Spruce Scoop
Joy. Hope. Resilience.
October 21 - 25, 2019
October 21st ID Badges
Projected Date that all students should have IDs: Monday, October 21
Dr. Porter will be emailing teachers directly with the schedule.
Staff Costume Contest ~ 10/31
1. Full Costume (see below)
2. Masquerade face masks (see below- center)
Winners (Full Costume & Masquerade):
- Staff member wins Gift Card
- Staff member earns a donut party for class or office
Elite In Your 20 Square Feet
Parking front and center for the rest of October
Common Assessments
Progress Report Grades--Due 10/21
Remember:
- At least 2 grades for classwork per week (a total of 6 classwork grades)
- At least 3 major grades (tests, projects)
- Students must be given the opportunity to make up grades (see attached policy)
- Do not leave any student grade blank
- Do no give any student a grade above 100
Please reach out to Ms. Boyer if you have any questions!
TARDY SWEEP(S) THIS WEEK: (10/21 - 25)
Tardy Sweep: Thursday, 10/24 - after the 7th to 8th transition
At the end of these transition periods please lock your doors at the tardy bell and do not allow students in who do not have the tardy/detention pass as before. When they return to class with the pass, please allow them back in and mark them tardy in attendance.
Compliance Videos - Due Date 10/31
- Staff meetings (Tuesdays or Wednesdays, once a month)
- Sporting Events
- Fine & Performing Events
- Campus Wide Events
- Testing Days & Campus Testing Meetings
Staff meetings are subject to change. The goals is to communicate monthly staff meetings via the calendar and to have one a month.
It is important that we recognize ALL the Excellence in Teaching occuring in all of areas of our academic programs. The highlights are on a weekly rotation throughout the year. Each content/department will be highlighted on a weekly basis.
Mathemagical Instruction
Catch a Timberwolf Staff member being ELITE in their 20 Square Feet, Joyful, Hopeful, Resilient, SEL Champion, or simply did or said something that was the spotlight of your day/week!
Thank you for taking a moment to highlight your fellow staff member! You made someone's day!!
Spotlight on a Whole Bunch of Timberwolves :-)
- I want to express my gratitude to everyone who tested, did hall duty, provided lunches, and helped in the testing room for our PSAT test:
- Thank you to the 50+ teachers who took in displaced students and gave them a home while their teachers were testing.
- Thank you to the teachers and teacher assistants who provided lunch relief for our colleagues so they could have a break and get some lunch.
- Thank you to the counselors, who come to school early to help with the check in and check out of testing materials. I appreciate your willingness to give of your time and energy to help us get testing started on a positive note and to celebrate with us when we finish!
- Thank you to the most amazing lunch room ladies in the world! They worked hard to get our testing students fed on time…. and they deliver - like Door Dash, but without the fees and the tip!! Y’all are AWESOME!
- Thank you especially to Ms Nolan who stepped in on Wednesday morning to take over for one of our colleagues who could not be here on testing day. I really appreciate you and your willingness to serve even at the last minute!
- Thank you to the teachers, teacher assistants, and subs who tested and monitored the halls. Thank you for being flexible! Thank you to Ms Ramirez and Mr Sharp for being extra flexible.
- Thank you to Ms Whitaker who gives up her planning period and before school time to prepare answer sheets for testing. I love working with you.
- Thank you to Ms E. Draper who is my sounding board. You help me through the tough times!
Truly it takes a village! Thank you for your support!
Spotlight on Mr. Hastings
A HUGE shoutout (Mr. Hasting) for spearheading and coordinating the hallway decor in the early college wing to make the space extra spooky and festive for students and staff! Also... huuuge kudos for going above and beyond in an effort to connect with a student who lost their "egg baby" -- taking on the role of parent, teaching the egg baby how to dance, nurturing it with a spooky migration story and even imparting the the value of nutrition. You truly bring joy to all those that you come across and I am fortunate to be your next door neighbor here at Spruce.
Spotlight on Mrs. Fisher, Ms. Solis, and Ms. Chavez
I would like to give a spotlight to Ms. Fisher, Ms. Solis and Ms. Chavez:
These two ladies work so hard and with so much ease to make sure that things function in the front office. They are always there to help with a smile, even if they are having a bad day. If I need to be cheered up, I know the right place to come. Spruce is very lucky to have them all.
Spotlight on Ms. Turner
I would like to put the spotlight on Ms. Kendal Turner in the Counselor’s suite. My students adore her and so do I. She is encouraging, friendly and a great beacon of hope in challenging times. I am grateful for her spirit and model of excellence in counseling!
Spotlight on Ms. Draper, Ms. Taylor, and Super Spruce Scholars
Has anyone put the spotlight on you yet? (Ms. Taylor)
I am appreciate seeing you in the hallways, helping teachers and scholars when they need/ask for your help.
You don't hide in your "tower".
Thank you.
Ms. Brenda Draper is an inspiration to me!
Her kind words/actions/insight help me be "elite in my 20 square feet".
She believes in me.
She cheers me up when I have had a tough day.
I am happy and proud to be a member of the World Languages Team.
Please include Keamus Bryant and Eric Guerra as Spruce Scholars.
They exemplify what it takes to be successful scholars.
They have been in my French I class for 3 weeks.
They have surpassed their classmates in all facets of the French language.
While they work hard, they don't complain; they give their learning everything it takes to be successful.
They are also quite personable.
They deserve recognition.
