Harris Middle School
SAISD
Oh, the places we've been!
Students in the Harris Partners Program having been working hard to earn high school credits. However, their journey in the Partners Program has encompassed so much more than credits. Students have been challenged to excel academically and they have worked together to identify ways that they can ensure that they are all successful. Through collaboration and peer tutoring, students are able use their areas of strength to assist peers who may be struggling in the same areas. We have focused on becoming more future ready by exploring colleges and inviting guest speakers in various professions. Although it may seem like simple games, students learn teamwork by coming together to problem solve ways to deal with challenges and overcome what they once thought impossible. Classroom learning became real world simulations during activities and field trips like the one taken to the Scobee Learning Center to complete the Mars Mission. Partners students have excelled both in the classroom and in student clubs and sports proving that Partners is not just about earning credits but about supporting and growing the whole student. As one student summarized, "Coming into Partners I didn't know most of you. There were some of you that I didn't think I would like. But after the time we've spent together, the things we have accomplished and learned from each other, I have to say that you have become my family."
Student Reflections
"Being in the Partners Program is not easy but is worth it because when you go to high school, you will already have high school credits. Its also worth it because you get to go on field trips, like to UTSA and other places. I like being in the Partners Program because it helps me with credits and my grades and also because Mrs. Diamond won't give up on us." ~Isaac C.
Building Relationships
Teamwork
Partners student Paul M. reflects, "In the Partners Program, we learned a lot about teamwork. For example, we used hula hoops and tried as a team to not drop it as we passed it around the floor. We set a goal and tried to beat our time by working together. It was fun and at the same time we were learning more about teamwork by helping each other. The Partners Program has impacted my life in a positive way by getting me on track where I'm supposed to be."
Achieving Academic Success
IB Community Project Presentations
IB Community Project
Since Harris is an IB campus, students in the 8th grade are required to complete a community project. Several Partners students chose to work together in groups and students feel that they learned a great deal about the world around them and themselves through completing it. Students are allowed to choose to address any topic that is important to them and are challenged to exam this topic within a global context. Partners student Janelle G said this of the project she completed with fellow MSP students, "My group and I did our project on bullying because we think bullying is a serious problem and we felt people needed to know more about it. We learned a lot from this especially the important role bystanders can play in stopping bullying."
Leadership on Campus
"I really enjoyed being in both LOTC and in Partners. Both require you to work hard, be a leader, and have discipline." ~Victor R.
Scobee Learning Center--Mars Mission
"The field trip to Scobee for the Mars Mission was my favorite. I really like when we went to the space station computers and completed experiments on the Mars Transport Vehicle. We had to use good communication since we were working with teammates to solve problems and find water so that we could survive. It was a day to remember!"~Alonso M.
"Ready for take off!"
"Partners--we have a problem."
"We've got this. Harris Hawks are IB Scholars and problem solvers."
Experiments in Space--Radioactivity in the Soil
Experiments in Space----Mapping Weather Patterns
Young Women's Group sponsored by Community in Schools San Antonio
Young Women's Group
Mrs. Graham, from Communities in Schools of San Antonio, held a weekly group for male MSP students in the Fall and female students in the Spring. Students were able to engage in activities to build self awareness and healthy ways of coping with stress. For example, one session of the young women's group included bringing in an instructor from Painting with a Twist and having the young ladies paint a positive quote to remind them of the importance of a positive mindset. "She believed she could, so she did." Student Layla A. said, "In middle school, we girls in the Partners Program had a lot of challenges and ups and downs, but the groups help us see from different point of views."
Celebrate Good Times--Come On!
In the Partners Program at Harris, we look for reasons to celebrate our successes and our students. Whether it is reaching personal goals, class goals, academic accomplishments, sports victories, or birthdays, we always try to celebrate reaching for new heights and appreciating the good things in our lives.