Spruce Scoop
Joy. Hope. Resilience.
December 9, 2019
EOC Retesting
The tone and level of importance that is conveyed by all adults matters. Please be on time, ready to go, and prepared to execute the plan.
Be encouraging and positive and also maintain the utmost security of the test and fidelity to the process.
Tardy Sweep - Week of Dec. 9th
Tardy Sweep:
Due to EOC Retests and student displacements there will be NO TARDY SWEEPS THIS WEEK.
After School Expectations
We have so much happening after school and we want to ensure a safe and productive campus environment
- All scholars exit the building (We need to ensure- fine & performing arts, athletes, tutoring, AFC, exit the building)
- All teachers walk scholars to the appropriate stairwells. (Scholars are going down wrong stairwells).
- Athletes are to exit and re-enter through the gym doors (DO NOT WALK THROUGH THE BUILDING, exit and walk around).
Teachers and Coaches please make sure that we are all on the same page.
Attendance for Credit Staff Sign Up
Culture Advisory Committee Update
Right Around the Corner~ Ending Semester 1 & Professional Development
- Super Spruce Staff will receive a checklist on Tuesday, 12/10 that will list all the expectations for closing our our year Super Spruce Strong. Grades being entered is a primary part of the closing out the year.
- Professional Development - January 6th is a full day of professional learning.
- Elective teachers please communicate with me directly your District PD by December 19th. Please Department chairs send me one email per department with everyone's PD session and times.
REMINDER- Morning Hall Passes
Staff ~ Our reset is working and All hands on Deck Makes a Difference!!
- Hallway Expectations (Hoodies, Earphones, Cell phones, Right Side)
- NO PASSES during first 15 and last 15.
After School Tutoring
- Please remind all scholars that they are to enter via the 9th grade entrance.
- All teachers pick up scholars in the auditorium.
- At the end of the tutoring session, if you have any scholars, walk them out of the school via the front door.
- Thank you for planning targeted interventions and supporting their success on Fall ACPs.
- We want everyone to be on the level of On Grade Level of Above.
Dallas ISD Climate Survey
We want to hear from everyone, so please take a moment to ensure that you have completed the survey.
- Staff meetings (Tuesdays or Wednesdays, once a month)
- Sporting Events
- Fine & Performing Events
- Campus Wide Events
- Testing Days & Campus Testing Meetings
Staff meetings are subject to change. The goals is to communicate monthly staff meetings via the calendar and to have one a month.
Highlights Week of 12/9
EOC Testing
Attendance for Credit Sessions
ACP After School Tutoring
Fine Arts Performances: Choir & Dance
Athletic Events- Wrestling and Basketball
It is important that we recognize ALL the Excellence in Teaching occurring in all of areas of our academic programs. The highlights are on a weekly rotation throughout the year. Each content/department will be highlighted on a weekly basis.
JROTC
Mentoring AT Dorsey Elementary
Career Day in Garland
UNT Veterans Gala
Athletics - Boys Basketball
Auto-Collision
Auto Collision Instructors
Painting Skills
Mr. Cano prepping for a demo
Collision Awards
Catch a Timberwolf Staff member being ELITE in their 20 Square Feet, Joyful, Hopeful, Resilient, SEL Champion, or simply did or said something that was the spotlight of your day/week!
Thank you for taking a moment to highlight your fellow staff member! You made someone's day!!
Spotlight on Ms. Taylor
Ms. Taylor has gone above and beyond in order to help ensure the safety of our scholars at the metal detectors. Thank you Ms. Taylor.
Spotlight on Ms. Sims
I would love to put the spot light on Ms. Sims. She is my work bestie, sister, mother at times, friend, and overall, she’s an amazing person to have in my life. She checks up on my family and myself when we are most down. She brings us joy and happiness and ALWAYS loves us as her own family. Thank you Ms. Sims for being by my side at all times. Love you Ms. Sims!!!
Spotlight on Office Staff (Front, Attendance, Counseling, Registrar, Community Liasion)
The teams came together and made the Perfect Attendance Luncheon happen; couldn't of happened without each of you!! Truly appreciated.
Thank you to Mrs. Fisher for coordinating and for all office staff for pitching in with the food! I truly appreciate this effort and for making sure our 100% Attendance staff are recognized and have yummy lunch.
Spoltight on Ms. Pipkin
Mrs. Sausemeda writes:
Ms. Pipkin saved the day yesterday by becoming a last minute sponsor when our chaperone was sick and couldn't attend A Christmas Carol for Project Discovery. She participated in our workshop and enjoyed the show and we were so very happy to have her because we would have missed the show if she hadn't been able to come.