Spotlight on Ms. Maria Baker
Ms. Maria Baker is someone I count on when it comes to completing my task. We make sure the LPAC findings(data) of the discrepancy roster is clear every week. In spite of the massive load of grade corrections she had on hand it was done with the sweetest smile of willingness.
Beautiful Soul!
Spotlight on Ms. Rodriguez and Ms. Thornton
Spotlight on Fine Arts Department
I would like to do a Spotlight first Fine Arts. The team worked so hard to create a great Hispanic Heritage program for our students, parents and community.
Congrats for earning the Hispanic Heritage Month Winner 2019! Way to go Super Spruce
WAIP information that is specific to an individual, team, grade, content, will be emailed directly.
Super Spruce Scholar, Nohelya Salas, earned 3rd place in Veterans Day Contest!
Nohelya Salas
International Dark Circles Contemporary Dance Company @ Spruce HS
The company is an international contemporary dance company and they will be rehearsing here everyday from 9-1pm in 117.
Dark Cirlces Teaching our Super Spruce Dancers
Happy Birthday Ms. Taylor from our Super Spruce Scholars and Staff
Staff Parking in Rear
MANDATORY CLOCK IN
- Monitors & Parking Attendant: 7:30 am
- Administrators: 7:50 am
- Clerks: 8:00 am
- Teacher Assistants: Ranger 7:30, 8:00, or 8:15
- Teachers: 8:15 am
8:20 AM Duty Begins
Please be at duty post ready to go a couple minutes early so that doors are opened at 8:20am. Teamwork makes the Dream Work!!
Tardy AM Procedure (Amended for 'C' Days)
Rear Entrance - ALL DAYS (9:00 am to 9:20 am)
- Our late door entrance, rear of campus/upperclassmen entrance, is open from 9:00 to 9:20 am.
- Scholars will be given a colored tardy pass (see picture ABOVE) with the time/date written on it by late door check in monitors (Rubio/McWhorter/Espinoza). We need this process to be fast and will only involve the monitor putting the time/date on the slip and sending scholars off to class. Students may pick up breakfast but they have the time/date stamped on their pass and are to move quickly to class (5-7 minutes).
- The late door (upperclassmen entrance) is closed at 9:20 am.
Front Door Entrance - A/B DAYS (9:21 am to 9:40 am)
- Scholars that arrive after 9:20 am enter through the front of the building and check in with Ms. Edison.
- Between 9:21 am and 9:40 am scholars will receive the colored tardy pass from Ms. Edison or designated staff member when she is absent.
- If a scholar arrives after 9:40 am they will sign into the Late to School Log and be escorted to ISS for the remainder of the period.
Front Door Entrance - C DAYS (9:21 am to 9:48 am)
- Scholars that arrive after 9:20 am enter through the front of the building and check in with Ms. Edison.
- Between 9:21 am and 9:48 am scholars will sign into the Late to School Log and be escorted to ISS for the remainder of the period.
Teacher Moves:
- Every student that has arrived late should be allowed into class and still be marked tardy in attendance by you the teacher.
- Every* student should have a pass and show their teacher their pass upon entrance into class. ( * See exception below)
- Teachers should check the time on the pass against the time the student arrives in class to make sure it is reasonable. If not, teacher should follow-up accordingly with appropriate student interventions such as student conference, parent contact, etc.
- No teacher hallway passes allowed before 9:45 am. There are some scholars in the halls with hallway passes, please let's NOT slip on this expectation.
- The color of the tardy pass this week is BLUE.
* exception - Keep in mind tardy passes will not begin being issued until 9 am. That means students arriving just minutes before 9 am will not be getting a pass yet will probably still be tardy to class. Please allow some leeway with students within the first 5 - 10 minutes of class time each day for not having a pass depending on what time they actually come through the metal detectors. This is a great opportunity to have a conversation with your student about not arriving at the last minute to school and being caught in this awkward situation of being asked for a pass and not having one.
Monthly Fire Drills
BEFORE THE DRILL:
· Review the e-mailed evacuation map for your floor;
· Review the e-mailed color-coded buddy system and find your buddy teacher/staff member; and
· Print a copy of the attendance rosters.
DURING THE DRILL:
· Use the proper stairway/exit,
· Exit the building quickly and orderly with students,
· Take attendance and ensure that all students are present once outside,
· Communicate to your buddy and person in charge of your stairwell if a student is missing, and
· Wait for the bell to ring before re-entering the building.
AFTER THE DRILL:
· Use the proper stairway/re-entry point,
· Enter the building quickly and orderly with class,
· Report DIRECTLY back to class with students,
· Take attendance and ensure that all your students returned to class, and
· Reset class and resume teaching and learning.
H. Grady Spruce High School
Located in the heart of the Pleasant Grove region of Dallas, Texas, H. Grady Spruce High School serves a diverse population of students and their families. Our neighborhood maintains a strong tradition of community, hard work, and pride. Families have made Pleasant Grove their home for generations, and many of our students can claim a legacy of Spruce alumnae that go back to the founding of the school.
H. Grady Spruce High School was built in 1963, replacing Rylie High School. The school is named for Henry Grady Spruce, a native of Omen, Texas, who earned degrees from Southern Methodist University and the University of Chicago. He devoted much of his 35-year YMCA career to youth, including 25 years as director of the Dallas YMCA's Camp Crockett near Granbury.
Email: frataylor@dallasisd.org
Website: https://www.dallasisd.org/spruce
Location: 9733 Old Seagoville Road, Dallas, TX, USA
Phone: 972-892-5500