Tiger Tales
SHS Faculty and Staff Weekly News and Information Bulletin
Quote of the Week
Every day of our lives we are on the verge of making those slight changes that would make all the difference. ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960
April 27, 2015 ................Edition #34
Included in this weekly bulletin is a comprehensive listing of events, meetings and FYI’s. If anyone needs to disseminate information to the entire faculty, please send your information to Ms. Stables by 12:00 p.m. Friday.
This publication, in total, is for faculty and staff member’s use only. Please read carefully and govern yourselves accordingly. All information in the bulletin is deemed important and faculty and staff members should be cognizant of deadlines, meetings and events.
Happy Birthday!
Click below to watch your birthday video!
April Birthdays:
Apr 15 .................................. Michael Dunlap (Custodian)
Apr 16 .................................. Nyema Williams (English Teacher)
Apr 21 .................................. Tiffany Lanier (Social Studies Teacher)
Apr 24 .................................. Mary Ford (Social Studies Teacher)
May Birthdays:
May 10 ................................. Dawn Davis (Guidance Clerk)
May 12 ................................. Effie Williams (Special Education Teacher)
May 15 ................................. Lindsey Shilling (Fine Arts Teacher)
May 21 ................................. Sharon Harrison (Aide)
May 23 ................................. Alesha Pickens (FANS Manager)
May 28 ................................. Carolyn Mills (Clerk)
A very special Birthday Video for YOU! Please enjoy it, but please DON"T post it!
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<CLICK HERE TO WATCH>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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Employee Recognition Week: May 4-8
Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week will be held the week of May 4-8, 2015. PTSA will sponsor several events during the week.
All employee groups (Educators, School Support, Bus Transportation, Operations and Maintenance, and District Staff) were honored with a special day last November during the district-wide American Education Week observance. In addition, several employees groups have national/state organizations that designate recognition during the week of May 4-8. Please plan accordingly for your location. Available links are provided:
PTA Teacher Appreciation Week, National Teacher Day (Tuesday, May 5)
National School Nurse Day (Wednesday, May 6)
School Nutrition Employee Week
- School Bus Driver Appreciation Week
Two Weeks in Advance:
Monday, April 27:
2:01 pm .............Alg EOC Team Meeting
4:00 pm ............Awards and Senior Day Committee Meeting (OR)
Tuesday, April 28: ......... ACT Testing
8:15 ...................All Test Monitors Mandatory Meeting (Guidance Office)
All Morning .......ACT Testing (Gyms)
3:00 pm .............Biology EOC Team Meeting
4:00 pm .............Tech Tuesday: Office 365 PD (OR)
4:00 pm .............Triple A and GE Tutoring
Wednesday, April 29: ........ ACT WORKKEYS Testing
8:15 ....................All Test Monitors Mandatory Meeting (Guidance Office)
All Morning .......ACT WORKKEYS Testing (Gym)
4:00 pm .............4th Q Progress Report Grades & Scoresheet Reports deadline (Ms. Stables)
Thursday, April 30:
All Lunch Shifts ... Senior Graduation Supplies Distributed
4:00 pm ................Triple A and GE Tutoring
Friday, May 1:
Sunday, May 3:
2:00 pm ..............Awards Day (SHS Auditorium)
Monday, May 4: ..... IB Testing Begins
12:00 pm ...........US History EOC Team Meeting
2:01 pm .............Alg EOC Team Meeting
Tuesday, May 5:
10:30 am ...........English EOC Team Meeting
3:00 pm .............Biology EOC Team Meeting
4:00 pm .............Faculty Council Meeting
4:00 pm .............Triple A and GE Tutoring
Wednesday, May 6:
3:55 pm .............Freshman Academy Meeting
Thursday, May 7:
4:00 pm .............Triple A and GE Tutoring
Friday, May 8:
In the near future:
April Highlights:
Apr 25 ....................Employee Contract deadline
Apr 25 ....................Seat Time Recovery
Apr 27 ....................NHS Induction Ceremony
Apr 28 ....................Technology Tuesday (Office 365) P.D.
