At A Glance
January 8th-13th
Undercover High Premier: Equity Summit... January 8th at HPHS
Mrs. O'Brien will also have her team here to record for her syndicated show. She believe this is a topic worth sharing...not the show, but the social realities of what students face in public schools in America.
Additionally, there will be two Equity Consultants from St. Louis as an additional resource to our staff and who will also be on the panel. Dr. Holmes (HP Alum) and Dr. Mayo. They will be meeting with a selected group from 1:30-2:30pm prior to the summit. Then team member will come and relieve a selected group of teachers so that they can then spend some time with the consultants from 2:45-3:15pm. This was determined after a conference call late Friday afternoon. We have a few people in mind for this session, but feel free to send me a message if you are interested in being a part of this. We will see what we can do to get coverage for those who would like to participate.
Immediately following the 4:45pm panel discussion, there will be a reception in the library and the consultants will be there, as well.
Lastly, if you plan to attend the premier, please RSVP to Misty Kruger with a number of attendees no later than 10:00am Monday, January 8th. We will have VIP seats for our staff and their guests.
Remember, this is less about a television show and more so about the challenges we face as educators and the obstacles of social realities our students face which impede teaching and learning.
Parking Blocked
Sorry, it was a last minute but best for the guests.
January 10th 7:10-7:30am
Of course the first episode is to get people interested and hooked where characters are introduced, our students are introduced, and the feeling tone of participants' experiences of first day as new students nervous about coming to high school.
NO NEED TO RSVP for Breakfast.
What Does This Mean To You?
For me, it reminds me of the power that I have to make a difference in the life of at least one person. With our Mentor Program here at HP we have several who have one, but many others who need one. As I prepare to go to the Downtown Rotary Club later this month, I've been thinking that although I know several students very well here and work closely with them. I need to be purposeful and select a few students where I will commit to shine a light in their darkness.
We are revisiting Senior and Junior Reviews this week and will create a list of priority of students who need a mentor and will be matching them up with adults who want to partner with young people and not only shine a light in their darkness, but to help in lighting a path and showing the mentee the way.
I have a book entitled The Mentor the Kid and the CEO and it taught me when I read it many years ago for the first time..."We should be a mentor, but we should also make sure we always have a mentor." I have several for different facets of my life who provide light for me.
If you're interested in being matched so that you can mentor an HPHS Student, please e-mail Dr. Duncan.
Click Link Above
This Week at HPHP
Tuesday Jan 9th
Girls Basketball
4:30 JV Girls home with Emporia.
6:00 V Girls home with Emporia.
7:30 Fr Girls home with Emporia.
Boys Basketball
4:30 JV Boys home with Emporia.
6:00 Fr Boys home with Emporia
7:30 V Boys home with Emporia.
Wed Jan 10
5:30 V Wrestling hosting at Home
Thurs Jan 11
8:00 a Girls bowling at Lawrence Crown Lanes
Friday Jan 12
8:00 a Boys bowling at Lawrence Crown Lanes
Girls Basketball
4:30 JV Girls home with Topeka High
6:00 V Girls home with Topeka High
7:30 Fr Girls home with Topeka High
Boys Basketball
4:30 JV Boys home with Topeka High
6:00 Fr Boys home with Topeka High
7:30 V Boys home with Topeka High
Sat Jan 13
9:00 am V Wrestling at Topeka High
9:00 am JV Wrestling at Shawnee Mission NW
Additional Activities at HP
Annual Drum line at HPHS 7:00pm
Debate Competition:
JAN 12 and 13, 2018 (all day, both days)
5A State Debate at Emporia,
Collaboration Feedback
Good morning!
Dear Colleagues,
Welcome back and Happy New Year!
I know we’re eager to see our kids back in the building and wanted to pass along an article that I think is helpful in recharging our relationships with students for the benefit of student learning and classroom management. Please take a moment to read and consider the ways you’re already using these strategies or ways to enhance how you build relationships with students.
We want to solicit your feedback on collaboration and PLC time last semester. Please fill out this anonymous survey https://goo.gl/3gGn7a so that we can improve the professional development opportunities and structure to best serve instruction.
As I look forward to the new year and organize, revisit, and revise in my second semester in the coach role, I thought I’d share how things went downsizing from a 2-coach school to a 1-coach school.
64 observations
19 completed coaching cycles (pre-conference, observation, and post-conference)
primarily focused on new staff and teachers that sought support for new instructional strategies, classroom management, or general instruction
3 special session new teacher meetings on strategies, support, instruction, and classroom management
A shift the district is looking at this semester is to focus on fewer teachers that are eager to continue to grow with more regular coaching support. If you’re interested in this opportunity, please reply and share what are some goal or growth areas you want to focus on this semester.
Looking forward to working with you all and I hope you feel refreshed after your much-deserved holiday break!
Bria Collins, Instructional Coach
Math Teacher...Let's do it!
This is specific to the Math Teachers, but we would love to see this throughout the building while creating a culture and we are the dealers, THE DEALERS OF HOPE!
A list will be shared for teacher to share with their students on Monday. We ask that you send these student to the library during Scot Time. We will not call for them, so please check your lists early and inform students during 1st, 2nd, and 3rd hour. Students will report to Scot Time to check-in and immediately go to the library.
Students will be pumped up or as the students say, "Boosted." Then they will report to 4th hour. We ask that the teachers who are gaining these students during Scot Time post the list in your class or on the inside of the door of your classroom.
Thanks to everyone for you flexibility! We care counting on these young people for us to reach our collective site goal...NO PRESSURE!
HPHS Site Goals 2017-2018
By the end of the 2017-2018 school year, each student will demonstrate growth on the state assessment resulting in a school-wide increase of ten percent growth. Math proficiency will be at or above twenty percent.
By the end of the 2017-2018 school year, each student will demonstrate growth on the state assessment resulting in a school-wide increase of ten percent growth. Reading proficiency will be at or above twenty-four percent.
The overall attendance rate for Highland Park will reach ninety-two percent for the 2017-2018 school year by reducing chronic attendance issues by fifty percent.
As Administrators, Mr. Ackerman, Ms. Johnston, Ms. Watson, and myself (Mrs. Perry), we have added the following goals as the Instructional Leaders at HPHS as our commitment to our students, families, and stakeholders. These goals will not be reached overnight, and we can't do it without the assistance and support of the faculty and staff at HP, the district office and BOE Members, community, families, and especially our students who must put forth a real effort each day:
- Increase the 2017-2018 Graduation Rate based on the current students enrolled to 93% of the 11R's and Seniors and those who finish will be going to college, vocational school, the military, or secured full-time employment.
- Increase school-wide communication with a weekly staff newsletter, monthly newsletter to parents and community, updated marquee, high traffic on Facebook, and visibility in the building and at school and community activities.
- Inspect what we expect and increase teaching and learning with teachers submitting weekly lesson plans, posting power standards, evidence of Building Academic Vocabulary, increased usage of Webb's DOK Questions, common formative assessments, and bell-to-bell teaching.
- It is our goal to help make Highland Park a school we would gladly send our own children to while creating high expectations, producing results, increasing rigor in the classroom, and creating a school culture worth bragging about; where students are safe, challenged, and ready. We (Administrators, Faculty & Staff) will build ladders for students while keeping the standards and expectations high!