Go Get It. Period!

Our First Step!

First Day of School Reminders-

1.       Consult the Plan Do Study Act Document-At least read the sections that apply to you.

a.       Please insure that you arrive on time to your morning destination. 

b.      Our lunch schedule and routine will be significantly different than in years past.  Please pay close attention to your assigned lunch times.  Timing is of the essence this year.

c.       Have students go over their lunch codes during your class if you have extra time.

d.      Go over the CHAMPS expectations for hallway behavior each period before dismissal.

2.       Remember the faculty meeting after school @ 4:00.

3.      Smile

We have the best that Haltom City has to offer.  We entered into this profession dreaming of making a difference.  Our dreams are going to come true.  We will make a positive difference.

4.       Be Flexible

We have a pretty great plan in place.  Is it perfect?  No!

5.       Relax

It is going to be alright.

Sunday Morning Music

Take the Pledge!

 

 

The Optimist Creed

Promise yourself...
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

GREAT KICK OFF!

The Journey Begins!

This Week’s Agenda

Monday, August 19

8:30-9:00-All Staff in the Auditorium

Welcome and Introductions

9:00-11:30-All Staff -Station Rotation

Stations:

Library,  Discipline, Purpose, Spe. Ed., Duty, Academic Coach, Elective Assistance, AVID Binders, Ortega and Ray, Counseling,

11:30-12:45-Lunch

12:45-2:00-Teachers and EA’s in the auditorium

David F. Holland BISD vs. HEB comparison.  BISD raising the bar.

2:00-4:15-Teachers and Staff in the auditorium

ELA, Math, Elective, Science, History-Meetings

Exit Survey Revisited-PDSA

Technology, Discipline, Communication

Tuesday, August 20

District Staff Development Day (locations are posted below)

Convocation will be at 8:30 at WG Thomas Coliseum.  You are encouraged to meet a group of colleagues at your training site and car pool to the Coliseum together.  This ceremony should only last about hour.  Car pooling would ensure that your time is maximized.

There is a seating chart for this event provided by the district.  This chart is arranged by cluster.  The Birdville High School Cluster is seated on the floor.  The Richland High School cluster is seated on the right side upper deck and Haltom is left side upper deck.

I will email the map for further clarification.

Wednesday, August 21

8:30-All Staff in Auditorium

Announcements

New PDAS Appraisals Change-Two Week Window

9:00-11:30-Preparation for Students

Core Subject teachers to PLC’s-Data Protocol’s

Teachers will work on protocols to discover data trends within their subject area.

Elective Teachers to Library-Tigers go to college.

Elective teachers will prepare our campus for students and increase college awareness.

11:30-1:00-Lunch

1:00- Report Back to PLC’s and Complete Morning Work

1:30- Gym for team picture

1:30-4:15-PLC presentations of Data

 

Thursday, August 22

8:30-9:00 Teachers and EA’s in the Auditorium

Minimum Continuous Improvement Expectations-No Window Dressing

PDSA, Strategic Goal, Data Wall

Bonus Strategy-Videoed 

First Day of School PDSA

9:00-11:30-Collaboration and Plans

PLC tasks

Reestablish Commitments (norms)

a.      Assignment of duties-Time Keeper, PLC whip etc.

Mission Statement

Strategic Goals/PDSA

 

11:30-1:00-Lunch

Break Out Sessions-Voluntary

1:00-1:45-Mission Statement Assistance

1:45-2:30-Strategic Goals for Your Classroom/Data Walls

2:30-3:15-PDSA for Your Classroom

 

Friday, August 23

Teacher Prep Day

Sunday Morning Music

August 20 - District Staff Development Sites

District PL Secondary	10:00-4:00	Site	Contact
Academic Coaches	10:00-4:00	010 BHS	T Besgrove
AP Teachers	10:00-4:00	Core Content sites	T Besgrove
Behavior Interventionists	10:00-4:00	010 BHS	B Grubbs
Career Technology Education Teachers	10:00-4:00	BCTAL	Linda Anderson
Content Mastery Teachers	10:00-4:00	010 BHS	M Sanders
Counselors	10:00-4:00	Home Campus	D Layer
Deaf Ed Teachers	10:00-4:00	010 BHS	M Blackwell
Deaf Ed Interpreters	10:00-4:00	010 BHS	M Blackwell
Diagnosticians	10:00-4:00	010 BHS	P Stanley/M Sanders
Educational Assistants	10:00-4:00	Home Campus	B Grubbs
English Language Arts Teachers	10:00-4:00	047 N.Ridge MS	A-M Trammell
ESL Teachers	10:00-4:00	047 N.Ridge MS	K Lopez
Fine Arts Teachers	10:00-4:00	Site on registration form	D Detrick
Health Teachers	10:00-4:00	044 NOMS	L Master
Homeroom Resource/POST Teachers	10:00-4:00	010 BHS	P Stanley/M Sanders
Librarians	10:00-4:00	046 Smithfield MS	K Montgomery
Library Assistants	10:00-4:00	046 Smithfield MS	K Montgomery
LOTE Teachers	10:00-4:00	047 N.Ridge MS	A-M Trammell
MS Mathematics Teachers	10:00-4:00	002 RHS	B Mesa
HS Mathematics Teachers	10:00-4:00	002 RHS	B Mesa
Nurses	10:00-4:00	Home Campus
PE Teachers	10:00-4:00	044 NOMS	L Master
Reading Interventionists	10:00-4:00	047 N.Ridge MS	A-M Trammell
Related Services Teachers	10:00-4:00	010 BHS	J Thomas
Resource Teachers	10:00-4:00	010 BHS	Cindy Dubuis
Science Teachers	10:00-4:00	002 RHS	D Schweitzer
SELF Teachers	10:00-4:00	010 BHS	P Stanley/M Sanders
Social Studies Teachers	10:00-4:00	043 RMS	J Hyman
Speech and Language Therapists	10:00-4:00	010 BHS	J Thomas
Transitional Teachers	10:00-4:00	010 BHS	M Sanders
Vision Impaired Teachers	10:00-4:00	010 BHS	P Stanley

