And So It Begins!

The rooms are getting ready, the schedules being set, and the last of the polish has been put on the floors. This Tuesday, from 6:30 to 8:00 PM is Open House. Students can get their schedules, locker assignments, and meet their teachers. Then on Wednesday, at 7:35, the students start. We are all very busy, but I truly believe that this will be the best year CHS has ever had!

However, there are a couple things everyone should know:




First, ISR and after-school detention have both been relocated to Sam Adams. For bus riders, this means they get off the bus at Sam's and enter in the far left (or South) door (it will be marked). They will be picked up from Sam's by their regular bus and ride home. If the student drives, they must arrive by 7:40 AM and park on the East side of the school in the farthest East part of the lot (right next to Depot street) so the buses can get in and out. One last thing, if a student spends a day in ISR he/she may not practice or participate in any events until the next day, just as if he/she was suspended.

Second, we are starting a new program this year called Bus Buddies. This program will match high school students with lower elementary students to help them with homework, play games with them, and act as mentors. Any high school student who applies for the program will get community service hours plus some other nice incentives. Mrs. Swartz (our transprotation director) came up with this idea and I am pleased she is letting me help her with it. The program will roll out in October or November, so keep your ears open if you are interested.

Finally, it's important that everyone be aware that we no longer have any office aides. For this reason we can no longer run notes down to classrooms during the school day. Teachers will recieve information twice a day, once before lunch and once right before the end of the day. Any other times would disturb an entire class as we must use intercoms and so we will be extremely careful. Thank you for helping us keep the classroom environment focused on learning.

Teacher Feature!

This week's teacher feature is on Meredith Hawkins. Ms. Hawkins started here last year, and teaches science. She has done some great things since she has been here, from creating and filling an Advanced Biology class, to starting a Physics class and even cleaning out 30 years of detritus from the back of the science common area. In addition, she has a website that can be found at http://www.msu.edu/~hawkin79/ and has all the homework assignments and class schedules for all of her classes! It is very cool and takes a lot of hard work. We are very lucky to have such a dedicated and motivated teacher here!

Calender

• The kick-off breakfast is at 7:45 AM in the high school cafateria, with the meetings starting at 8:30 AM


• Open House for the high school will be from 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM on Sept. 4. A good time to chat with teachers, see friends, get schedules, check lockers, etc.


• Classes start at 7:35 on Sept. 5th


• On September 5th, we will be having opening day meetings with each class. Students will pick their Enrichment class preferences, as well as hear from Mrs. Bright, Mr. Bryant, Mr. Francisco, and myself. The schedule is as follows: 7:40 12th grade, 8:30 11th grade, 9:15 7th grade, 10:30 10th grade, 1:00 8th grade, 1:45 9th grade


• During these assemblies, teachers need to observe the following:

1. Wait for intercom announcement to bring/send students down


2. If you have four or less students in your class, please bring them to auditorium and attend with them, sitting in the center section with the majority of your class


3. Please intersperse yourselves within the rows, some on the ends and some in the middle


4. If you have time and are on your plan, you are invited to attend to hear the changes, but it is not required


5. Please seat the students in the center section filling from the front to the back


6. If the center is filled, please help direct the students to the front rows of the other two sections, filling them before moving to the second row


7. Please help police excessive noise or disturbance as the assembly progresses

• Band Boosters are meeting on September 10th at the high school. If you would like more information, you can email Karah Hiscott, the band director, at knjhiscott@yahoo.com


• There is an Instructional Council meeting at 3:45PM in Red Brick on Sept. 10th


• We are holding the second annual Ranger Roll-Out Fun Fair on Sept. 14th, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM before the first Varsity Football game, but more on that later.


• We are reinstating the Principal Advisory Committee, which will meet on the 3rd Monday of each month at 5:30 PM. If you are interested in being a part of that, please contact Mrs. Anderson at 445-0541 or email her at manders1@remc11.k12.mi.us.


• The new students coming from the ISD will be picked up and dropped off every day in the back of the high school near the Agricultural Garage and using the double doors to enter and leave. Thank you for keeping those doors clear so our students can get in and out easily.

