Game vs. Unicoi at Unicoi @ JV 4:30 and Varsity 5:30 (leave 3:10, return 7:15)
- Lady Warrior Basketball Game vs. Unicoi at Sevier @ JV 4:30 and Varsity at 5:30
- Wrestling Practice 3-5
- Cheerleading Practice 3-5
- Sevier on Stage Full Cast Dress Rehearsal 3:00-6:00
- If you would like to receive a JSMS 2017 Yearbook please turn your order form and money in to your homeroom teacher
TUESDAY: October 31st
- Boys Basketball Practice 3-5
- Lady Warrior Basketball Practice 3-5 (Varsity only)
- Wrestling Practice 3-5
- Sevier on Stage Full Cast Dress Rehearsal 3:00-6:00
- Student Council meeting in Mrs. Wagner’s room 346 3:00-3:45. Athletes, Actors, Reporters, etc. Dress out between 2:45 and 3:00, report to Student Council meeting until 3:15.
- If you would like to receive a JSMS 2017 Yearbook please turn your order form and money in to your homeroom teacher
WEDNESDAY: November 1st
- Boys Basketball Grizzly Invitational Tournament at Bluff City Middle School (Varsity Only)
- Lady Warrior Basketball Grizzly Invitational Tournament at Bluff City Middle School (Varsity Only) JV Practice 3-5
- Wrestling Practice 3-5
- Dance Practice 3-5
- Sevier on Stage Full Cast Dress Rehearsal 3:00-6:00
- Sequoyah Scribe Newspaper Meeting 2:45-3:30, editors and broadcast staff meet until 5:15
- If you would like to receive a JSMS 2017 Yearbook please turn your order form and money in to your homeroom teacher
THURSDAY: November 2nd
- Boys Basketball Grizzly Invitational Tournament at Bluff City Middle School (Varsity Only)
- Lady Warrior Basketball Grizzly Invitational Tournament at Bluff City Middle School (Varsity Only) JV Practice 3-5
- Wrestling Practice 3-5
- Sevier on Stage School Performance or Annie Jr. during all related arts.
- If you would like to receive a JSMS 2017 Yearbook please turn your order form and money in to your homeroom teacher
FRIDAY: November 3rd
- Boys Basketball Grizzly Invitational Tournament at Bluff City Middle School (Varsity Only)
- Lady Warrior Basketball Grizzly Invitational Tournament at Bluff City Middle School (Varsity Only) JV Practice 3-5
- Wrestling Practice 3-5
- Sevier on Stage Performance of "Annie Jr." at 7:00 p.m. Student call time: 5:15 p.m.
- If you would like to receive a JSMS 2017 Yearbook please turn your order form and money in to your homeroom teacher
- Robotics Practice 3-5 room 343
Save the Date:
- Lady Warrior Basketball Grizzly Invitational Tournament at Bluff City Middle School (Varsity Only)
- Boys Basketball Grizzly Invitational Tournament at Bluff City Middle School (Varsity Only)
- Saturday Sevier on Stage Performance of "Annie Jr." at 7:00 p.m. Student call time: 5:15 p.m.
- Dental Screenings Start November 6th
JSMS JAM...
*COLLABORATIVE PLANNING MEETING WILL NOW TAKE PLACE ON THURSDAYS. Math and Language Arts will begin first. Science and Social Studies will begin the second half. I believe this would keep the times the same, but just the day of the week would differ.
*Please remember that it is imperative that we have supervision in the hallways. The hallway duty schedule can be found on the Google Drive. We are finding that MANY of our referrals are occurring in the hallways. It is the expectation that students walk (not run) in the hallways and that there is no horseplay. This can only be monitored and controlled successfully when teachers are in the hallway supervising. When only a few are in the hallways, this is impossible to control and students "unlearn" expectations. I will be reminding students of this expectation on the announcements this week. Please make sure that when you have hallway duty, that you make every effort to be there. This is also true for the bathrooms during class change.
*Please send the dates of your next Unit Assessment/Culminating project data conference to admin/InDeS this week. These data conferences are how we will keep our finger on the pulse of our data as we progress throughout the year. Now that we have our AMOs, it is an expectation of the district that we are monitoring, tracking and communicating our percent of students who are proficient as we work towards meeting benchmarks.
*While there is no district expectation to use Performance Matters, I know many of you are already using Canvas (and doing so well!), please remember that while we are not a school or district who "skills and drills" it IS important that our students experience TN Ready-like questions and assessments. To ignore providing this experience to our students, it like asking athletes to prepare for a game, yet never having them on the court or field. If you have not already done so, be thinking about how to best provide this balance of experience for your students. Admin and InDeS are present in Collaborative Planning meetings to help you through these types of decisions.
