The Raider ACE!
What's Going On In Raider Nation Vol. 2 Issue 39
First, I want all teachers and staff of W.J. Keenan to know that you are making educating students in challenging times look easy. I know our students are motivated by seeing you in your classroom making things happen each day. We must continue to show our students the work we are doing at W.J. Keenan is preparing them to be leaders on a global scale. People are motivated by knowing that they are working towards something and that their work is important and valued.
Moving forward, here is what we will be refocusing on. Please share with your students and colleagues.
1. Using different methods to get feedback from students.
2. Taking a closer look at individual students and employing interventions with the help of parents.
3. Interpreting student data and making decisions for student improvement.
Reflecting and Refocusing is key to being the best professional educators for the success of our young Raiders!
We are W.J. Keenan High School. Home of the Champion Raiders!
There are a few things that we will need to make sure we are doing to keep the natural order and flow of our school:
- School starts at 8:00 a.m. Remind students they need to report to class before then to avoid a tardy.
- Stand at your door during the change of each class.
- You must not leave your students unsupervised for any reason.
- Please do not allow students into the hallway without a pass.
- Please do not allow students that are not on your roster in your classroom. Students need to be in their scheduled classroom to receive credit. You are accountable for every student in your room.
- You may only sign out to leave on your planning period and/or with administrator approval in an emergency circumstance if you do not have a scheduled absence.
- If you are absent from school, it is your professional responsibility to input the appropriate information in Frontline in a timely manner. Substitutes are limited. Please check Munis prior to doing this so you are aware of your available days for an absence.
Monday, October 23, 2023
- “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” ―Aristotle
Tuesday, October 24, 2023
- Faculty Meeting in the lecture hall @ 3:30 p.m.
Keeping the Midlands Beautiful Project-Pisgah Church Rd Clean-Up / 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
- “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” ―Michael Jordan
Wednesday, October 25, 2023
- JROTC Picture Day / 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
- “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” ―Vincent Van Gogh
Thursday, October 26, 2023
- “It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.” ―Lou Holtz
Friday, October 27, 2023
College Application Day(CAD) / 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
- “If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask what seat! Just get on.” ―Sheryl Sandberg
Hello Raiders,
I hope each of you enjoyed your break! Time is moving along swiftly. Please see the information below under dates to remember for this week. By this time, you should complete your mid-conference information in SCLead. You may do this by going to Student Growth & Professional Goals. Click on Details. Click on Mid-Course Conference. Complete the educator reflections and sign at the bottom of the page. Please have this done by Wednesday, November 1, 2023. Also, if you are being evaluated this year, you need to be sure to complete the professional self-review in SCLead along with your reflections from your team observation.
Dates to Remember:
October 26 - Report cards available to parents on PS
October 27- Early Release Day/Parent-Teacher Conferences
November 6-9 Mastery Connect benchmarks for EOC classes
November 10 - Early Release/PD
November 22-24 - Thanksgiving break
November 28-29 - English 2 End of Course testing
December 4 - Winter End of Course Testing begins for Algebra, USH and Bio
December 15- Winter End of Course testing ends
December 19 - End of 2nd nine weeks/Semester 1/Grades due by 3:00 pm
December 20-January 3 Winter break
Things to remember:
Teacher CLARITY is our instructional focus this year. According to John Hattie's meta-analysis, teacher clarity has an effect size of .75 which doubles student gains in learning. Again, the clearer things appear for the learning community (all stakeholders) the better the student outcomes. Here are the questions your students should be able to answer in each class that we visit.
- What am I learning? (Learning Intentions/Targets)
Why am I learning it? (Clarity & Motivation)
How will I know that I have learned it? (Success Criteria)
Each of these are non-negotiables and should be written on your board each day under the appropriate magnet and referred to for student understanding. Students should be able to answer these questions if called upon by the teacher.
SCLead:
The fall evaluation cycle dates: Sept. 19 - Dec. 1.
Posting Work:
If you are posting work outside your door, the standard used should accompany that along with the learning outcome for that lesson.
Grading Practice:
Please be sure to access the Raiders Chest in One Drive for important information regarding the Secondary Grading Manual. Be sure to follow the guidelines for grading this year that I reviewed with you during our Professional Learning (Round Robin session).Please make sure that you are updating your gradebooks weekly.