Apr 28 ....................ACT Testing
Apr 29 ....................Workkeys Testing
Apr 29 ....................4th Q Progress Grades & Scoresheet Reports Due
Apr 30 ....................Herff Jones Distributes Grad Supplies
May Highlights:
May 1 ....................Senior Assembly
May 4 ....................IB Testing begins
May 11 ..................Tardy Party
May 18 ..................Senior (only) Final Exams begin
May 18 ..................EOCEP Exams begin
May 26 .................... Senior Final Grades & Scoresheet Reports deadline
May 28 ..................Regular Final Exams begin
For all Regularly Scheduled Meetings & P.D. refer to the 2014-15 P.D. Brochure
From the desk of
Carlos Brooks, Principal
Class Changes
All teachers are asked to stand at your door during class changes to assist with student transitions each period.
Employee Contracts
The 2015-2016 employment contracts have been emailed to all GCS employees. The heading of the contract email will state something to the effect of “Your Contract is Ready.” You are required to take action on your contract by April 25. Failure to electronically sign your contract will result in your separation of employment with Greenville County Schools. If you need any assistance with the contract renewal process, please let me know.
Brad Griffith, Assistant Principal
Attendance Report
This is a reminder to review the attendance report each afternoon. Corrections can be made any time before midnight. Our average error rate still remains close to 20 per day.
Calendars
Please send any calendar items to Mr. Griffith to place on the school calendar
Faculty Calendar Faculty and staff ONLY. To check the Faculty Calendar you must enter the password: tigerpride11
Tracy Hall, Assistant Principal
MYP Summer Unit Planning
Please contact me if you have questions regarding summer MYP unit planning expectations or about using the MYP Interactive Unit Planner (saved to the staff drive)
Will Jones, Assistant Principal
Students assigned to ISS: Administrators will contact teachers via email when students are assigned ISS. Please submit the assignment(s) for that day to Mr. Simmons.
Justin Ludley, Assistant Principal
Regene' Ransome, Assistant Principal
Sub Lesson Plans
It is very important that you leave detailed lesson plans for your substitute. If you know of an absence in advance, the lesson plans should be left in the Green Substitute Folder. If you become ill during the night, e-mail your lesson plans to Ms. Ransome or fax (355-8798) your lesson plans to Ms. Mills by 7:30 A.M.
In instances where there are no current student rosters, emergency plans, or lesson plans for the day, substitutes have expressed concerns about the lack of planning. A substitute should not have to look for the green sub folder or the red emergency folder as those items should be left visible on your desk. Your planning or the lack thereof will often determine whether a substitute wants to return to our building or not. Also, have conversations with your students about the behavior you expect them to exhibit toward a substitute during your absence.
Freshman Academy Updates
Triple A Tutoring:
Triple A tutoring will continue every Tuesday and Thursday beginning at 4 p.m. Please let your students know they may attend tutoring each Tuesday and Thursday (bus transportation and snacks are provided).
Tuesdays: Math, English, and Social Studies/Science help will be offered
Thursdays: Math, English, and Assessment Make-up/Retake help will be offered
Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, Grade Reporting
Kathleen Stables, CRT
4th Quarter Progress Report Grades & Scoresheet Report deadline: 4:00 pm Wednesday, April 29 (4th Quarter Progress Report grades)
Once you have submitted your Scoresheet Reports, please DO NOT ENTER (or change) any grades until after progress report cards have been printed!
Grades & Scoresheet Report Deadlines for the 2014-15 school year printable pdf
Grade Reporting Grade Reporting Website & Calendar
Tech Tuesdays Professional Development Teachers interested in using the new Chromebooks should attend the Office 365 Workshop on Tuesday, April 28th from 4:00-5:00 pm with Jennifer Bowning in the Media Center O.R. and bring your laptops!
Cedric Miller, Guidance Chair
Students may register for initial credit courses for Virtual SC beginning May 20-26 (juniors and seniors) and May 27-June 3 (underclassmen). June 15th is the last start date for summer credit recovery courses via Virtual SC. Students must have a 60-69 to be eligible for credit recovery.
Lavetta Collins, IB Coordinator
The 2015-2016 AP/IB Final Testing Schedule is attached to the Tiger Tales email.
More information about AP/IB Testing can be found in the Especially for New Hires section below.
