SCELA Sea Dragons: High School News
Flexibility with Accountability-Volume 10
March News & Info
Faculty Message
SCELA Sea Dragons,
As you go through your month, remember that your knowledge and learning is never set, but your mind is malleable and forever-growing. Your intelligence is not static, as it can grow by leaps and bounds if only you continue to nurture it by pursuing learning and opening your heart to others around you.
Instead of a fixed mindset like in the examples below, choose a growth mindset in order to develop yourself as an individual and community member.
We are SO happy to have you at SCELA and can't wait to see all the ways you will continue to grow and bloom!
-Your SCELA Faculty
SCELA Happenings & Events
Upcoming Events
Meet and Greet with Kona
Parent Information Sessions
Spring Spirit Week
SCELA Celebrates Women's History Month
Guest Student Writer-Hadeel Diab
Changing the Story: Advancing Our World Through STEM
By: Hadeel Diab
STEM is a career field that you would never think of joining until you learn about all the opportunities offered. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. I was given the opportunity to join a live conference from Albany State University, to learn about STEM. The panelists were filled with knowledgeable and confident speakers. A meeting was held in representation of Women's History Month, with Special Speakers that were women in STEM. Women of color in the STEM field were looked down on and had little to no representation in the field in the past. Women in STEM have made a change in our world today, and we are very grateful for all their hard work and dedication they put into their jobs. In the past, women were hidden figures in STEM. Now women are in charge of significant STEM contributions, such as the NASA Artemis project.
The meetings were held in order to show the different STEM careers. Speakers from the panels spoke about their careers and how it applies to STEM. They also mentioned how they do their jobs. A couple of careers that were mentioned were; forensic service technician, software developer, purification chemist, and many more. There is a lot more than just doctors, lawyers, and police officers. STEM careers are the base or the foundation of those jobs. Without the help of the STEM careers, there wouldn't be a foundation for the well-known careers. The knowledge that I have gained from these speakers has taught me that there is much more in the career field and encouraged me to learn more about the jobs in the field. It was mentioned that the STEM field could be challenging at times, but there were a couple of words of advice given from the speakers. “Be prepared to fail, don't compare yourself to others, don't give up no matter the challenge, Find people who can support you on your journey into the STEM field.” These quotes were mentioned to help students never give up and never to look down on themselves, because you never know what you're capable of, and to go the extra mile to find your passion.
SCELA Good News
Congratulations to our YGA System Level Winner
Birthdays
Want your birthday included? Fill out this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/u/1/d/e/1FAIpQLSfH1mTHFnz-X8Y1nCaxELwzVYXApMeKGWHSmEddzvCufOjgyQ/viewform
Community Sponsors: Apollo Pharmacy
Watch the latest video on SCELA!
Thought of the Month
Educational App of the Month
Our SCELA Family is ADVENTUROUS
Looking forward to Spring, what are some of the traditions or activities you participate in as a family (considering St. Patrick's Day, Easter)? What are places you usually like to visit?
"Activities me and my family do is game night . Places I like to visit are my grandma and my cousin's house" -Jimmy P.
"For Spring I will celebrate my 16th birthday. Even though coronavirus has me in the house I will still have virtual celebrations with my friends, and I wish I could visit Europe. I want to visit Europe to see the law schools that I want to attend after high school. My family doesn't have any traditions for spring. We just act like it is a normal day." -Ananda W.
Even though it seems cool outside, my family travels to the beach on weekends and enjoys the weather before it becomes too hot. We are already looking for warmer weather so we can start our spring visits. We usually stop for pizza on the way home. - Mrs. E
Ms. Godfrey has created a collage below to tell about one of her favorite activities.
Our Students SOAR!
SOARIN’ Student of the Month: Victoria Perron, Grade 10
About Victoria
In her spare time, Victoria enjoys spending time outside. She even loves completing jigsaw puzzles and organizing almost anything. Interestingly enough, when she's not spending time outdoors, she's indoors performing competitively in gymnastics.
