ARSA Legend
Ranger Nation Pride! ONE BAND. ONE SOUND.
Week of April 1st
Principal Taylor Message
It is coming down to the last 6 days before our 8th Graders take their STAAR assessment!! We want 100% of our scholars to be successful and receive their notice in several weeks that they met the standard to complete this important step in moving on to high school.
We also want to increase our scholars that are on grade level and earn MEETS level and to exceed to the MASTERS level.
7th Graders tackle their Writing STAAR, employing skills that support their success as college going and post secondary success individuals!!
6th Graders engage in their Math and ELAR Mock STAAR that will inform and direct the intervention and class time moving forward. Critical data will be captured to provide needed support for the upcoming May STAAR.
It is an exciting six days ahead as we all continue to bring our A Game, All Day, Every Day.
Own your 20 Square feet, Every Day All Day for the benefit of US!!
The Power of Promoting Positive, Gritty, Growth Minded Mindset
7th Grade Writing STAAR & 8th Grade ELAR and Math STAAR
ARSA Reminders
- Mandatory Testing Meeting Monday - 4 to 5:00pm in Ranger Nation Cafe
- Please remember to communicate with all students staying for SLAM this Saturday.
- 1 Week until our 1st Round of STAAR Tests
- April 2-4: Tuesday - Thursday Extended Days 4pm to 6pm STAAR Tutoring
- Saturday April 6 - SLAM Academic Boot Camp STAAR Preparation
Teachers be reminded to over communicate scholars participation in the Extended Day tutoring and also this Saturday, SLAM
Instructional Big Rock Ideas!
Our colleague at Hill MS has 6 clipboards that have all Intentional Monitoring data for each of the classes hanging on the wall. Intentional Monitoring is a process that requires data to be collected for each classroom and then differentiation is developed out of this practice. By having a clipboard for each class it provides an organizational system that would allow for a more focused approach for each class. Thank you Mr. Getz for sharing the idea you received from a fellow DISD educator!
Ms. Parker has posted what the lap announcement will focus on for the day's lesson. By posting the lap focus, it communicates that the intentionality of the lap and data collection has been established by the teacher at the beginning of the day. It also communicates to students the learning focus elements for the day. There is a sense of clarity on what is being learned in that class and directly relates to the LO.
Autism Awareness Month: ARSA Celebrates and Strengthens Awareness
The Autism Awareness Month festivities are listed below as discussed. We plan to shed light, and educational excitement around Autism Awareness adding to the numerous outstanding highlights here at ARSA.
*April’s Events*
4/5/19 Foot Action Friday - Crazy Socks & Shoes
Staff & Students – absolutely no slides, please remember that all attire must be appropriate for our awesome instructional environment
4/12/19 Twins Friday- Dress Up with a partner
Staff Only- please remember that all attire must be appropriate for our awesome instructional environment
4/18/19 Rep Your Set Thursday- Represent where you are from
Staff & Students “Students can have Dallas Attire Only” please remember that all attire must be appropriate for our awesome instructional environment. Staff can wear gear from where they are from.
4/26/19 Red Carpet Movie Premiere Friday –Wear your favorite movie attire
Staff Only please remember that all attire must be appropriate for our awesome instructional environment.
4/30/19 Blue Out Tuesday— The entire school will wear blue shirts for the last day of Autism Awareness Month
Staff & Students please remember that all attire must be appropriate for our awesome instructional environment.
To spread more treat love we will have goody bags for each voted winner of the participated events. Our intent is to ramp up the 2019 VIBE for Autism Awareness Month in a BIG fashion!