Student Council Fundraiser for St. Jude
Come to the Sevier on Stage production of Annie Jr!
After last year's overwhelming success with Shrek, Jr., Sevier On Stage is thrilled to return with a brand new production of the classic musical, Annie, Jr.! Annie tells the story of a lovable little orphan who ends up in the lap of luxury under the care of billionaire Oliver Warbucks. Unlike the other girls at Miss Hannigan's orphanage, Annie is positive that her parents are out there and she's determined to find them! Come see our brilliant cast from all grades as they dazzle with song and dance! Annie, Jr. is directed by Hunter Graybeal, with music direction and choreography by Sevier On Stage co-director, Angela Miller. Performances will be held in the Koffmann Auditorium at Sevier Middle School at 7:00 P.M. on Friday, November 3 and Saturday, November 4. Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for kids ages 4-10, and kids 3 and under come free! Be sure to pay by cash or check. We can't wait to see you there!
Back the Blue
From the ASC...
Updating TNCompass Contact Information for All Educators
The department is working with TNCompass to enhance the personalized communication that exists between educators and TNCompass. To ensure the security of these communications, all educators must review their accounts and update their username/email address to reflect their official district email address. We ask all district evaluation configurators to communicate this requirement to all educators in the district.
To update their email addresses, educators should select “Account Information” from the home page upon login and click the “Change Username/Email” link under account settings. Please note that this change must be made in the account information section and cannot be made in the educator profile. With technical questions, please reach out to support@tncompass.org.
- The Latest from Coordinated School Health - In order to assist with covering all health education standards, Misty Keller has a compilation of very brief comprehensive health education messages that can be read or posted each day as part of morning announcements. Message topics include physical activity, nutrition, stress management, character development, etc. Also, if your school is interested in installing a school garden or in obtaining help with an existing garden, there are several community partners now willing to assist with installation and ongoing maintenance. If interested, contact Misty.
- Education Day - "A Walk in Their Boots" Timeline Event-November 3, 2017 marks the 6th annual "A Walk in Their Boots" in conjunction with the 2nd annual Education Day at Tipton Haynes Farm and Homestead. This event will provide students in grades 5-12 the opportunity to learn from living historians, or reenactors, about life in military service, equipment used and environments/conditions experienced by those who have courageously defended our nation. It will be an opportunity to enhance student knowledge of American and World History and the development of patriotism and respect for our nation's men and women who serve in the armed forces. For more information, please contact Veteran Liaison Eric Montgomery at 412-726-6665 or click here for more details.
- tnAchieves Seeking Mentors for Class of 2018--tnAchieves is seeking mentors for students who will graduate in Spring 2018. The mission of tnAchieves is to increase higher education opportunities for Tennessee high school students by providing last-dollar scholarships with mentor guidance. Mentors invest about 10-15 hours each year (typically less than one hour per month) to serve as a resource for high school seniors/college freshmen. Requirements to be a mentor include being at least 21 years of age, applying to serve by December 1, passing a background check, completing the one-hour mandatory mentor training, attending two one-hour meetings per year with your students and communicating with students every two weeks via email, phone or text as they transition from high school to college. Click here for more information about tnAchieves. Click here to apply to become a mentor. To chat with KCS personnel who have already served as mentors, please contact Misty Keller or Scott Pierce.
Warrior Whoop (Celebrations and Recognitions)...
*Thank you for all of your thoughtful work during our Academic Intervention Meetings! (Thanks to Markl, these have a positive name!) So many of our students need someone who can be their "go to" and be a mentor who they can count on to check in with them to encourage them and also give them direction! It's also always humbling for me to hear how many ways you all are seeking to support students beyond the classroom and reach out to parents, coaches and others to provide creative support for our kids!
*Thank you to Leila Hubbard, Chris Carr, Jessica Hayworth and Amanda Cole for supporting our learning on Friday with the Performance Matters platform.
Please congratulate the Varsity girls basketball team for an excellent showing at the TNT play date scrimmages on Saturday.
These girls played 80 straight minutes of basketball with 10 minutes between the 2 40 minute games and 3 minutes at halftime. They were worn out, but no complaints or giving up. I am extremely proud of their work.
Game 1 - Lady Warriors 37
Sullivan Lady Patriots 26
Game 2 - Lady Warriors 32
Union 34
Game 2 we were beaten on a terrific 3 pointer late.
Our young ladies showed grit, determination, and were excellent representatives of John Sevier Middle School. #gettingbettertogether
Paul Blair
(Thank you to Michael Manis, parent of a CHMS student, for sharing this video with us.)