When asked her favorite classes at SCELA, she shares that they are biology and Spanish. In terms of being a Sea Dragon, she loves the school because she is able to work at her own pace. She's also able to complete activities and maintain a flexible schedule.
Offering her advice to other students, she comments "Plan ahead and don't procrastinate work [leaving it] at the end of the week." Not only does she follow this advice herself, but because she wants to go to college and compete in gymnastics, she knows she must always stay organized and keep her plans in line.
As a final gesture, Victoria sends a shout out to Ms. Ennis as she really enjoys her class.
We are so glad you are a student with us Victoria! Keep SOARing in all that you do, and we know your dreams will come true!
Mrs. E
SOARin' Student of the Month: Robyn Hicks, Grade 9
About Robyn
When Robyn is not working on finishing assignments and learning from her classes, she enjoys studying about animals. When considering her hobbies, she enjoys watching TV and playing her Xbox as well.
Her favorite classes at SCELA are the Legal Environment of Business and Honors Biology. She enjoys her time here because the teachers care and take time to help students who do not understand their work. She finds that it is also easier to complete assignments without the rush to get them turned in on time. At SCELA, students determine the pace of learning, and she enjoys that feature.
Her advice for other students is to "keep up with work [and] to follow their pacing guides to plan and prioritize their assignments. It is also important to keep a notebook designated for each subject so it is easier to write down and follow notes."
With these practices, Robyn will most certainly reach her life goals. These include being successful, and in whatever she does, she wants to be able to help both people and animals. Ms. Ennis is the teacher that inspires her to meet these life goals.
Robyn, we know you will make the better place as you already make SCELA a better one. Thank you for inspiring us to help others.
SOAR with our Student Survey of the Month!
SCELA's Spring Poetry Contest Winners
Congratulations to Izzy F. and Benjamin S. on their winning poems, chosen by our faculty. Beautiful, beautiful work!
Try your hand at writing a poem like Gorman's either about an African-American leader or our country by filling out the form below. We will have a first place winner and runner up.
Both will receive Amazon giftcards courtesy of Grayson Stalvey Financial Coaching (www.graysonstalvey.com). Email: coach@graysonstalvey.com Phone: (912) 660-8412
First Place-Izzy Frazier
This is for all the entrepreneurs, the rappers, the history-makers.
For the poets, the activists, the anti-bullies, the divas, the dancers,
For the red-carpet walkers, the award winners, living asthmatics, published authors,
For the survivors,leaders, artists, and game-changers.
For all the African American men & women who can declare “I am alive.”
For the amazing, well-mannered and well educated, QUEENS and KINGS.
For the ones who LEARN from history and put it into action.
This is also for the men who get their education and proves the kkk wrong.
To all the Rosa Parks, who refuse to be seated and continue to overcome,
To all the Martin Luther King Jr.’s who wield peace like a sword and dream big,
To all the Thurgood Marshalls who continue to believe, even when it seems impossible
To all the Ruby Bridges who get their educations and persevere,
To all the Condoleezza ‘Condi’ Rice(s) who serve their people and play a part in delivering justice
To all the Lil Nas X’s who choose to come out to others.
To all the Michelle Obama’s who stand for her rights, advocate peace, and empower women..
To all the other people not mentioned and the ones who believe they are ordinary,
You show your history with every achievement you make, different road you take,
You GO for it.
You not only excel in life but also run when told to walk, swim when told to drown, speak when told to be quiet, empower others when told to be powerless.
Most of all, you achieve when told to fail.
Check out Izzy reading her poem below!
Second Place-Benjamin Stokes
You were a boy with a temper. But you were a boy with empathy.
You were a boy who never focused on normal school tasks.
But you were a boy who saw importance outside school and expressing your own, unique creativity in freedom.
You were used to seeing your brain as badly developed, and different.
But now you see it as different, in a good way, like other people's.
