THE SKY NEEDS STARS
NUDGE: ROBERTS MIDDLE SCHOOL VOLUME 17
I believe in the system we have created here at Roberts. I believe that you do not rise to the level of your goals, but you fall to the level of your systems. At the end of the day, we are daily checking for understanding, pulling students based on real-time data, and personalizing small groups based on our student by standard spreadsheet.
My Christmas Story. Christmas is around the corner. It makes me think of all the Christmas stories. Regardless if you believe in Santa or not, so many children around the world still do. Every time I hear the classic story of the North Pole, I am reminded of all the elves behind the scene working countless hours for Santa to get the toys out by morning. Why are the milk and cookies only for Santa when he comes down the chimney? What is wrong with this picture? Who are the millions of letters received each year addressed to? I can’t help but think of the elves who are forgotten back in the North Pole. Where is their acknowledgement for crushing it year round? Where is their milk and cookie? All these elf-made presents, and Santa alone gets all the attention? I am going to stretch your thinking, what about all the reindeers who do all the pulling, do they get any admiration?
When I was named principal at Roberts, I wanted to create a tribe of educators who are reminded daily that their work matters. I wanted a campus where title is meaningless. The only way to move beyond our limitations is to understand that one person cannot transform a school. We have a tribe of educators fulfilling a mission of sparking intellectual curiosity in each and every student. Teachers like us trust the process of creating a challenging Tier 1 lesson cycle. Teachers like us fall back on our intervention system to ensure we uncover weaknesses, and make plans to rescue those who are struggling. We target specific standards to emphasize and reteach. In this business of education, we are the elves working year-round making and wrapping gifts. We may not always get the milk and cookies, because our celebration is postponed. I believe that Roberts is where disenfranchised and struggling students find the necessary spark to ignite their passion for learning. Bottomline, we fix kids so they have a chance in life. We are agents of change forging a path of greatness for every student.
At the end of the day, Santa still provides a warm environment in the frigid air of the North Pole. Both Elf and reindeer are provided with resources and tools to fulfill their unwavering and uncompromising focus on the mission. Santa must be doing something right, especially when he is dealing with so many moving parts. I just think he should share his milk and cookies. This Monday, I want to create my own story by sharing some milk and cookies with you in the lounge, regardless if you feel like an Elf, Reindeer, or even Santa, you deserve the spotlight.
Thank you for making spirits bright. Thank you for making a checklist (RUBIES) and checking it twice. So please be good for goodness sake,
Jorly
Watch Mrs. Ebinger In Action
Segura modeling reading strategies!
Mims clarifying in small group!
What do Subs do at Roberts?
Johnson jumping right into the RMS way with small group!
Williams using data to instantly intervene!
Alarcon setting expectations = student SUCCESS!
Brown closing gaps in Small Group!
Polo challenging thinking and the productive struggle!
Congratultaions to Leila Reyes for being awarded the South Belt-Ellington Chamber Outstanding Student of the Month!
Congratulations to the RMS Spelling Bee CHAMP Luis Salazar!
Rewarding students for READING with a trip to the Scholastic Warehouse!
Band spreading the Christmas spirit!
T-TESS 2.1 Achieving Expectations
As we walked through your classrooms focusing on classroom environment, routines and procedures, we have many celebrations and are proud of the solid foundation you have built in your classrooms to begin working towards our instructional focus. Productive classroom environments, routines and procedures do not happen by accident and your effort does not go unnoticed. Continue to deliberately practice and revisit expectations and make adjustments as necessary.
Beginning Wednesday, as we walk through your classrooms we will be focused on T-TESS Dimension 2.1: Achieving Expectations (The teacher supports all learners in their pursuit of high levels of academic and social-emotional success), another step in personalizing small group instruction. As you work towards our instructional focus, you must establish a learning environment that supports and motivates students to do their personal best.
Listed below are examples of evidence of Achieving Expectations.
High Expectations Set
- Sets academic expectations that challenge all students
- Posts academic expectations and communicates academic expectations to students
- Maximizes instructional time by facilitating bell-to-bell instruction
- Reinforces desired academic and social-emotional behavior
Students Demonstrate Mastery
- Persists with lesson until there is evidence that students demonstrate mastery
- Checks for understanding via informal assessment throughout lesson
- Offers retest opportunities to allow students to demonstrate mastery and reflects mastery in Gradespeed
- Provides extensions for students who demonstrate mastery
Address Student Mistakes
- Recognizes and addresses student mistakes
- Provides immediate feedback and reteaches in a timely manner
- Embraces student mistakes as an opportunity for growth
Provides Students Initiative Opportunities
- Provides students opportunities to take initiative of their own learning and self-monitor
- Encourages students to take initiative of their own learning by attending RMS Tutoring
- Enables students to set goals and monitor their progress
Sunday
- Paige Martin' Birthday
Monday
- Extended Lunch BREAK!
Tuesday
- Lashondra Evans Birthday
- No Tutoring
- Touchdown Tuesday
Math CBA Day
Wednesday
- Hector Del Rio's Birthday
- No Tutoring
- Reading CBA Day
Thursday
- Teresa Klein's Birthday
- No Tutoring
- Science CBA Day
Friday
- Holly Jolly Breakfast in Downstairs MPR
- No Tutoring
- Thompson Fine Arts Visit - Backwards schedule