The Mighty Cub #PurposePassionPride
April 2 - April 6
Our Mission
Our Vision
Our Cultural Vision
This Week
April 2
- Honor Choir - @Holub
April 3
- Forward & Beyond in AMS Cafe-4:00-6:15
April 4
- Early Dismissal - Content
April 5
- 3 Weeks PR grades due by 4:00 pm.
April 6
- STAAR Peprally - Wed. Schedule
Administrators' Corner
Upcoming STAAR Testing
Be sure to talk to your students about the new procedures, especially the change from seal to no seal. I am sure no student will want to take TWO tests in one day! You have been preparing your students through the curriculum, your activities, your discussions and your assessments. It is now their time to shine. If you have any questions please see Mrs. Barnes. Remember to read your manual!
Due to STAAR testing, our campus will be on testing mode on Tuesday, April 10th and Wednesday, April 11th.
This means:
· No visitors will be allowed on campus.
· 6th grade students will be with their 4th period teacher on both days. In May students will test in their 4th period class. Please use next week to build relationships with the students. Teachers will be responsible for coming up with work for the students. Please note that students will not transition between classes until testing is complete.
· 7th grade students will take Math DCA on Wednesday, April 11th in their testing classrooms. It is recommended that 7th grade teachers have additional work for the students for Wednesday which they can work on after they have completed their Math DCA.
You should have your STAAR rosters no later than Aril 3.
As always if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the STAAR team.
Consistency is Key
In order to "run program" at AMS we need 100% of the staff on the same page. We cannot let up or the students will figure out that they can get away with certain violations and they will use that against us. If you see a student with their hoodie on, tell them to take it off. If a student does not have an ID (permanent or temp) send him/her to get one. We need to be consistent if we are going to change their habits. Lead by example, keep emotions out of it (they did not wake up with a plan to upset you), and address the violation in a professional and calm way.
Dismissal Procedures
We are moving to a Structured Dismissal. More information will follow soon.
Grading Policy
- Major grade (test/project) below a 70 requires:
- Documented parent contact via phone or letter
- Re-test or Zeroes Aren’t Permitted (ZAP) class to improve grade. On re-test the highest grade is recorded.
- Watch lists of failures from previous year and then each 3 weeks for counselors/teachers to meet with students will be utilized.
- Failure lists for teachers, specialists, and ILT for reflection on teaching practices and for TTESS documentation will be utilized.
Shout Outs!!
Shout out to Mrs. Barnes for donating playing cards, Uno and a very nice Monopoly set to the library for our morning and lunchtime students.
Shout out to Mr. Cesar, Ms. Tran and the chaperones that took a group of students to visit Microsoft and Apple in the Galleria. Our students had a blast with the hands-on learning.
Shout out to Hospitality committee and Mrs. Solorzano, Ms. Lima, Mrs. Rodriguez, and Mrs. Mejia for taking charge of the Easter Egg Hunt. A big shout out to our staff aides for helping out! Great job!
Shout out to Mrs. Kasmarek for her flexibility and quick thinking to get our Art Wall started. I can't wait to see the finished product! If you have not seen it, walk over to her classroom... You can't miss it.
Shout out to Appreciation Financial for helping out with the Art Wall and for our brand new benches and picnic tables.
Shout out to the grade level secretaries Mrs. Salais, Mrs. Solorzano, and Mrs. Zamora for getting our honor roll kiddos on the board. The board looks awesome!
Shout out to GEMS for the Anti Stress Bag.
Shout out to Coach Moynihan, Garske, and Twedt for challenging their students to raise funds and then matching their donations.
Do you have a "shout out" you would like to share with the staff? Send it to Mr. Lopez via e-mail or text! Subject line: Shout out!
Content Feature - Technology
Alief Middle School Tech Team Facilitating Sessions to Empower Teachers!
AMS tech team members volunteered to teach their colleagues tools they were already using in their classroom or some that they recently learned about. Everyone was on board with helping our teachers almost reach 100% status in PD tech hours for our Campus Scorecard.
Early morning risers get up to attend Ken Henderson, the Band teacher’s session,
‘ Using Schoology to Sync to ESP’.
Thandiwe Washington, Math teacher, facilitating ‘Using Edpuzzle in the Flipped Classroom.’
'Twenty Web 2.0 Tools New to You’ facilitated by Julie Fitzgerald, the Librarian