Monday Memo
“We Work Together; We Win Together!”
January 7, 2013
The #1 Goal of Ridgeway Middle School Is Student Achievement!
100% in Reading
100% in Math
Be mindful of the following:
School-wide Instructional and Academic Support
 Utilize the Technology Help Form to request assistance with technology issues in your classrooms.
 The care and safekeeping of all school purchased supplies and equipment is the responsibility of the faculty or staff member who has been assigned each
item/accessory. Cost for loss of use or extensive repairs will be the responsibility of the faculty or staff member as well. Ensure that all materials and
equipment are managed properly.
 A project description must accompany any student work that is displayed in the halls and the classroom.
 Two team meetings and one department meeting must be held per week. A copy of all minutes must be submitted to Ms. Black.
 Keep in mind that your hallway and classroom is your home away from home. It is a reflection of who you are and it is our expectation
that all hallways and classrooms are aesthetically pleasing to the eye at all times. During transitions, ensure that students are not
touching, rubbing, or resting on the walls. Signs and bulletin board displays must be monitored and maintained by all faculty and staff
members.
 Caught You Being Good forms are due to Ms. Minnis every Thursday by 3:00 PM.
 Weekly Lesson Plans are due every Sunday by 6pm. (Email a copy blacksl@mcsk12.net or submit a hardcopy to Ms. Black.) Place a
copy of every weekly lesson plan in the RMS Lesson Plan Notebook and place the notebook in the drop box outside your classroom.
 Lesson Plans should be utilized to guide and direct your daily instruction. Lesson Plans will be used during formal and informal
evaluations and observations. Instruction planned should match instruction given during weekly lessons.
 Whiteboard Configuration Protocol should be posted and maintained daily in every classroom.
 Classroom instruction should include an overview of the course, pre-assessments, and necessary remedial instruction for all students.
 Instruction must be evident in all classrooms during every period of every school day.
 Utilize the updated and revised MCS Curriculum Guides, on the MCS website under curriculum and instruction for your content area, to
plan your weekly lesson plans.
 All Exploratory Teachers are reinforcing skills/ SPIs students need more support with during exploratory classes a minimum of 15
minutes per week. This implementation should be stated in submitted and posted lesson plans.
International Baccalaureate Program
 The Area of Interaction and IB Unit Question should be displayed in each classroom. An updated copy of the IB Unit Plan should be
placed in the Lesson Plan Notebook.
 All clubs must complete a community service project. Every student must complete a reflection about the service project. Service projects
can be completed with other clubs.
 New Teacher PLC on Monday, 1/7/13 with Ms. Minnis at 2:40. Please bring your school laptop.
 IB Team PLC on Thursday, 1/11/13 with Ms. Minnis. Please bring laptop, subject guide and most recent unit plan.
 Optional School Open House is January 17, 2013 at 6:00 PM. Teams are responsible for a presentation to showcase their students.
 ThinkShow is March 7, 2013. Submit the names of jurors to Ms. Minnis.
PBIS/Culture Plan Information
 You are reminded to keep your behavior tracker with you when monitoring students and be consistent with implementation of the
PBIS/Culture Plan.
 Submit your tracker along with referrals for infractions that are level 1, 2 and continuous level 3.
 Be sure call logs are updated weekly. A minimum of 15 calls should be made each week (at least 10 positive) and documented in the log.
 The first two teachers who respond to the Monday Memo each week in November will receive a 1-day extension to submit lesson plans.
 All faculty members who supervise student groups in the afternoon should have a specific location for students to meet each afternoon
following dismissal. There are too many students in the building unsupervised each afternoon. You are responsible for all students who are
scheduled to meet with you after dismissal.
Professional Development
All completed courses must show completed and passed on your AVATAR transcript.
If they do not, you need to request credit.
Child Abuse Reporting for Tennessee 2012-2013 Avatar course # 8682.15554 Due January 15, 2013
Jason Foundation Statewide Suicide Prevention Training Avatar course # 6204.14958 Due January 15, 2013
Common Core and Text Dependent Questions Avatar course # 13724.16291 Due January 25, 2013
TEM Rubric (Teacher) Link: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6QsGJQcfqIwWnp2VFVMQnZKOW8/preview
Directions to print:
1.
In the upper right corner, select the "arrow up" icon to
2.
Open A New Window.
3.
A new window containing the document should open.
4.
In the new window, print from the "printer" icon.
Number of Formal Observations:
Tenured Faculty – 4
Non Tenured Faculty – 6
Level 5 Faculty – Reduced Number
RIGOROUS- CONTENT SPECIFIC- & ENGAGING CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION must be ongoing in classrooms.
The faculty and staff at Ridgeway Middle School DO NOT allow “down time,” during instructional time. (7:15-2:15)
Be Explicit. Be Direct. Be Firm. Be Consistent.
Think About It
RIGOR, RIGOR, RIGOR
Monday: January 7, 2013
Schoolwide common Assessment
 Team PLC Meetings in Guidance Conference Room (Planning Time)
 New Teacher PLC @ 2:40 PM
Tuesday: January 8, 2013
Schoolwide common Assessment
1/15/13 Title I Schoolwide Monitoring Visit
 AdvancEd Co-Chairs Meeting in Main Office Conference Room @ 2:35
 Department Meetings: Data Day B @ 2:45PM
1/15/13 First Semester Good Conduct Incentive
Open Gym (Winfrey)
Wednesday: January 9, 2013
1/17/13 Optional School Open House @ 6pm
Title I Parent Meeting
Thursday: January 10, 2013
 Club Day
 Team PLC Meetings in Guidance Conference Room (Planning Time)
Friday: January 11, 2013
 Student Expectations Assemblies
7:45-8:20A.M. 8th Grade
8:30-9:15 A.M. 7th Grade
9:20-10:00 A.M. 6th Grade
Ridgeway vs. Havenview Basketball @ 4:30 P.M.
 Team PLC Meetings in Guidance Conference Room (Planning Time)
1/19/13 PEARLs Benihana Field Trip
1/23/13 Celebration of all Birthdays @ 3:00 pm
** Email Mrs. Turner your birth date if you plan
to participate in the Celebration of all
Birthdays Jan. 23 (3:00 pm).
1/24/13 Club Day
1/30/13 Lula Washington Dance Field Trip (Staples)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Saturday: January 12, 2013
1/31/13 PBIS Meeting
Sunday: January 13, 2013
2/11-15/13
6th, 7th, 8th Grades TCAP CRA Assessment
2/4-8/13
6th, 7th, 8th Grades TCAP Writing Assessment
2/13/13 Middle School Debate @ Bellevue Middle
2/26/13-3/1/13
6th, 7th, 8th Grades Discovery Education Assessment
Distribution Dates for Student Packets:
1/8, 2/5, 3/5, 4/2 and 4/30