Spruce Scoop
Joy. Hope. Resilience.
August 19, 2019
Principal Taylor's Message
Greetings Timberwolves,
I hope this Spruce Scoop greets everyone rested and rejuvenated and READY for 2019- 2020 Super Spruce School Year. I am beyond grateful and truly excited to start this year at the BEST HIGH SCHOOL in DISD. As I walk the building I am thankful of the welcoming spaces created all over our building, which only communicates this is a place where we are joyful, we learn, and grow!
We start this year with tremendous momentum due to the positive, energetic spirits of everyone in this building. We start this year lifted up as H. Grady Spruce earned 2 Distinctions, continuing to shift and strengthen the narrative to our scholars and community. Beyond the Distinction accolades, we have tremendous scholars and educators at Spruce and I am proud to spread the story everywhere I go. I am honored to say "our" story and everyone that has joined the Spruce Family this year, it is our story to also strengthen, fight for, and be proud of!! I speak for all of us newbies, we are honored to call Spruce home.
The message and more importantly the mindset of Being Elite in Your 20 Square Feet, is a place I want us to continue to ground our hearts and work in throughout the year. You as an individual have a tremendous impact on the synergy in our entire building. Because your energy combines with everyone elses and this is where we experience transformative actions and impact. Own your space, with Joy. Hope. Resilience and a commitment to being Elite in all you do. Elite is being YOUR BEST SELF with CONSISTENCY. WE have implemented new processes and collectively we are a powerhouse of aspirational thinking and modeling for our scholars.
We are on this journey together, to ensure that our scholars leave us with a high school education and experiences in varying opportunities that allow them to embrace their next step with life affirming options. Enhancing their experiences through meaningful opportunities and teaching accountability and responsibility, day in and day out at Spruce, is our charge. At the end of their time with us, they dictate which of the many doors they want to walk through that holds extensive possibilities.
Tomorrow, 1900 scholars enter our doors. Our hearts are full with hope and excitement for the year. We all look forward to guiding, encouraging, all these young minds to rise and exceed our expectations. Joyful minds and hearts with purposeful, consistent action feeds the energy to set in motion the best day ever! Remember, every moment, of every minute, of every day matters, make it count!!
Super Spruce on 3!!
Kindest Regard,
F. Taylor
Proudest Principal in DISD
BE INSPIRED ~ DISD Cultivates Change Makers!!
First Week Funnies
Enrollment Procedure Highlights 8/19
Here are the 1st day procedures regarding Enrollment Count. Also, please make sure your classroom neighbors read the email and submit counts by 9:20 am daily.
Day 1: Monday, August 19, 2019 Procedures-FIRST PERIOD ONLY
- It is very important that you take attendance based upon current PowerSchool rosters and not any pre-printed rosters.
- Mark students absent if the student is not present in your classroom.
- Submit the total number of students who are physically present in your classroom by 9:20. This is super important because counts are due at 9:45 daily to central staff and tabulations must be done once we receive your individual counts.
The link to complete the enrollment count (electronically this year) can be found here: Daily Enrollment Count Form
The link for PowerSchool can be found here: PowerSchool Site
1st Week Mini Lessons
During our Beginning of the Year (BOY) training we introduced and discussed the Spruce Culture Mini Lessons (15 minutes).
Here is the link for the Mini Lessons: Mini Lesson Link
Here is the link to the Notes Page for Students (which will be delivered to your classroom Monday morning): Notes Page Link
The order will be:
- Scheduling (1st and 5th Period)
- Lunch and Cafeteria Expectations (2nd Period)
- Hallway Culture (6th Period)
- Tardy Policy (3rd period)
- Hall Passes (7th period)
- Dress Code and Cell Phone (4th period)
- Arrival and Dismissal (8th period)
Thank you in advance for embedding this very important culture component into your instructional lesson. The goal is to support, remind, and practice Super Scholar behavior!
The Mini Lessons will be revisited, in a similar fashion at the top of 2nd semester.
Start Strong. Stay Strong. End Strong.
1st Day, Monday 8/19, Community Circle Script
Email Priority Labels
RED: Read within the business day or 24 hours (timely information, action items, important updates, or important information requested. REDs normally have a request for a reply within the day or 24 hours or an action item that needs to be executed within the 24 hours.
