Turning Over a Few New Leaves at TJ…

Welcome!

IntroductionsSteve Sukawaty Jodi Swagel

▶ 6 years at college level

▶ 13 years as an educator▶ 10 years teaching at

TJMS!▶ 3 years as an

administrator

▶ First year at TJ!

▶ The Middle Matters! These are critical years and we want to create a safe, respectful, and positive school environment where learning and growing are optimal.

▶ 29 years as an educator▶ 12 years teaching▶ 7 years guidance

counselor▶ 10 years as

administrator

▶ Second year at TJ!

▶ I believe Middle School is a make or break time for a student. They need to feel confident as a students when they head to high school. If we can build that confidence and the skills needed - the sky’s the limit!

John Bunyan▶ 16 years as an educator

▶ 4 years at middle school level

▶ 12 years high school▶ 11 years at PWHS

▶ 4 years of college coaching

▶ First year at TJ!

▶ Middle school is a time to develop habits that will make students successful in high school and beyond. We value opportunities to do this in and out of the classroom.

Tonight’s Takeaways…▶ We want you to know:

▶ That your child is in a safe school (socially and emotionally).

▶ That your child is in a place where every student is well known, cared for, respected, and loved. Where each student is a member of our TJMS “family.” It’s the Jaguar Way!

▶ That your child is in a school where the primary mission is learning, and every student is challenged and supported to achieve ambitious goals.

▶ That your child is in a place where teachers and administrators go to bed and get up thinking about how to make the above items come to life, where they work hard to make it happen, and where they hold themselves and their colleagues responsible for success.

Mission Statement

At TJMS, our mission is to cultivate a community of confident and engaged learners who respect the

learning process, themselves, and others; who promote and demonstrate kindness; and who

strive for lifelong success.

Every student, every moment, all the time.

TJMS Building Goals

▶ Culture of Literacy & Learning ▶ focus on increasing reading stamina

▶ PBIS▶ universal expectations & language▶ respect, responsible, ready...KINDNESS

▶ Extended Learning Time

A few of our goalsfor your child

▶ That they learn and grow as an individual

▶ That they are held accountable for mistakes in a manner that allows them to reflect and learn

▶ That each year we see progress and growth as we prepare them for college, career, and citizenship

ELT

Extended Learning Time will be used to provide multi-levels of support for students in an effort to match students to their level of need. The goal is to use varied data sources to make informed, individualized decision to stretch and support all learners.

PBIS▶ In order to help us assure that we accomplish our goal of building a culture

of respect and kindness, TJMS will continue a program it began in earnest last year entitled, PBIS. PBIS stands for Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support. We love our acronyms in the education profession!

▶ PBIS fosters:▶ Behavioral expectations which are taught throughout the building▶ Appropriate behaviors which are acknowledged▶ Data collection to determine when and where problems occur▶ A common set of expectations and language for everyone

▶ PBIS is a strategy to assure that the 98+% of our student body will be recognized in a positive manner; while at the same time outlining the consequences for a student who doesn’t believe rules apply to them.

PBIS

▶ We want all of our students to behave appropriately for a variety of reasons, but chief among them is that children need a sound and safe learning environment in order to learn.

▶ We have a system that gives a shout out to students doing the right thing. They are acknowledged and given “Jaguar Paws”. Jaguar Paws are like currency!

▶ When you have earned enough Paws you can purchase different items at the “Jaguar Store” or use them for special events.

▶ We will have all school celebrations when we reach certain goals. Examples might be a field day, picnic, Dr. Weber grills out with us, etc.

If a Poor Choice Happens

▶ This year we are incorporating something we refer to as the TJMS “discipline matrix”.

▶ The discipline matrix is a guideline our staff and administration will use to ensure our discipline is progressive and consistent in nature.

▶ Please know that the matrix may not cover the scope of all incidents and that administration will work through situation in a fair manner.

Possible Consequences▶ Consequences vary according to the gravity and/or

frequency of the behavior.

▶ Consequences might be:

▶ Talk with teacher (privately), re-teach

▶ Contact parent

▶ Removal from activity or class

▶ Detention (lunch, recess, after school or Saturday)

▶ Meeting w/ guidance counselor and/or grade level team

▶ Parent meeting

▶ Suspension (in/out of school)

Example of Matrix

PHYSICAL 1st Incident 2nd Incident 3rd Incident 4th Incident

Horseplay Pushing Shoving

TeacherDiscussion Parent Contact

Teacher Parent Contact Detention w Teacher

AdminParent MeetingAfter Detention Guidance Meeting

AdminParent MeetingSaturday Detention Possible Suspension

Fighting Instigating

AdminParent ContactIn/Out Suspension

AdminParent ContactSaturday DetentionIn/Out SuspensionGuidance Meeting

AdminParent MeetingOut Suspension Possible Police

AdminParent MeetingOut SuspensionPossible PolicePossible Expulsion

Goals of Discipline System▶ Preserve and maintain a safe and positive learning environment.

▶ A child can’t learn if they are consistently behaving poorly and the students around them can’t either.

▶ Our discipline system’s intent, in partnership with parents, is to get the problem behavior to cease so learning can progress.

Handbook/Extracurriculars

▶ Changes to handbook & process

▶ Variety of extracurricular opportunities for student▶ Expectations▶ Athletic forms

Thank you for your support and partnership!

Let’s Have a Great Year!

The Jaguar Way...Where Respect, Responsibility, and Readiness Matter!

Kindness is the Key!

Few Words From Our Jaguar Parent Group

Jaguar Parent Group

Come and join us!

Why Join JPG?

▶ You are already a member!

▶ Your kids spend half their waking hours at school during the year – don’t you want to be “plugged in?”

▶ We meet once a month for less than 1 hour – you do have the time!

▶ Hear from Mr. Sukawaty and other teachers

▶ Have access to other parents for questions

▶ Have an impact at your child’s school!

What we do….▶ Provide feedback to staff & administration on school activities▶ Support school activities such as Forensics Night and

Wellness/Career Fair▶ Field trip Financial Support▶ Ad hoc requests for school needs (field trips, food, etc.)▶ Teacher and staff Appreciation▶ Support 8th Grade promotion, gifts and activity day▶ Fundraising and Family Outreach

▶ Book Fair▶ Box Tops▶ SCRIP▶ Color Run▶ Dodgeball Tournament

Financed in 2016/2017▶ $8000 contributed to purchase of digital sign

▶ Subsidized the water bottle filler purchase for TJ

▶ Books, work table, and “escape kit” for 7th grade classrooms

▶ Over $2000 in field trip subsidies

▶ Colonial Day supplies, reading reward parties for 5th grade

▶ Social Studies supplies, rain ponchos for 6th grade

▶ Wellness Fair Breakfast

▶ Appreciation meals for staff

▶ 8th grade promotion field trip and reception

▶ Forensics trophies

▶ Earth Day snacks

▶ And much more…

What do we need from you?

▶ Make it a goal to attend ONE meeting! We often struggle to find enough people to vote on financial expenditures

▶ Make it a goal to volunteer for ONE activity!

▶ Give us feedback and GET INVOLVED!

▶ What ideas do you have for fundraising or family outreach? We need fresh ideas!

Let us know if you have any questions!

▶ Email: jaguarpg4tj@gmail.com▶ Join us on facebook

▶ www.facebook.com/JaguarParentGroup

▶ First Meeting: Thursday, September 7th, 6:30 pm