Mastery Connect:
You should be using Mastery Connect for formative assessments. Department Leaders will be able to assist you with setting up trackers if you need help. If you are having issues with logging into Mastery Connect or delivering assessments through Mastery Connect, please submit to a 1 to 1 ticket and add Cerissa Allen as the collaborator. If you run into any other issues, send me an email.
Certified Staff Certification/Recertification:
Renewal teachers/staff should have signed up for Read to Succeed if you have not taken the class. Information regarding this was sent out through District Announcements. Anyone that is renewing this year, has been placed on an informal (continuing formative) evaluation this year. Your evaluator is listed in SCLead. You will also need to complete 120 hours to renew your certificate. If you have taken the Read to Succeed class and you need to have it added to your certificate, please sign into your educator portal on the SC state department of education website and upload it there.
https://ed.sc.gov/educators/certification/certification-forms/forms/renewal-matrix/
https://ed.sc.gov/educators/certification/professional/renewal-credit-options/
Schoology:
Download a List of Parent Access Codes
- Within a course, click Members.
- On the right side of the Members area, click Parent Access Codes.
- Click Download to automatically download a CSV file containing the students' names and the corresponding Parent Access Codes for the instructor to distribute accordingly.
Once parents register for Schoology using the code, their account will automatically be associated with their child’s account. Parents will be able to view all of their child’s activities, courses, groups, calendars, updates, attendance, and grades, depending on the permissions and privacy settings you put in place by System Admin (District IT).
Meeting Calendar:
First Tuesday: Faculty
Second Tuesday: Department Leaders
Third Tuesday: Freshman Academy
Fourth Tuesday: PLC
School Photos
Please note the following dates for school photos:
- November 30—Fall Individuals makeup
Graduation 2024 Date Announced
This year’s Raider Graduation ceremony will be held Friday, May 31 at 11:00 am at the Colonial Life Arena. Seniors need to ensure they have met all requirements for graduation, pay any outstanding debts or fees and not have excessive discipline issues in order to participate.
Raider graduates are expected to conduct themselves with dignity, honor, and class. Inappropriate/disrespectful actions during the commencement ceremony WILL NOT be tolerated.
Keeping Seniors on Track
Class of 2024 students are meeting with school leaders to help them stay on track and be successful. Seniors are meeting with the Graduation Coach (Mrs. DuBard), School Counselors (Mrs. Hasinger, Ms. Humphrey and Mr. Oliver), and Mr. Hankins (Senior Class Administrator) to discuss their progress, requirements, future college/career goals, and plans for the year. All conferences are aimed at helping students be prepared to successfully graduate and meet their future goals.
Raider Community Student Support
Teachers and staff, we need your assistance in providing support for our young Raider students. Through our Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework, we are aiming to give our students the tools they need to be successful.
Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is a school-wide, data driven, proactive framework for improving both learning and behavioral outcomes for all students. MTSS uses the problem-solving process to meet the academic, behavioral, social, and emotional needs of each student. (https://www.richlandone.org/Domain/1736)
You may be asked to sit in on MTSS meetings as a classroom teacher, serve as a mentor, advocate or content expert for students. The goal is to surround students with as many caring adults and resources as possible to allow students to thrive. Thank you in advance for your assistance and cooperation.
- Seniors, please join the "2023 - 2024 Seniors" Schoology group for daily Scholarships and information updates.
- The Gates, Coco-Cola, and The Ron Brown Scholarships are now open! Check the 2023-2024 Senior group on Schoology for details.
- The Raider Ready afterschool tutoring program has begun. If you need extra assistance, please sign up using the QR code in the flyer below.
- Seniors, please join the "2023 - 2024 Seniors" Schoology group for daily Scholarships and information updates.
- The Gates, Coco-Cola, and The Ron Brown Scholarships are now open! Check the 2023-2024 Senior group on Schoology for details.
Quote "Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good."
We are a School within a School. The Raider Academy is a new approach to college and career readiness designed to give students the foundation to make a difference in the world!
