Spruce Scoop
Joy. Hope. Resilience.
August 2, 2019
Principal Taylor's Message
Greetings Timberwolves,
Greetings Timberwolves,
We have had a very eventful week! Everyone has been so amazing as we deal with the many uncontrollable events this week. We definitely were mastering our Responses.
Thank you all for your commitment to maintaining teaching and learning in the midst of the ups and downs. True sign of Timberwolves Spirit!!!
We had the pleasure of having the SE Network leaders on campus to work with and provide us as campus leaders feedback. It was very beneficial to us. Thank you to all the teachers that welcomed us in their classroom and being vulnerable and having a growth mindset.
WE are moving into the third week of our six weeks and routines are becoming more fluid, and expectations continuing to be reinforced. I look forward to meeting with all grade levels the week after next to support the work happening in classrooms daily by reiterating the support scholars have and the responsibility and accountability that is needed from them to be successful.
Have a phenomenal week!!
Be Elite in our 20 Square Feet! If not YOU, WHO? If not NOW, WHEN?
Kindest Regard,
F. Taylor
Proudest Principal in DISD
Tardy and Hallway Sweeps
Teacher actions:
- During 1st/5th period ONLY - NO student passes are given out before 9:45 am
- The other periods, NO student passes given out the 1st 15 minutes of each block.
- No passes are given during lunches. Make sure to communicate to scholars that they need to go during lunch.
- Close all doors when the bells ring. Doors should be locked.
Hall Sweep occur two times during the day - 9:45 am and 1:30 pm.
Tardy Sweeps occur 3 times during the day
1st to 2nd - Transition OR 5th to 6th - Transition
2nd to 3rd - Transition OR 6th to 7th - Transition (after C Lunch)
3rd to 4th - Transition OR 7th to 8th - Transition
Official Spot Observations 9/3
Thank you for starting the year off strong! As I have visited classrooms, students are diving into the content. Official Spots will begin the week of September 2nd (After Labor Day). Leaders will be in classrooms this week providing kudos, follow ups with questions for clarity or upgrade actions.
Observation Feedback Conferences:
Teachers are to bring either their laptops to capture notes and action steps or if you are pen to paper individual, identify a composition type book, where conference notes are kept. These notes are to be brought to every conference.
Leaders will come to meetings with their resources and conference notes as well.
Preparedness is essential for ALL.
There will be a standardized form that will be used by all leaders to capture the conference feedback and next steps, incorporating the Paul Bambrick-Santoyo Feedback Model of See It. Name It. Do It and the TEI Rubric.
Spruce: Reminders
- 100% completed and posted in rooms (due date last Friday 8/30).
- If you can fill some of our empty spots on the roster, email Mr. Ball asap.
- Thank you to all the staff members who are on time and consistent! We have been doing a great job! Posts are known and have been communicated numerous times. Failure to attend posts will be followed with Omission of Opportunity letters.
Split Plans:
- Due Friday 6th, no exceptions
Week of 9/2 Highlights
- Title 1 Parent Policy & Compact Meeting 5:30 PM - Library
- ECHS Parent Meeting 5:30 PM - Auditorium
- Staff meetings (Tuesdays or Wednesdays, once a month)
- Sporting Events
- Fine & Performing Events
- Campus Wide Events
- Testing Days & Campus Testing Meetings
Staff meetings are subject to change. The goals is to communicate monthly staff meetings via the calendar and to have one a month.
It is important that we recognize ALL the Excellence in Teaching occuring in all of areas of our academic programs. The highlights are on a weekly rotation throughout the year. Each content/department will be highlighted on a weekly basis.
Spruce High School Social Studies Department
The Spruce Social Studies team has been taking the beginning of the year in stride.
The US History team is ready for the 3-weeks test aligned to the highest leverage TEKS from the past 7 years’ worth of STAAR data.
Also, starting last week, they began giving questions to address the 5 most commonly missed TEKS over topics covered each week.
The data is then entered into a weekly data tracker to ensure progress is being made, or to addressing looping back when necessary.
In US Government, Ms. Doyle is leading kids through the Declaration of Independence continuing our focus on foundations. Foundations requires an in depth look at governments, documents and ideas that influenced the founding fathers as they put together a working government for the new nation. So far, we have looked at the influence of Greece and Rome, Roman laws, the Magna Carta and enlightenment ideas. By far, the strongest influence on the writers of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are enlightenment ideas. Both Thomas Jefferson and James Madison were heavily influenced by the ideas of John Locke, Thomas Hobbes and Baron de Montesquieu, three very important enlightenment thinkers. The coming week will be spent examining the Declaration of Independence, which is heavily rooted in enlightenment ideas. We will also look at how these ideas not only influenced the American Revolution but also revolutions around the world.
Tackling misconceptions in World History:
In World History, Ms. Baker and her team address students' misconceptions around slavery. The challenge is helping students understand that slavery in the US was an entirely different entity in comparison with the rest of the world throughout history--both economically and brutality-wise.
Some Social Studies Trivia:
1. The committee presented its first draft of the Declaration of Independence before Congress on June 28, 1776. On July 1,a vote was taken, and all but two states approved the Declaration. Which two voted no?