YELLOW: Read within 48 hours of receiving the email. Respond accordingly.
GREEN: Read within the week or at your leisure (may be an article, resource).
For example:
(color): subject line
RED: 8/19 Spruce Scoop
Special Note:
Please only use these when a communication is sent to the entire staff, administration to staff, staff to administration (this helps us know the priority to answer and minimizes us missing the RED type communications), or staff to teams.
This does not pertain to general emails that are sent between staff members. The rational is to communicate the priority and support timely communication within our large organization.
1st - 2 Weeks- Block Schedule
Staff Parking in Rear
MANDATORY CLOCK IN
- Monitors & Parking Attendant: 7:30 am
- Administrators: 7:50 am
- Clerks: 8:00 am
- Teacher Assistants: Ranger 7:30, 8:00, or 8:15
- Teachers: 8:15 am
8:20 AM Duty Begins
Please be at duty post ready to go a couple minutes early so that doors are opened at 8:20am. Teamwork makes the Dream Work!!
Staggered Dismissal Reminder
1st Floor - 4:14 pm
2nd Floor - 4:17 pm
3rd Floor - 4:20 pm
Please review Mr. Ball's email sent out Saturday evening with our Arrival and Dismissal Plans.
After School Staff Huddle
Spruce Campus Wide Calendar
- Staff meetings (Wednesdays, once a month, exception September)
- Sporting Events
- Fine & Performing Events
- Campus Wide Events
- Testing Days & Campus Testing Meetings
Staff meetings are subjected to change. The goals is to communicate monthly staff meetings via the calendar and to have one a month.
It is important that we recognize ALL the Excellence in Teaching occuring in all of areas of our academic programs. The highlights are on a weekly rotation throughout the year. Each content/department will be highlighted on a weekly basis.
Spruce High School- Read 180 Program
______________________________________________________
READ 180 is a HIGHLY individualized reading program that takes into account student interest and Lexile in order to maximize a student’s potential to increase their comprehension and vocabulary.
READ 180 classrooms feature a print-rich environment, an added bonus that helps students acquire the tools necessary to increase Lexile levels as well as comprehension and analysis skills.
Watch the program in action:
The 3 components of the Read 180 program include:
Teacher Led Group- where small student groups interact with the teacher while discussing and analyzing a short reading selection.
Independent Reading Group- where students read self- selected books while keeping a daily reading log, which can be used when taking the book test.
Computer Component- which self-adjusts for each student’s reading level and focuses on comprehension, vocabulary and spelling skills.
The goal of the Read 180 program is to increase students’ Lexile level and comprehension. Additionally, students benefit from increased analysis skills that transfer beyond reading classes and across contents demonstrating improved comprehension and critical analysis throughout all core subjects and electives.
If you are interested in learning more about the Read 180 program or strategies for struggling readers, contact Ms. Whitaker, Read 180 Lead, in Room 215A.
Spruce Read 180 Team
L to R:
Ms. Whitaker, Team Lead
Mrs. Tuley, Teacher
Mrs. Peterson, Teacher
Catch a Timberwolf Staff member being ELITE in their 20 Square Feet, Joyful, Hopeful, Resilient, SEL Champion, or simply did or said something that was the spotlight of your day/week!
Thank you for taking a moment to highlight your fellow staff member! You made someone's day!!
Spotlight on Ms. King & Mr. Daniels
Shout out to Ms. King -this year's math department chair- for rising to the occasion enthusiastically and leading a warm welcome for new-to-Spruce math teachers. She also planned and executed a fabulous community circle. The math team will surely benefit from her leadership all year long.
Shout out to Mr. Daniels. He is a model educator because he always has a book-in-hand (The Speed of Trust, Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain etc.). He is a thirsty learner- this is a quality that his students will certainly notice.
Spotlight on Mr. Sharp & Ms. McKay
Mr. Sharp - has been sooooooo incredibly warm, welcoming and helpful from the VERY (literally!!) second I stepped into Spruce HS this summer for the first time, answering all of my questions, making sure that I'm okay and offering his assistance where my height (read: shortness) poses a challenge.