ARSA Calendar Events
10 Grades as of 3/29/19
Week of April 1st Overview
April is Autism Awareness Month
Monday, 4/1- $1 Scholar Jean Day
- STAAR Mandatory Meeting - 4pm to 5:00 Ranger Nation Cafe
Tuesday, 4/2
- PLC PD - Core Content Respective Classrooms
- STAAR Extended tutoring 4 to 6pm (bus pick up 6pm front of school)
Wednesday, 4/3
- STAAR Extended tutoring 4 to 6pm (bus pick up 6pm front of school)
Thursday, 4/4
- Coffee With the Principal & Parent Workshop
- STAAR Extended tutoring 4 to 6pm (bus pick up 6pm front of school)
Friday, 4/5
- ARSA March Staff Perfect Attendance Lunch
- Student Advisory Board Meeting 4 to 4:45- Library
Saturday, 3/30
- S.L.A.M. Saturday Session 9 to 12
- Building will be open until 1:30pm for staff that would like to work on campus this Saturday.
Each week administrators and instructional coaches will highlight the growth in the instructional practices, creativity, purposeful and meaningful practices that promote student success. It is important that we recognize ALL the Excellence in Teaching we have in all of areas of our academic programs. The highlights are on a rotation throughout the year and each content/department will be the focus for the week.
"WE Above Me"- ELAR Teachers Highlights
"We Above Me" Commitment
The ELAR Team is a collective committed group of instructional leaders that all seek to provide high quality instruction! Ranger scholars are growing academically by leaps and bounds because of the diverse learning opportunities that receive here at ARSA!
RTI-ELAR STAAR Prep
Ms. Mhlanga and Ms. Gillespie are doing an outstanding job supporting our scholars in 7th and 8th Grade as they prepare for the first round of STAAR exams in April 9 and April 10, 2019! Our RTI Reading duo are ensuring that students are prepared to demonstrate that they have mastered the TEKS and prepared to reach their individual best levels. The students have had the opportunity to receive expert delivered interventions and STAAR prep. Ms. Mhlanga and Ms. Gillespie have collaborated with the team all year long to provide seamless instruction across the grade levels. Ms. Mhlanga and Ms. Gillespie thank you for demonstrating a "we above me" teamwork spirit!
Growth Mindset and Perseverance
Ms. Hudson is in her second year in the profession and at ARSA. She loves being an educator and being apart of students' educational journey. Ms. Hudson wants all scholars to reach their full potential and has been committed to becoming effective in differentiating instruction for all learners. Our department and campus have focused on students annotating texts and using textual evidence to support their perspectives/answers. Ms. Hudson's perseverance to increasing her capacity as an effective educator was evident in the growth she is seeing in student work products. Students and Ms. Hudson will only get better as their confidence continues to grow for the remainder of the year. Ms. Hudson believes that all students can learn and has committed to the "educational marathon"! Thank you Ms. Hudson for being an example of what can happen for students when you have a "we above me" mindset!
Intentional Monitoring: Laps with a Purpose
Ms. Parker has tailored the intentional monitoring process in her class to ensure that students are clear on what they need to demonstrate during the lesson. She consistently announce planned laps as well as taken an extra step and posted it on a white board in her room! Just like students know the LO and DOL because it is posted. They now know what they have to show Ms. Parker to demonstrate they are on track to mastering the lesson. Ms. Parker is an excellent on campus example of someone who is putting the NE Network and ARSA Intentional Monitoring expectations into action! Thank you Ms. Parker for being consistent in your lesson delivery so all learners are receiving high quality instruction all day in your class. The "we before me" mindset is evident in Ms. Parker's commitment to implementing with fidelity the instructional expectations of the campus and NE Network!
Learning Together For Scholars - Social Studies Highlighted
Commend everyone for having a learner and curious mentality and making the most of the time spent in service of our scholars. Teachers practiced and asked meaningful questions of the presenter, DISD staff, and other participants. 8th Grade teachers have already started to incorporate the rich resources from Active Classroom!
2019 TELPAS Testing Season
I want to spotlight the ELAR Department and Ms. Crabtree for being instrumental in the 2019 TELPAS Testing season success! TELPAS Testing has many moving parts and as the testing window is closing our testing has been a huge success! Thank you to Ms. Hudson, Ms. A. Lewis, and Ms. Lacy and Ms. Mhlanga for the extra support required for our "rolling vacancies and new team members" classes. You are were invaluable in the rating as well as the organization of the all of those writing samples in a timely fashion. Your "we above me" teamwork mindset is greatly appreciated and did not go unnoticed!
