The Monday Message
Office of the Principal; Monday, March 21, 2016
Quote for the Week!
Duty Roster
Click here for the Duty Roster
Monday - I Group on duty (PK Jones, K. Mays-Fowler, PM Duty)
Tuesday - R Group on duty (D. Major-Murphy, PM Duty)
Wednesday - M Group on duty, All Staff PM (R. Jackson, PM Duty)
Thursday - O Group on Duty; All Staff PM (G. Hutto, PM Duty)
Friday - No Duty Needed - No school for students or staff
The Week Ahead
March is Women's History Month
Week of Solidarity with People Struggling Against Racism and Racial Discrimination
Exceptional Students Week
Monday 3/21/16 - International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Admin Mtg (9:00am, Cafe')
Tuesday 3/22/16 - World Water Day, Grounds Maintenance (park vehicles away from curbs), Crew (8:20-8:50), No Team Mtgs (use this time for SLC's or instructional planning), School Test Administrators Training, Data Team Mtgs (3:50pm, designated classrooms), 8th Grade NYC Field Study
Wednesday 3/23/16 - International Near Miss Day, Crew (8:20-8:50), Honor Band Field Trip, 8th Grade NYC Field Study
Thursday 3/24/16 - World Tuberculosis Day, Crew (8:20-8:50), 8th Grade NYC Field Study, C-Team Track Meet (5:30pm, IHS)
Friday 3/25/16 - No school for students or staff - Enjoy Spring Break, Sandy Arnott's Memorial Service (10:00am, Hope Lutheran Church), 8th Grade NYC Field Study
Email: rsjackso@lexrich5.org
Website: http://www.lexrich5.org/IrmoMS.cfm
Location: Columbia, SC
Phone: 803-476-3600
Facebook: facebook.com/irmomiddleschool
Twitter: @irmomiddle
Tasks to Complete This Week!
Tasks to Complete This Week!
1. Teach like a champion all week long.
2. Continue working with your underperforming students so we can meet our goals.
3. Encourage all students to do their best during their Student-Led Conferences
4. Attend Tuesday's Data Team Meetings (3:50pm)
5. Incorporate at least one of the Global Themes into your classroom activities, lessons, etc.
6. Everyone report to duty as scheduled. See roster here.
7. Enjoy your Spring Break
March Staff Birthdays
Kristen Young – March 7th
Patti Blau – March 9th
Tammi Hardy – March 11th
Brandi Clarkson – March 25th
Marilyn Constante – March 31st
Please join me in wishing these amazing IMS staff members felix dies natalis / felix sit natalis dies (Happy Birthday in Latin)!
1. Jennifer Cook- For the past several months, we have all been working very hard in preparing for and facilitating SLC's. Mrs. Cook in particular, traded in her professional attire for a superwoman outfit. With a number of staff members being out because of various reasons, Mrs. Cook worked diligently with those staff members to make sure SLC's were not interrupted. Additionally, she organized and communicated daily SLC schedules to ensure that our process continues without interruption. Because of her hard work and continued diligence, we continue to get raving reviews from parents and other key stakeholders. iAM so proud of the work that she continues to do to make sure we are excellent in everything we do. She continuously embraces new thinking and new practices to ensure our teachers, students, and staff achieves new and improved results. Let's give Mrs. Cook a huge iAM shout out.
2. Mss. I'esha Odom- For the past few months, Ms. Odom has been working diligently with the PBIS team in preparing for our Set Evaluation. She has coordinated meetings, assembled our portfolio, sent out reminder emails, hung hallway and cafeteria posters, organized our mobile buzz note display, and helped quiz prepare students. I am proud to report that our evaluator was really pleased with the amazing things happening at IMS. iAM so proud of Ms. Odom for her focus on making sure IMS continuously improves. She is always positive and will do whatever is needed to help our school shine. Ms. Odom has definitely embraced new thinking coupled with new practices to get new and improved results. Let’s give Ms. Odom a huge iAM shout out.
3. Kim Waters, Marilyn Constance, and Erica Crumlin - Imagine having over 500 hundred parents reporting to campus for Student-Led Conferences and having to make sure they get where they need to be without delaying the process while maintaining the orderly operation of the front office. Mrs. Constante, Mrs. Waters, and Ms. Crumlin have done that and so much more. They have been AMAZING with our new processes. They have done a great job of greeting parents and making sure they get to the Crew leaders' classrooms. There have been times in the mornings and afternoons where there are as many as 12 parents in the office for SLC's and countless others for typical school needs. iAM so proud of the dynamic trio for the work that they've done to make sure this new process goes smoothly. Everyone matters at IMS. When we all jump in and do our part, we get outstanding results. Please join me in celebrating the hard work of Mrs. Constante, Mrs. Waters, and Ms, Crumlin. They have definitely embraced new thinking and new practices in order to get new and improved results. Let's give them a huge iAM shout out.
