The Raider ACE!

Volume 1 Issue 4 - September 11, 2023 - September 15, 2023

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, it's imperative that we shift our focus from what teachers are teaching to what our students are truly learning. This paradigm shift calls for a different thought process, one that holds students accountable for taking ownership of their own learning journey. To embark on this transformative journey, we must begin by viewing lessons through the lens of our young pupils. We should ask ourselves: How do they envision these lessons, and what deeper understanding are they gaining? It's all about visible learning.

To bring this vision to life, we need to create learning opportunities that not only educate but also excite, engage, and ultimately transform our students. These opportunities should foster information retention and the expansion of their existing knowledge base. It all starts with challenging our students to communicate, provide feedback, and share what they are learning.

In this pursuit, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated teachers who have embraced the challenge of making learning meaningful for our young kings and queens. Your commitment to creating an enriching and student-focused learning environment is shaping the future leaders of tomorrow. Thank you for your unwavering dedication.

We are W.J. Keenan High School. Home of the Champion Raiders!

There are a few things that we will need to make sure we are doing to keep the natural order and flow of our school:

• School starts at 8:00 a.m. Remind students they need to report to class before then to avoid a tardy.
• Stand at your door during the change of each class.
• You must not leave your students unsupervised for any reason.
• Please do not allow students into the hallway without a pass.
• Please do not allow students that are not on your roster in your classroom. Students need to be in their scheduled classroom to receive credit. You are accountable for every student in your room.
• You may only sign out to leave on your planning period and/or with administrator approval in an emergency circumstance if you do not have a scheduled absence.
• If you are absent from school, it is your professional responsibility to input the appropriate information in Frontline in a timely manner. Substitutes are limited. Please check Munis prior to doing this so you are aware of your available days for an absence.

Monday, September 11, 2023

• “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” — Gandhi
  

Tuesday, September 12, 2023

• Faculty Meeting in the lecture hall @ 3:30 p.m.
• SRO Meeting in the Theater @ 4:30 p.m.
• WJ Keenan Lady Raiders Volleyball vs Eau Claire @ W.J. Keenan 5:30 / 7:00 p.m.
• “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” — Albert Einstein
  

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

• Freshman District Program - 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. (Refer to Mrs. Jeter's Email)
• “A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.” — George Bernhard Shaw

Thursday, September 14, 2023

• “We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty.” — Mother Theresa

Friday, September 15, 2023

• Varsity Football Vs. Fairfield Central @ Fairfield Central High School 7:30 p.m.
• “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.” — Mary Engelbreit
  

Hello Raiders,

Here's what's going on in Teaching and Learning:

Dates to Remember:

September 15 - Interims

September 22 - Early Release/PD

October 18 - End of First Nine Weeks

October 19 - Teacher Workday

October 20 - Student/Staff Holiday (Fall Break)

October 27- Early Release Day/Parent-Teacher Conferences

November 10 - Early Release/PD

Posting Work:

If you are posting work outside your door, the standard used should accompany that along with the learning outcome for that lesson.

Observations:

Please be sure to communicate the learning objective to your students verbally and in writing.

Students should also be able to communicate their learning outcomes and know where the lesson will lead them.

Grading Practice:

Please be sure to access the Raiders Chest in One Drive for important information regarding the Secondary Grading Manual. Be sure to follow the guidelines for grading this year that I reviewed with you during our Professional Learning (Round Robin session) in preparation for interims on September 15. Give me a call if you have questions.

While the district has provided the gradebook setup, there were some reports of gradebook miscalculations. Please see the document (in the Raiders Chest under Instructional Resources) provided by Mrs. King in the to help resolve this problem that you may have encountered. Please make sure that you are updating your gradebooks weekly.

Mastery Connect:

Mastery Connect is the platform that the district has in place to support formative assessments in the classroom.

A copy of the Mastery Connect Handbook is in the Raiders Chest. Please review so that you are aware of district guidelines for using this resource for Formative Assessments. Please see the start of school year guide for teachers in the folder titled Instructional Resources in the Raiders Chest. Department Leaders will be able to assist you with setting up trackers if you need help. This needs to be completed by each teacher. If you are having issues with logging into Mastery Connect or delivering assessments through Mastery Connect, please submit to a 1 to 1 ticket and add Cerissa Allen as the collaborator. If you run into any other issues, send me an email. 11/50 teachers have logged on to Mastery Connect since school has started.

Teaching Certificates:

Updated copies of your teaching certificate are now past due. Please place them in my box if you have not done so already. I will be reaching out to certificate renewal teachers regarding your process soon.

SCLead:

SLO/GBE meetings have been scheduled for the month of September. They will begin September 11th . Please begin collecting your student data in preparation for your meeting. Ms. Erving has forwarded emails regarding this. Information will need to be placed in SCLead for your SLO/GBE process.