Quote of the Week: "Change is inevitable, growth is optional." -Author Unknown

In-Service and Staff Development

A team of teachers, administrators and para-professionals went to Lewis Cass ISD on Monday, August 20th to learn Crisis Prevention Interventions. It was very valuable training!

On the 22nd, (and also on the 23rd and 24th) all the teachers in the district met for in-service. What was talked about was the subject of last week's blog, and the details can be found there.

The Plan/Do/Check/Act Model

Starting this Tuesday, August 21st, all the teachers will be coming in for three days of in-service. Part of the in-service will involve learning about the 6 traits of writing, (click here for more information) and all the teachers who teach writing will be attending this for one or two days. The rest of the in-service, will be about the implementation of the Plan/Do/Check/Act model.

During the course of last year, a team of teachers and administrators from all the buildings, at the direction of the board, have been attending training with Pat Davenport (to see a picture and read a little about her book, click here). Pat's model, which comes out of Brazosport, Texas, is explained simply by the Indiana Principal Leadership Academy. The two page article, with charts, pictures and graphs, can be found be clicking here. It does an excellent job of explaining how the system works, and what we will be doing for all three of those days. A summary of how the system works, found on page 4 of the article reads as follows:





"PLAN
• Together, people in a school must examine available test data.
• Together, people must review research and successful change projects already in place.
DO
• Together, people in a school must focus on the what and how of instruction.
(An Instructional Calendar aligns what is taught with the Academic Standards.)
CHECK
• Together, teachers must review student progress.
ACT
• Based on assessment results, teachers will provide tutorials for struggling students,
and may adjust their teaching calendar to help students who need additional instruction." (http://www.doe.state.in.us/ipla/pdf/SpEdition-2003-02.pdf)






We will be doing the "plan" part for those three days, pouring over the test scores and finding areas we need to focus on. The teachers will make calenders that determine how long things are taught, based on how well kids scored in a particular area of the test. In addition, there will a school-wide calender for broad areas of study, again, based on the test scores, that will be changed monthly. These "objectives" will be posted here on the blog, all around the school, in the daily announcements, at sporting events, in parent newsletters, and in front of students on a regular basis. This is just one of the ways our teachers are working to improve the academic, technological and cultural competencies necessary to compete in our global society.


And now for the calander:

• All the secrataries and administration are back in the building 5 days a week starting Monday, August 20th.


• Meet the Coaches will be this Monday, August 2oth at 7:00 PM in the high school auditorium.


• The counselor, Ms. Jennifer Angus, is back starting August 27th at 8:00 AM. Please call Mrs. Beebe at 445-0533 to shorten your wait time and set an appoinment for schedule issues and the like.


• There will be a parent night on Tuesday, August 28th at 6:00 PM as a welcome to incoming 7th grade and as an explanation of the new state requirements for everyone. Please join us!


• A welcome letter goes out to all the parents this coming week. (Click here for a copy.)


• Open House for the High School will be from 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM on Sept. 4. A good time to chat with teachers, see friends, get schedules, check lockers, etc.


• Band Boosters are meeting on September 10th at the high school. If you would like more information, you can email Karah Hiscott, the band director, at knjhiscott@yahoo.com


• We are holding the second annual Ranger Roll-Out Fun Fair on Sept. 14th, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM before the first Varsity Football game, but more on that later.


• We are reinstating the Principal Advisory Committee, which will meet on the 3rd Monday of each month at 5:30 PM. If you are interested in being a part of that, please contact Mrs. Anderson at 445-0541 or email her at manders1@remc11.k12.mi.us.


• The new students coming from the ISD will be picked up and dropped off every day in the back of the high school near the Agricultural Garage and using the double doors to enter and leave. Thank you for keeping those doors clear so our students can get in and out easily.

And now for a new regular feature, the spotlight:

Mrs. Shelly Johnson is our new art teacher. We are thrilled to have her here as part of the school. She has some great ideas for our cafateria (using the panels in the cieling as canvas for the the painting class, among others) and our hallways and has even agreed to do the technical direction for the plays this year! Look forward to a bright new school and a vital and exciting art department. Welcome to Ross Beatty!