Ms. Mckay - it's been an absolute joy working with Ms. Mckay who has such a genuine and radiating sense of enthusiasm for the work we all do, no matter how small or large the task is. I am thankful for her energy and am thankful for her help, answering all of my questions and helping to ensure that no classroom poster was left crooked.
Spotlight on Super Spruce
The faculty energy and spirit gave me much more excitement about the year and working at Spruce. Many said hello and were welcoming. This made feel a lot of joy and belonging to the group.
Thank you, Ms. Taylor, for an awesome 5 days of PD! This was the best I have ever experienced!
Spotlight on Super Spruce
Hello my name is Javier de Freitas. I was recently accepted to work as part of the school team at H. Grady Spruce High School, in the position of Parent Instructor. Since the interview with Director Taylor and Ms. Jackson I felt like I am in a family. On my first day at work I met colleagues who guided me so much with enthusiasm and helped me with my doubts. I feel that everyone on campus has the commitment, dedication, and love to achieve an excellent education. Thanks for this opportunity.
Spotlight on Ms. Draper (World Languages)
I would like to thank Ms. Draper. Over there past 3 years, she and I have been working in a very unstable situation, but she has been consistently there for the school, giving here best effort and giving the department some sense of stability. Also, I want to tell her that she has always given me a greater sense of belonging in what is typically a very lonely position. She is informative and advising without being invasive and demanding, and I really feel comfortable with that.
Spotlight on Mrs. Schroeder
Spotlight for Mrs. Schroeder for her commitment to ensuring students were in the correct tennis period prior to start of school! Given the importance of students being in the correct class period on the first day is a huge contribution factor given District match is on the second week of school. Mrs. Schroeder graciously made the adjustments needed in no time and her commitment to students is greatly appreciated. Thank you Mrs. Schroeder!
Spotlight on Mrs. Miller & Ms. Baker
I would like to acknowledge Mrs. Miller (English Team) for the wonderful idea of Teacher Move-In Day where the Class of 2020 assisted staff move in their spaces. The staff and students thoroughly enjoyed it and the feedback was phenomenal. I still have teachers asking for assistance. This is something we should do annually. Thank you to Ms. Baker for helping execute this awesome activity.
WAIP information that is specific to an individual, team, grade, content, will be emailed directly.
Spruce Open House 8/14
PD Week: Academic Resilience - Elements of Resilience & the Warm Demander
PD Week: Session Rotations for Need to Knows (TEI, Sped Updates, Nurse)
PD Week: Teacher Leaders Lead Scholar Mini Culture Lesson Reviews
Hall Passes
Hallway Culture
Tardy Policy
PD Week: Reflecting on the SEL Competencies and Personal Connections
PD Week: Power Struggles - Strategies to De-escalate and Empower Relationships & Respect
PD: Writing Across the Curriculum: CUBES & ACE & Agency Rubric Pilot
A.C.E. in Math
A. nswer
C. ite
E. xplain
Agency Rubric
PD Week: Practicing Classroom Exit
PD Week: Community Building Basketball Tournament
Timberwolves ~ All Hands on Deck for 2019-2010
Ms. Cross
Rosa and Olga
Ms. Rodriguez
Super Spruce Door Cork Boards
Timberwolves Morning Messages!
H. Grady Spruce High School
Located in the heart of the Pleasant Grove region of Dallas, Texas, H. Grady Spruce High School serves a diverse population of students and their families. Our neighborhood maintains a strong tradition of community, hard work, and pride. Families have made Pleasant Grove their home for generations, and many of our students can claim a legacy of Spruce alumnae that go back to the founding of the school.
H. Grady Spruce High School was built in 1963, replacing Rylie High School. The school is named for Henry Grady Spruce, a native of Omen, Texas, who earned degrees from Southern Methodist University and the University of Chicago. He devoted much of his 35-year YMCA career to youth, including 25 years as director of the Dallas YMCA's Camp Crockett near Granbury.
Email: frataylor@dallasisd.org
Website: https://www.dallasisd.org/spruce
Location: 9733 Old Seagoville Road, Dallas, TX, USA
Phone: 972-892-5500