The Raider Academy at W. J. Keenan High School provides five houses through which students may choose. Students will have multiple opportunities to prepare for careers that are in high demand and require advanced skills. We offer a leadership curriculum that includes a rigorous project-based classroom experience that challenges students to gain future-ready competencies. The Raider Academy students will have advantages that include the opportunity to receive college credit, state and nationally recognized industry certifications, work-based learning opportunities and internships.
The W.J. Keenan High School Raider Academy offers five unique pathways aimed at engaging learners.
• Project Lead the Way Engineering
• Business Management and Administration
• Hospitality and Tourism Management
• Government and Public Administration
• Agriculture and Animal Science
Meet the Raider Academy Teachers
Mrs Young: PLTW Engineering & Math Department Chair
Ms. Davis: PLTW Engineering
Mrs. King: PLTW Engineering, Business Management, & CTE Department Chair
Mrs. Thompson: Hospitality& Tourism/Family and Consumer Science
Mrs. Bradley: Government & Public Administration
Ms. Ausburn: Agriculture and Animal Science
Raider Academy News
Quarter 1 has ended please check PowerSchool. If you are unable to get into your PowerSchool, please email me.
Probation and Final Probation Letters will go out Monday October 23, 2023. You will also receive a letter to complete a MTSS meeting with me.
Remember to stay in the Raider Academy Program you must do the following:
- 70 or above in ALL classes
- No behavior issues
- No attendance issues
Important Dates
WJ Keenan HS CTE Installation Ceremony – Wednesday November 15, 2023 at 10:00 AM
The next Student Raider Academy meetings will be held on the following dates:
OCTOBER-NO MEETING DUE TO FALL BREAK
11/17/2023
12/14/2023
Please note that this meeting is not mandatory. If students have work to complete, I urge them to stay in their classes and complete it.
The next Raider Academy parent meeting will be held virtually on
OCTOBER-NO MEETING DUE TO FALL BREAK
11/15/2023
12/13/2023
We will have to do fundraising please share any fundraising ideas with Mrs. Wine or the Raider Academy teacher.
Transportation is NOW provided for the Raider Academy. If you have any questions, please direct them to Mrs. Wine at Shalise.wine@richlandone.org
Notes for Raider Teachers!
Feedback From Observations: Focus on engaging students and having them do the work. Rather than standing up and writing on the smartboard as you are explaining, have students come up to the board and share what they know. Put students in groups and give meaningful activities. Use balls and other manipulatives to identify students for a response. Make these engaging strategies apart of your daily routine.
Handling Conflict: Please talk with our students about how to properly handle conflict. Encourage them to reach out to adults in the building to get help with situations that can potentially get them in trouble. Please convey the importance of working together resolve problems before they become bigger issues. It takes a village!
Student Work: Please start posting your best student work inside and outside your classroom in the hallways. You may also share by tagging WJK on social media.
Ask Yourself: What is the hook for today’s lesson that will keep them engaged? Is there an opportunity for my students to get up and move around with my lesson? How am I going to check for understanding? Am I giving students the opportunity to show me they have a grasp of the content? Am I using the DLE to enhance the lesson or am I simply giving electronic skill sheets?
Signing In and Out: If you need to leave campus for an emergency, please get approval from an administrator, and sign out in the main office. We are professionals.
PTSO: Please consider joining our Parent Teacher Student Association. It is a big part of communicating to our parents that we want to build a stronger partnership this year. The application is in the main office with Ms. Golston.
W.J. Keenan High School
Our Mission
The mission of W. J. Keenan High School is to provide engaging educational opportunities through a rigorous curriculum, cutting edge technology, and partnerships to extend to our diverse community and produce first class citizens who will contribute to the present and excel in the future. WE ARE KEENAN!
Our Vision
Our vision is to create a nationally known high school that is highly regarded for its academic excellence, leadership in cutting edge technology, science, environmental, and career based programs. A high school that builds strong relationships with all stakeholders and continues a culture where the expectation is to lead, set the example, and raise standards for all to follow.
Email: vondre.whaley@richlandone.org
Website: http://keenan.richlandone.org/
Location: 361 Pisgah Church Road, Columbia, SC, USA
Phone: 803-714-2500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keenanraiders/
Twitter: @wjkeenan