Jennifer Browning, Media Specialist
Faculty Facts
A copy of the Senior and EOC Exam schedules have been uploaded to the school’s website. Please review the exam schedules with your students in the coming weeks as we approach testing season.
Awards Day and Senior Committee Meeting:
An Awards and Senior Day Committee meeting will take place on Monday. April 27, at 4 p.m. in the OR. All committee members should plan to attend.
Awards Day:
Awards Day will be held on Sunday, May 3, at 2 p.m. in the auditorium. All teachers who teach seniors are encouraged to attend.
Senior Graduation Supplies:
Senior Graduation Supplies will be distributed by Herff-Jones during all three lunch shifts on Thursday, April 30. Students may be late returning to class due to long lines. Late students should have a signed pass in their agenda when entering your class.
Recertification Classes:
Recertification (12 CEUs) Opportunity: Recognizing at Risk Students (RARS) in the Classroom (June 10 & 11, 8:30 – 4:30) - Course Description: Workshop will address child welfare issues that affect students' ability to make the most of their educational experience. The objective is to train teachers and other school personnel to recognize behaviors that put students at risk and provide information for constructive responses. Please register on the Portal
Final Exams:
All teachers are expected to give a final exam except Special Education Resource teachers unless otherwise approved by Mr. Brooks.
PAS-T Portfolio:
When submitting your PAS-T Portfolio for review, please use a sticky note to identify the required and suggested documentation.
Student Agendas:
Teachers are reminded to sign the agenda of students who you allow to exit your classroom. Please refrain from sending students to their lockers during instructional time. Hallway passes should be used for restroom and nurse visits. You may allow a student to borrow your agenda if they have lost theirs.
Especially for New Hires
NOBODY TOLD ME! What to Expect: End of the Year Procedures, Activities, and Deadlines!
AP/ IB Testing
AP and IB testing will begin Monday, May 4th and will end on Wednesday May 27th. All testing will be take place at the Donaldson Center Except for AP Spanish, AP French, AP Art History, IB German and the Exceptional Testing for Chemistry. During the day of a student’s exam they will report to their exam; however, they will not report to any class at SHS. Upon completion of their exams the students are to leave the facility and they are NOT to report back to the school. The exam schedule and names of the students have been sent to the attendance clerk to ensure accuracy of attendance. If you have any questions please feel free to contact Dr. Collins via email.
Senior Final Exams
Seniors take their exams early & separately from their underclass mates because guidance needs to have their final grades completed in order to determine who is graduating and who is not.
- Senior Final Exams are scheduled for the week of May 18-21, 2015. There is special test schedule for the week (see school website).
- All teachers, except Sp. Ed. Resource/Tutorial teachers, are to administer a final exam.
- Underclassmen are NOT to take their final exam during May 18-21 - even if they are taking the same class as the senior(s)!
- Teachers who have a "mixed class" (both seniors and underclassmen) are to make arrangements with a fellow teacher. If you have questions, please speak to your mentor or department chair.
- If a senior misses the final exam, he/she receives a zero for the exam, unless a make-up is approved by the administration. If the student is permitted to make up the exam, the teacher generally arranges to administer it (unless other arrangements are made by administration)
- Senior Final Grades and Scoresheet Report are due to Ms. Stables no later than 9:00 am on May 26, 2015. (Senior grades will NOT be RECAPTURED after this date!!!!)
- If you have students who are failing or who are in danger of failing, you MUST contact student AND parent(s)/guardian! There should be no surprises!
- It is very difficult to support a final grade of 68 or 69. A student should have every reasonable opportunity to meet course requirements. Power Teacher software does afford teachers the ability to manually override a final grade (always in the students' favor!)
Underclassmen, even if they are not taking the Senior Final Exam or an EOC Exam, must attend school. (So must the teachers!)
EOC (South Carolina End of Course Exams)
S.C. State EOC Exams are administered to Algebra 1, English 1, Biology, and U.S. History students during the week of May 18-21, 2015. The course teacher administers the exam. This exam is considered the "final exam" (but it counts 20% of the students' final grade).
The Exam Schedules will affect everyone. If you are not administering an exam during the (approximately 2-hour period) you will be holding your regular class for about 2-hours!