You may also sign your orientation in SCLead using September 7th as your date for input. Instructions for signing your orientation in SCLead are in the Raiders Chest as well. Please be sure to view the video (also in the Raiders Chest) as your orientation. I will be available on that day during planning periods for those who need individualized attention on this process. You will not be able to access information in SCLead for the year without completing this step. This process should be complete by now.

September 19th begins your fall evaluation cycle for those of you who are Continuing Formative, Annual Summative or Induction in SCLead. Your evaluation teams should be listed when you login. The chairs of each team will reach out to you regarding your specific process.

Schoology:

Parent accounts are a great way to engage the parents and guardians of your students. Teachers can send Parent Access Codes from their "classes" within Schoology. The instructions are below.

Download a List of Parent Access Codes

1. Within a course, click Members.
2. On the right side of the Members area, click Parent Access Codes.
3. Click Download to automatically download a CSV file containing the students' names and the corresponding Parent Access Codes for the instructor to distribute accordingly.

4. Once parents register for Schoology using the code, their account will automatically be associated with their child’s account. Parents will be able to view all of their child’s activities, courses, groups, calendars, updates, attendance, and grades, depending on the permissions and privacy settings you put in place by System Admin (District IT).

   
   

Meeting Calendar:

First Tuesday: Faculty

Second Tuesday: Department Leaders

Third Tuesday: Freshman Academy

Fourth Tuesday: PLC

I hope you enjoy your week!

Raider Community Student Support

Teachers and staff, we need your assistance in providing support for our young Raider students. Through our Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework, we are aiming to give our students the tools they need to be successful.

Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is a school-wide, data driven, proactive framework for improving both learning and behavioral outcomes for all students. MTSS uses the problem-solving process to meet the academic, behavioral, social, and emotional needs of each student. (https://www.richlandone.org/Domain/1736)

You may be asked to sit in on MTSS meetings as a classroom teacher, serve as a mentor, advocate or content expert for students. The goal is to surround students with as many caring adults and resources as possible to allow students to thrive. Thank you in advance for your assistance and cooperation.

School Photos

Please note the following dates for school photos:

· September 27—Senior makeups (for seniors who missed their photo sessions this summer)

· October 9—Fall Individuals (students in grades 9-11 AND faculty/staff

· November 30—Fall Individuals makeup

• Seniors, please join the "2023 - 2024 Seniors" Schoology group for daily Scholarships and information updates.
• Deadline for Parking decals " Sept 16th". Warnings and Tickets will be issued Sept 17th.
• Senior Make Up Pictures will be Sept 6th & 7th 9am - 1pm in the Auditorium
• The Gates, Coco-Cola, and The Ron Brown Scholarships are now open! Check the 2023-2024 Senior group on Schoology for details.

Quote "Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good."

The Giving Season is upon us! Our 2023 United Way Campaign officially begins Monday, September 11 and it will run through Friday, September 29. Turn-in dates will be Thursday and Friday, October 5-6.

Last year’s campaign was a great success at WJ Keenan High School with so many of our phenomenal faculty and staff members contributing to help make positive impacts in our community.

Again, this year, our goal is 100 percent employee participation in the campaign. While we do not focus on how much employees give, we do encourage our faculty and staff to consider giving through payroll deduction. If every employee gives even just one dollar per pay period, that would go a long way in helping to support the United Way of the Midlands.

What is United Way of The Midlands? They are a local charitable organization creating generational change in the Midlands. Unlike smaller nonprofits who often have a very defined focus, they take a multifaceted approach to some of the biggest problems facing our society. Problems like homelessness, children's literacy, and lack of access to healthcare. By addressing these core issues, they work to the break cycles of crisis and empower people to build their own paths to success. Below is a link for how United Way is directly impacting our community.

https://www.uway.org/impact

We look forward to another great week at WJ Keenan High School, home of The Champion Raiders!

Start Strong, Finish Stronger

As we complete our third week of school most of our 9th grade students completed Fall STAR testing, have taken their first test or quiz in their academic classes, and perhaps experienced a disappointing grade or a missed deadline. It is vital for our newest Raiders to remember that each experience is growth opportunity.

Here are a few tips to assist our students to ensure their growth and success

· Learn to self-advocate.

· Ask questions

· Take advantage of Raider Ready Tutoring beginning September 18, 2023.

· Remain respectful at all times

· Make good decisions

· Study

Every day is an opportunity to improve your skills and increase your knowledge.

We looking forward to Wednesday, September 13, 2023. All of our 9th graders will have an opportunity to experience a district designed event, “Going for the Goal: Commitment to Graduate on Time.” This event is being held at each R1 high school. It will include guest facilitators, interactive activities, and giveaways. Please make sure to ask your student to share their experiences with you.

Please see below a few updates:

• We will meet as a Freshman Team on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 3:30pm. Our meeting location will be Room B102. Our first meeting will be Tuesday, September 19.