Spotlight on Mrs. Walker-Reed
I truly am thankful for Mrs. Walker Reed. She stepped up and took on the role of ChromeBook Roll out Coordinator. She was resourceful and followed through on all the important steps. She is solution oriented and her intentions come from a place of SERVICE.
Spotlight on Mr. Caballero
This spotlight is to recognize Mr. Caballero, our custodian lead. He is always so helpful. He is everywhere here at Spruce. He hasn’t let a broken bone slow him down. I appreciate the job that he does here at Spruce.
**That was his spirits the day he broke his toe on the job~ Ms. Taylor
Spotlight on Mrs. Sausemeda
For taking a theater department that was non existent to making it something that students are drawn too. She also always has my back when I have any wild ideas about making our department better. She is super supportive and very caring and I’m happy she is in the Fine Arts Department.
Spotlight on Ms. Taylor
I would like to nominate Ms. Taylor for the AMAZING job she has done since she has been here. She has made sure to leave no detail untouched when it comes to the support of our staff and the safety of our students. She was also willing to jump in to our Dancing with the Staff competition and was committed to making sure that our dance company student Leslie's choreography came to life.
Spotlight on Attendance for Credit Team!
I am truly thankful for how our staff came together to support our scholars that were taking advantage of the AFC opportunity. This was truly a team effort and our staff, once again, stepped up in a big way and we had over 200 scholars here this Saturday.
Scholars were working and earned their time back.
Attendance for Credit is a major undertaking and reports were not readily available to us, so when something is challenging, it makes the Teamwork even more appreciated!
Ms. Walker Reed - thank you for being a major thought partner and identify a new online resource.
Ms. K. Lewis- thank you for staying late Friday and creating our excel spreadsheet that was so helpful when we checked in our 200+ scholars.
Our Awesome AFC Team major thanks for supporting our scholars, on Saturday, without you they would not have had the support and encouragement that was needed.
Ms. D. Williams, Ms. Champion, Ms. Walker-Reed, Ms. Cortez, Ms. Price, Ms. Curtis, Ms. Nolan, Ms. Matas, Mr. Hunter, Ms. King, Mr. Coates, Ms. Love, Ms. Morgan, Ms. Ford, Ms. L. Torres, Ms. Curtis
Thank you to Mr. Garcia,Mr. Arkansas, and Mr. Caballero for being there to ensure that we had support.
WAIP information that is specific to an individual, team, grade, content, will be emailed directly.
Ms. Alexander
Mr. Hastings
Chemistry Students
Support Team Celebrate Each Other ~ Thankful Breakfast
Team8 Spruce Partner Provides a Gym Make Over & a Lounge Upgrade
The Team8 Tour is a national campaign aimed at building healthy communities. UnitedHealthcare’s “Do Good. Live Well.” volunteer initiative joins the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation on a journey to impact young people across the country in the areas of health and fitness. Since 2016, the Team8 Tour has engaged thousands of volunteers in support of high schools and local community centers across the country, impacting more than 50,000 young people through a variety of service projects.
I am forever grateful for their efforts and it was a plan in the making from last Spring and it came to fruition. Thanking Ms. Peters and Coach Richardson for their efforts to get this up and running and loved to see the end product!!
Spruce 2019 Chili Cook Off Winners
1st Place ~ Ms. Fisher, 2nd Place~ Ms. T. Miler, 3rd Place ~Mr. Rocha
Timberwolves Starry Night
Ms. C. Miller Scholars Utlizing our New Chromebooks
Leadership Team Hosts Hot Chocolate & Coffee Bar 12/3
Super Spruce Hallway Culture
Teamwork is making the dream work! Teachers are upholding Spruce expectations,consistency and All Hands on Deck mindset! Thank you all and we will continue to finish strong!
Girls Basketball Win over Fall Break!
Super Spruce Administrators Reflecting and Action Planning for ACP Preparation
Administrators Managing Student Discipline
Elite in Their 20 Square Feet ~ Mrs. Baker & Ms. Whitaker
Super Spruce Scholoars
Ms. Ford Facilitates Connections with our Friday Community Circle
Mr. Cooper's Classes 1st Use of Paint this Semester ~ Check out the Work
Senior Class Officer meeting Hosted Cuellar Elem. Student Council
100% Novemer Staff Perfect Attendance Luncheon
Our Furry Friends in Mr. Cornonado's Class
Staff Parking in Rear
MANDATORY CLOCK IN
- Monitors & Parking Attendant: 7:30 am
- Administrators: 7:50 am
- Clerks: 8:00 am
- Teacher Assistants: Ranger 7:30, 8:00, or 8:15
- Teachers: 8:15 am
8:20 AM Duty Begins
Please be at duty post ready to go a couple minutes early so that doors are opened at 8:20am. Teamwork makes the Dream Work!!
