Ram Nation News
Week of April 15, 2019
Vision
#OnANewLevel
Our students did a remarkable job as they took their test. I was very pleased and proud of the work done by the each one of you during our testing days as well as how focused and serious our students were during testing. Each one of you continues to play a critical part in shaping and transforming the lives of our students. It is evident how you “Build confidence; Open doors; Shape futures,” and the fact that YOU Believe in each one of our Remarkable Rams and their potential to be successful.
We only have 7 weeks left of the school year; however, we still need to continue to do our best in making sure that our students are extra prepared for the next grade level. Let's continue to make sure...
we communicate the LO to our students, it will help students understand the connection between the daily assignments and the learning objectives and will shift the accountability from not only your shoulders, but also to all members of the learning community
we keep providing students with quality interventions to remediate specific needed skills.
we create the LO and DOL for whatever we need to teach or review at this time and follow it.
we create exemplars to know exactly what we are looking for and address misconceptions.
we use aggressively monitoring as one of the transformational instructional strategies to move academic achievement.
we challenge students with constant justifications for their responses and maintain them on task with rigorous work.
we are using the TEI rubric to know exactly what is expected of you and how you may move from one level to the next.
Attendance Review
Check out the percent for attendance for the week of 4/8- 4/12:
- 6th Grade - 95.35%
- 7th Grade - 97.61% - an increase of 1.65% from last week and takes the lead one more time!
- 8th Grade - 97.38% - an increase of 0.91% from the previous week
Let's continue to encourage our students to be present and on time on a daily basis. It really makes a huge difference when our students are present learning.
Thank You
- Mrs. Mooty, Ms. Davis and Ms. Maloy for their leadership and organization with testing. Our testing environment was very smooth and positive. Our students were very focused and worked really hard; we look forward to receiving the results!!!
- All teachers and staff members for the support and flexibility during testing. I really appreciate your efforts and willingness to give up part of your planning and eat with the kids in order to support the common good of the school. Remarkable Rams Rock!!!
- Ms. Davis and Ms. Guerra for their leadership and support during our job fair. We were able to continue to grow as a team and calibrate our lens as we seek for candidates who display our core values of growth mindset, high expectations, and inspiring relationships.
AP Celebration
High Expectations
8th grade team had students sign the pledge of Bursting the STAARs on the paper to cover content during testing week.
Also, Ms. Brown wrote students individual motivational messages so that students could do their best during testing. This is a great move to share with students expectations and to assure them that you believe and care for them.
Inspiring Relationships
FLS
Arboretum
Cupcakes
REMINDERS FOR THE UPCOMING WEEK OF SCHOOL
- As common assessment scores are available, have students profile (use link to access two samples of profile sheets to use) their assessment and conduct conferences with students so that they know what mistakes they made as they took the common assessment. Also, set goals so they know what they need to do to achieve and make significant progress. (TEI 1.2 and 1.5)
- Aggressive Monitoring (see tracker and coding system if needed) should be done with at least the independent practice and DOL. Remember it is a check for understanding where all students receive feedback. You planned your pathway keeping in mind students level of achievement; then, you announce your laps, execute the pathway and provide feedback to students in the moment using the aggressive monitoring trackers and coding system. Every student receives written and verbal feedback. If you see an error or misconception clear it up immediately using the 3 Fs (feedback, fix it, follow up), show call, or modeling. (TEI 2.2)
As we continue to strengthen a great and solid testing environment to support the success of our Rusk Rams, use the active monitoring sheet for testing during your CDOL or any testing that may be longer than 45 minutes so that you can collect qualitative data to make instructional decisions and to have goal conversations with our students.
- It is critical to be prepared with lessons and materials to avoid having issues with students. When we are not prepared, our students can tell and will find their own way of entertainment. (TEI 3.1)
- We must have 100% presence in the hallway during transition times. Our students notice when there is a lack of adult presence in the hallways and will take advantage of it.
- Submit lesson plans by Thursday at 6:00 p.m. (TEI 4.2)
DAILY EVENTS
Monday, April 15
- B - Day
- Grades due by Monday, April 15 at 11:59 p.m.
- Extended Observations and SPOTs continue
- As we continue to ensure students receive the best instruction possible and to hold them accountable for their active learning in the classrooms, we will be checking for exemplars and aggressively monitoring in action! Ensure trackers have students listed, color-coded by band, and noting whether they are in bucket or out of bucket.
- Meet with your grade level teams to align your Lesson Plans, determine misconceptions, create exemplars, and analyze data for your students.
- 4:45 - 5:45 p.m – AFC - Library then we will break into grade levels.
Tuesday, April 16-
- A-Day.
- Field Trip to Texas Christian University - Ms. Baker. She will be sending the list of students by Monday at 10:00 a.m. so that you can plan accordingly.
- Meet with your grade level teams to align your Lesson Plans, determine misconceptions, create exemplars, and analyze data for your students.
- 4:30 p.m. After School Program Continues. Let's make the best out of this time being very purposeful in the material covered with students and the students who must attend your sessions. We need to work on the recruitment of students for our after school program since it impacts student growth, our school performance, progress, and, ultimately, part of our stipends are tied to the attendance of our students to our tutoring/enrichment sessions. As a reminder, students do not have the option to opt out; if you need assistance with parents, please let anyone from the leadership team know.
- Remember to clock out at or after 6:00 p.m. during the 2 days that you will stay after school
Wednesday, April 17
- B -Day.
- Field Trip to University of Texas at Arlington - Ms. Baker. She will be sending the list of students by Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. so that you can plan accordingly.
- Calibration Walks - We will be walking classrooms checking for alignment, exemplars, and aggressively monitoring. Ensure trackers have students listed, color-coded by band, and noting whether they are in bucket or out of bucket.
- Meet with your grade level teams to align your Lesson Plans, determine misconceptions, create exemplars, and analyze data for your students.
- 4:30 After school program continues - Let's be very purposeful in our lessons and our recruitment of students.
- Remember to clock out at or after 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 18-
- A-Day.
- Weekly PLC - Blended Learning - Making the best out of our Chromebooks
- Ms. Turnbull's Baby Shower during Lunch. Contact Ms. Brown for details on how to support.
- 4:30 After school program continues.
- 6:00 - Lesson plans due.
Friday, April 19-
- No School - Inclement Weather Day
Monday, April 22
- No School - Inclement Weather Day
Upcoming Events
April 27
- Health Fair at Rusk - UT Southwestern.
April 29
- Tentative (based on STAAR test results release) - Student Surveys
May 8
- Algebra EOC test
May 13 -16
- 6th - 7th Math STAAR and 8th grade Math retest
- 6th - 7th Reading STAAR and 8th grade Reading retest
- 8th Grade Science STAAR test
- 8th Grade Social Studies STAAR test
May 30
- Last day for teachers and TAs
June 10 - 20
- Summer Readiness - Selected personnel has been notified. All other who applied will be notified if other opportunities come up.
June 10 - 26
- SSI - Selected personnel has been notified. All other who applied will be notified if other opportunities come up.
Congratulations - Mrs. Gomez
Happy Birthday
- Edwina Woods 4/2
- Martin Brown 4/4
- Barbara Perez 4/11
- Shelly Kannada 4/22
- Kiara Brunson 4/30
Rusk Middle School
Email: jcordoba@dallasisd.org
Website: www.dallasisd.org/rusk
Location: 2929 Inwood Road, Dallas, TX, United States
Phone: 972-925-2000
Twitter: @RuskAllTheWayUp