General Information
During any scheduled exams, keep students (whether testing or not) in the classrooms, no movies, no parties. Do not allow students to go... to their lockers, return items, work in the media center, look for buried treasure, or anything else they want to leave your classroom for!
There are NO EARLY DISMISSALS during exams!!!
If a student misses your final exam, and the student has been approved by administration to make-up the exam (an approved-for-makeup list will be provided), and the students does not show up before you "check-out", provide a copy of the final exam with the student's name, an answer and grading key to Dr. Hall. If the student returns during the summer, an administrator will then administer the test.
Final exams (Non-EOC Exams) count 20% of the 2nd Semester for year-long courses.
Graduation
Graduation is scheduled for Thursday, June 4th. All faculty is expected to participate. All faculty is expected to return to school after the graduation exercises! The Graduation Committee will provide information and details regarding the event and expectations.
Teacher Check-Out
A Teacher End-of-the-Year Check-Out List will be sent out to all faculty via email. Teachers must print and complete the listed items and have each item initialed (in the particular colored ink specified) BEFORE leaving for the summer. Once you receive the list, teachers may begin to complete items.
Anyone who checks out with Christie Seear will need to bring their receipt book and have all fundraisers and field trips closed.
All movable items in your classroom (all furniture, file cabinets, tables, chairs, etc.) must be labeled with name and room number because all items are moved for floors to be waxed. It is suggested that you take pictures and clip them to the board so maintenance can put everything back where you want it to be. And personal items (pictures, cups, collectibles, etc) should be packed up and locked away or taken home. Wise words from Brandi Richardson. Thank you Brandi!
On the LAST DAY (not apocalyptically speaking) you will have to stand in the line that forms outside the principal's office for the final signature and to eagerly turn in the check-list. (Lawn chairs and a snack might be necessary! Perhaps this year we could have the line form outside so to soak up a few much needed rays!)
Payroll and Bookeeping
Payroll
Approved absences that exceed the employee’s personal leave balance usually result in dock pay for the hours that exceed the personal leave balance. Please review your online pay stubs every pay day, and notify your supervisor immediately of any discrepancies.
Bookkeeping
Please be advised that students and guardians can no longer write a check to pay for monetary trascations effective March 27, 2015. All monetary transactions with the school (fees and dues) are to paid with cash or a money order starting Friday, March 27, 2015.
Teachers need to turn student debt in to Christie Seear
SHARE WITH STUDENTS
BYOD Reminder Please remind your students that BYOD personal devices are not to be used when the teacher is absent; Personal devices will be confiscated: if they use it, they could lose it!
Seat Time Recovery Remind students that they are allowed to miss five (5) days in semester courses and ten (10) days in year-long courses. Any absences over these allowances must be medically excused. In order for students to be eligible to attend Seat Time Recovery, they must have passing grades. If students do not make up time for the unexcused absences, they will receive an FA (failure due to absence) instead of passing grades.
Summer Technology Proficency Courses
PLEASE LET YOUR TEACHERS KNOW ABOUT THESE COURSES.
Currently, there are five classes which have been approved and meet the requirements set forth by Greenville County Schools for initial technology proficiency: ALIVE, Intel 2 Online, Intel Elements: Project-Based Approaches, Intel Elements: Collaboration in the Digital Classroom, and Intel Elements: Assessment in the 21st Century.
ALIVE and Intel 2 Online are offered in GCS each fall, spring, and summer. Intel Elements courses are offered on a rotation basis each year. These classes are open for all full-time teachers in Greenville County only. This summer we will offer: Intel Elements Assessment in the 21st Century
Offered exclusively online through the SC State Department of Education in Spring 2015
Course syllabi can be found here (graduate credit) and here (renewal credit).
Registration Dates: April 27 – May 29 (or until full)
Course Dates: June 22 – August 10
Registration information can be found here.
In this course, teachers see how assessment strategies can benefit their teaching practices and their students' learning. They learn how to plan, develop, and manage student-centered assessment. They follow three teachers and see how the three teachers are implementing embedded and ongoing assessment methods in their classrooms. The course offers opportunities to apply the assessment concepts with action planning exercises. Direct connections to Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are provided throughout the course and can be connected within the final project as appropriate.