Ram Nation News
Week of December 3, 2018
Vision
Mission
At Thomas J. Rusk Middle School, our mission is to empower our students to become
college and career ready by providing them a culture of excellence through challenging
opportunities, powerful relationships, and strong community partnerships.
#OnANewLevel
Every year our students and teachers go through a rather stressful time of testing at the end of each semester. Whether we talk about ACPs or state assessments, this can be a stressful time. At this time of the year, students should have mastered the skills they need to show significant progress from the time of entry.
Our teachers have not just taught straight from the book. Throughout this semester, each one of you has engaged in backwards planning, creating and using exemplars, aggressively monitoring, and Data Driven Instruction meetings among others. We have been very purposeful with laser focus analyzing data, and identifying weaknesses and specific groups of students, to redesign instruction. Teachers have been using best instructional practices with aggressively monitoring as a leverage to keep students accountable and make adjustments to instruction so that our students can master concepts. Students have been encouraged by teachers and administrators to work hard and aim high. Let's continue to MOTIVATE our students to do their very best so that they would not miss the opportunity to be and feel successful.
With only one 8 days of instruction left before ACPs, I am sure you agree with me that there is not a single minute to waste. Let's be very intentional in the type of work and tasks that we are putting in front of our students. As you know, there are things that students must know and other things that are nice to know; therefore, have a laser-focus on the learning that is critical for each grade level and focus on the must know.
- Let’s continue to give our students that last push for excellence and relevant learning. Let’s incorporate engagement strategies to motivate students. As we review for ACPs, continue to make sure that you are addressing, What students are learning, Why it is important, What mastery looks like, and How to connect it to prior knowledge and their own lives.
- Let's use the ACP blueprint to narrow our focus. Continue to make this learning relevant and incorporate engagement strategies to motivate students. Include review sessions that incorporate game format such as, Jeopardy or Kahoot and keep sending homework and study guides for students to practice and use.
Let's maximize every instructional minute available to us; bell-to-bell instruction is the key. If our scholars are focused and we engage them from the moment they enter our classrooms to the moment they leave, they will be the beneficiaries of learning.
- Have conferences with parents and guardians about behavior, academics, absentees and tardiness. We need to make sure that we create partnerships with all stakeholders and that we hold everybody accountable.
- Ensure that student work and designated spaces in our classrooms (word walls, concept walls, data walls) are updated or used appropriately so that new learning/progress is evident.
ACPs results will not only measure our school’s progress from last year’s fall ACP, it will also provide feedback as to whether all that we have implemented has been effective. I want to thank all of you for not slowing down in our efforts to make our vision come true, I know that we continue strong #OnANewLevel!
Attendance
The following is the percent for attendance for the week of 11/26 - 11/30:
- 6th Grade - 97.62 - Improved by 0.20%
- 7th Grade - 96.23% - Improved by 1.44%
- 8th Grade - 96.55% - Improved by 1.01%
Let's continue to encourage our students to be present and on time on a daily basis. It really makes a huge difference when our students are present learning
THANK YOU
- Ms. Addison and Ms. Buitron for their leadership and support with our girls' basketball teams. Our Lady Rams continue to improve and represent us very well! They won their last games.
- Coach Clark and Mr. Thornton for their dedication and leadership with our boys' basketball teams. Our B Team has won 2 games in a row and our A team continues to work hard and improve their skills.
- Ms Wilson for her commitment and support as she works with some of our students needing the most love. We really appreciate you!
- Ms Rendon as she continues to work with two classes, approximately 50 students, showing similar performance in various concepts. We really value your commitment, leadership, and support.
Parent Meeting
One of our school goals is to broaden constructive relationships with the members of school community. Thank you so much for all your hard work to provide parents tips for our upcoming ACPs and discuss expectations. All of the various departments were very organized, had materials, and exemplars ready to share with parents.