We all have different brains and our own talents. Who would want to be "normal"?
It's great to be unique!
Express yourself however you want! Don't let authorities take control over your life.
You need balance in freedom and teachers who help you.
Don't let people to just label you "person with ADHD" or "person with Dyslexia".
Your mind is unique in it's own way.
The only minds that are messed up are dumb people’s minds.
But I don't mean dumb as a person who can't seem to pay attention or learn anything in school. People with great hearts, great visions, or people who just have a daily life in a good attitude even if they are not intelligent with math or creativity, are good people.
SOARin' Staff Members of the Month
Mr. Brian Shinall
When you join his Zoom, you'll see students engaged as he spreads a rainbow of numbers across the screen, explaining the realm of exponential equations, rational & irrational numbers, as well as a slew of anything that speaks math to students. The way in which he makes the mathematical steps clear and intersperses his instruction with math stories to keep their engagement is nothing short of amazing, and excellent, of course.
Nominated by his colleagues, they explain that "Brian integrates many research-based teaching strategies, has a clever pace, and engages students with sounds, colors, and stories while he is working a problem with them. It is engaging and unique." Another of his colleagues comments that, " He is continually supporting students to help them with math by finding new ways to help students understand math, supports them daily for tutorial and continually keeps in contact with parents to inform them of their student progress." With as much as he cares for students and works hard to help them understand, he is such an asset to our school.
Commenting on his roots, Shinall shares his beginnings were at Georgia Tech where he received a Terminal degree PhD with a focus in chemical engineering. In his spare time, he unsuccessfully trades penny stocks, starts but rarely finishes Dickens' books, but he does enjoy and finish cooking. He also spends much of his time with his family, who is all from Savannah, where he has been for years. When they grow up, he aspires for his own children to leave Savannah on adventures of their own, so that he can follow them out of the town where he has been for so long, growing and learning in a different setting.
As a staff member, in his view, Shinall simply does his job. He tries to help his colleagues. In a brick and mortar setting, he gets along well with students and enjoys helping them succeed. In all that he does, he has fun. He has taught a wide range of classes including math, chemistry, animal husbandry, and city planning.
On a serious note, when asked what he struggles with the most as a teacher, Mr. Shinall comments, "I struggle when my former students don't make it. I don't like it when my students pass away. It is haunting. I can't count the number on two hands anymore. I hate it." The bonds that he forms with his students are strong and enduring.
When asked his advice for others in the building and especially other teachers, he comments, "First year is the worst. You won't feel comfortable teaching something until you teach it for the third time. First time is a wash, second time is an adjustment, third time is perfection." Mr. Shinall truly teaches with passion and reflection, and his words remind us as teachers, that we are always growing and changing, even as professionals. It reminds our families that sometimes students need that third time as a charm before something clicks well.
His best teaching strategies are simple. He tries to make students laugh, and in every lesson, he asks himself whether the students learned something, and even more significant, whether the students had fun in the process.
We are proud to call Mr. Shinall a SCELA Sea Dragon. In honor of him and this award, this month in our homes, families, and schools, let's try to interact with others with purposefulness and passion, never forgetting to help them chuckle or perhaps belt out a belly laugh in the process.
-LDE
Ms. Arlethia Brown-Hall
As far as how she found SCELA as her teaching home, she shares that SCELA chose her. With the program that she was running for students, SCELA seemed to be a good fit because it provided her school of students the same type of flexibility that they were receiving in the brick and mortar setting. She loves that she can work in her home, keep track of her own online learners, and teach without worrying about the unknowns of the pandemic era. She comments, "I have grown closer to both my daughters in this time, and I have figured out how to build relationships with students who are not sitting in the same room with me." Ms. Brown-Hall has certainly fostered these relationships as her students love and respect her, stay accountable in their work.