High School Redesign

As many people have heard, the State of Michigan has passed into law some of the toughest graduation requirements for high school students in the country. This charge was led by State Superintendent Mike Flanagan, pictured here. (If you would like to hear about his reasons, please go to this link: http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-38924-143681--,00.html and you can watch an assortment of short videos he did.)

Without debating the new requirements, although I will say that I support them, it is our incoming ninth graders who must meet these requirements to graduate. Our teachers have worked very hard this last year getting ready for this and because of it some changes had to be made to the curriculum. Let me address each area individually.

Math
The state says: All students need four credits in math and must meet all the objectives, as determined by the state in Algebra, Algebra 2, and Geometry, and must receive a full credit of math or a math related experience in their senior year.

The issues: All students must get four credits minimum, but most will get more. This is because credits are determined by the High School, but the objectives by the state. Some students will receive a credit and a half in Algebra because they need the whole year to meet the objectives, others will complete the objectives in the 8th grade and start on Geometry in 9th grade. No matter how it is done, students will be getting a lot more math classes or they will not, by state law, get a diploma.

Science

The State says: All students must get 3 credits in science. One of these credits must meet all the objectives of biology as determined by the state, and one of these credits must meet either all the objectives of chemistry or all they objectives of physics.

The Issues: There are several issues having to do with science. The first is that although the state does not require the students to take earth science, the state tests the students on it. For this reason, we require freshmen to take earth science. The state also requires the students to get a full credit in either chemistry or physics.However, the state tests students in parts of both chemistry and physics. For this reason, the parts the students must have are taught to all students in their freshman year. These are the parts that do not contain the higher level math. The students will then pick from either Chemistry B or Physics B in their junior year. For this reason, all freshman will take Earth Science, Chemistry A and Physics A in their freshman year. Sometimes they may take two in the same trimester (if someone has a schedule with all three in the same trimester, please come in and see Mrs. Angus starting the week of the 27th and she should be able to help), but they would have no science in a different trimester. All students will take biology in their sophomore year.

English

The State says: All students must get 4 credits in English. These classes must include all of the objectives the state gives for each grade level.

The Issue: This means that although classes like speech and creative writing will be offered, students must take English I, English II, English III (or higher), and English IV (or higher) to graduate.

Social Studies

The State: Is requiring 3 credits with specific objectives, but what those objectives will contain is still being reviewed. Go to http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/Social_Studies_Update_204721_7.pdf
if you want to see where the state is in the process.

The Issue: As with English, although classes like Current Events and Psychology will be offered, students still must meet the requirements as outlined by the state when they are completed. This should be done very soon.

To find out more about the other requirements in the arts, foreign language and the rest, please come to the meeting in the school auditorium on August 28th at 6:00 PM.

I hope that clears things up a little, but feel free to post any questions and I will answer them as best I can.

The calender and other news and events of interest:

• Mrs. Anderson, Mr. Francisco and I are back, and will be here Monday-Thursday through the 17th. After that it will be Monday through Friday.
• Ms. Stump is back August 13th (same days)
• Ms. Beebe is back August 14th
  The in-service days for teachers are the 21st, 23, and 24 (Ms. Hargrove, Ms. Hari and I met today with Mr. Francisco, and we are ready to go! Click here for the agenda. )
• Jennifer Angus (the new counselor) will be back on the 21st as well, but she will be Monday through Friday after that.
• We are holding the second annual Ranger Roll-Out Fun Fair on Sept. 14th, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM before the first Varsity Football game, but more on that later.
• There will be a parent night on Tuesday, August 28th at 6:00 PM as a welcome to incoming 7th grade and as an explanation of the new state requirements for everyone. Please join us!
• Stacy Balos will be available for substituting in the building this year, but due to state rules her position has been posted. This is not a good situation and I am very sad to see it occur.
• An agenda for the opening day for staff, Sept. 4th, is being sent to all high school staff in the mail today, August 9th.
• Open House for the High School will be from 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM on Sept. 4. A good time to chat with teachers, see friends, get schedules, check lockers, etc.
• We are reinstating the Principal Advisory Committee, which will meet on the 3rd Monday of each month at 5:30 PM. If you are interested in being a part of that, please contact Mrs. Anderson at 445-0541 or email her at manders1@remc11.k12.mi.us.
• Band Boosters are meeting on September 10th at the high school. If you would like more information, you can email Karah Hiscott, the band director, at knjhiscott@yahoo.com

Well, that's all for this week. Things are moving quickly now, and soon we will begin!