Let's continue to make sure we encourage parent participation in school events, parent workshops, and parent conferences to create partnerships to build the whole child. Shout out to Ms. Baker for putting the "Passport" together and Ms. Zuniga and Ms. Saucedo for the extra support during this event.
Climate and Culture
Debate
Art Club
Anime Club
Poetry and Yearbook
Chess
Extracurricular
Spanish - Mr. Patel.
Cheerleaders - Ms. Turnbull.
Dance - Mrs. Hayes.
Band- Mr. McCann and Mr. Alarcon.
Cooking- Ms. Baker.
Academic Pentathon - Mrs. Brown
Destination Imagination - Ms. Vargas and Mrs. Lewis.
Robotics
Having Fun!
REMINDERS FOR THE UPCOMING WEEK OF SCHOOL
- Teachers have to acknowledge in Cornerstone for a submitted spot to be marked complete and show up as complete on our tracker; if you have not acknowledged previous SPOTs, please do so to ensure accuracy and plan accordingly. (TEI 4.2)
- Submit attendance on time. We have had too many unsubmitted attendance.
- During 8:00 a.m. - 8:20 a.m., students must be engaged in meaningful activities: homework support, organizing binder, CNN news with reflection sheet.
- We need to work on the recruitment of students for our after school program since it impacts student growth, our school performance, progress, and, ultimately, part of our stipends are tied to the attendance of our students to our tutoring/enrichment sessions. I have noticed that we have been a little relaxed and have given our students the impression that they can opt out; we need to bring our numbers up! (TEI 1.2, 1.4 and Stipend Agreement)
- Teachers, make sure you are staying after school during the day you said you are staying because students have attendance for credit and must make up their time with the teacher for whom they have excessive absences.
- It is critical to be prepared with lessons and materials to avoid having issues with students. When we are not prepared, our students can tell and will find their own way of entertainment.
- We must have 100% presence in the hallway during transition times. Our students notice when there is a lack of adult presence in the hallways and will take advantage of it.
- Be very consistent in the effective implementation of various practices discussed during our TEI orientation and lesson alignment conversations. With regards to Alignment (learning objective), the proficient rating states: Focuses students at the beginning and throughout the lesson, by clearly stating (TEI 2.1)
- What they are learning
- Why it is important
- What mastery looks like
- How to connect it to prior knowledge and their own lives and explaining to students
- Submit lesson plans by Thursday at 6:00 p.m. (TEI 4.2)
DAILY EVENTS
Monday, December 3-
- Campus Climate Survey Continues - Remember to send confirmation of completion to Ms. Miranda, CC Mr. Cordoba, in order to wear jeans from the day you take survey until Friday EXCEPT Thursday. See e-mail sent by Mr. Cordoba for more details.
- SPOT observations continue
- B Day - We will be checking for exemplars and aggressively monitoring in action!
Meet with your grade level teams to align your Lesson Plans and follow up on the implementation of ACP action plan (address high leverage TEKS, low performing TEKS, map out TEKS to be covered in the remaining of the instructional days - ACPs begin December 13).
4:45 Monthly Staff Meeting - Library
4:30 - 5:30 Academic Pentathalon coach meeting - Ms. Brown and Ms. Baker
Lady Rams’ basketball game at 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at P.C Cobb Athletic Complex (1702 R.B. Cullum Dallas, TX 75210) against Spence MS.
- A-Day. We will be checking for exemplars and aggressively monitoring in action!
Meet with your grade level teams to align your Lesson Plans and follow up on the implementation of ACP action plan (address high leverage TEKS, low performing TEKS, map out TEKS to be covered in the remaining of the instructional days - ACPs begin December 13).
4:30 p.m. After School Program Continues. We need to work on the recruitment of students for our after school program since it impacts student growth, our school performance, progress, and, ultimately, part of our stipends are tied to the attendance of our students to our tutoring/enrichment sessions. I have noticed that we have been a little relaxed and have given our students the impression that they can opt out; we need to bring our numbers up! (Teachers, make sure you are staying after school during the day you said you are staying because students have attendance for credit and must make up their time with the teacher for whom they have excessive absences.)
