Secondary Spotlight
April 10, 2016
What does your rock pile look like?
This week, I read an article from Principal Leadership entitled, Role Call by Michael Haynes. He compares rocks to cultural differences and how we are educators address the differences in each child. Michael Haynes continues to share a professional development activity that he did with his faculty, called "What's in Your Bucket?" Faculty members were asked to bring a rock to the meeting and place it in the bucket of their table. Teams were then asked to stack their rocks, while only 2 rocks were allowed to touch the table. Teachers quickly determined that each rock possessed unique traits that had to be addressed in order for the foundation to be strong. Groups were asked to do a quick write on the analogy of "rock stacking" to that of student achievement and culture responsiveness. Here are some of their notes:
1. A strong foundation is critical.
2. No matter what our piece of the work is, we need to remember balance.
3. Students come in all shapes and sizes, with different needs and skills, and as educators, it is our job to find the content and instructional balance so that they can all be contributing members of their classroom.
Below is the link to this article and activity. As you go through this week and the following weeks, notice the rocks. Remember, the rocks that you don't see on the top are the foundation that supports the structure! Be the rock that builds the strongest foundation.
Have a great week of learning!
Career Academy Information
Career Academy Enrollments
Principals, some of our career academies have a high number of student requests. When this happens, we have a procedure in place to enroll students and keep numbers under the predetermined academy capacity. We have compiled spreadsheets we will be sending out to school counselors on Monday with notes and instructions for each student request for academies. We are asking that counselors complete confirming student interest and return the spreadsheet by April 27th.
The following programs will have a students selected to participate during the 16-17 school year via lottery:
· Esthetics & spa Management
· Culinary Arts
· Welding
When you begin scheduling, your school’s time to send students to off campus academies/HCT will be the time as this year. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Shelton Cobb
Career & Technical Education Director
256-428-7810 Office
256-276-4559 Cell
High School Principal Reminders
- Remember to select an ELA and Math teacher to teach ACT Prep courses next year. Donna Clark, Leslie Esneault and I will want the names of these teachers by May 15. We plan on arranging a PD day for them to prepare for this course.
- Remember to have a SGA period. Beth Keller will send the course number. This course will be entitled, "Leadership". SGA members are not required to take the course. If you have other club leaders, they are welcome to take the course. Think about the period you would like to offer this course. If you can all decide on the same period, we could use the VILT labs for district SGA meetings.
Upcoming Events
April 11- STAR window opens
AP and IB high school principal meeting- 3:30-4:30 Merts ETC room
April 12- Principals' Meeting
April 14- No Place for Hate- 3:30 HHS Freshman Academy
April 15, 18- Teacher Effectiveness Meeting
April 18- Progress Reports go home
APRIL 19- ACT + WRITING; ACT Aspire 10th grade Assessment; State of Schools Address; 6:00 PM, AAA
April 20 - ACT Aspire Reading 10th grade, ACT EOC for Chemistry, Physics
April 21- Freshman Academy Roundtable; Garrison Luncheon - Redstone; Board Meeting 5:30 PM
April 22- No school - snow day
April 23- Greenpower Race Day! Come out and support our students!
April 25- EOC for Biology
April 26- EOC for English 12, US HY; HCPTA Banquet at Burritt
April 27- EOC for English 10 and 11; Administrative Professionals Day
April 28- EOC for Algebra I, Algebra II
April 29- EOC for Geometry, Pre- Cal
May 2- AP Exams begin, EOC for Chemistry, ACT Aspire Writing and English for grades 3-8
May 3- EOC for English 9, ACT Aspire for Reading grades 3-8, ACT Plus Writing Make up for 11th graders
May 4- ACT Aspire Math for grades 3-8
May 5- ACT Aspire Science grades 3-8
May 6- ACT Aspire Make Up begins
May 11- Graduation meeting
May 16- Senior exams; Schoolnet
May 20- Seniors last day
May 23- Exams begin for grades 9-11
*Checking on dates for some of the EOC - they are repetitive on Dr. McNeal's email
Reminders
- Thank you to each of you for ensuring the surveys were completed last week. I realize that you have many things on your plate. Appreciate your work with this!
- Educate Alabama- submit EA End of Year Forms to Debbie Miser and your DOI by May 23, 2016.