  
  

• When guiding our students through difficult situations, whether it be the student is in a high emotional state or if he/she is not meeting classroom and/or school expectations, let's make sure we are providing support through clear directives that given without unnecessary commentary; however, continuously connecting the directive to accountability and the building of life skills.

• SAVE THE DATE: September 14, 2023-- 9th Grade On-Track to Graduate on Time Conference @WJKHS. This conference will take place at each R1 high school. As soon as I have more information, I will pass it along. This event is only for grade 9.

  
  

• Quarter 1 - Content Recovery - Department Leads were sent a copy of the Q1 Content Recovery Plan. Please make sure you are familiar with it and notify students. A copy will also be shared with parents via School Messenger and social media platforms. A copy of the plan is attached to this email.

“A new approach to college and career readiness designed to give students the foundation to make a difference in the world!”

We have had an exciting and different start to the school year. We are transitioning from a Magnet School to a School within a School. The Raider Academy is a new approach to college and career readiness designed to give students the foundation to make a difference in the world!

The Raider Academy at W. J. Keenan High School provides five houses through which students may choose. Students will have multiple opportunities to prepare for careers that are in high demand and require advanced skills. We offer a leadership curriculum that includes a rigorous project-based classroom experience that challenges students to gain future-ready competencies. The Raider Academy students will have advantages that include the opportunity to receive college credit, state and nationally recognized industry certifications, work-based learning opportunities and internships.

The W.J. Keenan High School Raider Academy offers five unique pathways aimed at engaging learners.

• Project Lead the Way Engineering

• Business Management and Administration

• Hospitality and Tourism Management

• Government and Public Administration

• Agriculture and Animal Science

The next Raider Academy parent meeting will be held virtually on September 13, 2023 at 6:00 PM.

Please use the following to join the meeting:

Topic: W. J. Keenan Raider Academy Parent Session

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us05web.zoom.us/j/97870140697?pwd=amlyTkdDL0pCSWlGQTVYQm1jK2lzZz09

Meeting ID: 978 7014 0697

Passcode: d0tWyR

Our next student meeting is scheduled for 9/22/2023 at 11:00 AM.

Teachers and staff, please help us keep our students and school safe by reporting to work by 7:30 (morning duty) or 7:45 am. Please be at your doors ready to receive students by 7:50 am.

Please be reminded if you are going to be absent, report your absence by:

1. Submitting your absence in Frontline (Aesop).

2. Sending an email that you will be out.

a. To: Mr. Hankins

b. CC: Ms. Erving and Mrs. McIntee

c. Subject: Your Name Absent Date of Absence (Ex: Jabar Hankins Absent 1/16/23)

3. Calling the school (if an emergency happens on your way to work).

Substitutes and staff members covering classes should arrive by 7:45 am.

Thanks for your cooperation and for all you do for our students.

Feedback From Observations: Focus on engaging students and having them do the work. Rather than standing up and writing on the smartboard as you are explaining, have students come up to the board and share what they know. Put students in groups and give meaningful activities. Use balls and other manipulatives to identify students for a response. Make these engaging strategies apart of your daily routine.

Handling Conflict: Please talk with our students about how to properly handle conflict. Encourage them to reach out to adults in the building to get help with situations that can potentially get them in trouble. Please convey the importance of working together resolve problems before they become bigger issues. It takes a village!

Student Work: Please start posting your best student work inside and outside your classroom in the hallways. You may also share by tagging WJK on social media.

Ask Yourself: What is the hook for today’s lesson that will keep them engaged? Is there an opportunity for my students to get up and move around with my lesson? How am I going to check for understanding? Am I giving students the opportunity to show me they have a grasp of the content? Am I using the DLE to enhance the lesson or am I simply giving electronic skill sheets?

Signing In and Out: If you need to leave campus for an emergency, please get approval from an administrator, and sign out in the main office. We are professionals.

PTSO: Please consider joining our Parent Teacher Student Association. It is a big part of communicating to our parents that we want to build a stronger partnership this year. The application is in the main office with Ms. Golston.

Our Mission

The mission of W. J. Keenan High School is to provide engaging educational opportunities through a rigorous curriculum, cutting edge technology, and partnerships to extend to our diverse community and produce first class citizens who will contribute to the present and excel in the future. WE ARE KEENAN!

Our Vision

Our vision is to create a nationally known high school that is highly regarded for its academic excellence, leadership in cutting edge technology, science, environmental, and career based programs. A high school that builds strong relationships with all stakeholders and continues a culture where the expectation is to lead, set the example, and raise standards for all to follow.

Email: vondre.whaley@richlandone.org
Website: http://keenan.richlandone.org/
Location: 361 Pisgah Church Road, Columbia, SC, USA
Phone: 803-714-2500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keenanraiders/
Twitter: @wjkeenan