Alice High School Newsletter
September 2, 2014
New School Year-New Opportunities
Welcome to the 2014-2015 school year. It is our hope, as your administrative team, that you had a restful summer, and that you had the opportunity to replenish your store of energy for the year ahead. We believe that good things are in store for Alice High School. By working together toward a common goal, great things will happen.
In order to better communicate information in a timely manner, we will send weekly newsletters to you in this format. Some will be short and others longer, depending of course on the time of year and information to be shared. Among the items we hope to include are birthdays and events in which students will be participating.
So again, welcome to the 2014-2015 school year and thank you for choosing
Alice High School!
Sincerely,
Ms. Debbie Garcia, Principal
Dr. Judy Holmgreen, Dean of Instruction
Mr. Mike Carper, Assistant Principal, CTE and Special Education
Dr. Chris Daniels, Assistant Principal, Freshmen
Mr. Eugene Everett, Assistant Principal, Sophomores and Juniors
In order to better communicate information in a timely manner, we will send weekly newsletters to you in this format. Some will be short and others longer, depending of course on the time of year and information to be shared. Among the items we hope to include are birthdays and events in which students will be participating.
So again, welcome to the 2014-2015 school year and thank you for choosing
Alice High School!
Sincerely,
Ms. Debbie Garcia, Principal
Dr. Judy Holmgreen, Dean of Instruction
Mr. Mike Carper, Assistant Principal, CTE and Special Education
Dr. Chris Daniels, Assistant Principal, Freshmen
Mr. Eugene Everett, Assistant Principal, Sophomores and Juniors
What we do and why we do it
As we begin a new year, let us be mindful of what we do and why we do it. It's not about programs, teams, or tests. It's about kids. Every decision we make should be in the best interest of all students. When we put kids first, we can't help but be winners--all the way around!
Dress for Success
A good teacher can be effective and successful wearing shorts and a t-shirt. However, we want to set the example for our students. A principal once told me, "Perception is reality." Our attire and the manner in which we go about the business of educating children creates a perception among the people we serve and the public with whom we interact.
Imagine what might happen if your students begin to ask, "Sir (or Miss), why are you all dressed up today?" and you respond, "I'm dressed up today because you deserve my best effort. You are important to me and I want to always do my best as your teacher. If I were meeting an important dignitary, I would not show up in jeans and a t-shirt. I would wear my best clothes. Today, you are that important dignitary."
Do you think that over time we might see a change in our students? One thing is certain...we will never know until we try. Therefore, we will allow faculty and staff to wear jeans on Wednesdays with your positive Wednesday shirt (more on that later), and on Fridays with a school spirit shirt or an orange or white shirt.
Imagine what might happen if your students begin to ask, "Sir (or Miss), why are you all dressed up today?" and you respond, "I'm dressed up today because you deserve my best effort. You are important to me and I want to always do my best as your teacher. If I were meeting an important dignitary, I would not show up in jeans and a t-shirt. I would wear my best clothes. Today, you are that important dignitary."
Do you think that over time we might see a change in our students? One thing is certain...we will never know until we try. Therefore, we will allow faculty and staff to wear jeans on Wednesdays with your positive Wednesday shirt (more on that later), and on Fridays with a school spirit shirt or an orange or white shirt.
Schedules, Schedules, Schedules
The late arrival schedule is provided in the event that we have to schedule a late start to the day due to weather or other reasons such as we experienced last year. It is our hope that by having this schedule already developed, we will lose no instructional time. Please note: With this schedule we will not have advisory or PowerPeriod.
Six Weeks Exam Schedule
This will be the exam schedule each six weeks:
Semester Exam Schedule - Tuesday
Semester Exam Schedule - Wednesday
Semester Exam Schedule - Thursday
Power Period
As you looked at the bell schedule, you most likely noticed something called Power Period. This is a within-the-day tutorial time that we were asked to incorporate into the schedule. As you well know, students were not taking advantage of after-school tutorials so we are trying this option this year.
As with most new things, a period of adjustment will be needed so we are asking for your patience and cooperation. Trying to develop such a schedule was not easy. Many of you will remember the in-day tutorials we had a few years ago. Students were assigned to specific classrooms. Many did not need the tutorials being offered, and teachers were assigned to tutor in subjects in which they felt uncomfortable. We wanted to avoid this and make Power Period beneficial to everyone.
