Dear JHS 13 Family,
The school year is moving along brilliantly. We have just passed our mid-year mark and we are closing in on the state exams. All interventions are in place and we have are clear plan on how we expect to prepare our children for the state exams. In short, we have Saturday Academy fully running. During Saturdays, we are concentrating our attention on improving attendance and matching specifically what needs to be taught to give our students the best chance to reach proficiency (scoring 3's or 4's). Our next intervention is one-on-one or small group tutoring. We have gathered a substantial number of people to provide small group and one-on-one during the school day. This allows for us to give targeted help to a good number of students who are unable to devote extra time to preparing for the state exam outside of our regular hours. Finally, we will be expanding our after school academics to include tailored instruction to assist students in catching up on topics we covered during the school year which will be crucial in performing well on the state exam. These initiatives will forward our school to do well this coming April on the tests.
On another note, our school has been placed on the School in Need of Improvement List. Because we were only able to produce 15% proficient students on both the ELA and Math exam, we were identified for needing additional support by the state of New York. Two of our school goals are to increase our number of proficient students by at least 35% on both the ELA and Math exams. We are confident that if we execute the plan described in the first paragraph and provide strong support to our teachers in improving their teaching, we will achieve both goals. The bright side of being placed on the list is we receive feedback from experts on how we can continue to improve our school and we get additional funding to pay for our programs at the school. In other words, our students are in great hands.
On February 13th, we will be launching our Positive Behavior Campaign. Our Positive Behavior Campaign will be used to continue to improve the culture of our school. Some of the initiatives the campaign has included are the surveys given to staff and parents. Our latest push has been the zero-tolerance for horse playing. Finally, we revised our discipline code to simplify the system so the expectations were clear to both staff and students. The purpose of hosting a launch ceremony is to increase student and staff buy-in so they can be a part of the process of shifting the culture of the school where everyone can be successful. A great way for parents to be a part of the Positive Behavior Campaign is to learn the discipline code so everyone can communicate the expectations of proper conduct to our children. Another way, if time permits, is to attend our events or stay in communication with the school to check on our babies. Finally, the number one way for parents to support thePositiveBehavior Campaign is to teach our students how to express themselves and how to engage in a productive conversation with adults and with their peers.
At this point, parents should have received three progress reports, and two report cards. All these documents are essential in staying on top of our students' achievement and making sure they meet promotional criteria. Every child must pass ELA and Math class AND both state exams. For the 8th grade, they must pass all of their core subjects. If any child has failed a class twice, then this marking period is important. That means the child has to earn at least a 75 to increase his or her chances of being promoted at the end of the school year. In addition, EVERY CHILD MUST HAVE 15 OR LESS ABSENCES IN ORDER TO AVOID SUMMER SCHOOL OR BEING HELD OVER. Many parents have been doing a wonderful job staying connected to the school by calling me, calling the school, e-mailing, or even stopping by. I want to encourage for more parents to take advantage of our open door policy. Test the power of involvement by finding a way to make a difference. Two tests! One dream! To be the best, we must be a team! Destination! Excellence!
With Love and Dedicaiton,
Jacob T. Michelman
Principal
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