In terms of her educational background, Ms. Brown-Hall graduated from Beach High in 2001 as the Valedictorian; Shaw University in 2005 with a BA in English; University of Phoenix in 2010 with her MAEd as a Summa Cum Laude graduate, and Kennesaw State in 2020 with her Leadership Tier I certificate. It's clear that Ms. Brown-Hall is a lifelong learner and passes this spirit of learning to her students and uses her knowledge of leadership to help the colleagues around her.
But Ms. Brown-Hall is not just her students' favorite. Her fellow colleagues love her as well. One comments, "Ms. Brown-Hall is very willing to help with all things no matter what the situation requires. She schedules student conferences, pops into ZOOM meeting to help and answers all questions and concerns in a timely and productive manner." Another colleague comments that her excellence cannot be easily explained, only witnessed. And in everything, this excellence IS indeed witnessed as she goes over and beyond to communicate with parents and check on her students.
When she's not working to make sure her students are engaged and parents are in-the-know, Ms. Brown-Hall absolutely loves cooking, as long as the recipes are from Pinterest. She loves going to the beach, even though she is allergic to the sun. Her other indoor hobbies include playing games like What do you Meme? and watching movies with her family.
Spending time with her family is precious to her. She has two sisters, one of whom is her identical twin. She comments that they DO NOT have twin telepathy. Supporting her is her high school best friend and husband of thirteen years, and they have two gorgeous daughters, a 14 year-old and a 9-year old.
Her strengths, which are so plentiful, include her innate ability to show empathy toward others. She comments that her goal in life is to be like the doctor on Amsterdam, by always asking how she can help. In a world with so much to do, she comments that "sometimes, teachers and other staff members feel like they're sinking; Why not provide some sort of flotation device to ensure they can breathe [and] ultimately make it to shore?" Certainly Ms. Brown-Hall knows how to give support to all who are sinking and has the empathy to provide help before the process even starts.
No person's life is without difficulty, and Ms. Brown-Hall comments that sometimes she struggles with remaining quiet when she feels strongly about a subject or topic. She is "learning to breathe (7 seconds in and 7 seconds out three times), think about the appropriate response, and then to respond." She comments that she is always learning, but in her struggle, she remains an advocate for both teachers, students, and parents, the best of all worlds.
When asked for her advice to fellow colleagues, she comments, "Work is for work and home is for home. When the two collide, it is hard to remain in a healthy mental state. It is okay to work beyond time, but it is not okay to allow work to interfere with family and decompression. In the same way, it is not okay to be lackadaisical on the job." This advice allows her to stay strong in feeling refreshed and giving her all to work. Her wisdom and advice support all of those around her.
In order to get to know others, she often has students journal about many things at the beginning of each class, and then they spend time discussion. Generally, the lessons segue into the lesson for the day, but most importantly, they allow her to get to know her students and their dislikes, hobbies, and motivations. Most of her students end up with nicknames she has given them as she has gotten to know them.
Ms. Brown-Hall also leads through project based assessments for students. Her very favorite teaching moment happened when her students planned an entire funeral (including a repass) for the Mirabel sisters during class time. There were multiple characters from the play and also a bishop and friends (from the text) who were speaking for the girls. The students created the funeral program and dances. What was most amazing, Ms. Brown-Hall comments, is how the students were able to bring the details of the story to life.
In her ending thoughts, she shares that the key to good teaching is building rapport with students: "When the students feel like you know and care about them, they will do anything for you; even if not for themselves." She notes that once students see that teachers care, they are more than willing to listen to how the work that they are doing relates to reality. Teachers must always give them a reason to listen. Setting expectations through establishing rituals/routines is also very important, even in the online environment. Teachers should stick with their expectations, and students, in the end, appreciate those boundaries.
Even more, she notes that in everything in class, modeling what she expects is her most helpful tool. If she wants the students to be able to do it, she knows she must be able to do it herself.
In honor of Ms. Brown-Hall stands for, let's reach out to a colleague, student, friend, or family member and let them know we're cheering for them. We might just throw in Ms. Brown-Hall's empathetic phrase, "How can I help?"