A. North Carolina and Maryland
B. Georgia and Connecticut
C. New Jersey and New York
D. Pennsylvania and South Carolina
2. Besides the American Revolution, what other revolutions were influence by enlightenment ideas?
A. The French Revolution
B. Latin American revolutions
C. All of them
Answers:
1. D
2. C
Catch a Timberwolf Staff member being ELITE in their 20 Square Feet, Joyful, Hopeful, Resilient, SEL Champion, or simply did or said something that was the spotlight of your day/week!
Thank you for taking a moment to highlight your fellow staff member! You made someone's day!!
Spotlight on Ms. B. Draper
Ms. Cazabon writes:
I would like to recognize Brenda Draper as a Spruce Spotlight.
Since school has started, she has been helpful, kind, friendly, and supportive to all the new staff in the World Language hall.
She makes sure we get things done "by the book".
I appreciate everything she has done to make our transition to Spruce a positive interaction.
Spotlight on Fine Arts Department
My staff spotlight is for the Fine Arts department. They have been working hard to make sure that our first musical production this summer goes off without a hitch. They constantly amaze me by their efforts and their dedication to our students.
Spotlight on Mrs. Brown
Mr. Cooper writes:
Mrs Brown is my Spotlight… she is everywhere and helping with everything and she has a positive attitude.
Spotlight on Mr. Cooper
I am recommending Robert Cooper for a Spruce Spotlight. Every year, he allows some of his students to capture actions shots of my cheer team prepping for the Big Game. He gave us several bottles of paint, brushes, and markers so that we could make posters, and he also told us that we could use his supplies each week to make posters for the game and pep rallies. Thank you Mr. Cooper for being so nice to the Cheerleaders and Coaches.
Spotlight on World Languages Team
Mrs. Draper writes:
Thank you so much for your positive leadership.
I want to put Mrs. Valentina Suez, Mr. Brent Guinn, Mrs. Catherine Cazabon and Mr. Ryan Lloyd on the Spot because it's not easy to start as a new teacher to Spruce and this team started with 3 newcomers. Everybody has gone out of their way to make the other ones feeling equipped, supported and guided.
The "flame" on the pic is a symbol of what is on their hearts: This teachers are "on fire" in a positive way.
Spotlight on Mr. Jewell, Ms. Walker-Reed, Read 180 Team, and Ms. Davis
- Shout out to Mr. Jewell, Ms. Walker-Reed, and the entire Read180 team for selflessly sharing our limited laptops for Math MAP testing on 9/5 and 9/6. We are so grateful for your flexibility and generosity.
- Ms. Davis is really "owning her 20 square feet" by helping new staff members and thinking critically about how best to run Alg II PLCs. I know this will benefit math teachers and students.
Spotlight on Ms. C. Miller
Ms. Gurley writes:
Ms. Miller is our English Department Chair, and she has stepped into that position with so much enthusiasm. She keeps all of us organized and ready to go. Everyday, Ms. Miller greets each of our students with a warm smile and proceeds to teach them, not only the academic lesson, but much bigger life lessons. The English Department is lucky to have her.
WAIP information that is specific to an individual, team, grade, content, will be emailed directly.
Ms. Youman
Ms. Lad
Ms. Cooney
Woosah Wednesday
Friday Community Circle Connections
Coach Macon facilitates his circle with humor and sharing personal stories to build rapport with his scholars.
End of Day Pep Rally ~ Pleasant Grove Super Bowl
Pleasant Grove Super Bowl!
Timberwolves fight hard against Samuell Spartans
Spruce Tennis wins vs Adamson
Staff Parking in Rear
MANDATORY CLOCK IN
- Monitors & Parking Attendant: 7:30 am
- Administrators: 7:50 am
- Clerks: 8:00 am
- Teacher Assistants: Ranger 7:30, 8:00, or 8:15
- Teachers: 8:15 am
8:20 AM Duty Begins
Please be at duty post ready to go a couple minutes early so that doors are opened at 8:20am. Teamwork makes the Dream Work!!
Monthly Fire Drills
BEFORE THE DRILL:
· Review the e-mailed evacuation map for your floor;
· Review the e-mailed color-coded buddy system and find your buddy teacher/staff member; and
· Print a copy of the attendance rosters.
DURING THE DRILL:
· Use the proper stairway/exit,
· Exit the building quickly and orderly with students,
· Take attendance and ensure that all students are present once outside,
· Communicate to your buddy and person in charge of your stairwell if a student is missing, and
· Wait for the bell to ring before re-entering the building.
AFTER THE DRILL:
· Use the proper stairway/re-entry point,
· Enter the building quickly and orderly with class,
· Report DIRECTLY back to class with students,
· Take attendance and ensure that all your students returned to class, and
· Reset class and resume teaching and learning.
H. Grady Spruce High School
Located in the heart of the Pleasant Grove region of Dallas, Texas, H. Grady Spruce High School serves a diverse population of students and their families. Our neighborhood maintains a strong tradition of community, hard work, and pride. Families have made Pleasant Grove their home for generations, and many of our students can claim a legacy of Spruce alumnae that go back to the founding of the school.
H. Grady Spruce High School was built in 1963, replacing Rylie High School. The school is named for Henry Grady Spruce, a native of Omen, Texas, who earned degrees from Southern Methodist University and the University of Chicago. He devoted much of his 35-year YMCA career to youth, including 25 years as director of the Dallas YMCA's Camp Crockett near Granbury.
Email: frataylor@dallasisd.org
Website: https://www.dallasisd.org/spruce
Location: 9733 Old Seagoville Road, Dallas, TX, USA
Phone: 972-892-5500