8th Grade Instructional Team
I work with some of the best instructional leaders in the ARSA "penthouse"! Our team unity and flexibility is consistent. I appreciate each of you for always keeping the needs of the Class of 2023 scholars first and being a great support system for each other. Our scholars are greeted positively, treated with dignity, and receive great instruction throughout the hallway! Thanks to each of you for believing that our success is great when we operate in as a collective team! "We above me" mindset helps us to dominate everyday!
Spotlight on ARSA Sped Dept.
I would like to highlight our awesome Special Education Team on a super successful audit. Last year, when we were audited we received 74% compliance. This year, we received 87% compliance. That is 13% improvement!! Our teachers scored within the range of 76% to 96% rating for compliance records.
I would like to give the teachers that received 96% on their folders a special shout out - Mrs. Ahmed (not pictured) who is a new teacher to ARSA and Special Education, Ms. Baker, and Ms. Harris.
I am extremely proud of how hard the team has worked this year and how well they have served our students.
Thank you for your hard work and dedication.
Spotlight on Ms. Lee
I want to spotlight Ms. Lee. I started Makerspace Mondays after school in Jan. and we have on average 4 students, and the most 6 at a time. Ms. Lee has really helped out a lot by coming to the meetings to see what kind of help I need. So far, we have made baskets. Students took them home and gave them to their mom's.
Ms. Lee is in the process of showing them how to make sun visor extenders for their parent's cars. We are small in numbers but are having a great time. Thank you, Ms. Lee, for your dedication to helping me with Makerspace Mondays.
I took liberty with the picture Ms. Lee - this is one of my favorites of you (Taylor)
ARSA Legendary Rangers
Listen to the morning announcements and be ready to wear your Legendary Apron!
Ms. L. Williams, Ms. Wilson, Ms. Smith, and Ms. Fite
We held our last SEL session on Friday, 3/29 - Students discussed the upcoming tests in April and May and more importantly talked about the power of their mindset,the control they have how they respond, and strategies they can practice to lessen anxiety and increase confidence. Students discussed Grit and Growth Mindedness and then wrote a reflective letter to bring their learning together.
Below are examples of part of the lesson and a couple of our teachers, Mr. Getz, Ms. Dabney, and Ms. Wilson engaging with our scholars as they learn through their SEL session.
TEI Expert Team Reminders
Austism Awareness Activities
ARSA Get Ready!!!
ARSA Scholars Continue to Amaze with their Artistic Skills!
ARSA Saturday S.L.A.M. Tutoring
ARSA Participates in District Prep U Event on Saturday
ARSA Rangers Accepted into IDEA High School
2019-20 Student Advisory Board Members
ARSA Theatre Scholars
Student Code of Conduct 2018-19
ARSA Staff Handbook
2018-19 Room Need Request Form
Click here for for a Room Need Request.
The request are reviewed daily by Mr. Jose Zarazua, Lead Custodian. Mrs. Linwood, Facilities Administrator oversees the processes.
- Ceiling Leaks, Broken Windows, Unsafe conditions are to be reported immediately to Front Office.
ARSA COW (Computers on Wheels) Procedures
Per Ms. Scally -
WATCH ME AND LISTEN
READ ME
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rHbeztEt9Ocw_9eEIG0PS7Hu4WqPuf_PLdqOvCWQdPA/edit?usp=sharing
ARSA Safety Drill Need to Knows
During all Drills, teachers are to bring their GREEN FOLDER, PEN, CLASS ROSTER.
ARSA Athletic Schedule
The Most Important Work of our Time! Always remember YOUR IMPACT!
Ann Richards STEAM Academy
At Ann Richards STEAM Academy, our vision is to be a flagship middle school at the hub of the community, nurturing diverse leaders, and empowering intelligent trailblazers.
Email: frataylor@dallasisd.org
Website: www.dallasisd.org/annrichards
Location: Ann Richards Middle School, North Prairie Creek Road, Dallas, TX, United States
Phone: 972 -892-5400