Weekend Schedule for AC

Saturday, August 17                        8-12

 

Saturday, August 24                        8-3

 

Sunday, August 25                           1-5

Team Work, Hard Work, and Great Kids!

Haltom Middle Makes Headlines!

            Congratulations Tigers! The following is a press release from the Texas Education Association.  It celebrates our success!  Not only did our campus meet the state expectations, we also made distinction in all areas.  We are one of three campuses in Birdville ISD to attain this and we are the ONLY secondary school to achieve this.

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/Communications/Press_Releases/2013_releases/Texas_schools_achieving_Met_Standard_rating_plus_all_academic_distinctions

“Of the approximately 3,600 campuses across Texas that achieved the Met Standard rating under the state's new accountability system and earned at least one designation, 759 schools earned designations in all three potential areas.”

This puts us in pretty elite company!  We are closing that achievement gap.

Keep Moving Forward!

The Eagle Has Landed!!

Team Player

Teaching Assignments

Michael Young is one of my favorite Texas Rangers of all time (hate that he left and we sure could use his bat this year).  He came into the league as a second baseman and became an All-Star.  The team brought up Ian Kinsler and he was then moved to short stop where he became…an All-Star.  When the club brought up Elvis Andrus, he was moved from short stop to third base where he became….an All-Star.  All-Star at three different positions is no small accomplishment.  The Rangers then acquired Adrian Beltrae and Michael played utility infield and was a designated hitter.  What a team player! He is talented and willing to put aside his own success and comfort for the rest of the team. He is the kind of teammate that we all dream of having. 

Are you that teammate?  Last year, I became aware of some tension.  The tension concerned this question: “What subject will I be teaching for the coming year?”   Other noted questions or fears that followed…”But I have taught this subject for many years.”  “Will I have to change rooms?”  Some worried that because test scores in their area went down they would be moved.  Some thought that because of a perceived personality conflict between myself or another colleague they would be moved out of a subject that they had taught as a punitive measure.

Dr. Brown makes many decisions as our superintendent.  He has made several changes this year in which principals have been moved from one campus to another. Within the community, there has been speculation as to why moves were made.  I am not privy to his decision making process (and don’t need to know).  Only he, his cabinet, and the principals themselves have insight into these moves.  In the future, he may decide that I need to move.  He may ask my opinion about moving or he may simply say, “Jeff, Go!” (BTW…He has NOT asked me to move.) 

Dr. Brown sees our district or team from a very different perspective than me.  He sees where the team is going.  He sees me in relation to the other campuses and principals from a performance basis. I may be considered an All-Star and love working at my position at Haltom Middle School, but he may still ask me to move.  The good news for me vs. Michael Young is that I do not have to ask for a trade if I do not want to move.  If I do not trust him with my career and cannot see the vision I can simply resign and work in another district.  As educators, we all share this privilege or option.

I compare Dr. Brown’s leading of the district to you leading your classroom.  Teachers lead their classroom on a journey.  In the end, that journey will provide a greater insight into the subject taught and hopefully growth as young man or woman.  You see the personalities of a classroom through different eyes than your students.  You see how those personalities mesh and the individual strengths and weaknesses of the group.  You feel the pressure of the results that you must have on a day to day basis.

When you change the seating chart in your room many factors come into play.  You expect your students to trust you. You expect your students to be willing to put aside their own personal preference for the good of your class. Sometimes you may ask for feedback and sometimes you may not ask.   This is done for the betterment of the class and the student. 

Students can view your decision as punitive or in their best interest.  It is their choice how they view it and their choice to choose their attitude following the move.  Students are more in the same boat as Michael Young.  They have to ask for a trade or a schedule change (which seldom happens) if they are unhappy with your leadership.  Most of the time they are on your team for the duration of the season!

As long as I am the principal of this campus, we will continue to assess how we can improve our performance from a personnel perspective.  Each move made last year and this year has been carefully considered based upon many circumstances and to date there have been no changes in teaching roles that have been made without the best interest of our team and the students considered above all else.  If asked to change your role, I encourage each of us to respond as professional as Michael Young and perform as an All-Star when those moves need to be made.  The more teammates that we have who are like Michael Young, the better shot we have at winning the game!