4. Kimberly Cunningham - I learned this past week that Mrs. Cunningham was the recipient of another Donor's Choose grant entitled "Ready and Willing to Learn." As a result if her persistence in acquiring additional classroom resources, her students will receive the following
- 1 set of Sport Illustrated Kids
- 1 set of I Can Read Books
- 2 sets of DK Readers
- 1 set of Time for Kids
This will assist when students are working on assignments, assessments, and projects. iAM so proud of Mrs. Cunningham for working so hard to acquire additional classroom resources. She demonstrates the type of new thinking and practices to get high quality outcomes. Please join me in giving Mrs. Cunningham a huge iAM shout out.
End of 3rd Nine Weeks - Teachers, the 3rd Quarter Ends Monday, March 21st. Score Sheets are due to Records by 3:30pm on Wednesday, March 23rd. Grades will be stored by the District on Thursday, March 24th. Spring Break is March 25th through April 3rd.
Report Cards go home on Tuesday, April 5th. This is a tight deadline. PLEASE have your Score Sheets turned in on time. After grades are stored on Thursday, any changes will require a Grade Change Form. If you have questions about how to print your Score Sheets, please see Mrs. Ayers or your TTL (Kerra Mays-Fowler or Will Green). Make sure you add the Signature Line and sign all pages.
Exceptional Students Week - School District 5 is celebrating Exceptional Student’s Week (ESW). For the week of March 21-March 24, students with exceptionalities, and the teachers who serve them, are being recognized. All students need to be embraced for their unique and gifts and talents, and this is especially true for students with disabilities. Our exceptional students at Irmo Middle are an integral part of the school community. Of course, these students cannot be served so wonderfully without all of the dedicated work of our faculty and staff. To spotlight ESW, during morning announcements this week, an exceptional student will speak about a famous person who also has a disability. Additionally, special education faculty and staff will wear ESW clothing throughout the week to increase awareness and celebrate their students, and classes will have focused lessons related to exceptional students and related themes. In all, this week will a celebration of the wonderful and exceptional population of students we serve here at IMS!
SLO Final Conferences - With SLO final conferences occurring, we are noticing that teachers are not entering their data in Teacher Teams. In order for us to complete the process, we need all teachers to enter their data in Teacher Teams. This will expedite the process and save us all time.
Staff Attendance - Administrative Rule GCC-R states that leave cannot be used during the following periods of the year without written approval from the employee's site supervisor.
• the day before or after spring break holidays
Approval for leave during these days will be granted for emergencies and unusual circumstances, as determined by the site administration. If you have an emergency or an unusual circumstance, please see me in person so I can assist.
Student Supervision - I have noticed that student excitement is increasing as we approach spring break. It is absolutely essential that we match their excitement with 100% consistent student supervision. In that regard, I want to remind everyone of the importance of active supervision while on duty. Your presence in the hallways during transitions is essential. Keep your eyes and ears open. Immediately diffuse any disruptive situations and redirect and report all students so we can deal with them immediately.
Closing Thoughts
Our closing thoughts this week centers around having and maintaining a positive perspective and always communicating that your peers, coworkers, family, and friends. With the type of work that we do, at some point, we will always encounter frustration, disappointment, and struggle. How we deal with this will determine our happiness and environment. I learned last week that in a department meeting, some emotions boiled over which resulted in negative exchanges. During my weekend reflection and reading, I ran across a text entitled Do You Have a Positive Perspective? After reading, I felt compelled to share in hope that it will help us deal with disappointment and frustration.
Do You Have a Positive Perspective
Look around you and you will be amazed at what you see. We take so much for granted because we focus on the parts of our lives that are hard or unfulfilled.
But if we really stop to look at what we have...we are truly blessed. Others would only dream to have what we take for granted.
- The homeless person wishes to have that little house you wish were bigger.
- That mother who lost her son would do anything to deal with that defiant child.
- The father that cannot feed his three kids would love to go to the job you hate.
- The woman riding her bike 10 miles to work wishes to have the car you want to trade in.
- That lonely spouse would love that partner that forgets to take out the garbage or doesn't pick up after him or herself.
- That orphan child wouldn't mind the mother that makes him clean his dirty room.
- The physically disabled adolescent would love to climb that flight of stairs you dread.
- The family that just lost their loved one to a courageous fight with cancer would love to have one more day to hug them and say I love you.
- The teacher in a violent and dangerous school with no resources would love to have an opportunity to work in a school with unlimited possibilities.
You see it's all in how we look at things.
If we start to look at our lives with the right perspective and focus on the blessings, we will be filled with gratitude. To focus on what we have and not on what we don't is the best way to live.
In the end, the biggest joy and blessing is love. If you look hard enough you'll be amazed at how much love surrounds you and how much you truly have. What you have today you will miss someday.
How are you looking at things at IMS Are you depositing positive thoughts and contributions or are you an energy vampire?
Let's have an amazing week of teaching and learning. We are Crew, not Passengers!
Robert S. Jackson, Ed.S., Principal