Tardy AM Procedure (Amended for 'C' Days)
Rear Entrance - ALL DAYS (9:00 am to 9:20 am)
- Our late door entrance, rear of campus/upperclassmen entrance, is open from 9:00 to 9:20 am.
- Scholars will be given a colored tardy pass (see picture ABOVE) with the time/date written on it by late door check in monitors (Rubio/McWhorter/Espinoza). We need this process to be fast and will only involve the monitor putting the time/date on the slip and sending scholars off to class. Students may pick up breakfast but they have the time/date stamped on their pass and are to move quickly to class (5-7 minutes).
- The late door (upperclassmen entrance) is closed at 9:20 am.
Front Door Entrance - A/B DAYS (9:21 am to 9:40 am)
- Scholars that arrive after 9:20 am enter through the front of the building and check in with Ms. Edison.
- Between 9:21 am and 9:40 am scholars will receive the colored tardy pass from Ms. Edison or designated staff member when she is absent.
- If a scholar arrives after 9:40 am they will sign into the Late to School Log and be escorted to ISS for the remainder of the period.
Front Door Entrance - C DAYS (9:21 am to 9:48 am)
- Scholars that arrive after 9:20 am enter through the front of the building and check in with Ms. Edison.
- Between 9:21 am and 9:48 am scholars will sign into the Late to School Log and be escorted to ISS for the remainder of the period.
Teacher Moves:
- Every student that has arrived late should be allowed into class and still be marked tardy in attendance by you the teacher.
- Every* student should have a pass and show their teacher their pass upon entrance into class. ( * See exception below)
- Teachers should check the time on the pass against the time the student arrives in class to make sure it is reasonable. If not, teacher should follow-up accordingly with appropriate student interventions such as student conference, parent contact, etc.
- No teacher hallway passes allowed before 9:45 am. There are some scholars in the halls with hallway passes, please let's NOT slip on this expectation.
- The color of the tardy pass this week is PINK.
* exception - Keep in mind tardy passes will not begin being issued until 9 am. That means students arriving just minutes before 9 am will not be getting a pass yet will probably still be tardy to class. Please allow some leeway with students within the first 5 - 10 minutes of class time each day for not having a pass depending on what time they actually come through the metal detectors. This is a great opportunity to have a conversation with your student about not arriving at the last minute to school and being caught in this awkward situation of being asked for a pass and not having one.
Monthly Fire Drills
BEFORE THE DRILL:
· Review the e-mailed evacuation map for your floor;
· Review the e-mailed color-coded buddy system and find your buddy teacher/staff member; and
· Print a copy of the attendance rosters.
DURING THE DRILL:
· Use the proper stairway/exit,
· Exit the building quickly and orderly with students,
· Take attendance and ensure that all students are present once outside,
· Communicate to your buddy and person in charge of your stairwell if a student is missing, and
· Wait for the bell to ring before re-entering the building.
AFTER THE DRILL:
· Use the proper stairway/re-entry point,
· Enter the building quickly and orderly with class,
· Report DIRECTLY back to class with students,
· Take attendance and ensure that all your students returned to class, and
· Reset class and resume teaching and learning.
H. Grady Spruce High School
Located in the heart of the Pleasant Grove region of Dallas, Texas, H. Grady Spruce High School serves a diverse population of students and their families. Our neighborhood maintains a strong tradition of community, hard work, and pride. Families have made Pleasant Grove their home for generations, and many of our students can claim a legacy of Spruce alumnae that go back to the founding of the school.
H. Grady Spruce High School was built in 1963, replacing Rylie High School. The school is named for Henry Grady Spruce, a native of Omen, Texas, who earned degrees from Southern Methodist University and the University of Chicago. He devoted much of his 35-year YMCA career to youth, including 25 years as director of the Dallas YMCA's Camp Crockett near Granbury.
Email: frataylor@dallasisd.org
Website: https://www.dallasisd.org/spruce
Location: 9733 Old Seagoville Road, Dallas, TX, USA
Phone: 972-892-5500