RMS Weekly Event Calendar
November 14 - November 18
What's going on this week!
This past week I came across an article in the Mindsteps Newsletter that I thought was too good not to share with you. The article was about keeping promises. For the past several months, we have heard political candidates continue to make promises as to what they will do if elected. Now that the elections are over, it is time to see if the candidates actually make good on their promises. Will we be disappointed or frustrated if these promises are broken? Probably so.....
It is fairly easy to make promises; however, devising a plan on how to keep our promises can be challenging. As educators, I think we all agree that making and keeping promises is very important to both our students and parents. Being a person of our word means a lot to those around us and helps develop a sense of trust. Our parents are trusting their most important thing in the world to us...their children...and they are expecting us to keep our promises to them every day.
In the Mindsteps Newsletter, November 2016, the author suggests 10 promises that we should keep to our students:
1. I promise to pay attention to who you are and respect the currencies you bring with you to the classroom
2. I promise to keep out of your way so that you can take on the work of learning and enjoy the fruits of learning for yourself.
3. I promise to provide you with a physically and psychologically safe learning environment.
4. I promise to listen to the feedback you give me verbally, non-verbally, and in your work, and use this feedback to do a better job of meeting your needs.
5. I promise to keep trying until together, we figure out the best way to help you learn.
6. I promise to do all that I can to set you up to succeed.
7. I promise to help you learn from your mistakes and show you how to get better at learning.
8. I promise to carefully choose the work I give you so that it clearly increases your understanding and proficiency and doesn't encumber you with meaningless rote exercises that do little to help you learn.
9. I promise to provide you with challenging and engaging instruction that stretches you to within but at the outer limits of your ability. In this way, I will help you grow as a learner.
10. I promise to learn alongside you.
Imagine a school where every teacher made these promises to their students and worked daily to keep them. I believe Russellville Middle school can be that school! I truly believe you want these same things for your students and even though we may not have articulated them quite like the promises above, our actions, conversations, and planning reflect our true desire to see students succeed.
Looking forward to a great week full of promise and hope!
Monday, November 14
- Wellness Screening - Conference Area - Beginning at 8:30 a.m.
- RMS Basketball vs. Brooks - Home - 7th grade boys @ 3:30 p.m., 8th grade girls @ 4:30 p.m., 8th grade boys @ 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, November 15
- RMS Basketball vs. Winfield Middle School - Away - 7th grade boys @ 4:30 p.m., 8th grade girls @ 5:30 p.m., 8th grade boys @ 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, November 16
- RMS Media Center T-Shirt Sale - Please see Mrs. Roberts or Mrs. Hyde if you would like to order a shirt.
- Professional Development Half-Day - We will be having two sessions. Please make sure to be in your 1st session no later than 1:00 p.m.
- RMS Basketball Pictures - 3:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 17
- Thanksgiving Lunch/Retiree Lunch - The RMS cafeteria staff will be preparing a Thanksgiving lunch today that is amazing! Also, RMS retirees are invited back to join our faculty and staff for lunch @ 11:30. If you get a chance, stop by the media center and say "hello". I'm sure they would love to see all of you!
- Progress Reports - Progress reports will be given to students in 7th period during their mentoring time. Please make sure your grades are up-to-date in I-Now.
Friday, November 18
- RMS Scholars Bowl vs. Deshler - Away - 12:30 p.m.