Students will be divided into two groups by alphabet, with a few of options available to them each day. For example, students with last names A-J may elect to go to tutorials on Mondays in English, Spanish, Credit Recovery (if they have a Credit Recovery class), or an elective (no P.E.). If their English class is full, they must try their Spanish class. If their Spanish class is full, they must try one of their electives. If all classes are full they may attend study hall in the Activity Center, etc. As a teacher, you have the option to assign tutorials to students based on their test scores, achievement in class, etc.
*Students who have failed an EOC test will attend tutoring for the test(s) they have failed on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.
Fridays are reserved for study hall in the students' sixth period classroom or for club meetings. We are asking that club sponsors work together to schedule meetings so that the larger groups do not meet on the same Friday. This meeting opportunity does not prevent clubs from meeting after school if a meeting is necessary.
We anticipate there to be some confusion and the Power Period schedule may have to be adjusted. We won't know until we actually begin meeting. We are asking that everyone help make this successful. Should you find that you have no students in your classroom during Power Period, please go to the Activity Center or the Library to assist with study hall. No teacher should have what amounts to an extra conference period because no students come to their classroom. We need every teacher and staff member helping with Power Period. Coaches, if you are not teaching a core content subject during sixth period, we need you to monitor and assist with study hall. Please
Please note that study hall is not a free period where students can visit and listen to music, etc. It is intended and should be used as a time to study and work on homework.
If you have any suggestions, please share them with the administrative team. We welcome your input.
As with most new things, a period of adjustment will be needed so we are asking for your patience and cooperation. Trying to develop such a schedule was not easy. Many of you will remember the in-day tutorials we had a few years ago. Students were assigned to specific classrooms. Many did not need the tutorials being offered, and teachers were assigned to tutor in subjects in which they felt uncomfortable. We wanted to avoid this and make Power Period beneficial to everyone.
Students will be divided into two groups by alphabet, with a few of options available to them each day. For example, students with last names A-J may elect to go to tutorials on Mondays in English, Spanish, Credit Recovery (if they have a Credit Recovery class), or an elective (no P.E.). If their English class is full, they must try their Spanish class. If their Spanish class is full, they must try one of their electives. If all classes are full they may attend study hall in the Activity Center, etc. As a teacher, you have the option to assign tutorials to students based on their test scores, achievement in class, etc.
*Students who have failed an EOC test will attend tutoring for the test(s) they have failed on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.
Fridays are reserved for study hall in the students' sixth period classroom or for club meetings. We are asking that club sponsors work together to schedule meetings so that the larger groups do not meet on the same Friday. This meeting opportunity does not prevent clubs from meeting after school if a meeting is necessary.
We anticipate there to be some confusion and the Power Period schedule may have to be adjusted. We won't know until we actually begin meeting. We are asking that everyone help make this successful. Should you find that you have no students in your classroom during Power Period, please go to the Activity Center or the Library to assist with study hall. No teacher should have what amounts to an extra conference period because no students come to their classroom. We need every teacher and staff member helping with Power Period. Coaches, if you are not teaching a core content subject during sixth period, we need you to monitor and assist with study hall. Please
Please note that study hall is not a free period where students can visit and listen to music, etc. It is intended and should be used as a time to study and work on homework.
If you have any suggestions, please share them with the administrative team. We welcome your input.
Attendance Incentive-Please Share with Students
We are offering an attendance incentive for the first semester as well as the second semester. Please communicate this to your students.
Grades
Grading guidelines are printed in the student handbook. Please be sure that you mention this in your class syllabus along with any procedural information your students need to know.
IMPORTANT!!!
Parents are expecting to see at least 2 grades each six weeks. Dr. Holmgreen will be checking every Monday morning to see that all teachers have put grades into the gradebook. By making sure this happens early in the year, we will make it a habit and students and parents will always know how their child(ren) are doing in school. Your attention to this matter is greatly appreciated.
IMPORTANT!!!
Parents are expecting to see at least 2 grades each six weeks. Dr. Holmgreen will be checking every Monday morning to see that all teachers have put grades into the gradebook. By making sure this happens early in the year, we will make it a habit and students and parents will always know how their child(ren) are doing in school. Your attention to this matter is greatly appreciated.
It's important...
Please be sure to record attendance every class period, every day. Thanks!
This Week's Birthdays
Antonio Gomez - Sept. 7
This Week's Events and Activities
Find out what's been scheduled here:
http://ahs.aliceisd.net/apps/events/
http://ahs.aliceisd.net/apps/events/