Sahuarita Middle School Open House

1. Sahuarita Middle SchoolOpen House Welcome Students and Families August 21, 2012 5:00 PM

2. Sahuarita Middle School Home of the Jaguars Introductions: • Ms. Stephanie Silman, Principal • Mr. Bryan Huie, Assistant Principal • Mr. John Haas, Counselor • Ms. Traci Butler, Prevention Specialist • Ms. Aprylmarie Vassar, Volunteer Coordinator

3. Shared Expectations • Students—Jaguars GROWL! • GET THERE • RESPECT • OWN UP • WATCH OUT • LEARN • Teachers and Staff—Prepare students academically and socially for future success and personal excellence. • Parents/Guardians/Family—Communicate with your student’s teachers, have high expectations, and discuss school work with your student daily. Consistency is key. • Student success is greatly improved when there are support and teamwork between the school and home.

4. PBIS Philosophy • School-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) Philosophy • The goal of PBIS is for all adults to teach and promote positive, acceptable behavior practices to all students throughout the campus. By promoting appropriate behavior, PBIS reduces behavior problems, establishes a safe environment for learning and teaching, and has a positive influence on a school’s climate and culture.

5. Grading and Assessment • SMS uses a standards-based, mastery assessment and grading system. The foundational philosophy of this system is as follows: • “A grade is supposed to provide an accurate, undiluted indicator of a student’s mastery of learning standards….It is not meant to be a part of a reward, motivation, or behavioral contract system. If the grade is distorted by weaving in a student’s personal behavior, character, or work habits, it cannot be used to successfully provide feedback, document progress, or inform our instructional decisions regarding that student---the three primary reasons we grade (Wormeli, “Accountability,” 19)” (VanDeWeghe, 2007, 75). • VanDeWeghe, R. (2007, July). Research matters: The gray areas of grading. English Journal, 96 (6), 74-77.

6. Grading and Assessment • Letter grades reflect a student’s academic achievement and proficiency on academic standards, as evidenced by multiple measures and assessments within a grading period. This scale is used for grading individual assessments as well as the course as a whole. • A Mastery of all the Standards 90-100% • B Mastery on some of the Standards and Proficient on remaining Standards 80-89% • C Proficient on all the Standards 70-79% • D Lacks Proficiency on some of the Standards 60-69% • F Fails to demonstrate Proficiency on many of the Standards 59-50%

7. Grading and Assessment • 95% of the grade is based on multiple assessments of standards. • Examples include tests, quizzes, projects, essays, portfolios, oral presentations, and other summative assessments given at the end of learning a concept or concepts. • Students that do not demonstrate proficiency on assessments will be re-taught and re-assessed until they are proficient on the standards. Completion of homework and other forms of practice may be required between the re-teaching and the re-assessment to ensure that the student has learned the concepts and will be more successful when re-assessed.

8. Grading and Assessment • Every effort will be made to provide re-teaching and re-assessment during class time. However, it may sometimes be necessary for students to come in before or after school to receive the appropriate amount of re-teaching and assistance to be successful. • Grading on a curve and dropping low grades distort the overall grade and are not sound grading practices. As such, they are not permitted in the grading guidelines. • Formative assessments monitor how students are progressing while they are in the process of learning new concepts. As such, they are not included in the summative assessment grade, but they may be included as practice in the grade book. Examples may include checks for understanding, bell work, closure, etc.

9. Grading and Assessment • 5% of the grade shall be based on practice. • Examples may in-class work, homework, extra credit or bonus points related to the standards, participation, group grades, formative assessments, and completion check work. • Homework is practice and reinforcement, not assessment. However, completion of homework and other forms of practice is essential. It helps teachers to monitor students’ progress in mastering the standards and helps students prepare for assessments. While homework and other forms of practice account for a small percentage of a student’s overall grade, its importance should not be underestimated. It shall be meaningful, not “busy work.”

10. Grading and Assessment • Written homework should be assigned when the teacher believes that the students can complete the work accurately and independently. • If no written homework is assigned, students should: • Read their Accelerated Reader (AR) book for 30 minutes • Practice their band or orchestra instrument for 30 minutes • Review their notes, vocabulary terms, and spelling words • Redo incomplete or incorrect homework for make-up • Play educational computer games (IXL.com for math and reading) • Extra credit will not be given for something unrelated to the standards.  • Behavior, attendance, and effort are non-academic factors and do not have a place in the final grade that represents student mastery of the standards.

11. Athletics • Quarter 1: Volleyball, flag football, and cheerleading • Quarter 2: Boys’ Basketball, Girls’ soccer, and cheerleading • Quarter 3: Girls’ Basketball, Boys’ soccer, cheerleading, and wrestling • Quarter 4: Track and field and softball

12. Clubs and School Spirit • Clubs: • Art • Yearbook • Wrestling • Weight-lifting • Lady Hoosiers • PBIS • Reading/Book Club • National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) • School spirit: • Pep rallies • Awards assemblies • Spirit shirt days • Positive incentives

13. School-Home Communication • SMS Facebook page • District and School Websites • Monthly Newsletters • Marquee Reminders • World By Me Log-in • Direct link to PowerSchool attendance and grades • Mass emails • Grades will be updated and current every Monday • If you have a concern, please contact the specific teacher, counselor, or administrator right away so that we can resolve it quickly. We are here to be of service and can only help if we know there is a problem.

14. Visiting Classrooms • Visit your child’s teachers according to his/her schedule. • Classes are 7 minutes long with 4-minute passing periods. • Please arrange a phone call or conference for a later time with the teacher if you have individual questions that relate only to your student.

15. Closing Remarks • Thank you for your time. Classroom visits are from 5:20-6:22 PM. • If you have Choir 1st hour, please stay here. • Check our website, Facebook page, and marquee for information regarding upcoming events. • Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences—Thursday, October 18th • Teacher team conferences are by appointment from 1:30-4:00 PM. Call Mr. Haas at 625-3502, ext. 1404. • Brief, individual teacher conferences on a walk-in basis will be from 5:00-7:00 PM in the SMS gym.