MS Weekly Review - V1:I18

MS Weekly Review

Volume 1 Issue 18
April 5, 2012

SPRING BREAK!!!!!!

Unfortunately, I am on travel restrictions so I will not be in the condition my friend is over here with the sunburn.  I will be trying to get in some golf, watching the Masters, and preparing to go turkey hunting before the baby is born.


This week came and went. It was as good as could be expected with just under 1100 middle school students.   Surprisingly, as I look out my window at 3:12 p.m., the front lot is clear already.

At Monday’s staff meeting, we held a brief going away/retirement party for Chris Howes.  She has had a positive impact on so many students over the years and will be greatly missed .She is having hip surgery over the break and then retiring.    We wish her luck with her surgery and a happy retirement.

Tuesday was a great day of “Brainstorming” with the administration team.  The motivation behind the team to focus on student achievement and content proficiency gives me goosebumps.  We are all on the same page and are not afraid to think outside the box and try new things.  NWEA is a major undertaking.  If we strongly believe that our decisions are based on quality data, this instrument will be the driving force on those decisions.  The data/feedback that this assessment tool will provide, not just for the teachers but the students and the parents, with its “dashboard”, will assist all stakeholders with a tool to increase student achievement and reinforce exceptional teaching practices.  Also,  we are looking at a means of closing the achievement gap for our middle school students.  Whereas we have raised the bar for achievement, we have many students still struggling to reach that height.  We are tossing around the idea of creating an alternative placement school for our sixth through eighth graders.  Not just focusing on the behavior aspects of alternative education, but also looking at the combination of academic and behavior.  My project over Spring Break is to research if there are  any alt. ed. programs out there for middle schoolers and see how we can incorporate that into our system.  I understand that students do not always learn in a “four walled” environment.  This will be our chance to look at a positive alternative to help our students become successful.

Thursday was another successful Coffee with the Principal.  I had thirteen parents attend.   Topics of discussion:

• Next month’s agenda - First Aid training
• RESA Science summer programs
• SRI scores
• during Spring Break, have a book in your child’s hands instead of the electronic device
• Visit from Mr. Brian Spitbergen, Drug Awareness speaker from Growth Works

Respectfully submitted on this 5th day of April, 2012.


Jason C. Gribble
Educational Leader
Riverside Middle School


“Teachers will Teach
Students will Learn
The Data will prove that what we are doing is Right.”