Remember to clock out at or after 6:00 p.m. during the 2 days that you will stay after school
- B-Day.
- Calibration Walks - We will be walking classrooms checking for alignment, exemplars, and aggressively monitoring.
- Meet with your grade level teams to align your Lesson Plans and follow up on the implementation of ACP action plan (address high leverage TEKS, low performing TEKS, map out TEKS to be covered in the remaining of the instructional days - ACPs begin December 13).
- 4:30 p.m. After School Program Continues. We need to bring our numbers up! (see Tuesday for more details). (Teachers, make sure you are staying after school during the day you said you are staying because students have attendance for credit and must make up their time with the teacher for whom they have excessive absences.)
- 4:30 - 7:30 - CILT sessions at Edison MS.
- Remember to clock out at or after 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, December 6-
- A-Day.
- Weekly PLC
- 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. The Real Estate Council (TREC) and Commit visit (2 different groups of 10-12 people.) We will visit classrooms and stop by PLCs to have staff members share their experience as teachers in a Dallas public school and ACE.
- 6:00 - Lesson plans due.
6:00 p.m. Band and Cheerleaders Holiday Program - Mr. McCann, Mr. Alarcon, and Ms. Turnbull.
Boys’ basketball game at 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at P.C Cobb Athletic Complex (1702 R.B. Cullum Dallas, TX 75210) against Spence MS.
Soccer games at 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. for the girls and boys respectively at Loos Stadium against E.D Walker MS.
Friday, December 7 -
- B-Day
- Students will be able to wear jeans with a college, spirit, or uniform shirt for $1 in support of CAB.
- Teacher-Made ACP Due - Appraiser and Mrs. Mooty. If you have questions about who should be getting TM ACP see Ms. Vasquez for English Learners questions or Ms. Maloy for Special Education questions.
Saturday, December 8,
- UIL Academic Competition -See Ms. Baker if interested in coaching ($50/team per competition)
Upcoming Dates
December 12
- Climate Survey window ends.
- Last day for after-school for the semester.
December 13
- ACPs begin
- Christmas Dinner at 5:00 p.m.
December 14
- Snapshot for documenting student involvement in extracurricular and co-curricular activities
December 15
- Winter Blitz - Destination Imagination team - Ms. Vargas and Mrs. Lewis
December 20
- Teacher Work Day
The Educator Collective
The Educator Collective's next FREE event: an Ugly Holiday Brunch!
Grab your ugliest Christmas sweater and come celebrate the end of the semester with TEC! Join TEC on December 8th for the 2nd Annual "Ugly Holiday Brunch” party on the rooftop at STIRR. We’ll be hanging out from 11:00 am – 1:00 p.m and will have brunch, drinks and giveaways so come ready for a good time! Invite your teacher friends to come and mingle.
You must RSVP - all details and registration information in the link above!
Keeping you in our thoughts and prayers
As a Ram Nation family, it is good to support each other in times of difficulty. Please, keep the following staff members in your thoughts and prayers,
Mr. Guillory - Mom's health
Ms. Jackson - Own health and for a prompt recovery
Mrs. Hayes - Father passed awayMs. Rendon - Grandfather passed away
Congratulations!!!
Welcome to Rusk!!!
Mr. Orlando Garcia joins our team as one of our Hall Monitors.
Ms. Janie Garcia joins our team as one of our Teachers Assistants in the Special Education department as Malichi's one-on-one.
Happy Birthday
Wishing you the very best!!!
Dec. 13 – Ms. Galvan
Dec. 13 – Ms. Wilson
Dec. 22 – Ms. Safford
Dec. 24 - Ms. Davis
Dec. 29 – Mr. Johnson
Rusk Middle School
Email: jcordoba@dallasisd.org
Website: www.dallasisd.org/rusk
Location: 2929 Inwood Road, Dallas, TX, United States
Phone: 972-925-2000
Twitter: @RuskAllTheWayUp