I think we're ready...

What We Do Well

Every year the state requires each school district to publish an annual report. Included in this report are a list of each school's points of pride. Here at Ross Beatty we have so many that as I listed them I couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. Ross Beatty is the best High School I have ever had the pleasure of being associated with. Let me show you why:

• Senior class was offered over $750,000 in college scholarships
• 7th and 8th grade spelling bee teams were county champions
• Drama performed Sound of Music in the spring with a tremendous turn out
• At the MSBOA Concert Festival, Jr. High and High School Band received straight 2 ratings
• Band attended an invitation to perform at the State Capital
• Sixteen student were inducted into the National Honor Society
• Two students were featured in the South Bend Tribune as Student of the Week
• Two high school seniors were awarded Lakeland Conference All Academic Team and several students received honorable mentions
• Students competed in an Young Entrepreneurs Business Plan sponsored by the Edward Lowe Foundation
• High School Math Competition was held at SMC and our Math team placed 8th out of 30 teams
• Three students received Internet and Computer Core Curriculum Certification (IC3)
• Turf Grass Management Program received a $35,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth
• Art, Music and the Drama Department attended and performed in the Fine Arts Festival
• FFA Greenhand Conduct of Meeting won State
• FFA Junior High Conduct of Meeting won State
• FFA Parliamentary Procedure was State Runner Up
• FFA Student, Cally Hass is FFA State Vice-President
• Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association recognized the Cassopolis Varsity Softball Team for selection as an Academic All-State team.
• Girls' softball captured the first MHSAA district championship for softball in school history and advanced to the regional championship
• Varsity track advanced 12 individuals to the state finals
• Varsity Wrestling advanced 3 students to the individual state finals
• Girls Basketball this season won a regional championship at Watervilet, finishing the season in quarterfinals with a 20-5 record
• Girls Basketball were district champions for the third consecutive season
• Girls Basketball were co-champions in the Lakeland Conference
• Varsity Football team were Lakeland Conference Champions and undefeated in regular session with a record of 10-1

Just to name a few.

We have so much to be proud of, I think I'll dance!

And now, for what will become a regular feature, it's time for the calender and information items:

• I have been back since July 23rd, and will be here Monday-Thursday through the 17th. After that it will be Monday through Friday.
• Ms. Anderson starts back August 6th (same days)
• Ms. Stump is back August 13th (same days)
• Ms. Beebe is back August 14th
• The in-service days for teachers are the 21st, 23, and 24 (Ms. Hargrove, Ms. Hari and I are meeting on the 9th to work on the in-service, so we should be ready to go!)
• Jennifer Angus (the new counselor) will be back on the 21st as well, but she will be Monday through Friday after that.
• We are tentatively holding the second annual Ranger Roll-Out Fun Fair on Sept. 14th, before the first Varsity Football game, but more on that later.
• There will be a parent night on Tuesday, August 28th at 6:00 PM as a welcome to incoming 7th grade and as an explanation of the new state requirements for everyone. Please join us!
• Rich Shultz, after attending a fantastic week long training this summer in Colorado with Spence Rogers, has agreed to start implementing those ideas in our 8th grade math class this year. He will be taking Casey's position, who has resigned, and we are hiring a math/science teacher for the high school.
• We have a signed letter of agreement for a new art teacher, Ms. Shelly Johnson (John has moved back to the elementary position). She is going to be a great addition and we are very excited she has agreed to join our community!

Well, that's it for this week.

Thanks for reading!

Quote of the week: "When you reach for the stars you may not quite get one, but you won't come up with a handful of mud either." -Leo Burnett

Next Week: High School Redesign