Weekly Update: May 16-20

There have a been a number of great initiatives that have started this year in the HS.  This week, the culmination of over a year and a half of planning became a reality.  During my site visit interview, I asked students and teachers about what we were doing to ease the transition between middle school  and high school.  There were some programs in place for 8th graders right before they left for summer break and again when they returned to start their freshman year.  However, not much supported them throughout the year in a systematic way.

This week was the beginning of something new at SSIS that I believe will have a huge positive impact on our 9th grade transition and building of the leadership capacity in our 10th and 11th graders.  We met on Wednesday as LINK crew advisors and the 24 selected student LINK leaders for the first time.  The energy, excitement, and anticipate of what could be was incredible inside the walls of that room.  I am so excited for the arrival of our 9th graders next year and seeing the development of this program and the impact it will have across the entire division

Have an amazing weekend,

Jacob

Friday, May 13
Early Dismissal
Day 2- EFGH
AP Exam AM: Microeconomics
IB Exam AM: Chemistry

Monday, May 16
Day 3- BCDA
Group Meeting Schedule
Senior Exams (HS Conference Room)
IB Exam AM: Geography

Tuesday, May 17
Day 4- FGHE
IB Exam AM: Geography

Wednesday, May 18
Day 5- CDAB
IB Exam AM: ESS
HS Faculty Meeting, 3:15-3:30 (Student Lounge) then 3:30-4:30 (Department Time)
MS/HS Art Party, 3:15-5:30 (Auditorium)

Thursday, May 19
Day 6- GHEF
IB Exam AM: Music
AP Exam PM: Chemistry

Friday, May 20
Day 7- DABC
All senior grades finalized in PowerSchool by 8am
Robert Kostrzeski Welcome Breakfast, 7:30-8am (Staff Lounge)
AP Exam AM: Psychology
IB Exam PM: ESS

On the Horizon
HS Prom, May 21
Yearbook Assembly, May 23 Alternative Schedule FGHE (Not normal rotation)
StuCo Election Assembly, May 24 (PM Assembly End of Day Schedule)
Tim Chute Visit, May 26-30
Share student comments for reports cards with colleague by June 1
Student Comments Reviewed by a Colleague, June 6 by 8am
Final Exams, June 2-6 Schedule Here
Exam, semester 2 grades and comments due: June 8 by 4pm

Staff Action Needed

• All grades (no comments required unless a huge change in grade) for seniors due by 8am on Friday, May 20th
• Send Jacob and email by today (Friday, May 13th) if you are interested in joining the HSLT in the 2016-17 school year.

Important Grading Deadlines– Below is a brief summary of the grading timetable for the end of the year.

• All grades for seniors due by 8am on Friday, May 20th
• Student Comments Completed in Google or Word Doc and shared with a Colleague: June 1 by 4pm
• Student Comments Reviewed by a Colleague: June 6 by 8am
• Final exams June 2-7
• Exam, semester 2 grades and comments due: June 8 by 4pm

Robert Kostrzeski Visit and Welcome Breakfast– Robert, our University Guidance Office Director in the 2016-17 school year, will be visiting SSIS on May 20-22.  We will be hosting a informal breakfast on Friday, May 20th from 7:30-8am to get a chance to meet him.  We will be providing breakfast snacks for the event.

Changes to Our Divisional Meeting Schedule (Save the date)– At our last HSLT we decided to adjust our divisional meeting schedules over the next few weeks to best suit teacher needs.

• May 18th- A quick check-in at 3:15 in the student lounge then departmental time.
• May 25th- Individual work time to prep for exams and grading
• June 1st- HS Faculty Meeting to lay out the IB calendar for the 2016-17 school year.

End of Year Send Off– On Friday, June 3rd from 2-3pm we will be honoring the contributions of our staff that are leaving this year.  We will have some food, drinks and share stories about our amazing staff that are setting out on new adventures.

StuCo Election Assembly and 8th Grade Orientation: May 24th– We have a StuCo election assembly on Tuesday, May 24 from 2:30-3pm in the Plaza.  Please remind your D block class that they report to the Plaza for the assembly after class.  From 1:30-2:30, current 8th graders will be on campus for some transition activities in the HS lead by the counseling department and NHS.

Department Heads 2016-17– We are looking for new faces to join the High School Leadership Team in the 2016-17 school year.  I am especially appreciative of many of our outgoing departments heads that stayed on an additional year to help ease my transition to the school.  Thank you Andrew, Nick, Mike, Kris, Bill, Colin, Charmaine, Nomer, and Alison for your support and guidance this year.

If you are interested in joining the HSLT in the 2016-17 school year please email Jacob by Friday, May 13.  These roles are critical, as we work to enhance the learning opportunities for our students in our division.