Thank you, Ms. Brown-Hall for all you do and the deep character you have. Your SCELA family loves you!
-LDE
Curriculum Corner
In Spanish this month, students are studying poetry. Here is an example of a poem they have studied.
More Spanish poems!
Stoplight Learner Levels
We will continue to use the learner levels you were last given in an email from teachers for the first two weeks of the new nine weeks.
GREEN:
Those on the GREEN learner level are completing work on time and/or ahead of schedule when matched to the Its Learning Schedule. As a GREEN learner, your student may attend class daily, but they are only REQUIRED to check in on MONDAY.
RED:
Those on the RED learner level have less than 70% of assigned work complete and/or May be failing the coursework. These learners may include those who have had late starts due to technology issues or start date. As a RED learner, students will attend live class Zoom sessions daily. **Teachers may decide to require fewer sessions-no less than 3- for red students depending on individual situation.**
*Important Note: Learner Levels (The Stoplight Student System) are fluid and will be reevaluated at regular data intervals to ensure your student is receiving the support he/she needs. Students can change learner levels as a result.
Important Reminders
SCELA Facebook Page
Create your Parent Microsoft Teams Account
Weekly High School Schedule
*Please note: Instructional times may differ from your Powerschool schedule so please use the times below.
New Troubleshooting Form for Parents and Students
Your Faculty & Instructional Zoom Links*
Ms. Lily Albertson
Ms. Arlethia Brown-Hall
Ms. Gini Ennis
Ms. Lauren Evans
Mr. Sean Holcey
Ms. Kristen Phillips
Mr. Brian Shinall
(912) 495-8746
*Temporarily teaching Ms. Carter's classes. If you are in Ms. Carter's classes, please attend this Zoom.
Ms. Jennifer Turner
Mr. Danny Holland
Ms. Dreidre Jackson
Mr. Robert Jordan
Ms. Roxana Bravo
Mr. Matthew Morin
Mr. Stefon Walker
Ms. Damisha Moore
Ms. Elizabeth Godfrey
Ms. Jackson-Brown
Ms. Patricia Adams
Resources
This year, we will be using the ItsLearning platform to work with our students. You will sign in with your SCCPSS logins for your student.
Zoom will be used for live classes.
We will continue to use PowerSchool for Grade Information.
Please feel free to click the link below for access into the systems.
its learning instructions
As you know, the platform for the entire district is ITS Learning. This platform will provide you with your child's teachers and the instructions for meeting up. Please download the ITS Learning App to your cell phone and follow the instructions below to get there on your tablet, laptop, or computer. If you do not know your child's login information, contact us via the form below, and we will get the information to you.
- Open Google Chrome.
- Go to https://sccpss.itslearning.com/
- Click the Login with Savannah-Chatham County Email option.
- Type your login for powerschool and/or email.
- Click Courses to see your classes.
- Click on your first period class ( The classes may be listed out of order. So, please abide by your Power School schedule)
- Scroll Down a little and check the right side of your screen. Zoom information will be available.
- Follow those instructions to see your teacher and to gain further information.
Thanks,
Your SCELA Faculty & Staff
FAQ
First, follow the instructions on this login troubleshooting document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ua6hMM178u6EqP4wn-BMf_5VCZZYLEVVIKFYGhxI9l0/edit
If these steps do not work, go here to request a reset: https://savannahchatham.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b1nwzTZe2VteHDn
Please contact our counselor, Chelsea Zimmerman at chelsea.zimmerman@sccpss.com
Please wait patiently. We will let you know when we can proceed with those changes if they are available to you.
Need Help? Complete the form below.
Mr. Benjamin Lam
Email: benjamin.lam@sccpss.com
Website: https://spwww.sccpss.com/schools/ela/Pages/default.aspx
Location: 208 Bull Street Savannah, GA 31401