#sparkinfo. Weekly Update
Week #22- February 4th-8th
Fight the Good Fight!
February and March are notorious for being a long stretch of time in schools! Additionally, we have been dealing with a great deal of illness and death in the family. All of the support you have all shown for each other has been incredible!
On Monday, I have the opportunity to speak with the AdvancEd team about our school and our district. I am so proud to be the leader at Pickens Middle and in Pickens County. It is not a task which requires much preparation in that there is so many student-driven programs in place.
As we enter February, let's work to make it the most positive month we have had yet! Build each other up, and build up your students! Catch them being good. Find positive outlets for your stress and don't take it out on your colleagues and the young people in the building.
Our "One Word" initiative, Habitudes, OLWEUS, Good News (We have already had 60 for the month of February!!), Excel Cents, Spark Celebrations, and morning assembly will all continue. What can you do to personalize S.E.L. in our school?
I encourage you to take the advice we give our students everyday. Make someone else's life better than it would have been had they not encountered you today.
Thank you for all you do for our students everyday and for helping to make Pickens Middle a great place to work and learn!
Toga Day in sixth grade!
We have concluded our reader of the week competitions!
Wendy's Spirit Night!
Instructional Focus
Our vertical planning days were highly constructive with ELA, Math, and Resource teachers. I appreciate Mrs. Masters leadership for these days. Our goal is to provide relevant and rigorous instruction. Discussions focused on pedagogy, literacy and numeracy models, and scheduling. We hope to have these discussions with our other content area teachers soon.
Remember to focus on mastery versus checking off that you have covered the standard. If you cover all the standards, but students have not mastered them, this will not reflect student growth. We will roll out a more comprehensive recovery plan soon for our overage students and those who failed core subjects in the first semester.
This Week's Agenda!
Monday, Feb. 4th-
Student vs. Faculty Basketball Game
(#sparkfun schedule)
AdvancED Engagement Review- SIC and Principal Interviews
Tuesday, Feb. 5th-
8th Grade Visit to Pickens High School
Miss Torch Pageant Contestant Meeting (3:10 PM)
FFA Meeting (3:15-4:15)
AdvancED Engagement Review
Wednesday, Feb. 6th-
Water Wednesday- Sudan Well Project
AdvancED Engagement Review
Thursday, Feb. 7th-
8th Grade to Roper Mountain Science Center
Momentum Bike Club (3:30-5:00 PM)
Friday, Feb. 8th-
Science Club After School
Saturday, Feb. 9th-
Math Counts Competition
Eighth Grade Dance
SPARK SPOTLIGHT!!!!
Changing Lives
This week, I would like to spotlight a teacher who is not just educating but changing lives.
Coach Owens is doing things with students that most of us would find highly challenging to work with. For those of you who know a couple of our emotionally disabled students, you know that the baggage they bring to school is overwhelming. Rikki works with John, Ashleigh, and their great assistants to provide high expectations, and love these kids at the same time.
I am amazed by the change I see in several of these students. Who they are now versus who they were when they arrived on our campus is inspiring. Coach Owens is an example of the power relationships can have. Her kids love her and miss her when she is gone.
Many of you may have seen the Anderson Independent Mail article on social media this past weekend: This past Friday Coach Owens, a teacher at Pickens Middle and coach at Pickens High, was featured in a newspaper article for the part her Pickens High Basketball Team played in helping an injured BHP player achieve the 1,000 point mark! This spoke to the character of Coach Owens and her team! The story can be seen at the following link: https://goo.gl/Z3VugW.
We are so proud of you Rikki, and can't wait to see what the future holds for your students. Thank you for changing lives. You are a difference maker!
Click on the link below as you see and hear great things happening in the building. Please let us know about them by filling out the form. You may want to bookmark the link as we will be "Spotlighting" teachers and staff all year.
From Sparks of Knowledge Grow Flames of Success
Email: jamesking@pickens.k12.sc.us
Website: http://pms.pickens.k12.sc.us/
Location: 140 Torch Lane, Pickens, SC, 29671
Phone: (864) 397-4100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pickensms/?scrlybrkr=85865011
Twitter: @pmssparks