Principal News and Notes
"Road To Excellence"
Staff Bulletin 09/30/2019
Email: ymcnulty8711@pcssd.org
Location: Robinson Middle School, Arkansas 10, Little Rock, AR, USA
Phone: (501)868-2410
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pcssd.jtrms/?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBR1CQEzX3XpIeD0lTBpxNfqKJW_dHon2m51nIZ1lhrt-sYkHp96L8zEM6Ho4KNCTTWHAvjFTyIFjOEB4OFdgxiMlzaYZwMpk0CWx5zUyYE08CviJaeMYcof0NmfErCySJUpCfP8Qa8x5xxaL46qFp430xQziSrlpJavg3roIKSyA1nYfjtTHXK0iCUmEs3JytOnbBNEqK1bKmsH70c0frL1SZ6a0UzReRxbR7k9mUr0Wp6OaQMPPWGcqE9q3rNYWet4cUJGt5cJvB0VJ-nAZdde2BH1l1u0_oaNhiA1WYGG8sBtRv1-Bea4FIhBVHN-2gWEqEj4BFHTrReZ-rjxMuDlPeoMrPDfo_w4uxQqNAaP11VbopVNb_XcXusE0UKhw6mNijQwv58wYHfAMOgwd12NU3BXW_BM2yTnKZr_k3cnaI0_tIImBs2mTz4aPsArTp8SUe37HqBYywMtihiWmOUJi9mvkZOj56r7IENsY53iEphd2dyXqzTaA4
Twitter: @JoeT_RMS
Message From Ms. Appiah-McNulty
Dear RMS Team,
Our school report card will be out this October. We do have the preliminary information and I wanted to share that information with you. According to the preliminary information, Robinson Middle School has dropped from a “B” status to a “C” status due to last year’s academic scores and the overall ESSA Index Scores. Robinson is a wonderful school with amazing potential to become an “A” school if we want to commit to the process of excellence which at its core ensures that the plans we put in place have high expectations for student performance and implemented with high fidelity. I have enclosed the draft school report card for your review. While the data is disappointing news for our school team, it is also a wake up call and a fresh start to do what we know is right for our students. This is not the time to finger point and/or state blame for how we ended up here, but a new opportunity for our team to own the data and to do what it takes to support our students to become academically successful, improve their social emotional well being, and make our community proud. The time is now and we need the commitment of our school team which means everyone stepping up to act as one.
Strategies To Get Us to An “A” Status (Elements of 90-90-90 Research):
Intentional Lesson Planning (Non-Negotiable)
As stated in previous bulletins, lesson plans are due on every Monday at 8:00am. Kudos to the following staff members on evidence of intentional planning: Wendy Kohler, Juanica Johnson, Katie Johnson, Ben Hazlip, Whitney Ward! I also observed that other educators are in the process of completing the plans and the admin team will revisit the plan book to check for progress.
Review the graphic from planbook showing the essentials of lesson planning. Lessons should be clear and easy for someone to come into your class and facilitate the lesson.
Provide clear expectations for the students. Objectives and outcomes should be evident in student talk, teacher talk and student work products.
Writing- Must happen in ALL classes (including fine arts, art, physical education). We will be checking for this as we hit hard on classroom walk-throughs.
Reflective Instructional Practices- Focus on Learning
Look around your classroom. Do you see evidence of the following?
Walls that teach
Does your instructional space convey a culture for learning?
Do the classroom walls reflect the student population and celebrate their diversity?
Is your instructional space welcoming? Conducive to learning?
Is your instructional space a safe place where students can take risks?
Do the walls encourage different viewpoints and promote student conversations?
Does the space celebrate student learning?
Does the space communicate high expectations for all students?
Do you have examples of exemplar work displayed or have student goal setting charts to show how students are progressing with skills being taught in the classroom?
Are students being given multiple opportunities to succeed or do they get one shot and it is over?
Are you communicating with families regularly?
Collaboration with team members are important. How often are you meeting to co-plan and support one another? Our district requires one collaboration a week, but is that really enough and is that what high functioning teams do?
How are students seated or grouped in the classroom? Have you created your teacher guided station for small group work? Let’s create that station by Tuesday of this week.
The practices from the 90-90-90 Research will be shared on the bottom of the newsletter! Take time to read this and add this as a discussion point for your department meeting.
RMS Referral Process for Struggling Students
Please review the flowchart attached and the likely reasons to refer students to our School Based RtI Team. Please contact Ms. Passini and Ms. Appiah-McNulty for questions about the process.
Advisory Intervention Training (Required for All Staff)
October 1, 2019 4:10pm-5:10pm @ RMS Media Center
October 3, 2019 During ALL Prep Periods @ Media Center
Interventions Will Begin: October 7, 2018
Interventions will be every Monday-Thursday (4 days a week) during Advisory Time
All Teaching Staff Will Be Assigned a Group
Details About Lessons- Will Be Shared (October 1st) and (October 3rd)
Class Assignment For Advisory Will Come From Kim Passini & Martha Melendez